Entrepreneurs craft move for sewing school to relocate to Sunny Bank Mills

The refurbished Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley, Leeds, is now the new home of a creative sewing school.

School of Sew, which launched in July 2016, has moved into larger premises at the family-owned mill complex in Leeds - once the home of Yorkshire Television’s Emmerdale and Heartbeat.

Over the past six years, Sunny Bank Mills has been transformed into a 21st century business centre and community hub.

School of Sew is the latest in a recent influx of creative businesses to take up residence.

The regenerated mill complex is now home to 70 companies, employing a total of 340 staff.

School of Sew helps budding seamstresses and seamsters become sewing experts. The school has also proved popular with experienced sewing enthusiasts keen to find a dedicated workspace to further indulge their hobby and improve their sewing skills.

The school offers lessons and courses covering the entire sewing spectrum incorporating dressmaking and fashion, curtains and blinds, accessories and gifts. Courses are also designed to help develop stitching skills and creativity.

School of Sew was founded by entrepreneurs Jo Tickle and Nicola Lee, who originally aimed to provide students with sewing skills.

Jo said: “We’ve been astounded with the interest in the School and demand for classes has been huge, hence the need to find a larger more suitable space.

“The Mills provide the perfect home for the School as a variety of creative and unusual businesses involved in the crafting sector are based here so there’s already lots of interest and a great entrepreneurial craft vibe around the place.

“Now that School of Sew is established we want to continue to inspire people to be creative and discover their sewing talents. The changes we’ve seen in novices who have progressed to very competent sewers is very rewarding.”

The School of Sew will officially launch at Sunny Bank Mills on Sunday 28th May during the first ever Loom event, a weekend of music, words, arts and comedy.

William Gaunt, joint managing director of Edwin Woodhouse Ltd, the owners of Sunny Bank Mills, commented: “We are delighted to welcome such an innovative venture as the School of Sew to Sunny Bank Mills.

“It will help with our vision to return crafting to the mill as sewing is such an important part of our heritage here. I’m sure the school will be a huge asset to the community here at the Mills and to the wider area as a whole.”

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