Upcycling Sewing Course: Create Unique Fabrics

What you'll learn

Learn sustainable sewing and creative upcycling with our sewing and textiles short courses in Sydney!

Do you have fabric scraps, worn-out clothes, or unfinished sewing projects tucked away at home? Instead of letting them go to waste, this course shows you how to transform forgotten textiles into fresh, functional and stylish new pieces. With fashion waste one of the fastest-growing environmental challenges, upcycling is a creative and empowering way to reduce your footprint while building your sewing confidence.

Across four practical sessions, you’ll learn how to design and sew upcycled projects, deconstruct garments for usable fabric, and apply innovative sewing techniques that bring new life to discarded textiles. You’ll complete at least two unique projects — such as turning old jeans into a tote bag and piecing fabric scraps into a cushion cover or wall hanging — while exploring zero-waste practices you can continue at home.

Taught by a fashion industry expert and sustainability advocate, this course blends technical sewing know-how with a conscious design philosophy. You’ll gain the skills, confidence and inspiration to keep experimenting with sustainable fashion long after the course ends.

Who should do this course?

This upcycling sewing course is ideal for:

• Confident beginners who have basic sewing skills and want to explore sustainable fashion projects.

• Experienced sewists looking for new creative challenges and zero-waste techniques.

• Eco-conscious makers who want to repurpose old garments instead of sending them to landfill.

• Creative enthusiasts keen to design unique, personalised projects.

• Anyone curious about sustainable sewing and practical ways to challenge fast fashion.

What skills should you have?

This course is suitable for confident beginners through to experienced sewists. You don’t need advanced skills, but you should be able to:

• Thread and operate a sewing machine.

• Sew a straight seam and backstitch to secure.

• Cut fabric with scissors or a rotary cutter.

• Use pins or clips to prepare fabric for stitching.

If you’ve completed our Sewing Essentials Course or have equivalent beginner experience, you’ll be well prepared.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this upcycling sewing course, you should be able to:

• Define upcycling, recycling and downcycling, and explain their environmental importance.

• Identify textiles with upcycling potential and evaluate waste fabrics for reuse.

• Deconstruct old garments and harvest fabric and trims for new projects.

• Apply creative sewing techniques such as appliqué, slashing and patchworking.

• Design and complete multiple upcycled sewing projects.

• Adopt zero-waste practices for sustainable home sewing.

Course content

Session 1 – Understanding & preparing

• Upcycling vs recycling vs downcycling: what’s the difference and why it matters.

• Evaluating textile waste and identifying reusable fabrics.

• Deconstructing old clothes and linens to harvest fabric and trims.

• Techniques: safe unpicking, fabric sorting, stabiliser basics.

• Project planning: choosing your first upcycled item.

Session 2 – First project build

• Practical sewing skills for upcycling: patchworking, appliqué with micro-scraps, slashing.

• Starting your first project (e.g. turning jeans into a tote bag).

• Experimenting with combining fabrics for texture and design.

• Sharing progress and group troubleshooting.

Session 3 – Expanding creativity

• Quick recap and problem-solving on first projects.

• Exploring second project options: cushion cover, wall hanging, storage basket, or garment modification.

• Pattern making from scraps and offcuts.

• Construction techniques: piecing, reinforcing, finishing seams.

• Zero-waste design strategies for sewing studios.

Session 4 – Completion & showcase

• Finalising and finishing both projects.

• Adding embellishments with trims, buttons, and decorative stitching.

• Group presentation and peer feedback on projects.

• Wrap-up discussion: building sustainable sewing habits, sourcing materials, and future project ideas.

• Next steps: how to continue your upcycling journey at home.

Course materials

What to bring

• Sewing machine (optional – machines available at class)

• Thread, bobbins, and machine needles

• Fabric scissors and snips

• Glass-head pins

• Rotary cutter and self-healing mat (optional)

• A3 paper, pencil and sticky tape for pattern drafting

• Old garments, scraps, trims and other upcycling materials

Additional information

• If bringing your own machine, ensure it is in good working order.

• Be ready for hands-on, practical activities in every session.

Perfect for anyone wanting to learn sewing in Sydney, explore upcycled fashion projects, and discover practical ways to reduce textile waste while developing creative skills.