Personal Branding Shoot – Falkirk Sewing Studio
Falkirk Sewing Studio is an amazing social enterprise formed in June 2019 to benefit the Falkirk community. Their studio is based at the Callendar Square Shopping Centre in Falkirk. Here, they provide the right environment to promote sewing and other creative art and craft activities for newcomers, women, children, minority groups including ethnic minorities, LGBTI and anyone who feels they would benefit from inclusion in the project.
The main woman I met behind this inspiring space is Uatandua Kahere.If I could peek inside this Wonder Woman’s brain I’m sure I would be exhausted after a few seconds.
As well as the sewing studio she runs Kahere Kilts and makes bespoke kilts from all manner of materials, many that are up cycled.
She also makes organic toiletries and I’m sure a whole host of other things that we didn’t even scratch the surface of in our two hour shoot.
Sew be it
You know I love a pun, just lean into it. I had to show Uatandua doing what she does.
Wool the world
Sorry not sorry for that one, it’s brilliant! One of the main thing Uatandua needed from me was good images of her wool stock to go onto her new website to enable people to buy online. I spent a lot of time photographing balls of wool!
Artists at Work
Uatandua is the only one working in the space. Other artists also use it as their studio space.
And also to display and sell their pieces.
Well worth a browse, especially if you are looking for unique local Christmas gifts.
Classes and Groups
The space is great for creative groups to have a safe space to get together and do what they love. Whilst I was in taking pictures there was a local chochet group meeting. You should see how fast their fingers were!!
Uatandua has also added classes for all manner of creative projects to her website for people to book.
The Future
As large department stores and shops have closed down in Falkirk the high street, like many others up and down the UK has become empty and less inviting. Most people are simply doing their shopping online from the comfort of their own home.
Iniatitives like this one are breathing new life into tired old high streets and bringing back a sense of community and belonging. I for one think that deserves to be celebrated.
Delighted to have been involved in some small way. Dissapointed that nobody has guessed my little joke I gave them whilst photographing all their haberdashery stock!
Answer: It's that old saying 'Pins & Needles' of course!
