One of my favorite winter activities as a teenager was annual winter camp with my church youth group. I grew up in Michigan where winter is all about snow, snow, snow. Tubing, skiing, ice skating, sledding, freezing. And since this was the 80s, who could forget massive puffy jackets and moon boots? They were the dork books but man, did they keep your feet warm. (Duck boots were the cool kid shoes.)

I have fond memories of freezing toes under five layers of socks, tubing for hours down dangerous wooded paths, staying up late in bunk beds and not so fond memories of early morning wake up calls. I have never been a morning person.

Such is most of my camp memories but this year I’ll be making a new one in the gorgeous surrounds of the Catskill Mountains. (Hopefully sans the snow–I left that behind when I moved to Texas.) When Jennifer of Workroom Social asked if I’d be interested in teaching a bra making intensive at this year’s four-day Camp I was all in. It’s time to substitute freezing toes for a weekend with makers! I mentioned this in passing in my last post but wanted to give y’all a little more detail.

Jennifer, the creative mastermind behind Workroom Social sewing studio in Brooklyn, has created a new approach to sewing education–a place to get away from the everyday and immerse in learning with others who share this crazy passion we have for sewing and making.

In my course we’ll dig into the nitty gritty of fitting and making underwired bras using my soon to-be-released underwired bra pattern. If you have been scared of making bras, or feeling stuck on your own, or just want to refine your current skills, this will be an amazing opportunity to learn in a warm and fun environment. I’m already sewing up some samples so students can jump into sewing as quickly as possible.

Other intensives include fitting, surface pattern design, shirtmaking, jacket-making and a free knitting course for all campers! Here’s a full list of the classes. I join amazing teachers Brooks Ann Camper, Christine Haynes, Jen Beeman, Elizabeth Olwen, Allyson Dykhuizen, and Melissa Watson. Our free time will include all sorts of camp fun like, mmm smores, campfires, hiking, and–since this is all about making–a fashion show!

Some of the courses are already sold out but there are still a few spaces left in my bra making course!

To see what goes on at Camp, you can check out the many photos on Instagram or read about it from one camper’s point of view at Rake and Make.

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Course Description

Learn to sew and fit a custom bra with Amy Chapman of Cloth Habit. In this class students will create a lovely, supportive, underwired bra using an exclusive pattern designed by Amy. Learn professional sewing techniques and the basics of bra fitting with the aim of developing skills that empower creative decision making in future bra projects. While this is not a fit-focused class, Amy will demonstrate the key areas of fit and share practical, unique methods of adapting bra patterns to shape and measurements.

In this sewing intensive, you will learn…

• Professional bra sewing techniques adapted from ready to wear.
• How to sew sheer fabrics and stretchy knit fabrics.
• How to work with and apply elastics.
• Methods for finishing bras including with or without scalloped lace cups.
• Basic pattern adjustments.
• How to choose the best fabrics and notions for bra-making.

You will receive Cloth Habit’s 3-piece cup, underwired bra pattern with a supportive U-back band style in the course. The sewing pattern comes in sizes from 28A to 34H (British cup sizes). Campers are responsible for purchasing and bringing their own tools and supplies to Camp. Due to the unique nature of this course, campers are required to purchase the their bra-making fabrics and notions from Camp Workroom Social prior to Camp at a special discounted rate.

Camp Details

When: October 14-17, 2016
Where: Frost Valley YMCA located on over 5,000 acres in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, just 2.5 hours north of New York City
Fee: (1) one-time payment of $895 OR $300 deposit to register plus (2) additional installment payments of $340 by May 1, 2016 and July 1, 2016 (total fee of $980).

To register and get the full list of camp requirements, enter your email at Camp Workroom Social.