Sewingsmith Reviews 

I had the wonderful fortune of taking a zoom mending class with Shelley today. I found her to be a kind, patient and skilled teacher. She was clear and concise in her instructions and attuned to all participants. I particularly appreciated her ability and innovative approach when teaching over zoom. As I do not live in the UK this was a magical opportunity I would have missed out on otherwise.

A fabulous way to spend the afternoon. Very mindful and I really enjoyed learning something new. Shelley is a fantastic teacher and really made it clear what we were to do. Thank you

I read about Shelley's work a while ago. A big hole in a favourite cardigan prompted me to take another look at her website to find out about how to give visible mending a try.

True to gender stereotypes, my previous experience was limited to sewing on the occasional button. I certainly didn't know what a running stitch was (I do now!). Shelley's class was the perfect introduction to how she tackles her repairs and how to go about doing something similar myself. I now feel ready to give invisible mending a go.

If I lived in London I would probably have joined one of the in person classes, but everything worked really well on Zoom. The photographs that were shared during the class will be useful to refer to.

If you haven't tried anything like this before, I would suggest that you buy the class kit before moving on to your own repairs. And as Shelley said "if it’s not right, just pull it out and start again!"

We loved the darning workshop! Shelley is a brilliant teacher - clear and patient, but also entertaining and fun! She is a fountain of knowledge on cool and creative ways to mend your clothes, will definitely be returning for one of her monthly mending classes. We brought the class as a gift for my Dad who loved it, was a really enjoyable experience and we learnt a new skill :)

Thank you! Was a clear and fun class and I’m really looking forward to mending some clothes. Great way to spend a couple of hours and a new skill gained from it. Would highly recommend.

This evening I did an online visible mending workshop with Shelley. It was such a fantastic session, the two hours flew by.
I had no previous experience & a little knowledge of sewing, some attendees were more advanced than others yet the class covered everyone’s ability.
Shelley’s experience, talent & enthusiasm is unsurpassed. She made me feel like everything was possible, encouraged us to enjoy making mistakes, how to make the unintentional intentional.
I can not recommend this course more highly. A brilliant way to learn a new skill & be inspired too.
She also offers a beginners intro pack which includes samples of knitting, thread & needles. It is the perfect starter pack if you want to play first before getting stuck into mending your favourite cashmere sweater.
I am really pleased I bought it as I definitely need to practice with a bigger knit than my moth-eaten cashmere jumper that I love.

Thanks for sharing your incredible skills Shelley.

What a hoot. I actually learned how to mend wool! Such fun. Shelley so encouraging and clear. Will get practicing then on to my cashmere

This was such a good class. Shelley is a calm clear and fun teacher, and extremely helpful. The class had a lovely atmosphere and the 2 hours flew by. Highly recommended!

This was a brilliant session which was easy to follow and extremely satisfying. Shelley is a great teacher, and I’m excited about my new mending skills.

I have just finished a Visible Mending lesson with the wonderful Shelley. I cannot recommend her highly enough. I have learnt a huge amount and can’t wait to get practicing on my moth holes!!!

Nice and clear instruction that is honest but kind. Will certainly have the confidence to darn holes in my knitwear So important for sustainability! Thank you!

Really fun class, from being a complete beginner, I felt by the end of the class that I wanted to find more things to mend and keep practicing! Really helpful step by step photos and top tips, thanks Shelley!

I enjoyed every minute of the darning workshop! Shelley is lovely, patient and fun, and explains everything in a way that is easy to understand. I really recommend buying the kit with the materials, it comes with the ideal yarn/fabrics/needles to learn before getting into more complicated stuff. Thank you Shelley! X

Shelley is a great teacher and this class was the perfect introduction for a beginner like myself with no real sewing experience. I purchased the little kit as well, and the chunkier knit and yarn was great to practice with. Highly recommend!

Fabulous service and a very talented seamstress. Did a fabulous repair on my Brora cashmere cardigan which I am so pleased with.

Amazing service and a beautiful artistic solution to what would have been a ruined jumper. So thrilled. Would highly recommend.

Kat x

What a fantastic class and a great way to learn a valuable new skill. Shelley was superb; knowledgeable, encouraging, helpful and friendly. I was apprehensive and worried the experience might be a bit intimidating. Shelley immediately put me and my classmates at ease, the class was comfortably paced and I enjoyed it so much the time passed in a flash. I would highly recommend Shelley's classes. I already feel confident to begin mending.

Initially I was apprehensive about how this would work, but I shouldn’t have worried. Shelley is an excellent, encouraging and knowledgeable teacher who made learning this timeless skill a genuine comfort in these slightly frazzled times. Thankyou Shelley.

Shelley is a brilliant teacher, hugely talented and knowledgeable, making the session fun, inclusive and easy to follow. I’m delighted that I signed up. Thanks Shelley!

A really inspiring class. I am close to a novice but managed to mend a favourite sock! Zoom is great. I am based at the other end of the country to Shelley so I probably wouldn't make it to an IRL class. Excellent. Give it a go!