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About Top Stitch Guildford

Top Stitch Guildford

Founder & Qualified Tutor

Gail Ames

A widely experienced and professional tailoress and dressmaker, Gail comes from a family line of tailors extending back to her Grandmother who’s family made waistcoats from their premises in New Bond Street in the 1920’s.  Starting with a City & Guilds qualification from the London College of Fashion.

Top Stitch Guildford

Gail was for many years a self-employed tailoress and dressmaker before taking a Certificate in Further and Higher Education in 2011. Having achieved Qualified Teacher Learning & Skills Status (QTLS), Gail has worked with the Surrey Adult Learning and lectured at Farnborough College.  She now focuses all her time on Top Stitch Guildford courses and her designer collection called Sadie May ®.

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Steph Allen Costumes

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Steph Allen Costumes

Steph Allen - Ex Student from FCOT (Farnborough)

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"I am so glad your business is going well - I think you were just starting up when I was leaving FCoT, so I'm glad it's going strong! I still think you are the best pattern cutting teacher I've ever had!"

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Steph freelances for Pinewood Studios as a Costume Designer and runs her own business - one of the films she created a costume for was

'Haunting in Venice' Film

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Haunting in Venice Film

Address: No. 25 Smithbrook Kilns, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 8JJ

Mobile: 07949 616 761

Email: gail@topstitch-guildford.co.uk​

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Copyright ©️ 2026 Gail Ames. Top Stitch Guildford®️/ Sadie May®️. All work created by Gail Ames. All rights reserved. These guides are protected under copyright law. Permission must be obtained from the author prior to any unauthorised reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by any means—whether electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise.

 

Top Stitch Guildford®️ & Sadie May®️ accepts no responsibility for the improper application of techniques or for any issues arising from ill-fitting finished garments.

 

Sadie May®️ Collection/Top Stitch Guildford®️ patterns sold exclusively for personal, non-commercial home use and may not be used for any commercial or manufacturing purposes.

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