Sewing and Design Specialization

Juliet Uzor is an elementary school teacher based in London with a passion for sewing and inspiring others to create their own fashion pieces. She is a self-taught seamstress and the 2019 winner of BBC’s reality TV show Sewing Bee.

Juliet shares her passion for sewing through a diverse mix of content that includes writing a blog, creating video tutorials, sharing tips on Instagram, and writing clothes-sewing columns for a series of British craft and sewing magazines.

Elisalex is the founder of By Hand London sewing patterns, where she encourages and supports people who want to create their own made to measure clothes. Sewing, knitting, crochet, and DIY have always been her sanctuary. Elisalex delved back into the world of making with an old school friend when taking time off work to be a full-time mum. Motivated by the ability to breathe new life into dressmaking through social media, they founded By Hand London in 2012.

Since then, By Hand London’s reputation for original patterns has prevailed, with many more available sizes and patterns to choose from on their online store. The brand has recently collaborated with John Lewis to create printed patterns and Elisalex was awarded Designer of the month in August 2021 by Craft World.

Amanda McCavour is an accomplished artist known for her intricate and immersive embroidered installations. Through her creative exploration, Amanda discovered the immense potential of using embroidery as a form of drawing and expression. Her delicate, colourful, and textured works have garnered recognition in galleries, museums, and media outlets worldwide.

With a passion for nature and the ability to translate its beauty into thread, Amanda's installations evoke a dream-like experience for viewers. By removing the traditional sewing machine foot and embracing free-motion embroidery, she has found a unique way to create dynamic and layered pieces. Amanda's expertise and passion make her the ideal instructor to guide you on your embroidery journey.

Monisola Omotoso is a designer and pattern cutter based in central London. She comes from a family of South American tailors and followed in their footsteps, making her first wearable pattern at just eight years old. She later studied art and design at Middlesex University where she discovered a love of pattern cutting. While studying, she won several competitions and during her final year, she designed her first commercial product, which was sold at retailers like Paul Smith.

After graduating, Monisola started her own namesake brand which she ran for 10 years, distributing her ranges across the world. She has designed stage outfits for musicians including David Bowie and U2 and her work has been featured in leading UK publications such as The Face, i-D, Fashion Weekly, and The Observer. Monisola also worked as a draper for Alexander McQueen. Now she helps others create clothing through 1:1 tuition, pattern-cutting kits, and sewing patterns.

Chinelo Bally is a fashion designer, author, television personality, and an avid lover of all things creative. She specializes in a unique method of garment production called Freehand Cutting. Over the past 10 years, she has shared her skills with students and audiences all over the world. She runs workshops all over the UK, regularly participates in craft exhibitions, and takes part in many craft-based TV series.

Her first television appearance was as a contestant on BBC2's "The Great British Sewing Bee”, where she came in second. Following the success of the show, she has written two bestselling books, Freehand Fashion and Sew Chinelo. She is also the CEO and creative director of the Chinelo Bally studios in Lagos, Nigeria, where they specialize in bridal and occasion-wear for women worldwide and have even dressed celebrities for high-end events.

Luisa Hurtado is a talented fashion designer and content creator specialized in upcycling and sustainable fashion. With an outstanding career, Luisa has collaborated with important brands such as Levi's and has presented her collections at various fashion events.

Her passion for sustainable practices and teaching others to see value in fashion as a path to bringing other original pieces to life has positioned her as a respected figure in the upcycling community.

She is known as designerluisa on platforms such as YouTube and Tiktok, where she exposes her innovative and creative approach to upcycling, capturing the attention of a wide audience, inspiring many to adopt more sustainable fashion practices.