Dear Needlework Friends,

My interest in sewing and handcraft started years ago. I grew up on a farm near Piketberg, in the Swartland. My mother, an ex-teacher, always motivated us to participate in all kinds of handcraft projects to keep us busy. She was a very creative person, and still is. She allowed me to make all kinds of projects, big and small, using her sewing machine. My grandmother and great grandmother were also a great inspiration when it came to sewing, knitting, crochet, etc. and always taught me something new. I still remember that I could not wait until “Ouma” visited, bringing all kinds of fabric and wool.

After completing my diploma in Food and Clothing Technology at CPUT in 1991, I immediately started working in the sewing machine industry (selling and teaching). There I realized that there was a big demand for “patterns that work” and started with Eazy Stitch™ Patterns in 1996.  Since then I develop master sewing patterns, graded in different sizes, suitable for home sewing.

Now, as a mother with four children, I appreciate that time and money are important factors in our lives. I, therefore, concentrate on practical, basic patterns that you can sew using my easy instructions. Eazy Stitch™ Patterns are designed for local fabric, using needlework techniques for household sewing machines.

Then, 10 years later in 2006, Eazy Stitch™Kidz were born. From a young age, my inquisitive daughters and their friends urged me to teach them whenever I was busy with handwork. This led me to create practical handwork programmes for the benefit of all children and adults who enjoy creative arts, crafts and needlework. These programmes were successfully introduced at Gene Louw Primary School in 2006 and has proved to be very popular ever since. The Eazy Stitch™Kidz handwork programmes are currently being presented as a private extra-mural activity at various schools in South Africa. We also realised that learners grow up and that mommy’s and granny’s also want to learn Sewing skills on machines.  Our “License to Sew” course on sewing machines will prepare you for the wonderful world of needlework and sewing.

Working at schools all over the Western Cape and expanding to other provinces, I felt it necessary to enrol for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at Unisa. I successfully completed my PGCE with Cum Laude in 2014. This journey was not easy with four children of my own. At the time, they were in four different schools and I had to manage them and still keep my business alive. It was tough going, but worth it in the end.

With my mission to create a love for crafts and needlework in young children, a great opportunity was born for entrepreneurs who would like to join the organisation as a Licensed Educator to present the Eazy Stitch™ Kidz programmes. Together we can make sure that these skills are not lost to this generation.  Our company develop and test sewing programmes for the home based Entrepreneur to facilitate and run as a business.  Together we can assure that these skills are not lost to this generation. 

Eazy Stitch™Patterns expanded to such an extent, that in 2016, I teamed up with Mohamed Aziz of Cape Habby World, and he took over the marketing of the Eazy Stitch™Patterns range. Mohamed quickly doubled the number of shops that stock the range, and we are still growing. With Eazy Stitch™Patterns now available in more than a 100 shops country wide, we are able to keep up with trends and continuously add new exciting patterns to the range.

Thank you for sewing with me!!

– Hesmari van Toorn