Community

It’s great to sew, but often you will want
to sew in the company of others.

At GillyMac Designs there is an uplifting community of fellow sewists who meet regularly in classes and online. Our Facebook and Instagram pages are full of the latest projects, tip and a dedicated post every Friday shining the spotlight on a member of our community. In addition, if you take part in a GillyMac Class, have been to one of her talks or taken part in an online challenge, then you will be able to join the GillyMac Club on Facebook. This is a closed group where there are regular Sew-a-longs, demonstrations, ideas, and patterns and even more importantly you will get to meet and stay in touch with fellow sewing enthusiast online.

Below you will find some of the latest pictures from our super active and very friendly GillyMac Sewing Community.

The sewing classes at GillyMac Designs range through patchwork, quilting, dressmaking, bag making, and homewares. Similarly, the children and teen classes make the most amazing items for others, themselves and also to enter (and win) national competitions.

Once you have attended class you will be invited to join the uplifting online GillyMac Club where you can learn more from me and take part in our regular sewalongs and demonstrations.

20 hours ago

Have you seen that the latest Young Quilters Guild Newsletter contains access to my project to make bunting? It's very easy. I take the reader through the project step by step. Also, don't forget to access the free teen projects video library available in the Classes section of my website - all free... and it is growing !! #gillymacdesigns #gillymac #makingbunting #yqg #sewingforteens #SewingProjects #freesewingprojects #janome #janomemakes ... See MoreSee Less
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2 days ago

Much slower day today. In the past few weeks, I've made a jacket, the pictured PJs (which now have gorgeous Pigeonwishes buttons on them), a dress and trousers. I plan to make another pair of PJs, and two @sewhouse7 Remy Raglan tops in the next few weeks... but in saying that I also have the October Retreat Quilt to quilt 🤣🤣🤣 ... It's never dull. The June class making these @closetcorepatterns Carolyn PJs is full, but you can book to make a winter set in September or November. 😊#gillymacdesigns #gillymac #memademay #memadeclothes #dressmaking #garmentmaking #sewing #janome #janomemakes #ilovesewing ... See MoreSee Less
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3 days ago

The next Peplin Tote Class "in-person" is on 24th June and via Zoom it is 30th September.Celia has created sets of these smashing tote bags using prequilted fabrics. We’ve also tweaked the sizing to make it ‘just perfect’! Well done Celia. #gillymacdesigns #gillymac #sewing #bagmaking #summersewing #janome #janomemakes #sewingclass #sewingtutor ... See MoreSee Less
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6 days ago

Do you have 'sliding doors' moments? When you wonder what would have happened if you had taken another path? Sometimes, I have them about my corporate career. The money was fabulous, but it was soulless and making money for other (often selfish) people was not what I wanted. Now, I will never wonder if I could set up a business, built around my family, which touches so many people, and genuinely gives me far more job satisfaction than I could ever have imagined. The business has now grown such that I am able to fund students when the need arises. What is more, the people I interact with quickly become friends. Not colleagues, but real friends. I was reminded of how much I enjoy running GillyMac when I spent a few days at Churchdown near Cheltenham, giving a talk and delivering a workshop. I stayed with a lady I met during one of my sewing challenges in 2018, who I am lucky to now call a friend. It was a perfect couple of days. It was uplifting to meet new people who are interested in what I am passionate about. I always appreciate it when I am invited to talk to such groups. As a local school governor, I interact with year 12/13 pupils who are choosing their next steps and it is great to have the perspective of pivoting a career and to be able to describe that to them. The decisions you make at 18 years old will not define you; they are just a step and a moment in time. (Pictures of some of the fabulous projects made in Churchdown)#gillymacdesigns #gillymac #whatdefinesyou #buildingabusiness #sewing #quilting #dressmaking #janome #janomemakes #universitychoices ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Hands up, who thinks we should make some more quilted cards soon. I haven't done any for quite a while. I am currently deciding what to do in the Summer as a free activity. Should I ,,,,A) Run a Summer Challenge Quiltnin August (like last year - 5 blocks in 5 weeks)C) A week of smaller projects like in the picture in September ait getting more from our machines. orC) A week of smaller projects (like in the picture) during September to test us with our machineWhat do you fancy? #gillymacdesigns #gillymac #summerchallenge #gillymacchallenge #janome #janomemakes ... See MoreSee Less
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