Pattern Making Courses in Sydney
Learn to draft patterns that truly fit. Our pattern making courses are open to anyone wanting to develop strong technical drafting skills — whether for personal interest or advanced skill development. You’ll progress from core drafting foundations through to advanced design adaptation and refined production techniques, all taught to consistent high professional standards.
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Introductory Pattern Making
Learn to draft patterns that fit you — and build the sewing skills to bring them to life. Intro classes cover core drafting techniques and garment construction, so you’ll finish with more than just paper patterns
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Advanced Pattern Making
For experienced pattern makers, advanced courses explore lingerie, swimwear, draping, eveningwear, and tailoring, with a focus on complex designs as well as more challenging fabrics and construction techniques.
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Adobe Illustrator
Learn to use Adobe Illustrator to create digital tech packs and visual specs to communicate your designs to manufacturers. Perfect for HSC Textiles students and to accompany Start Your Own Label Workshop.
Flexible Enrolments 〰️ Contact us to Start Mid-Term 〰️
Flexible Enrolments 〰️ Contact us to Start Mid-Term 〰️
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Why Learn Pattern Making?
Our pattern making courses cover core drafting, fit, garment construction and professional production techniques.
Start with a Custom Block
Create a personalised pattern block (or sloper) — the foundation for an endless range of garment styles. Once developed, it becomes the base you can adapt, refine and reuse across designs, all tailored to your body.
Achieve a Precise Fit
Your body is unique — standard sizing often isn’t. Pattern making allows you to draft garments to your own measurements, creating consistency and control over fit.
Express Your Creativity
Turn ideas into garments with intention. Learn how to draft, adjust and customise patterns to suit your individual style and design vision.
Create a More Mindful Wardrobe
Draft high-quality, well-fitting garments while reducing waste and supporting a more thoughtful approach to fashion.
Understand Garments from the Inside Out
Develop a deeper understanding of how flat fabric becomes structured clothing. Explore fit, ease, dart placement and seam structure while strengthening both technical and design knowledge.
Repurpose What You Already Own
Recreate and update existing garments by turning them into patterns. Refresh old favourites, improve fit or use them as the starting point for new designs.
The CAFA Approach to Pattern Making
We teach pattern making with an emphasis on accuracy, proportion and structural integrity. From introductory drafting through to advanced and specialist study, students are guided to develop precise, repeatable skills rather than quick fixes. The focus is not simply on producing a pattern, but on understanding why it works — building technical confidence that carries across designs and levels.
What You’ll Learn
This workshop is designed to take the mystery out of your overlocker and help you use it with confidence. You’ll learn how your machine works, how to set it up correctly and how to achieve professional finishes across a range of techniques.
Suitable for all skill levels
What to Expect
This is a small, hands-on class ensuring plenty of one-on-one time with the instructor and personalised support for your machine. You’ll work through a series of practical samples during the workshop, creating a take-home reference that shows what your overlocker can do and helps you replicate techniques later.
You will need to bring your own overlocker, together with its instruction manual (you can often find these online).
Classes & Costs
Cost: $199 (includes $25 workshop kit)
Format: 6-hour workshop, 9:30am – 4:00pm (30-minute lunch break)
Upcoming 2026 dates: 29 March · 7 June · 23 August · 6 December
Pattern Making Courses | FAQs
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Some basic sewing knowledge is helpful, particularly an understanding of garment construction. However, Intro to Pattern Making is designed to build foundational drafting skills step by step and is one of our three Learn to Sew options.
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Yes. Our pattern making courses are open to anyone wanting to develop technical drafting skills — whether for personal projects or advanced study. All students are taught to the same high standards.
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You will need basic pattern drafting tools such as pattern paper, curves, grading rulers, tracing wheels and calico for toiles. A detailed materials list is provided upon enrolment. We also sell high quality tools and supplies and suggest that students don’t buy anything until their first class.
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While pattern making is a technical discipline and classes focus on drafting accuracy, proportion and structural understanding, we introduce skills are introduced progressively, allowing students to build confidence as they advance.
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Students who complete Intro to Pattern Making can move into Advanced Pattern Making and specialist areas as their skills develop. If you have prior experience, talk to us and we’ll together we will work out which level course is the best fit for you.