Our team
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Camélia St-Cyr Robitaille / Director and Sewing Teacher
Camélia's passion for sewing began at the age of 11. In 2011, she completed her DEC in fashion design at Collège Lasalle and continued her studies with an AEC in men's fashion. She made her way as a seamstress for many Quebec companies such as Bamboo, Coup de Foudre, Bouton Jaune and Les Grands Ballets Canadien.
In 2016, after completing her Bachelor's degree in college technical education, she began teaching clothing and pattern making at LaSalle College. At the same time, she decided to found an eco-responsible company with her sister, La Fabrik Éco .
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Amélie Laberge / Coordinator and Teacher Knitting - Embroidery
Amélie has been teaching textile arts for almost 12 years. She is said to have fallen into the pot when she was little, surrounded by her grandmother and her mother for whom sewing, knitting, patching, and embroidering were part of everyday life.
What work would you do all day?
Start a sweater
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
1/1 ribs
On your workshop table:
Two sweaters, one knitted, one crocheted, socks, a vest in English Paper Piecing (what a joke!)
What you always tell your students:
Do not get attached to its meshes.
Learn to read your work instead of reading your pattern (I'm super strict :D)
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Steve Nilo / Sewing Teacher
Steve has been a teacher at L'Atelier since 2022. His first steps on the sewing machine took place under the watchful eye of his mother, but he refined his art at the École des métiers des Faubourgs-de-Montréal, then perfected his design and styling skills at UQAM.
What work would you do all day?
Creating clothes from sketch to completion
On your workshop table:
The Spring 2025 collection at my employer and, personally, I embroider on a hoodie
What you always tell your students:
STRAIGHT THREAD!!!
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Marie-Hélène Gervais / Couture Teacher
From theater to Cirque du Soleil, via the Canadian army, Marie-Hélène has been sewing for more than 30 years.
Starting at home with her mother, she landed in drama school as a costume designer and it became her profession!
What work would you do all day?
I love materializing a sketch; bringing an idea to life, starting from nothing and producing a unique item.
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Miles of gathers on false threads.
On your workshop table:
Some projects related to shows or private clients.
What you always tell your students:
1: Sew = iron. An item always looks better (and more professional) once ironed.
2: Unpicking is not necessarily an admission of failure, it is a step like any other. -
Valérie Deschênes / Teacher Pattern - Couture
Valérie has been teaching pattern drawing at Espace Fabrik for over 10 years. She has training in costume design at Collège Lionel Groulx and in pattern drawing at Atelier-école Zig Zag .
What work would you do all day?
Draw and make
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Cut 20 pairs of jeans
On your workshop table:
A tailored jacket
What you always tell your students:
Wash your fabric before cutting it.
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Dorothée Tessier-Thomas / Sewing Teacher
Dorothée set up shop in a sewing workshop right next to her mother when she was a child.
From Cégep Marie-Victorin to the École Supérieure de Mode de Montréal, she has been perfecting her art of design and styling for 8 years now.Have you noticed her daring, intriguing, totally Kawaii outfits?!
What work would you do all day?
A project from A to Z: design, pattern and making
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Meters of silk crepe bias tape
On your workshop table:
Various repairs and alterations, a corduroy overall dress and a tarot card embroidery
What you always tell your students:
1. If you unpick or prick yourself with a needle, it's the job that comes in!
2. Be kind to yourself and your first projects, you are just starting out and are learning.
3. Perfection does not exist!
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Elise Couture / Sewing - Knitting Teacher
Élise is a self-taught woman who has been sewing for about 50 years. She perfected her skills at LaSalle College and was part of the largest sewing workshops in the industry.
What work would you do all day?
How to Start a Knitting Sweater
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Weaving in ends on a knitted piece
On your workshop table:
A crochet baby blanket with 30 animal faces
What do you always tell your students:
In sewing:
Cut and sew STRAIGHT!
Knitting: Make a sample! -
Christine Chapdelaine / Sewing / Quilting Teacher
How did she learn sewing and quilting? From her father, at school and from life.
A great technician, Christine is always inventing or calculating, learning and practicing!
What work would you do all day?
Hand prick
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Thread and adjust the tension of a coverstitch in a thousand colors.
On your workshop table:
1,2,3 possibly 4 quilt projects
What do you always tell your students:
The sound of the machine having trouble, literally, making the noise.
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Catherine Primeau / Couture Teacher
Catherine has only been sewing for 56 years! She fell into the pot when she was 5 years old. At 10, she was sewing work clothes for her mother.
It was only natural that she would enroll at Collège Marie-Victorin and continue at Collège Lasalle.
What work would you do all day?
What a difficult question for a passionate person like me! I love being in my workshop and sewing. Whether it's repairing, adjusting, creating or looking for new techniques. Recently I sewed a wedding dress that took me 140 hours of patience and happiness!
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Unstitch a garment....
On your workshop table:
After the wedding dress, I felt like doing a smaller project.
I am in the process of creating a custom pouch to carry all my precious work tools.What you always tell your students:
Better to take your time than to unpick.
Never start a project that needs to be finished within the hour. Chances are that garment will stay in the closet. -
Eloise Simoneau / Knitting Teacher
Eloise teaches knitting at EF. A knitting enthusiast since childhood, she learned from her grandmother, then from books and YouTube videos.
What work would you do all day?
Easy to remember, simple and quick jacquard, with two colours at a time
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Knitting a black mohair lace grid in a dark pub
On your workshop table:
Way too much on the needles right now! 😬 Robinson wrap to finish, nurture bralette almost finished, a raglan sweater in thick Peruvian wool for my father-in-law, a test knit, a pair of socks
What you always tell your students:
Be patient and forgiving with yourself. 🌼
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Gabrielle Valenzuela / Crochet Teacher
Gabrielle teaches crochet... and patience! Because we all need it when we tackle a project.
It was her grandmother who introduced her to crochet and now it's her turn to impress her with her projects.
In addition to crochet, she dabbles in all forms of art and doesn't always stick to a pattern. Who needs a plan when you have creativity?
What work would you do all day?
Granny square bags, hats... But let's be honest, I have more projects in mind than finished pieces!
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
I would have him make very small amigurumis, super tight or a big endless blanket!
On your workshop table:
Fall is the season for cardigans, hats and little gifts for loved ones in anticipation of the holiday season.
What you always tell your students:
Be careful, this might become your new obsession!
Ah.. and the less you pull on the thread, the more you will find yourself worrying less. -
Maude Levasseur / Embroidery Teacher
Transmission and intention are at the heart of all Maude's works, who has been embroidering for almost ten years. She learned the finest techniques with Nathalie Dupuis and is now working to disseminate them.
What work would you do all day?
Embroider Meditative Stitches
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Embroider cheap metallic threads on jersey
On your workshop table:
A witch's cauldron for my niece and my talisman on a linen duster
What you always tell your students:
You can be punk, but you have to know that you are punk.
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Axelle Jougla / Sewing Teacher / Textile Arts
Axelle's students are the cutest; she's the one who teaches textile arts to our little ones!
She learned this way when she was a child, with a nice teacher.
What work would you do all day?
Beading
What job would you have your worst enemy do?
Beading!
On your workshop table:
I am finishing my technique in fashion design by developing my graduation collection!
What you always tell your students:
“Wow!!” and “I know, this stage is boring!”
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Aïda Lemerre / Boutique Advisor / Couture Teacher
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Florence Baumier / In-store advisor
