Welcome and About Us

As you may have guessed, at Mad on Sewing we really are mad on sewing. I'm Manuela, and I head up our small team.

Manuela
Manuela
Sue
Sue

In the beginning

I'm a self-confessed fabric addict. It started the day my beloved Oma, my grandma, made an outfit for my favourite doll when I was five. The turquoise and emerald against the deepest blues turned my little companion into the envy of all.

Oma kept my dolls in dazzling dresses for years, working on an ancient treadle machine. It was a real make-do-and-mend generation. My passion for fabric has only grown since, and a shop full of vibrant fabric still takes my breath away every morning.

How the shop grew

  • 2007: I set out as M-Design Curtains.
  • 2009: I started my sewing school.
  • 2010: I moved into my first studio in Gloucester.
  • 2011: two new studios on the Lansdown industrial estate, to serve a growing list of customers.
  • 2014: Sue joined me.
  • 2017: SEW! by M-Design Sewing Studio opened, and we rebranded online as Mad on Sewing. It sums us up. We really are cut from the same cloth.

Our crafting credentials

I am accredited and certified in a range of specialist skills:

  • City and Guilds in Soft Furnishing and Design
  • City and Guilds in Fashion, Pattern Cutting and Design
  • Machine Embroidery and Design
  • City and Guilds in Millinery

Sue is self-taught, a real perfectionist, and never fails to impress. We both keep on trend with online courses when we can, so you are in safe hands.

How to find us

We serve Cheltenham, Gloucester and the surrounding area from our shop on Gloucester Road, just opposite the train station. We look forward to welcoming you to SEW! by M-Design. Manuela, Sarolta and Sue, the Mad on Sewing team.