Burda Style For people who sew

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I was born in the South of France, but I travelled a lot when I was a child. I lived in Tahiti and visited several countries (United States, Australia, New Zealand…). Now I’m back in France, between Toulouse and Paris!

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
I think the first thing I ever made was a little dress for my doll when I was 7! My mother always encouraged me into crafts, and I started sewing and crocheting very early. But my “real” start was at the age of 18 when I borrowed my mother’s sewing machine and started to make actual clothes!
I am a real self-taught (never took a class in my life), I learned by lurking on sewing websites and forums, and with basic sewing books. The rest is practice, practice, practice…

3. What role does sewing play in your life?
Sewing is a real passion! I work as a computer engineer, but as soon as I come home I start to think about the next garment I will make, shop for patterns and fabric online… I even created a french online community named thread&needles (http://www.threadandneedles.fr/) in January.
It keeps me very busy, but I try to continue sewing at least one garment a week, and updating my personal blog on the same basis.
When I have time left, I love to discover the work of other seamsters/seamstresses on blogs, forums and of course Burdastyle.

4. What is your favorite and what is your least favorite thing about sewing?
My favorite thing is to achieve a “perfect” garment, a work that meets all my standards and that looks exactly as I had envisioned it! I also love when people can’t believe I made my clothes.
My least favorite things are cutting, and hemming. I am not very patient, and I tend to rush and neglect these important steps, only to end with an approximate result…

5. If you could make something for anyone who would it be and what would you make?
This is a tricky question… I think it would be me, but for a special occasion: being interviewed by a major media in a beautiful, home-made 50’s dress is my sewing dream! Pretty selfish, neh ?

6. What are you looking for on our site? What do you think should be improved and what do you really like?
Burdastyle is an endless source of inspiration for me! I love to see all the fabulous things members create, and discover new trends and artists through the blog!
Also, I really love the patterns, easy to buy and print, and perfectly sized (for me at least), and the ability to share tutorials and techniques with other members.
I think the only thing I regret is the lack of diversity in pattern lately, I hope the team will feed us with more sewing jewels!

7. What is your motto?
“When you do something, either do it right or don’t do it” (“Lorsque tu entreprends quelque chose, fais le bien ou pas du tout”). I learned this from my mom, who is very strict but taught me everything I use now in my life.

Nessie’s amazing creations have appeared as the featured project of the week and sparked many discussions. See what inspires her around the site. To find out mora about her, check out her blog (in french) and her very cool french sewing community