Let me take you back to my childhood, where my mum—armed with her trusty sewing machine and an eagle eye for shoddy stitching—was the bane of my existence. While other kids flaunted their shiny, store-bought clothes, I was stuck wearing her handmade creations. She’d drag me through clothing stores, tugging at seams, scoffing at hems, and declaring, “I could make this better myself!” And she always did. Fast forward to today, and her skills have become the stuff of family legend. My daughter and nieces flock to her for alterations—lining, hemming, repairing—you name it. At 83, she can’t send a text to save her life, but she can thread a needle without glasses and program her sewing machine to embroider names onto school uniforms. Iconic, right?

Now, her talents have shifted to home furnishings. Every curtain in my house? Made by her. Cushion covers, tablecloths, Christmas runners? All her handiwork. She’s a fabric wizard, and her mantra is simple: comfort first, colour second, and fibre third. Wool? Too itchy (unless it’s knitted and soft). Cotton? Her absolute favourite—versatile, affordable, and available in every colour under the sun. Man-made fabrics? She’s come around, especially to anything with elastane, because let’s face it, stretchy and easy-to-clean is a win-win.