Online Sewing Classes Guide: Virtual Sewing Lessons

Online sewing classes can help you start your sewing journey or level up your sewing practice — all from the comfort of your home.

Learning how to sew or mastering new sewing techniques has never been easier, thanks to distance learning. With virtual learning platforms such as Creativebug, Udemy, edX, and more, motivated sewists can start with sewing 101 and move through advanced tailoring projects and pattern drafting.

I know sewists are smart, curious people who don’t shy away from a challenge (humble brag, yes), so I’m pretty sure you’re usually on the lookout for the best sewing lessons and other stitching education resources. That’s what inspired me to write this guide of online sewing classes: your ongoing commitment to expanding (or establishing, if you’re a newbie!) your sewing skills.

Welcome to online sewing school; class is in session. Please thread your sewing machines and prepare for fashion sewing success!

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How to Use this Online Sewing Class Guide

I researched respected learning platforms to analyze their most appealing online sewing courses for beginners and intermediate sewists. For each platform I also highlight a cool sewing-related freebie.

These digital academies each have their own feel and target audience, and I grouped them by type:

• The Crafty Type
  • Creativebug
  • Craftsy
  • BurdaStyle Academy
• The Curious Type
  • Udemy
  • CreativeLive
  • Skillshare
  • MasterClass
• The Scholarly Type
  • edX
  • FutureLearn

There’s also a high-level overview of what students can expect from the platform in terms of lifetime access to classes, watching classes on different devices, and refund policy — the good-to-know stuff before you sign up.

Let’s examine our options to learn sewing online.

The Crafty Type

If you’re triggered (in a good way) by mentions of beads, yarn, Michaels, hot glue, Cricut, or acrylic paint, try online sewing school from Craftsy, BurdaStyle Academy, or Creativebug. Sewing courses through these portals are tailored (PUN INTENDED) to crafty types (like me — and, let’s be honest, probably you, too).

Creativebug

Creativebug adds new, high-def video classes daily. The craft-education platform offers more than 250 online sewing classes. Creativebug content is accessed by (monthly or annual) subscription.

• Lifetime access: Yes for classes for which you have redeemed with credits
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: According to the site’s terms, “Subscription fees and charges for both standard automatically renewing and non-renewing subscriptions and gift subscriptions are fully earned upon payment. Unused subscription fees are non-refundable.”

For Beginners

I’m intrigued by “Trace a T-shirt, Make a Wardrobe.” The class description in part reads, “Sacrifice that favorite tee (the one with a little stain on it) for a closet full of favorite tops, tunics and dresses!” This class has more than 500 five-star reviews.

For Intermediate & Beyond

Check out Creativebug’s four-part series on pattern drafting. It’s more than six hours of instruction that includes how to create master patterns for dresses, tunics, shirts, and skirts. The class has more than 1,000 five-star reviews.

Cool Freebie

Visit the CBLive archive for crafty classes and conversations. Of particular interest to sewists are “Camp Creativebug: T-Shirt Hacks,” “Continuous Bias Tape,” and “Cocoon Cardigan.” You also can search for free classes; I couldn’t find a way to specifically filter for free classes, but they’re definitely in the Creativebug catalog.

Special Deal for You ✨

Should you be interested, you can visit the CB site to get three months of Creativebug for $1. This deal is for new subscribers only, and if you want to continue your subscription, the cost is $4.95 monthly. 👈 [This offer only works if you access it via the hyperlink (blue text).]

Craftsy

Craftsy is back, and the education platform has more than 200 online sewing classes. Learners may buy classes ala carte or opt for monthly or annual membership to unlock the whole Craftsy course library.

• Lifetime access: Yes for ala carte; yes for library of classes as long as subscription is active
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: No refunds on monthly memberships; 100 percent refund on annual membership if canceled within first 30 days (after 30 days, refunds are pro-rated); 100 percent refund on ala carte classes within 30 days of purchase

For Beginners

“Jump Into Sewing” looks like it would be good for teaching children to sew. In this class you get familiar with a sewing machine, practice stitching by sewing a placemat, and finally sew a pillow (name a more iconic first sewing project).

For Intermediate & Beyond

Ready to go hard into pattern drafting? Check out “Designing Your Wardrobe: Drafting Pants,” in which you draft a sloper and use it to design three different pants: drawstring, palazzo, and flat-front trousers. I’ve heard the instructor, Suzy Furrer, is great.

Cool Freebie

Can we all agree that sewing machine feet are the unsung heroes of the sewing room? To understand this bold assertion, check out “Sewing Machine Feet from A to Z.” Seriously, there’s a foot for everything.

BurdaStyle Academy

When I first got into sewing in the mid-200s, BurdaStyle was SO COOL, especially compared with a lot of the matronly patterns from the Big 4 pattern companies. BurdaStyle Academy‘s online sewing course catalog includes 124 offerings, including teacher certification courses, on-demand project sew-alongs, and webinars.

• Lifetime access: Yes for on-demand courses
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: 48 hours for on-demand classes if you have not accessed the course; up to 7 business days before a course starts for real-time courses

Note: The company that owns Sew Daily owns the company that owns Burda, so some of the classes and content here direct you to Sew Daily and not Burda. TBH, I’m confused by how the companies present the different courses. ALWAYS read carefully and ask questions before signing up, especially if you’re not clear on accessibility and refunds.

For Beginners

For beginner garment sewists, I like the looks of “Introduction to Garment Sewing – Dresses and Tops 101.” Students sew their way through three different sewing patterns, which are included in course materials. Meg Healy, of the “Sew & Tell” podcast, is your instructor. An honorable mention goes to “Easy-Sew Pajama Pants,” which is highlighted as a kid friendly project.

For Intermediate & Beyond

“Bras Fitting & Basic Construction” teaches students how to fit and sew bras. Instructor Monica Bravo even shares how to choose a bra sewing pattern based on your bosom size and shape.

Cool Freebie

BurdaStyle Academy currently has a pair of free mini courses: “How to Copy the Garments That You Love: Part 1” and “Pattern Drafting for Stretch Fabrics: The Skirt.”

The Curious Type

Are you somewhere between artsy fartsy and academic? The sort of soul who’s mad for “accessible” nonfiction? (LOL, that’s me, for sure.) Check out online sewing classes from general interest virtual learning providers Udemy, CreativeLive, Skillshare, and MasterClass.

Udemy

My personal experience with Udemy includes a solid Photoshop class; I am a fan. Udemy has more than 400 results for “sewing,” including more than 20 that are free.

• Lifetime access: Yes
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: 30-day money-back guarantee on all courses

For Beginners

The Udemy sewing class with the most reviews (more than 900) is “Sewing 101.” It features lessons on setting up a sewing machine, fabric basics, stitches and seam finishes, and more.

For Intermediate & Beyond

“Pattern Making for Fashion Design – Beginner Course (Part 1)” has no prerequisites, but I think you’d want a few garments under your belt before enrolling. Students will learn principles of pattern drafting, including dart manipulation, how to add pleats and tucks, and some draping. The instructor is a former teacher at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles.

Cool Freebie

A worthwhile free class for sewists could be “Find Your Closet Patterns,” a half-hour class that helps students identify and solve wardrobe mistakes, including having a closet full of clothes… but somehow nothing to wear. I see this being useful for planning your sewing queue.

CreativeLive

Of CreativeLive‘s almost 200 craft classes, about 20 are for sewing. You can buy classes a la carte or purchase the Creator Pass to access the rest of CreativeLive’s course catalog.

• Lifetime access: Yes for individual classes; yes for catalog of classes as long as subscription is active
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: 30 days for individual classes; 7 days for Creator Pass

For Beginners

CreativeLive doesn’t have a sewing basics class, but “How to Sew Your First Skirt and Understand Patterns” likely will start you on your garment-stitching journey. The course description starts out by declaring, “You don’t have to start with pillows! Learn sewing basics while making something you’ll be proud of.”

For Intermediate & Beyond

You can learn the Palmer/Pletsch tissue-fitting method on CreativeLive. This is the fitting technique covered in the revered sewing book, “Fit for Real People,” whose co-author, Marta Alto, is one of this course’s instructors.

Cool Freebie

Every day CreativeLive broadcasts six classes from its catalog for free; check the schedule. Another free offering that caught my eye is “Your Inner Critic is a Jerk,” which tackles how to stop self-bullying and press forward with goals.

Special Deal for You ✨

Should you be interested, you can visit CreativeLive to get the Creator Pass for $15 per month. 👈 [This offer only works if you access it via the hyperlink (highlighted text).] Unlimited courses FTW!

Skillshare

A search for “sewing” on Skillshare returns about 1,300 results. I’ve taken Skillshare classes on productivity and DIY filming and photography. To watch (not free) classes, become a premium member.

• Lifetime access: Yes for premium members
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: 7 days for annual memberships; no refunds on monthly memberships

For Beginners

If you were painfully new to sewing, “Sewing Machine 101” looks like a good choice. The class trailer talks about this course being for anyone who’s afraid of their machine (yeah, I remember those days!). The course includes instruction on sewing a tote bag, a great project to gain familiarity with your machine’s bells, whistles, and personality.

For Intermediate & Beyond

I’m curious about “Sewing For Selling: Small Batch Production for Home-based Business.” I’m not interested in small-batch production myself, but I’m always looking for ways to sew more efficiently with the little time I have! (Relatable, right?)

Cool Freebie

You can browse all classes and filter for free ones! As a sewist, I’ve got my eye on “Drawing the Fashion Croquis: a Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners.” It’s only 15 minutes, and croquis (illustrated fashion body models) are mighty useful for planning sewing projects. RELATED: How to Make an Easy Personalized Body Drawing Template for Sewing

Special Deal for You ✨

Should you be interested, you can visit Skillshare to get two weeks of Skillshare Premium for free. 👈 [This offer only works if you access it via the hyperlink (highlighted text).] I did a free Skillshare trial and ended up keeping it because I liked it!

MasterClass

If you’re looking for classes with A LOT of production value and major star power (e.g., Martin Scorsese, Gordon Ramsay, Alicia Keys, etc.) , MasterClass is your jam. MasterClass at this time offers one online sewing class: “Marc Jacobs Teaches Fashion Design.”

• Lifetime access: For duration of subscription
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: 30-day money-back guarantee

For Beginners

The Marc Jacobs class is 18 videos lessons, about four-and-a-half hours of content. It covers the steps of the design process, from fashion sketches to construction to the runway. It doesn’t look like Marc sits down at a sewing machine and performs a demo for students, but he talks about specific techniques for various garments. If you’re a fan of “Project Runway” or similar design shows, this class likely would rock your designer socks.

For Intermediate & Beyond

“Queer Eye” co-host Tan France teaches a class called “Style for Everyone.” He covers capsule wardrobes for male, female, and nonbinary humans and how to create looks from your capsule. I especially like that there’s a lesson about fit — understanding proportions and tailoring. Sewist approved!

Cool Freebie

You can see class trailers for free on the MasterClass site, but there are no free courses. MasterClass’ YouTube channel has longish Q&A vids with many instructors. The platform has a healthy blog, and you can search it for sewing content by copying and pasting this URL in your web browser:

sewing site:https://www.masterclass.com/articles

There are articles on how to use a sewing machine, sewing by hand, tailoring your own clothes, fabrics, and more. (MC has a busy ghostwriter!)

The Scholarly Type

If higher education feels like home to you, check out these fashion and sewing lessons. The following online sewing classes are tied to platforms for massive open online courses (MOOCs), instruction that comes from universities around the world. Hello, professor, and hello, edX and FutureLearn!

edX

At this time, edX offers five fashion/sewing-related courses. The MOOC platform offers audit (free) tracks and verified (paid) tracks.

• Lifetime access: Yes for verified (paid) learners
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: For individual courses, you have 14 days after the purchase date or 14 days after the course starts, whichever comes second

For Beginners

You can earn a professional certificate in fashion design and creation from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The program is two courses: trousers (men’s and women’s) and skirts. Students learn how to take measurements, draft pattern blocks, and sew clothes. (P.S. The program is in English!)

For Intermediate & Beyond

This is fairly nerdy, but I’m fascinated by “Future Trends of Fashion and Textiles” (also from Hong Kong Polytechnic University). The course does a textile factory tour (neat!) and breaks down the fashion supply chain.

Cool Freebie

How can you say no to a class called “The Science of Happy“? The description says the course “offers students practical strategies for tapping into and nurturing their own happiness, including trying several research-backed activities that foster social and emotional well-being, and exploring how their own happiness changes along the way.” My money says this class will talk about hobbies, such as SEWING.

FutureLearn

FutureLearn, a UK-based MOOC, at this time has five fashion courses and one microcredential program in fashion business.

• Lifetime access: Only for paid courses (and as long as the course exists on FutureLearn)
• Desktop and mobile device access: Yes
• Refund policy: Within the 14-day cooling-off period or you have not completed any tests or you have not been recognized for course participation

For Beginner

“Understanding Fashion: From Business to Culture” looks at fashion “as both a cultural phenomenon and a creative industry.” The lessons cover fashion as a language, its role in society, and more. Paris-based Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) developed the course, and I think it’d be fascinating to study this topic at an school devoted to fashion.

For Intermediate & Beyond

Fashion Revolution, the global movement advocating for greater sustainability and transparency in the fashion industry, produced a class called “Fashion’s Future: The Sustainable Development Goals.” This class dives into the environmental and social impacts of the clothes we wear and how the fashion industry can (and should) do better for the planet and its people.

Cool Freebie

It would be gobs of fun to enroll in “A History of Royal Fashion” with fellow sewing/fashion pals. I love the fantasy and history of the wardrobes of monarchs!

No matter your learning style or sewing practice goals, there’s a an education platform with online sewing courses for you! And, with the boom in virtual instruction and communication during the pandemic, it’s likely that offerings of all online lessons — even sewing lessons — will continue to expand.

What’s been your experience with online sewing classes? Please share your favorite online sewing courses in the comments!