Charmingo Sews Academy
A November to Be Proud Of
Your monthly catch up from the studio
Hello lovely,
There is so much to share this month, so grab a cuppa, get comfy, and let's catch up.
Highly Commended at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards
I am so proud to share that Charmingo Sews Academy has been awarded Highly Commended in the Best Start-Up category at the 2026 Merseyside Independent Business Awards, held at the Rum Warehouse, Titanic Hotel, on 15th October.
Many of you will remember where this all began, in a small room with just a handful of machines. I opened Charmingo Sews with one clear aim: to give everyday enthusiasts, hobbyists and aspiring makers somewhere to learn properly, somewhere between a one off workshop and years at college.
Just a year on, Charmingo Sews has grown into the largest independent sewing studio of its kind in England, with space for 38 people and 985 learners welcomed through the doors. So many of you return term after term, and that means more to me than I can say.
What I don't often talk about is what sits behind it. Charmingo Sews has been built by me, from the ground up, without external funding. I am a mother to a special needs child, and I do it single handedly, with my family all the way down in London and no one close by to step in, so the work happens in every gap I can find. That has meant late nights at my desk until one, two or three in the morning, back up early to get my son ready and out of the door, evenings missed at home while I am teaching, and not a single holiday in the last year. Much of the profit goes straight back into the studio, because I want every person who walks in to feel the care and quality in every detail.
I am sharing it because I am genuinely in awe of what has grown here. The community you have all helped create in the studio is real, and it has made every sleepless night worth it.
I also want to give special thanks to Clivia, who leads our Threads of Strength women's wellbeing group. She gives her time so generously, both in the sessions and in all the preparation she does at home, and she is an absolute asset to the academy.
Over the past year, Charmingo Sews has grown to offer:
- Learning pathways from absolute beginners right through to advanced tailoring, pattern drafting and couture draping
- Industrial sewing courses, launching in January, opening up specialist training that has previously been restricted to funded institutional programmes
- Studio memberships, offering local designers, makers and students dedicated workspace, professional machinery and A0 pattern printing
- Community and wellbeing, through Threads of Strength, creative outreach in residential care settings, and workshops in embroidery, crochet and textile arts
Next year is already full of plans. I will be launching a sewing teacher training programme and campaigning to bring sewing education back into schools, so these essential, creative life skills are preserved for generations to come. There will be more daytime groups for different communities, including a retirees' Stitch and Gossip group, and I am looking forward to giving a talk to the members of Wirral Quilters.
On a personal note, I have started private public speaking classes to grow my confidence on camera, and I will be taking my voice onto more stages to share even more sewing joy and expertise.
An occasion like this called for something special to wear, so I made my own dress for the evening. I am not often dressmaking for myself these days, so taking the time to sew something just for me was a real treat. I thoroughly enjoyed every stage of it, and I am delighted with how beautifully it came together. It truly was a stunning dress for such a proud night.
Charmaine, Connie and Clivia of Charmingo Sews Academy receiving a Highly Commended award at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards 2026
To every learner who has trusted me with their creative journey, I am beyond grateful. A heartfelt thank you also goes to the Merseyside Independent Business Awards and Morecrofts LLP for recognising this journey, and a huge congratulations to the winners of the Best Start-Up category, Wild Pantry.
I am only just getting started.
Watch Me Live on Sewing Street TV
I have been selected as one of five finalists in Sewing Street's Search for a Sewing Star, and I will be demonstrating live on national television.
Thursday 19th November at 7am
Freeview 73 | Sky 670 | Virgin Media 754 | YouTube
The winner will be decided by public vote, which means the only way I can win is with your support. Please tune in, and when the voting details are shared during the show, cast your vote for me. Every single vote counts.
Search for a Sewing Star finalists, featuring Charmaine Scott of Charmingo Sews Academy
November Courses Start Week Commencing 15th November
Our next round of courses begins week commencing 15th November. If you have been meaning to book, this is your nudge. Choose your course below to see the dates and times that suit you.
Creative Craft Show Trip: One Seat Left
This Saturday, 7th November, we are heading to the Creative Craft Show at the NEC in Birmingham. The minibus leaves from the studio at 8am and returns later in the day.
There is currently one space left on the minibus. The price is £25, which includes your entry ticket and return minibus travel. If you would like the seat, get in touch.
For everyone coming along, I will see you at 8am prompt. Come a little earlier, pop upstairs and grab a cup of coffee for the journey. I am really excited for this one.
Charmingo Sews Young Atelier: January Term Now Booking
The January term of Charmingo Sews Young Atelier, our project based sewing and making programme for young people, is now open for booking. Classes run on Thursday evenings, with two separate sessions so that each age group learns alongside their peers:
- Ages 9 to 12: 4:45pm to 6:15pm
- Ages 13 to 16: 6:30pm to 8pm
October Sewing Project Spotlight: Elsa
This month's spotlight goes to Elsa, who first visited us at our open day back in July and went on to join September's Beginners Sewing course, where she made a lovely kimono.
Elsa is so passionate and enthusiastic about sewing that within days of finishing her kimono, she had already started dressmaking, working it out on her own. She wasn't afraid to give it a go. She made mistakes, messaged me for advice, fixed them, and kept going. The result is this beautiful red and white dress, with its fitted bodice and full pleated skirt, which she modelled on her holiday in Egypt.
I am super proud of Elsa for allowing herself to try, to make mistakes and to fix them. Her dress is proof that she is capable of anything she sets her mind to, and a wonderful reminder to all of us that confidence comes from simply starting.
Charmingo Sews learner Elsa wearing her handmade red and white floral dress
The Threads of Strength Quilt Is Complete
Stitched together with patience, care and collective strength.
Over the past few months, our Friday afternoon Threads of Strength women's wellbeing group has been creating something truly special alongside their individual projects. Guided by the wonderful Clivia, every woman who has attended a session has added her own stitches to this collaborative quilt.
Each stitch holds a story, a shared conversation and a moment of pause. The quilt has now been officially unveiled and will take pride of place in the studio for everyone to admire.
An enormous thank you to Clivia for leading with such grace, and to every phenomenal woman who contributed a piece of herself to it. It is a true testament to what happens when women gather, create and support one another. Do take a look next time you visit the studio.
Collaborative quilt made by the Threads of Strength women’s wellbeing group at Charmingo Sews Academy, Liverpool
A0 Pattern Printing, Now in the Studio
Your PDF patterns can now be printed at full A0 size right here in the studio. Whether you have just bought a pattern and want to start cutting straight away, or you have been putting off taping together pages and pages of A4, we can print it for you during your session so you leave with a ready to use pattern.
We print on a top of the range Canon large format printer using genuine Canon inks and high quality 90gsm paper, so every line is crisp, clear and easy to follow.
£7 for the first sheet
£3 for each additional sheet of the same pattern
For comparison, same day A0 printing at Ryman Stationery is £31.49 per page.
Not coming into the studio? You can still order your print by messaging us directly, and we will take care of the rest.
Industrial Sewing Machine Courses Are Coming
If you have been in the studio recently, you will have noticed some impressive new additions: industrial sewing machines. I am currently writing a brand new course, delivered across three levels, dedicated entirely to industrial machine sewing.
More machines are on order, the room is being prepared, and the courses will go live in the next few weeks, ready to launch in January.
This is a genuinely groundbreaking step for sewing education in the UK. At present, anyone wanting to learn to use an industrial machine has very limited options privately, and we are proud to be changing that. I am really excited for this one, so keep an eye on your inbox for the launch.
Please note that from January, we will be using only industrial overlockers in the classroom, as they are far easier to control in terms of speed than domestic overlockers. Learners are still very welcome to bring their own domestic overlockers into the studio.
That's all from me for now. There is plenty more to come, so watch this space.
Warm wishes,
Charmaine
Charmingo Sews Academy
Charmingo Sews Academy
Queens Dock Business Centre, Norfolk Street, Liverpool L1 0BG
