Grown from a passion for sewing, textiles and the arts, and with approximately 40 years' experience under my belt, I decided to finally make the leap of faith and set my creative talents free. Hence Sew Precious was established on 2 July 2020. who in their right mind sets up a business in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, right? Me - no pressure, much! I do like to give myself such huge
challen
ges. However, it has been said that if something is not hard work then it's not worth doing! What was I doing prior to all of this? Well, first and foremost I am an ex-primary school teacher and wife to my very long-suffering husband Mike; who is my sound board; biggest cheerleader and, ultimately, my rock. I am also mother of three, well rounded, (that’s how I’d like to think) adult children, Daniel, Owen & Emma. The latter was the toughest job, without a doubt, but we got through it all relatively unscathed! Lastly my rescue fur baby Scout, (a Dorgi) who is crazy and mischievous, so fits in really well. As mentioned, I started my sewing/creative journey over 40 years ago, I can’t believe how old that makes me sound! I was taught by two of the best, my mother and maternal grandmother. What they taught and bestowed upon me was one of the most valuable gifts anyone could give. My speciality is Memory Bears/Cushions/Quilts which I make from any fabrics (anything that evokes some kind of memory.) These could be uniforms, club kits, baby/toddler clothes, to clothing of the departed. I find this process extremely rewarding and I put my heart and soul into every single piece I make. Some of these items are celebratory and sadly, the majority are in memorial, so these bears especially are always honoured with their name tag. Transparency when dealing with these items is essential to avoid mistakes that are irreversible. I made my own memory bear with a few scraps of handkerchiefs and hand embroidered items my grandmother had created along with clothes that replicated things they wore, as they died so long ago. I look at it daily and it makes me smile. Sometimes when I am struggling and doubting my ability or business acumen, I look at that bear, watching over me and think I made that, I can do it. I have been told by close friends and customers that they cannot believe their reactions to their Memory bear when they receive it. It’s something that
cannot be put into words. One client frequently comments that she talks to “Billy” daily. To be able to give someone that kind of security/comfort brings me great joy. This is the reason why I keep going with this business, I feel it is something I was destined to do.
