"I teach you how to make your dream closet."
Wandering through the store, past item after item of clothes that don’t fit your size or style, you may wonder what it’d be like to have them custom-designed.
Alas, custom-made clothes are expensive and hard to find. Unless, of course, you make them yourself. And Francis Tuttle has a class for that.
“I teach you how to make your dream closet,” said KeshaLashay Bell, instructor for Sewing Your Own Clothing Line.
The four-week class guides students through the process of dreaming up their own style and then bringing it to life. Bell is there to help students identify fabrics and find creative ways to use them to create fashion art.
“I would love to bring back the art of sewing,” Bell said.
No background in sewing or fashion is required, and sewing kits are available to borrow in the class.
The class ends with a fashion show complete with models to show off students’ creations.
There are many reasons to learn to sew your own clothes. High schooler Adelaide Ayers said she is interested in fashion and wondered if it was really something she could pursue.
“I think I want to take more classes like this,” Ayers said. “I was nervous at first. It was easier than I thought it would be. It’s a really hands-on class, and that’s how I learn best.”
Another high school student, Aiyana Chance, said she enjoys sewing and wants to find an outlet for her talent. The class showed her how much she could accomplish using patterns.
“Making the clothes has been the best part,” she said.
Morgan Garrett, an enrollment consultant at Francis Tuttle, said taking the class helped her express her creativity through clothing. Garrett is taller than average, meaning finding certain clothing items that fit can be difficult.
“Skirts, especially, can be hard to come by,” she said. “I love fashion and expressing myself through my clothes. This way, I can customize all of it.”
In a recent class, Garrett used a fabric pattern that represented Uganda, the home country of her aunt. In this way, she was able to celebrate her family member’s culture while creating something she could comfortably wear.
“I can make something that makes me feel confident,” Garrett said.
Bell said she enjoys teaching this class. A certified master cosmetologist, sewing began as a hobby for Bell, but it quickly turned into a passion.
“The hobby became a passion, and now I want to teach other people,” Bell said.
She has used this talent for sewing and creativity for big occasions, collaborating on fashion shows with some of the Real Housewives of Atlanta and designing prom dresses.
Upcoming Class
The next Sewing Your Own Clothing Line class starts on Feb. 12. You can sign up here or purchase the class as a Valentine’s Day gift and help your loved one create their own closet as part of our Love to Learn promotion.