Reading Sewing Bee
Reading Sewing Bee
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    • Home
    • Book your Space
    • Free Events
    • Membership
    • Where we are
    • Who
    • Costume Making Facilities
    • Press
  • Home
  • Book your Space
  • Free Events
  • Membership
  • Where we are
  • Who
  • Costume Making Facilities
  • Press

So much to sew, but too little space?

welcome to reading sewing bee!

welcome to reading sewing bee!welcome to reading sewing bee!welcome to reading sewing bee!

A sewing space for creators, makers, and learners.
Workshops, courses, sewing workstations for hire, and community.

Tell me more!
Book a session!

So much to sew, but too little space?

welcome to reading sewing bee!

welcome to reading sewing bee!welcome to reading sewing bee!welcome to reading sewing bee!

A sewing space for creators, makers, and learners.
Workshops, courses, sewing workstations for hire, and community.

Tell me more!
Book a session!

About Reading Sewing Bee

What is it?

Workshops and more!

How does it work?

If you don't have a sewing space at home or you do but want to use specialty tools and machines while connecting with like-minded sewers and crafters, this is the place for you.

 Reading Sewing Bee offers a collaborative community for sewers and crafters to share their love of creating with fabrics and fibers, while promoting mending, reusing, recycling, and upcycling. 

How does it work?

Workshops and more!

How does it work?

 Hire a fully fitted sewing station for a morning or afternoon session, and gain access to all our tools and specialty machines.

 Our equipment includes state-of-the-art sewing machines, overlocker and coverstitch, big cutting tables and cutting tools, quilting and garment-making rulers, tailor shears, a sewing pattern arsenal, a library full of books and magazines, and much more! 

Workshops and more!

Workshops and more!

Workshops and more!

Are you avid for new knowledge? Take one of our workshops or courses! We have many on offer year-round for all levels.

In need of supplies? Purchase your bits and bobs from our haberdashery, or reuse and recycle from our "odds and ends" bins.

In need of a pause? Enjoy a cuppa in our cozy living room while working on your embroidery, knitting, crocheting, hexies, needlepoint, etc.

The Space

    01/16

    Come on in!

    We hope to sew with you soon!

    Reading Sewing Bee

    Second floor, The Maltings, Fobney Street, Reading, RG1 6BY, United Kingdom

    FREE ONSITE PARKING! Phone: 07518 199 010 Email: hello@readingsewingbee.co.uk

    Hours

    Open today

    10:00 – 19:00

    Saturdays from 15:00 to 19:00 by appointment only.
    Please check our social media or message/ring before coming in without a booking, as we might be closed on days when we don't have bookings.

    Drop us a line!

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Please reach us at hello@readingsewingbee.co.uk if you cannot find an answer to your question.

    We offer free onsite parking! Here is a lovely video with visuals so you don't get lost.


    In the off chance the parking lot is full (we do share it with two other businesses), there is paid street parking on our street or you can use the paid parking lot of The Oracle shopping center (search for The Riverside Car Park, RG1 2AG.)


    Our workstation hire is intended for sewers with at least some sewing experience, who will work independently on their own project. If you have never sewn, we recommend you take one of our beginner workshops and classes.


    You have full, free access to the sewing machine in your workstation, the height-adjustable cutting tables, the overlocker and the coverstitch machines; the professional steam irons that are always hot and the mini steam irons you can use at your workstation; our multiple scissors, shears, and rotary cutters; the garment-making rulers, quilting rulers, regular rulers; needles (for the machine and for hand sewing), pins, and threads, our library of books (to read while you are in our shop) and patterns (please don't cut the patterns, trace them!); scraps of fabrics, yarn, thread, embroidery threads; snap button applicator and belt hole puncher; and myriad of tools and gadgets.


    Bring any fabric, patterns, and notions you need. We have a small haberdashery with notions on sale, but we do not carry every color, size, and type of everything. If you forgot anything and we don't have it, you can walk to the local John Lewis haberdashery (6 minutes away) or to Hobbycraft (20 minutes away.) 


    The first time you come to our shop (and as many times as you want!), we will show you how to thread the sewing machine in your workstation and how to operate that specific brand and model. We will also show you the particulars of operating our overlock and coverstitch machines, should you need to use them.


    No, there isn't a teacher present in the shop; sewers are expected to work on their projects independently. However, in our experience, other sewers are always happy to lend a hand to a fellow sewer and help with sewing conundrums!


    Why would you? Our sewing machines are state-of-the-art and serviced regularly. No need to lug your own around!


    Absolutely! We have a handheld crafts nook where you can sit on the sofas, grab a cuppa, and work on your knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, needlepoint, weave, tatting, sashiko, hand sewing, etc. You can also borrow our needles and hooks, use some of our free yarn, and start a new project. And use of the nook is always free of charge, even the tea and coffee, so come and relax for a few minutes, a couple of hours, or a whole afternoon. No booking needed; limited seats available; first-come-first-served.


    We only take advanced bookings and payment. If you are not able to book online, you are welcome to pop in and book and pay in person prior to your session/workshop day. 


    Yes! If you pop in to see if there is a workstations available and there is, you are more than welcome to hire it on the spot. Bear in mind that sessions have fixed start and end times, so if you come in the middle of a session, you will have to pay for the whole slot and still leave at the end time. 


    Sessions/workshops are booked and paid in full slots. If you have to leave early or arrive late (even due to an emergency), unfortunatelly we cannot give you credit or a refund for the hours you did not use. If you arrive late for a workshop, we might have to turn you away and you will not be eligible for a refund or reschedule.


    Sure! You have up to 4 working days prior to your session/workshop to cancel and get a full refund. Due to the admin costs of refunding an electronic payment, we can't refund you if you cancel within 4 days of your booking. We might be able to reschedule, though, so please give us a call to see if it is possible.


    The selection will change through time, but we usually carry threads, zippers, elastic, velcro, calico in different weights, interfacing (fusible and non) in different weights, pattern paper, buttons, ribbons, bias binding, and sometimes pretty fabric.


    Tea and coffee are always available and free, with a selection of animal and plant milks. Water is always on tap! We will occasionally have some biscuits around and on extra special days, a home-made bake. You are welcome to use the mini fridge to store your beverages or food items.


    Of course! And you get a nice discount! Check out our "Gift Certificate" section and choose the one that better fits your needs. If you are purchasing it as a gift, we will email you a pretty certificate you can present to your loved one with the details of the gift and instructions on how to book the sessions.


    Unfortunately, we could not secure a ground floor location; Reading Sewing Bee is on the second floor, so you need to walk up two flights of stairs. This said, our sewing machines are accessible, as they can be used with or without a pedal, as they have a "start/stop" button for full hand-only operation.


    While we will run workshops for older children and teenagers, for insurance reasons, children can't be in our shop accompanying their grown-up who has booked a sewing session.


    Although we looove furry friends of all sorts and there is no greater joy than crafting in their company, our shop is not prepared for them, as they can disturb other crafters and mess with their projects. We do accept service dogs, of course!


    Follow us!

    Gift certificates


    Copyright © 2024 Reading Sewing Bee - All Rights Reserved.

    Second Floor, The Maltings, Fobney St., RG1 6BY, Reading, UK

    07518-199010

    hello@readingsewingbee.co.uk

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