with 100 foot garden. We live in a lovely neighbourhood, with friendly people surrounding us.The house has many original features, with lots of additions that we’ve added. (This is the royal we, as my husband Lez does the work, I just design the colours and choose the furniture!). We have a light and airy studio, cosy conservatory and fabulously huge space in the loft. We’ve decorated with warm colours so the living room and kitchen are always welcoming. Did you study textiles and design at college? No actually I didn’t. I had done dressmaking at school and loved it then, but after that it was just a hobby for me. I went to live in Germany with my first husband and worked for the Army Education Unit producing a magazine and sewed in my spare time. How did you become an editor of an international sewing magazine? I came back from Germany and started working with Vogue and Butterick patterns as the UK editor of their titles. I got the job because of my experience in magazine production (in Germany) and passion for sewing.
Wendy Gardiner Interview
Sewing Diva Wendy Gardiner has been influential in the sewing industry for many years and is an internationally accredited sewing guru. She has edited many different sewing magazines, written books and presented DVDs – all on sewing! Wendy has been sewing since she was a little girl and has been working in the sewing industry all her adult life. She loves to sew herself and to pass on the skills, tips and techniques she has learned over the years. With today’s climate of Make do and Mend, she likes to share many tips on restyling and up-cycling all of which can be done inexpensively, allowing people to dip their toe into this addictive activity. Where were you born and raised? I was born in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. I’ve lived all my life in the south of England, nice and close to the sea and whilst I have loved travelling to other parts of the country – we do have a very beautiful diverse country – I do love to have the sea at my back. Where do you live now and what do you love most about your home? I now live close to Portsmouth – so still within cooey of the sea! I love my home, which is a Victorian/Edwardian (1901) semi-detached house
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my creative diva
www.my-creativediva.co.uk
What is the most distinctive aspect of your work that you enjoy the most? I love the diversity of my jobs – I say ‘jobs’ as I am freelance and work on many different things at any one time. At the moment I am workshop manager for Twisted Thread exhibitions, now part of Upper Street Events. They are the organisers of the very prestigious Festival of Quilts and Knitting and Stitching shows.At the Festival we have over 250 workshops and at the K&S shows, about 150 so it is quite a juggling job! I love meeting so many talented tutors and keen visitors who just love to try new skills. I also love teaching myself. Sharing skills and seeing how students take a basic idea and then add their own flare and style is inspirational. For other women who dream of running their own business and to be able to work from home, what advice would you share with them? Be very committed and focussed.When I am in my office, I am at work. I dress for work and avoid the rest of the house! I don’t try and fit in a bit of housework etc. Remember to cost out any project or job properly – you have to consider that in every week, there will be hours needed to promote, market, do admin etc. or prepare for teaching workshops – all of which has to be paid for somehow. Employed people will sometimes comment on freelancer fees, because they seem higher than a salary – but they do have to cover all the admin and so on, as well as holidays and sickness. In fact, you can’t be sick – if you don’t work, you don’t get paid! What is involved with being the PR/Marketing consultant for Simplicity Creative Group? I get to see all the new patterns in advance which is wonderful. I also provide sewing advice whenever needed. My main job is to promote Simplicity – sending out news to all the media, organising competitions and participation in fashion shows at exhibitions. I also write a fortnightly blog for them – www.simplicitynewlook.com. What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome? The greatest challenge has been to work whilst raising my boys. It was very tough at first, as I was self employed, I had to continue working all the time, which I did, taking my son to meetings in his little chair! It is a constant battle of guilt – guilt for working when you really want to spend time with the children and guilt about not working when you are taking an afternoon off to go to the park! Now they are 13 and 18 years old, they need me less and less and I miss it. What do you love about dressmaking? What excites you about it? I love to create something that no-one else will have, that will fit my figure (and I do have to make adjustments for my bust). It’s great when I’m complimented on an outfit and asked where it came from. I love to work with the new fabrics and sew on fabulous computerised sewing machines. I find it very therapeutic.
November 2012