Something you might not expect …
I didn’t touch a sewing machine until January 2026.
I’d done a little hand sewing at school, but certainly nothing that suggested sewing would one day become such a huge part of my life.
I started with upholstery. I was taking a course purely as a hobby. As part of that, I visited my local fabric shop to find some fabric for my first footstool. I completely fell in love in that shop. The fabrics, the trims, the colours, the textures - all of it. It felt like I belonged in there. It was like an instant connection I knew I couldn’t ignore. I left the shop and immediately ordered myself a sewing machine. I booked onto a beginner sewing machine course with Tara from The Seamstress MK and used YouTube tutorials from there.
Things then moved rather quickly.
My first proper introduction to hand sewing came through upholstery, learning to slip stitch the arm of a chair. I then went on to complete my Diploma in Professional Curtain Making & Soft Furnishings with Victoria Hammond at Master Soft Furnishers and this is where my hand sewing skills really developed.
Traditionally made curtains and blinds involve an incredible amount of hand stitching, using multiple different stitches throughout each piece. Under Victoria’s expert tuition, I learnt the traditional techniques involved in creating professionally made curtains, Roman blinds and soft furnishings from start to finish.
And I absolutely loved it.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about working with beautiful fabric and watching it slowly becoming something completely bespoke for someone’s home. I love all of the tiny details and the fact that much of the work in a finished piece will probably never be noticed, but I know it is there. The quality of handmade just feels like pure joy to me.
I haven’t stopped making since.
And somewhere between that first sewing machine, my upholstery training, a professional diploma and many, many hours of making, Sarah Bradley Furnishings began.
Now I spend my days working on things that don’t feel like work.
Sarah x