Leo S

My great-uncle Moshe was a tailor. When he first came to Canada he sewed pockets on an assembly line for Harry Rosen. He taught me how to construct a welt pocket and that set off my admiration for technique and precision. I inherited Moshe’s scissors and they are my most beloved tools.

My background is in garment sewing and I have a degree in Fashion Design from Ryerson University. I specialized in knitwear and took courses in traditional tailoring.

I really love tools! My current favourite sewing tool is my mini duck bill scissors. I have a sizeable collection of presser feet — they are thrilling to me!

Being at the workroom makes me feel like I need to be stitching *right now* — so when I leave work I am either going home to sew or going out to knit with my friends. Another thing I like about the workroom is being around people who practice patience and actively seek out new challenges through their projects.

My favourite personal project is a sheepskin hat that I drafted and sewed while in residency at the Icelandic Textile Centre in Blönduós. My goal for the residency was to re-learn how to play while making and how to trust myself. My project developed naturally and I got to work with local materials.

This year my project goals are to make my first quilt and to sew a jean jacket.