Ryliss Bod has learned plenty during her long teaching career. The former college sewing instructor, who founded and runs her own sewing school, says her students want to learn basics like how to hem jeans but, more importantly, how to “create cute clothes” and how to get garments to fit, too. She shares more about her experiences as an instructor in this episode of Sewing With Threads.

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Ryliss teaches private and group sewing classes at her Sewing and Design School in Tacoma, Washington, to folks of nearly every age and skill level. There’s been an uptick lately, she notes, in students in the 28-to-55 age range, who sometimes also bring their children for beginner lessons.

Sewing School for All

That’s just fine with her. She’s been sewing since her 4-H days and loves to show students everything from how to choose fabrics to pattern altering techniques to garment assembly. She has a degree in teaching and professional training in every aspect of clothing design and construction.

The decision to teach sewing to grown-ups did not come until Ryliss enrolled in a tailoring class while studying for her graduate degree. “Within the first half-hour of taking that class, I knew I wanted that woman’s job.” she says. “I wanted to teach adults how to sew.”

Sewing Success Takes Time

Today’s students have varied goals. Most want to sew for themselves, and a few want to develop their own design line, Ryliss says. All come to realize that developing sewing skills takes time and commitment.

“Generally, those who want to make a career of this, they are taken aback by it more so than somebody who is driven and wants to sew cute clothes for themselves or clothes that fit and feel comfortable.”

Learning from Mistakes, and Some Tips

Ryliss sees the common areas where sewing students of all skill levels tend to go wrong. Listen in to find out what those are and how to avoid or address them. Also find out why Ryliss nearly always uses a size 80/12 machine needle in the sewing machine, and her recommended source for good-quality fabrics.

You can find out more about Ryliss Bod online at SewingandDesignSchool.com, and on Instagram @RylissBod.

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This episode is sponsored by Threads e-learning courses:

Check out our newly available e-learning course “Women’s Shirts: The Best of Everything,” taught by the late Cynthia Guffey. With nearly seven hours of expert instruction, this class offers countless tips and techniques for sewing a professional-looking shirt. The downloadable pattern is included, so you can get started on your perfect shirt right away. Go to courses.threadsmagazine.com to sign up and to discover other on-demand learning opportunities.

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Podcast photos: courtesy of Ryliss Bod.