Popular sewing class returns to Aspen’s Red Brick

Adults looking to learn their way around a sewing machine while connecting with others can build their skills this winter at the Red Brick Center for the Arts, as the four-session “Beginner Sewing: Fabric Collage & Sewing Fundamentals” course returns from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 11 through Dec. 9.

Aspen resident Hilary Forsyth — who has taught art at Aspen Community School since 2003 and teaches children’s summer camps at Anderson Ranch Center Arts Center — will be leading the course she first began offering in 2025. 

“I’m a firm believer that everybody should know the basics of sewing,” Forsyth said.

This beginner-friendly series will cover machine-sewing basics, including how to use a sewing machine and apply basic stitches while creating a fabric collage project. It’s the kind of class that can be repeated for those who want to continue to build their skills.

“It’s a wandering schoolhouse kind of model, where I can teach people who have zero experience,” Forsyth said. 

She added that she can accommodate students all working at different speeds, comfort levels and stages of their projects.

On the first day of the course, students will learn how to thread the machine, wind a bobbin and get comfortable with the equipment. Returning students can also proceed with individual projects.

“Moving from there, the class is set up to do something called fabric collage. So, we’re using bits and pieces of fabric, some solid, some prints, like a paper collage, where you cut out the different pieces and piece them together into something,” Forsyth said. “We’re using a material called fusible web, so things are ironed together.” 

The process is similar to using paper and a glue stick, according to her. Heat from the iron bonds the fabric pieces to the background, keeping them in place during sewing. Students then use the sewing machine to add decorative stitches that further secure the pieces.

Finally, students can turn their finished collages into handmade cards, add them to a jacket or use them in other imaginative ways.

The biggest challenge in the class is learning how to thread a sewing machine because doing it once doesn’t mean it will be easy the next time.

“It has to be done perfectly,” Forsyth explained. “If it’s not threaded right, the machine will jam, and then it’s a heavy tool that does nothing. It turns into a doorstop underneath your desk.”

She helps students overcome their fears and work through these challenges alongside class volunteer Joyce Meredith, an Aspen local, former aerospace engineer and feature film seamstress. Meredith joined as a volunteer to help meet the demand for the class.

“I go around to each person and see what they’re struggling with and how they can get more comfortable with the machine because you can’t really learn garment construction until you’re comfortable using the equipment,” she said.

The course costs $160, including all supplies. Machines are provided; however, students who own a sewing machine are encouraged to bring it. 

“It’s always better to bring your own equipment because even small things can feel very challenging when you’re sewing on a machine you’re not familiar with,” Forsyth said. 

Her love of sewing began in childhood when her mother often made clothes.

“I think fiber arts is part of everybody’s everyday life, and just removing the mystery and knowing anyone can do it without experience, or to gain more experience or more confidence or to be more creative with fibers, are all good reasons to take the class,” she said. 

Students will leave with practical skills, such as sewing on a button or repairing their own clothes.  

For those who want to practice on their own, Pitkin County Library also loans out sewing machines with a free library card.

For more information, visit redbrickaspen.com/events-art-exhibitions-calendar/beginner-sewing-nov-dec-2026.