About us – Gather N Sew

If you are looking for somewhere passionate about all things sewing, you've found us!

New extended shop layout — Extended shop layout to help with Covid-19 restrictions

Certificate for British Sewing Award — We are proud of our Highly Commended British Sewing Award 2019 for Sew Saturday event and Highly Commended in 2020 for Best Independent Retailer – East Midlands

Our aim is to provide a happy oasis where our customers can escape the realities of day to day living and indulge in the very pleasurable experiences learning something new in our fun and informative sewing workshops. Through our events and social sewing groups, there are plenty of opportunities to make sewing friends too.

We opened our doors as a sewing shop and workshop venue in June 2017 and up until 2020 we were a team of three. Sadly, Covid-19 brought about the need for a total restructure and since then, Leanne has been working on her own.

At the end of 2023, Leanne made the difficult decision to close the retail side of Gather 'n' Sew and from January 2024 our unit in Crown Walk, Bourne has been turned into a gorgeous workshop and event venue. It is very exciting!!

Fabrics, patterns and haberdashery are still available to purchase online or at our monthly Sew Shop 'n' Chat evening. We have small monthly deliveries so, watch out for our Pattern of the Month launches.

Over the past few years we were delighted to have received three British Sewing Awards:- Best Independent Retailer in the Midlands in 2022, Highly commended for Best Independent Retailer in the East Midlands in 2020 and Highly Commended for Best Sew Saturday Event in 2019. All of these were thanks to the votes from our wonderful customers. Thank you.

We are huge fans of the smaller independent sewing pattern companies such as Tilly and the Buttons and have recently added a number of other indie pattern companies to the collection of patterns that we sell.

One of our aims for 2024 is to look at sustainability and we have many ideas.

So, whether you are wanting to learn the sewing basics, add a new skill to your portfolio or even get some inspiration, check out our wide range of sewing workshops.

Social get-togethers, events and parties are something we love to host and are great opportunities to mix with other sewists.

Watch our social media pages for regular updates.

Promoting Love Bourne at Christmas Light switch on — Christmas Light Switch On day

Gather N Sew team — The Gather ‘N’ Sew team

Team at 2nd birthday celebrations — Fiona, Leanne and Carol wearing Sew Over It Meredith dresses

We are very friendly and more than happy to assist and advise. Sewing is a major part of who we are and you will always find us wearing at least one garment that we have made. So let's introduce you to the team:

Leanne de Lima Araujo is the founder and owner of Gather 'N' Sew and her family and friends will tell you that when she is not at work, she is on her sewing machine making garments, quilts, soft furnishings, bags and gifts.

This is her story in her own words:

"Long ago and far away, my Mum let an excited little girl turn the handle of her old Singer sewing machine. I watched the magic unfold and dreamt of a time when I could sew beautiful clothes for myself. Many years later, and after many successful and not so successful projects, I still get excited. But my dreams have grown. Now I am sharing my passion, skills and designs with others who are as enthusiastic as me. By teaching inspiring classes and supplying irresistible fabrics and haberdashery, I have achieved my ultimate dream...
A gathering place for friends, fabrics and inspiration."

Leanne grew up in Zimbabwe and moved to the UK with her family in 2000. She has qualified as a personal assistant, bookkeeper and life coach and ran scrapbooking workshops when her children were small.

Most of Leanne's sewing qualifications were achieved at school, but she has subsequently attended courses at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London. Exploring new sewing methods and techniques via books and online channels is a huge passion.

Whilst running a successful venture making and selling handbags and doing dressmaking jobs, Leanne started a sewing club for children. This soon led to her running an evening group for the Mums and the realisation that there was a need for sewing workshops. In 2014, as part owner, Leanne opened Sew Friendly a fabric and haberdashery shop where she ran the workshops and worked in the shop.

When the partnership ended in 2017, Leanne opened Gather 'N' Sew where as well as running the shop, she taught all of the workshops and designed many of the bag and quilt patterns taught in the workshops.

She is very excited about designing many more patterns and has a lot of ideas. Studying further, adding to her sewing qualifications and exploring sustainability are high on her list of priorities.