NEW !!

Hands-on swag and workroom skills classes

taught by

ANN K. JOHNSON

held at the prestigious

CUSTOM HOME FURNISHINGS ACADEMY, CHARLOTTE, NC

CALL 1-800-222-1415 TO REGISTER

We have designed these classes to enhance your workroom skills. The price of these classes will be more than offset by the increase in efficiency and the improved quality of your end products.

Do you have multiple employees who wish to increase their fabrication skills? The Academy will send teachers to you. I'd love to come and teach your people these valuable workroom and patterning skills. It will markedly reduce their patterning and fabrication times and increase the beauty and quality of your treatments.

PERFECTING WORKROOM SKILLS             February 16-17, 2009           $398          SIGN UP NOW

Each job that comes through the workroom is unique in its combination of style, fabric and trim.  It takes years aThis class will is not about making window treatments.  It is about condensing years of experience into two days of intensive and comprehensive training on basic cutting and sewing techniques that will increase efficiency and quality throughout the workroom.  The cost of the class is more than offset by the increased efficiency and speed of your work and the enhanced quality of your products.

This class is recommended for:

Single person workrooms.  Whether a novice or a veteran, you will learn techniques and options that you never knew existed.  You will work more efficiently and will confidently offer more options and a better product to your clients.

Multi-person workrooms.  This class is an excellent training tool for new employees.   They will receive comprehensive, consistent training in basic cutting and sewing techniques that are used throughout the workroom.  You will only need to train them in your specific fabrication standards. 

Individual home based sewers.  You will be able to sew window fashions for your home with a refined, professional look and increase your skill levels for all sewing projects.

 

We will learn:

• Tools; basic tools to enhance efficiency and productivity.
• Industrial machines:  threading, tension, troubleshooting & maintenance
• Efficiency in the workroom; planning for efficient flow of work
• Fabrics:  Inspection, pattern repeats, challenges
• Planning the treatment;  Cuts, seam placement, hems, railroading
• Preparing to cut; blocking, cutting to pattern; placement of motif; troubleshooting fabric flaws
• Cutting;  efficient techniques
• Handsewing;  different sewing stitches.  Will make samples
• Seams;  different seams, when to use.  Will make samples
• Using the table; techniques that use the table to improve efficiency and quality
• Pinning layers;  different pinning methods
• Applying trims; banding, cording, ready-made trims, methods to prevent puckering.  Will make samples
• Sewing layers; handling incompatible layers on the sewing machine
• Zippers; 3 different methods to sew zippers.  Will make samples
• Tack strips (aka waistbands) ;  easy application of tack strips and Velcro.  Will make sample

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STRENGTHENING YOUR SWAG SKILLS          February 19-20, 2009          $398         SIGN UP NOW

Based on the popular books, "The Professional Workroom Handbook of Swags, Volumes 1 &  2."  This two day class is a basic primer on swags.  Students will come away with a very solid understanding of the pattern shape and how it drapes into the finished swag shape. We will cover design considerations, variations on the pattern and troubleshooting.  The emphasis in this class will be on drawing the swag pattern to calculated dimensions.  The students will draw and troubleshoot as many different swag patterns as possible in the time given.  We will talk about, but not practice fabrication techniques.

Design considerations.
            There are six basic swag styles. Attributes of each style
            Finished swag dimensions: Calculating the finished width and lengths of swags in the design.
 

The Basic pattern shape.
            Calculating the pattern dimensions based on the desired finished swag dimensions
            Drawing the pattern
            Marking for pleats
            Pinning to test

Troubleshooting
            All aspects of the swag pattern
            Potential problems with the finished swag
                        Bulk at the board line
                        Saggy lining

Options & variables
            Take the basic pattern shape and begin to manipulate it to get any swag shape or size.

Fabrication
            Techniques at each step of the process to increase efficiency and quality of the finished swag.

All the unusual variations that occur in swag jobs (as time permits)
            Pleat allowances:  pleated  or gathered?
            Floating swags
            Returns on swags
            Extra wide swags
            Sheer swags
            Applying your knowledge to altering existing patterns
            Swagged panels
            Empires
            Valances.

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