Overlocking Course: Woven & Stretch Essentials
Duration: 8 Weeks (1.5-hour weekly lessons)
Course Overview
Ready to truly understand your overlocker and how to use it with confidence? This 8-week course is designed to demystify overlocking by covering all the essential foundations, while also teaching you when, why, and how to use different overlocking techniques depending on the fabric.
We’ll start by building a strong base, including overlocker threading, tension basics, machine setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting, so you feel confident using your machine independently. From there, we’ll progress into practical, real-world garment construction.
Throughout the term, you'll create two versatile garments a woven flared skirt and a stretch skivvy (jersey top) each carefully chosen to highlight different construction methods. You’ll learn how to finish woven seams cleanly using 3-thread overlocking before sewing, and how to construct and finish stretch garments using 4-thread overlocking and twin needle hemming.
Term Projects
Garment 1: Woven Flared Skirt
A classic, wearable skirt made from a woven fabric. This project focuses on clean internal finishes and thoughtful construction.
Garment 2: Stretch Skivvy (Jersey Top)
A fitted, long-sleeve skivvy made from jersey or stretch fabric. This project shifts into stretch sewing and overlocker-led construction.
What You’ll Learn
- The difference between woven and stretch fabric construction
- When to overlock first vs overlock to join
- How and when to use 3-thread vs 4-thread overlocking
- Pressing techniques that elevate garment quality
- Overlocker setup, tension, and troubleshooting
- Twin needle setup and stretch hemming techniques
- Professional garment finishing skills
What You Need to Bring
- Your sewing machine and power cords and foot pedals
- Machine accessories (bobbins, needles etc.)
- Basic sewing kit (scissors, pins, tape measure, seam ripper)
- Your fabrics and notions if you are supplying your own
Please note - Overlockers are provided for the duration of this course. However, if you would like to gain hands-on experience with your own machine, we recommend bringing your personal overlocker to class.
Supply Options
We’ll Supply Your Pattern Essentials
Want a stress-free experience? We can supply all fabric, notions, and materials required for both garments.
To choose this option, select it during checkout and we'll gather your measurements during the first lesson while you browse our fabric options.
You Supply Your Own Pattern Essentials
Prefer to choose your own fabrics and notions?
Your Skivvy - Lightweight fabrics will perform best such as jersey, knits, any fabric with at least a 50% stretch. You must use fabric with a two way or four way stretch. For all sizes, you will need 1.5 meters, you will also need 7 spools of thread, these can be the smaller thread spools 4 will be for your overlocker and 3 for your sewing machine. please purchase 1 stretch medium needle 90/12 and one twin needle.
Your Skirt - Medium weight fabrics work best such as cotton, light denim, poplin, linen any strong woven fabric. For all sizes, you will need 2.5 meters, you will also need 4 spools of thread, these can be the smaller thread spools 3 will be for your overlocker and 1 for your sewing machine. please purchase 1 medium needle 90/12
If you need guidance selecting fabrics, just reach out — we’re happy to help.
Important Notes
- When selecting the “We’ll Supply” option, Sew Me School of Fashion and Design will choose fabrics and notions based on pattern requirements.
- Fabric colours, prints, and trims will be selected at our discretion.
- Students supplying their own materials must bring all required items to each class.
We can’t wait to sew with you — enrol now and unlock the full potential of your overlocker!