Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably

How can we get a handle on our recurring sewing struggles? And what are the steps we need to take to coach ourselves through them? Building on from last episode’s discussion on gathering self knowledge, transformational coach and crafter, Kim Witten, gives us some practical, actionable steps we can take for greater sewing success and enjoyment. We also explore how to fall in love (or at least like) with garments that are associated with a fraught making experience, plus choosing when is a good time to take on sewing challenges.

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Please complete the short Me-Made-May Workbook survey!

Sign up to the Check Your Thread newsletter! You won’t regret it…. (but if you do, you can unsubscribe at any time).

Find more about Kim’s work on her website, plus her excellent blog with a library of fantastic resources. 

Sign up to her weekly ‘Hold That Thought’ newsletter to help you turn your overthinking into expert thinking. 

Listen to Kim’s previous appearances on CYT: 

Episode #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim Witten

Episode #71: Self Knowledge for Sewing Success with Kim Witten

How much do you really know yourself, and how does self knowledge relate to your enjoyment of sewing? Yep, today we’re tackling some big questions with transformational coach and crafter, Kim Witten. What kind of learner are you? How closely do you follow the ‘rules’? What patterns of behaviour do you display when presented with challenges? We get into all this and learn how we can use self awareness to make positive changes that lead to more sewing satisfaction. We also hear about Kim’s unique and multi-layered pledge for this year’s Me-Made-May challenge, and the many takeaways she acquired from her first challenge. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Learn more about @SewOver50’s excellent new endeavour #SewWhatYouNeedJune that comes on the back of a hectic Me-Made-May!

Find more about Kim’s work on her website, plus her excellent blog with a library of fantastic resources. 

Sign up to her weekly ‘Hold That Thought’ newsletter to help you turn your overthinking into expert thinking. 

Listen to Kim’s previous appearance of CYT in Episode #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim Witten.

If you need some help prioritising self care, download Kim’s free Self Care Menu Worksheet.

Find the Stash Hub app on their website, on IG @stash_hub, or in your smart phone’s app store. 

Kim’s Me-Made-May article on Medium is a fascinating read, and such an interesting and multi-layered take on the challenge. 

Kim started and progressed on her sewing journey with the help of sewing classes at Ministry of Craft in Manchester, UK.

Find out which of the Four Tendencies you adhere to with Gretchen Rubin’s free quiz. 

Image source: Gretchen Rubin. 

If procrastination (including procrasti-learning!) is something you regularly experience, the DUST model can help you understand it and to get yourself unstuck. 

Have you ever tried pattern hacking (making changes to a sewing pattern to create a different look)? This episode is a wide ranging introduction to the topic. Whether you are new to this practice, or are a more seasoned ‘hacker’, by the end of this you should feel emboldened by the infinite possibilities!  

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The patchwork denim quilted jacket is finally finished! Read all about it on my blog. 

One way of thinking about pattern hacking is by breaking it down into these three approaches:

My Fibre Mood Ermine/Norma Franken-garment is an example of taking the sleeve piece from one pattern and the bodice from another to create a new look.

Suggested equipment for pattern hacking:

This week we’re diving into the world of quilting more sustainably! Quilter and textile artist, Bridget O’Flaherty, makes Threads of Sustainability: a podcast with remarkably similar motivations to CYT. We discuss the many parallels between our perspective disciplines in relation to sustainability, and some of the areas where they diverge.

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Tips on how to build and maintain beneficial bee hotels by the Entomologist Lounge. 

How to encourage bees and other pollinators:

Find out about the many facets of Bridget’s work, including her podcast, ‘Threads of Sustainability’, via her website. She can also be found on Instagram @thesustainablequilter. 

Image source: Bridget O’Flaherty

Bridget frequently uses a technique called thread painting in her work:

Image source: Bridget O’Flaherty

You can hear the conversation we recorded for Bridget’s podcast via her website, wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s Episode #26!

The conversation that Bridget had with Eliu Hernandez that first alerted me to the Threads of Sustainability podcast is Episode #18. 

Listen to my conversation with Eliu for this podcast: 

Episode #26: Harvesting Materials with Eliu Hernandez. 

The Festival of Quilts that takes place in Birmingham, UK, recently introduced a Sustainability category. 

Bridget wrote a series of articles for the Canadian Quilters’ Association. Read part one, part two and part three. 

Bridget appeared on Episode #64 of the ‘Quilter on Fire’ podcast which kick started her desire to create her own podcast.

Bridget cites these quilters and textile artists as inspiration:

Do you have questions about natural dyeing? Like, what is the most accessible way to have a go? Return-guest and natural dye expert, Amy Taylor, breaks it all down and answers all the questions submitted by CYT listeners. 

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Find Ms Amy Taylor at her website and on Instagram @msamytaylor. 

Listen to Amy’s first appearance on Check Your Thread:

Episode #13: Natural Dyeing with Amy Taylor. 

The naturally dye skeins I found at Seedy Sunday in Brighton in February 2023:

Listen to Episode #52: Grow, Cook, Dye, Wear with Bella Gonshorovitz.

Amy is a big fan of Bella’s book, Bella’s book, ‘Grow, Cook, Dye, Wear – From seed to style the sustainable way’.

Read the article Amy wrote with her dad, ‘Art at the edge of chaos: Shibori and Indigo’. 

Amy has taken a class with dye stuff growing expert Kristin Field @fieldandgardner on Instagram. 

Amy and I both LOVE following Alexis Nikole AKA @blackforager on Instagram. 

Recommended reading: ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer:

Were you unable to attend the Sew Sustainable Fair in London last month? Would you have liked to have been there? Well, through the power of audio, in this episode you can come along with me to the event! Hear some of the awesome conversations I had with the organisers, helpers and businesses in attendance, plus my ramblings as I travel to and from the venue. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find some info about this year’s event, plus keep an eye on the details for next year’s as they are revealed, at the Sew Sustainable Fair website. 

The event is organised by Sarah Richards, owner of Olive Road London, a source for original vintage fabrics. 

Sarah told me about ‘Secrets of the Singer Girls’ and ‘Secrets of the Sewing Bee’, both books written by her friend Kate Thompson.

The Sew Sustainable Fair took place at the wonderful Craft Central building. 

Other sellers at the event included:

Find Rebecca Evans-Merritt on IG @revansmerritt

Listen to my previous conversations with her:

Episode 24: Conscious Making in Real Life with Rebecca Evans-Merritt and

Episode 37: Pledge and Participants #1 with Rebecca and Meg

When I met Rebecca in real life, she was wearing her Birgitta Helmersson ZW Gather Dress in Merchant and Mills Lunar Jacquard. 

We also discussed her railroad stripe two-piece and her Refashioners project lounge wear set. 

Find the Stash Hub app on their website, on IG @stash_hub, or in your smart phone’s app store. 

You can contact Yvette’s friend Mel who works with the charity Guildford Refugee Aid via their Facebook page. 

Find Louise’s business, Ethel & Joan, on her website, Etsy shop and IG @ethelandjoan. 

Louise used to make videos for the Youtube channel, Pattern Pals.

We talked about her popular flower buckles. 

My favourites are the turquoise Deco buttons.

Do you have garments in your wardrobe, self-made or otherwise, that you really like but you never wear because they don’t fit you well? Could you use some advice on how to approach the alteration process, evaluate those garments and work out what’s possible? Alterations expert, Naomi Fata, talks with me about all this and more. We cover when it’s worth attempting an alteration, when it’s better to live with the issue, and when it’s time to find the garment a new owner. Plus, Naomi shares her hot takes on the best ways to make garments smaller and larger, and we even get stuck into the thorny issue of trouser fitting…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find the Me-Made-May Workbook in the new CYT shop! 

Find Naomi Fata on her website and on Instagram @naomifata. 

Naomi was on The Strike a Balance for Working Homeschool Moms podcast talking about how she runs her sewing business whilst homeschooling her three children. 

Find out about the in-person and virtual sewing and alteration classes Naomi teaches. 

Do you consider yourself a climate activist? If many of your everyday life decisions are made with the planet in mind, then you definitely should. Rachel, AKA The Crap Activist, chose to fast track her activism by making one positive change every single day for an entire year. She shares her surprising wins and fails, and gives tips on successfully bringing your family along for the ride…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find and follow The Crap Activist on Instagram @thecrapactivist.

Listen to Rachel speak to Jen Gale on Jen’s Sustainable(ish) podcast:

Episode 87: The Crap Activist - A Year of Imperfect Action.

Rachel received The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide by Jen Gale. 

The seed for The Crap Activist challenge was sown by listening to the Christmas Adam & Joe episode of the Adam Buxton podcast:

Episode 115: Adam & Joe.

This post by The Crap Activist includes the following mind boggling facts from the Chatham House Report:

Find out about the interesting and important work going on through the London Freedom Seed Bank.

Consider growing something from the dirty dozen foods list:

(Image source: Nature’s Corner Natural Market)

Are you planning to challenge yourself in Me-Made-May this year? Have you taken part in the past? Are you not sure what I’m talking about? Or do you have a good idea, but you’d like a refresher? This explainer episode tells you everything you need to know to get the most from the annual wardrobe challenge that I accidentally started 14 years ago! 

Note: this episode originally aired in March 2022. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out more about the Sew Sustainable Fair that will take place in London on 22/4/23, including how to register for your free ticket. 

Check out my husband's latest scrappy sweatshirt on my blog.

What is Me-Made-May?

Me-Made-May is a wardrobe challenge that encourages you to wear your existing handmade items more, or in different ways, that will allow you to gain useful insights whilst having fun. This will help you improve your relationship with your handmade items, both your existing items, and those you may make in the future. 

What Me-Made-May isn’t

Who is Me-Made-May for?

Anyone who has made/mended/upcycled at least one item, who feels there's improvements to be made in their wardrobe. Who doesn’t trust those items

What they wear often doesn’t reflect how they feel or would like to be seen. 

Anyone who would like to learn about their style, wardrobe requirements, 

How do I take part?

The aim is to intentionally wear your handmade items more and/or in different ways throughout May 2023.

Design your own pledge outlining the specifics of your challenge before 1st May. You can keep this entirely to yourself, tell friends and family, or share this on social media, whatever you wish. 

If you’re not sure what to write, check out the following episodes:

Episode 37: Pledges and Participants #1: with Rebecca and Meg

Episode 38: Pledges and Participants #2: with Amy and Judith

What are the benefits of refashioning for those of us who like to sew our own clothes? For years, Portia Lawrie has focused her creativity on refashioning, and has just written an excellent book, ‘The Re:fashion Wardrobe’, which contains all her hard-won knowledge, approaches and tips. In this episode, Portia makes the case for why more of YOUR projects should start with existing textiles…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find your MP and insist they take the IPCC report to heart and act to speed the transition to renewable energy.

Find Portia Lawrie on Instagram @portialawrie. 

Her new book, ‘The Re:fashion Wardrobe’, is published by Search Press. 

Portia has been making refashioning and no-pattern projects for Simply Sewing magazine since its launch.