Is it required to know how to use a sewing machine before entering Fashion Design school?

I've sewn so many stuff manually (just needle and thread) already like shirts and jeans and vests but i dont know how to use a sewing machine! I'm also a little scared of the possibly snobbish hipster classmates im gonna have when i enter Design School.





So do i have to learn all the basics beforehand before entering?

Is it required to know how to use a sewing machine before entering Fashion Design school?
I'll tell you about my personal experience:





I really wanted to get into fashion design but had very little sewing experience. I was pretty good at sketching ideas but that's about it. I did hand sew a Halloween costume for myself that turned out alright but nothing all that professional. I decided to apply to FIT - it was insane. There were about 50 other people all waiting in a big room where we all had to draw an outfit right then. Then we each got to go up to this table of about 5 people for an "interview" - it lasted about 5 minutes. They flipped through my portfolio of sketches, glanced at the photo of the costume I made, smiled, and moved on to the next person. Needless to say, I didn't get in. Most of the people there seemed to be VERY prepared. Some had full on elaborate costumes and couture dresses that they pulled out of bags. Others had huge portfolios of fashion drawings and photographs of their work. If you are planning on applying to a high-end fashion school in a place like New York, I suggest you do LOTS of preparing. Not to be discouraging, but it is very competitive and I regret not doing more. I ended up taking a few sewing courses at the local community college and realized that making clothes is not for me. Most fashion schools expect you to know how to use an industrial machine right away. They even told me that at the interview. When I said I didn't know how to use one, I could tell I lost my chance right then.





Well that's just what happened to me. If you are REALLY good you might be able to get away with not knowing how to use one, but make sure every other part of your skills are very good. Or maybe take a few sewing courses ahead of time - it will really pay off in the end. Good luck!
Reply:Almost certainly. Hand sewing takes a lot longer, and usually doesn't look as professional. You'll do much better if you have a sewing machine.





But they're really, really easy to use.
Reply:If you're going to a fahion design school then you'd need to know the basics of block patterns, hand and machine sewing, garment manufacture, etc.
Reply:It'd come in handy to have at least mastered a basic home sewing machine before you are expected to start sewing your designs, but a fair number of students will not have sewn before the introductory sewing class at some schools. Still, you'd be far ahead learning some basic machine techniques.





You might want to borrow a copy of Connie Amaden Crawford's book Guide to Fashion Sewing, written for her students at FIDM to see what the minimum level of functioning with a machine will be expected. These are ready to wear sewing techniques adapted for home sewing machines, and can save you a lot of time when you learn them -- this will give you more time to design instead of sew.





You might also want to borrow the series of videotapes/dvds done by the Islander Sewing Systems group. Being able to knock out a zipper insertion in five minutes is a definite advantage! And the fabric handling techniques she demonstrates will keep your sewing accurate and nearly pinless.
Reply:it mite just come in handy you think?