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The Trapeze Dress by Merchant & Mills is a true modern classic and in this workshop, we’ll sew it together while exploring a few of the 7 Hacks, each offering a fresh way to transform this versatile pattern. From a sailor collar or frill sleeve to a tiered skirt or bias-cut silhouette, you’ll discover how small design choices can completely change the look and feel of your dress.

The Handmade Wardrobe Year is a year-long sewing experience at the workroom designed to help you grow your garment-making skills and confidence while creating a wardrobe that truly reflects you.

Spend sometime in the studio with Andrée Weisman!  You may recognize Andrée and her company GoGo and Martin from our Makers Markets in Toronto and Sprucedale.  Andrée is now joining us as a teacher this October for the Reversible Fabric Crown class and we are so excited to have her join us!  Andrée is an artist, designer, teacher and the founder/designer of Gogo and Martin.  GoGo and Martin is a local Toronto company that fosters children's natural curiosity about the world by designing toys and accessories that encourage imaginative play.  Think of GoGo and Martin as imagination outfitters. Everything they make is designed to invite children to tell their own stories about what they see.

Spend sometime in the studio with Julie Crawford!  Julie is teaching for the first time at the workroom this Fall and we are looking for to learning all about embroidery with her.  Julie's website Knitted Bliss started life as a knitting blog in 2006 and has grown to offer a wide range of embroidery kits, video tutorials and knitting patterns. Julie helps knitters and crafters get inspired by taking their embroidery skills to the next level with her uniquely styled, complete training courses and patterns.

We're kicking off our Mini Makes series with the ultimate accessory - Scrunchies. Join us for a fun, fast-paced morning of making! Think of it as a one-hour sewing party to kick off fall together.

Meet Laura Henneberry creator and half of the team behind PreQuilt!  PreQuilt is a Canadian online software application that helps people visualize and design quilts.  Use PreQuilt's time saving features (like color tags, randomization, built in solid fabric colour cards, fabric swatches, and more) to quickly visualize your next quilt! 

A live, interactive workshop via Zoom for garment makers who want to bring more personal story, detail, and intention into their sewing practice.

This workshop is about looking at your handmade wardrobe differently, not just as a collection of clothes, but as a space for creativity, self-expression, and thoughtful design.

Meet Julia Sutton, farmer and cook at Santosha Farm!  Santosha Farm is a 1.5 acre, non-certified organic farm located in the Almaguin Highlands.  In addition to attending local market sales and supplying local resorts and restaurants, Julia hosts and develops meal packages for farm guests that incorporate seasonal fresh produce, directly from the farm.

Spend some time in the studio Sherri Lynn Wood!  Sherri Lynn first taught at the workroom in 2019 and we are so excited to have her join us in Sprucedale this summer!  Sherri Lynn teaches improvisational quilting as a creative life practice, and is considered an expert innovator and leader in the modern improv quilting movement.  Her best-selling book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters: A Guide to Creating, Quilting & Living Courageously (Abrams, 2015), provides scores, or frameworks, for flexible patterns and creative exploration, along with practical instruction in stitching techniques and intuitive colour.

Spend some time in the studio with Ron Collins!  Ron first began teaching at the workroom in 2023 and we have looked forward to his twice yearly visits since then.  Ron is Canada’s best known sewing personality and is adored as a designer, speaker and teacher. He is the first male Canadian Designer to have his own line of patterns with Vogue Patterns, which premiered in 2017.

Meet Stephanie Turner founder of Patch and Dot! Patch and Dot is a print - and colour - obsessed creative enterprise devoted to designing the most fun patterns possible for modern quilters.  Patch and Dot also has the perfect alphabet quilt pattern for your next project, whether you're a patchwork beginner or a paper piecing pro.

Meet Michelle Galletta founder and designer of Kiriki Press!  Kiriki Press is a small Canadian business offering modern embroidery kits, patterns & needlework accessories for beginner and seasoned stitchers.