Having a beautiful view is so good for the mind and soul, says Butcher, who was a chartered landscape architect before she dived full-time into running sewing meet-ups, retreats and workshops, teaching how to run up everything from anoraks to jeans.
The pandemic created a boom in people taking up sewing, the women explain, particularly making their own clothes. The BBC One competition The Great British Sewing Bee has spread the word, and a wider choice of fabrics and better patterns has made sewing even more appealing and accessible.
Social media is perhaps the biggest factor in the rise though, with a flourishing online world of sewing amateurs and experts.
For the group, the retreat is a chance to get away from daily stresses and reconnect through creativity and shared experiences, which has become increasingly important.
Collection
[
|
...
]