Garment gurus stitch new skills together
- A further eight learners in Kirkwall and Westray have gained garment construction qualifications
- Westray pupils become Scotland’s first to complete the qualification through their school curriculum
- Designer Kirsteen Stewart hopes further training could create employment opportunities
Orkney’s latest sewing graduates could help stitch together a new future for clothing production in the county, fashion designer Kirsteen Stewart hopes.
Learners in Kirkwall and Westray have completed Kindred Clothing, a clothes-making course run by Dundee charity Front Lounge that leads to a garment construction qualification at SCQF Level 5.
Westray Junior High pupils Mark Shearer, Melissa Nicolson, Alexander Hourston and Miller Harcus became Scotland’s first pupils to complete the qualification through their school curriculum. Kirkwall graduates were Carolyn Shepard, Hana Swinney, Arthur Derrick and Simone Meek.
Ceremonies were held in Westray on Thursday and at UHI Orkney on Friday to mark the learners’ achievements.
Learning Link tutor Briony Avery said: “They’ve all grown, and they’ve all carried on sewing, and it’s really good to see how they’ve improved over time.”
Orkney’s first participant, Nymeria Drayak, graduated in 2024 after studying online with Kirsteen’s support attended Friday’s ceremony to hand out certificates to the latest graduates.
“I got given this wonderful opportunity to make and mend and explore the world in a completely different lens,” she said.
Kirsteen hopes learners can build on their skills through a follow-up course, Creative Industry, which involves working with businesses to produce clothing or accessories.
She said an enthusiastic group was keen to continue learning, while a potential “makers’ hub” could create further employment opportunities in Orkney.
“I could see the possibilities of people coming together and training, and potentially doing piecework at home to offer more employment, especially for women,” she said.
However, she stressed that the course’s benefits extended beyond sewing, with participants gaining confidence and some going on to start businesses.
“It’s not just for sewing enthusiasts at all,” she said.
Learning to repair clothing could also help tackle the waste associated with fast fashion, giving people the skills to mend items that might otherwise be thrown away.