From storage shed to sewing studio

When we moved into our home in 2023, we inherited a falling-down summerhouse halfway down the garden, along a dirty gravel pathway.

It had been used as storage for years and contained a tiny old wood burner which, while full of character, was sadly deemed unsafe. The roof leaked, the interior was rotting, and it felt a long way from becoming anything usable – let alone a place to build a business.

Still, I could see its potential.

In 2024, we began properly. The stove came out, the leaks were sorted, my husband and children helped me replace the roof, and we laid a new pathway. Somewhere in the middle of that process, I managed to fall off the summerhouse roof while hastily trying to secure the new roofing ahead of a storm. I sustained some fairly nasty injuries – right before a trip to North America. Cue me arriving slightly broken and heavily medicated, which in hindsight feels very on brand for this whole journey.

In 2025, my mum and kids helped with the big clear-out: cleaning, sorting, and listing an impressive amount of things on Facebook Marketplace. It felt like shedding layers – making space not just physically, but mentally too.

Then came a huge milestone: electricity! Suddenly, the studio felt possible. Around the same time, we welcomed a golden retriever puppy into our lives and she enthusiastically assisted by ripping out the rotting interior with me.

After that, I was mostly on my own – with a sleepy puppy often dozing in the sunshine nearby. I spent the spring painting the exterior, followed by many noisy hours cutting insulation and OSB boards to size. Every spare moment over the summer was spent insulating, installing walls and flooring, and painting the interior.

It was slow, physical, exhausting. But also deeply satisfying. The whole time I was so focused on what this space could one day become.

When the building work was finished, I imagined the space might simply sit there for a while. Perhaps it would become a home office, or a quiet place to potter and make things slowly, without any particular plan.

Then something completely unexpected happened. I was very fortunate to be given a lump sum by an angel investor – a gift that made it possible to properly set up Sylva Stitch Studio as a sewing business. I know not everyone has access to this kind of support, and I hold that awareness with real gratitude and humility.

That moment shifted everything. It allowed me to buy the equipment I needed, invest in the space, and take a leap that would otherwise have taken many more years. I’m deeply thankful for the trust placed in me, and I don’t take it lightly. This studio exists not just because of hard work, but because of generosity, timing and care.

After that came the fun part – filling the space with everything I’d need to begin my sewing business. A huge cutting table, machines, storage, tools, little details that made it feel not just functional, but welcoming. Read more about this on my studio page.

In autumn 2025, two years after we first got the keys, the studio was finally ready.

Since then, this little studio has become the heart of Sylva. It’s where I slowly make clothing, working with natural fabrics and letting ideas grow at their own pace. It’s also where I welcome students, teaching 1:1 and in small groups, helping them learn to sew their own clothes in a calm, supportive setting.

Creating a studio at home has allowed me to work intentionally – to build a business that grows at a human pace, rooted in care, creativity and connection. I’m endlessly grateful for this space, and for the people who helped me along the way.

What was once a storage space is now a place of making, learning and quiet joy – and I still can’t quite believe it’s mine.

If you’d like to step into the studio and learn to sew in a calm, supportive setting, you can find details of my sewing sessions here. Whether you’re a complete beginner or want to build on existing skills, you’re very welcome.