Sewing Tour – The Thrifty Stitcher London

Hi Everyone,

I’m very excited to share with you our second stop on our London 2012 Sewing Tour to The Thrifty Stitcher!

We met with the founder Claire-Louise Hardie who is simply delightful! We enjoyed visiting her for hours and hours where we talked all about sewing! I’m also so pleased to share with you some of the highlights of our visit with her below. So come along and learn all about Claire-Louise at The Thrifty Stitcher.

The Thrifty Stitcher is an intimate friendly sewing school run by professional Theatrical Costumier Claire-Louise Hardie.

Claire-Louise is passionate about costumes, clothing, cushions & all things fabric! She just loves making beautiful things ??? sometimes it is a stage costume, sometimes it???s a beautiful interior, and sometimes it???s just resurrecting your favourite jeans.

Claire-Louise Hardie & Maree Pigdon

Watch the video below where Claire-Louise tells us about her sewing and design days as a Theatre Costume Designer! Claire-Louise??trained as a Costume Designer at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She has personally worked as a Costume Maker, Costume Cutter, Costume Buyer, Costume Supervisor, Costume Designer, ??Dresser and Wardrobe Mistress, all in the Theatre. Claire-Louise has also worked as a??? Costume Stand by??? and a ??? Costume Daily??? in Film and TV.

In the video below Claire-Louise gives us a tour of her sewing studio with excellent storage tips for small sewing spaces. Not only that she shows us a vintage dress she picked up for ‘five quid’ and is going to adjust to wear herself. There is also a vintage model in this video – check it out all those vintage lovers!

Claire-Louise has a vintage pattern on her wall in her sewing studio that I made in the 70′s!

Jacqueline enjoys filming & photography on our sewing tour to create these wonderful blog posts just for you!

Claire-Louise & Jacqueline


Thank you Claire-Louise for a wonderful afternoon, we can’t wait to visit you again soon!

We highly recommend visiting Claire-Louise at The Thrifty Stitcher next time you’re in London and to book a sewing class with her!

Please find below more information about The Thrifty Stitcher

Address: Unit 21, 4-6 Shelford Place,??Stoke Newington, N16 9HS

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0) 7779 255087

Website: http://www.thethriftystitcher.co.uk/

Please leave a comment below for us and Claire-Louise, we would love to hear from you, how you liked this blog post, perhaps what you’re currently sewing or have now been inspired to create. Also if you’ve been to The Thrifty Stitcher too or if it’s now on your list of places to visit!

Stay tuned for our next stop on our London 2012 Sewing Tour coming your way soon!

Happy Sewing,

Maree Pigdon Sewing Classes

For more information contact:
Maree Pigdon Sewing Centre
T: +61 3 5264 1666
E: [email protected]
W: www.mareepigdon.com

Would you like to watch these videos on my You Tube channel???Maree Pigdon at The Thrifty Stitcher

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14 Responses to “Sewing Tour – The Thrifty Stitcher London”

  1. Maree says:

    Hi Helen,

    Thanks for your comment! Great to hear from you – I hope you’re really well!

    Happy sewing,
    Maree

  2. helen forrest says:

    Classy Maree — you do yourself proud–h

  3. Julie S says:

    Hi Maree and Jackie
    I’m loving watching your tour – your photos and videos are fantastic Jackie and I can’t wait for next year’s sewing classes so we can learn all the wonderful ideas, notions, special features, etc. etc., that Maree is collecting over there. Really enjoyed Claire-Louise’s studio, her creations and all her wonderful storage solutions. I also made that exact cross-over frilled dress back in the ’70′s – in a beautiful citrus floral! And I think Maree will have to organise a bus tour when she gets back – 2 or 3 x 40 seat buses to IKEA!!! Happy travelling girls!

  4. margaret watson says:

    Hi,

    Thank you once again, how thrilling, can’t wait till I go back to UK. You know its also so exciting to see what you and jackie are wearing, very stylish. Gosh what will the next place be. You both really know how to go beyond the boundaries to keep inspiring the rest of us. Margaret Watson

  5. Maree says:

    Hi Sonia,

    Thank you for your message, yes Claire-Louise is just a delight and has amazing and facinating experience in costume design. Thanks my outfit is part of my travelling wardrobe glad you like it!

    Great to hear you’re sewing and can thread your overlocker now – well done!

    Happy sewing,
    Maree

  6. Sonia Czerenkowski says:

    Hello Maree’

    How lovely it is to see you and your amazing adventures. I really enjoyed your visit with Clair Louise, what a interesting lady. Your outfit looked amazing.
    I miss my sewing classes but am ploding along at home making a few things.
    Can thread the overlocker now.
    Enjoy the rest of the trip and we will be all keen to see you when you get home.

    Love Sonia

  7. Hi Joy,

    I can’t wait to see your new premises when I’m back in Australia – how exciting for you!

    Glad to hear you are enjoying our sewing tour posts! More coming soon!

    Happy sewing,
    Jacqueline

  8. Maree says:

    Hi Joy,

    Thanks for your message, great to hear from you! Yes our sewing tour is very inspiring and fantastic for coming up with new ideas! Glad to hear our blogs are helping you too for your new premises which is very exciting for you I’m sure!

    Happy sewing,
    Maree

  9. Joy D'Arcy says:

    Hi Maree and Jackie. Am really enjoying reading and seeing your travel blogs. What a great idea. Isn’t it inspiring seeing these amazing “sewing venues” and very clever and crafty sewers. As you know we are moving to new and improved premises early next year and your blogs are motivating and inspiring. Happy travels. Happy sewing.

  10. Isobel Bobbera says:

    Hi Maree!

    You look like you are having such an amazing time! The idea of the sewing tour with students from Australia is such an incredible idea and I would most definatly come! I have just finished one of my projects which was a yellow gingham dress and am continueing to sew! I have continued to make pajamas like you taught me which I am really enjoying! I look forward to more exiting news about your sewing trip and I am sure you will continue to have fun.

    From Isobel

  11. Maree says:

    Hi Judith!

    Thanks for your message, excellent to hear you are sewing and would like to come on a sewing tour too!

    Happy sewing,
    Maree

  12. Judith says:

    Hello Maree – so good to see and ‘hear’ about your travels in London. I have been inspired by my recent experiences at the sewing school and am busy sewing as we ‘speak’! I too would love to be part of the special sewing tour, hope it happens soon!
    Hope the rest of your holiday goes well,
    Cheers
    Judith W.

  13. Maree says:

    Thanks Lesley!! Yes Jackie is doing a marvelous job capturing our sewing tour adventures along the way and presenting it to you all!

    Funny you say that, as we were walking along Oxford Street we thought exactly that – Next time we should arrange a special sewing tour for a group of women from Australia to visit all our new friends and arrange special creative sewing workshops for you all! How much fun would that be!?

    Looking forward to seeing you in February that will be wonderful.

    Happy sewing,
    Maree

  14. Lesley Bradford says:

    I think Jackie is doing a bloody good job with her photography…! I’m enjoying reading your blogs … I think you should organise a tour and take other sewers with you next time … to show off all your new friends and tips they are giving out. Keep up the good work. May catch up with you in February when I am over that way… if you are not galavanting around the world. Love your outfits in these movies too … you are an inspiration to me. Les Baby…!!

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