Creative of the Month: Fiona Hesford

Hello! I’m Fiona, founder of Sewgirl since 2009,  based on the south coast UK where I live with my husband Marko and an adorable old moggie called Mabel.

I spend my time designing sewing patterns for dressmaking and accessories, garments that I would wear myself everyday from dresses to pinafores to tops and trousers, oh and not forgetting lots of accessories. 

Local Inspiration

If a fellow creative had a few days to explore the creative side of your city/town, what would be your recommended itinerary?
Include sight-seeing, markets, galleries, shopping, and eating out! 

Worthing in West Sussex where I live is a quintessential British seaside town, it’s not far from Brighton which is very creative and vibrant with great shops, restaurants, festivals and live venues.

Worthing is quiet in comparison but it has a fabulous (award winning) pier with a decent restaurant at the end, beautiful Edwardian Town houses on the seafront and two gorgeous old cinemas (Connaught and Dome).

My fav thing to do would be to cycle down Grand Ave which is lined with huge pine trees, pedal it down the promenade, pick up a coffee at Cloud cafe van and sit in one of my beloved old 1950s shelters looking out to sea.

Sometimes I imagine I’m in the South of France when the sun is out and if the tide permits I’ll take a very bracing dip in the English Channel. Brrr!

My preferred places to eat would be Mini Madras for a spicy Thali, Chipwicks (for the best fish n chips) or The Flour pot who bake the best sourdough bread and brew a decent cup of coffee.

Mark and I like to head over to Brighton sometimes to trawl the vintage market ‘Snoopers Paradise’ and an array of independent shops in Brighton lanes followed by a vegetarian lunch at Iydea in Kensington Gardens.

We also love the live music scene upstairs at the Prince Albert in Trafalger st which makes me feel like a student again!

I love sewing garments from my patterns and designing new ones but I also love altering second hand or vintage garments. I can pass away hours unpicking seams and darts, inserting new ones for a better fit.

I also really enjoy appliqué and machine embroidery which sometimes get used to embellish jackets or tops.

I’m particularly fond of making jumpsuits and maxi tier dresses at the moment as we are approaching summer season, I do like a quilted jacket in the autumn and I’m partial to a bit of topstitching on clothing designs in a contrast colour, I think it gives a retro vibe which is right up my street. 

Your favourite recipe to share

I’m obsessed with sponge puddings with fruit bases. So my ideal would be rhubarb, ginger and almond sponge served with either custard or vanilla ice cream. I might even splash a bit of liqueur in with the fruit such as rum or brandy. It’s dead easy to make and the fruit bit can be anything, particularly nice with plums or 
apricots- just saying!

For the sponge-
110g self raising flour (sifted).
110g margarine (stork) room temp.
110g caster sugar 
Two large eggs
Three drops vanilla essence
One Teaspoon baking powder 

For the fruit base-
Any fruit chopped into smallish pieces such as rhubarb /apricots/plums/ Bramley cooking apple.
One or two tablespoons ground almonds (can also be walnuts or cashews).
One or two tablespoons Dark brown soft sugar or muscovada sugar or honey ( runny).
Teaspoon ground ginger and cinnamon.
Splash liqueur that may be in your cupboard such as bandy.
Grease an 8 inch tin and line with baking paper.
Place the fruit in  

Place the fruit in the base of the lined tin. Add the sugar, liqueur, ground almonds and spices. 

In a mixing bowl, place all the sponge ingredients and mix well with an electric whisk until creamy and smooth. 
Drop the mixture on top of the fruit. Spread evenly with a knife. Place in the oven at 170c 
(gas mark 6). Bake for half an hour. Do the skewer test - prick the sponge- if it comes out clean then it’s done. 

Let it cool, turn upside down on to a plate. Serve with custard or vanilla ice cream. 

Voila! 

Your favourite sewing pattern
What is your all-time favourite sewing pattern and why?

My favourite sewing pattern would be the one I’m working on right now. I usually make it over and over again in several types of fabric to see how it would look.

I like a pattern that adapts to  all seasons so you can get a lot more out of it. My recent pattern Sewgirl Daphne pinafore is one that gets a lot of use.

I can make it in linen or denim for summer and corduroy for winter worn with a tee underneath -it’s really versatile. It’s got fabulous deep pockets too and can be also be made into a sleeveless top. 

I really love making little bags and a favourite would be the Sewgirl cross body bag and the cute little phone pouch. It’s great to make it in bold prints for something unique and funky. 

Current Projects

What project/s do you have currently on the go?

I’m currently sewing up lots of zip bags using our own hand screen printed linen fabric to take to our upcoming Open house shows. We design and print the fabric panels ourselves. It’s lots of fun working with my artist husband. He’s brill! 

I’ve just finished (yet another) Sewgirl Petula top in royal blue linen viscose slub and I’m about to start an OrlaTrapeze dress in a very bold printed viscose. I’m hoping it will be a show stopper.

It’s good to have a medley of projects on the go. Never a dull moment hey?!
: )

I am not a WIP kinda person, so current projects of potential inspiration for the weekend will likely start with  perusing the pattern wish list --- a pair of sailor jeans (pattern to be made from a RTW pair that have died), a Hampton jean jacket, a white and black storm trooper inspired lingerie set, an Emerson cross body bag from blanket statement for a friend, jumping on the mens suit jacket transformation to bomber jacket bandwagon if op shopping is lucrative, or a heavy shoe bag for my track spikes.

Dive into the vibrant world of FIONA on Instagram: @fionahesford_sewgirl