Sewing classes for adults and children.
An informal, friendly masterclass in a real working studio in Northfleet. Olga, who has been sewing professionally for over fourteen years, teaches the basics — and you leave with something you made yourself.
First class £45 · three hours · small groups of up to four · English and Romanian speaking groups.
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Most people who want to sew never start, because the machine sits in a cupboard and the instructions may as well be in another language. An afternoon with someone who does it for a living gets you past that. You learn on proper machines, in the room where real garments are made, with someone at your shoulder when the thread knots.
It is deliberately informal. There is no syllabus to get through and nobody is marked on anything. You will make mistakes, unpick them and carry on — which is, more or less, what sewing is.
Classes for adults and for children
Adults, complete beginners
Thread and set up a machine, sew a straight and a curved seam, finish an edge, and understand what the dials actually do. Most people are sewing properly within the first hour.
Adults who have a machine
Bring your own and learn on it, so you go home able to use the thing you already own. We will tell you if it needs a service rather than replacing.
Children, from about 7
A fun Saturday activity rather than a lesson. Children learn to guide fabric, sew a seam and finish a small project — usually a tote bag, a scrunchie or a cushion.
Parent and child together
Popular at weekends and often the easiest way in for a nervous child. You both make something, and nobody has to be good at it.
Something different for the weekend
Saturday sessions are aimed at children and families. It is a couple of hours away from a screen, making something real, in a workroom full of cloth and machines. Children are usually surprised that a thing they can wear or carry came out of a flat piece of fabric — and they take it home the same day.
Good for a birthday treat, a group of friends, a school holiday, or simply a different kind of Saturday. Groups are kept small so everyone gets a turn at the machine with Olga beside them.
How a class runs
You get in touch
Tell us who it is for, roughly when suits and whether anyone has sewn before. We come back with dates and a price.
We set up
Machines threaded and ready, fabric and thread provided, and a project chosen to suit the age and the time.
Olga teaches
Starting with the machine itself, then a straight seam, then the project. Small groups, so nobody waits long for help.
You take it home
Finished, or near enough to finish at home. Most people leave wanting to make the next thing.
What a beginners’ course covers
- Using a sewing machine and professional studio equipment properly
- Basic sewing techniques, cutting, and working from a pattern
- Fabrics and threads — what to choose, and why it matters
- Cutting and preparing pattern pieces
- Practical projects you will actually use, hands-on from the first class
- The small tricks you only learn from someone who sews for a living
Classes run for three hours, in small groups of up to four people, so Olga can get round everyone properly. The first class is £45. Courses, group bookings and children’s sessions are priced on request — just ask.
English-speaking and Romanian-speaking groups run separately, so you can learn in whichever you are more comfortable with. Lecțiile se desfășoară separat, în funcție de limbă — grupe în limba română sunt disponibile.
What you need to know
The first class is £45 for three hours, in a group of no more than four. Courses, group bookings, parties and children’s sessions are priced on request, because they depend on numbers and length — ask and we will tell you straight away, with no deposit to find out.
Everything is provided. Machines, fabric, thread and the bits and pieces. You are welcome to bring your own machine if you want to learn on it, and your own fabric if there is something particular you want to make.
No experience needed. Most people who come have never used a sewing machine, or have one they have never got working. That is the normal starting point here.
By appointment. Classes are arranged in advance rather than drop-in, so please get in touch before coming. There is free parking outside the studio on Burch Rd.
Ask about a class
Tell us who it is for and roughly when suits, and Olga will come back with dates and a price. There is no obligation, and no deposit taken at this stage.
- Telephone
- 07703 298765
- 07703 298765
- j.and.o.studio@gmail.com
Things people ask
How much does a sewing class cost?
The first class is £45 for three hours. After that it depends on whether you want a course, a group booking or a children’s session, so prices for those are on request — send the form or ring 07703 298765 and we will give you a figure the same day.
What age do you take children from?
Usually around seven, though it depends on the child rather than the birthday. If they can concentrate for a while and follow an instruction, they will enjoy it. Younger children are welcome alongside a parent.
Do I need my own sewing machine?
No. Machines, fabric and thread are all provided. If you do own a machine you are very welcome to bring it and learn on that, which is often the more useful option.
Do you run classes in Romanian?
Yes. English-speaking and Romanian-speaking groups are held separately, so you can learn in whichever language you are more comfortable with.
How many people are in a class?
Up to four. Small groups are the point — everyone gets time at the machine with Olga beside them rather than watching from the back.
Do you run classes on Saturdays?
Yes. Weekend sessions are the most popular, particularly for children and for parent-and-child classes. Weekday and evening slots are also possible.
What will we actually make?
Something small and finished rather than half of something ambitious — a tote bag, a scrunchie, a cushion cover, a simple skirt. We pick it to suit the age and the time available.
Can you do a group, a party or a school?
Yes. Small groups work well, and we have the machines for it. Tell us numbers and ages and we will suggest a project and a price.
Who teaches the class?
Olga, one of the studio's founders, who has sewn professionally for over fourteen years and still works at the cutting table every day.