Shan Wilson

Juli Southgate

Brenda Trevithick-Harney

​I am a Textile and Sewing Enthusiast who was inspired by my very gifted Grandmother and mother to sew, which motivated me to become a Home Economics Teacher.  This enabled me to have a long career where I have had the privilege to share my passion for textiles and sewing. During my teaching career I invested a lot of my time and energy in extracurricular activities where I applied my textile skills. I encouraged my students by offering workshops and to enter a variety of sewing competitions e.g. 2016 Winner of Calico Brides. I organised Fashion Parades to showcase my students work and I was the Costume Coordinator for all the School Musicals, which had me designing, pattern making and mentoring volunteers how to sew. What precious years they were.
Over the last 8 years, I have also had the opportunity to teach Fashion Design for CQ University to inspire the next generation of Home Economics Teachers. I also have had the wonderful opportunity to teach dress making and pattern making classes for all age groups for Gardams Fabrics and Bernina Chermside.
I love to sew and create my own clothing and to sew for my three beautiful grandchildren.  I like to have the opportunity to custom make my own clothes that are tailor made to suit and fit me perfectly where I don’t have to be restricted by what is available. I find it both enjoyable and rewarding.
 

Sewing has brought me great joy and pleasure throughout my life, thanks to my mother and grandmother, who were passionate sewers and shared their love for the craft with me. It has also allowed me to be creative and to apply individuality to any project.
As part of my early employment, I studied patternmaking, pattern adaptation, and garment construction at Mode Academy, a private institute in Ipswich where instructors passionately shared their knowledge of pattern making and sewing. Since then, my experience in the fashion industry has spanned various areas, including day wear, evening wear, bridal wear, workroom production, running my own made-to-measure business, retail, and teaching.
Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of constructing gowns for competitions and awards evenings as well as contributing to magazines such as Stitches and Machine Embroidery. These articles contained photographs and descriptions of projects I designed and the related instructions. 
My studio, SewConnect, operated successfully for ten years, serving as a vibrant creative space where I provided bespoke made-to-measure garments and taught garment construction and sewing techniques to small groups.
Subsequently, over an 18-year period in the retail industry, I was employed as a consultant for sewing machine companies. Additionally, I coordinated and conducted sessions for their sewing clubs. This role involved mastering the capabilities of various machines and their accessories and being able to present their intricacies to clients. 
Furthermore, I conducted interactive workshops covering a wide range of topics from basic introductory skills to advanced techniques. These workshops encompassed methods such as overlocking, heirloom stitching, perfect piping, using decorative threads, using the many different machine feet, free motion embroidery, patchwork/quilting, and various additional techniques.
Teaching student’s new skills or simply sharing my passion for sewing with like-minded individuals is an ideal way to explore the art of sewing and cultivate wonderful lifelong skills and friendships.  I have been very fortunate to love my craft and to find joy teaching others.

My house is full of fabric, quilts and loose thread! I have a passion for colour and an obsession with fabric!
I am essentially self-taught and have been creating quilts over a 40yr span. My experience with quilting includes hand paper piecing, hand quilting, foundation piecing, machine piecing, and quilting on my beloved Bernina Q20.
Since 2021 when I decided to seriously indulge my passion, I have made approximately 400 quilts, most of which have found homes through various charities.
I’m on a journey through the wonderful world of quilting, which I would like to share with you.

Martyn Smith

Cathy Till​

Odette Swainson