A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
SEW READY
Sew Ready is an award winning social enterprise bridging the current skills gap in garment making by educating young children and adults in sewing skills, so they are ‘job-ready’ for the re-shore of production back to the UK & NI. We are passionate about restoring these fundamental life skills so that it is not lost in our generation.
We are passionate about our environment and believe that by equipping people with the skills and knowledge of how to make their own clothes we can create awareness and affect environmental change through conscious shopping habits. Our sewing workshops are a step in the right direction, learning how to up-cycle, repurpose and repair clothes and textiles. We take our workshops to where there is a need in the area and bring all the materials and machines to each session.​
Sew Ready CIC is set up as a Community Interest Company. We are a not-for-profit re-investing back into our local community to ensure that sewing skills are reignited in the local schools and council areas. Sew Ready provides sewing classes and creative textile art workshops. It’s run by lifelong sewist and degree-trained pattern maker/designer, Sarah Hoppe. "I have a passion for all types of sewing and textile art with over 15 years sewing experience and over 10 years in fashion consultancy roles. I am a UKFT member and part of the steering group championing the return of sewing skills and production back to Northern Ireland".
Hey there, I'm Sarah!
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Growing up I spent summer vacations in The Netherlands visiting my grandparents. My
grandfather was an academic focusing on our studies, whereas my grandmother a self-
taught seamstress was continuously making clothes for us and encouraged us to explore
our creative side. I expressed my interest in fashion design at A Levels, however was
advised due to lack of knowledge in the subject area that I would be better suited to
pursue my top subjects. I dropped out of university after my 1st year &; this was when my
grandmother gifted me my first sewing machine (I still use it).
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After various jobs in retail, at 27yrs, I decided to self fund professional fashion studies and
gained qualifications and experience in the following:
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BSc (Hons) Fashion Production & Business,
Tailoring & Pattern Making (Awarded as scholarships)
Microdential - Embedding Mental Health in Education​
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After 2 years’ industry experience, I decided to focus on my business Sew Ready which I developed during Uni. Since 2022, this creative social enterprise has grown from strength to strength, providing a number of services to children, young people & the wider community.
This includes: in-school programmes, after school clubs, holiday camps, upcycling and repair workshops,
dressmaking workshops, outreach programmes, skills development and training (leading to employment opportunities) & the establishment of an accessible creative training centre situated in Lisburn.
Annually, Sew Ready delivers services to over 3000 children & young people - providing them with the space to engage their creative and practical skills - a platform that allows them to thrive from an early age. Sew Ready is equipping individuals with heritage skills that will ultimately help shape the sectors future.
