The following classes are not offered regularly. Please join us while they are offered.  

HISTORICAL SOAP MAKING
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Learn the basics of making cold-process soap from historical recipes that include vegetable oils, lard and lye, and make a bar of soap to take home in this informational hands-on class. Explore the benefits of using essential oils, herbs, and every day household products and enjoy the aromas. Discover the historical importance of soap throughout the ages. Make soaps for gifts or your own uses. Have fun creating unique packaging or presentation elements for your soaps. One, 3-hour session. Class fee: $55 - includes supplies. Instructor: Alicia Schult

Sunday

October 7

1:00-4:00

Evanston

historical soap Making

HISTORICAL CANDLE MAKING
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Throughout history there were many unique types of wax used to achieve a source of light. The candle making craft is as old as civilization itself. Yet, after so many millennia we still love their light, warmth, and beauty. This class offers anyone the ability to learn the craft and history while getting a hands-on experience preserving this old world tradition. Explore different processes, history and materials used in this art. After this class, you will have the confidence to go home and create your own candles! One, 3-hour session. Class fee: $50 - includes supplies. Instructor: Alicia Schult

Sunday

October 14

1:00-4:00

Evanston

Historical Candle Making class

SECRET LANGUAGE OF FABRICS
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“Learning how to convey secret thoughts and messages through your choices of fabric and cut in your historical garments.” Have you ever looked at an Antique garment and wondered why its previous wearer chose that fabric, or decoration? Alicia Schult explores 18th-20th century garments to reveal the meaning behind symbols, colors and cuts of garments, as well as the language of flowers and fans. You will never look at clothing the same way as you begin to think of fabrics in terms of symbolism and language. Some were mere political or status statements, while other garments professed secret desires or thoughts. One, 3-hour session. Class fee: $45. Instructor: Alicia Schult

Sunday

October 21

1:00-4:00

Evanston

textile

IT'S ALL ABOUT PILLOWS
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Pillows, whether they are on the sofa, back of a dining room chair, on the bed, or just for lounging in the family room, they can change the look of any room. In this Trunk Show / Lecture Karen will explain styles and techniques that will inspire and empower your sewing to not only make new and wonderful items for your home, but to sew up fantastic gifts as well. Class fee: $25. Instructor: Karen Erickson of Home Fashions U.

Wednesday

October 24

10:00-11:30

Evanston

pillow sewing class

SEW CUSHION COVERS FAST
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Take a look around your home. Do you need to make a new cushion, or cover an old one? In this hands-on workshop you will learn how to make a welt cord, zipper plackets, and sewing tricks for corners to match while sewing the cover correctly the first time! Sample Cushion covers will be made during class for you to take home as reference. The Price of this class includes the Kit Fee, so you just need to bring your basic sewing supplies like scissors and seam ripper.Class fee: $65. Instructor: Karen Erickson of Home Fashions U.

Wednesday

October 24

12:30-3:30

Evanston

pillow sewing class

SLIPCOVERS FOR DINING ROOM & KITCHEN CHAIRS
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This class is perfect for those of you who either love to entertain at home, or who really want to update the look of your home but are not ready to invest in new furniture. Learn how simple and quick it is to construct slipcovers to slide over your chairs. Discover the best fabrics to use, how to make a simple pattern, and tricks to stitching your slipcovers in one day in Karen's popular lecture/demo class. Class fee: $25. Instructor: Karen Erickson of Home Fashions U.

Thursday

October 25

2:00-3:30

Evanston

slipcover class

SLIPCOVER LIKE A PRO
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Learn to Slipcover Like a Pro! This very popular class will give you the knowledge and confidence to revive your tired furniture with professional looking results. The class includes easy methods to make continuous bias for welt cord, stitching in the ditch method, plus tricks for making the slipcover stay in place and fit like a glove. Bring a photo of the furniture you plan to slipcover at home, your personal sewing machine, your favorite zipper foot, serge protector, extension cord, sewing tools a yard stick and straight edge. Please arrive twenty minutes early to set up your station. A short dinner break will occur mid-class. Class fee: $99. Instructor: Karen Erickson of Home Fashions U.

Thursday

October 25

4:00-9:00

Evanston

slipcover class

PROFESSIONAL ROMAN SHADES
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Explore how to make your own Roman Shades for your windows, plus make a sample shade to take home. Class will include: Roman shade styles, best fabrics & linings for shades, how to measure for shades, how to calculate fabric, how to pattern match fabric, supplies and tools, work area - to square fabric shade, cord placement & cord locks, and child safety measures. Don't Miss This Class!!! The class fee includes the kit price. Class fee: $75. Instructor: Karen Erickson of Home Fashions U.

Friday

October 26

9:30-12:30

Evanston

roman shade DIY class

START A SEWING BUSINESS
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Starting a business with a passion for something that you love to do is most important. Topics to get you started include: Market research, legal structure, making a plan for success, creating a support team, developing a marketing plan, internet and websites, building a referral network and more. Explore the possibilities. This class sold out quickly the last time we offered it, so please register early. Class fee: $25. Instructor: Karen Erickson of Home Fashions U.

Friday

October 26

1:30-4:30

Evanston

start a sewing business class

ZIPPER WORKSHOP
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End the frustration now with this incredibly helpful workshop. Learn once and for all how to get the perfect look with your zippers. This hands-on workshop will leave you confident in your ability to insert any zipper into any outfit. One, 3-hour session. Class fee: $40.00. Instructor: Veronica Brackett

Friday

November 2

11:00-2:00

Roosevelt Rd

Monday November 5 2:00-5:00 Evanston
Zipper workshop

SHOE COVERING WORKSHOP
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Take an old pair of pumps and breathe new life into them! Learn the professional techniques to recover your shoes and boots for extended wear. You can even buy new shoes on sale and transform them into the perfect match for that special outfit. You will gain the confidence to apply decoration to your shoes for that true designer look. One, 3-hour session. Class fee: $40.00 Instructor: Veronica Brackett

Friday

November 2

3:00-6:00

Roosevelt Rd

Monday November 5 6:00-9:00 Evanston
shoe covering class


VICTORIAN OVER-BUST CORSET CLASS

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The object of this class is to learn how to fit a corset mock-up and build a corset using the double layer construction technique. This includes applying a busk, measuring for and chooseing bones, marking and setting grommets. The class starts with a commercial patern, and you learn to adjust it to fit your body measurements, make a mock-up, and fit it with the teacher's guidence, transferring the changes to the original pattern (so you can make your next corset without a fitting partner), and finally putting the corset together. This two day workshop is fairly intense and the students rarely finish in class time, so the corset you end up with is a basic white corset that has been your learning tool - it may or may not be something you want to wear but it is an excellent reference for future corset making. This class has sold out previously. The next time you make this corset, you can use a fashion fabric on the outer layer. Class size is very limited. Class fee:$295 which includes corset materials, bones, busk, fabrics, grommets and pattern. No cancelations after August 1st. Presented by Farthingales, LA.

Sat./Sun.

Nov. 10 & 11

10:00-4:00

Evanston



overbust corset class

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