Meet the Ambassadors
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Clive Bruder
Clive is the founder of the Boys Sew Too! movement. His passion for sewing began when he was 10 years old and it was time with his mum that he will always treasure. Today he loves to design and create his own clothes and express himself through the fashion he wears.
Follow Clive on Instagram and check out what he's up to next as well as all of his latest makes.
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Mark Francis
Mark had ambitions to sew since childhood but lacked means to learn. This was put right at the age of 40 when his husband Clive started to teach him and he also went on a local course. Two years later and with a large amount of persuasion from his hubby, he applied for the Great British Sewing Bee where he reached the quarter finals. Since leaving the Bee Mark has launched his own range of sewing patterns, spent two years presenting on Sewing Street TV as well as bringing his Sewing Odyssey talk to groups across the country. You can see Mark at sewing shows up and down the country
including Knitting and Stitching, Sewing For Pleasure and Comic Con events for cosplay
commissions.
Follow Mark on Instagram to check out his latest commissions or visit his website to shop his latest patterns.
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Adam Burch
Adam has been sewing since he was 12 and started with his Grandad. These days Adam spends most of his sewing time producing bags, quilts and the odd garment thrown in to change things up a bit. Adam is proud to be part of the Boys Sew Too! movement as it provides encouragement and confidence with boys and men in the sewing community, letting everyone feel welcome.
Follow Adam on Instagram or visit his website to check out his wonderful makes.
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Christopher Wincott
Christopher was very young when he started exploring sewing. Initially making little outfits for his sisters barbie dolls by hand, Christopher carried this curiosity through school and University where he studied Textiles and moved towards Fashion for Menswear. Christopher is a huge fan of colour and unusual fabric combinations. Christopher feels honoured to be an Ambassador for Boys Sew Too! and thinks it's beautiful to be a part of a movement that can instil the message that anyone can sew regardless of background, gender, skill level and orientation.
Follow Christopher on Instagram to check out what he makes next.
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Rob Sexton
Rob Started sewing 5 or 6 years ago when he wanted a sequin jumpsuit but couldn’t afford £500, so decided he’d learn to sew and make one himself. He bought a cheap sewing machine from a supermarket and his sister taught him how to thread it and the basics of sewing.
After he’d learnt the essentials he found a local sewing group, where he learnt how to read commercial patterns and elevate his skills. Currently Rob has been making lots of matching shirt and short co-ord sets for him and his husband.
In 2021 Rob appeared on Channel 4’s Kirstie’s Home Made Christmas TV show “hand made gift” episode where he made a pair of PJs with Kirstie and Phil’s face on!
Rob also designs and sells his own LGBTQ+ themed fabric designs because he couldn’t find any commercially available queer focussed fabric, so started making his own. His designs are available to buy on his Spoonflower page.
Follow Rob on Instagram and check out all of his fun and cheeky designs.
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Gavin Burrell
Creativity has always been an important outlet for Gavin, who has turned his hand to everything from music and video production to calligraphy and crochet. Gavin's love for shirts and crazy prints led him to learn to sew in his 30s and he now sews all his own shirts. Learning to sew, Gavin found it frustrating that there's no easy route into dressmaking for guys and loves that Boys Sew Too! is here to show sewing is for everyone.
Follow Gavin on Instagram to find out more.
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Alexander O'Kane
Alexander originally took to the machines in high school, back in the mid 90’s, but left it for many years. Only to take up quilting after seeing a group of YouTube videos on his stream. This led down the rabbit hole - from quilts to bags and onto his current love, men's wear.
His first sewing love is denim, but he also likes to work with what some might consider challenging fabrics. Chiffon, Satin and fussy patterns. (Pattern matching of course.) Creating bespoke garments with attention to detail.
Alexander also likes to document his sewing journeys through social media. Showing the processes, triumphs and "less than perfect“ moments. All in an effort to show that every sewing adventure has its ups and downs and not to get discouraged.
For Alexander, Boys Sew Too! means a connection. A connection, that spans across continents. That ideas flow, help is given and a community is built.Follow Alexander on Instagram or watch him on TikTok and Youtube to learn more.
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Andrew Britton
Andrew only started properly sewing about 8 years ago but grew up surrounded by knitters, sewers, and artists so was always a creative person. Mostly self taught, he specialises in making corsets for both men and women, Steampunk and other costumes. He also works in a friends fabric shop which is total heaven for a fabricaholic like himself! Andrew has felt very welcomed into the Boys Sew Too! family and is proud to have encouraged men and boys to sew through the shop. He's just bought a small sewing machine for his nephew and hopes to encourage him to start sewing. Maybe one day he'll join the group!
Follow Andrew on Instagram to check out his latest makes.
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Paul Bally
Paul has been sewing off and on for many years starting as a child making clothes for his toys. His mum showed him how to use her sewing machine before risk assessments were necessary.
Paul does a lot of sewing in his hairdressing job with attaching hair extensions and making and repairing hairpieces.
It was during the last few years that his hobby took off. Living by the coast he wanted more colourful swimwear and to be able to alter and mend clothes rather than just keep buying new ones. So he enrolled in local sewing classes where he learnt how to read a pattern and new techniques.
Now he's addicted to his overlocker and loves stretch fabrics as he loves the challenge. He also enjoys unpicking.
Follow Paul on Instagram to get an eyeful of his latest makes and watch him pole dance too.
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Richard Whent
Richard became a sewist late in life. Having learned the basics of how to use a sewing machine in Home Economics classes at school, he didn’t pursue it because of the stigma that home sewing was for girls. As a big and tall person, Richard became increasingly frustrated with the lack of clothing that would fit him and look good - especially shirts. So in 2019 he bought himself a sewing machine and armed with tutorials on YouTube began teaching himself how to make his own clothes. Richard also had to teach himself how to adjust patterns, as he has yet to find a pattern in his size. His favourite item to make is shirts as they are a great talking point and conversation starter. Richard hopes that Boys Sew Too! will help open the doors for more men to not just the home sewing world, but the home crafting world in general and change the perception that they are only for girls and grannies. More personally, though, he hopes that - as a larger man - we can start to see more variety in patterns for men and for bigger/different body shapes. Richard is an avid crafter and in addition to sewing, he enjoys knitting, crochet and weaving. He's currently looking into ways to include his 3D printing and tech skills into his creations. Getting in the way of his crafting time - but funding it at the same time - is his full time job as a Station Supervisor for London Underground.
Follow Richard on Instagram to check out his latest creations.
