Student Success Stories
“Since training with Victoria in 2017 my business and sewing skills continue to grow. The training programme gave me great confidence to go out and launch my business, knowing I had the support of Victoria and past students made it so much easier. I now run my own soft furnishings business, working from home and I have an online shop where I sell my handmade home accessories.”
Molly Leslie
www.mollyleslie.com
“Since training with Victoria in 2017 my business and sewing skills continue to grow. The training programme gave me great confidence to go out and launch my business, knowing I had the support of Victoria and past students made it so much easier. I now run my own soft furnishings business, working from home and I have an online shop where I sell my handmade home accessories.”
Molly Leslie
www.mollyleslie.com
“After completing Victoria Hammond’s Diploma in Professional Curtain Making & Soft Furnishings, I started my own business working from a small workroom in my home. Concentrating on providing a high quality product and a great service experience for my customers, I soon began to get recommendations and build a lovely client base. Three years later, it became apparent to move to the next stage, I required more space and a bigger table! Last year I moved into a large dedicated workroom space, which has enabled me to extend my service offering and make larger projects more comfortably. It takes hard work, dedication and time. Prior to the course, I was a complete novice with no experience of sewing. To see my little business grow has been so rewarding. I can’t recommend Victoria Hammond Academy high enough!”
Maria Stritch
“After completing Victoria Hammond’s Diploma in Professional Curtain Making & Soft Furnishings, I started my own business working from a small workroom in my home. Concentrating on providing a high quality product and a great service experience for my customers, I soon began to get recommendations and build a lovely client base. Three years later, it became apparent to move to the next stage, I required more space and a bigger table! Last year I moved into a large dedicated workroom space, which has enabled me to extend my service offering and make larger projects more comfortably. It takes hard work, dedication and time. Prior to the course, I was a complete novice with no experience of sewing. To see my little business grow has been so rewarding. I can’t recommend Victoria Hammond Academy high enough!”
Maria Stritch
“After a battle with breast cancer in 2017 I realised I wanted to leave my marketing and PR career behind me and get back into soft furnishings. All my life I have tinkered with crafts and soft furnishings, but I was self taught. So if I was going to be taken seriously and create beautiful work and have a successful business I knew I needed to study and probably gain a qualification. After some considerable searching online I decided that Victoria Hammonds Accademy was the right fit for me. The intensive format suited my learning style and personal circumstances. So I arranged for my mother to fly over from Spain to look after my then six year old son (and husband!) so I could attend the courses.
The course was attended by students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. The classroom setting was professional, relaxed and allows for total creativity. Victoria’s ability to manage the varying abilities and personalities in the classroom was impressive. The techniques you learn are traditional and allow you to create projects with absolute perfection; no short cuts or second-class techniques allowed! I was impressed by the vast range of techniques and subjects covered in the course and I believe it’s this learning that has enabled me to grow my business so quickly. After just six months in business I achieved a fabulous work-life balance with plenty of work booked in. Repeat business is frequent, my customers always recommend me to friends or family and I get plenty of referrals on social media.
My change of career at 39 years old was a brave and scary thing to do, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. So if you’re reading this and thinking “should I do this course?” Then my answer to you would be, hell yes!“
Tanya Ruffles
www.weaveandwoven.co.uk
“I would love to thank you very much Victoria. The courses you do are amazing and I would not be where I am if it wasn’t for the courses I did with you.”
Patricia Nkomo
www.athomewithtrishinteriors.co.uk
GREY SHED INTERIORS
“Finding Victoria Hammond Academy has been a life changing experience for me. It is honestly the best thing I have ever done. Victoria gave me the confidence in my ability to set up my own little business which I just love. Victoria has a fantastic way of teaching and the on line forum is also brilliant, allowing you to stay in touch with all the lovely people you meet along the journey.
I would highly recommend to anyone. Thank you so much Victoria x”
Fiona King
www.greyshedinteriors.com
GREY SHED INTERIORS
“Finding Victoria Hammond Academy has been a life changing experience for me. It is honestly the best thing I have ever done. Victoria gave me the confidence in my ability to set up my own little business which I just love. Victoria has a fantastic way of teaching and the on line forum is also brilliant, allowing you to stay in touch with all the lovely people you meet along the journey.
I would highly recommend to anyone. Thank you so much Victoria x”
Fiona King
www.greyshedinteriors.com
“I can’t recommend Victoria Hammond’s courses highly enough. I signed up on the recommendation of a friend and am astonished that in under a year, I have completed courses 1 and 2 and am now working part time at a bespoke curtain and blind making company and also undertaking work privately. I had dreamt of this change of direction for many years during corporate life in London and I owe so much to Victoria for making this a very tangible reality. The courses and Victoria’s expert guidance combined with the student community she has created provides everything you need to get started to create beautiful soft furnishings which I had always dreamt of owning, let alone making.”
Lucy Vaughan-Griffith
www.potterandbimble.co.uk
“I can’t recommend Victoria Hammond’s courses highly enough. I signed up on the recommendation of a friend and am astonished that in under a year, I have completed courses 1 and 2 and am now working part time at a bespoke curtain and blind making company and also undertaking work privately. I had dreamt of this change of direction for many years during corporate life in London and I owe so much to Victoria for making this a very tangible reality. The courses and Victoria’s expert guidance combined with the student community she has created provides everything you need to get started to create beautiful soft furnishings which I had always dreamt of owning, let alone making.”
Lucy Vaughan-Griffith
www.potterandbimble.co.uk
Rachel Markham Harris
www.cheekypickle.co.uk
Rachel Markham Harris
www.cheekypickle.co.uk
Victoria Newton
www.victoria-newton.co.uk
interiordesigncollective.co.uk
Victoria Newton
www.victoria-newton.co.uk
interiordesigncollective.co.uk
“I have pursued Interior Design courses through RMIT Melbourne whilst creating different residential projects in Melbourne. On completing a village house renovation in Burgundy, research soon led me to Victoria Hammond Academy which offers accredited certificate courses in curtain making and interior design for small groups. I graduated an intense and stimulating 6 weeks later with a thorough grounding in bespoke curtain making. As well as the subject itself, Victoria instils a very thorough approach to organisation, sourcing materials, business establishment and development of client relationship. Furthermore, in line with my specific focus Victoria provided a short, intense 1 on 1 sequence of study on Interior Design. Her wide ranging experience and perception proved to be of much value and prompted me to further my studies with one of the world’s leading Interior Design learning institutions. I found Victoria’s studio manner very effective, often anticipating any confusion or doubt one may have and the studio mood was always positive and congenial. Victoria Hammond Academy offers a very thorough introduction in this field and I have no hesitation recommending any of her courses.”
Maria Bortolotto
www.burgundyluxe.com
“I have pursued Interior Design courses through RMIT Melbourne whilst creating different residential projects in Melbourne. On completing a village house renovation in Burgundy, research soon led me to Victoria Hammond Academy which offers accredited certificate courses in curtain making and interior design for small groups. I graduated an intense and stimulating 6 weeks later with a thorough grounding in bespoke curtain making. As well as the subject itself, Victoria instils a very thorough approach to organisation, sourcing materials, business establishment and development of client relationship. Furthermore, in line with my specific focus Victoria provided a short, intense 1 on 1 sequence of study on Interior Design. Her wide ranging experience and perception proved to be of much value and prompted me to further my studies with one of the world’s leading Interior Design learning institutions. I found Victoria’s studio manner very effective, often anticipating any confusion or doubt one may have and the studio mood was always positive and congenial. Victoria Hammond Academy offers a very thorough introduction in this field and I have no hesitation recommending any of her courses.”
Maria Bortolotto
www.burgundyluxe.com
“I trained with Victoria in 2010, intending to learn how to make curtains for my home. She was so inspiring that I left my job in banking and started Catherine Lepreux Interiors. Since then, I’ve specialised in bespoke window treatments for traditional properties with large or quirky windows, which suit something a little bit different. For example, I’ve made several London blinds for a client who was sold once she saw the sample I had made on Victoria’s course.”
Catherine Lepreux
www.catherinelepreux.co.uk
“I trained with Victoria in 2010, intending to learn how to make curtains for my home. She was so inspiring that I left my job in banking and started Catherine Lepreux Interiors. Since then, I’ve specialised in bespoke window treatments for traditional properties with large or quirky windows, which suit something a little bit different. For example, I’ve made several London blinds for a client who was sold once she saw the sample I had made on Victoria’s course.”
Catherine Lepreux
www.catherinelepreux.co.uk
“Training with Victoria in 2017 gave me the confidence to follow my dream and set up my own soft furnishings and interior design business, Fable and Willow in 2018 . Victoria taught us techniques and methodology to an extremely high standard which gave me the confidence to build my skill set and work on some truly exciting and technical projects to date. It also gave me the chance to make friends with like-minded people and access to a wonderful community full of experience and expertise. I am now continuing to grow the business year on year and am excited to what will come next.”
Emma Bloor
www.fableandwillow.co.uk
“Training with Victoria in 2017 gave me the confidence to follow my dream and set up my own soft furnishings and interior design business, Fable and Willow in 2018 . Victoria taught us techniques and methodology to an extremely high standard which gave me the confidence to build my skill set and work on some truly exciting and technical projects to date. It also gave me the chance to make friends with like-minded people and access to a wonderful community full of experience and expertise. I am now continuing to grow the business year on year and am excited to what will come next.”
Emma Bloor
www.fableandwillow.co.uk
“I had made curtains in the past but felt I needed to enhance my skills. I wanted to produce beautifully made soft furnishings with a truly professional finish. Victoria’s courses have provided me with the knowledge and confidence to set up my own business which I run from my home based workroom. I have worked on a variety of projects large & small and am looking forward to Eastwick & Wright Interiors expanding in the future.”
Karen Wright
“I trained with Victoria in 2016 in order to improve my skills and build my curtain making business. Victoria has a great deal of experience and a natural ability to pass her knowledge on to others. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Victoria’s Academy, making friends for life along the way. The skills I learned have given me the confidence and ability to expand both my client base and the products and services I am able to offer.”
Sara Mason
www.whiterosesewingroom.com
“I trained with Victoria in 2016 in order to improve my skills and build my curtain making business. Victoria has a great deal of experience and a natural ability to pass her knowledge on to others. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Victoria’s Academy, making friends for life along the way. The skills I learned have given me the confidence and ability to expand both my client base and the products and services I am able to offer.”
Sara Mason
www.whiterosesewingroom.com
“When I originally booked to do Victoria’s Diploma courses in 2017 it was to learn how to make curtains and blinds really well – I loved it so much it was clear that this was the career change I had been in pursuit of for some time. Now three years on I continue to learn new skills and the business has grown to be my full time occupation. I feel privileged to be able to do a job that I love, working with beautiful fabrics, making and designing for my clients homes everyday!”
Sandra Duggan
“Since completing the Roman blind and Interior Design course with Victoria I was eager to learn more. I bought Victoria’s curtain making DVD, made lots of notes and started working away. Since creating my first pair of curtains I had more and more people ask if I could make curtains and blinds for them, and from there my business started to grow. I came away from the courses and the DVD feeling confident to go and measure correctly and make high standard made to measure soft furnishings. There is no better feeling than seeing your work installed, that your customer loves, in their home.”
Livi Hunter
itsastitchupsoftfurnishings.com
“Since completing the Roman blind and Interior Design course with Victoria I was eager to learn more. I bought Victoria’s curtain making DVD, made lots of notes and started working away. Since creating my first pair of curtains I had more and more people ask if I could make curtains and blinds for them, and from there my business started to grow. I came away from the courses and the DVD feeling confident to go and measure correctly and make high standard made to measure soft furnishings. There is no better feeling than seeing your work installed, that your customer loves, in their home.”
Livi Hunter
itsastitchupsoftfurnishings.com
“Completing our course with Victoria gave us the confidence to take our fledgling business forward in a professional way. The advice that Victoria was able to share with us proved invaluable in the early days, it made such a difference in our first year of trading. 5 years on, we have gone from strength to strength, working mainly in the country house market, but also with a couple of interior designers. Our time at Bury Farm was great fun, inspiring and well worth doing, we would recommend it to anyone starting out in the soft furnishings industry.”
Susannah & Elizabeth
winserandhillcurtainmakers.co.uk
“Completing our course with Victoria gave us the confidence to take our fledgling business forward in a professional way. The advice that Victoria was able to share with us proved invaluable in the early days, it made such a difference in our first year of trading. 5 years on, we have gone from strength to strength, working mainly in the country house market, but also with a couple of interior designers. Our time at Bury Farm was great fun, inspiring and well worth doing, we would recommend it to anyone starting out in the soft furnishings industry.”
Susannah & Elizabeth
www.winserandhillcurtainmakers.co.uk
“After many years of working in a corporate environment I completed my Diploma with Victoria Hammond in 2016. It was a brilliant start to my new career, a wonderful learning experience and I studied alongside a great bunch of people who have become lifelong friends.
With the confidence and skills that I learnt, I was able to set up my studio and start my own business offering a range of soft furnishings, fabric and hardware items.”
Claudette Webb
www.thedesignwebb.co.uk
Gemma Insoll
Based in Surrey and trained by Victoria in 2012,I have gone onto have a very successful soft furnishing business. I provide consultancy on fabric and style as well as hand finishing to the highest standards. Being taught by Victoria, has equipped me to provide premium quality products and gave me the basis to develop and further extend my skills. Having access to forums with other curtain makers has been so valuable to me, somewhere to turn for another perspective as you consider the best way to tackle a particularly tricky brief, understand something or just need advice. Now I have the benefit of several years experience I am also able to help others on the forum which is a great feeling. For me Victoria’s curtain course was the beginning of a journey to keep learning and building new skills to your offering such as lamp making, interior design etc so your business can continually build and progress.
Louise Cowan
www.louisecowaninteriors.co.uk