The Stitchery

I’ve attended 2 courses so far at The Stitchery — ‘Introduction to Sewing’ and ‘Make Do and Mend’, and will definitely be going back for more.
Cassandra is a designer who also runs practical courses and workshops. The studio itself is a lovely space to relax and learn in, and Cassandra has infinite patience. She is unflabble and manages to keep a straight face even when confronted with a room full of 21^st century women who don’t know how to thread a needle or sew on a button!
The courses are well thought out and the skills I’ve learned on them will be useful in many ways. No more spending a fortune on sending clothes out to get mended, or worse, throwing them away when they get a small tear! Maybe I can even customise some items — very exciting! On the Introduction course, we learned how to use a sewing machine. I’d not used one since 2^nd year at school, when I made a Snoopy wall hanging, which could be described as pitiful at best. But now I’m confident that I can actually avoid sewing my fingers onto the material, and use the machine to do some useful things. The Make Do and Mend course was fantastic — we learned many more hand stitches and ways to use the machine, and covered skills such as how to take up a hem, how to darn and patch, as well as other repairs and alterations. I even converted a dress that I was never going to wear again into a lovely top, with some customised buttons which I also made myself. Chuffed to bits!
Cassandra’s tuition is excellent — she’s clearly a real expert, and has the ability to also explain the techniques very well. She’s able to juggle a class of people with different abilities, and creates a fun atmosphere. I’ve found the courses surprisingly relaxing as well as educational — being at The Stitchery is a lovely way to spend a day.
Attending the courses at The Stitchery has made me think a lot more about upcycling, repairing, and not being so wasteful with clothes. I’m going back to learn how to take in a skirt, and add a bit onto a dress to make it a wee bit longer. I can’t wait!