Hi Reader, Last week I had a surprise couple of days inside the Guildford School of Acting costume department. They needed an extra pair of hands for alterations, so I stepped in and honestly, it was such a joy. Across the two days I: • Added extra panels to a dress and skirt to give them more room • Took in a T-shirt and a pair of trousers • Let out another pair • Repaired a tear on a gorgeous vintage cape (right at the neck edge) • Stitched a lace collar onto a jacket to give it a Victorian...
7 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, I was rolling up my yoga mat at the end of class last week, still in that blissful post-yoga glow, when my yoga teacher stopped me on the way out. “Would you like to have a stall at the Christmas Wellness Fair I’m organising on December 13th?” My immediate, very un-zen thought “I DON’T HAVE TIME.” She’s been running these fairs for just over a year now and I’ve always wanted to support her but I've always been away. I’ve always fancied doing a craft stall. But the timing?...
24 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I've just created something new and while it might not be for you, you might know someone who needs it. The Straight Stitch Starter Pack is a printable guide I'm creating for brand-new sewists who are struggling to get their machine to cooperate. They've bought a machine, watched a few YouTube videos, and now they're convinced they're doing everything wrong because their stitches look nothing like the ones in the tutorials. Spoiler: Many of those tutorials are typically filmed on...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, It started as a quick tip video — just me sharing how to cut faux fur without making a mess. Next thing I know, it’s taken off. Over 600,000 views and 555 comments on TikTok (and counting). Absolutely wild! Honestly, I had no idea so many people would be fascinated by faux fur. But that’s the beauty of the internet — you never know what will catch people’s imagination. And there's been a ripple effect... I’ve had a couple of costume enquiries pop up because of it. One is a Goofy...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Have you got my latest free seam and hem finishing guide yet? Read to the end to get the link. The Longest Yarn You have to see this if you're into crochet or knitting. The Longest Yarn exhibition is like Legoland model village but knitted and crocheted. It's a series of sets (60 metres) that walk through the story of how WW2 unfolded for Brits on the home front, from the announcement of war, to gas masks, rationing, bombing and taking shelter in the underground stations, through...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Woohoo! I did it! After six months of dedicated work, I’m thrilled to announce that I have officially passed my AET teaching qualification! 🎉 When I first embarked on this journey, I thought it would be a doddle. After all, I’ve been teaching sewing to adults for several years now, and I expected to have it all wrapped up in six weeks. However, I found this qualification was quite a challenge! The experience has been both enlightening and rewarding, pushing me to grow in ways I...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, The Great British Sewing Bee is back on our screens (in the UK) with 12 new contestants. Have you watched the first episode yet? For me, the greatest take-away is fabric choice. The weight, drape and weave of a fabric can make or break the success of your garment. Picking something flimsy, thin and drapey may feel lovely but can be incredibly difficult to work with - it shifts about while you cut, pin and stitch it, it frays when you look at it, puckers under some basic sewing...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Bookings are open for all my Surrey based courses, but you need to be quick as places do go quick. FIND A SURREY SEWING CLASS WITH VEE And if you're in or near Reading, then here's the link to book on to a sewing class at Reading College INTRODUCTION TO SEWING AT READING COLLEGE (MONDAY'S) GARMENT SEWING AT READING COLLEGE (TUESDAY'S) And if you can't wait until September and want to hone your sewing skills over the summer then join me at Reading Sewing Bee where I'm teaching a...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t find anything. I’d been digging for children’s clothes patterns from the 1940s—surely they existed? But the search kept coming up short. Then it clicked. Of course. READ THE FULL STORY During WWII, fashion barely shifted. Rationing, shortages, and utility over novelty meant styles held steady—and innovation was more about clever mending than creating something new. That led me to a slim book from the library—Make Do and Mend, a reprint of...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, My heart was pounding. I heard my name be announced. My turn. click the image to see montage of the catwalk I skipped up the steps and took my place on the Stitch Stage at The Stitch Festival beside the compere. I was one of 10 finalists for the Stitch Festival's Dressmaking Competition in the recycled category. My entry was my Scrappy Red Dress, made entirely from fabric scraps from previous projects. I took up my rehearsed 'model' pose while she read out my bio. Gosh, had I...
8 months ago • 2 min read