How Farsley’s School of Sew is making the most of Leeds’ sewing revival and The Great British Sewing Bee buzz

Founded by Nicola Lee in 2017, School of Sew has become a welcoming hub for sewing enthusiasts of all levels, offering hands-on, personalised tuition in an inspiring setting.

As more people seek a creative escape from the pressures of digital life, the school has seen growing popularity, drawing students eager to learn the timeless skill of sewing.

Surrounded by record stores, galleries, wine bars, and event spaces, Nicola’s school thrives in a bustling creative community. She teaches small, intimate classes designed to provide each student with focused attention.

"We're relatively small, but I think our unique selling point is the class size," Nicola told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "Some people come to us after being in classes of 12 to 15 students, where they hardly get to speak to the tutor."

For many, School of Sew is more than just a place to learn - it’s a social experience.

Nicola said: "Some people come purely for the social side, while others are more serious.

“They want a set number of lessons, and once they’ve mastered what they need, they go off and sew independently."

With around 80 students attending each week, Nicola’s classes often sell out quickly. The school’s success has been further amplified by an unexpected boost - its proximity to the filming location of BBC One’s The Great British Sewing Bee.

Since 2022, when the show began filming at Sunnybank Mills, Nicola has noticed an influx of visitors eager to see where the popular series is made.

"We were blown away," she said. "It felt like all my birthdays and Christmases had come at once!"

Although the show’s production is separate from School of Sew, its presence has brought additional attention to the area.

"We always joke that the BBC came here because of our sewing school!" Nicola laughed. "It’s like how people visit the Emmerdale set - now they come here to see where Sewing Bee is filmed."

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Despite a renewed interest in sewing, Nicola has observed a concerning trend - the decline of fabric and craft shops.

She said: "Samuel Taylor’s in Leeds had been around for 70-odd years, and they closed last August. More and more sewing shops are disappearing."

To help fill this gap, Nicola expanded her business in 2021, opening a haberdashery called Mill Creations, which she runs with her daughter Isobel.

Nicola said: "[Isobel] bringing new ideas, fresh ideas, and she's learning a new skill. She definitely does more sewing than I do, because I don't seem to get the time.

"It's good that she's bringing in a different audience, and every day is different depending what we've got on in the school. So she does a lot of prepping for that.

“She's good at seeing what's out there and fresh ideas to bring into the store as well and what's trending at the moment."

The mother-daughter dynamic has not gone unnoticed with customers, who frequently express their joy.

“In fact, we got a really lovely email the other day from somebody, and she just thought the dynamics was great. And she just said, ‘you can just tell you've got such a good relationship’."

Mill Creations has been warmly received, offering a hands-on shopping experience that’s becoming increasingly rare. "People love coming in and being able to touch fabrics rather than buying online," Nicola said.

"We display examples in the shop so customers can see a fabric on the shelf, then the pattern, and finally a finished piece - it really inspires them."

With a loyal customer base and fully booked classes, Nicola and her team are dedicated to keeping the art of sewing alive. "If we don’t, it’s going to die out," she said. "We have one lady, Julie, who’s in her 70s. She has so much knowledge and just wants to pass it on."

Nicola also worries that sewing isn’t being taught as much in schools. "I don’t think they do a great deal of sewing in schools now. I’m glad I had it as a hobby because I’ve always got something to do. And I think a tech detox is good for the soul."

She acknowledges the wealth of online resources available today but believes there’s no substitute for in-person learning. "There are so many resources now - TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. It’s great, but if you do something wrong, you don’t always realise it. That’s why a lot of people prefer lessons."

Looking ahead, Nicola hopes to continue growing School of Sew and Mill Creations in Farsley.

"It would be great to just stay here and see how far we can go," she said. "We had a lady come in the other day who said, ‘This is my new favourite shop.’ That really means a lot."