I had the pleasure to go on a girly date to watch Devil Wears Prada 2 on our Bank Holiday, it was a lunchtime date dream!! The outfits, the humour, (not so many facial lines from the actors showing after 20 years 😆🫣) all of it was fabulous!! Has anyone had the pleasure to watch? Tell us your favourite outfits, I noticed how many blinking ties Andie wore in different styles/shapes. Ties must be in season.. 😜 I loved being reminded how even in fashion, they're having to really think, adapt and change with the time we are in, how they market their couture garments for Runway (Devil Wears Prada fashion mag). I've been reminded the beauty of our skill, sewing, because whatever happens in our future with AI, AI can not remake our technical abilities to construct a garment from scratch and engineer onto a body, that job is ours. I laughed way too much during the movie 🍿 would highly recommend a watch to switch off and enjoy the fabrics 🫶 Claire Amelia 🌸

Happy Tuesday Sewers. I'm a day behind with this week, what's on your sewing machine, needle, table... It was a bank holiday Monday here in the UK, so I made the most of the rain, and got stuck in my garden (poly tunnel up and 5 fruit bushes later). So, we are celebrating a new week, a fresh stretch of time at the table… and I’d love to know what you’re stepping into. Before the pins go in and the machines start humming, let’s set it out clearly. ⟶ What are you starting or finishing this week? ⟶ What’s already in progress that you’re working on? ⟶ And what would you love to complete by the weekend? Be as specific as you like, the real projects, the fiddly bits, the pieces that have been quietly waiting for your attention. This is our space to stay accountable, support each other, and keep things moving (even if it’s just one seam at a time). I’ll be back over the weekend to check in and see how it all unfolded — progress, pivots, and everything in between. 🖤 Claire Amelia Now tell me… what’s on your table this week? ⬇️

Well… here we are at the end of the week. Needles threaded, unthreaded, re-threaded… plans followed, plans abandoned, and (hopefully) a few beautiful things brought to life along the way. On Monday, @Valerie The French Sewing Bee , @Jan Appleton , @Debra Verrall , @Jane Harbison , @Nancy Poekert , @Christy Steiger you all told me what was on your table (or not sewing on your table), now let's hear how it actually went. Not the perfect version. The real version. ⟶ What did you manage to start? ⟶ What actually moved forward (even a little)? ⟶ What’s still sitting there… waiting for you? ⟶ What surprised you this week? (a win, a problem, a “why did I do it like that?” moment 😄) This isn’t about ticking everything off. It’s about staying connected to your work, and to each other. I’ll be going through and celebrating with you properly, so don’t be shy with the details. Photos, progress, chaos… all of it is welcome here, we're here to learn & evolve. 🖤 Claire Amelia Now tell me, how did your week at the table really go? ⬇️

Hey sewers, Happy Monday 🪡 Week 1 is the 17th Century — a world built on structure, layers, and foundations. Before the gown, there was what sat underneath. Stays, shifts, petticoats — the unseen work that creates the shape. It’s a very intentional way of making… and it does make you think about how we approach our own work now. So for today: ⟶ What draws your eye from this era? ⟶ Have you ever made (or wanted to make) structured underpinnings? ⟶ Do you think about what sits under your garments? Feel free to share any references or pieces you love on the Studio Wall, I’d love to see what you’re looking at. 🖤 Claire

May is here… and we’re stepping into something special. For the next four weeks, we’re moving through centuries of dress, not as historians, and not as beginners…but as makers looking deeper into our craft. From 17th century structure to the shifting elegance of the 1910s,this month is about understanding what came before us, and recognising just how much of it still lives in the work we do today. 🗓 The journey through May: We’ll move week by week through four distinct eras: - Week 1 — 17th Century Structure, stays, and extraordinary foundations - Week 2 — 18th Century Panniers, silk, and theatrical construction - Week 3 — Victorian Era Silhouette, corsetry, and industrial dressmaking - Week 4 — 1910s The softening of structure and the edge of modern dress (My favourite era eeekkkk) Each week, we’ll open conversations, share resources, and explore what these eras ask of us as makers. 🪡 Before we begin… Historical costume has a way of doing something quite particular. It slows you down. It sharpens your eye. It asks more of your hands. And often… it reminds you why you started sewing in the first place. It reminds us of where our craft has come from.. 💬 Let’s open the month properly: I’d love to hear where you stand with historical work: - Have you ever made anything historically inspired, or fully accurate? - Is there an era you feel drawn to (or completely intimidated by)? - Do you approach historical costume for accuracy, artistry, or inspiration? - Or is this a part of sewing you’ve never explored… yet? Wherever you are, you’re welcome in this conversation. 🧭 A note from me You don’t need to “know” historical costume to be part of this month. This isn’t about getting everything right. It's about noticing, questioning, and expanding your understanding of making. If your sewing has ever felt a little… flat, this kind of exploration tends to shift things in ways you don’t expect. I’ll be here through the month, as always, not to teach, but to help guide when things get stuck.