Mamamia, I’m so happy to introduce you to the new C'est du Joly team for October and believe me, you’re going to have more surprises!
Last week we started:
- the registrations for our workshops of our second workshop located at 328 avenue Georges Henri in Woluwe Saint Lambert starting mid-October.
- the course schedule of our first workshop located at 357 avenue de la Couronne in Ixelles for the September start.
There are new courses and especially new faces very motivated to join the adventure!
Don’t worry, the spirit of advice, seriousness of the courses, kindness, and respect for everyone’s progress is at the heart of my concerns. We have selected 3 lively, kind young ladies who will be dedicated to supporting you during the courses and advising you in the shop.
We don’t forget our customers from all over Europe who will also see new names appear on order preparations because at C'est du Joly; everyone does a bit of everything aimed at a single goal: the fulfillment of our students, our customers, and our employees. That’s what Gaetan and I wish for C'est du Joly!
Introduction to the little story of C'est du Joly!
If you already know the story, feel free to skip to the next paragraph or reread it to refresh your memory 😊
In April 2019, I created the sewing advice blog where you are currently reading. You are reading the 381st blog article. I haven’t been idle in 6 years with a pace of more than one article per week! Originally, I kept the blog to share my passion for sewing and to escape from my hospital work.
March 2020 marks a turning point with covid but also in my professional life. With my partner Gaetan, we launched the site C'est du Joly. During 2020, I ordered Japanese fabric because Japan is also one of my great passions; no wonder that to this day a nice selection directly from Japan is offered to you 😂.
The haberdashery will arrive in the coming months to complete the online offer. Some loyal customers remember the time when they used to come to my place to pick up their fabrics... right Anne and Véronique...?
In April 2021, after supporting, organizing, and backing my team during the COVID period, I am ready and resign from my hospital role to devote myself solely to C'est du Joly and its development
July 2021: A commercial space becomes available near my home... the stars align, we move forward!
May 2022: After quite a bit of work, we open the physical shop in Ixelles and start the courses!
Céline Da. joins the team for sales on Saturdays while I teach sewing courses.
End of 2022, we expand the offer with products for knitting, embroidery, and crochet. Céline teaches the crochet courses and I teach the embroidery courses 😊.
2023: I work a lot and you may remember that in my 2023 resolutions, I talk about getting help... I receive a call from Marie-Hélène whom I don’t know at all and who tells me she would like to work with me 😳. Marie joins us and takes over some of the courses and opens new time slots. This allows me to work on new course themes. We also start knitting courses.
January 2024: Once again carried away by my creative joy and excited with Marie to create new courses, well, we are overwhelmed in the shop and absolutely need reinforcements. Céline leaves her job in December 2023 and joins us full-time in March 2024. The year 2024 marks a turning point for the store which becomes too small, we start looking for a bigger space in Ixelles but the searches in our municipality and neighborhood are quite unsuccessful 🥲
That's when Vanessa visits us because she is looking for a new challenge after closing her haberdashery at the end of 2023. I would be delighted to have her with us but we just hired Céline and we really can't afford to hire two people at the same time. No matter, in January 2025 we need reinforcements again, Vanessa joins us to complete the shop and workshop team.
May 2025: The Woluwe municipality issues a call for tenders to take over the rental of the premises at 328 Avenue George Henri, a well-known address for creative people with a magnificent 300m2 space; exactly the space we were looking for in Ixelles and that Gaetan and I have been desperately trying to find... After nights of hesitation and long discussions between managers with different profiles, we decide to submit an application and apply.
July 2025: We are selected... C'est du Joly Woluwe is underway 😊 and we need to find new great colleagues and teachers to create a course program to post in August for classes starting in mid-October.
What an adventure to recruit my future colleagues in less than a month! Ha ha, but you know my legendary energy, challenge successfully met!
So, ready to discover them?
Ségolène - sewing and pattern making teacher - sales (Ixelles and Woluwe)
How I met Ségolène...
There’s this young lady who often comes to the shop during lunch break and is discreet, smiling, very gentle... I can tell she knows fabrics, we talk about materials, patterns, it’s always very pleasant to chat with her...
So when I started compulsively searching the internet for a sewing teacher in early July (because I was desperate 😂) and came across her profile as a sewing teacher; without hesitation, I called her!
We met for a first interview and the connection was immediate... problem: Ségolène is a pharmacist and already works in a pharmacy... Will she accept to give up a stable and well-paid job to challenge herself with us, a start-up where everyone has to do a bit of everything, help each other, and make sure the shop and workshop run smoothly?
Well, two days later, after a night of reflection, Ségolène said yes and took on the challenge with us!
Ségolène herself
I started sewing at the age of 16. At first, I just wanted to learn how to sew on a button and use a sewing machine. Little by little, I moved from making accessories to clothing.
Sewing remained a hobby during my secondary and university studies.
After completing my studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences, I decided to follow my heart and resume studies: in fashion! Graduated from the Haute Ecole HELMo mode, I had the honor of receiving the jury prize for my final collection, which rewards both the aesthetic and technical aspects.
I later had the pleasure of passing on my knowledge and passion as a teacher at HELMo mode, where I taught sewing and pattern making courses. My teaching approach, characterized by my cheerful, patient, and dynamic nature, allows me to create a rich and motivating learning environment for my students.
Today I want to share my passion with you and introduce you to the world of sewing that I love so much.
Fun Facts:
- My passions are all things hands-on: sewing but I also love all the creative activities to do with friends (candles, jewelry, ceramic painting, pastries…).
- I started machine embroidery too and I love making video montages.
- I also love all kinds of events, I enjoy organizing birthday parties, Christmas, etc.
- My favorite dish is crepes (I prefer sweet over savory) 🥞
- My favorite color is turquoise
- I'm on team cats 🐈⬛
And 2 fun fun facts:
- Ségolène and I share a very particular characteristic that you will discover below... suspense!
- I hired Ségolène’s cousin in my other hospital life and it was a very nice collaboration... how small the world is!
Noémie - sewing teacher - sales and web orders (Ixelles and Woluwe)
How I met Noémie
Nine months ago, a kind young lady sent me a little email saying, "Hello, I’m Noémie, I have a YouTube channel dedicated to sewing and I’d like to interview you... in English" ... OK, let’s go! 😂
The appointment was set and Noémie came to film the interview. She is super kind, puts me at ease, reassures me... in short, the dreaded challenge of an interview in another language turned into a friendly moment. Naturally, we talked about fabrics, patterns, social media,... and I discovered a great, dynamic, resourceful girl, and I don’t forget her ability to make me feel comfortable in the difficult exercise I had agreed to undertake.
And of course, I thought of her when we launched the recruitment because Noémie is a go-getter who loves challenges and pushing herself, but she is also a gentle, warm, and caring person—qualities we appreciate so much both in the shop and in the workshop...
So, ready to discover Noémie?
Noémie herself
I have always had an artistic spirit.
At school, I took an art expression option, with a passion for photography and video but also for dance, which I have practiced since I was 4 years old.
At 15, I choreographed my first dance show and handled all the logistics: renting the venue, paying music copyright fees, buying drinks and snacks for the intermission.After my studies, I entered the workforce and focused my jobs on digital communication.
My motto: you can do anything! No matter the difficulty of the project, everything can be broken down into simple elements. I have always loved teaching, whether it was dance, French, linguistics, or English. I can’t wait to teach sewing this time, especially Lycra sewing because I love sewing leotards and swimsuits!
Fun facts:
- I have a love for Anglophone culture: studies in English literature, I’m a huge fan of the Great British Sewing Bee as well as the Great British Bake Off (the best tailor and the best baker, British versions).
- I’m on the dog team with my corgi, the favorite breed of the late Queen of England.
- I have also sung and danced in several musicals, the last one with my dog who had the main canine role!
Fun fun fact:
- Already mark it in your spring 2026 calendar, there will be a swimsuit course with Noémie!
If you want to watch or rewatch my interview in English, it’s right here
Céline De - sewing and pattern making teacher - sales (Woluwe)
How I met Céline De.
July 2025, I received a very interesting application in my inbox from an experienced sewing teacher... I called the candidate who accepted a first meeting.
During the interview, when I asked Céline why she applied with us... she told me it was her students who encouraged her because she needed course hours after resigning from a position that didn’t suit her. I thought she was very lucky to have students who cared about her like that and that beyond her undeniable technical skills, Céline had the right mindset to build a great relationship with her students, and we love that here at C'est du Joly!
Céline De. by herself
In 1998, I started sewing on my own (we had to manage without the internet 😂 back then). I wanted to transform vintage clothes bought at the flea market.Fun facts
- For several years, I have been a demonstrator for the Bernina brand, which has always been my favorite brand.
- Besides that, I enjoy sports, books, escape rooms, flea markets, and second-hand shops.
- I’m in my element in the mountains.
- I love the Fantasy universe, robots, and butterflies.
- I have a fascination for clock mechanisms.
- I’m on the cat team even though I’m appreciating dogs more and more.
- I’m a pattern addict. I want to try everything!!!
Fun fun facts: Guess to whom Céline De. passed on her love of sewing... I’ll give you a hint: Ségolène!
So we have two pairs of former teacher/student at the workshop, who would have imagined that!
Marie (- Hélène) - sewing and knitting teacher - sales (Ixelles and Woluwe)
How did I meet Marie?
In 2023, I’m tired of working alone on the sewing workshops, I need help but I don’t dare admit it... then a phone call: "Hello, my name is Marie, we don’t know each other but I’d like to work with you!"
Well okay, maybe we can meet? 😂
Well, since then, Marie has been there, faithful at her post, and I bless her for her help and enthusiasm every time I start my sentences with "shall we do a workshop on..." Anyway, Marie has become my right hand for course development; she was actually the one who inaugurated and created the new lingerie workshops.
Marie by herself
I’m Marie. I’ve always been passionate about threads, sewing, weaving, fabrics, clothes, history, fashion, and art. I’ve always loved introducing things to people. For my mother, it was unthinkable that I would do any training other than university. So, I chose what was closest to my desires: art history. That led me to give guided tours and write a bit. Then, I walked into a secondary school to become a teacher! Throughout all those years, sewing threads and knitting yarns were never far away.
And then, one day, a big leap: I walked through the door of the Arts and Crafts school in Brussels to train in women's clothing making. It was the best decision of my life.
With my diploma in hand and a few sewing workshops behind me, I dared to call Eugénie to ask for an appointment. I was so nervous! I didn’t want to waste my chance to work at C'est du Joly.
Today, I love supporting people who come to the workshop to discover sewing or improve their skills. I love introducing knitting and all its techniques but also helping people in their treasure hunt in the shop.
And the icing on the cake is that I keep training myself and discovering a little more every day the wonderful worlds of thread arts! Are you coming with me?
Fun facts:
- Having knitted left-handed then right-handed, today I am ambidextrous in knitting: I can knit as well as right-handers as left-handers. That means I no longer have to do purl rows sometimes. Those who know, know! ^^- Among other things, I sew on a 1955 Pfaff sewing machine. It’s my grandmother’s treadle machine. A real gem!
- All my sewing machines are named after female fashion designers: Elsa, Vivienne, and Madeleine. But who do they refer to?
- Yuzu and Cannelle can only confirm that I am on the cat team!
Céline Da. - crochet and sewing teacher, web orders and sales (Ixelles and Woluwe)
How did I meet Céline?
Céline is the story of when your neighbor becomes your friend and then your friend becomes your colleague 😂
Céline was there at the very beginnings of C'est du Joly. She helped us with the work of breaking down, dismantling, reassembling, tidying up... in short, Céline is the friend you can count on ❤️. She is also our first employee; she joined us in 2022 for the opening of the physical store in Ixelles.
Today, Céline works full-time and is my right hand for managing stock and web orders. Luckily she’s here to handle with me our more than 10,000 references!
Céline in her own words
I have always loved creative arts. After finishing secondary school, I began photography studies in Tournai before redirecting myself to training in jewelry making.
With my diploma in hand, I started looking for a job related to my expertise in metalwork. I became a restorer of archaeological metal objects!
Beyond that, I create enamels, enamel jewelry on copper plates, but also lots of crochet projects! I make shawls, bags, amigurumis that are a feast for the eyes! You’ll see quite a few of them in the shop.
Since May 2022, I have been advising you in the shop and giving crochet and accessory sewing courses at the workshop.
Fun Facts:
- I love ❤️❤️❤️ cats. I have two little companions: a pure white one with odd eyes, Adélie, and a little tortoiseshell named Boogie Woogie.
- I also love glitter, birds, and I have a green thumb.
Vanessa - sewing and patchwork teacher - sales (Ixelles and Woluwe)
How did I meet Vanessa?
Once upon a time, there was a young woman who had bought a mechanical Toyota machine to live her dream as a seamstress, her name was Eugénie. Eugénie had big plans but it quickly became clear she would need someone trained in addition to her technical books... so, she looked at sewing course offers and pushed open the door of the Wonderland haberdashery and workshop in Uccle... Guess who was the teacher and manager of this haberdashery...
Vanessa in her own words
Trained as a Fashion Designer and Milliner, I have worked in the demanding and rigorous world of Haute Couture, notably at Christian Lacroix.
Founder of the Wonderland haberdashery in Brussels, I have supported passionate people in their learning of sewing and pattern making for over 10 years.
Always inspired by textile crafts and fashion history, I have been sewing for 35 years, which has become a true therapy and daily well-being!
What truly drives me in teaching: sharing a passion, passing on know-how, precision, and creativity. A natural educator, I adapt my methods to each student, whether beginner or advanced, always emphasizing the joy of making and self-confidence.
Fun Fact:
- I have a passion for dyeing and indigo
- I love Asian food
- I’m on the dog team
Gaetan - manager, treasurer, and customer relations
Gaëtan is, above all, my love ❤️ but not only that... he’s also my management partner, and I’m so glad he’s here to support me!
Every year, he has to do more and more for C'est du Joly, and I can never thank him enough for supporting all my craziness and staying calm in the face of my overflowing ideas 😂
Today, Gaetan manages all the IT (sales, stock, website, photo editing) while I create the product sheets 😊. He also handles contracts, accounting, finance, HR, and believe me, that’s no small feat in a small growing business like ours! He also supports after-sales service and customer service; in fact, he’s the one who answers your questions about PDF pattern sales. Finally, he proofreads my blog articles and newsletters.Luckily Gaetan is hyperactive 🤣 like me; together we make a great team!
Some Fun Facts:
- He speaks 6 languages: French, Dutch, English, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese, and he wants to learn more 😳
- He’s an athlete: he runs 10km every morning upon waking before having his breakfast
- He was the first Japan enthusiast who passed on his love for the Land of the Rising Sun to me.
- He is actually the guide on our trips (I’m the one who makes the plans, otherwise we wouldn’t go anywhere) but without him to get me there, we’d quickly go in circles 🤣
- Gaetan is also part of the cat team
Eugénie - manager - sewing, embroidery, and patchwork teacher... (Ixelles and Woluwe)
I have been passionate about creative arts since childhood; I learned embroidery with my mom at the age of 5!
My grandfather was a shoemaker and my grandmother a seamstress and embroiderer... I spent a lot of time in the workshop sniffing the leather, playing in the scraps, and having fun with my sister playing shop!
After a very full and hectic hospital career, I wanted to return to my first loves... Covid hastened my decision a bit... after all, you only live once!
I had about ten years of sewing experience behind me and 30 years of embroidery; it was time to take the plunge!
Plus, the shop in Ixelles that I liked became available 2 months after I resigned, the stars were aligning.
Today, the Ixelles shop has become too small and when the Woluwe municipality put out a call for tenders to rent the beautiful space at 328 Avenue Georges Henri, Gaetan and I took on the challenge of creating a larger space that will still allow my creativity to grow 😂!
My wardrobe today is almost entirely made up of clothes I have sewn myself. You often ask me at the shop, “Which pattern are you wearing?” 😂
In short, this practice gives me great knowledge of different techniques and patterns; in fact, I love discovering new pattern brands and offering them to you.
I’m a fan of embroidery and I really like sashiko, the Japanese embroidery.
So I am the embroidery teacher and I give themed sewing courses and free project workshops.
I am also the person who develops C'est du Joly both in choosing products for the store and in guiding the new course themes.
Fun Fact:
- I’m on the cat team and I have a little companion Gala who has been aging way too fast for my taste lately... today, she is blind but don’t worry, even without sight she’s the first to detect pattern paper or fabric on the floor 😂! She is impressive in her resilience.
- I’m a fan of Japan and Gaetan and I go there to bring back gems for the shop.
- I’m a fan of colors and patterns because life is too short to dress in black!
Now you know a little more about us and our lovely new colleagues!
We can't wait to introduce them to you "in person" in the shop and workshop!
Feel free to take a look at the site to discover the course offerings in Woluwe Saint Lambert and Ixelles.
Don't hesitate to write to me at eugenie@cestdujoly.be if you have any questions or requests about the courses; I will be happy to answer you.
See you very soon,
Eugénie and the whole team.
