CLONE YOUR CLOTHES

PATTERN CUTTING WORKSHOP

£110

GROUP WORKSHOP LOCATION: The Poly, Falmouth

SESSIONS: 1

DATE: Tuesday 27th January 2026, 10am-4pm with 1 hour lunch break (lunch not provided)

MAXIMUM PARTICPANTS: 6

LEVEL: Intermediate

HOW TO BOOK: Bookings through The Poly website, click below.

BOOK NOW

TELL ME MORE

Everyone has a garment that they wish would last forever, or that they could get in lots of different colours and fabrics. Come along on this class, and learn how to trace off your favourite dress or top, so that you have a fully workable pattern to take home and make again and again.

During this class, you will learn how to make a paper pattern from your favourite top or dress, without having to unpick a thing! We will be creating the pattern, adding seam allowance, and even making small pattern changes, such as changing the length, or adding a seam line.

There won’t be time to make your garment on the course, but we will talk about construction techniques and the order to sew it at the end. If your pattern has quite a few pieces, you might have finalised all pieces by the end of the session.

Please bring along something old and loved from your wardrobe or something vintage - we cannot trace recently purchased garments from the last 5-10 years.

TECHNIQUES YOU WILL LEARN

  • Basic techniques of tracing off a garment onto dot and cross paper, using push pins, tracing wheels, tape measures and a pattern master

  • Discussing pattern cutting theory including seam allowance and grain lines.

  • Making some pattern pieces from scratch, eg. straight plackets, simple facings.

  • Add seam allowance, then cut out your paper pieces and add notches

  • Discussing order of construction

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?

  • We will provide all the pattern cutting tools you will need and pattern cutting paper.

  • Course booklet to take home.

  • Tea and coffee.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

  • Your favourite top, shirt or dress - send me a photo once you've booked of the garment you're thinking of making to hello@dotncross.com

  • I strongly advise you to bring something simple - with just a few pattern pieces, eg: front, back, sleeve and pocket.

  • Something in cotton or a sturdy-ish fabric will be best if this is your first time tracing. We wouldn’t recommend bringing a jersey or stretch garment, or a complex tailored garment.

  • Please bring along something old and loved from your wardrobe or something vintage - we cannot trace recently purchased garments from the last 5-10 years.

WHO IS THIS CLASS SUITABLE FOR?

This is an intermediate class, meaning you should have prior experience of working with bought patterns and be comfortable with basic pattern cutting terminology. You will get a lot more out of the class if you’ve already made up a few different garments before and got a good grasp of garment construction. We will cover all the pattern cutting basics with you, such as: seam allowance, notch, drill hole, grain line etc. If you are wondering if this is the course for you, don't hesitate to drop me a line to chat it through!

ABOUT YOUR TEACHER

Helen Shine is a pattern cutter and seamstress who has worked in the fashion industry in London for 10 years. She has cut patterns for several high-end designer brands, including Victoria Beckham, Mary Katrantzou and Karen Millen. She loves sharing the knowledge she has gained over the years with others, to help them on their sewing journey.

WORKSHOP LOCATION

This workshop is held at The Poly in Falmouth. Google maps link here.

It will be held in the main gallery, which is upstairs in The Poly if you are entering from the front entrance on Church Street. You can also access this room from the back entrance on New Street, where there are fewer steps to access the space.

The nearest Long Stay care park is Church Street, Google maps link here.

TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS

Recently attended a very enjoyable and informative workshop on garment cloning pattern techniques. Helen made us very welcome and gave us enough information and confidence and showed us all the techniques to copy our chosen garments. Thank you for a great new experience. Hopefully will be able to attend more in the future.

Felicity Moore - Clone Your Clothes

I had the best time with you on this course, thank you so much!! I learnt so much about patterns and garment construction, and also just had an overall nice time chatting about sewing, thank you so much! I will definitely be booking onto another course soon!

Chloe Crimmen - Trace a pattern workshop

Helen is a wonderful teacher, she listens to all her students and puts so much time and effort into her classes. (I loved the hand out booklet that Helen created which is just so easy to read, understand and great for future reference). Helen genuinely cares about her students and is always on hand to offer additional support and advice, professional and friendly, her classes are so informative, relaxed and a delight to attend.

Prior to attending Helen’s pattern tracing course I had very little knowledge of the skills and tools needed to effectively recreate an item of clothing. Helen spent lots of time clearly showing and explaining every step of the process, whilst carefully making sue all students understood and felt confident in what they were doing. We used tools I had never heard of or seen before, including a pattern master and a tracing wheel. The information and process of correctly laying out a garment to recreate its pattern, as provided by Helen was invaluable. I left the class feeling as though I had learnt so many new skills in a lovely and friendly atmosphere. I cannot recommend Helen’s classes enough.

Eleanor Kilby-Grainge - Trace a pattern workshop

I thoroughly enjoyed Helens easy manner and ability to convey instructions in an easily absorbed way. I am feeling confident to take a pattern off a favourite top. I’ll be back for more classes!

Sheenagh Gebhard - Trace a pattern workshop

I attended Helen's course in London to copy a top and came away with a pattern that I know I will make again and again. Helen is a relaxed and patient teacher and the small numbers attending the class mean she has the time to spend with each of the students. With a variety of garments chosen to copy, we also got to learn different techniques from each of the projects. The booklet Helen provides with the class is extremely useful and I've since applied the techniques learnt to more complex projects. I very much enjoyed the day and had the classes not moved to Cornwall I'd be enrolling for more in a heart beat!

Fiona Hampson - Trace a pattern workshop

HOW TO BOOK

Bookings are through the Poly, Falmouth. Click button below to go to their website.

BOOK NOW

CANCELLATIONS

Refund Policy 

Except in circumstances where The Poly has had to cancel or change an event, we are not able to offer refunds on films, live events or workshops. If the event you were attending is sold out and we are able to re-sell your tickets to another customer, we can issue you a credit note for the ticket price only (excluding any booking fees and Poly Fund). We may not be able to facilitate this on the door, if possible please contact The Poly to arrange a credit note with plenty of notice. 

If you can no longer attend a workshop and let us know well in advance of the event, we may be able to move you to a course on a later date, provided it is being repeated. This is at the discretion of the manager. 

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