Where it all began
From a derelict building to a vibrant creative hub, Sewcialising has grown through dreams, determination, and a love for sewing and crafting. What started as a quiet idea slowly evolved into something much more - a place where creativity meets community, where old walls found new purpose, and where the journey has been just as important as the destination.
Each milestone you’ll find below marks a step in the journey: the hours of planning, the unexpected setbacks, the moments of joy and sadness, the people who joined us and left us along the way, and the vision that carried us through. We invite you to scroll through our story and see how Sewcialising found its heart, its home, and its place in the community.
Exciting times ahead
I bought a derelict building!
Every dream starts somewhere. Mine began in 2017, with a derelict building that I fell in love with that needed an immense amount of work and a set of keys! - long before Sewcialising was born.
Learning all there is to know about listed buildings - Plans and ideas were in full swing. The year of learning! I quickly discovered that owning a Grade II listed building came with its own rulebook. From listed building consent to planning approvals, I had to get my head around it all - all while dreaming up wild ideas for what this space could become.
Busy times
Daily meetings
A whirlwind of hard hats and decision-making! I spent my days meeting with builders, structural engineers, and conservation officers - determined to find the right team to bring my vision to life. After meeting with 13 different companies and receiving just two quotes and so many no's and excuses, I quickly learned that not everyone was ready for a woman calling the shots! It took real persistence (and a thick skin) to find the people who respected both me and my vision.
Every day brought new conversations and tough decisions, with ideas constantly evolving to meet listed building consents and regulations. Amidst it all, I was also grieving the loss of my dear father - pouring my heart into this project and then sewing during the evenings. Sewing was my saviour, it calmed down my nervous system and it was during those quiet moments at my sewing machine that I realised there was nowhere to sew socially, other than in cold classroom settings… and that’s when the first spark of Sewcialising began to take shape.
Planning approvals were finally granted and work could commence!
Let the fun & games begin
Work could commence!
Once I’d finally decided and finalised what I wanted to do with the building, things started moving quickly! Planning applications had been submitted after what felt like millions of emails, phone calls, and meetings - so many discussions to clarify details and push things forward.
Once all planning approvals were officially granted, work could finally begin! The derelict building was gutted from top to bottom, uncovering what truly needed doing. The transformation began with the shop space and the two-bedroom apartment above and, of course, plenty more meetings along the way!
Lots of blood, sweat and many tears
Work was in full swing
Bringing the beauty that is 1 Coffee Yard back to life! Work was in full swing, and every ounce of time, love and energy went into this project. There were plenty of opinions flying around - builders advising things I didn’t always agree with etc, but I trusted my vision. At this stage, all the original features were still hidden, yet I was determined to uncover the true character of this beautiful old building.
People warned me, “You never know what you’ll find under there!” - but I stuck to my guns. And slowly, layer by layer, the building’s beauty began to come back to life. This also included adding a whole new ground floor and making the building structurally sound again and keeping old beams in situ, uncovering the beautiful old fireplaces in our now shop and studio and the lovely old beamed ceilings - I mean, who would want to cover all that up?
Meanwhile building Sewcialising & a Holiday Let
While the renovation was in full swing, I was also busy bringing Sewcialising to life - working all hours on the business plan, branding, and website, and even starting to sell online to generate some income (finally!).
When I was quoted eye-watering prices for decorating the holiday let and shop, I decided to take on all the painting myself, with the help of the lovely Loren (who still works in the shop today!). It was a mix of fun, exhaustion, and sheer determination: painting between each beam, putting up nine curtain rails, scouring the web for furniture, painting and assembling it all, adding the finishing touches, and even attending an upholstery course one weekend so I could reupholster my own armchair! I was a very busy lady!
All this while juggling life as a busy mama to two little boys - balancing family, renovation, and a dream that was quickly becoming reality.
So many mixed emotions
Brexit, the start of a global pandemic, home schooling, grieving the loss of my dear mum AND opening Sewcialising!
2020 was a year like no other - full of challenges, heartbreak, and resilience. It began with Brexit which brought many uncertainties and a warped shop floor (thanks to damp and a building mishap!), and before long, the world changed completely. A global pandemic hit, homeschooling began, and literally the whole world and everything came to a total standstill.
Then came my biggest heartbreak - my dear mum unexpectedly fell ill, and we soon discovered she was riddled with cancer. She passed away just two weeks after her diagnosis in June 2020. Thankfully I was able to be with her in her final days. Before she left us, she made me promise to still launch Sewcialising.
Keeping that promise became my driving force. Despite the grief and the chaos of the pandemic, I poured everything I had left into making her proud. In December 2020, Sewcialising officially launched - and my amazing friends and family and the incredible York community wrapped us in love and support from day one.
The show goes on
Growth, Creativity & Celebration
2021 brought a brighter, more hopeful chapter. Our holiday let had launched and was fully booked as restrictions lifted, and in April 2021 we opened our first sewing studio next to the shop, hosting sewing and craft workshops. It was a year full of hope, excitement, creativity, and connection, pouring all my energy into the business, working 7 days a week and meeting so many wonderful people in our small, inspiring community truly helped my heart start to heal.
Since then, Sewcialising has continued to grow and evolve, I have a lovely team of ladies supporting me daily. In 2023 we opened another larger sewing studio in Clifton Moor so we could host larger groups and now 2025 will mark 5 years of this dream. I’m keen to plan a celebration perhaps in February to honour our journey and our wins, despite the uncertainties the world still brings.
We’ve also been incredibly honoured to be shortlisted for several awards this year and are delighted to be a finalist in the York Press Awards for Small Business of the Year - we’ll find out at the end of November if we’ve won!
I hope you've enjoyed following our journey to date. I also wish to say a heartfelt thank you to all our amazing customers, supporters, and friends over the years. Your love and encouragement have made this wonderful & wild journey possible, and I hope Sewcialising continues to thrive and bring joy to our community for many many years to come!