Our Values
At the Dressmaker's Apprentice, our aim is to share how empowering sewing can be and how it opens both creative and practical worlds for everyone. Our values encapsulate our approach to sewing, sharing, joy and life, come and join us,
all you need is a needle.
Tradition
Sewing and dressmaking have a rich history going back thousands of years. At Apprentice we highly value this history and believe there is much to learn and pass on from the generous heritage of sewing.
We aspire to the couture houses and Saville Row tailors who maintain these wonderful sewing traditions rather than to a fast-fashion approach and a factory overlocked finish.
By applying these true and tested, traditional approaches to cutting, fitting, sewing, and finishing your garments, you will have a wonderful wardrobe.
For All
We believe there should be no barriers to anyone wishing to learn to sew and that sewing should be available to all.
In reality, all you need to learn to sew is a needle & thread or a basic sewing machine.
One of our biggest frustrations is the modern, elitist myth of thinking you need to buy expensive sewing machinery to be able to sew successfully. At the Dressmaker's Apprentice, you will explore the joy of sewing techniques that uplift your projects to the next level, all of which can be completed with a needle & thread or a basic sewing machine.
No machine, no worries! Hand sewing may take slightly longer but will give you amazing results to be proud of.
Empowerment
Being able to sew is an empowering act, opening so many practical and creative doors for those who wish to learn.
From being able to mend a garment, simply sew on a button or make something unique to wear, there is so much that sewing can do for you.
Sick of high street fashion, fed up with wasting money on clothes that do not fit, looking for ways to express yourself and build your confidence? Learning to sew and make clothes that fit you perfectly, that no one else has and that suit your style, not everyone else's, is indeed an empowering act!
Sustainability
We are surrounded by fabric, our clothes, soft furnishings, tea towels, duvets, curtains, meters and meters of it. We hear the horror stories of the fast fashion industry and the mountains of waste it creates every season.
By learning to sew, a more sustainable and fabulous world of fabric reuse, upcycling, & recycling opens up to us all. A dress from a duvet, a bag from tea towels, a pair of trousers from linen curtains, mending instead of throwing out, the only limit is your imagination!
By learning to sew you will naturally become more aware of your clothing consumption and your actual need for clothes. By selecting quality over quantity, we move towards a more sustainable approach to fashion which in turn contributes to less fabric waste, and, as importantly, a wonderful, one-off wardrobe!
