05/04/2024
In this episode, I sit down with Carolyn Denham, the visionary behind Merchant & Mills, a renowned supplier of patterns and fabrics for home sewers. Delving into Carolyn’s rich background, we uncover her formative years as a passionate sewer in rural Yorkshire and the transformative impact of her fashion studies. Against the odds, Carolyn shares the pivotal moment that spurred…
10/04/2021
Arguably, one of the most compelling television shows in recent years is The Great British Sewing Bee, a fierce, yet friendly, competition between keen hobbyist sewers, with warmth, humour and great opportunities for learning. I can only imagine countless new sewers being inspired to thread their machine and start creating. My guests are Matt Gage and Liz Grylls from the…
27/01/2021
The guest this week is Rebecca Perkins, acclaimed author and midlife coach. We talk about confidence in mid-life, finding your purpose, not being limited by labels, being ourselves, learning to sew and write and the problems of living your life through social media. And remember, while you can listen to the episode right here on the webpage (all episodes on…
05/04/2020
I’m not sure I’ve ever felt the need to start an article with a disclaimer, but I do today. Pandemics and viral infections are deadly serious, and I lay no claim to being any sort of expert in how to protect myself (or you) from airborne, or otherwise, virus. I do know enough to know when it’s time to seek…
28/03/2020
I know, the moment you saw the rainproof smock and sewing as the title of this article, you thought one of three things: Hang on, I’m sure Nick announced that on Instagram ages ago Right, yes, another project started with lots of gusto and never heard of again Ooh, nice one, that will be interesting to read about! And yes,…
14/07/2019
There is something about the simplicity and honesty of an old army tent that really gets my creative juices flowing. It’s a 3-pack really, a diamond-shaped shelter fabric, two short tent-poles and some pegs. Not that I’ve found an actual use for the wood poles and metal pegs yet, though at some point they’ll no doubt find some use. The…
24/01/2018
Sewing is not something I’m doing all the time, it’s a passion that can flail up, burn strong and then go back into dormancy. Really I’m more about the ideas than actually the actual cutting, assembling and sewing. Not to say I don’t enjoy it, there is a huge amount of satisfaction in seeing a project through from idea to…
14/10/2017
A few weeks back I was doing a little thrifting and came across a pair of vintage Norwegian army field pants. Super condition, worn in and undamaged. Mine for a pound. Score! Only, in the same way, I don’t wear denim jackets, I don’t really wear field pants either. A quirk of taste or a physical manifestation of an inner…
30/06/2017
Having finished up the “Foreman” jacket I find myself at a lose end now. Getting back into sewing has been kind of fun and I want to keep up the momentum. Plus, it’s been truly gratifying to receive so much feedback and support, so I’d like to ride the wave of approval and crack on with another piece of home-made…
07/06/2017
Even with the very best of intentions, this project has been a slow starter. It’s been sitting on a shelf in the hallowed room of sewing for around a year now. I did post about it half a year back, when I thought I had worked up the gumption to give it a go (read here), so let’s let that one…