Beginner's Guide to Sewing: One-on-One Lessons

As a small child, I loved making things particularly dolls houses and furnishing them with curtains, carpets and any thing else I could get my hands on. I also loved making clothes for my dolls, which for the most part were always half naked!! It was my mother who recognised my passion for fashion and as she was a professional seamstress, she taught me how to sew. When I left school, I worked for companies like Top Shop, French Connection and EGO in the retail sector but in the evenings I studied fashion design and construction. I knew this was the career for me. I later took a degree in Fashion Promotion and Illustration and my PGCE (PCET) which allowed me to lecture at further education colleges for approximately 17 years. I had freelanced for many years, custom making gowns and doing alterations. This was my favourite area to work in, as I love luxury textiles. However it was in 2012, I got the opportunity to work in a bridal company doing alterations. I was in heaven with all the beautiful dresses and seeing how customers reacted to the fittings and in some cases restyling of their gowns. Over time i realised that I wanted to merge all the skills I had acquired in this field and to open a bridal dressmaking boutique, which was such a big achievement for me. Its been over 3 years of having my shop which keeps evolving. I've continued to custom make bridal and evening wear, I also do alterations and restyling. One area that particularly specialise in, is upcycling or repurposing clothes. So now I want to pass on my skills as I realise that sewing is a dying trade. Sewing is not just a skill, its an art and a field that really does not get its just dues particularly as we live in a fast fashion, throw away culture. I'm all for preserving, upcycling and really having an appreciation of garments and what it represents to many people and cultures.