Couture Club

When you make something yourself, it makes you proud

Farideh Zoviedvian (47) is the owner of Karoon Sewing Studio, located in De Rink in Caberg. People come to her for clothing repairs, alterations and made-to-measure garments. But she also shares her skills with others. Every Friday, Farideh offers free sewing lessons. Over twelve lessons, participants learn sewing techniques step by step, including how to work with patterns. Beginners are welcome too. “The best thing about sewing is that you can create exactly what you want,” she says.

A name close to home

The name Karoon was chosen with care. Farideh comes from Ahvaz, a city in Iran that lies on the banks of the Karoon River. “The Karoon is part of my city and part of who I am,” she says. “That's why I wanted the name to be part of my business.” Farideh knows the profession inside out. In Ahvaz, she ran a large sewing workshop with employees for many years, producing everything from school uniforms to evening wear.

That experience is still visible in her work today. On her Instagram page, @karoon_kleermaker, you can find evening gowns, wedding dresses, tailored suits and children's clothing. In one corner of her studio stands a dress she is particularly proud of. “I can't stop sewing,” she says with a smile. “I love my work. And I love making challenging things.” 

From home to her own studio

When Farideh started sewing in Maastricht in 2021, she worked from home. She posted a message in a neighbourhood app, and slowly the first customers found their way to her. Word spread, and the number of clients continued to grow.

It was great for business, but her home became increasingly busy. Customers regularly visited, and the line between work and private life began to disappear. Through the network of one of her former students, Farideh was offered a workspace at De Rink. She is still happy with that decision today. “Home is home, and work is work,” she says. Having a separate studio brought peace and balance.

Made-to-measure

Four days a week, Farideh works in her studio for customers. Need a pair of trousers shortened? A jacket taken in? Or another alteration? Farideh can help. She also creates garments entirely from scratch. Custom-made work gives her the opportunity to use both her experience and creativity. One project she remembers particularly fondly is a wedding dress for a customer from Germany. The bride travelled all the way to Maastricht specifically to have her dress made by Farideh after hearing about her through a contact in the city. Other customers discover the studio through Facebook, sometimes travelling from places as far away as Amersfoort for a custom-made wedding dress. 

Learning together

Fridays are different. Instead of working for customers, Farideh opens her studio to students. The sewing course consists of twelve lessons. 

Rawdo Hamid (54) has been attending for three months. She and Farideh first met during Dutch language classes at VISTA College while working on their integration courses. Over time, they became close friends. Rawdo had learned some basic sewing as a child, but Farideh helped her develop many new skills. The project she is most proud of is a skirt she made during the course. “When you've made something completely by yourself, you feel proud,” she says. 

There is another reason she enjoys coming to class. “It's always gezellig here.” The lessons are about more than sewing. There is plenty of chatting, laughing and sharing stories. Farideh hopes to make future classes a little longer so there is time for a coffee break as well. Building connections is important to her. Even customers who stop by to drop off clothing often stay for a conversation.

Just get started

You do not need any sewing experience to join. Most participants begin with the basics. If enough people are interested in learning more advanced techniques, Farideh can create separate groups to match their goals. She has a large collection of sewing patterns in different styles and sizes, many of which she brought from Ahvaz. When learning pattern making, students first take their own measurements. Then they gradually create a pattern tailored to their body. It is not always easy. 

Ilana Milova (45), originally from Latvia and now living in Mariaberg, found pattern making difficult at first. Since then, she has created a blouse pattern herself and even shortened a pair of jeans. Her next goal is to make her own clothing from start to finish. Dahné Grassère (27), who lives in Malpertuis, also attends the classes. With help from fellow students, she recently made a dress from viscose fabric. For her, learning together is one of the best parts. “If someone doesn't understand something, somebody else helps.” 

There is usually no shortage of materials. Local people regularly donate fabric and sewing supplies to the studio, giving students plenty of opportunities to practise and experiment. At Karoon, sewing is learned mainly by doing: starting, trying and improving step by step. Farideh believes this is similar to how she learned Dutch. By speaking with people every day, her confidence gradually grew. The same happens in the sewing studio. Students try things themselves, ask questions and help one another when they get stuck. And by the end of the course, they leave with more than new skills. They leave with something they can proudly hold in their hands and say: “I made this myself.”