Have you ever admired the exquisite finish of a haute couture gown and wondered how it's made? In this eight-week workshop, Lynda draws directly from her book, The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques, to teach you the insider methods that elevate a handmade dress from good to extraordinary.

Using two commercial patterns as our guides, Lynda will demonstrate an extensive range of couture techniques — from the elegantly simple "Baby French" facing and single fold binding, to flat-lying V-necks, flange closures, scalloped welt edgings, and mesh edge finishes. You'll explore banded finishes on both knits and wovens, a multitude of hemming techniques, and an array of decorative designer details that give couture garments their unmistakable polish. Every skill you build can be applied to future projects for years to come.

What We'll Cover:Over eight weeks, we'll work through the full construction sequence of a couture dress: fabric and underlining choices, a fitted muslin, hand and machine techniques for darts, seams, zippers, stays, sleeves, and linings, through to a beautifully hand-finished hem. We'll close with a virtual showcase where students share their completed garments.

Want to Sew a Complete Garment?Students who wish to make a finished dress should prepare a muslin before the first class — we'll fit it together during Week 1. If you'd prefer to follow along and build your technique vocabulary without completing a full garment, that's a perfectly valid approach too.

This class is appropriate for intermediate to advanced sewists who are comfortable with basic garment construction and ready to explore the details that make all the difference.