November 2026

Tell us a little about yourself

Hello I'm Adele. I live in Cornwall (UK), which is a beautiful part of the world and I'm an accountant. When not working I love to sew and I also enjoy cycling and strength training at the gym. 

When, why and how did you start sewing?

I don't think I'm alone with my interest in sewing being sparked during covid when those standard masks were just not nice to wear and not fun to look at. When I realised you could get fabric with farm animals and pirates and dinosaurs printed I was sold on making masks which were fun and colourful. I already had a sewing machine but couldn't remember why I had it, potentially so I could turn up trousers as I'm on the shorter side. Making the masks gave me the creative outlet I needed to cope with suddenly having to work from home and also study for exams during lockdown.

I enjoyed the making so much that I mentioned to my Mum that I would quite like to learn how to sew clothes and she was also keen to learn so we booked onto a 12 week beginner dressmaking course to start in January 2024. We would attend the weekly evening class and then meet up at the weekend to continue our projects and so at the end of the 12 weeks I'd managed to make a couple of shirts for the office and was trying to work out how to sew trousers. From then, I was hooked and have been continually sewing since and I love it.

Do you have any sewing rituals you love?

I don't think I have any rituals, apart from maybe the selection of tools I grab as part of the set up of my sewing station each time I sew. I do make sure that I have a project on the go all the time. I very rarely have more than one project on the go unless I am in the middle of Christmas present sewing for all of my family or when I have a big project in progress but I feel that having something in progress all the time helps me to learn and develop and try new things. 

Do you have a sewing too you can’t live without?

I have a selection of tools I have with me all the time, those being pair of dinky scissors/snips, a seam ripper, an awl and a humper jumper.

What made you sign up to ThreadySetGo and why do you love it?

I'm not on social media, I deleted all my accounts years ago now and have resisted going back. The ThreadySetGo forum allows me to be nosey and check out what everyone is doing and also to share what I am doing without the downside of social media. I did join a local sewing social but unfortunately that had to stop and I really missed sewing with other people and being able to bounce ideas off each other and to encourage each other to just have a go and try it out.

I wasn't sure whether I would like an online social as working in an office means my working life is ruled by online meetings and camera's on phone calls which can just get too much. To my delight, the online socials are brilliant and it's so nice to sew away listening to all the chatter and have that opportunity for everyone to share and get the immediate feedback that we all enjoy on what we've created or what we're unpicking, again. 

If you could have your dream, no-expense-spared sewing day what would it look like?

I've thought about this question so often as it's one asked of the guest speakers. I would like to have a glass walled sewing space, situated on the edge of an ancient forest on top of sea cliffs. It would be deep into the autumn and the leaves would be a mixture of green, orange, red and brown. During the day it would be warm and sunny with a calm sea with birds visiting a feeder outside the window and I'd have some music playing. As the evening drew in a storm would brew and waves would be crashing up against the cliffs with rain falling, thunder rumbling and lightening forking through the clouds. I would like a bottomless mug of tea, which stays at the perfect temperature and is occasionally joined by a chocolate and a biscuit. Time would pause for meals so no sewing time would be lost and the meals would be super healthy and colourful. I should also add a bottomless glass of water.

I would be happy sewing alone or maybe with my mum as it's always nice to spend time together. Hamish my cat, would have a big squishy arm chair to curl up in and his own little corner with some un-required pattern paper to play with. 

What’s on the sewing table this week?

Ah well so I am currently outside of my 'one project at a time' comfort zone and have a few projects on the go. 

My dad has requested a case for a specific tool he has, which is really interesting as i have no pattern to work from so am trying to work out the different sections and then how I am going to join it all together. I want to do a really good job so am taking my time.

My dad and I are working on a project together, he is making me a window seat and I am going to have a go at upholstering it by patchworking fabric samples together. So another really interesting project to work on and explore. I've started making blocks but this is set as a long term project.

I have 2 baby dragons to make, I bought a pattern for a baby dinosaur and have developed a bit of an obsession with them and one day thought I wonder if I can adapt the pattern into a baby dragon and I can. They are sooo cute!

And finally, I have just bought the Itch to Stitch Acari Trench Coat pattern and some green gabardine to make it with. I had my colours done and I'm an autumn so I am enjoying playing with different colours and the more I sew, the more drawn to brighter colours I am. The green is definitely a new level of wowzers for me but I'm going to make it and wear it with pride. That, I think is my next garment to start although I have a bit of an autumn/winter fabric stash which I'm looking forward to getting sewn up over the next few months.