This non-credit fashion engineering certificate program is geared toward those who wish to learn by practical, hands-on experience, the designing, draping, drafting and sample making procedures - fashion engineering - used in industrial fashion design departments to produce high-end clothing. The procedures learned in this program can be applied on the job, in a home business and for personal sewing. After completing this program, students will be prepared to start various fashion businesses, including their own clothing business designing and sewing patterns for boutiques. Some basic sewing experience is necessary for all courses. In the picture on the right Fashion Engineering Students draft in class. After seeing the work demonstrated, sewing is done at home using the program's step-by-step, fully diagrammed textbooks.

Classroom Equipment

The instructor needs:

An industrial sewing machine should be provided. If that’s not possible a second hand machine could be used. Or the instructor may be willing to bring her own. One small table or desk would be needed if a portable sewing machine is being used, and another small table in case she has no room for a station for herself. That way the instructor has a place to set her equipment.

If at all possible the instructor should be provided with a locker that can be locked between class sessions. If that can’t be provided the instructor needs to purchase a 20-gallon box with lid, and luggage wheels or other wheeled device that can be used to wheel in the instructor’s teaching materials.

The students need:

Drafting tables* The tables need to be approximately 35 inches from the floor.
They should be at least 9 feet long and at least 60 inches wide.
The best length would be 6 yards long; the best width, 72 inches wide.

The determining factor for table width and length is the maximum table surface that can be put into the room. Ideally each student should have a surface (station) of 4-feet length (measuring the table edge) by 3 feet width, but usually the students have much less surface than that. Since a lot of class work is watching demonstrations, not having enough table space isn’t quite as bad a thing as one might think. Ideally the number of students per class should be no more than 12, but if the instructor can handle a large class, the absolute limit for class size is 15.

Highly recommended for home use, the Galant desk with A-legs 398.068.32, shown on page 289 of the 2007 through June IKEA catalogue, costs $169. Three of these tables, set up as one unit, give enough space for four students. Their advantage is that they are easily moved, and can be lowered and separated for other use, if desired. Half-inch plywood, covered with graph paper and mounted on saw horses, might be a considerably less pricey option.

High stools and chairs Also needed are high stools for the students to sit on when they draft, and some regular chairs for them to sit on when they watch the instructor demo the sewing examples. It’s better for the students to stand when they draft, but some have bad backs or knees. When watching the sewing demos, most prefer to sit.

Wastebaskets and mirrors A full-length, three-way mirror would be fantastic, but a full-length mirror is sufficient. Obviously the class needs wastebaskets.

* Drafting tables are NOT needed for two of the six courses: Design Room Techniques or Marketing to the Fashion Industry.

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