Laura's Sewing class was a delightful and insightful experience. The sewing space was open with many windows allowing natural light and a view of Lake Superior. The work space and equipment provided helped to move the project along. Laura provided incidental items that I had forgotten to bring/buy (zipper, fusible interfacing, thread etc). The last major sewing project I had done was sewing my wedding dress, 35 years ago. Three years ago I bought a newer sewing machine from my sister (she was upgrading). There it sat while I tried to muster the motivation to figure out how to use it. Laura helped me learn the in and outs of the sewing machine. Also in the process she introduced me to new stitches to apply to my quilted pillow project. She made me aware of the different needles and machine sewing foots that can be used to make sewing easier and create a better result. It was great being able to talk to other students about their projects; sewing outdoor extreme weather mittens, quilts, sewn pottery trivet, window curtains. I am definitely coming back for more lessons. I think my next project will be making cushions for my rocking chair. read more

Over 5 years ago, I retired and had some extra time to dig into my bucket list. I had a sewing machine, but really wasn't comfortable using it. I found Laura's sewing school on the internet and thought that I would give it a try. Well, I didn't realize how much I didn't know. Laura has guided me with the ins and outs of my machine. She has taught me how to make a pattern, from a favorite store bought skirt. I have made my grandkids's costumes and clothes and lots of baby gifts.Currently, I am learning how to appliqué and quilt. I so look forward to my weekly sewing class, at Laura's sewing school. Shelley read more

NOTE: As a rule, I do not post reviews that are negative. I figure it could just be a one off bad experience. My experience with Laura's Sewing School is the exception to this rule. ONLY TAKE CLASSES HERE IF YOU KNOW HOW TO SEW AND HAVE A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY TO SPEND IN HER SHOP ON YOUR OWN SEWING PROJECTS. LAURA HAS NO IDEA HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS OR HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE NOT DOING THINGS THE WAY SHE WANTS AND NEEDS THEM TO BE DONE. LAURA IS NOT INTERESTED IN TEACHING THOSE WHO ARE NOT ALREADY GOOD SEAMSTRESSES. My Story: The first time I went to Laura's Sewing School to ask about classes, she was on the phone even though there was a class in session. I spoke to the women in the class and they answered my questions and left before Laura got off her call. Her students explained to me that she had some sort of emergency in her life and needed to be on the phone. They were very kind and understanding. The way I read the situation, I knew instinctively that this was a dysfunctional operation and went to look for another class because I really wanted to learn how to sew. I had no skills, but years of desire and NOW was the time for me to learn, I believed. A year later, I still had not found anything like what Laura offered and in spite of my previous instincts, I signed up on line. She asks if you have a sewing machine (and charges you $40. to use hers during class) and what skill level you have (I had none and said so.) First class was a snowy day. I went to class on time. No one was there. I waited 20 minutes and left. Later that day I called and Laura answered saying yes class had happened and didn't say anything about having been late for class. She offered to allow me to make up the class which I believed was fair. When I did go to my first class, I again told her I had NO SEWING SKILLS and told her I wanted to make a pattern of a coat I own (I had it with me) and then turn it into a coat. She knew I had no sewing machine since I paid $40. to use her machine during class. I spent weeks working on this project. I got almost NO HELP from Laura. I kept telling her that I HAD NO SKILLS. I kept working on my project thinking that it would somehow come together. I paid the $40. for the sewing machine use that I never had because I needed a lot of help and I got almost none. The stories continue, but let me get to the conclusion. When my pattern was finally complete (after one and a half sessions of classes and $700. paid to Laura for class and sewing machine time which I never used) and I was beginning to cut out the fabric. Laura came to help me and told me that the pattern was all wrong. HUH? She was the teacher and now she's telling me that the work is wrong? Mind you, this is two plus months into weekly classes. The next class I went to class asking to make a simple wrap skirt. Did she have patterns? Yes. There is order of size or anything. OK. I finally found a simple skirt pattern in my size. Not what I wanted, but something. I then went to the downstairs fabric store with whom she has an affiliation. I bought fabric. Went back upstairs. Waited for Laura. After about 20 minutes of waiting patiently, I got up and spoke up about my concerns and I told her I had accomplished virtually nothing. She then told me that she didn't realize I had no skills. SHE REALLY SAID TO ME THAT SHE DID NOT KNOW THAT I HAD NO SEWING SKILLS. I realized at that point, we were going no where. We negotiated a deal which was she gave me a sewing machine with a tutorial and I would stop taking classes. I got the machine. But when I contacted her to ask for 30 minutes to help me learn two basic skills on the machine, she responded after my third email that " owed me nothing". I wish I had listened to my instincts when I first walked into -- and out of -- her shop. She is extremely talented and she is a great place for experienced people who have a ton of money and don't really want or need much help but like to sew with other people. read more

I was very disappointed with Laura's sewing classes. First of all, they are very expensive. I paid $235 for four three-hour sessions. There is very little structure to the class. You are advised to bring in your own project. You get no help picking a pattern or the fabric, so of course, I made the mistake of picking a tough pattern and didn't buy enough fabric. Because of a flood at Laura's sewing studio, the classes were held at different locations around the area. Though that is not Laura's fault, I do wish she had provided a discount since we didn't have access to the tools and space that was promised. Laura is very skilled, but it was tough to get the help I needed as a novice. She was late to two of the four sessions and that time is precious. Also she is a TALKER, which is nice for socializing, but not when you need all of the time you can get. Also, she couldn't make it to two of the sessions and had substitute instructors. These women were very nice, but one of them was not nearly as skilled as Laura and could not help me with what I needed. In four sessions, I couldn't even complete the skirt of my dress. It was very frustrating to spend so much money and feel like I only learned a couple of things. I would only recommend these classes if you have loads of money and are a little more advanced. read more

I wish I had found this place the very first time I started taking sewing lessons. I'd be a great seamstress by now. Anyway, this is the best place EVER to learn sewing. No matter what your project is, they're going to teach you everything they know. And it is A LOT they know. If you want to sew window treatments, they know all about it. You want to sew a shirt? They know how to do it. I once came with a beautiful piece of fabric 1 x 1 yard or so. I didn't know what to do with that, I only knew that I loved the fabric. Luckily, they had many ideas for me so I didn't end up sewing a pillow (yet another one!) Speaking of window treatments though: within my first six weeks with Laura I finished very complicated-looking window treatments. Some swags, it was a lot of ironing and cutting, some stapling, surprisingly not that much sewing. When I was finished, I couldn't believe that actually I created something like this! It is simply beautiful and looks very professional! Very happy...... Yes, that's actually how I'd call lessons at this school: very professional. There is much more I could say, but bottom line is: give it a try...... read more

So you wanna learn how to sew? You wanna better your skills? You wanna know what the heck a walking foot is really for? Lemme tell you Laura can help you learn how to sew a straight line all the way through climbing up a zig zag mountain and for a completely affordable and fair price...i might even say a BARGAIN! Oh I forgot to mention her space is totally friendly just like Laura! TAKE HER CLASS! read more

I have always wanted to learn how to sew, and I live pretty close to Laura's Sewing School and had heard good things, so I signed up for lessons, intending to just take one session. I ended up taking a second session (this time with Jan). Laura's approach is very much suited to my personality - some might describe her as a stickler, but she just wants to make sure you know how to do things right. She says that whatever mistake you can make, she has made it first, so her goal is to help you avoid mistakes. But when you DO make a mistake, she always knows how to fix it and makes it clear that it is a learning process, and it is no big deal. I finished the first session with a pretty good idea of the basics (I made a tote bag and got most of the way through a pair of pants for my daughter). Now I am trying to refine my skills. Both Jan and Laura are terrific, but which one you pick might depend in part on what you want to do - Jan is really, really good with clothing. She helped me with a dress, and made a small suggestion (adding piping along a seam) that really made the dress look awesome and also is more figure-flattering for me. Laura is pretty good with clothing, but is amazing at quilting. One of the things I like about the structure of the classes is that it isn't just a one-shot deal. Taking classes for 3 hours a week for six weeks makes sure that the info and techniques stick. You go at your own pace, and you get help as needed. The price for the class seems expensive, but when you break it down into an hourly cost, it is something like $15/hour, which is a pretty fair price, IMO. I found I got a lot of attention, especially during Jan's weeknight class, which was pretty lightly attended. Saturday classes are more popular, I think. read more

I have been taking classes with Laura since 2008 continuously. Although my mother had told me that sewing was boring, tedious, and a skill I didn't need to have in my knowledge base, I decided that I really wanted to learn how to make a garment. So along with one of my daughters, we signed up together for an opportunity to share a learning experience for a period of 6 weeks. From that time on I haven't stopped signing up for the next 6 week session and I haven't stopped learning! While sewing has its basics, there is a never ending abundance of nuanced knowledge that Laura continues to show to me that is always helpful and always improves the outcome of the product. I also enjoy the classes for the opportunity to learn and get inspiration from the other students. The classes are small enough to get the personalized help I need yet varied so that I am always seeing different types of items being made ranging from pajama pants to sophisticated coats; from beautiful pillows to complicated quilts; from sails for boats to cushions and foot stools! I highly recommend Laura's Sewing School if you want to learn how to sew from the basics to the highest skill level! read more

What a spectacular teacher. I thought i knew how to sew pretty well but Laura knows ever trick and improves every project I undertake. You can hear her mind work! Curtains, clothing, wrapped baskets- she encourages students to stretch their skills. Thorough with beginners and inspirational with more experienced sewers. And her quilts are amazing. Friendly and inviting crew of students all working on something else I want to make. So glad I found this place. read more

I thought I'd do something fun with my 13 year old daughter and 12 year old niece so we all decided to learn to sew. We went to one class in Beverly which was a complete disaster. The "teacher" least to say was not a "teacher". Then we found Laura! What a God send! We felt like we had come home. The environment is so relaxed. Everyone is so warm and welcoming and Laura and her aides are FANTASTIC! With a group of seven sewers, at all different levels, Laura seems to keep us all moving along at a wonderful pace that we can call feel comfortable at AND with projects that WE want to do. She's so encouraging and makes it all so simple (even for us "old dogs"). I would HIGHLY recommend her class. It's been the best. read more

Not thrilled with the experience at Laura's. I don't think there's enough room for 5 students to be sewing, ironing and cutting patterns in the space provided. And sometimes she'll allow people to make up a missed class -- which is great -- but then it will increase to 6 or more students. Too many. I often had to wait too long to iron my pieces. At times it became difficult to maneuver between each person, their sewing trolley cart, their pushed out chair, and their piles of pattern pieces everywhere. I find Laura herself to be rather abrupt, not friendly. I won't say more than this, but I completely disagree with the other reviewer. She makes you wear slippers during the classes so that you don't get the floors dirty. Never mind the fact that it's ok for her dog to run around during class. That said, the cost for her classes is very reasonable. And she provides free coffee. read more

Laura herself is a very skilled seamstress. However, my experience says otherwise when it comes to teaching. I opted for a 6 weeks class. At the end of it, i am more than sure i could have spent my money more productively if i had gotten some good books. There were a lot of issues: 1) The information about class size is misleading. The classes i attended typically had at least 6 to 7 people and sometimes people making up time. 2) She was the only teacher, and of course was overwhelmed. It left us waiting for our turn. Given that Laura charges $270 for 6 weeks - $45 per class, $15 per hour; i think it is a rip off if one spends 1/2 the time just waiting! 3) During the time i spent with her, i was never explained why things are done the way they are and was never encouraged to ask questions. If you wanted to understand things better, you had to know the right questions to ask. When i did, i always got a very negative vibe whenever i asked any. I was more than often told "Pattern says so, just do it!" 4) The teaching direction is not aimed at making the student be more independent - it is exactly the other way. 5) Although i don't expect the teacher to make my projects hers, i do expect her to take sufficient interests to be able to guide me. I felt like Laura's method was "one instruction at a time and only when asked". E.g a. I worked on a couple things in those 6 weeks and both have problems i need to fix - structural and sizing. Both of which could have been easily avoided given Laura's expertise. b. I had to go and buy things from the downstairs Fabric store -not always at the best price. If Laura had worked with me to plan my projects better, it could have easily been avoided. 6) There is no way you could reach Laura by email/phone. Emails bounce and phone is never reachable. To summarize, if one wants to learn basic sewing, like pillow cases etc or wants to learn quilts, this might be a good class for a very high price. If you want an environment where you can actually understand and learn sewing things and build on that knowledge, find a better class. The main reason i am giving such a low rating and critical review is because after spending $270, i am left with no solid know-how that i can build on. I'd still need to google and you tube to get guidance on things. I am going to be a small business owner soon and it breaks my heart to give such review, however people should know what they are paying. read more

Laura is clearly a very skilled seamstress, but she bites off way more than she can chew when it comes to teaching. Before writing my review, I want to point out that all three non-positive reviews of Laura's Sewing School are filtered and do not factor into the overall rating, so her Yelp rating is highly misleading. She may be a good teacher for beginners who want to make totebags, pillows and other useless items, but she includes beginners and students who are interested in more advanced techniques in the same class. Unfortunately, the class I took had 7 people, she was the only teacher, and she never focused on anyone for more than 2 minutes at a time. She was overwhelmed and disorganized, and since I already knew how to use scissors and wind a bobbin, I accomplished literally nothing during the class I attended. She has a strict "no refunds" policy, and I now I see why. I agree with many of the issues mentioned in the other negative reviews. Please click on "filtered reviews" to get a more complete overview of the pros and cons of Laura's Sewing School. Some people love her, and that's great, but she's not for everyone. read more

My daughter (age 15) took a learn-to-sew class with Laura in Fall/Winter 2011/2012 and I was disappointed. My daughter arrived in class with absolutely everything she needed for her first project, but very little progress was made. Laura was often late for class in the morning and my daughter reported that she received very little attention during class. Laura was helping other students and by the time it was my daughter's turn the class was over--it always ended on time even if it did not start on time. This was just before she moved her classes to The Fabric Place space so perhaps she was distracted, but I was still disappointed that the class did not result in more skills. My daughter is a very capable student and should have been a quick study. read more

I began taking a class at Laura's about 4 weeks ago. I had never sewed before, but this class has really inspired me. The class sizes are small and Laura is knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. Because I am such a novice, I knew I wouldn't be able to efficiently learn from a book or from web content. This class is just what I needed. You get to work on projects of your choosing and Laura will help you figure out what fabric to buy, how much, and guide you through your projects. Students work on everything from quilts and bags to dresses and home decor. You can bring your own machine or if you don't have one like me, you can use one of Laura's. I'll definitely be signing up for another class. read more

Laura is great! I absolutely love the format of this class. I am a beginner and being able choose your own projects has been wonderful. The other people in the class are an amazing resource because you can learn from them as everyone is working on unique projects. Laura has allowed me to stay extra after to class to finish up projects and come in during another class to look through her quilting books to pick out a new design for my next class. I know she even allows you to make up classes by joining others if need me. Being above the fabric store is KEY. Half of sewing is learning how to navigate yourself in a fabric store, and it is so useful to be able to run downstairs to grab something quick if you forgot it. A couple of the bad reviews mention how Laura's attention is diverted amongst other students, but I enjoy listening to what she has to say to them and soaking it all in. The rate is very reasonable. I'd be happy to pay a similar rate to even just have access to the studio with the big tables with rulers, pressing stations and sewing stations. It's not always easy to set up a space to sew in your own home. There is a great community of students that I have begun to get to know, and there is so much to learn from everyone! read more