Dress Designing Courses and Classes:

Dress designing courses and classes are found in degree programs such as fashion designing, fashion merchandising, textile design and tailoring at the associate's, bachelor's and master's degree level. These courses can also be taken for pleasure by individuals not seeking a degree, but who want to design dresses. Students learn about sewing, material, color and design in these classes.

Pattern Making CourseIn this dress designing course, students learn how to create their own patterns. They learn the basics of pattern design and use drafting tools and their own body measurements to create simple and advanced patterns for dresses, coats, skirts and pants. The course includes an introduction to using sewing machines so students can start putting the pattern pieces together. Computer-based design programs allow students to see what their patterns will look like ahead of time and accurately recreate the pattern to paper so they can be used.

Dress Draping Course

This course in dress designing teaches students professional techniques in dress draping so they can learn how to manipulate patterns and fabric to shape a dress the way they want it to look. It addresses modern design standards so designers can model their dress designs to fit industry expectations. Students manipulate patterns and fabric to hide unsightly bulges and emphasize other body parts to make the dress fit the wearer perfectly.

Tailoring

Dress design courses in tailoring deal with fitting a pattern to an individual's exact shape. Students cut fabric, create seams and sew by hand to create a finished appearance. Students study adding pockets, creating buttonholes, designing collars and pressing the finished product. These advanced techniques are demonstrated and then practiced by students on their own work so they gain hands-on experience in mastering these complicated techniques.

Textiles

These dress designing classes introduces students to reasons to choose one fabric over another. Students test fabric durability and learn different stitches used on fabric types and how to care for fabric so it lasts longer. Many textile classes examine fabrics and colors popular in fashions around the world, styles they're used for and how to apply the different techniques and styles to dress design. Students learn which fabrics will take patterns, weaves for fabrics and about dying fabrics to a color they want.

Sewing Techniques

This dress designing class examines techniques for constructing garments, both by hand and by machine. Students learn how to operate sewing machines, different stitching patterns available on machines, what they're used for and how to use them. They also learn how to properly take and record body measurements. Through this class, students learn how to create professional clothing with strong, finished seams and stitching.

Dress Designing

Students study current industry designs to understand current fashions and how professional, manufactured dresses look so they can apply the concepts to their own pieces. The course often includes a look at using weaving, lace and knits in patterns for design or decoration. Design details like couching, embroidery and pleating are also covered. The idea is to create original, marketable dresses that embody current fashion and personal taste
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