Sue's big life change

I popped in to the Great British Sewing Bee Live at Excel and couldn't resist stopping to chat to Sue, 65, because...well, I'm sure you can see why. Like so many chance encounters it turned out to be an absolute delight.

"I was a Health and Safety consultant until Christmas but I got fed up with it. All the creativity had gone out of the job, so I just wanted to do something I love, and that’s sewing and teaching people.

I love designing something then sharing it with other people by showing them how to make it. I look at Pinterest, think ‘ooh I like that, how can I squash that into an hour to teach?’ So then I re-design it so it can be taught in an hour.

I'm definitely in my happy place. I think that every day

My style is a bit like doodling, I don’t do anything neat. I bought myself a little caravan and took everything out of it and I store all my show fabrics and stuff in it. I’m absolutely loving the life change. I’m definitely in my happy place. I think that every day. Yes, it’s hard work, but I so enjoy what I’m doing.

I’ve taught here at the Sewing Bee, all the knit and stitch shows, the Festival of Quilts and I’m off to Alexandra Palace next, then Harrogate, and Dublin. It’s lots of travelling but I don’t mind ‘cos I stay with my friend Claire who does the dressmaking. We travel and stay together and generally have a hoot.

We’re currently staying on a prison ship

We’re currently staying on a prison ship. It’s called The Good Hotel. It’s on the Thames, 5 mins walk from here and it’s a prison ship brought in from Norway. When you come out in the morning the alarms go off because you’re escaping!"

Do you have a hobby you share with or teach other people? Do tell us about it!