My Current Favorites – [December 2024]: Online Sewing Courses
I’ve mentioned in several posts that I need to completely overhaul my winter wardrobe (read more on my other lifestyle blog). There are at least 5-6 pieces to buy (I’m the type to dress from a capsule wardrobe), but since I can’t find anything in stores, I’ve decided to get back into sewing..
Fifteen years ago, I took 3 months of sewing classes for professionals in Vietnam. The goal was to pass the equivalent of the French CAP MMVF, but I came back to France in the meantime, so I never finished the training. To get back into sewing, I want to take classes from real professionals. But online.
Tailor, dressmaker, pattern maker…
What really surprised me is that in France, tailors don’t know how to make patterns.Pattern makers do that. In haute couture houses, there’s even a pattern cutter who steps in as well. So tailors can slightly alter a pattern, but they can’t create one from scratch. In Vietnam, during my training, we had to work with imaginary measurements, or our own, or those of relatives… to learn made-to-measure from the start. No one gives us ready-made patterns; we first learn to draw it on paper, then directly on fabric.
So I’ve had a hard time finding courses in English or French where someone makes patterns from given measurements like my teacher did, then shows the assembly. I’ll have to take assembly (sewing) courses on one side, and pattern making courses on the other.
This partly explains the disappearance of bespoke tailors in France. If CAP programs now train workers who can follow a assembly sequence but can’t create a garment from scratch from their imagination, it must be very hard, just with the CAP curriculum, to be a bespoke tailor like the famous tailors of Savile Row.
That said, I find the programs for both CAP sewing courses quite comprehensive for making all types of garments from a pattern.
Okay, first of all, I’m going to brush up on my sewing/assembly skills because my needs are pretty basic right now.
Domestika
Domestika is a platform I really like because they invite real professionals, unlike Skillshare or YouTube where anyone can give courses. I’ve bought lots of courses, even in arts I don’t practice, because I just want to know how to make this or that item. The courses are always on sale. Sometimes they cost 9 euros, then 4 euros… They’re translated into several languages; it’s a bit like the Netflix of DIY.
For sewing, there are a few influencers who have been invited by accident, so before choosing a course, watch the intro video carefully to see if it’s a pro giving the course or not, because the sewing method learned in school is totally different from that of amateurs.
I bought a blouse sewing course, because I need a beautiful white cotton blouse for my new wardrobe. Apparently “Sea Island Cotton” is the best cotton in the world, so I thought “why not”. This course is pretty basic in my opinion, and even the instructor sews crookedly, some finishes are rushed. If my sewing teacher saw it, she’d have him unpick and resew. That said, compared to the nonsense I see on YouTube, Domestika is much better. It at least reminds me of all the assembly steps, which is useful.
My review: it’s cheap, perfect for a complete beginner. The videos are dubbed in French and subtitled in French. I don’t like the fact that the lesson is split into many small parts. On the website, it’s hard to follow; I recommend the app instead. What I really like is the ability to download videos offline. I like watching them when I’m on a plane.
Artesane
I remembered the show Cousu Main on M6 and Mr. Scavini, who was a judge and gave good advice during the show. I did some research and found out he not only has a blog and a YouTube channel, an Instagram account, and paid courses on Artesane.
He’s a tailor and does tailored sewing.In sewing, there’s the CAP couture vêtement flou and CAP couture tailleur. Vêtement flou covers all garments that aren’t super structured (dresses, shorts, blouses…), while tailored sewing makes highly structured garments, often in heavy fabrics like wool (jackets, coats, tailored trousers). Tailored sewing requires more hand stitching. The way you reinforce the fabric is different too.
Mr. Scavini talked about half-measure, full measure, small measure… and I find the distinction very blurry because in Vietnam, these things don’t exist. When you go to a tailor in Vietnam, it’s always full measure. The tailor takes measurements, makes his own pattern, cuts the fabric, and sews the garment himself. But I think the Vietnamese tailor does less hand stitching, (except for quilted jackets reversible ones like mine that must be done by hand).
I invite you to watch this entire video; I hope you understand it better than I do:
In this video, the pros mention the disappearance of beauty. Mr. Scavini says that in France, we’ve lost the sense of beauty, aesthetics, and elegance. Not just in sewing but also in restaurant menus. Beauty is disappearing in favor of utility.It’s a true and very sad observation.
I’ve already told you how my grandfather, back in the days when a luxury watch could buy a house, and the whole family barely had enough to eat, decided that beauty was more important and treated himself to a second-hand Omega because the difference between a regular automatic watch and a timepiece is a huge gap. He had a small collection of rare handmade teapots, which he gave to connoisseurs because he felt no one in the family deserved them, hahaha. Even to cut out a star for me, he took out his compass and ruler and mathematically drew a perfect star. My grandmother, on the other hand, when I visited her, would analyze each piece of my clothing and tell me, “That’s nylon”! For years, every time she put away her winter/summer clothes, she would show me a set of silk satin bed linen, hand-embroidered, lined with cotton, which she kept for my wedding.
I’m often told I’m unrealistic because I love beautiful things. But I think anyone who’s a bit of an artist, a bit handy, who has a manual passion, understands me because beauty is not only pleasing to the eye, it is a testament to craftsmanship and the soul of the one who made it. The more you get used to beauty, by touching fine materials, by looking at artisans’ shop windows, for example, the more you too will want quality and durable objects. I have a friend who earns minimum wage but also loves fine materials. She finds very beautiful things on Vinted and takes good care of them. Personally, I can’t afford 4,000-euro jackets, but I’ll make them myself. There are plenty of ways to treat yourself to beauty.
I find the same observation in a former haute couture seamstress, Alison from Le Boudoir Français, when analyzing the film “Haute Couture” she wrote these lines:
The film Haute Couture does not just tell a simple story; it also opens a window onto two different worlds and two generations. The first generation, which was devoted and passionate about their work, who finds fulfillment in learning and passing on a craft.
And today’s young generation, hyper-connected and disillusioned, which seems to want wealth without bothering to work hard or earn an honest living. A generation that no longer has devotion to manual trades, which are often more fulfilling than the corporate bullshit jobs. A generation that no longer wants to take the time to learn a real trade!
Fortunately, there are still people like the tailors of Savile Row, designers like Geoffrey B. Small, whom I’ve talked about at length here, or if we go further back in time, William Morris… who fight against the loss of traditional craftsmanship, and who offer the best in the world to those who still know how to appreciate it.
In the same video, they mentioned fusible interfacing, which is used to reinforce certain parts of the garment. I quote here my book “Tailoring” which gives more details on tailor’s methods:
Bespoke Tailoring Method
A bespoke garment is made using the traditional sewing method. This method is the most time-consuming because it requires a lot of manual work.
- Hand sewing : used to attach the interfacing and shape the garment.
- Horsehair canvas : interfacing sewn by hand to shape the front of the garment, the under-collar, and the hems.
- Tape application : the lapel roll and front edges are reinforced with a stay tape sewn by hand.
- Lining : inserted by hand.
Fusible Tailoring Method
A garment made with fusible interfacing does not require hand sewing and is entirely machine-made, except for the sleeve lining and hem stitching.
- Fusible interfacing : used to shape the front, facing, upper collar, under-collar, and hems.
- Tape application : the lapel roll can be done by machine, but reinforcing the front edges is not necessary.
- Lining : inserted by machine, except for the sleeve lining, which is attached by hand.
Okay, back to Artesane. I bought a course on Artesane and the level is significantly higher than Domestika. To start, I bought the course “CAP Tailor: The Trousers” by Sandra Maciak because I also need a really nice wool pair of trousers for my wardrobe. Tailoring techniques are completely unknown to me; I knew you had to baste in certain places, but I didn’t do it as much as she does, and I didn’t know there was a dedicated thread for basting. And there are so many things to sew by hand. The finishes are far superior to what I learned. The seam allowances are larger than I’m used to, and I think the tailor deliberately leaves a lot of allowance to be able to adjust the garment years later. A tailored garment is made to last 15-20 years, so you’re allowed to gain/lose weight and the garment can follow those changes. I hate serger finishes, so I’m glad the seams are bound.
However, I don’t know if it’s stress or limited time, but some of Ms. Maciak’s seams are a bit sloppy—she makes mistakes and sews, for example, beyond where she should. It’s annoying to have to unpick with her 5 minutes later to correct the mistake. It’s important to follow the assembly sequence first; it’ll be more reliable. One small detail: she uses polyester thread for basting when she should use another. And she constantly has to remind us, “I’m using this thread, but you should use that thread!” What’s so hard about using the right thread for a tutorial? Are colored basting threads that hard to buy? It’s not very professional, I think. A bit messy. And a tailor not even having a tailor’s ham for pressing, I find that mediocre too.
I don’t yet have the money to buy Julien Scavini’s full Men’s Tailor pack, but I hope it will be more rigorous. Plus, Julien Scavini is used to doing podcasts and TV shows, so he expresses himself well and precisely. Artesane also offers pattern-making courses (finally!), and I’ll take those too. Update 2026: I bought Julien Scavini’s courses, and indeed, he is more squared away and redoes seams when he makes any mistake or sews crookedly.
Next, I bought the course on Tanya Sayer’s shirt, who worked in haute couture. Compared to the Domestika course, here the finishes are much more polished (no need for overcasting). However, they gave her a sewing machine she clearly doesn’t master and feels very uncomfortable with. Having to pull on the fabric constantly while sewing—I personally wonder why the Artesane team, which has a multitude of machines, including a flatbed machine seen in several videos, can’t give Ms. Sayer a better machine. I really like the addition of the finishes she “attempts” to do. It’s her first course on this platform, so I think she’s a bit stressed, but I hope they’ll give her a better machine in the future. At the same time, I tell myself that maybe I’m not so bad at sewing; it’s just that I don’t have the right machine, haha. The pattern is weirdly only given in A4 format (whereas for all other courses I’ve bought from them, I always got A4 and A0 versions). And I hate having to glue them one by one. Update 2026: The course is so bad that Artesane ended up removing it from its platform.
Finally, I watched a pants sewing course by Christine Charles, obtained with the purchase of the book “Le cahier d’exercices CAP couture avec Artesane”. And there, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, someone precise who demands precision from us. My perfectionist side doesn’t suffer when watching her video because she always brings out rulers and chalk, reminding us every time of the importance of being within 1mm or 0mm. She anticipates mistakes we might make and offers solutions. She aims for surgical precision. That’s the kind of precision I want. It might be linked to her background as an engineer and project manager (she managed €10 million projects at a large company before her career change), unlike other professors who are more in the “artistic haze” (due to stress and lack of tools). I think it’s very important that teachers lead by example, even if it means filming takes longer, because we’re used to seeing people sew crookedly on YouTube. On the contrary, seeing courses where teachers have a higher standard will allow us to see that there’s still progress to be made, high-end finishes, and not just settle for our little Sunday sewer level.
My review: It’s a quality platform with experienced and recognized teachers. The courses are a bit expensive, but the quality is clearly superior to Domestika. Unlike Domestika where you have to juggle between different videos, here there’s just one video but with links to quickly jump to any chapter. Navigation is easier. There are also (automatic) subtitles in French if needed, and you can speed up the video. The production lacks resources compared to Domestika because sometimes you need to zoom in on the teacher’s hand and the camera can’t focus, but there are at least 4 cameras to show maximum detail. For the CAP Tailor course modules, there are tons of complementary PDF documents for each module. For the non-CAP course I bought, there’s only the A4 pattern.
The plus of Artesane is that if you opt for CAP Couture Vêtement Flou or Vêtement Tailleur programs, you can pay for your CAP training with your CPF, Pôle Emploi, etc.
Boudoir français
Boudoir français is created by a former Chanel seamstress: Alison. She worked in haute couture. She offered quite a few tutorials and patterns for lingerie and lounge wear, but she’s starting to do clothing tutorials and patterns too. What I like about her is that her tutorials require neat finishes, without an overlocker (even though you can see in the videos some of her seams are crooked, some details could have been designed differently, and some finishes are ultra-simplified to cater to a lower intermediate level) and the use of difficult-to-master fabrics like lace, silk, and knit, materials I’ve never used before.
It doesn’t follow the industrial assembly line style; it’s more about efficiency—for instance, you pin all the pieces together and then go to the machine to sew everything at once. This way, you don’t have to go back and forth from the prep table to the sewing machine, saving a lot of time. However, those who aren’t well organized might not be able to replicate this working method at home. But if you follow the tutorial, there’s no problem. There’s no booklet with explanations, just the video tutorial and the patterns. I think for someone who films and edits alone, it’s not bad, but not better than a sewing YouTuber. You can see the details clearly, the explanations are clear, and there are plenty of tips. However, I find she doesn’t press enough. Or is it me—maybe I press too much? Apart from her course on the made-to-measure dress form, the rest doesn’t seem “haute couture” enough to me. Too bad, it’s probably to appeal to a wider audience.
2026 Update: I’ve bought 4 courses from her (dresses, kimono & lingerie set). What I really don’t like is the lack of notches. For the kimono, I messed up attaching my collar because neither the video explanation nor the pattern gave any hint that you need to extend the collar slightly beyond the panel. No interfacing is used, not even for the collar. Beginners have to guess that they should add it. The patterns require taping A4 sheets together since there’s no way to print them in A0; she doesn’t use standard pattern software. Lastly, there are things that are difficult for beginners but she doesn’t seem to be aware of or take into account. For example, in her camisole and ruffled panty courses, there are many different elastics but very little explanation on how to stretch them properly while sewing. I learned more about sewing elastics and choosing laces by watching a free YouTube video by Charlotte Jaubert. Sure, you need some independence as she justifies in her “supplies and materials” video, but in that case, it’s no longer a beginner’s course; it’s for experienced sewists. In short, when a video course also requires students to go look for tips and info elsewhere—I consider it anything but for beginners. Especially at this price! I’d advise against it for beginners, that’s for sure.
In short, there are pros and cons for all platforms, but the most important thing is to learn from true professionals, not YouTubers who learned from other YouTubers. They copy each other’s bad habits and regress without knowing why. And when professionals tell them it’s poorly made and poorly sewn, they sulk. It’s like writing your thesis based solely on ChatGPT. It’s dangerous. I highly recommend Artesane, it’s not perfect, it depends on the teacher, but overall the platform is very well managed.
