Lectures & Workshops

by Connie Amaden-Crawford

Here you can find information about the content of Connie's classes.
Please refer to Connie's schedule for dates of upcoming seminars.
We do not offer on-line sign-ups for these events. Most lectures and workshops are hosted by third-parties. If you are interested in attending, please refer to Connie's schedule for contact information.
If you are interested in organizing an event, please contact our office.

Introduction
Connie Crawford’s years in the fashion industry and teaching have given her a unique perspective on fit, design and garment industry insight. With her eye always fashion forward, Connie is able to give you design, through both her Butterick line of patterns as well as Fashion Patterns by Connie. In addition Connie is able to combine her teaching experience and garment industry insight to give you the tools you need to overcome the lumps and bumps of the mature, as well as the maturing, figures of an entire generation of fashion sewing enthusiast. No matter how long you have been sewing, cutting, designing and creating your own wardrobe, you will come away with new insight to the entire process. Join Connie as she shows you where, how and why we chase the perfect fit and how to use the answer to achieve your perfect fit.

If you’ve been lucky enough to attend one of Connie Crawford’s lectures or seminars, you know that she’s a boundless package of energy, moving around the podium demonstrating the basics of draping, pulling students from the audience to aid in her presentations, entertaining the assembly with stories of her experiences in the fashion industry, and telling a few jokes along the way. You’ve had such a good time that you may not realize until you’ve walked out that you’ve really learned something about fit, proportion and balance. That’s Crawford’s goal, to unlock the mystery of fit and make your sewing experience successful, painless, and fun!

Connie offers classes at the same professional level she taught at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Various class formats are available as short workshops, one-day seminars, and two-day to three-day seminars. The simplified agenda teaches time-tested techniques that can easily be adapted for personal or professional use.

Multitudes of sewers have been overjoyed to experience the creative freedom that is unleashed after attending Connie Crawford’s seminars. The secret lies in her step-by-step methods of teaching comprehensive, yet efficient techniques for garment design, fitting, and construction. The techniques learned in Connie’s classes can be applied to existing patterns or guide in designing from scratch. Imagine finally being able to create beautiful garments of your own style - without neckline gaping, garment pitching or twisting, or ill-fitting sleeves!

FASHION DESIGN & FITTING PROGRAMS FOR CONVENTIONS, EXPOS, AND PRIVATE GROUPS

Arrange a 1-day, 1-1/2 day, 2-day or 3-day workshop.
Lengthier programs are expanded with more on-hand projects and expanded information.
Please Note: All workshops require a table space and chair for each attendee.

Workshop #1: One Day
When Your Perky Body Is Gone
Learning Couture Fit Through Draping, Fitting & Patternmaking

Connie will teach you the building blocks in fitting and designing your own blouses, dresses, or jackets. Drawing from techniques learned during her 35 years in the fashion industry, Connie will teach you the easy steps in fitting and designing from a sketch or photograph. She will present critical information that is missing from the domestic sewing market. Using a power point presentation and a blouse pattern from her Butterick pattern line, B5300, Connie will demonstrate draping and fitting on various ladies from the class. She will also illustrate the various usage of darts and cup sizes, as well as various designs such as princess seams, yokes, lapels, collars and sleeves. By using small scale patterns, you will follow Connie’s lead and create a few designs to get you started in this design process. In addition, you will learn how to identify correct body balance, the principles of checking and fitting patterns, and how to achieve a true-to-the body fit! Whether you are size 2 or 52, join Connie for this workshop and discover the most important concepts for proper couture fit and patternmaking! This workshop gives you a learning experience that you can use over and over again. Note: This class does not have time to review pants or skirts fittings.

Workshop #2: 2 Hours
Sew Like A Pro
Learn fashion industry sewing techniques and shortcuts that will make your sewing more professional, efficient, enjoyable, and satisfying. Connie will demonstrate several sewing techniques that are used in the fashion industry today. Topics include efficient cutting techniques, notching concepts, pin basting, using a gathering foot, crimping vs. ease stitching, bias treatments, spaghetti variations, and vest linings. In addition to these topics, you will practice various placket and zipper techniques.
Know Thy Interfacings
An added bonus will be Connie will give the industry secrets in selecting interfacings for your fashion sewing projects and how to tailor a jacket in the same manner that is done in the fashion industry today. Learn how to recognize the fiber content, various weaves, and variety of interfacing weights that are on the market today. Learn how professionals select interfacing that complements the appearance, durability, maintenance, and comfort of many fabrics. Come bask in an educational experience on the history of interfacing and how the use of many polyesters, georgettes, and mico-fibers have forced manufacturers to develop interfacings suitable to the newest fashion fabrics. Note: A handout is given of sample interfacings that all fashion sewers should have along with their “fabric stash”.

Workshop #3: 2 Hours
Drafting Pants With Couture Fit
Learn an amazingly simple draft (from “scratch”) that results in correctly fitting pants. The keys to couture fit are found in understanding how various waist slopes, crotch depths, and overall crotch formulas control the overall pant fit. This pattern draft even accommodates difficult-to-fit bodies, such as mature figures and plus size figures. Connie will also demonstrate how to use the pants and skirt slopers to create various styles including fashion jeans, overalls, elastic waistlines, and a large variety of skirt designs.

Workshop #4: One Day
Fitting And Designing Knits
Learn the fitting techniques for knit t-tops and dresses. Drawing on her 35 years as a designer in the Los Angeles Fashion Industry, Connie will teach you the fitting techniques for knits. Learn all the tricks in achieving a correctly fitting armholes, necklines, and shoulders. Using her newest knit pattern from her Butterick pattern line, B5215, she will illustrate the various looks you can create with some simple design changes. PROJECT: Each attendee will cut and sew a knit top and be fitted by Connie.
Sewing Level: Moderate to Advanced.

Workshop #5: Three Days
Advanced Project Class
Fitting & Design
(For those who have previously attended a one day or two day workshop.)
Connie will teach you the easy steps in fitting and designing from a sketch or photograph. Using her newest pattern from her Butterick pattern line, B5300, she will illustrate the various usages of darts and cups sizes, as well as creating various designs by using these darts as a design detail. She will also demonstrate how to take the pattern and redesign princess seams, various yokes, lapels, collars, and sleeves.
Using your fitted pattern B5300, with Connie’s help, you will create a design of your choice, (blouse, dress, or jacket). Bring a photograph or sketch to help interpret your custom design. As time permits, you will also cut and sew your new design.

Keynote Lecture: 20-30 mins
Current Designs & Predictives
Predictives are a wide variety of magazines and books, especially developed to forecast fashion trends that will affect all designs for the upcoming season. These periodicals are created by internationally experienced fashion designers who follow the shows from Paris, Milan, London and New York runways. With these predictives in hand, Connie presents the latest fashions, fabrics and colors for the upcoming seasons.

Educator’s Workshop
A special faculty program that features a professional level of information. This workshop helps develop technical skills of speed, accuracy and industry techniques that are necessary for fashion designers. This workshop provides a comprehensive learning experience that you will use over and over again! By learning up-to-date methods not found in traditional textbooks, you will prepare your students to enter the fashion industry with a greater level of skills. Connie’s step-by-step methods of teaching comprehensive, yet efficient techniques for fashion design, fitting and construction have enriched educators and students worldwide.