I Have No Idea How To Sew

The fashion design course was one of the hardest things I have done. It was 6, sometimes 6.5, days a week, 10-18 hour days. I woke up with a Red Bull and went to bed exhausted. It was intense, and the learning curve was steep. 

I was the only person in the year who had no idea how to sew; most had been sewing all their lives. But I was ready and excited to learn, and I have always believed that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I am never the most intelligent person in the room, but I can learn anything with a bit of hard work and determination. 

I picked the course in Olds rather than more of a design school like Vancouver or Toronto because I wanted to focus on the actual sewing rather than the design. I knew what I wanted to make; I just needed the know-how.

I knew I didn't want to go live in New York or Millan or design clothes for the runway; I wanted to make clothes for the streets, cool, practical clothes for us all. 

We learned everything about sewing techniques, pattern drafting, fashion illustration and fashion history. We worked on lingerie, ski wear, swimwear and high-end couture fabrics.

It was fun, stressful, made me cry, and spent way too many hours unpicking days of work. I loved seeing fabrics come alive and creating cool wearable designs, and I realized I was never going to do beading again, haha. Beading sucks, so don't ever ask! 

I loved going back to school in my 30s because I was at school for one reason: my playtime was over, the course needed my full attention, and I was there to learn.

It was perfect because I was five hours from all my friends in Panorama, which meant I had no distractions, nothing else to do, and no ski hills to play on. 

The teachers were extremely knowledgeable, and I soaked up every word they said and every stitch they created. Yes, it was intense but incredibly rewarding and one of my most proud experiences. 

There is no perfect age to go back to school or follow your dreams; If you want it, get on that path, and you will get it.

With a few more grey hairs and a few more stubborn wrinkles, I graduated from fashion school and moved to Fernie, B.C, to start a business. Easy right? Start a fashion business in a small mountain town in British Columbia? An obvious place for fashion. New York, London, Millan and Fernie, that's how it goes, right? Haha.

I went to fashion school without sewing experience and passed with flying colours. Can I build a business with no business experience? 

Have fun and follow your dreams. You have to start somewhere, no matter how small the steps are. Learn More About Untamed.