About my textile journey

I grew up in a household rich with textiles. 

I cherished my time with my mother, embroidering, sewing, and knitting. 

Embroidery ignites my passion. It's a craft, a form of self-expression, and a path to inner peace. I aim to inspire creators of all levels, guiding them to transform "I can't" into "I can." Teaching transcends merely showcasing my capabilities; it’s about empowering my students to realise their creative aspirations. 

My journey began with my mum, whose love for crafting sparked my fascination with needle and thread. Thanks to her encouragement and the foundational skills I acquired at school, I quickly fell in love with sewing. This passion flourished, leading me to an apprenticeship at The Royal School of Needlework, where I honed traditional hand embroidery techniques. While mastering these techniques at the RSN, I participated in various restoration projects, from military banners to the tapestries of Blenheim Palace. One of my most exciting projects was restoring the costumes for the original fashion gallery at the V&A Museum in London. 

The RSN fostered private enterprise, and fellow students ran a craft business, creating assorted gifts and selling them through the RSN shop. This experience enlightened me about the commercial realities and their relation to textiles. 

After two years at the RSN, I sought to expand my understanding of textile design. I studied City and Guilds in Embroidery, achieving a distinction in Parts 1 and 2, before completing a foundation course at Epsom School of Art and Design. I hold a BA Hon in Textiles & Fashion, which deepened my knowledge of design, free-motion machine embroidery, and fabric manipulation. 

I coordinated for the Young Designer of the Year competition, linking businesses with the designers exhibiting. This role significantly influenced me, prompting my ambition to enter the retail world as a fashion buyer, leveraging my knowledge of textiles and design. 

I became the babywear buyer for Mothercare, securing the position due to my keen eye for commercially viable design, which drew upon my design experience. At that time, Mothercare was part of the Storehouse group under the leadership of Sir Terence Conran, who established a Central Design Studio above Heal's shop in Tottenham Court Road, London. It was revolutionary then, and I relished collaborating with the designers to develop and present my ranges to Sir Terence Conran. 

I subsequently advanced to Senior Baby and Toddler Wear Buyer at Woolworths PLC, where I led a team. Again, I consistently relied on my design and textile background. 

I established my studio in North London 15 years ago, driven by the desire to assist people in creating through stitch and design. My training at the Royal School of Needlework has served me well, and it has been a privilege to impart my knowledge to my students. I conduct regular classes from home and teach hand embroidery at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution weekly. 

As an expert, I have taught at schools, aiding children with GCSE projects and projects in primary schools. 

I tutor schoolchildren in textiles, encouraging hand stitching, and lead numerous workshops at knitting and stitching shows. 

I love spearheading community projects, and I received funding from the Arts Council of England for a project celebrating Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. This endeavour united various groups, including regular stitchers, dementia patients, and children receiving free school meals across North London. They combined their efforts through hand stitching to create a magnificent collage. 

I have authored books on embroidery and appeared on BBC Radio London, discussing its significance. 

I have contributed articles to Stitch Magazine and delivered online talks to several national textile groups, including the Embroiderers' Guild. 

I am passionate about assisting individuals in designing their pieces, which brings them immense satisfaction and a sense of purpose. 

I have used my retail buying experience to comprehend the embroidery processes and crafted a unique presentation titled 'How to Design for Embroidery.' This talk continually evolves and has been presented to many embroidery groups across the UK.