Today, we’re excited to introduce our newest JUKI Ambassador, Amanda Gerard, the talented founder and owner of SewBestie LLC, located in the heart of Oceanside, California! With over 20 years of sewing experience, Amanda has turned her passion for textile art into a thriving business that serves the San Diego and North County communities. SewBestie LLC offers a variety of classes designed with beginners in mind, making the art of sewing accessible and enjoyable for both children and adults.
Amanda’s journey began at 11 when she first noticed her mother repairing and hemming clothing on her sewing machine. Though her mother was not an expert sewist, Amanda’s curiosity was piqued, and she asked to learn more. With a simple introduction to the basics from her mother —how to turn on the machine and thread it—Amanda’s started learning through trial and error! Her first major project, a Renaissance Noble costume, proved to be both a challenge and a revelation. Despite the difficulties of working with upholstery, satin, boning, and grommets, Amanda finished the costume and discovered her love for textile art.
“I have been lucky my entire life to have a very vivid imagination, so I can look at a fabric and immediately see in my head where it’s going to go and how it is going to match specific patterns and placement in a design.”
Creativity is at the core of Amanda’s work! She deeply loves bright colors and high-contrast designs, often gravitating toward rainbow palettes that bring her strong imagination to life. When designing custom garments and accessories for clients, Her favorite projects are those where clients give her creative freedom! With a theme and budget, Amanda can explore new techniques and push the boundaries of her craft. In recent years, vinyl has become one of her preferred materials, particularly in bag-making, where she enjoys experimenting with clear and smooth varieties. Collaborating with independent designers has been especially fulfilling for Amanda, as she’s loved helping bring their unique visions to life.
When asked about the fabrics and patterns she enjoys most, Amanda shouted out her love for vinyl! Transitioning from clothing to bag-making was a significant shift in her creative journey, but one that she was excited to embrace. Working with vinyl, particularly in the form of backpacks or makeup bags, has opened up new avenues for her creativity.
To further enhance her skills, Amanda has attended various workshops over the years, with one class elevating her journey to new levels she hadn’t touched before. A few years ago, she attended an industrial machine workshop with Ann Benvenuto of Simple Artful Stuff in Dallas, Texas. This experience introduced her to the world of industrial straight stitch machines, specifically geared towards bag making! The workshop, which focused on crafting leather bags, provided Amanda with invaluable knowledge about working with leather and the tools and machines required for the process. This experience led her to invest in JUKI’s Industrial 1541 and 1341 machines, which have become essential in her leather crafting and larger vinyl projects. Since then, Ann has continued to be a mentor and source of inspiration for Amanda, whose skills and passion for sewing have continued to grow since that pivotal workshop.
Amanda’s love for sewing goes beyond creating, and now she shares her knowledge of the hobby she loves. Opening her first sewing classroom in 2018 was an exciting and nerve-wracking experience for Amanda. In discussing her plans with her husband, she realized there were no similar classes or workshops available in their area of South Carolina. While her husband worried that this indicated a lack of interest, Amanda believed it was because no one had yet filled the gap. And her instincts proved correct!
The community’s response was overwhelmingly positive, with children and adults eager to participate in her classes. Today, SewBestie’s classes boast a roughly even split between kids and adults, reflecting the widespread enthusiasm for sewing that Amanda has helped cultivate. However, some challenges came with tackling this new venture.
“I didn’t think that I had enough knowledge to share with other people… Once I started sharing my knowledge and walking people through the basics, I realized how much I knew.”
One challenge Amanda faced when she first started SewBestie LLC was imposter syndrome and questioning whether she had enough knowledge to share with others. Amanda pushed forward, even with these doubts, and surprised herself with the knowledge she had accumulated over the years of sewing. She’s gone on to develop foundation projects for her students, designed to build their skills progressively. Each project builds upon the last, allowing students to grow confidently as they learn.
While Amanda’s classes have continued to succeed, she admits that she still contends with imposter syndrome and believes it’s important to remain humble and open to learning every day.
In the long run, teaching others to sew has become one of the most rewarding aspects of Amanda’s career. She thrives when watching her students, particularly adults, overcome their fear of trying something new. Children, she notes, tend to be fearless, while adults are often more cautious. Seeing the moment when a student has a breakthrough—when something finally clicks—it’s that light bulb moment she loves to witness. She consistently encourages her students to trust the process, even if they’re unsure how everything will come together.
Since opening her classes, Amanda’s most memorable teaching moment has been with a student named Ryan, who has been a student at SewBestie for a few years. Ryan, a young student, once brought in a hand-drawn picture of an animal monster and, with Amanda’s guidance, turned it into a stuffed animal within two hours, impressing her with his passion! Because of his passion, Amanda has helped Ryan explore the world of heavier fabrics with the JUKI TL.
As Amanda looks to the future for SewBestie, she is excited about expanding their lessons by including retreats and events and continuing to work on their YouTube channel. With a goal of reaching 10,000 subscribers, Amanda is eager to continue sharing her love for sewing with an even wider audience! You can learn more about SewBestie’s YouTube by visiting here.
For aspiring sewists and entrepreneurs, Amanda’s advice is simple: Don’t stop learning and always keep your passion at the forefront. She says, “When you enjoy your passion, it shows, and the business will come.”
Amanda Gerard’s journey from self-taught sewist to successful entrepreneur and JUKI Ambassador is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and creativity. We’re thrilled to have her as part of the JUKI family and can’t wait to see how she continues to inspire and teach others in the years to come!
“Don’t stop! Learning is not something that happens overnight; it’s a process that takes time and practice.”
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