Self-drafted set made with FS Grape Wine Midweight Signature Finish linen

Could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into sewing?

My name is Gabriela, and I live in Chicago. I’m a mother of two and married with the love of my life. I am  originally from Romania, although I grew up in Spain, Barcelona for over 12 years.

I started a sewing blog on Instagram about a year ago called Gabriela Beneva Atelier, and I also run my own children’s clothing brand, Beneva Handmade Atelier, dedicated to kids.What truly got me into sewing was the period after I had my first baby. Postpartum depression hit me very hard, and I felt a strong need to keep myself busy and find something creative to focus on. I tried different hobbies along the way—quilting, balloon decorations, and flower arrangements—but sewing came very naturally to me.I never started sewing with the intention of building a business. I bought a simple $100 sewing machine, and at the time I was already pregnant with my second baby. My very first project was adding cuffs to a dress I had already bought. It wasn’t perfect, but for some reason, that small project created a click in my mind—it made me realize that sewing was truly for me.Looking back, I now understand why. My mother and my grandmother were both very talented seamstresses, and sewing was always part of my family history. That realization made me believe that maybe this passion was always there, and that’s how everything truly began.

Why do you sew?

Honestly, there isn’t one main reason why I sew. Sewing just came naturally to me. It wasn’t something I forced or I searched for —it simply became part of my life.

When I started sewing, one of the first dresses I made was for my daughter. At that time, she was 2 years old, old enough to wear cute little dresses, and that moment changed everything for me. Making clothes for her is what later inspired me to create a children’s clothing brand.

What I love most is seeing how a simple piece of fabric can turn into something beautiful and handmade, filled with care and passion. Sewing is not just about finishing a garment. You can always go to a store and buy clothes, but sewing feels different.

For me, sewing is a connection. It’s a quiet moment where I slow down, create, and enjoy what I’m doing. It’s not about speed or mass production, it’s about the feeling behind it.

Self-drafted set made with FS Grape Wine Midweight Signature Finish linen

Where is home and how does it affect your creative practice?

For me, home is not a country. I’ve lived in three different countries, and I don’t feel like I belong to just one. Home is where my family is: my husband and my kids. They are where I feel safe, loved, and special.

Right now, America has a very special place in my heart, because it’s where I had my children. Romania will always be important to me because it’s where I was born and where my roots are, and Spain is where I grew up, gained life experience, and matured.Living in different countries gave me a mix of cultures and styles, and that naturally shows up in the way I create.

As a child, what was your first encounter and memory of beauty?

As a child, my first memory of beauty comes from my childhood in Romania, in a small village. I had what I now realize was a very perfect childhood, very natural, and in many ways, very luxurious.

Everything we ate was produced by us. Life was simple, but I was incredibly free, surrounded by family, especially my grandparents, who were filled with love and life experience. Today, I realize how precious that was, and how much I wish I could still learn from someone like my grandmother.

I also remember my mother sewing late at night. We didn’t have much money, but that never felt important. What mattered was that we were happy. It was a simple life, but a truly beautiful one.

Has your sewing practice changed your relationship to your body image and self- acceptance? 

Believe it or not, since I started sewing, I almost stopped buying clothes. I notice every detail now, how things are made, what doesn’t fit properly, and what simply isn’t worth it.

When I make a garment for myself, it feels completely different. I can create it exactly the way I want, so it fits my body, my comfort, and how I want to feel. Sewing helped me focus less on trends and more on feeling good in what I wear.

Self-drafted set made with FS Grape Wine Midweight Signature Finish linen

What are your seven favourite sewing patterns?

I only recently started working with commercial patterns, since I’ve mostly made my own until now.

Vikisews: Lisbeth dress

Vikisews: Ariela dress

Vikisews: Riana blazer

Vikisews: Asalia blouse

Fabrics-store: Noa linen shirt

Moodfabrics: The Poppy dress

Unfetteredpatterns: Wide leg pull on 

Do you have a community of makers around you or do you find you are on your own?

Since starting my sewing blog on Instagram, I’ve built a really sweet sewing community. We learn from each other all the time. I share sewing tips, and they often come back to me with ideas and techniques I’ve never heard of before.

It’s a very supportive exchange, and I love being able to share and grow together through this experience.

How important is it to make something with your hands?

I honestly wish I could teach everyone how to sew. I want people to experience the feeling of wearing something they made with their own hands.

Making something by hand is truly special. You control everything: the fabric you wear, the design, the way it feels on your body. And there is such a good feeling when you’re wearing a garment you created yourself. It makes you want to say, “I made this.”

Self-drafted set made with FS Grape Wine Midweight Signature Finish linen

What has been the most rewarding sewing project you’ve completed so far and why?

Usually, every sewing project feels rewarding to me, and it’s hard to choose just one. But if I had to pick, the linen set featured in this article is definitely one of the most rewarding.

The more you sew, the faster and more confident you become, both in designing and in making. With experience, the results feel more polished and refined. What makes this project even more special is that I’m actually wearing this set right now. It’s incredibly comfortable, but also chic and cute at the same time, which makes it even more meaningful to me.

What is more important to you – the process or the final product (ie your garment)?

I’ll be honest, I really love seeing the final product. That moment is very rewarding. But for me, the process matters more.

The process is what brings you there. It takes patience, time, and attention to small details, and that’s the part I truly enjoy. If I didn’t enjoy the process, the final result wouldn’t feel the same.

What does success mean to you?

For me, success means being able to help others. When I say I’m a successful woman, it’s not about money or fame. It’s about being there for people, answering questions, teaching, and helping someone learn something new, like sewing.

I worked as a nurse in Spain for a year, and I think that part of me never left. Helping people has always been important to me, and that feeling of being useful and supportive is what truly makes me feel successful.

Self-drafted set made with FS Grape Wine Midweight Signature Finish linen

What have you chosen to make out of FS linen and why?

I chose a gorgeous purple linen and made a cute, comfortable set. For me, it’s very important to feel cute and comfortable all day long—whether I’m at home, sleeping, or out on the street.

Linen is perfect for that because it feels natural on the skin while still looking effortless and chic.

What is it like working with fabrics-store linen?

Working with Fabric Store linen was a beautiful experience. Linen is a perfect fabric for beginners because it’s easy to work with and very forgiving.

I love using linen for simple designs because it has its own natural elegance. The final result always feels effortless and chic. I especially loved how this linen drapes, and you can really see that in the photos.