Between classes, workshops, digital content and the creation of pieces, her work reflects an approach where making by hand becomes a creative tool, a learning space and a form of well-being.
“Sewing solves many problems — both in everyday practicality and on a psychological level. It’s not therapy, but it is therapeutic.”
Q: How did your creative journey begin and what led you to found Riera Alta?
A: After returning from Barcelona, where I worked as a psychologist, I started making jewellery and bags as a hobby. I took part in a few markets and the project kept growing, until I decided to open the shop.
For about two years, I tried to balance both paths, but eventually chose to leave Psychology behind. When I founded Riera Alta, I wanted people who sew to feel part of a creative community — not isolated in a domestic activity.
Q: Has sewing always been part of your life?
A: No — I actually discovered it quite late. I grew up watching my mother sew, but only later decided to try it myself.
Q: Has your background influenced the way you teach and create?
A: My background in Psychology and my experience as a trainer have deeply shaped the way I teach.
I see sewing as a tool for autonomy, self-esteem and well-being. I like to guide each person to find their own rhythm, rather than following a rigid model.
Q: How would you describe your creative process — between making, teaching and inspiring others?
A: I often create from practical needs — when I need something, when someone asks for a specific piece, or when a new fabric arrives.
But there’s always a constant: I think about the usefulness of the piece.
Q: What challenges do you see in teaching and valuing handmade sewing today?
A: The biggest challenge is overcoming the idea that sewing is just a hobby.
In reality, it’s a language — a way of thinking and producing with meaning. Teaching sewing today is also about teaching resistance and awareness: valuing time, detail and reuse.
Q: How do you see the role of workshops and education in your work?
A: I feel that people are increasingly drawn to remote solutions. Even though I offer online classes — which are great for those far away — I try to encourage those nearby to join in person.
Being together matters. And having a manual activity that disconnects us from daily routines is incredibly beneficial. During the pandemic, it became even clearer how important it is for our mental health to create something with our own hands.
Q: What does Miguel Bombarda represent to you?
A: Bombarda is the creative heart of Porto — a place where the handmade and the contemporary intersect.
Riera Alta was born and grew within that spirit: between tradition and innovation. The neighbourhood brings energy, diversity and a community that continues to inspire our work every day.
Portfolio
Riera Alta’s practice combines authorial creation, functional design and education, exploring different techniques and approaches within textile arts.
The piece “Patchwork Coat – Riera Alta” shown in the image below explores the reuse of fabrics and manual construction, combining a contemporary aesthetic with traditional techniques.
Patchwork Coat — Riera Alta
The Patchwork Coat emerged from a long and careful process, marked by countless combinations, cuts and adjustments. A project Cláudia fell in love with from the beginning, which later became the basis for her dedicated workshop: “Patchwork Coat”.
Riera Alta Shop Interior — Porto
A space dedicated to fabrics, textile materials and sewing tools, where a rich variety of colours, textures and patterns inspires both Cláudia Andrade’s work and those who visit the shop in search of creativity and new projects.
“Furnas” Backpack — Riera Alta
The Furnas Backpack stands out for its colourful wave patterns that give it movement and personality. It is one of the signature workshop projects at Riera Alta, where participants learn to build the piece from scratch — from structure to fabric combinations — exploring composition, rhythm and craftsmanship.
Workshop Space — Riera Alta
A classroom designed to host Cláudia Andrade’s workshops, where sewing machines, materials and tools are organised to create an environment for learning, experimentation and the development of creative sewing techniques.
How to collaborate
Riera Alta brings together a shop, atelier and an ongoing programme of training in creative sewing, patchwork and textile design.
In addition to in-person workshops, the brand shares free content through its YouTube channel — the first sewing channel in European Portuguese — and has published two books with Editora Leya.
If you’d like to learn, develop your skills or start a new textile project, you can enrol through the website or directly at the shop.
Contacts:
Shop / Atelier – Rua do Rosário, 110 R/C — Porto | Phone – +351 220 964 702
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Email - info@rieraalta.com
