As another very busy year of teaching dressmaking and pattern making draws to a close, I would like to share some of the reasons my students offer when they are either starting to learn to sew or are getting back to sewing.

Number one across the board is nearly always that they cannot find ready-made clothing that fits well and not twist after it is washed. This is closely followed by being unable to find clothes in colours or styles that they feel suit their age, taste and lifestyle.

My younger students are looking for an opportunity to display their individuality and creativity and the mature age students for good fit, comfort and style.

How lucky we are that, with a little patience and practice, nearly forgotten skills can be resurrected and new skills mastered.  There is nothing like the confidence boost of wearing a custom-made garment in the knowledge that it is your own creation.

Apart from the end result, the experience of creating a wearable garment from your own chosen fabric and pattern is very satisfying.  While we are sometimes frustrated when a mistake results in having to unpick stitches, a little break and a few deep breaths usually restore the equilibrium to enable a second (and sometimes, third) try. Patience and perseverance do pay off and become easier to achieve as time goes by.

In the fast pace of life in the 21st century, taking time to slow down and actually enjoy the process of tasks is indeed a luxury and, in the case of sewing our own custom fit garments, it is time well spent.

I have missed writing and posting my blogs and will be making every effort to get back to regular posts in the coming year.

I am always delighted to receive suggestions for techniques to cover so please let me know if there is anything you would particularly like to see in more detail and I will certainly do my best to oblige.

Happy sewing!