Our self-paced system means that you may work at your own speed, choose your own schedule, and choose the type of projects you want to work on. You can start any time and attend any combination of class times in the schedule, as long as there is space in the class. You will share your class with other students at different levels, working on different projects; and you have six months to attend your set of classes before it expires. You can manage your class schedule from our website, or through our online scheduling platform, called MindBodyOnline, or from your device with the Thimble Fingers App.

Since the classes are self-paced, we have all new customers sign up for the “Basics 1 – Sewing Essentials” course. We can start at your present level and help you select a project appropriate to your experience. You will not be required to track the same speed and information as a classmate who has never sewn before.

Our courses and classes are structured to be open ended so that you can attend classes for as long as you wish to have a teacher helping you, and then return at a later time for a refresher or to take your skills to another level. Some of our students have been coming and going from our studio sessions for as long as 12 years!

It’s not necessary to own a sewing machine to take our basic classes, as we teach using our own studio machines. In fact it’s a good strategy to learn a little about sewing first, so that you can shop with more confidence when you decide to get your new machine. If you already have a machine, then you will have fun thinking up homework assignments for yourself between classes!

Many of our classes and events, such as workshops and most serger classes, require that you bring your machines to class. However, for the Basics 1 class we strongly advise learning on and working with our own machines, so that we can keep classes moving as smoothly as possible. Anyone wishing to bring their own machine to the Basic 2 sessions is welcome to do so. You will be surprised how easy it is to work with the two different machines – and how knowledgeable you will become about sewing machines in general. If you are not yet familiar or comfortable with your new machine, you can come up to speed super-fast when you spend an hour with us in the You and Your New Sewing Machine class.

Our classes are not only self-paced, they are also open-ended. For kids this means that once you complete the three starter projects in our kids' classes or camps, you may begin picking projects that build more and more complex sewing skills.

For adults, after completing the Sewing Basics I class, you may enroll in our “Sewing Basics 2 - Supervised Sewing” class and repeat it as many times as you wish to continue building your technical sewing skills, and for as long as you feel the need for more guidance . . . or for as long as you want to join us just to be sharing your experience and learning from your fellow students!

Over the last several years our sewing community has grown beyond being “new” to sewing, so we have begun to add classes for more experienced sewers. The latest examples are our suite of serger classes. Our future plans include courses and workshops on pattern alterations and fitting.

We occasionally offer special classes on practical construction techniques, sewing machine arts, and for quick, easy projects to help you boost your sewing game. You will find these offerings described and posted on our Activities and Events pages. We happily welcome your suggestions and requests for classes you'd like to see us offer, so please let us know!

Of course! We love talking about sewing and would enjoy visiting with you about your sewing goals You are welcome to come by and check out the sewing school or visit a class in progress anytime during our business hours (Monday-Saturday) or in the evenings during our kids' after-school classes or adults’ classes. We are also very happy to assist you with your class enrollment in person, and discuss any special needs or interests you have about sewing, to help you get a feel for how our self-paced classes operate. Feel free to come and check out a class in-progress before signing up for one. We are happy to answer any questions, and you can get a feel for how our self-paced classes operate.