We are just about half way now with both levels of the Diploma courses. The Level 2 Ladies are starting to put their design ideas into practice and the level 3 are coming to the end of their second Module.
It's about now that things really start to change because the Diploma is different to the normal workshops I run.
Because it’s not really about teaching sewing.
Well - it is, of course. There’s pattern cutting and construction and fit and all the technical things that I’ve spent years learning and refining. But what I’ve come to realise is that although I really enjoy teaching those things, what I love most is watching people change.
There’s always a moment - sometimes it happens early on, sometimes much later - where things begin to fall into place. Someone who’s been saying, “I can’t do this” suddenly realises that actually… they can. They’ve just managed to solve a problem they thought of as confusing and insurmountable. Or made something that properly fits them. And I can visibly see the change in them.
That never gets old. And you just don’t get that in quite the same way in a normal workshop.
The Diploma gives us time. Time to get things wrong. Time to feel frustrated. Time to step away and come back again. And that’s where the real learning happens - not in getting it perfect first time, but in understanding why something didn’t work and having another go.
I think that’s one of the things I value most about it, actually. There’s no rush. No pressure to produce something Instagram-ready by the end of the day. It’s much more about the process. Letting things percolate. Allowing ideas to settle and make sense.
And over that time, something else begins to emerge as well.
The group becomes more than itself. Not just a group, it becomes its own little community.
People start to really see each other. They notice when someone’s struggling, they celebrate each other’s wins, they share ideas and fabrics and thoughts. And I get to know them properly as well, not just what they’re making, but how they think, how they learn, what they find difficult, what excites them.
That’s such a privilege.
Because it means I can teach in a way that actually works for them, rather than just delivering the same information in the same way to everyone. And it also means I get to watch their creativity unfold over time.
So many people arrive convinced they’re “not creative” or “I can’t draw”. I hear that all the time.
And then, slowly, their confidence starts to build. They start making small decisions at first. Maybe changing a detail, choosing a different fabric, adjusting a shape. Even discovering ways to communicate their ideas other than ‘drawing’. And then those discoveries and decisions grow. Before long, they’re designing, adapting, really thinking about what they want to wear and why.
Their clothes start to look like them. Each person in the course has their own unique style and ‘look’.
That’s when it gets really exciting.
From following to understanding
Because alongside all of that, we’re also moving away from just following instructions. And this is something I feel quite strongly about.
When I write pattern instructions, I’m writing them from a very specific point of view. I’m thinking about the fabric I would choose, the way I understand construction, the path that makes sense to me. But what teaching has shown me - again and again - is that people don’t all think the same way.
And nor should they.
So part of the Diploma is about helping people step beyond that. Not just asking, “what do I do next?” but starting to ask, “what would happen if I did this instead?” or “why isn’t this working for me?” Actually using the knowledge they have acquired and putting into real life contexts.
That move - from following to understanding - is just huge.
But it’s not always comfortable. It requires a bit of honesty about ourselves, a bit of patience and forgiveness of ourselves for our perceived failings, and also a willingness to take ownership of your own learning. But when it happens, it’s incredibly empowering.
There are moments along the way that I absolutely love.
When someone understands fit properly for the first time. When a toile suddenly works after several frustrating attempts. When they realise they don’t have to fight their body to make clothes that suit them.
Those moments are pure gold.
And often, they come at a time when other parts of their life are changing too. Quite a few people come to the Diploma at a bit of a crossroads. Maybe work is changing and they’ve got more time, or their bodies have changed and they no longer recognise themselves and they’re trying to reconnect with something they’ve lost along the way.
This is where sewing becomes part of something bigger, more personal and holistic. Because it’s not just about making clothes. In a way the clothes that are produced are symbolic. It’s far more about confidence, identity, taking up space in a different way. And I get to witness that, as it unfolds, over the months that we’re together.
I never take that lightly, as it’s a real privilege to bear witness to this.
Why I keep coming back to it
The other thing I love, if I’m being completely honest, is what it gives me.
It keeps me on my toes as a teacher. In the trade it’s called “teaching by the seat of your pants”. Some people love a schedule but I thrive on being able to react and problem solve in real time to whatever issue, concern or problem we face with each person on the course. So although I have a course plan, it doesn’t always work out that way. It also means I have to be on the ball with how each person receives information and processes it. I can’t just repeat the same thing each time and expect it to land in the same way with everyone. Each group is different, each person brings something new, and that means I’m constantly thinking, adapting and learning as well.
And it reminds me why I started sewing in the first place.
In a world where everything is fast and instant and often quite disposable, the Diploma feels like the opposite of that. It’s about slowing down. Paying attention. Doing things properly, even if that takes a bit longer.
Actually - especially if it takes a bit longer.
Because at the end of it, it’s not just a collection of garments that people walk away with. It’s a different way of approaching sewing. A different relationship with their clothes. And, I think, more importantly, a different relationship with themselves.
And really, when I think about it, that’s why I love teaching the Diploma so much.
It’s not just about teaching people how to sew. It’s about helping them learn how to trust themselves again. Having the confidence to make a decision and go with it, even if it doesn’t go right straight away, and developing the resilience and perseverance to keep working at it until it does.
If you’re reading this and recognising a part of yourself here - wanting to understand your sewing more deeply, and to trust your own decisions - the Diploma might be a good next step for you.