Sew Far Sew Good
ALISON BUCHANAN
If you’re tired of wandering around the shops or endless scrolling online and still can’t find the perfect dress or coat, then maybe it’s time to develop your sewing skills. We’re lucky to have some skilled seamstresses in Hastings who are keen to nurture and develop our sewing ambitions, both with a commitment to slow fashion. Seek out fashion pioneer Judy Dewsbury’s sewing classes at The Beacon or pick up one of Nomad SLT’s simple sewing kits so you can create your own truly individual clothes.
LEARN FROM LOCAL TALENT
Local style icon Judy Dewsbury studied menswear design at the Royal College of Art, taught at Central St Martin’s and was a founding designer at Swanky Modes in the late 70’s. Swanky Modes tailcoated the excitement of 70’s London punk bringing their own inimitable style of rebellion, energy and self-expression. Judy’s co-designer at the label will be known to many of you as The Great British Sewing Bee’s judge, Esme Young, and the label was a go to for many 80’s style setters. A collective of four designers, the label grew to prominence at an exciting time in British culture when fashion, film and music were making headlines around the world.
Judy fondly remembers visits from Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm Maclaren and Grace Jones and simply says “We had a lot of fun!”. This is clear in the clothes, and Judy’s approach to fashion hasn’t changed. A Swanky Modes icon, the ‘amorphous dress’ is in the V & A Collection, shown here in red, and fetches thousands at auction. Fashion Auctioneer Kerry Taylor remembers buying the amorphous dress in blue, turning every head at her local rugby club as she wiggled her way to the bar. Swanky Modes clothes were bold, clever and experimental – hedonistic clothes for hedonistic times.
SHE’LL HAVE YOU IN STITCHES
Judy’s new friendly workshops at The Beacon are for all levels of ability and she’s adamant that sewing should be fun. Inspired by her grandchildren’s desire to make their own clothes, Judy has loved passing on her knowledge and encouraging creativity in others. Her technical knowledge is extensive, and she loves to work with fabric almost sculpturally, enjoying an element of play in the creation of a garment. You’ll certainly enjoy yourself and end up with something unique and personal. Sessions run every Wednesday AM or PM, and booking is essential. See the website for further details: beaconhastings.com/events.
In a recent conversation, Judy’s joyful approach is evident: “I love clothes; the act of taking a piece of fabric – something that is essentially flat – and rearranging it into a three-dimensional, moving, tactile, wearable entity.”
WEAVER’S DELIGHT
With a focus on fabric waste and tactile fabrics, Nomad Surplus Luxury Textiles (Nomad SLT) was established in 2022 by Philippa Farnese, keen to devote her business to circular fashion.
Specialising in luxury knitted and woven fabrics that are considered surplus, samples, seconds or waste, all the textiles she sells come from prestigious mills in Scotland and Yorkshire made from natural materials such as cashmere, wool, linen and silk. A recent batch of felted wool inspired her to create easy-to-sew coat kits which can be personalised with simple trims or flamboyant embellishments; another fashion enthusiast keen for sewing folk to have fun!
IT STARTED WITH A KIT
The kit includes six pre-cut coat pieces, clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations. All you need is a few hours, a domestic sewing machine, an iron for pressing seams, and some thread. Other easy-to-make Nomad SLT kits are for wool or cashmere decorative wreaths, scarves or pet baskets – perfect for crafters of all ages.
Recently moved to Caves Road in St Leonards on Sea, Nomad is a treasure trove of fabric delights with offcuts, scraps, larger pieces and some ready-made products. If you love soft, luxury fabrics of all shades and colours, you’ll love Nomad, and you’ll be given the chance to experiment and play with affordable bundles. Pip clearly loves what she does, the joy of watching woven fabrics as they fall from the loom, and loves seeing the creations that fashion students and budding designers build from the materials she provides.
She’s now working with 15 mills in Scotland and Yorkshire who provide renowned design houses around the world with their finest materials, and Pip is proud to be working with all British mills. The feeling is mutual according to Fiona MacDonald, Sustainability Manager at Alex Begg in Ayrshire: “Nomad SLT has been a fantastic partner for us. Not only do Nomad take some of our textile waste that would have gone to destruction, but they are also able to show the public the creative opportunities for upcycling textile waste.”
Kits are available all year round with event sales held throughout the year in St Leonards: see nomadslt.com for further information. Saving the planet in style, what could be more on trend?
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