Introducing: Tracey

Tracey is the owner of the Owl and Sewing Cat. She was inspired to open a fabric shop when her teenage daughter started to show an interest in sewing but they struggled to find fun and interesting fabrics that would be easy for her to sew with. She has the enviable job of picking all the fabric, notions and yarn for the shop. She also teaches a number of classes and workshops as well as managing the shop and developing the Owl and Sewing Cat range of patterns. With a family to look after too she is one very busy lady indeed.

When did your love of sewing begin? 
From a very young age. As long as I can remember I would always play with my nan’s ribbon and buttons boxes, as my mum was often sewing. I remember loving going through the fabric boxes and then seeing that fabric transformed into soft toys or clothing.

Do you have a favourite thing to make? 
I love making bags, cushions and bunting, because you can never have too many of them around the house. I wish I had kept a count of how many metres of bunting have been made in our workshops since we began running them.

What inspires you? 
The fabrics and yarns themselves are very inspiring. We can look at all the new collections and buy those that jump out at us, and usually the prints or colours inspire us to make either bags, or a skirt, etc. We also get inspiration from our customers sometimes, as they often have requests for patterns, or like to share their tips and ideas.

What do you like most about sewing? 
Sewing and knitting are very therapeutic; they’re a great hobby to have. There is nothing like hand-making a unique gift as a present. It is lovely to take that bit of ‘me time’ in our busy lives and create something lovely.

Any future plans or aspirations? 
In October, we opened our new shop, offering quality wool, yarn and a new larger area for all our workshops. My long-term aim was that we would be able to expand our teaching program, and in October, much earlier that I had originally thought, we began a large variety of classes, including knitting, patchwork, beginners sewing, dressmaking, crochet, cup cake decorating, making Christmas decorations, a children’s club, and many more. We hope to find even more tutors locally who can come along and share their skills. I will always aspire to get as many people as possible in Eastbourne sewing or knitting.

Tracey is in the shop most days and along with the lovely shop assistants is always happy to give help and advice on picking fabric and different projects you can make.

Happy sewing,

Kelly

Introducing: The Owl and Sewing Cat shop

Tucked behind the Grand Hotel on Eastbourne's beautiful sun-drenched (well it is today) seafront is a little shop called The Owl and Sewing Cat. 

Owned by Tracey, the shop is an Aladin's cave of fabric, notions, yarn and so much more. From a fancy sewing machine that can write your name to teeny tiny shell buttons we have everything you need to start and finish a sewing project. And if you really want to make something beautiful but don't know where to start the friendly, knowledgeable staff are there to help you with any question you may have or any help you may need.

Tracey decided to open the Owl and Sewing Cat when her daughter, then aged 12, started to show an interest in sewing but they were struggling to find fun and interesting fabrics that would be easy for her to sew with. And so The Owl and Sewing Cat was born. Originally based in Bexhill we moved to Eastbourne last year and a few months later doubled the shop size by taking on the empty shop next door which gave us space to offer more classes and start stocking lots of new products including sewing kits, wool and yarn.

In order to hold the variety of fabrics we have in the shop, products are shipped in from across the world. Fabric led to sewing lessons and Tracey has built a series of sewing workshops for adults and children to come along and learn various techniques, from beginners, through to patchwork and dressmaking, and now knitting and crochet.

Busy working during an Open Sewing Session

We pride ourselves on friendly service and advice to all, whether a complete beginner or someone with more experience. We offer inspiring ideas, shown in the store and also blogs and free patterns via our website and facebook page. We also offer a free pattern loan service from the shop on our range of patterns that we have designed. And most importantly, it’s a fun place to be, with ever-changing fabrics, yarns and projects. We are really settled in this location and have many regulars that pop in, returning to the classes time and time again and nipping in to show us the progress they have made on a project, or just getting a little advice when needed. Never fear if you are not local however, as we sell fabric and other items online so you can join in the fun.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing a few pictures of the shop and getting to know us a little bit better.

Happy sewing,

Kelly


This post is one of a series introducing our readers to the Owl and Sewing Cat and the people that work there. Other posts in this series can be seen here.

Introducing...Kelly

Hi

My name is Kelly and I work for Tracey at the Owl and Sewing Cat. Over the past month or so I have been revamping our website and this blog and between Tracey and I we have loads of great ideas for the future.

I thought that it would be nice to put a face to a name so here I am. I can be found once a week in the shop tapping away at my keyboard. My main role is to update all of our beautiful fabrics for sale and keep all the information on the Owl and Sewing Cat website up to date including the sewing workshops and all other items for sale.

I will write and send our monthly newsletters (to sign up complete the box in the right hand sidebar) and I will also be keeping this blog up to date which I am really looking forward to as I love writing and crafting and sewing and then writing about it.

If you Tweet us or like us on Facebook and spend some time chatting with us then it might be me or it might be Tracey. Either way we love to hear from you and see what you have been making.

Please leave us a comment to let us know what you think of the blog and we would love to hear any suggestions or requests for posts. I am keen to make this a place where we can share our achievements (and disasters, I can be a bit of a bodge-it seamstress at times). If there is anything you would like a tutorial for, or a demonstration then please get in touch.

Happy Sewing,

Kelly

Introducing Rebecca our new blog writer

Hi my name is Rebecca, I’m 13 years old and I’ve been going to the 'Owl and Sewing Cat' for a while now, I got to know Tracey early at my time there, probably for my lack of my straight stitching and my fast pace sewing machine but I would like to think most of all for my interesting colour schemes. 


 I have been asked to write this blog to ‘inspire’ people of my generation with ideas for sewing projects and I really hope I can. The first thing I thought when I was asked to write this blog was ‘Well what do we really use?,’ I thought this first as I’m finding it hard fit anymore bunting or cushions into my room I need a sign that says ‘DUCK’ every few metres for passers by to avoid the risk of accidental bunting strangulation! 


So what do we really do? 
School. 
That is what came to my mind I know everybody hates to think about school in the middle of the holidays but unfortunately this horrid place is where we spend most of our time. 
And what do we do at school? 
Classes. Another horrid fact. 
And what do we do in Classes? Work. 
Now what items would you consider to be associated with work? Pen, Ruler, Rubber……… Pencil Case! 


Who would not want to go back to school with a Single Edition, personalised pencil case? So we have configured a pattern for a great pencil case that will easily fit a 30cm ruler, pens, pencils, and what ever else you may need. Hope you Enjoy!