A bit about me.
I thought that the first blog post should be about who I am, so that you can get to know me a little before deciding whether to seek my services (ooh, er!).
Well, I am the daughter of a couture seamstress. Mum The (Couture) Seamstress, also known as Maria, Mrs P, Kojak Mum and mum. I grew up napping in her sewing room. These were the days where bigger was better and dresses had miles of netting and sleeves like legs of lamb. Yes, we’re talking about the 80’s here! Sometimes, when I used to crawl under the table behind mums machine, all I would see was a huge poofy dress with a little foot poking out on the pedal. I will admit right here and now that although I love sewing, I’m not a couture seamstress! Mum had this magical ability to handle silk and chiffon in such a way it looked like a piece of art when she was done. She was a wizz with velvet, and not the cotton velvet kind, but silk velvet, which any seamstress will tell you, the sight of which can bring about palpitations. She worked for some amazing designers and made many gowns for the Red Carpet. She is my one and only inspiration.
My childhood was very creative. I utilised every scrap of fabric and learnt to use an industrial sewing machine very young, pre teen I would guess. Slowly over the years I got better. When I finished university, I got my first proper job at a fabric and haberdashery shop, the perfect place to spend 99% of my paycheck! My first serious sewing started when I made myself a corset to go out in. This led to me being part of a fashion show, raising money for UNICEF, which was hosted by Richard O’Brien (Brian who!? Well, if you are old enough to remember The Crystal Maze, you’ll know him!) This was more of an experience than anything, but it really boosted my confidence. There was a time when I was making a new corset every time I went out. Fact: At one point, I owned more than 100 corsets! Alas, reality struck and while I wanted to make corsets for a living, they’re not high enough in demand to sustain a steady income, so I got a job as Production Assistant for a fashion brand. This began a 10 year career in the fast-fashion industry for various well known brands and designers. (We’re nearly there, promise)
Once I hit the 10 year mark, I’d seen such a difference in mass produced fashion, it had gone from well curated collections to demands for more designs, more seasons, more options and they had to be delivered much much faster. It really lost the appeal. It was no longer about well designed clothes, it was about mass and volume. So I handed in my notice. I sort of had a plan, but you could barely label it “Plan A” it was simply a feeling that I needed to get out and do what I wanted to do, which was sew. I won’t lie, I was terrified. I always made sure there was a plan A, B & C just in case. But this time was different. There was a mixture of fear and hope and a whole lot of “ just risk it”. So, Corsets and Creations was born. My mum said that she always knew I’d return to sewing and kept her sewing room intact for this reason. So I set up there and have been sewing ever since.
Over the years I have invested in the machinery, lighting , storage and stocks of the usual staples like threads and zips.
I realised that I enjoy sewing for interiors far more than fashion, so at the end of 2019 decided to re brand my business and call it Cushions & Creations to better reflect the majority of my work. This was launched in April 2020 and in the few short months it has been launched, has grown from strength to strength. It’s one of those moments, where as a self employed person, who has given up so many evenings out and days off to build up a business, I feel its been absolutely worth it.
I now employ a freelance seamstress to help out during busier times, and even Mum The (Couture) Seamstress has dusted off her machine and helps out with some of the projects now and again.
I’m so glad that for once I took a risk, because its been such a fab journey. I’ve met some amazing people, work for some lovely companies and made plenty of friends in the process.