Intermediate Sewing: Make a Linen Summer Dress | a 2-day workshop

The Iris Dress: two days of proper dressmaking in the Scissors Studio

Linen has a reputation for creasing, but it cuts cleanly, takes structure well, and softens with every wash — which makes it a practical choice for dressmaking, not just a seasonal one. Tessuti Fabrics' Iris Dress is a good pattern to learn with: an A-line silhouette with no closures, side pockets, and exposed binding between the skirt panels that reads as a design feature rather than a construction headache.

Tutor Lauren Holloway, a Bristol-based slow-fashion maker who runs her own accessories label, leads this two-day workshop covering the steps that distinguish dressmaking from general sewing: cutting pattern pieces accurately, sewing darts, creating in-seam pockets, applying neck bindings, and finishing a clean hem. The pattern, haberdashery, and notions are all included in the fee; you bring your own fabric (around 2-2.5m of 140cm-wide linen, cotton, drapey silk, or lightweight wool crepe) and your own machine if you have one. The pattern runs XXS to XL (approximately UK 8-18), with a size chart sent after booking. A two-tone version using two different fabrics is possible and is covered by the pattern.

Wednesday–Thursday 5–6 August 2026 · New Brewery Arts, Brewery Court, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1JH · 10:15am–4:15pm