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| My handmade creations |
I started my maternity leave at 35 weeks pregnant back at the beginning of March, leaving myself 5 weeks before the due date to relax and finish off the final preparations before the big day. It became ridiculously easy to fill my days with shopping trips, afternoon naps and long leisurely lunches, and very quickly work felt like a distant memory. I had been along to the relaunch of Wood Street indoor market earlier that month, and one of the shops that caught my eye was Significant Seams, the hub for a local sewing and craft initiative. I signed myself up for a four week 'Waiting for Baby' sewing course, where pregnant women can get together and create individual handmade objects for their impending new arrivals. Now despite being a scientist by trade, I've always had a bit of a passion for arts and crafts, as anyone who has seen my elaborate fancy dress costumes that I've created over the years can confirm! I had been thinking for a while about making something personal for the baby, but I knew I had left it far too late to learn knitting, and I hadn't touched a sewing machine for about 15 years, so these classes seemed like the perfect solution.
The sewing classes were run by Catherine from Significant Seams, who expertly guided us through the steps of putting together our fabric toy blocks with applique and embroidered designs, and a baby bib. I felt a real sense of achievement each week, proudly coming home with my latest design to show off and arrange in the cot ready for the new arrival. I really enjoyed just taking the time out for a couple of hours each Wednesday to sit and chat with Catherine and Katie (the other pregnant lady on the course), sharing pregnancy and baby stories while we worked away on our sewing machines.
You can sign up for a whole range of classes at the Significant Seams hub including sewing and knitting classes for beginners, patchwork quilt making sessions and classes for children so why not indulge your creative side and try something new? You can find the latest details on the Significant Seams website here.
