Our Team
Having staff who are friendly, helpful and love to sew and make things is a really important part of g&g! Meet our lovely team who are always more than happy to help.
Helen - General Manager
Helen discovered her love of craft from a young age, always making and creating things as a child with her mom and sister. Her nan, a talented dressmaker, has been of huge inspiration to her over the years and sparked her interest in making garments.
Helen studied Fashion & Textiles Design at Leeds University, and here her passion for learning new skills and techniques developed. Previously a secondary school teacher of Design & Technology and Textiles, she loves nothing more than inspiring others to be creative and make beautiful things that they can wear or use, and be proud of.
She loves browsing vintage fairs to find inspiration for fashion, or to find a hidden mid-century gem for the home, dancing, yoga and being out walking in the great outdoors.
Hannah - Deputy Manager
Whilst at university studying Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design, Hannah found her love of sewing. Since then she has expanded her handmade wardrobe and particularly enjoys altering patterns to suit her own personal style.
Hannah has a varied taste in fabrics, ranging from the traditional prints of Liberty, to more contemporary designs. She is particularly drawn to a brighter colour palette.
In her spare time Hannah loves yoga, baking, visiting foreign cities and walking her beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Walter.
Jo – Sales Associate and Visual Merchandiser
Jo has been sewing for a long time and her first sewing memory is of her Mum making a funky purple party dress in the '70s! She has a degree in fashion and has worked in independent retail for a number of years. As well as being part of the g&g team she also runs her own online shop called Dolly Shoe where she shares her gorgeous collection of vintage finds!
The shop window is Jo's domain and she loves getting special items together, and pairing-up the fabrics to create gorgeous displays.
Lesley - Sales Associate
Lesley learnt dressmaking and knitting as a teenager but a busy career and life in general took over once she left home. In 2013 she had made a new years resolution to become more creative, she popped into the shop on the day it opened and was immediately hooked. She has attended a number of g&g workshops and is now an avid sewer, making clothes for herself, her partner and other family members.
Alison - Sales Associate
Alison has always been crafty and over the years has tried her hand at all sorts, including jewellery making, felting and paper crafts, but over the last few years she has found her passion in sewing and crochet.
After finishing a Fine Art Printmaking degree and Masters in Gallery Studies Alison spent 18 years working as Museum Manager and Curator in a small Lichfield museum, and while this was an important part of her past, she is now enjoying the opportunity to talk dressmaking with our lovely customers.
When she's not at the shop Alison is a mum to two children who, along with her husband, benefit from her dressmaking. Her wardrobe is very eclectic and her favourite pattern is animal print, which she considers a neutral!
Charlie - Sewing Society Kit Production Assistant
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Becca - Content Creation Associate and Workshop Tutor
Becca has been creating with a needle and thread for as long as she can remember and discovered the world of dressmaking in her teens. She quickly became hooked, spending all her free time glued to her machine and developing her skills. Since then she's taught many others to sew too and is now a workshop tutor here at g&g along with her role as Content Creator.
Becca enjoys spending time on the details; getting patterns to match, nailing the position of a pocket or producing perfect topstitching. She loves sharing her passion with others, helping them create clothing that they love and feel proud of.
Dee - Workshop Tutor
When Dee's parents realised that she adored all things sewing related, they gave her an electric sewing machine for her 9th birthday and her first sewing teacher was her dear mum who just happened to be a seamstress.
Dee has had a lengthy career in the clothing industry working as a sample machinist, sample cutter, pattern drafter and bridal alteration specialist before she decided to become a mature student and study for a BSc in Clothing Management and Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Valuable teaching experience was gained as a visiting tutor for BA fashion students at Birmingham City University. In 2017 she also taught in Haiti as the lead tutor for an oversees aid work charity (LVE Haiti) where she successfully set up a sewing school.
Hobbies include sewing her own tailored clothes, knitting baby cardigans, travelling to tropical destinations, shopping and going to the gym.
Claire - Workshop Tutor
Sewing has always been a huge part of Claire's life. She has been sewing & making things since was little & her passion has grown & grown. She loves working with a range of fabrics, making clothes, adapting commercial patterns and developing her own patterns.
After graduating from Leeds University in Textiles and Fashion Design, Claire has worked in womenswear design, accessories design, textiles print design, modern textiles research, retail management, visual merchandising for some of the top high street brands. Claire also loves to share her passion, creativity and skills with others. When she is not sewing or creating something, Claire loves to travel, take photos and cook.
