The Pneubury Society of Sewing and Tailorship

The Pneubury Society of Sewing and Tailorship is a guild and sewing school located in the industrial town of Pneubury in West Sedia. Considered the best-of-the-best of tailoring education in all of Aresia, it is a well-regarded institution that has become the officially recognised mark of an "accredited" craftsperson. Despite not needing accreditation to run a sewing business, all well-regarded tailors tend to have some form of education through The Society.

History

Sewing in various forms was classically taught apprenticeship-style in tailor shops and dressmakers across the country. Even during the days of steam, most knowledge of sewing was learned person-to-person. During the Great Fluxrace, as production boomed cloth was more easily weaved and able to be made in bulk. With mechanical looms freeing craftpeople's hands and time of the menial task of weaving great swaths of cloth, focus and effort could switch to making fashion into an art rather than a functional necessity. More time and expertise could be focused on intricate embroidery, decorative tailoring and beadwork.

In 12,770SA, Virias-born master embroiderer and seamstress Meloria Miralith snuck into Sedia after her mother's dressmaking business in Isvamelle fell into financial ruin. Knowing of the booming sewing industry in Pneubury and aware that the competition was less tight in Sedia, she took her chances. She made her way across the border through the mountains, alone- as she didn't have the money to immigrate through official routes. After months on the road, she made her way to the factory hub of Sedia; Pneubury.

Meloria worked as a seamstress in factories for more than two decades, supplementing her income with freelance sewing work from home. She made quite a name for herself through her intricate, artistic embroidery renderings. Many called on her to make custom pieces such as wedding gowns, and she was commissioned personally by the Mayor of Pneubury for a distinctive court doublet. In 12,792, she had made enough money that she could began leasing out a small building to educate young folk in the ways of hand-sewing. Many in Sedia wanted to learn the famed craftsmanship of Veridian embroidery and her knowledge was highly sought-after. She was known to often teach underprivileged children for free or at a discount and grew a reputation of being a kind and generous woman. Business booming, she opened a formal school building in an old warehouse on the West side of town in 12,810. Over time, this original, humble warehouse has been expanded upon and reformulated into the graceful and impressive school that stands to this day. The original warehouse building is preserved in the Western wing of the building and used as a small museum of the history of sewing in Pneubury.

Pre-Revolution and Official Founding

Around 12,850SA with the promise of revolution on the horizon, Meloria's school of sewing saw a large and beneficial boom. Believing that the shortage of flux crystals would be permanent and send the world back into a dark age, many took up the craft of sewing to ensure they had a usable craft to fall upon should the industrialisation of fabric be threatened. It was during this explosion of applications that Meloria began hiring for teachers and applied for the school to become officially recognised under The Crown.

Meloria faced quite a sizable backlash due to her lack of citizenship. However, she was much-loved by her community for her skills and generosity. In a time of social movement and action, public protests lead to enough pressure that she was allowed to register The Pneubury Society of Sewing and Tailorship as both a recognised educational facility and guild in 12,865SA.
Subjects and Courses The Pneubury Society of Sewing and Tailorship started humbly, originally offering only three courses; embroidery, dressmaking and tailoring. The school now teaches a large range of all aspects of fashion and clothesmaking, for example:

• Tailoring
• Dressmaking
• Embroidery
• Fashion design
• Knitting and crochet
• Uniform production
• Mending and basics course
• Textiles
• Pattern-making
• Dye production
• Tanning and leather work

Apprenticeships

The Society also helps fund, support and legitimise the education of those who choose to learn to sew or tailor under an already educated master. Many tailors take on apprentices, and through the society an accredited member can help their apprentice complete a course through their apprentice programs. In order to pass the course, students have to attend twice-yearly practical assessments at the school grounds to gauge their progress, and complete a final written assessment summarising their learning.

Uniforms

Uniforms are a much-loved staple of schools across Sedia, and nearly every institution of education has strict uniform requirements. Because of the nature of their craft, the Pneubury Society of Sewing and Tailorship encourages students to make their own uniform however they see fit. The uniform can consist of anything as long as it's safe (no excessive dangling parts that may be a hazard in a workshop) and follows the colour theme of the school's insignia; black and red.

The Golden Needle and the Pneubury Needlework Convention

Each decade, the Pneubury Society of Sewing and Tailorship holds a needlework convention. The convention has activities, stalls and markets and professionals holding short day-classes. The highlight of the convention is the Golden Needle Prize; a prestigious competition where folks from all walks of life across Aresia come together to show off their best work and potentially win the coveted prize of the Golden Needle. 

Current Governance

Founder: Meloria Miralith

Meloria married only a few years after founding her school officially, taking the hand of a much younger human man, Torrin Loke. Torrin was smitten with Meloria and took her surname when they wed. He was a successful engineer, and the two met when Meloria had commissioned some weaving looms be built into the school's workshop. Torrin died suddenly twenty years into their marriage in a factory accident. They had two sons, Robin and Jay. Meloria continues to teach some embroidery classes to this day, but her official governance days of the school have been handed over to her sons. She spends much of her time creating in her loft and sometimes wandering into workshops to give advice to students.

Headmasters: Robin and Jay Miralith

To Meloria's two sons, Robin and Jay, the school was their playground. They took over as headmasters of the school when they were in their mid-fifties, as their mother wished. Robin is incredibly passionate about dressmaking in particular, as well as stage costumes. Jay is very serious about professional tailoring. The two don't always get along artistically or on a personal level, but have a close and complex relationship despite this, and always manage to come together to navigate any issues for the sake of the school.