The Joy that is Communal Sewing by Pam

The Joy that is Communal Sewing

MANY years ago I studied for my ‘O’ Level Needlework certificate at school. It was a time of stress, projects never completed, deadlines never reached and eventually, a certificate never gained! Over the years my limited knowledge and skill allowed me to make the odd, in more ways than one (!), envelope cushion cover or simple curtain for a small window. I never had time to commit to regular days or evenings for classes as an adult with working full time for nearly 40 years.

I am now semi-retired and last year I started to look for things to occupy my time, now that I had some spare. I had an electric, not electronic, Janome sewing machine which was about 20 years old and still worked but could I?!!

I looked up ‘sewing classes/courses’ near Hitchin and up came thestudioatnumber30 – Learn to Sew/Love to Sew – run by Kaye McGown. I studied this website for quite a while – days in fact – trying to build up the courage to join something unfamiliar. I read everything Kaye had written about learning to sew for the first time, or again, her advice about what to do, which groups to go for, depending on your previous skill, etc. Eventually I enrolled for the Adult Machine Beginners for those new to sewing or returning to it – and I haven’t stopped since!!!

I have been on every beginners’ course available and now delight in meeting up with friends I have made there, including Kaye and her good friend and team mate Elaine, in the term time Sew Social weekly group for sewing, chatting, tea drinking and still with learning opportunities to progress my knowledge and skill – hopefully!  Kaye and Elaine will always go over things and are very happy to teach one to one. If you have never used an Overlocker – you haven’t lived!!! It is most definitely the best thing ever invented!

I can’t explain fully to you what joining this group of likeminded people has done for me. I just love sewing again or even, maybe, for the first time. I know I shall never be as good as some others but that doesn’t matter to me. The environment in the sewing studio is just so comfortable; there is no pressure to ‘do’ and I have, actually, made a few items that are wearable!! The courses at the Studio are well supported and often sold out, which is always the way when something is so delightful. You need to be quick when new dates are released for the next term courses or Sew Socials – and I mean quick! I suspect we shall all exhaust Kaye and Elaine before too long with our demands for more.

Do not be in any doubt that you would not enjoy being part of this family if you are new to this website – get booking and sewing but don’t any of you dare take my place in my Sew Social group!!!

Pam