With more time on our hands during lockdown, some of us turned to learning new skills and hobbies, (perhaps with varying degrees of success). But one local author used that time to share her passion, creating a project that has just seen the publication of a book to help others learn how to sew.

Rachel Tidcombe, who lives in High Littleton with her husband and daughter, told The Journal: “The book is aimed at people that are interested in sewing, but don’t know quite where to start.

“I spent lockdown writing a book, creating the projects featured, drawing illustrations to accompany the instructions and photographed the completed projects in my back garden.

“I was inspired to do this, having watched a friend buy a sewing kit and then struggled to complete it – and I ended up finishing it for her. I felt that there was a gap teaching people the basic principles of sewing.

“I learnt to sew when I was about seven-years-old and learnt the basic hand sewing stitches on an embroidery sampler, which I still have!

“The projects I have created are simple, but I have focused on creating things that look good at the end to instil confidence in people to go on and create clothes or soft furnishings.

“I think that everyone could sew if they wanted to and I would love for people to learn the skills to enable them to create things for themselves. The satisfaction of creating something yourself does wonders for your mental health, too. It would also help us to move to a more sustainable environment if people could mend their own clothes.”

Rachel became the first student at her school to study A level Textiles and then went on to obtain a degree in Design Technology (also in textiles). Sewing has always remained prevalent in her life, making wedding dresses, clothes and soft furnishings, and it has always been a passion, as well as a hobby. Every room in her home contains items that she has made herself and she always prefers to try to make than buy.

Rachel adds: “Writing the book gave me a focus during lockdown and it is really lovely to have such a positive outcome from such a negative time in all our lives.”

If you would like to give sewing a try with Rachel’s guidance, check out her book, Sew by Rachel Tidcombe, available from Amazon and Waterstones online, as well as the publisher’s website: https://pegasuspublishers.com/books