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"Sewing is therapy"...
...this has been for me for as long as I can remember! As a child, my grandmother used to give me her full attention teaching me how to sew clothes for my dolls, on her beautiful black and gold Singer sewing machine. I remember so many details about these moments, not the clothes I made so much, funny enough no, but the feelings that the world around us could crumble I would not notice! I felt safe, I felt special and I realised I can create, I can make things with my hands and can feel grounded, happy and proud, I loved the satisfaction of holding the new piece of clothing in my hands at the end, remembering what it was to start with...
There was a beginning and an end to these moments, the middle could last an hour or a day I would not know nor care, I was immersed. I forgot about what I was anxious or angry about when I entered my grandmother's house earlier!
It took me only 30 years to realise it, mind you!?
And now, I spend time with people from all ages and backgrounds, with and without any sewing skills but it seems all have one thing in common: we want to calm our nervous system down and somehow we know that making something with our hands will help. And it is true. You slow down the pace and follow the rhythm of your brain and hands, you are in your body, in the moment.
And every time I see it on these folks' faces: they are having fun, they forgot about the overwhelming 'to-do-list'.
While you are thinking about the jumper, dress, Christmas stocking or whatever you are about to make, your mind is thinking "which parts am I putting together first, and next?"... and along the way you might decide to add a pocket, your eyes start looking for a fabric that would match... your inner child is in the driving seat and -for once- it's ok! it's a safe space and the road is clear!
The journey is not just about the garment you make, it's about slowing down, coming back to your Roots and following that Thread.... finding You again.
What's your "go-to" when you feel overwhelmed and need to step on the brakes?
Your mental state is essential for you and the goodness you do to you will also ripple out on the people around you. It is a natural thing to do. Don't neglect it. Take breaks. AI won't do that for you. 🙏
When you have experienced it for yourself, you might want to take a friend with you another day, sharing moments together is also part of being Human and tremendously helpful for your mental health!
Whether you feel "ready" or not (yet), I invite you to just take 3 slow deep breaths (close your eyes and imagine yourself in your "happy place"🥰, how does it feel? )
Take care,
Celine
...this has been for me for as long as I can remember! As a child, my grandmother used to give me her full attention teaching me how to sew clothes for my dolls, on her beautiful black and gold Singer sewing machine. I remember so many details about these moments, not the clothes I made so much, funny enough no, but the feelings that the world around us could crumble I would not notice! I felt safe, I felt special and I realised I can create, I can make things with my hands and can feel grounded, happy and proud, I loved the satisfaction of holding the new piece of clothing in my hands at the end, remembering what it was to start with...
There was a beginning and an end to these moments, the middle could last an hour or a day I would not know nor care, I was immersed. I forgot about what I was anxious or angry about when I entered my grandmother's house earlier!
It took me only 30 years to realise it, mind you!?
And now, I spend time with people from all ages and backgrounds, with and without any sewing skills but it seems all have one thing in common: we want to calm our nervous system down and somehow we know that making something with our hands will help. And it is true. You slow down the pace and follow the rhythm of your brain and hands, you are in your body, in the moment.
And every time I see it on these folks' faces: they are having fun, they forgot about the overwhelming 'to-do-list'.
While you are thinking about the jumper, dress, Christmas stocking or whatever you are about to make, your mind is thinking "which parts am I putting together first, and next?"... and along the way you might decide to add a pocket, your eyes start looking for a fabric that would match... your inner child is in the driving seat and -for once- it's ok! it's a safe space and the road is clear!
The journey is not just about the garment you make, it's about slowing down, coming back to your Roots and following that Thread.... finding You again.
What's your "go-to" when you feel overwhelmed and need to step on the brakes?
Your mental state is essential for you and the goodness you do to you will also ripple out on the people around you. It is a natural thing to do. Don't neglect it. Take breaks. AI won't do that for you. 🙏
When you have experienced it for yourself, you might want to take a friend with you another day, sharing moments together is also part of being Human and tremendously helpful for your mental health!
Whether you feel "ready" or not (yet), I invite you to just take 3 slow deep breaths (close your eyes and imagine yourself in your "happy place"🥰, how does it feel? )
Take care,
Celine
Waking up the senses and the old memories!
It was an absolute pleasure to meet these wonderful women at the Goodson Lodge yesterday! Listening to their lives as a dressmaker, the little dresses they used to sew for their own daughters, the laughter has one commented "we didn't have the choice"! Seeing their smiles as they sew on the machine (hands AND feet for most of them!) their little lavender bags which they got to keep, some put it in their bags and others enjoyed squeezing and smelling the flowers scent, others held onto it with pride...
I loved that one lady said she felt "inspired" while someone else fought her fear of the sewing machine, and who would have thought that at 100 you couldn't sew?! These ladies inspired me, I was only there to show them that they can still do that, and more so I hope I managed that and their little gift will remind them of it!
(November 2025)
NEW!!
If you need repairing, altering or finishing a sewing project...
An evening for adults and young adults
every last Thursday of the month
** Only £10 per person **
(prior booking essential/places are limited)
In Partnership with SFW/Future Citizen
A wonderful event over half term making hoodies with young adults. It was intense in the time we had:
- creating patterns
- cutting fabrics
- assembling the parts together
but we did it!
Well done to all the participants:
you showed a lot of patience, resilience, self confidence, creativity as well as logic and oh! skills on the machine too!
Using our favourite hoodie to create another!
Adding the seams allowances
Apply to the new fabric
checking the hood!
Empowered!
in partnership with Sustainable Fashion Week UK//Future Generation
18th February - 9.45-3pm The Hoodie
SUSTAINABLE FASHION WEEK//FUTURE GENERATION
I will be running a workshop especially for young people aged between 11 and 25 years old
We will create sewing patterns out of their favourite hoodie and sew the new one!
We will use for that an existing and pre-loved soft blanket, throw, poncho, fleece blanket...
If we give our young opportunity to learn the skills, they will be empowered to create their own wardrobe, helping the planet, buying less from the Fast Fashion industry.
We know that the next generation wants to do something but often don't know how.
This is an opportunity to start! The techniques learnt can bee repeated at home and on other garments.
To learn more about this national event: https://www.sustainablefashionweek.uk/future-citizen
To book a space: contact me via this website or email me: hello@threadandroots.co.uk
Inspiring young people to take fashion action - giving them the tools to shift clothing habits, build resilience and design a fair fashion future
FEBRUARY 2025
Half Term Children and Teens Workshops
JANUARY 2025
What a start!
This year started with all our young students returning every Wednesdays and Thursdays to start on a new project, the cross-body bag (with zip and pocket) and the roll-up purse inspired from the 1940's as we explore the influence of the world's events on fashion in the 1940's and 1950's this term with our older group.
With a lovely group of women we had fun changing lovely un-used fabrics (or ex-army shirt!) into bags, learning how to do with what we have and create beautiful useful items. The experience of creating takes your mind off your "to-do list" for a few hours, chat with other fellow women over a coffee during our little mid-morning break and go home feeling happy and relaxed. A well deserved mental pause! Finding your Roots. Letting your inner child speak and create!
This month also welcomed one-to-one sessions with adults in search of help with their own machine. We looked at how it works and create a quick project to try it out and have fun! Re-kindling your relationship with your sometimes dusty friend!!
And last but not least, the preparation of a project finally came to life this January and I am delighted to share with you the news! We are now offering Birthday Parties in the studio! We take care of everything: we sew a project in the workshop before moving on to the cafe area to have a "cup of tea", sing and enjoy homemade cupcakes (or a slice of Victoria sponge cake) and make the day a beautiful memory. Create an unforgettable experience. See details on the workshop page. Get in touch early to book your space. There are usually on Saturdays (2-4pm) or school holidays.
Thank you everyone for making January bright and jolly with your presence and energy!
And onto February we go, see the list of workshops over Half Term!
"Behind the Seams"
Thread & Roots is the next season after the success of The Green Frog Club which ended when Covid first hit!
Prior to Covid I used to travel to schools to run weekly sewing lessons and also welcome adults to my home to run workshops…
As Covid hit the first time I found myself unable to carry on this way, but I wanted to keep sewing and my sewing skills came useful to the NHS as I (and a bunch of clever people!) created the Wiltshire group for SCRUBS! So after homeschooling I would disappear in my spare room/studio and do what love doing. It was my mental health time of the day!! I dressed the school headmaster and the staff at my children’s school.
I also started making face masks, 3 layers of carefully selected organic fabrics sourced in the UK. They were soft to the face and could be composted at the end of this crazy era! I donated just over £200 to the Cotswold Counselling Charity thanks to all the people who purchased my masks.
And of course, there are the other projects … the ones I love to make for someone else, with or without a valid excuse!
Duke of Edinburgh Award (Bronze) - Year 9
If your young is interested in Sewing I can offer the training that they need to include this new skill as part of their DofEAward.
Just get in touch to see how we can accommodate time in their busy schedule and if she/he wants to do it with a few friends or on one-to-one.
It is an exciting add-on for their own self-confidence and self-esteem first but also for their University and job search later on.
"Great Gratisfication"!... (September 2023)
....in the studio this week as our Wednesday group finished their first project and took it home with pride and joy!
They transformed pillow cases from home into really cool and personalised sleepover bags! So we started our next project: the sleepover pj shorts! watch this space!
Busy Half term! (October 2023)
A busy time at Thread & Roots this week! Making projects repurposing Dad’s shirt and Mum’s summer dress and a few pillow cases!
May Half Term
We had a great time making Summer Halter neck tops with pillow cases, spare fabrics and beautiful scraps!
We have now our own sewing pattern and notes to repeat this garment at home, for ourselves, for our favourite adults or for a friend's birthday present!
Well done everyone!
After-School!
We finished with finesse our matching outfit of panelled skirts and our Halter neck Summer tops!
Let's get the white trainers out or the flip-flops!
Let's repeat at home with our sewing patterns!
After a very hot Summer came an especially wet Autumn followed by an extremely cold snowy and icy Winter… so things took a little longer than expected!… WSEXCITIG
BUT, here we are, it is finally ready and I can’t wait to see you there!
Click on the WORKSHOPS Page to see the full list
Click on CONTACT to book your workshop.
In the Summer 2022 started the building work on our run down horse stable… The plan was to offer an inspiring space to give sewing lessons and workshops while sharing with Like-Minded Peeps this peaceful location.
A New Beginning!