Hi, I am Jess, a soft furnishing maker based in Barnham, West Sussex and in March 2020 I launched my business, Jessica Sews.
Behind the scenes I guess I am what you call a ‘stay at home’ mum to three boys. They keep me on my toes and being a family of five is definitely hectic. But being able to fit my sewing in around them has been the biggest blessing and now I have the best of both worlds.
I have always been creative, and I had a passion for art and creative writing growing up. It took me a while to identify where to focus my creativity but in doing so I have explored many different fields which I think has helped me form the knowledge I have now.
I have worked in the soft furnishing industry for over six years with various roles, from sales consultant to professional maker. Working in different areas has given me a massive insight into the ins and outs of how it works. However, I felt there was a market that was being missed. I had the idea for my own business for a while, but it had always been pushed aside for various reasons; the time and circumstances never seemed quite right.
But in March 2020, just before the first lockdown began, I launched Jessica Sews. Little did we all know how much our lives would be turned upside down with Covid-19. I was thrown into home schooling and was teaching by day and sewing by night. However the support I received from friends and family and the positive reviews from clients was the encouragement I needed to keep on going.
Through Jessica Sews I wanted to do something that, I believe, would fill in the gaps in the market that I had noticed but most importantly I was to personally make a difference.
I aim to provide a personal service that would solve a problem regarding your window treatment. That may be through professional handmade curtains or roman blinds. But sometimes the standard options don’t provide the best or right solution.
This is where my creativity comes in. I am not afraid of a challenge and even if I don’t know straight away how or even if it is possible I will do my best to find a solution that is personally tailored to your space. So if your enquiry is not something that is ‘straight off the peg’ I would love to be able to find a solution for you.
I also encourage the repurposing or reuse of existing fabric. Often we have curtains that we no longer need up at a window. But instead of throwing them away, that fabric and lining could be reused to make say a roman blind or cushions. Curtains can also be made shorter, longer, narrower or even wider so if it’s a case they don’t fit a new window but you still love them, then there are so many options available!
I am also trying to do my bit to reduce waste to be an almost plastic free business. My stationary and packaging are made from recycled materials and I would hope they would be recycled again after too. I think being conscious about our environment and how we are using things is a big thing at the moment in particular. And if we can each do our own little bit then we will make a much bigger impact.
So lastly,
I love to talk, and finding out about you and your vision is a big part of my drive to make a difference through Jessica Sews. I am always open to enquires and I would love to talk over any ideas you may have. Whether that may be for bespoke handmade curtains or roman blinds to alterations. Or smaller jobs such as bunting or cushions, or maybe even something ‘not off the peg’ at all! So feel free to get in contact and we can get talking!
Take care, bye!
Jessica Sews 