Let’s set the scene: You’ve just adopted a dog, an Italian Greyhound who is always cold. You think to yourself, "I can make her a jacket and a pair of pyjamas."

With an old sewing machine, you set to work. Then it strikes you—if you have this problem, maybe others do too. Then you decide to try making made-to-measure coats, but soon realise you might not have all the skills needed to get the finish you want.

What do you do? Do you struggle on, or do you invest in yourself and take classes to learn the necessary skills? Evette chose the latter and followed her dream.

In December 2023, Evette got in touch with me to book a private patchwork and quilting class for herself and two of her wild swimmer friends. For three weeks, they all arrived for their class after a chilly January dip in the cold Atlantic. During the classes, Evette discussed her dog coat idea (and all the hilarious antics of said dog), and we planned more classes to cover the skills she needed:

• Working with tweed
• Buttonholes
• Overlockers
• Finishing and binding

Throughout 2024, Evette has worked hard on her sewing skills, always with the end goal of making custom dog coats. She has made many coats, pyjamas, and waterproof jackets for her dogs, family and friends' dogs, and even had a tweed coat make it to Crufts.

From tweed to waterproof quilted fabrics, each new challenge has been met with never-ending determination and passion for her craft and ultimate goal. She also has some of the best-dressed Italian Greyhounds (Maggi – the feisty model & Elmo – the sweetheart) in Shetland.

Evette was inspired by her beloved dog Maggi for her business name – Made By Maggi’s Mam.  Now, a year on from her first lesson, Evette is advertising her business to create made-to-measure dog coats for other lucky customers across Scotland and the UK.

The moral of Evette’s story is that even though you may not have the skills needed for your dream business idea, you should invest in yourself. Whether it be a sewing class or something else, new skills are never a waste of effort or resources when it's an investment in your future.

If you have an idea and lack the sewing skills (and live in Shetland or are visiting Shetland), I’m here to help you. Get in touch to see how we can work together to take your ideas from a dream to reality.