MEET SALLY MCCOLLIN, WHO DEVISED THE EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD INSPIRED TO CREATE ONLINE COURSES, AND TECH/STUDENT SUPPORTER SUE WEEKS

Sally, can you tell us a little about your background?

I’ve always been a passionate, crafts-orientated person. I was introduced to handcrafts by my mum, who encouraged me to be practical. At school I used to make soft toys and knit mohair jumpers to sell (it was the 1970s), so I could then buy fabric and yarn to make my own clothes.These skills helped to support me at art college.

After college, I worked for Knitmaster, then moved back to the north-east to join Patons and Baldwins Ltd (Coats Crafts UK), as a hand-knitwear designer and pattern-writer. I transferred to the crafts and editorial department where I promoted branded products through education, editorial commissions and publications.

At this time, I was involved with the Embroiderers’ Guild and was teaching part-time. My love of teaching developed through my employment and involved working with guilds, consumer groups, holiday companies, magazines and colleges. I left Coats in the 2000s to concentrate on my teaching career, delivering nationally-accredited courses, as well as developing my own business, Stitch Arena.