Christmas Sewing Workshop with Anna

Anna Lavado is running a Christmas sewing workshop at Fashion n' Fabrics on Saturday 28 November and Saturday 5 December, both from 10:00 to 12:30. It's a beginner-friendly session, so if you've never touched a sewing machine in your life, you're more than welcome. Anna provides the fabrics and the patterns, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of it — you just turn up and get stuck in.

The projects are festive ones you can actually use: Christmas tree decorations and table runners, both of which you'll take home with you. Because it's designed for beginners, the focus is on getting something finished rather than mastering a complex technique, and the sessions are open to all ages and experience levels. If you've always wanted to try sewing but didn't know where to start, this is a low-pressure way to do it.

There are a couple of things you'll need to bring yourself: a basic sewing kit with scissors, pins and needles, and your own sewing machine if you have one. If you don't own a machine, it's worth checking with the venue beforehand. The workshop is held at Fashion n' Fabrics on Beech Road, a fabric and craft shop that runs a regular programme of sewing, knitting, crochet, patchwork and textile classes, so you're in the right kind of place for it.

It's £30 per person, and with two dates to choose from — Saturday 28 November and Saturday 5 December, both 10:00 to 12:30 — you can pick the one that fits your schedule best. Both run at Fashion n' Fabrics, 24 Beech Road, St Albans, AL3 5AS.