Sewing Photo Project

"An Unbroken Thread"

An Unbroken Thread is an ongoing photographic series that documents people who sew — capturing them in the personal, often intimate spaces where their creativity takes place.

The project is inspired by my own love of both photography and sewing. I’ve always been drawn to hands-on, creative expression — from painting and drawing to woodworking — but sewing has a special place in my life. I learned to sew from my mother, aunt, and grandmother, and over the years it’s become both a practical skill and a personal joy. Being petite, I struggled to find clothes that fit, so sewing became a way to take control: I choose the fabric, the pattern, and I create something that is uniquely mine. It’s meditative, empowering, and makes me happy.

This project began as a quiet exploration of creativity at home. From kitchen tables and bedroom corners to fully equipped sewing rooms, the portraits highlight the diverse ways sewists — of all ages, genders, and experience levels, whether hobbyists or professionals — build their lives around this tactile, deeply personal craft. The people I’ve photographed come from all walks of life: costume designers, professional dressmakers, quilters, retirees who’ve taken up sewing after career changes — all united by a shared love of making.

Historically, sewing was a domestic necessity, a vital skill passed down from generation to generation — especially from mother to daughter. In an era of fast fashion and mass production, this tradition has shifted — yet it endures. While it may now be cheaper to buy than to make, a growing community of sewists continue to sew for the love of it — for self-expression, for sustainability, and a desire for meaningful connection to the garments and objects they create.

This series honours those who keep this tradition alive. Each portrait is more than a record of a person and their tools — it tells a broader story of care, creativity, resilience, and the quiet joy found in the act of making. For many, sewing is a source of calm, clarity, and emotional wellbeing — an activity that grounds and restores them.

This is an ongoing project which I started in 2019 and then Covid killed it. I resumed the project in 2024 to tell more stories of sewists. 

Yvonne

Courtney

Ann Maree

NPPP /Shoot the Chef

Various