Alina Kroeker joins us to talk about making jeans. Her goal is to provide one-of-a-kind jeans to her customers and encourage people to opt for quality denim products that will last. We chat about making jeans, sewing for others, and how to recover from buttonhole disasters!
Nov 27, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 69
Gretchen Rubin joins us to talk about her Four Tendencies framework and how it relates to our creative hobbies. We talk about knowing yourself better, finding accountability, facing your fears, and how colour can influence our everyday lives. Gretchen is a happiness expert and she gives us loads of tips on how to be happy and productive in our sewing practice.
Nov 20, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 68
Harriet Johnson has a wealth of knowledge to share about caring for our clothes! She believes in extending the life of our garments and the love we put into making them. We talk about how to properly wash and store your clothes, basic mending, and stain removal.
Nov 13, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 67
We love meeting fellow sewists in real life! It is so much fun, and we want to encourage you to try it too. We talk about how to meet online friends in person, how to organize a sewing meet-up, basic meet-up etiquette, and lessons learned from our past sewing get-togethers.
Nov 06, 2018•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 66
Marcy Harriell (aka Oonaballoona) talks with us about finding confidence through sewing, embracing her amazing personal style, and blending her passions for acting and sewing in her new series' on Bluprint. We discuss shopping the garment district in NYC, whether Marcy ever wears ‘basics’, and her recently-acquired title of 'the patron saint of Frosting'.
Oct 30, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 65
Carolyn Norman joins us to talk about sewing as a form of artistic expression. She shares stories from almost 50 years of sewing and inspires us to look at our sewing hobby as more than just making clothes. We talk about finding inspiration in your everyday life, being buried with your favourite fabrics, and her column in Sewn Magazine.
Oct 23, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 64
We get a lot of amazing feedback from our listeners, so this episode is a big feedback fest! We cover seasonal fabric storage, washable silk, zero-waste-fashion, ‘selfish’ sewing, and so much more. Hear from fellow listeners as we answer questions and share their sewing thoughts.
Oct 16, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 63
Welcome to the wonderful world of sewing with knit fabrics! We cover what kinds of fabric you can use, the tools you need, and tips for getting a professional finish while sewing. You will be making your own tees, leggings, and sweaters in no time!
Oct 09, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 62
Karen Templer joins us to talk about Slow Fashion October. Can our sewing have an impact on the overall fashion industry? How can we be more intentional with our making practices? Karen shares how she learned to slow down while still enjoying fashion and style.
Oct 02, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 61
Sewing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes there are tears, anger, and disappointment. On this episode, we share your sewing struggles, based on stories from our listeners. We talk about how hard it is to fit our bodies, how lonely sewing can be, and how comparing ourselves to others can make us lose our sew-jo.
Sep 25, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 60
Jen Hewett shares her passion for block printing and tells us how we can print our own fabrics! She walks us through how she got started with block printing, why she loves turning her printed fabrics into garments, and what makes a good block. We also discuss listening to your body while you work, wearing prints, and why not to turn your hobby into a business.
Sep 18, 2018•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 59
We dive into planning sewing projects and cover topics such as why you should plan, tools you can use to plan, and how to stick to the plan once you have it! Following through on sewing can be the hardest part of the process, and we want to help set you up for success.
Sep 11, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 58
Allie Olson shares the story behind Indiesew, her online marketplace for indie patterns and garment fabrics. We discuss the current state of the indie pattern market and the value of sharing your sewing projects online. We also talk about her personal style journey and how her perspective on body image has recently shifted.
Sep 04, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 57
Brooks Ann Camper shares her incredible sewing journey that has taken her from Broadway costume creation to making custom bridal gowns. She teaches us how you can up your game by incorporating hand sewing into your next projects! Brooks Ann's positive attitude about enjoying the act of sewing and taking care in the details is truly infectious.
Aug 28, 2018•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 56
We celebrate one year of podcasting with an extra long question and answer episode dedicated to you, our listeners! Questions about business, our personal lives, our sewing habits, and more in this special anniversary episode!
Aug 21, 2018•2 hr 22 min•Ep. 55
Sarai Mitnick gives us a peek behind the scenes of Colette Patterns and Seamwork Magazine. We discuss building an inspiring workplace, bringing sewists together online, and handling challenges in business. Sarai also chats with us about body positivity and self-image as it relates to our sewing practice.
Aug 14, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 54
Erin Meiklejohn teaches us all about bra making supplies, fitting lingerie, and what is involved in sewing your own bras. We get to hear the story behind her business, Emerald Erin, and her plans for future patterns!
Aug 07, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 53
What is the real cost of making our own clothes? We tackle the tricky topic of money in this episode about sewing financials. How do sewists budget? How much fabric do we buy? How do we feel about our spending habits? Hear what the community told us!
Jul 31, 2018•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 52
Colette Guanta joins us to talk about her fabric shop and pattern company, Tessuti! We hear the inspiring story of how Tessuti Fabrics began, and how it has evolved over the past quarter century.
Jul 24, 2018•52 min•Ep. 51
We are celebrating episode 50 this week with a special recap of our time spent travelling together to Pattern Review Weekend, Prince Edward County, and Montreal. We recorded some mini interviews along the way, including a sewing pep talk from Heather Lou and an intro to bra-making with Emerald Erin !
Jul 17, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 50
Lauren Taylor is here to talk about running her sewing blog, Lladybird, for almost a decade! Lauren is a sewing instructor, freelance tailor, and inspiring member of the sewing community. She gives us tips for increasing sewing productivity and finding time for creative hobbies.
Jul 10, 2018•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 49
Tanya Hughes shares her thoughts on sewing vintage patterns and fabrics. She tells us about some of her more involved projects and what it is really like to wear fashions from past decades. Tanya goes above and beyond with her sewing and has so many great tips to share.
Jul 03, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 48
Are you thinking about sewing a swimsuit this summer? We’ve got you covered! Get tips on choosing fabrics and patterns and techniques for a professional finish. We also chat about our experiences wearing swimwear and how we can be more body positive at the beach!
Jun 26, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 47
Lisa Comfort tells the story of Sew Over It, her online and in-person sewing shop. Lisa sells patterns, fabrics, classes, and more! She started small and has grown her business into one of the biggest indie sewing companies in the world.
Jun 19, 2018•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 46
Erica Schmitz joins us on the show to talk about MyBodyModel , a web app that generates custom, body-positive croquis based on your own measurements. Erica takes us on her journey, from her first ideas and focus-testing to running her successful Kickstarter campaign. Today is launch day and we can't wait to share this app with you!
Jun 12, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 45
Erin Weisbart joins us to talk about inclusivity, representation, self-love, and self-expression! We learn more about the work Erin is doing with Tuesday Stitches to make the sewing community more inclusive. We also hear about her new project, Maternity Sewing, launching soon!
Jun 05, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 44
This week we break down our favourite simple and advanced hacks that will let you get the most mileage out of your patterns! Everything you need to know, from must-have hacking tools to how to mix your favourite patterns. You can hack it!
May 29, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 43
We hear from the sewing community about ways we can be more sustainable in our sewing practice. We discuss favourite scrap-busters, eco-friendly options for fabric and yarns, and organizations and initiatives making a difference in our community.
May 22, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 42
Tilly Walnes from Tilly and the Buttons joins us to chat about her sewing patterns, personal style, and how she balances running a business with being a new mum. We also get all the details about her latest book, Stretch!
May 15, 2018•58 min•Ep. 41
Our mothers join us on the show for this very special episode! We chat about what we were like as kids, the history of sewing in our families, and what our moms think of the sewing community today. These women helped shape who we are and we are so excited to introduce them to you!
May 08, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 40