Hello friend, and welcome to Dreams & Stitches Shop!
My name is Emilie, your autistic seamstress, and I’d like you to know a little about me and my little shop.
When I was 18 years old, I was (finally!) diagnosed with autism.
I had long felt that I was somehow different, struggling to find myself and my place, especially among my peers.
To me getting the diagnosis was a great relief, giving me some much-needed answers.
It also enabled me to work on finding sustainable strategies to handle some of the everyday challenges that comes with being autistic, with the help of dedicated professionals.
Since I was just a young girl, sewing has been a great interest of mine.
In my pre-teens I began designing and sewing simple clothes, bags and fancy costumes, for myself and as gifts for family members.
When I was 15, I got my own sewing machine, and my projects and ambitions grew with me.
Being able to be creative and express myself through my projects and my sewing served me as a coping mechanism and got me through those difficult and unforgiving years at school.
And even though I found the social aspects of school extremely demanding, I knew I wanted to continue my journey to learn the trade and become a professional seamstress.
I am very proud to say, that I achieved this goal in May 2021, when I passed my practical trade exam
(with the highest marks!) and won my trade certificate recognising me as a professional in the dressmaking trade.
For my exam I designed and made a two-piece fully lined women’s suit in thin wool, tailored to a live model, drawing inspiration from the fifthies but with a modern twist.
My chief signature detail was an elegant (but technically complicated) bow at the lower back of the blazer.
This achievement took me almost six years to complete, and it cost me a lot of personal effort, not only in terms of hard work and dedication.
Over the years I have come to accept that my capacity for “normal work” and having a regular job is limited due to my autism.
Even so, contributing to society somehow, have a (moderately) social life, and being able to use my creativity and do some creative work during the week - is very important to me and my wellbeing.
So, Dreams & Stitches Shop is more than just yet another web shop, it is also my creative space and window into the big, wide world!
Thanks for reading, I hope you’ll find something you like - for yourself or someone you care for.
With love,
Emilie, your autistic seamstress @ Dreams & Stitches Shop
