IT is one of those “full circle” moments, agrees Ailsa Lyall, who flew the flag for Scotland on the most recent series of The Great British Sewing Bee.
Ailsa, who lives on the Southside of Glasgow, just missed out on being crowned the country’s best amateur sewer after a fantastic grand final saw her create a stunning kilt and waistcoat inspired by her Highland roots.
“I didn’t get into the fashion design course I applied for, when I was going to university, because my portfolio wasn’t strong enough,” she says, ironically.
“So to have done the Sewing Bee, to be here doing the Fair Fashion Festival – it definitely does feel like things have come full circle.”
She adds, laughing: “I got there eventually. I have definitely learned that even when you think you have missed the boat, it’s not true.
“Dreams can sometimes get away from you – I have done it, shut things down, said 'I can’t do that, it’s too late..' - but it’s really not.
“Once you let all those negative things go, and take a chance, it can work out.”
Ailsa is appearing as part of the Fair Fashion Festival in Glasgow, a month-long event marking sustainable fashion and textiles, Glasgow-style, from August 31.
Taking part in the event, which marks Oxfam’s Second Hand September, are the businesses that formed the Fair Fashion Collective – Apparel Xchange, BAM, Bawn, Merry-Go-Round, Rags to Riches, Seamster Vintage and Second Cashmere.
READ NEXT: Glasgow businesses to stage first 'fair fashion' festival
They have teamed up with Ailsa and a host of other city-based sustainable businesses to stage more than 20 events, including sales of pre-loved, vintage and antique items; repair cafes; invisible mending and darning workshops; pop ups; swap shops; and open evenings.
Ailsa used to work for Rags to Riches in Govanhill, where she ran the craft market, so she is delighted to be involved in the festival, where she will be running scrunchie-making workshops.
She is also running a craft club at Caeser’s Social pizza place in Cathcart, teaching embroidery, tufting, hand-sewing and more.
Despite losing out to winner Luke-Matthew Iveson in the final of the Great British Sewing Bee, Ailsa’s brilliant designs, skilful sewing and warm personality won her legions of fans during the popular TV show.
She won ‘garment of the week’ for a spectacular Scottish-inspired sari in India week, and her “elegant, breezy and wonderful” cream palazzo pants from Holiday Week had the judges, Patrick Grant and Esme Young, in raptures.
“Oh my gosh, those palazzo pants,” says Ailsa, with a laugh. “I really did not expect the reaction I got for making those. It’s all everyone wants to talk about.
“The Sewing Bee was such a lovely world to be part of. Even though it’s a competition, when you’re in there you are just trying the very best you can and everyone helps each other.
“You all stay in the same apartment block, so it’s a bit like being in student halls.”
She grins: “In the lead up to the challenges, we’re all in and out of each other’s flats helping like mad. Literally the day before Diva Week I was in Decathlon with Luke going, yes, DEFINITELY get those handlebars for your Lady Gaga-inspired dress…”
Patrick and Esme are “inspirational”, adds Ailsa.
“You just want to impress them so much,” she says, fervently. “Esme is so technically able – she can spot what’s going wrong with your sewing from across the room. It’s mad."
Ailsa’s mum Melanie, who died in 2016, was a talented seamstress.
“My mum was a really creative person, and she made everything for me,” says Ailsa. “I’d see something on telly, or in an advert and say, can you make me that? And she’d always say yes.”
She adds, smiling. “So, I never bothered to learn, because she did it all. After she died, I decided to get in touch with a close friend of hers, who is a corset maker in Edinburgh, and she showed me how to make corsets. Then I did an evening class in Glasgow, and it just grew from there…”
Ailsa and her mum both loved the Sewing Bee, she adds.
“I loved watching the show, and it helped me connect with my mum, but I don’t think I realised how much it means to fans, until I was on it,” Ailsa says, thoughtfully.
“People love it for a variety of reasons - for many it’s how they got into sewing in the first place. It shows just how much can be achieved by an amateur sewer, and I was lucky to be part of it.”
She breaks off with a laugh.
“I mean yeah, there were times when I thought what the hell have I done?” she says, smiling. “Crying every week on national telly….. "
She rolls her eyes. "But sewing is my dream and doing the show gave me the confidence to follow that dream," she adds.
"It was an amazing experience.”
The Fair Fashion Festival kicks off on August 31 and runs throughout September. Visit the festival website for more information.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here