I started sewing using my Nana's old fashioned hand turn machine when I was about 8 years old. She had the greatest of patience and was a wonderful woman who taught me many creative hobbies. When I was about eleven my Mum bought me a Simplicity pattern for making Barbie clothes, although I had a Sindy doll at the time. I used the scraps left over from the dresses that my Nana made our summer dresses our of to make outfits for my doll. By then ... Read Full Bio »

I started sewing using my Nana's old fashioned hand turn machine when I was about 8 years old. She had the greatest of patience and was a wonderful woman who taught me many creative hobbies. When I was about eleven my Mum bought me a Simplicity pattern for making Barbie clothes, although I had a Sindy doll at the time. I used the scraps left over from the dresses that my Nana made our summer dresses our of to make outfits for my doll. By then my Nana had her first electric sewing machine and I was allowed to use that too! There are so many crafts that I love and if they involve fabric then even better. One of my closest girlfriends in England (I moved here just over a year ago) and I have such fun exploring the endless possibilities that fabric can be used for. We get very excited together and have great fun! When I had been here only two weeks I enrolled in my first 101 quilting class, I haven't looked back. The most nerve racking thing was using my husbands truck to drive to the class "on the wrong side of the road!" I have made some very special friends here in NJ who I sew with weekly, we also do road trips together in search of more beautiful fabrics to get creative with. Fortunately I also have another friend who lives about a mile away and Thursday is our nominated day for sewing starting with coffee at 9am. The friendship that has been extended to me since moving here by you lovely American ladies is just wonderful. Without this companionship I think my transition would have been much harder. Thank you! Recently I posted a number of cosmetic and tote bags back to England as gifts for Christmas. Being a perfectionist drives me mad at times but the recent purchase of a serger will make all the difference to my neatening of seams. Hence the signing up for Beginners Serging Classes!