One Year on Brixton Hill: The Story Behind On A Sew

From teaching myself to sew at my kitchen table to running my very own sewing studio. It's been quite a journey, and I thought I'd share a little bit about how I got here.

 

Where it all began

Almost 12 years ago, when my first child was born, I found myself in a place I hadn't expected to be. I was lonely, struggling with postnatal depression and desperately trying to find something that would help me feel like myself again.

I knew I didn't want to stay in that place, so I decided to keep myself busy by teaching myself how to sew.

    

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing at first, but I kept going. I made mistakes, unpicked more seams than I can count and slowly started figuring things out.

Safe to say, I fell completely in love with sewing.

What started as something to keep my mind occupied became so much more. Sewing gave me something to look forward to, something to focus on and something that was just for me.

It genuinely changed my life.

And I think that's why teaching sewing means so much to me today. Because I know firsthand what this beautiful hobby can do for someone.

Of course, not everyone who walks through our doors is looking for the same thing. Some simply want to learn how to use a sewing machine, some want to make their own clothes, and others just want a couple of hours to themselves.

But if I can make even a small difference in someone's life through sewing, the way sewing made such a big difference in mine, then that means everything to me.

Taking a chance on a new career

Fast forward a few years, and about four years ago I decided to give teaching sewing a proper chance.

I was still working part-time in a fabric shop because, quite frankly, I was too scared to let go of that security. What if nobody booked? What if I wasn't good enough? What if it all went wrong?

And to be fair, my very first sewing lesson had just one person booked onto it!

Not exactly the fully booked class I had imagined, but we all have to start somewhere, right?

From there, I started teaching at my local primary school. Every week I'd pack up my sewing machines, transport them to the school, set everything up, teach the lesson and then pack it all away again to take home.

It was exhausting, but I loved it.

Eventually, I started hiring a hall to run more sewing workshops. The problem was that hiring a space costs money, whether people book or not.

So for the first six months, I was actually making a loss.

After about a year, I finally managed to start paying myself a little bit. And when I say a little bit, I really do mean a little bit!

I think it's important to share this side of running a business because we often only see the lovely finished spaces, the busy workshops and the exciting milestones.

We don't always see the years of work that go into getting there.

But, I'm incredibly grateful that this little business has continued to grow and that I get to do something I genuinely love.

From my kitchen to our very own studio

Some of you might already know that, alongside teaching in schools and hired spaces, I was also running sewing lessons from my kitchen at home.

For a couple of years, our kitchen became a sewing classroom. Machines, fabrics, patterns and all sorts of sewing supplies would take over the space.

Eventually, I started feeling like it was time to take the next step.

And just as I was seriously thinking about finding somewhere of my own, this little shop on Brixton Hill 

became available.

It felt like the perfect opportunity.

But goodness, was the process stressful!

I genuinely didn't know from one week to the next whether I was actually going to get the lease. There were lawyers involved, endless paperwork, questions, delays and so many things I didn't fully understand.

And then there was the small matter of signing a 10-year lease!

I won't lie, it was one of the scariest things I've ever done.

Committing to ten years of rent, bills and responsibilities, with a contract that felt like it could eat me alive if I got something wrong, was terrifying.

Suddenly, failing didn't really feel like an option.

But I signed it, and a year ago I finally got the keys to our very own sewing studio on Brixton Hill.

Creating a sewing studio on the tiniest budget

Getting the keys was one thing. Turning an empty shop into a welcoming sewing studio was another!

I was working with the tiniest budget, so buying lots of lovely new furniture simply wasn't an option.

I spent hours scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, trying to find a table large enough to teach around without spending a fortune.

And then there was our cutting table.

Someone very kindly gifted me a beautiful large table that had once been used in the offices of Alexander McQueen!

I still think that's such a lovely part of our studio's story. A table that was once part of a famous fashion house is now being used by children and adults learning to sew in Brixton Hill.

How wonderful is that?

And I absolutely couldn't have got the studio ready without my family.

They helped me clean the shopfront windows, scrub every little corner and turn the space into somewhere we could welcome people.

My husband built and installed all our shelves, and to this day he continues to provide the studio with free maintenance whenever something needs fixing!

And my mum very kindly helps me with the cleaning on days when I just can't face doing any more, giving me a much-needed break.

There was nothing glamorous about getting the studio ready. Just lots of cleaning, building, moving furniture around and trying to make every penny stretch as far as possible.

But slowly, it started to feel like On A Sew.

And then, a year ago, we opened our doors.

One year of sewing on Brixton Hill

I genuinely can't believe how much has happened in just one year.

We've welcomed so many children to our after-school sewing lessons, watching them go from learning how to sew a straight line to making things they can actually wear and use.

Our school holiday clubs have become so popular that they now sell out incredibly quickly.

And I can't begin to explain how much that means to me.

Not just because I love teaching the children, but because, as a small business owner, knowing that people want to come back and that I can afford to pay the rent is priceless.

That little bit of financial peace of mind means I can finally breathe a little easier.

We've also taught so many adult sewing workshops.

If you've been following us for a while, you'll know how much I love making trousers, so teaching our trouser workshops has been an absolute joy.

There's something so satisfying about watching someone put on a pair of trousers they've made themselves, especially when they arrived thinking they'd never be able to do it.

Around three months ago, we also introduced our Introduction to Sewing workshops, and these have quickly become some of our most popular sessions.

I wanted to create an affordable way for people to learn the basics of using a sewing machine without having to commit to an expensive course or buy a machine before knowing whether sewing is actually for them.

Almost like a try before you buy experience.

You can come along, have a go, learn the basics and decide whether this is a hobby you'd like to take further.

And seeing these workshops sell out so quickly has been wonderful.

The people who make On A Sew what it is

One of my favourite things about running the studio is meeting people.

I've met so many lovely individuals, families, parents, grandparents and children over the years.

Some come for one workshop, while others return week after week. I've watched children grow in confidence, adults surprise themselves with what they can achieve and people form friendships over their sewing machines.

And I'm also incredibly fortunate to now have four absolutely amazing staff members who are part of On A Sew.

One of them was actually my second-ever sewing student!

To think that someone who once came to me to learn how to sew is now part of the team is something I'm incredibly proud of.

I've watched their confidence and sewing knowledge grow so much over the years, and it feels very special to have them alongside me on this journey.

Why I teach the way I do

I think my own experiences, both in life and with sewing, have had a huge influence on the way I teach.

I'm completely self-taught, and one thing I've always struggled with is reading sewing instructions.

Give me a long page of written instructions and my brain can sometimes switch off before I've even started!

I know how overwhelming and frustrating it can feel when you're trying to learn something new and the instructions just aren't making sense.

So I've taken that experience and used it to shape the way I teach.

I try to break things down into manageable steps, demonstrate techniques and explain things in different ways rather than expecting everyone to understand the same instructions.

I'm also a mum of two children who learn differently, and they've taught me so much about patience, adapting my approach and understanding that there isn't just one way to learn.

I bring those lessons into the studio every day.

Some children need more time. Some need to see something demonstrated several times. Others need to try it themselves before it makes sense.

And adults are no different!

I never want someone to leave one of my lessons feeling that sewing isn't for them simply because they found something difficult.

I want people to feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, unpicking seams and trying again.

Because that's how we learn.

And because I remember how much sewing helped me during a difficult time in my own life, I truly hope that On A Sew can be more than just somewhere people come to learn how to use a sewing machine.

I hope it can be somewhere people feel welcome, supported and proud of what they've achieved.

And finally, thank you!

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading my rather long story!

I wanted to share a little more about the journey because it's easy to look at a business from the outside and assume it all happened quite quickly.

But the reality is that it's taken years of hard work, uncertainty, mistakes, sacrifices and a lot of determination to get here.

And I'm still learning every single day.

So, to everyone who has ever visited On A Sew, attended a workshop, booked their child into a lesson or recommended us to a friend or family member, thank you.

To everyone who has liked, commented on or shared one of our posts on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, thank you.

To those who supported me when I was teaching from my kitchen, to those who attended my very first workshops and to those who have only recently discovered our little studio, thank you.

Every booking, recommendation and kind word genuinely makes a difference.

Without your support, I wouldn't be able to keep doing what I love.

And to my family and my wonderful team, thank you for believing in me, helping me and putting up with all the ups and downs that come with running a small business.

One whole year on Brixton Hill. Four years of building On A Sew. And almost 12 years since I first sat down at a sewing machine, not knowing how much it would change my life.

I'm incredibly grateful to be here.

And with nine years left on that lease, I very much look forward to at least another nine years of running On A Sew, meeting more wonderful people and sharing my love of sewing!

Here's to many more years of learning, creating and probably a fair bit of unpicking along the way.

Thank you for being part of it.

Lots of love,

Marcela x

Founder of On A Sew CIC

290 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1HT