I love sewing, designing clothes and crafts.
I love the challenge of ‘making it work!’
Hi! Welcome! I’m so pleased you get to join me and follow my journey. I’m glad I am able to share my knowledge and experience of sewing, pattern making and crafting with you. At the beginning of 2016 I challenged myself to make a garment every week of the year, to improve my skill sets, as of course you’ll know, the only way to improve with your sewing is to actually do it! I hope you enjoy following my progress. My intention is to also bring you some great tutorials, tips and patterns. If there’s anything specific you want to learn – please ask! I’d love to help.
I also battle most days with anxiety and panic attacks. This is why my site is called – Stitch Remedy – because stitching is my remedy. I love how it keeps my mind and fingers busy, sewing calms my soul. I hope I can share some of my experiences with you, some of my remedies and coping strategies. Anxiety and depression have such a negative stigma surrounding them even though so many people feel their effects to some extent in their lives. It’s a subject I feel we should talk about more, let people know it’s a normal human reaction and that they’re definitely not alone!
My name is Ruth.
I live in the small rural town of Putaruru, in the amazing country that is New Zealand. I’m a Mum of three gorgeous kids, my eldest son is in year 9 and my daughter is year 7 at the College and youngest son is at Lichfield primary school. I’m also Step-Mum to two more boys every other weekend. My house is never dull or quiet!
I currently work part time as a seamstress doing alterations and dressmaking. I’ve been sewing garments since I was about 10, when I inherited my Grandmothers sewing machine for my birthday. My Mum was an amazing Tailoress who passed on her passion to me. I spent hours watching her sew and knit. She unfortunately passed away in 2005 from breast cancer. I wish I’d spent more time watching her work, I have so many questions I want to ask her now. I want to improve my dressmaking and pattern drafting skills and the only way to do this is by practicing. I’m predominately self taught, I did take classes in High School and I have spent a few years working behind the scenes with a NZ designer and now in the alterations business – where I learn something new every day. So I hope as I learn new things, new ways of doing something – I can share it with you 🙂
I am in need of some Cheerleaders! To keep me going now that my A Garment A Week challenge is complete. I’m still at a loss as to where to take my skills and in which direction. I’d love to be able to sew and have that provide for my family but I’m not sure how. What I can offer that no one else does? What can I offer, that people will actually pay what it’s worth?
Please like my page on Facebook and send me some encouraging vibes.
Here’s to the stitches that I can remedy and the ones that remedy me!