Four Months In: What We've Made Together

When the Handmade Wardrobe Year started in January, it was an experiment in commitment - a consistent group of makers showing up together, class after class, for a full year. What that creates, it turns out, is something you can't replicate: a community that builds alongside the skills. Four months in, this cohort has worked through nine garments.

The Esme Cardigan by Named Clothing. Lander Pants by True Bias. The Cuff Top by Assembly Line Patterns and the Charlie Caftan by Closet Core. The Woven Tee.TThe Structured Sweatshirt. The Linden Sweatshirt by Grainline Studio. And the Harlene Overalls by Merchant & Mills - one of the most technically demanding projects we've tackled, and one of the most rewarding. We've just started the Nova Coat by Paper Cut Patterns.

That's a mini wardrobe. Built in four months, one class at a time.

This is why the year format matters. Sewing improves with regular practice - consistent making, project after project, so the skills you build in one class carry directly into the next. Over the course of a year, that accumulates into something you can genuinely feel in your confidence.

Throughout all of it, what I focus on is the layer underneath the technique: the decision-making and the problem-solving. Which presser foot to reach for. When to batch steps. How to approach something differently from the pattern instructions. And most importantly - what's actually happening at the machine: how to manage the fabric, how to use your fingers, your pins, your tools to get the best result. Walking through those choices, not just the steps, is how you stop executing a pattern and start thinking through a garment.

The program gives full access to every virtual garment workshop I run - the flexibility to make what you want live in class, with replays and resources for everything else. A library of options, at your own pace. Honestly, the momentum this group has given me has allowed us to do more than I anticipated.

The feedback has been amazing -

Rebecca Z:"I joined the Handmade Wardrobe Year this year and I think it's the best thing I've ever done. I'd taken classes before in person and a couple virtually, but I find that I'm learning so much more."

Cathy M:"I'm also a part of the Handmade Wardrobe Year and it's just been fantastic. I love having all of the videos that I can refer to."

Jeneane W: "It's just like my sewing space is alive. ... I already told Alexis: if we're doing this next year, I'm in."

A number of people told us they wished they'd joined in January - so we're opening ten spots for a June 2026 through May 2027 cohort, with bonus access to any new May workshops for anyone who joins now.

One thing I want to be clear about: this program doesn't expect you to sew everything. That's not the point. You set your own pace. This is your opportunity to be immersed in making garments with intention - to join the workshops that call to you now, and know that the ones you're not ready for yet, or simply don't have time for, are waiting. Every classroom stays with you permanently, with full replay access and detailed written notes for every session. The resources are always there when you're ready.

This is the all-access pass that will genuinely help you refine your skills, in a practical way, in a supportive and inspiring community.

If you've been watching from the outside and wondering whether this is for you: the Handmade Wardrobe Year 2026–2027 opens in June. Members who join before the end of May get access to all the May 2026 workshops as a bonus - your year starts now, with an extra month and three additional classes.

The next cohort is limited to 10 participants.

Join the Handmade Wardrobe Year 2026–2027 →