Tanja’s story
The Joy of Making…. with Tanja
Tanja is one of our talented volunteer sewers, who has made Santa bags this year. We asked her about her love of sewing and what inspired her to help make Christmas more special for children in need…
Who taught you to sew?
My mum taught my sister and I to sew. Not formally but by observation and trial and error. She sewed most of our clothes when we were young. When she was a child in Holland her family had a seamstress who came to sew their family’s clothes. There were six children so many items were repurposed. When she sewed for us, she used patterns from a Dutch sewing magazine called Marion. These fashionable patterns inspired my sister and I to sew too. I started by making dolls clothes at the age of 6 or 7 and when I was 8, I made my Cindy doll an extensive wardrobe which I still have today. My sister and I also had glamourous French dolls and we practiced our sewing skills by making them amazing wardrobes – anything from jeans to coats and boots. These I still have too!
What is the most memorable outfit you’ve made?
I have made so many outfits over the past 40 years that I have many favourites. Over the past three years I’ve been documenting them on Instagram but before that many are just memories. Because my daughter has just had her school ball, we’ve been discussing the outfits that I made in the 1980s when I was going to school balls. My first serious outfit was when I was 15 in fifth form. I made a velvet coat and bag to go with a red satin and black lace skirt and top that my mum made for me. It was a copy of something I’d seen in a Vogue magazine. I still have the picture ripped out of the magazine. This made me realise that I could sew anything I wanted from any picture.
What do you enjoy about sewing?
Sewing is about so much. The fabric. The pattern. The process. The problem solving. The creativity. I enjoy every part of it. Respecting my sewing machine, the fabric and the sewing pattern. They are all intertwined. Sometimes I might have a find a gorgeous piece of fabric and it may take years before I find the inspiration to make something out of it. I love the thrill of drafting my own pattern and seeing it come to fruition. I think sewing for me is so much about my wellness too. It’s where I slow down and take the time to perfect a garment. That’s not saying that I don’t race to finish something either. Sometimes I’m eager to finish.
Apart from sewing, what else do you enjoy making and creating?
I love using my hands and being creative, so over the years I’ve taken up lots of arts and crafts. Several years ago I was making children’s clothing, furnishings and furniture to sell at markets. I’ve also tried felting, knitting, crochet, and embroidery. I’ve done picture framing, etching and printing. I love photography. I once made all the costumes including masks for a school’s Lion King production. There’s not much I won’t give a go.