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Sketch, sew, and construct finished pieces in this 3-week fashion design program for middle school students at UCLA.
Course Description
A sketch starts the idea. Choosing fabric, guiding a stitch, and fitting the pieces together make it something to wear.
In this course your student will create a mood board and sketch outfits on croquis, figures used for clothing designs. Line, shape, color, texture, and space help them choose a direction. Comparing natural and synthetic fabrics introduces grain and drape, alongside pinning and cutting.
At the sewing machine, they’ll learn its parts and safety procedures, then practice straight stitches, backstitches, curves, and pivots. Each technique leads into something they make: a decorated bowtie, then a personalized pouch using a zipper foot and different zipper types.
A final vest brings the process together. Your student will read a pattern, cut panels, assemble seams, adjust the fit, hem, and finish edges, connecting a drawing with the care it takes to make it work.
This three-week course for middle school students takes place at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. The program is developed by UCLA and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery. Residential and commuter options are available.
What You Will Do
• Create a mood board and sketch outfit ideas on croquis
• Identify design elements and compare fabric properties
• Operate a sewing machine safely using foundational stitches
• Measure, cut, sew, and decorate a custom bowtie
• Install a zipper and construct a personalized fabric pouch
• Read a pattern and assemble, fit, hem, and finish a vest
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Connect a visual idea with clothing sketches and suitable materials
• Use sewing tools and a machine safely for basic construction
• Explain how patterns and construction steps help fabric pieces fit together
You’ll leave with your mood board, sketches, bowtie, zipper pouch, vest, and a certificate of completion.
Why Fashion Design Skills Matter
Fashion design combines visual thinking with precise construction. A mood board helps define a direction, while sketching on a croquis forces the designer to consider proportion, shape, color, and texture. Fabric choices then affect how a piece drapes, moves, and holds its form.
Sewing turns those ideas into a sequence of practical decisions. Students must measure accurately, follow a pattern, handle tools safely, and correct mistakes as a piece comes together. Completing several projects builds patience, spatial reasoning, and the confidence to move from a concept to a usable object.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.
For students who enjoy drawing outfits, working with color, or making things by hand, this course follows an idea from sketch to stitches. No previous sewing experience is required.
Your student will learn machine and tool safety, practice techniques, and adjust pieces when they don’t come together as planned. It’s a chance to discover both the design and making sides of clothing.
Your Summer at UCLA
UCLA gives middle-school students an energetic place to learn, have fun, and experience campus life in Los Angeles. The setting brings together science, technology, creativity, entertainment, and culture, helping new subjects feel connected to a wider world of ideas.
The program combines hands-on academics with friendships, campus activities, clear routines, and support as students become comfortable in a large university environment. Students can try new challenges, share interests with peers, and build confidence through participation without needing to decide where those interests will lead. For families, UCLA offers a structured middle-school experience that balances substantive learning with fun, community, and age-appropriate independence. Students leave with new memories and a clearer sense of what they may want to explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification of completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive