Behind the Scenes of Guthrie and Ghani: Growth, Community and the Power of Sewing

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Lauren Guthrie shares the story behind her journey from working as a physiotherapist to founding Guthrie & Ghani, and how a love of sewing slowly grew into something much bigger than she ever expected.We talk about her experience on The Great British Sewing Bee and how that moment shaped the direction of her career, as well as the realities of building and evolving a fabric shop in an ever-changing industry.Lauren reflects on the growth of the sewing community over the years, what it really takes to source beautiful, high-quality fabrics, and how she’s navigated the challenges of scaling a creative business while staying connected to the joy of making.It’s an honest conversation about growth, not just in business, but personally and creatively, and about building something that’s rooted in community as much as it is in sewing.Key takeaways:Lauren used to be a Physiotherapist but became burnt out and decided to change career.Lauren was on the first season of The Great British Sewing Bee - she feels this has shaped her career so far.Guthrie and Ghani has been going 13 years so far and continues to evolve.Lauren acquired G&G's sister company Pattern Trace in the last couple of years.The Sewing Society kits that G&G are well known for have changed recently from monthly releases to a quarterly box.Follow me: Instagram: @thesewingsocialpod                     @thedalythreadTiktok: thesewingsocialpodIf you've enjoyed this episode and appreciate the work I'm doing, please Tip me on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thesewingsocialpodAlso, feel free to get in touch - you can text the show (available through your podcast provider on each episode) or email:[email protected]*Join my Substack where we continue the conversations: The Sewing Social: Off The Mic - https://substack.com/@thesewingsocialGuest Details:Website: www.guthrie-ghani.co.ukInstagram: @guthrieghani                  : @guthrieghani_studio                  : @patterntraceukYoutube: @laurenguthrieghaniAffiliate Links:Thready Set Go - https://threadysetgo.com     Discount code for your first month free - SEWINGSOCIALPODSew And Stow - https://www.sewandstow.co.uk/     Discount code for £10 off your board - SEWINGSOCIALPODChapters00:00 Introductions00:10 Lauren's Journey into Sewing and Business05:00 The Experience of Being on The Sewing Bee05:54 Taking the Leap into Entrepreneurship08:04 From Healthcare to Creativity: A Personal Journey10:28 The Evolution of the Sewing Community14:14 Building a Supportive Sewing Community15:25 Evolving Business: From In-Store to Online16:58 Sourcing Fabrics: Balancing Trends and Personal Taste18:44 The Transformation of Sewing Kits22:48 Designing Fabrics: A Personal Touch29:19 Acquiring Pattern Trace: Expanding Horizons31:28 Exciting Future Plans for Guthrie and Ghani36:28 Substack end of the show