Whilst I'm sewing, my eldest daughter is making an avocado cushion. She's mentioned her stuffing, and my brain just could not remember what it was called!! Just shows, if we don't use a material, haberdashery item, sewing style or discipline for some time, we can forget .. I've made props, costumes, pillow and much more with wadding. So, what do you call it? Drop your answers in comments, let's see f it has a different name in different countries 👇 This is what the group is about, remembering, learning, educating, nurturing our love around sewing 🪡

May is here… and we’re stepping into something special. For the next four weeks, we’re moving through centuries of dress, not as historians, and not as beginners…but as makers looking deeper into our craft. From 17th century structure to the shifting elegance of the 1910s,this month is about understanding what came before us, and recognising just how much of it still lives in the work we do today. 🗓 The journey through May: We’ll move week by week through four distinct eras: - Week 1 — 17th Century Structure, stays, and extraordinary foundations - Week 2 — 18th Century Panniers, silk, and theatrical construction - Week 3 — Victorian Era Silhouette, corsetry, and industrial dressmaking - Week 4 — 1910s The softening of structure and the edge of modern dress (My favourite era eeekkkk) Each week, we’ll open conversations, share resources, and explore what these eras ask of us as makers. 🪡 Before we begin… Historical costume has a way of doing something quite particular. It slows you down. It sharpens your eye. It asks more of your hands. And often… it reminds you why you started sewing in the first place. It reminds us of where our craft has come from.. 💬 Let’s open the month properly: I’d love to hear where you stand with historical work: - Have you ever made anything historically inspired, or fully accurate? - Is there an era you feel drawn to (or completely intimidated by)? - Do you approach historical costume for accuracy, artistry, or inspiration? - Or is this a part of sewing you’ve never explored… yet? Wherever you are, you’re welcome in this conversation. 🧭 A note from me You don’t need to “know” historical costume to be part of this month. This isn’t about getting everything right. It's about noticing, questioning, and expanding your understanding of making. If your sewing has ever felt a little… flat, this kind of exploration tends to shift things in ways you don’t expect. I’ll be here through the month, as always, not to teach, but to help guide when things get stuck.

Let’s get into the work a little deeper today. Across all disciplines, there are techniques we return to again and again, the ones that quietly define our standard. What’s one technique you feel has truly changed your work over time? Not something basic, but something you’ve refined, reconsidered, or now approach differently with experience. I’d love to hear what’s shaped your hands. 🫶 & A BIG WELCOME to our latest group members @Janine Martin @Suzanne Bowyer I'm building in real time, & grateful you are here 🔥

This is where we get into the detail. 🧵 Sewing is not one craft. It never has been. It is a whole universe of disciplines, each with its own techniques, its own challenges, its own language & its own magic. This category exists to celebrate every single one of them. Whether your passion lies in: ✂️ Fashion & Dressmaking; the architecture of a perfectly constructed garment . 👰 Bridal & Occasionwear; the weight of what we make for the most important days. 🪡 Couture & Haute Techniques; hand finishing, toiling, the pursuit of perfection. 🧵 Tailoring; the discipline that never lets you cut corners. 🎭 Historical Costume & Period Dress; bringing another era back to life stitch by stitch. ⚙️ Corsetry & Foundation Garments; structure, engineering & the art of shaping. 🎩 Millinery; where sewing meets sculpture. ✂️ Alterations; the underrated skill that makes everything fit the way it should. 🎬 Props & Costume; making for stage, screen & everything in between. Or something else entirely, bring it. If it involves a needle and thread, it belongs here. How this works: Post freely about your discipline, a technique you are exploring, a question specific to your craft area, something you have discovered, a challenge only someone in your world would understand. Simply tag your discipline at the top of your post so the right makers can find you easily. For example; 🎭 Historical Costume | Does anyone have experience working with silk taffeta on an 1860s crinoline silhouette? The more specific you are, the better the conversation. This is where the depth lives. Dive in. 🧵 Claire Amelia Founder, The Atelier Hub