Couture Sewing Techniques
Couture sewing is built on three foundational techniques: the calico or muslin toile, careful and deliberate pressing, and specialised hand-sewn finishes. These techniques are taught together as you work on the construction of your chosen couture garment.
Skill Level | Advanced
This course suits advanced sewers who want to master couture construction techniques, (including those used in vintage patterns) or learn some basic pattern making techniques to produce garments with high-end finishes.
You will work at your own pace on a project of your choosing.
📅 Class Schedule & Booking
When: Morning (8.30am–12.00pm),
Afternoon (12.30pm–4.00pm)
Evening (6.00pm–9.00pm)
Where: CAFA, Pymble (Sydney’s North Shore)
Term Times: → View Dates & Classes
flexible start dates available
Cost: Starting from $919 per term
(33 hours tuition )
Save: Book a full-day class and receive a discount of $135
Class Size: Small group format for personalised instruction
→ Contact us if you're not sure which level is right for you.
What is Couture Sewing?
Let's start with haute couture, the French term that literally translates as "high dressmaking" or "high fashion". Haute couture garments are custom-made for an individual client using beautiful fabrics and hand-finished techniques. In France, there are strict requirements about who can use this term and only a handful of brands are accredited to the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
That doesn't mean that ambitious sewers can't aspire to the fine techniques and attention to detail used by the great fashion houses and you'll learn these in our Couture Sewing course.
couture sewing techniques Course Details
Couture garment construction is about learning sewing and pressing techniques, taking time and care with garment fit and finishes, and establishing a personal library of skills so decisions on the best technique to achieve a finish can be made.
Students work on a number of samples and after the course may continue on and select a project and be guided through the techniques appropriate for their design. Projects may include cardigan jackets, notched lapel collar jackets, shawl collar jackets, pants, blouses, skirts, evening wear, corsets, and lace applique.
What You'll Learn
This course is an introduction to couture sewing techniques and includes:
Marking garments for fitting
Layout of patterns for difficult to manage fabrics
Thread tracing and basting techniques
Zipper applications including a hand-picked lapped zipper and an invisible zipper.
Interlining techniques to support and maintain fabric hand including organza and batiste
Hong Kong and mock Hong Kong finishes
French seams
Faced and rolled hems
Sample finishes for a couture lined skirt
Sample finishes for sewing curves and points
Bound buttonholes
Welt pockets with and without flaps.
Matching patterns and stripes.
Stretching and shrinking pressing techniques
More Information
Please feel free to email or call us on 02 9449 1450 and we'd be happy to provide more information or tailor a program for you.
Feeling Social?
There's nothing we love more than to see our students work in progress or finished creations!
What You’ll Learn
Introductory Pattern Making blends theory with hands-on making. You’ll learn how to draft patterns from body measurements and understand how 2D patterns translate into well-constructed 3D garments.
Suitable for beginners, with no prior pattern making experience required.
What to Expect
Our courses are open to all skill levels and held in our Pymble studio on Sydney’s North Shore. We offer morning, afternoon, full-day, and evening options, running Monday through Saturday.
Classes run once weekly for 3–3.5 hours across an 11-week term. Courses are typically priced in the $900–$1,000 range, depending on the number of hours.
Class Times & Booking
You’ll be able to view upcoming class dates and pricing before confirming your booking.