Amanda Jayne’s quilting journey began with a simple book of patterns and a deep love for beautiful fabrics. What started as a hobby quickly became a lifelong passion, leading her to study our Intermediate Patchwork & Quilting course (Skill Stage 3). It was a decision that would not only refine her skills but also unlock new creative and professional opportunities.
Already skilled in dressmaking and soft furnishings, Amanda wanted to push her creativity further while exploring a potential career in teaching textile arts. The course offered the perfect balance of technical skill-building and business development, helping her transition from a passionate maker to a confident professional.
Through structured learning and expert tutor guidance, Amanda gained the confidence to design her own projects from scratch, experiment with fabric dyeing and beadmaking, and tackle creative challenges she never would have attempted alone. She even entered a mini-quilt competition—and won! But the most transformative part? The business-focused modules that gave her the marketing and branding skills to launch her own sewing school.
By the end of the course, Amanda had built a website, designed marketing materials, and successfully hosted her first sewing workshop. What once felt like an impossible dream was now a thriving reality. She describes the experience as “unlocking a creativity I never believed I had”. A testament to the power of structured learning, expert support, and a little push beyond her comfort zone.
Amanda’s story is proof that with the right guidance, passion can turn into confidence, creativity, and even a career. If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your skills to the next level, her journey is an inspiring reminder that the School of Stitched Textiles can help make it happen.
Amanda Jayne
“I developed a confidence I’ve never felt before. This prompted me to take a position as a freelance children’s sewing tutor for a local crafting business in my spare time and also to run my own online courses in applique, and I was only half-way through the course”
Out of a heady blend of creative curiosity and a love of beautiful fabric I bought a book of patterns and tried my hand at quilting. That was 10 years ago, and it sparked an obsession that is still being fuelled today. I wanted to learn more and wasn’t sure which direction my quilting was going in, and it was during an internet search for inspiration that I came across School of Stitched Textiles.
Being competent at dressmaking and soft furnishings, I felt the Skill Stage 3 course in Patchwork and Quilting was ideal for me, providing enough of a creative challenge whilst building on my existing skills and interests. I work as a teacher and I have had a dream of one day setting up my own small sewing school, running workshops and delivering courses in all things stitch related. Although I felt confident in my teaching ability I had no knowledge whatsoever about marketing or setting up a small business. The P&Q Level 3 course offered three final modules aimed specifically at this.
Studying Patchwork
It couldn’t have been more suited to my needs and I enrolled immediately for the full 12 modules. Because I work full time the first thing I did was make a timetable allotting study time to the course in workable chunks. With so much of the course being practical, finding this time was easy; I just replaced the time I would usually spend each week sewing with carrying out the tasks set.
The research tasks were fascinating and have given me a much broader knowledge base. Existing practical skills were unpicked and rebuilt, so that I developed a confidence I’ve never felt before. This prompted me to take a position as a freelance children’s sewing tutor for a local crafting business in my spare time and also to run my own online courses in applique, and I was only half-way through the course.
But most exciting of all were the projects. I would never have dared tackle anything so challenging had I not had a deadline and an excellent tutor to guide me. The thoughtful and constructive feedback after each module enabled me to produce my best work.
Developing new skills
Fabric dyeing and beadmaking are two new skills I have now incorporated into my repertoire and use regularly in my projects. The main takeaway for me has to be the ability to design a project from scratch. I never believed I had the creativity required, but you are guided through in such a supportive way that you soon learn that there is no wrong way of doing things. You simply work a project until it feels right and use the new skills you are learning along the way. You are encouraged to push yourself beyond your comfort zone and that’s when real learning begins. I have since entered one of my module pieces into a mini-quilt competition and was thrilled when it was awarded first place.
The final business modules turned everything around for me. I went from being a casual social media user to designing my own website, something I found to be not as daunting as I believed. I’ve produced marketing materials from leaflets to business cards and can’t help but smile every time I see my little business name and logo. The business plan was a challenge that to be honest, I was dreading. Once again with the guidance of S of ST I got the job done, and I was delighted when my first customers arrived on my initial workshop of bag making, and my own little sewing business was finally a reality.
Creative confidence
Looking back I clearly remember feeling that these business modules were beyond someone like me. I had no experience in sales or marketing, but my newfound confidence drove me through, along with the clear guidance offered on the course. I’d developed self-belief in my practical skills and the proof was in all the beautiful samples I had produced throughout the first 9 modules of the course, many of which were now on display or in use about my home. I am still amazed by some of the pieces I have produced. I look at them with pride and no longer believe that I’m not creative. Creativity is within us all we just need some guidance to unleash it!
