Meet your teachers - School of Sewing & Upcycling

Zoe Gymer-Waldron

Sustainable – Knowledgeable – Bold

Zoe Gymer-Waldron (she/her) is a pattern maker and costume designer. She studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), completing a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Costume) followed by an Internship at V&A Museum in London, UK.

Zoe is one of those people who just ‘gets’ how things go together. An experienced pattern maker and costume designer, she is able to deconstruct and reconstruct patterns with stunning results. Known around these parts as the ‘Overlocker Whisperer’, she will help you to make friends with your overlocker, so that you can feel confident in taming the ‘4 Threaded Beast’.

With a teaching style that is all about confidence-building, Zoe wants to take you forward on your sewing journey so you can achieve what you set out to do without getting disheartened or overwhelmed. She likes to work in a hands-on way and help you to understand everything there is to know about sewing. Along the way, Zoe will feed you lots of tips and tricks for a fabulous finish. Whether it be cutting out pyjama pants, or making an 18th-century gown, Zoe will help you achieve your sewing goals, cheering you on at every step!

Gaye Naismith

Upcycler – Community – Founder

Gaye Naismith (she/her) is the Founder of the School of Sewing and Upcycling, who loves to share her 35 years of sewing experience. Gaye is a sustainable clothing die-hard, a dedicated op-shopper and a talented upcycler with extensive knowledge of garment construction, using sewing patterns, hand stitching techniques, mending, alteration and professional finishing. She holds an MA in Visual Culture, a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and has a current Working with Children Check.

Teaching in groups or one-on-one, Gaye loves to work with students of all ages and genders. She wholeheartedly believes that anyone can sew and she loves her students to get creative and explore new skills.

For Gaye, choosing handmade and second-hand garments is more than just an expression of personal style. It’s about using, maintaining and appreciating textiles that embody the skills, efforts and creativity of the people that made them, whether manufactured or ‘me-made’.

Gaye Naismith (she/her) teacher and founder of SOSU.

Jo Riches

Inventive – Experimental – Approachable

Jo Riches (she/her) is a self-confessed textile addict. She holds a degree in Fashion from RMIT and a Certificate IV in Teaching and Assessment. After graduating, she worked in the local fashion industry for some iconic Melbourne labels; during which time she soaked up almost as much valuable knowledge as she did during Uni.

Jo has a keen eye and solid instincts for fabric choices to get great results with drape, shape and structure. This makes her an excellent op-shopper as she is able to spot the good stuff amongst the rack. Jo loves to manipulate fabric into new textures to create a new sensory feel. She appreciates the skill involved in a quality finish on a garment

Jo loves to be approachable when teaching. After all, there are no silly questions! She’s a big fan of making the most out of what’s available and experimenting to create something unexpected and beautiful. This is something that Jo loves about teaching at SOSU! If you’re just starting out, she will make sure you have confidence in what you are doing. If you’re a little more advanced, Jo loves to challenge your design choices and really bring out your creativity.

Alison Pyle

Communicator – Visual – Resourceful

Alison Pyle (she/her) is a bespoke tailor with the unique talent of being about to translate your stories and needs into the unique garment of your dreams. Alison holds a Bachelor of Education Arts/Crafts majoring in textiles. She worked as a high school teacher for a while, before going on to start her own dressmaking studio in the Nicholas Building in Melbourne.

Alison loves to get chatting with a quick Q&A session to gain an understanding of where you are at in your sewing journey and to get a feel for your sewing goals and needs. She’s a big believer that everyone is different and as such, have different goals. With a greater understanding of your backstory, she can help you to create your dream garment with creativity and flair.

Making countless garments over the years, Alison just loves textiles and garment construction. She lives and breathes it! She can’t wait to share her knowledge with you, so that you can use your inner perfectionist to create the best garment possible.

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