Sustainable Sewing & Upcycling Course

What you'll learn

Reimagine your wardrobe and sew more sustainably with our sewing & textiles short courses in Sydney!

Have unworn clothes, fabric remnants, or unfinished sewing projects tucked away? Instead of letting them go to waste, discover how to transform them into unique, practical pieces you'll be proud to use or wear.

In this hands-on upcycling course, you'll learn creative techniques for giving existing textiles a second life while building your sewing skills and confidence. Working with reclaimed fabrics and garments, you'll explore how to deconstruct, redesign, and reconstruct materials into something both functional and beautiful.

Across four sessions, you'll complete one or more substantial upcycling projects while progressively building your skills. Beginning with garment deconstruction and fabric recovery, you'll move on to techniques such as patchwork, appliqué, creative fabric manipulation, and reconstruction, developing the confidence to plan, design, and complete your own sustainable sewing projects.

Whether you're looking to reduce textile waste, refresh your wardrobe, or simply enjoy a more creative approach to sewing, you'll leave with new skills, fresh inspiration, and techniques you can continue using at home.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Sustainable Sewing & Upcycling course, participants will have developed practical skills and knowledge in areas such as:

• Understanding the principles of textile upcycling and sustainable sewing
• Identifying garments and fabrics with potential for creative reuse
• Deconstructing clothing to recover usable fabrics, trims and notions
• Applying techniques such as patchwork, appliqué and fabric manipulation
• Planning and completing original upcycled sewing projects
• Selecting appropriate materials and construction methods for reclaimed textiles
• Developing practical approaches to reducing textile waste through sewing

Course content

What will be covered in this Sustainable Sewing & Upcycling course?

During the course, participants will be guided through key concepts, techniques and approaches that typically include:

• Exploring the principles of upcycling, recycling and downcycling in textile crafts
• Assessing garments and fabrics for reuse, and recovering usable materials and trims
• Learning garment deconstruction techniques and preparing reclaimed fabrics for sewing
• Planning and constructing original upcycled projects using patchwork, appliqué, fabric manipulation and creative reconstruction techniques
• Combining fabrics, drafting simple pattern pieces, assembling projects and applying professional finishing techniques
• Exploring practical strategies for sustainable sewing and reducing textile waste in future projects

Content may vary slightly depending on class pace, participant interests, and instructor approach.

Intended audience

Who is this Sustainable Sewing & Upcycling course for?

This course is suitable for confident beginners and intermediate sewers with basic machine sewing skills who are interested in sustainable fashion, textile reuse, and creative garment transformation.

It's ideal for anyone wanting to reduce textile waste, refresh their wardrobe, or develop more creative and environmentally conscious sewing practices.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd on the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Accessibility: This class takes place in an upper-level room accessible by stairs only. The lift is currently out of service. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Course materials

What to bring

• Sewing machine (optional – machines available at class)
• Thread, bobbins, and machine needles
• Fabric scissors and snips
• Glass-head pins
• Rotary cutter and self-healing mat (optional)
• A3 paper, pencil and sticky tape for pattern drafting
• Old garments, household textiles, fabric remnants, trims, and other materials suitable for upcycling
• Light to medium weight iron-on interfacing

Additional information

Please note the following:

• Please wear closed-toe shoes for safety
• If bringing your own machine, ensure it is in good working order
• Please note this class takes place on the second floor and is only accessible by stairs