Reviews

I have participated in a number of sewing and textile art courses run by Jen. I started 4 years ago with a beginners sewing course followed by an improvers sewing course. I completed a beginners dressmaking course and much to my astonishment managed to successfully sew a skirt! My main interest is however in the textile art workshops Jen has run – mostly pre Covid times but I am delighted to read in the most recent newsletter that she will be offering more textile art courses this year. I highly recommend the free motion embroidery workshop. For experienced – and not so experienced sewers – it offers a new skill to add to the sewing skills toolbox – like drawing with a sewing machine! I’ve already signed up to the print, collage, stitch workshop in May and was delighted to read in the newsletter that there will be a couple of textile art courses in the summer school programme this year – am particularly interested in the print, stitch, quilt course.

Jen is a very skilled and knowledgeable teacher – of sewing, dressmaking and all things textile art. She puts even the most inept aspiring sewer (me) at ease, instills confidence, has a wealth of practical tips up her sleeve and is always calm and reassuring. She is not just an excellent teacher, she has a range of examples of her own sewing and amazing textile art on display in the workshop.

I did Jen’s 2 day beginners sewing XL class in January. Although I’m not quite a beginner, I learnt a lot and really enjoyed the whole experience. Jen is really well organised and covered a lot of different techniques. I now feel confident to tackle some home sewing projects and have a better understanding of what my sewing machine can do. I highly recommend!

I enjoyed doing Jen’s “Cushion making course” a few years ago and have since made several cushions with piping and lapped zips which I am delighted with. I found the technique for sewing in the zip challenging so was delighted that the refresher day covered this and much, much more!

It was a brilliant day in a relaxed setting where we all asked questions and got individual help from Jen. She covered the topics in the course clearly and methodically and had all the necessary materials prepared (pieces of fabric, zips, sewing machines etc). She also gave us a link to the notes and diagrams which we used in the class which were on laminated sheets. This will be hugely helpful (along with the samples I sewed on the day) when doing a sewing project at home in the future, trying to recall how to do the things we were taught e.g, inserting a lapped zip, sewing a flat fell seam etc.

I decided to take my own sewing machine with me which is an old 1970’s electric Singer sewing machine which belonged to my mother-in-law. The dials on it are quite basic but I was surprised to discover the things it can do which I had no idea about e.g. blind hemming, and the use for the different pressure feet in the box, thanks to Jen.

I now feel armed to take on a simple sewing project e.g. making a pair of pyjama trousers and am keen to go back once I have more sewing confidence to do the 10 week “Clothing Skills Course” as I have lots of shop- bought garments in my wardrobe which I would like to alter to fit me properly.

I have no hesitation in recommending the “One Day Refresher Course” – Jen has so much experience of sewing but more importantly she makes learning fun and gives one confidence to go away and start sewing. Thank you!

I attended Jen’s 2 day beginner course in August but it took a while for me to get my own machine. So it made sense to do her quick refresher course this January and I’m very glad I did. It was another extremely informative day and enjoyably meeting new people with a good range of queries that were all answered. This time I could see clearly where my mistakes were and I felt more confident about how to fix or even avoid some of the obvious errors. Since coming home I’ve dipped in and out of the helpful pdfs and videos on the links Jen provided to accompany the work. I’m looking forward to trying the cushion making.

I love the way Jen explains the concept and the process. Artisan stitch courses are a valuable gift to have. I recommend it 100%