While sewing may not be a common skill anymore, Poppy is proving that the demand has not changed
SEWING is a skill that is becoming less common these days, but the demand for this service remains as high as ever.
This is what one west Sligo sewer has discovered since taking appointments a mere few weeks ago.P oppy Tivnan carries out alterations on clothing items and found that such a service has been in short supply as shown by the number of customers she has had.
Poppy has been sewing since she was a teenager as a pastime and now uses her spare time to fill that void by repairing and reimagining clothes both casual and formal. “I am doing alterations from home. I taught myself when I was 15 to sew and then I studied fashion design in Limerick. I only started the alterations a few weeks ago but it has been very busy.
“I have 20 appointments in the last eight days alone. I just love to sew. In college I enjoyed that technical side of it more than the design side of it.”
Poppy said that alterations are never as simple or obvious as they may seem, with items often needing to be inspected just to find the issue but Poppy said she enjoys the variety of challenges it brings.
“It is a case of looking at the items and seeing what needs to be done. People bring clothes to me knowing there’s something not right but aren’t sure what it is.
“The requirements change with every single customer so there is a lot of variety to the work.
“It can range from putting a zip on a pocket to just taking up a pair of trousers.”
Poppy did not expect such a quick response to her new service but is also not surprised that so many people needed alterations as the skill of sewing simply isn’t as commonly practiced as it used to be.
“I just advertised on a bit of a whim to get a sense of interest and there was just such a quick response from a lot of people. I got a wedding early on and that really helped spread the word too. It is also not a trade that’s available locally like it used to be so I think there is definitely a big demand for alterations that needs to be met.
“It’s not a trade people learn anymore, it is something I find peaceful once I sit down and know what I need to do for a particular item.” Poppy is hopeful that the next step will be going from at home status to having a local premises where she can do her work.
“I am pushing forward as much as I can with this, I am really enjoying it and still learning more along the way and improving my skills even more.
“I would love eventually to have my own place to be open during the day for walk-ins.
“It would make a huge difference for me and for customers so they don’t have to make appointments and find the house.”
Poppy Tivnan can be reached for appointment by emailing poppytivnan@gmail.com or by messaging Poppy on Facebook or Instagram.