About me – Paul Howard
The first thing you need to know about me is I know virtually nothing about sewing, or at least I didn’t when I started in September 2021.
The first thing you need to know about me is that my mum was a sewer, although I’d say knitting was her real passion. In fact, she worked in a sewing and knitting machine shop in Kingston called “Tysons” for 2 decades at least. But by the time I asked her how to use the sewing machine she had dementia (she was in her late 80s), and although she could still sew, she couldn’t teach me how to sew (weird huh).
However, she did give me her sewing machine which I was using until just a couple of months ago. It is still one of the stations in the Sewing TheraBee room.
So in 2021, we went camping. Coronavirus had hit, and we couldn’t go abroad so we bought a ton of camping gear and off we went. At one camping site, one of our neighbours we met had this fantastic 4M X 4M awning. I wanted one but because of the lockdown, they were in short supply. So I bought some material and Mum’s machine came down from the loft and off I went making the awning. That was the start of my journey. By the way, the awning was a disaster, the material was way too heavy, but that’s another story.
About me and my sewing journey
Whilst making the awning, with judicious use of YouTube, I learnt a lot. Then on FaceBook, an advert from Flying Bobbins in Cheam popped up, offering a beginner’s class in sewing. I signed up straight away, I love to learn, and this was an opportunity to learn something that I had always seen as a dark art (I am a man after all).
It was at this point I entered what can only be described as a woman’s world but Liz at Flying Bobbins was amazing. She was teaching me and 3 ladies. Everyone was delightful and very welcoming. The conversations got interesting sometimes!!! Although at this point I should mention that I have been a hypnotherapist for the last 20+ years and I’ve heard it all, so I wasn’t about to blush!
In that first course, we made a drawstring bag, a pencil/makeup bag (in my case it was definitely a pencil case lol) and a tote bag (I didn’t even know what a tote bag was at the time).
About me and my sewing education
Since then I have done lots of courses with Liz and learnt a huge amount and I can’t thank her enough. As I write this I’m doing a course with her to make some pyjama bottoms for my wife.
I did one course where I made a wrap dress for my wife to wear at a wedding we’re going to in July 2022. I then adapted the pattern and made 2 more matching in style but not the fabric, for my daughters.
So it’s fair to say I’ve come a long way. perhaps I should point out that I am 60 years old. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
Since starting, I have made 10 weekender bags, 5 tote bags, a dressing gown for my wife, 12 Christmas crackers, T-shirts by the dozen, hats, snoods and infinity scarfs. I owe most of that to Liz’s guidance and support.
If you are interested in the Flying Bobbins training, her website is flyingbobbins.com. She sells some lovely fabrics, haberdashery and sewing kits. She has some great sew-a-longs on YouTube and her customer service is second to none.
Well, that’s more than enough about me.
So why did I start the Wallington Sewing TheraBee?
Well, with all the sewing that I’ve done, what I noticed was, how much I looked forward to my weekly lessons with Liz. That wasn’t just the education, it was getting out and about, meeting new people, being creative (which I’m not usually) and “showing off” what I had made. But also how I found that sewing was a huge stress reliever.
This is because when you are sewing you are totally focused on a project that has nothing to do with your normal everyday life. So basically you unplug from the day-to-day reality. Especially when sewing in company. Honestly, it was a good laugh and made me feel good. When sewing on a project at home sometimes I’d work on it until 3 am and time just flew away.
Being a therapist, I am into doing things that make people feel good, and I wanted to share that process with others. Hence the birth of the Wallington Sewing TheraBee. But enough about me.