The Make Den

I love it here!!! The owner/​instructor is so cool, I secretly want to be her bud!
I have taken the sewing fundamentals class — which was cool, but I think the other sewing classes might be more fun, a lot of it reminded me of the basic skills I learned in Grade 7 Family Studies class. Their fabric if you buy it there is *adorable* way cuter than what you’ll find elsewhere but it is pretty pricey.
I just finished the leather fundamentals class which was AWESOME. I’m even signing up for leather bags class because it’s addictive. You wind up with gorgeous, good quality products you made yourself, the instructor is super flexible with you and your style and just super cool.
They make you feel like you can actually make nice things on your own — which I’m not sure I can.

Love these classes and the teachers are super awesome + patient. I feel like sometimes I can ask really dumb questions, and they take it and answer without making me feel stupid. (Always a plus.) The projects for the fundamental classes are legit and each item made looks super professional. Also, they have the most amazing fabric. Their bathroom is clean, but you have to slam the door super hard to use it.

I love love love love this place! Not a crafty person AT ALL, I wasn’t really expecting much from myself when I enrolled for the Leather Fundamentals class. But then I ended up learning so much, and having so much fun! Over the four workshops, you learn how to create a variety of leather products (passport holder, belt, and clutch or sunglass case), each starting from a peice of raw hide. From there you will trace, cut, dye, emboss, oil, and assemble your leather project. It’s all very hands on, very personally customized, and the instructor is there to teach/​guide you every step of the way. Definitely recommend this for those who want to pick up a crafty new hobby! :)

The sewing fundamentals course I took here was awesome! The intro to quilting however left much to be desired. The teacher was distracted and unclear in her instruction and we didn’t even finish a simple project in four weeks. Also, If you want a same day response for a timely question… like an emergency that is taking you out of upcoming class for that evening, forget about it. They make no apologies for the fact that there is no way to get in touch with them in a timely fashion save going to the actual storefront (no one even answers the phone… ever). If you have tonnes of patience and maybe a sewing machine at home, then take the quilting class. Otherwise I’d give it a miss.

Love the Make Den!
I go to the one in Leslieville. I’ve taken the fundamentals class and right now i’m in the Baby Mama class. Everybody was at my level (very beginner) so i felt comfortable asking questions and didn’t feel stupid! It was actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Now i keep pinteresting to find new fun patterns to make!

Love this place!
I did Sewing Fundamentals I and am now doing Sewing Fundamentals II, both at the Bloordale location (bonus — free street parking on side streets in the area). The projects are fun and cute and really build your confidence on the sewing machine.
The instructors are super friendly and patient — always willing to help if you have any questions. Also, if there’s no class after, the teachers don’t mind staying behind a little bit if you need the extra time. You can buy material etc here if you want, although it is a little bit more expensive.
There are also make-​up classes for $ 15 if you miss a class, so you’re not entirely out of luck.
I want to take the Mending & Alterations course next so I can use it on clothes at home!
Tip: Check out Groupon in case there are any deals on there!

I took a sewing class here last summer, prior to them moving, and had such a fantastic experience — I would recommend it to anyone! I was enrolled in an intro to sewing class with Irene. She was so patient throughout the process, often staying late to help those who needed it. There were several times I went outside of class to work on related projects, and the staff there were quick to answer my questions. I got to know a number of the people in my class, and both the teachers and classmates were amazing people. They really took the time to get to know you. Well worth the money spent — I plan to enroll in their screenprinting class in the near future!

Great intro to sewing classes. While the instructor we got had a bit of difficulty speaking english, she didn’t have too much trouble conveying to us what exactly we needed to do. It was great being able to see a finished product after each class. So satisfying! For the beginners class, we made a zippered pillow, a headband, and a zippered pouch. Some parts were way too difficult for a beginner to do though, so some people in the class needed a bit more hands on help than others

Relatively new to our Bloorcourt /​Bloordale Hood is The Make Den — A vintage inspired sewing studio.
Run by the ever gorgeous and talented Irene Stickney.
They have workshops to die for, for every sewing level — novice to profesh.
Be Eco-​conscious and fashionably stupendous, re-​work you vintage favs
with the Queen of Alterations.