Hello, I'm Ruth!

Rätsep Ruth Sotnik õmblusstuudios

Why Sewing?

My interest in sewing started from necessity and a passion for handicrafts that was instilled in me from a young age. I’ve always loved seeing tangible results with my own eyes.

How did I start?

At first, I struggled with old clothes found in a thrift bag and a old Soviet Tšaika sewing machine during my school years. By university, I had a slightly fancier Brother home sewing machine, and the fabrics came from Abakhan fabric stores instead of the thrift bag.

I even sewed my own graduation dress (I hold a bachelor’s degree in health sciences). However, by the time I graduated, all the sewing tutorials I had found online had been exhausted, and after my fifth attempt to sew a jacket, it still ended up in the trash – oh, how frustrating it was! So, I dare say that since I was mostly self-taught, I remember those frustrations quite well because there were many.

In the meantime, I worked in customer service, as a photographer, and as an assistant, and eventually…

I found my way to a vocational school and trained as a tailor. I discovered that what I love most about sewing is making outerwear and constructing patterns. Fortunately, I also had a long-standing interest in blogging. That’s why I continued sharing my work and knowledge. Over time, I realized that passing on sewing knowledge and patternmaking is what I consider my calling.

In 2018, I started my first studio in Tallinn.

I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to teach hundreds of women in my courses, and through this, I’ve naturally gained an understanding of the challenges people face when learning to sew. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to create easy-to-understand sewing materials – video content, patterns, and PDF guides. I’m also proud that my patterns and tutorials are featured in several Handicraft magazines (since 2019).

I’m also very happy when I’m invited to be a guest at sewing clubs to discuss a topic and conduct a lesson. It’s a great opportunity to pack up the machines and tools and travel to more remote areas of Estonia.

Now, I’ve moved my studio to a much quieter location – Märjamaa.

My starting point and the location of my sewing studio is now Märjamaa – one hour’s drive from Tallinn, Pärnu, and Haapsalu.