Love to Sew

Hear your feedback over the last 6 months with our semi-annual feedback fest!  We share your inspiring sewing stories, responses to recent episodes, additional sewing tips, and so much more!

This episode is sponsored by Skillshare! Love to Sew listeners can get 2 months of unlimited access for free at Skillshare.com/lovetosew. Thanks, Skillshare!

Stretch and Sew Pattern #1750

Stretch and Sew Pattern #193

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Michelle Brown Colistro from Matchpoint Fabric joins us this week to chat about sustainable sewing. We chat about sustainability in the textile industry, and ways you too can make a positive, sustainable impact with your sewing. We also chat about Matchpoint Fabric as a successful earth-friendly business!

ClothingLabels4U.com creates the special labels you’ve been looking for! Everything from custom labels & hang tags to care labels & iron-on transfers. They offer low minimum orders, no setup fees, and FREE samples of their work.

We’ve got a big batch of deadstock coming to the store tomorrow, and I just wanted to share a bit about viscose/rayon/bamboo and why we choose not to source it new from the mill. ⁣ ⁣ Similarly to traditional cotton, viscose benefits from a bit of an artificial green glow. And I get it! The viscose fibres themselves are made from regenerated cellulose fibre, which is harvested from wood pulp. So, technically a natural fibre. What’s wrong with that? Where lyocell (a sustainable ‘rayon’ substrate) and viscose branch differ primarily is in the processing. ⁣ ⁣ And this is where it gets nasty. The wood pulp is dipped in HIGHLY toxic carbon disulfide to make rayon, and then those solvents are (often) released into surrounding waterways and ecosystems. And this isn’t a new problem. In 1974, a study was done on 118 viscose workers over 15 years. 48% of them displayed degenerative nerve disorders. America was known for their rayon processing plants, until rampant health concerns caused the move of plants to – you guessed it – developing nations. ⁣ ⁣ And the effect on these nations is staggering. Those living near viscose factories across Asia have reported lasting damage to fish and crops. Test results from outside the ABG factory, India’s largest viscose manufacturer, showed air quality levels of carbon disulfide at 125 x the WHO’s guideline values. (Con’t in comments )

A post shared by Matchpoint Fabric (@matchpointfabric) on Jun 28, 2019 at 8:14am PDT

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Let’s get creative and sustainable with refashioning! We cover why you should refashion beloved makes for a better fit, and how you can get creative and make big changes with your unworn garments.

This episode of Love to Sew is brought to you by LOLA. To get 30% off your first month’s subscription, visit mylola.com and enter lovetosew30 when you subscribe.

Yesterday I finished my favorite #alteritaugust project yet – I shortened a thrifted vintage skirt! I am so happy to have this in my wardrobe now that it’s finally a length I’ll wear. Thanks @sewnorth so much for this wonderful challenge. It’s almost just as satisfying to alter something as it is to make it from scratch. I have a couple more things I’m going to try to alter tonight, and am hoping to add an alteration a month into my regular work flow. I’ve posted all of my alteration stories in my highlights. #hannahlearnstosew

A post shared by Hannah Corey (@hannahmcorey) on Aug 31, 2019 at 5:03pm PDT

Source: MyQueensWish

Source: Pantsville Press

Source: Woolfiller for Easy Knitwear Repair

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Rumana Lasker joins us to talk about full coverage fashion! From wearing the hijab to her most recent burkini make, we chat with Rumana about her modest sewing approach. Rumana also chats with us about the #sewincolour movement, with its focus on diversity and inclusion, and we also hear some behind-the-scenes details from Rumana’s experience on The Great British Sewing Bee! 

Love to Sew podcast listeners can get 15% off your next Spoonflower fabric order by going to try.spoonflower.com/lovetosew!

A post shared by Rumana @The Little Pomegranate (@thelittlepomegranate) on Jul 11, 2019 at 4:35am PDT

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From your favourite sewing tricks to your go-to sewing tools, we cover all your favourite sewing tips. Whether you are looking for ways to organize your sewing space, upgrade your sewing techniques or some simple, but smart, reminders to help you in your sewing journey, we’ve got you covered in this week’s episode!

Sister Mintaka has a special offer for Love to Sew listeners: Save 10% off your first order using code “LOVETOSEW” at checkout!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, we receive a small commission as an Amazon Associate. Thank you for supporting Love to Sew!

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From the basic serging seam technique to the hong kong seam finish, we cover various different ways you can finish off those seam allowances. Whether you are looking for something quick and easy, or that professional finish, we’ve got you covered in this week’s episode!

GarmentWorks has a special promotion for Love to Sew listeners! Use code “LoveToSew” when registering before October 12, 2019 to receive a free bonus: 5 yards muslin, a clear ruler, and GarmentWorks’ handy-dandy measuring guides!

The Small Circle has an amazing offer for Love to Sew fans! Receive 15% off your entire order by using promo code “LOVETOSEW” at checkout. Valid through September 24, 2019.

Sara Parker Textiles has an amazing deal for Love to Sew listeners! Receive 20% off your entire order by using code “SEW20” at checkout. Valid until October 9, 2019.

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Megan Nielsen Design Diary

Credit: Hong Kong Finish Tutorial on Colette

A post shared by Love to Sew (@lovetosew.podcast) on May 7, 2019 at 11:18am PDT

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Aaronica Cole joins us to chat about curvy sewing and learning to love our bodies! We discuss the shift toward more inclusive sizing in the community, and the impact it is having on sewists. Aaronica also shares her insights on how we can influence young ones through our creative passions and self-care.

Cashmerette is offering 20% off their patterns to our listeners! Go to cashmerette.com and enter the promo code “LOVETOSEW“. This offer is valid until September 10th.

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Transcript:

This transcript has been made from the Love to Sew Favourite re-release version of this episode, which was released on August 24, 2021. You can listen to this version on the player below:

Caroline: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations. Hello, Love to Sew listener. We’re currently in our podcast off season. So we’re taking a little break from recording right now.

Helen: This summer, we’re excited to revisit some of our favorite episodes from years past. We hope you will love these reruns as much as we do. Remember, you can still access the show notes by going to lovetosewpodcast.com and searching for the episode. If you want more Love to Sew, head over to our Patreon. We have a lot of fun over there, and we appreciate our Patreon fam so, so much.

Caroline: For $5 U.S. per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. Our Patreon episodes really feel like a catch-up with friends. This is where we share what we’ve been up to in our personal lives, our businesses, what we’re sewing, and things we’re loving like recipes, podcasts, TV shows, board games, and more. Throughout the month, we also share behind the scenes photos.

I recently gave our patrons a sneak peek of some of our upcoming exclusive Blackbird releases, and Helen you’ve given sneak peaks of patterns too, right? 

Helen: Yes, it is top secret stuff just for our Patreon supporters. And if you join at $10 U.S. per month, you will get 15% off discount codes for Blackbird Fabrics, Helen’s Closet, and our Love to Sew swag shop. And this code can be reused again and again, so it’s a great deal, especially if you shop with us frequently. Plus, you’ll get a bonus mini-sode where we answer a patron question or cover a specific sewing topic. So you can learn more and sign up to support us at patreon.com/lovetosew. 

Caroline: And don’t worry folks, we’ll be back in September 2021 with a fabulous new season of Love to Sew. Now let’s get to this Love to Sew favorite.

Hello and welcome. I’m Caroline. 

Helen: And I’m Helen. 

Caroline: And we love to sew. This is the podcast for makers where we talk about sewing a handmade wardrobe and bring you interviews with inspiring creatives and small business owners in our community. 

Helen: Today, we have a special episode for you all. We know that this time of year often brings up the desire to refresh our closets and take a look at our personal style. So we figured, why not do it together? You can join us as we assess our current styles, clean out our closets, and plan our dream wardrobes. 

Caroline: #LTSdreamwardrobe Oh, I scared Pepper, Sorry, Pepper!

Helen: Hi, Caroline. 

Caroline: Hi, Helen. 

Helen: How are you? 

Caroline: I’m good. How are you? 

Helen: I’m great. I’m really excited about this episode. 

Caroline: Me too. I can’t wait to help our listeners walk them through the process of creating their dream wardrobe. Just like we did. 

Helen: Yeah, it was so much fun and we can’t wait to share, but of course, as always, we have some feedback and some listener questions to get to first.

Our feedback is from Elaine, “Earlier this year, I decided on a complete whim to buy a super cheap sewing machine. My plan was to make two quilts, one for each of my kids. It was around this time I found your podcast. Initially, I found sewing daunting, all this talk of adjustments, hems, and plackets, and I thought, what am I doing? Then, Helen said, ‘A pattern is just a series of steps.’ And my favorite, ‘There will always be more fabric.’”

Caroline: It’s true. 

Helen: “Fast forward a few months, and I made a dress. I felt the fear, but I went for it. I made some mistakes, but I made it: a dress. I never thought I could do that. And I bought a new sewing machine and an overlocker.”

Whoa. Quick upgrade. 

“This is serious. I’m getting better slowly, but I’m learning so much. And your podcast is on for my morning commute. It’s exactly what epitomizes what the sewing community is all about: friendship, support, and being able to embrace who you are and your own creative spirit. So thank you.”

Caroline: You’re welcome, Elaine. We love hearing from you and we love hearing about one of our listeners listening to the show and being inspired and getting into sewing. And, um, you have such an awesome sewing journey ahead of you. So we wish you all the best. 

Helen: I’m very excited for you. 

Caroline: Yeah. Keep us updated please. 

Helen: Alright, we have a couple of questions. 

Caroline: Yeah. So the first question is from Eva, “I grade between sizes a lot because my hips are broader. The grading between sizes mean that I lose the notch placements, especially between the hip and bust. Is there a way to determine where to put them after grading?” 

Helen: This is a great question. I also have to grade in between sizes for my hip. I believe you do as well. 

Caroline: Heck yeah, I do. 

Helen: Um, and it can be annoying when those notches get lost, but fear not. I just move mine out on the same horizontal plane that they would have been. I just slide them right out, and I use them there. And you can also check after you’re done cutting out your pattern pieces, if the notches are going to match up. So you can lay your front side seam next to your back side seam and see if those notches are in the right place, and you can adjust from there, um, which can be super helpful. 

And just taking a look at what that notch is supposed to do helps as well. If it’s just a notch,  like, uh, in a front crotch to line up the crotch curve, you can really put that notch anywhere because you’re cutting two of those pattern pieces, right? So, of course, your notches are going to match because you’re cutting them both at once, and they’re going together. So trying to figure out what the notch is for and where it’s supposed to line up to, and then you can, like, check and see if it’s going to work out or decide if you care at all. 

Caroline: I was going to say… controversial opinion: don’t put the notch. 

Helen: It depends. Things like, um, sleeve notches, I think are really important. Uh, anything that’s, like, to do with a collar you want to notch…

Caroline: Easing…

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Um, waistband notches I find really helpful. Side seam notches for, like, pants and dresses and stuff, I often am like, well, I’ll figure it out. 

Caroline: Yeah. Alright, so we have a voicemail from Alyssa that we’re gonna play. 

Alyssa: Hey, Helen and Caroline, my name’s Alyssa, and I’m 16 years old. I live on the East Coast, United States. Not only would I like to congratulate y’all on your hundredth episode but also ask a question. I love to sew my own clothes. And, of course, I always listen to guys when I sew, but I, and just the thought of having something that no one else has at my school is pretty great. Um, but I also like to stay at least, like, semi with the trends for teenagers. 

I know a lot of beautiful sewing patterns that I love, but a lot of them are for adults or just a little too out of fashion for my age, I guess I could say. So my question is, do you know of any good patterns that are up with the trends or at least I can hack to be? Um, so congratulations on your hundredth episode again and hope to see a hundred more. Thanks, guys. Bye!

Caroline: Alyssa, thank you so much for your voicemail. It was really, really great to hear from one of our younger listeners. 

Helen: It was, it makes me so happy to know that there are young people out there who love to sew their own clothes and are going to keep this hobby going. So please keep sewing. 

Um, and in answer to your question, I think, at all stages of life, sometimes it can be really hard to see yourself represented in the pattern envelope, on the cover, or even in the samples that are made for whatever reason. Sometimes they’re real frumpy. Sometimes they don’t look very cool. Sometimes the fabric choices are just so not what you would choose, and that makes it really hard to see potential sometimes. So that’s normal. 

I think it’s a muscle that you develop the more that you sew, um, and we also think that going through this process that we’re going to outline in today’s episode could be really helpful for you. So we hope that you join in and try to figure out your style, and then you can find some patterns that will work for it. Um, some pattern companies we thought of that have a bit more of a trendy edge are Named Clothing, or Named Patterns, and PaperCut Patterns. 

Caroline: I really love the new Named Clothing book called Breaking the Pattern. And it’s a lot of bang for your buck because you get the book and then you get a whole bunch of patterns that come with it. So, it’s a really great way to get a bunch of patterns at once for a lower cost, and there are some really, really cool pieces in that book. So go check that out.

Helen: And you can also make an effort to follow some more sewists that are your age on Instagram, whatever your age is. And that can, kind of, help you see style options for people who are in your age range. Not that we believe in any specific style for any age range, but it can be really inspiring to follow people that are around your age, and then you get ideas as well for things that you can make. 

Caroline: Yes. Absolutely. Good luck. I hope you find your style and you find your patterns. 

Helen: Well, she will, if she does our worksheet.

Caroline: Yes. Okay. Well, let’s not delay any longer. Let’s get to the show. 

Helen: Yeah. So why do we think it’s important to take a look at our style and our wardrobes? 

Caroline: Well, the first thing would be that your style tells a story about you. It’s the first thing people see is, you know, what you’re wearing people… Unless you’re a nudist, you wear clothes every day. So…

Helen: How many nudists do you think listen to the show? 

Caroline: I don’t know, but if you’re a nudist and you listen to the show, I want to know. 

Helen: Yeah. We want to hear from you.

Caroline: Although do nudists sew? 

Helen: Maybe, well, yeah, they could sew curtains. 

Caroline: Love to sew…

Helen: Tablebloths. 

Caroline: Your own quilts. 

Helen: Tote bags. They have to, I mean, if they don’t have any pockets, so probably really into bags.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay, cool. Um, got a little off topic there, but the bottom line is that your style really does tell a story about you. 

Helen: Yeah. It’s such a great opportunity for personal expression. You can show people who you are through your clothes. And that’s part of the reason why I think a lot of people enjoy sewing. If you’re really into sewing your own clothes, you probably are into expressing yourself through your wardrobe. So taking a moment to assess where you’re at with your style and where you want to be with your style is always a good thing I think, if you’re in the right mood for it.

Caroline: I think it’s, uh, really empowering to know that you are dressing and representing yourself in exactly the way that you want to be, I guess. 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And sometimes clothes can feel limiting almost cause you’re like I have this wardrobe, but nothing to wear, you know, that feeling. So really taking that time to do the work and think about the kind of clothes that you want to wear, it’s just going to make your life better. It’s just going to make the day-to-day easier. 

Helen: Yeah. It definitely makes things more convenient in the morning when you’re getting dressed. Um, you have less of those looking at your closet and thinking you have nothing to wear moments. 

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: You can just pick and choose separately or, you know, a full garment and you’re good to go because everything in your wardrobe is perfect for you.

Caroline: Yeah, and that’s another thing that we’re going to talk about today is just creating that cohesive look where pieces are going to work together and really putting some thought into that. So, and that’s another way that it’ll be easier to get dressed in the morning if all your stuff goes together. 

Helen: Yeah. So we really want this episode to inspire you to plan your fall sewing projects. This time of year, I always get the itch to think about my style because I’m like, ooh, I’m going back to school, and I want a whole new look. It’s just a really fun time of year to look at style and think about things that you want to make for the next season. 

Caroline: So what you’re saying is that I have to let go of my summer sewing plans.

Helen: I told you to do that like a month ago. 

Caroline: I have two more jumpsuits I want to make this weekend. I’m just going to squeeze them in. 

Helen: Can you make them in a fall-appropriate linen? 

Caroline: Um, I am. One of them will definitely be linen which I think I could wear into fall with, like, some layers. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: The other one is a floral. Let’s not talk about it. 

Helen: Alright. So this whole process is going to involve looking at your current style, going through your current wardrobe, and then pinpointing where you’re at and where you want to be. So you can, kind of, map out your journey and what sewing projects and garments are going to get you to where you want to be. And we’re going to help you make a plan so you can execute it and not feel that project paralysis we’ve talked about where you have… 

Caroline: The dreaded project paralysis. 

Helen: …so many ideas and you don’t know where to start. This is going to help you get some clarity and some focus. 

Caroline: It’s going to help you create your dream wardrobe and feel a hundred percent in love with your looks. And we even have a worksheet that you are going to be able to download, which is so exciting. We’ve been working really, really hard on this. So you are going to be able to go to our website and click on a link to download our Create Your Dream Wardrobe worksheet and go through the whole process like we are going to do today. On the air. 

Helen: Yes. 

Caroline: With you. 

Helen: I mean, we have already done it. We’re gonna talking about it today. 

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: Yeah, we’re really excited. So all you have to do is go enter your email, and then you’ll get the worksheet in your inbox. And we want you to share your progress with us, so use the #LTSdreamwardrobe so we can see your process as you go through it and see what you’re planning to make this fall.

Caroline: Yeah. And don’t just share, like, the finished projects we want to hear about your process, too. 

Helen: We want to see the giant pile of clothes when you’re cleaning out your closet. 

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. Show us your drawings and your swatches and all the planning progress. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: So exciting. 

Helen: Okay. One note before we get started, I feel like we all have those me made items in our wardrobe that we don’t wear for whatever reason. They were, like, a bit of a sewing fail or they don’t fit anymore or they’re just not our style, but it can be really, really hard to let go of the me mades. 

So we just wanted to acknowledge that. We don’t have a perfect solution for it other then if you’re going to continue your sewing journey and you want to make the 50 things on your sewing list, you’re going to have to learn how to let things go. And you’re going to have to give some of those clothes away. Hopefully, you can find a good home for them, um, but you don’t need to keep them just because you made them. It’s not an obligation.

Caroline: And, kind of, in contrast, if you’ve been sewing for a really long time, maybe you feel like you’re in a bit of a sewing rut and maybe it’s time to refresh, take stock, you know, take the time to figure out your thoughts on your personal style. And, um, hopefully this exercise will give you some space to switch things up and get inspired with some new potential looks.

Helen: Mhm. So do you have any thoughts on your personal style right now, Caroline? 

Caroline: Uh, I do. I think that my personal style is pretty consistent. I feel like I know my style pretty well, and it’s been, you know, kind of, in the same, I don’t know… 

Helen: Ballpark?

Caroline: …ballpark/vibe for a few years now. So I really do feel like I, kind of, locked down my style over the last few years. One thing I’ll say is that my love for linen has definitely grown exponentially over the last year, um, which is awesome. I’ve sewn a lot, a lot of linen garments, but the bottom line with my style is that I really like to be comfortable. 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I do not like wearing things that are not comfortable, but also at the same time, feel put together and chic an,d like, I can go into the office and have a meeting with somebody important and, like, not feel frumpy, you know? So it’s a delicate balance there.

The other thing that this exercise made me realize was that I do have quite a small wardrobe compared to, I’ll say, compared to some people. And I, and I do try to clear out pretty often. So I didn’t really have that many things to get rid of when we went through this. But because I have such a small wardrobe, I tend to wear the things that I love again and again and not have a ton of variety. 

So one goal of mine moving forward is just to, kind of, beef up my wardrobe so that I have a bit more variety and that, you know, I have just, like, more items to pick from and rotate between so that my clothes don’t wear out so quickly. Plus I have just so much fabric, so many beautiful pieces of fabric, just waiting to be made into gorgeous garments that I know are going to fit into my wardrobe really well. So I just need to, like, continue on my journey of, like, beefing up my wardrobe. 

Helen: Mhm.

Caroline: Yeah. 

Helen: I feel like with you, you almost just want to take the things that you love wearing and just duplicate them…

Caroline: Oh yeah.

Helen: …in colors and prints because you do have a very signature look. 

Caroline: Yeah. 

Helen: Um, how do you feel about the change of the season? Cause we’ve been through summer now, and summer is a really comfortable time, I think. And then winter, you have to wear a few more layers. 

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: So what do you think? 

Caroline: I, I feel like a lot of my wardrobe is seasonless, like, I can wear it from spring/summer into fall/winter with just adding an extra layer here or there. I try to do that with my clothes, like, not make things too seasonal, but I’m excited. I love fall. I love fall/winter. I love sweaters. I love, like, light jackets. 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Um, I love, you know, pairing things with boots. I love jeans. I mean, we talked about that last week. I love making jeans, so I’m very excited to make some jeans this fall. But, you know, I feel really good. How about you? How, what are your thoughts on your current style? 

Helen: I think my style has been through the ringer for the past, like, three years because of transitioning from my day job to working at home and doing this full-time. And then another big transition when I decided to get an office space and an employee which happened in the last year. So when I was working at home, I was just, like, honestly, like, a complete slob, and I was not wearing the beautiful clothes I was making which was really sad. And then when I got a space, I finally had the opportunity to wear the clothes. And then when I got Chloe, my assistant, an even more of an opportunity to wear the clothes cause it’s nice when someone else is going to see you. 

Caroline: Yeah. No for sure. 

Helen: Yeah. So that’s been a really nice shift. So in the last, I would say, six or seven months. I feel like my style is coming back a bit more, and I’m just really excited to get dressed in the morning, and I’m having fun picking things out of my closet. I do get really overwhelmed when I get dressed because I have how so many clothes. I really do. I have a lot, a lot, a lot of clothes. Um, and I have to, like, put things away for seasonal because otherwise I have, I don’t have enough space in my closet. 

Um, so right now I’ve got all my summer stuff out which is fun. So my closet is just like this, all these bright colors and prints and tons of dresses and jumpsuits and culottes and stuff. And then my winter style is very different. It’s all jeans and t-shirts and leggings and sweaters. So I feel like I have almost, like, a split personality with my style, and I would like to bring them together a bit more.

So that’s, kind of, my goal moving forward. I want some of those summary pieces to work for winter and winter pieces for summer and have a bit more of a crossover, maybe less of a seasonal wardrobe and pair things down a bit. 

Caroline: I have to pair things up and you’re pairing things down. 

Helen: It’s true. Well, you did give me a pair of culottes the other day.

Caroline: It’s true.

Helen: That was awesome, and I also need to focus because my to-sew list is always way too long. I’m sure many people can relate to that. I would love to just pick, you know, one to three things and get those done instead of having 10 to 20 things on my list. 

Caroline: One to three things a week? 

Helen: One to three things for, like, the next month or two. 

Caroline: Yeah, that’s realistic. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: Yeah. 

Helen: Exactly. 

Caroline: That would be realistic for me.

Helen: Definitely. 

Caroline: I feel like you sew a little bit more than me, but… 

Helen: Yes. 

Caroline: Also, you have samples and stuff. 

Helen: Yeah. I’m often sewing samples and hacks and stuff, too, which I don’t count. 

Caroline: I thought of something, kind of, fun that we should do. 

Helen: What’s that? 

Caroline: So we’re going to do this later, actually quite soon for ourselves, but why don’t we think of three words for how we would describe each other’s style. 

Helen: Oh, okay. Right now. Yeah. Okay. I would describe your style as frumpy, weird, and, um…

Caroline: I know, I know what I would say for you. 

Helen: Oh, okay. You go first. 

Caroline: Earthy. Art teacher. Bold. 

Helen: Ooh, I like that. I forgot about the art teacher thing. I should have put that in my worksheet. You were so good. I would say. Minimalist. I can’t say earthy cause you said earthy.

Caroline: You can say earthy. I feel like my style is, kind of, earthy.

Helen: Can I just say Blackbird? Um, and I feel like your style is very cool. Like, you look really cool all the time, you know? 

Caroline: Thank you.

Helen: Like, not only that you look awesome and cool but that you look comfortable and cool, you know? Like…

Caroline: Oh, like breezy? 

Helen: Yeah, breezy. Breezy is good. 

Caroline: Yeah. I don’t get hot in my clothes.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. 

Caroline: So, I’m cool. 

Helen: Cool in two ways. 

Caroline: I like that. I like that. Cool. Well, so what is it? Cool. Blackbird. Minimalist.

Helen: Minimalist. Is that accurate? 

Caroline: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think so. It’ll be fun to compare what we called our own style. 

Helen: It’s true. Okay. 

Caroline: Okay. But before we get to that, we want to talk to you about the Create Your Dream Wardrobe worksheet that you’re going to be able to download on our website by signing up to our newsletter. It’s split into three sections. And the first section is all about Defining Your Style. So you’re identifying what you’re working with, where you currently are with your style and your wardrobe, and also ,how you, kind of, want it to evolve. 

Helen: Mhm. You’re gathering inspiration. You’re trying to identify things you want to change. Um, you’re looking at your lifestyle, all sorts of stuff. 

Caroline: It’s the funnest part. In my opinion. I love the, like, kind of, assessing and also, there’s, like, a Pinterest component. 

Helen: Yeah, anytime I get to pin things, I’m happy. Yeah. Um, okay. Part two is the Wardrobe Assessment. So this is where you’re going to review the items you already have in your closet. So taking all of your clothes out of your closet, trying them all on, and asking yourself some key questions, um, in order to figure out if they’re going to work for you in the style that you’ve identified that you want to have moving forward. 

Caroline: Mhm. And then part three is all about Planning and Creating. So this is where you’re going to get the opportunity to explore patterns and fabrics and styling to try to figure out how you are going to complete your new style. And you’ll also identify those holes that are missing after you’ve reassessed your wardrobe and, maybe, let go of a few items. You’re probably gonna have holes in your wardrobe and be able to see those and plan out your new looks accordingly. And then, of course, start sewing. 

Helen: Yeah. Obviously, the goal is always to get to the sewing.

Caroline: This episode is sponsored by Spoonflower. The first company of its kind, Spoonflower was launched in 2008 in Durham, North Carolina, with the dream of empowering individuals to create, print, and sell their own artwork on fabric, wallpaper, and gift wrap. 

Helen: Are you looking for project inspiration? Check out Spoonflower’s online magazine at spoonflower.com/magazine. Designing your own fabric to create a dream wardrobe is easier than you might think. Spoonflower has also rounded up eight seamless repeat tutorials to get you started which you can find on their blog and in our show notes. 

Caroline: We love that Spoonflower is committed to its sustainable practices with a focus on reducing the use of energy and water, minimizing fabric waste, and using ethically sourced materials. 

Helen: And you heard right at the beginning of the show Spoonflower is giving away a Brother Serger to one of our lucky listeners. So don’t forget to enter to win by visiting try.spoonflower.com/lovetosew. The deadline to enter is September 10, 2019. But if you’re listening after that, don’t worry, you’ll still receive a 15% discount by using that URL. Again, that’s try.spoonflower.com/lovetosew to win a serger. 

Caroline: Go and enter.

Helen: Okay. So Part One: Defining Our Style. There’s a few questions we have to kick things off. So do you feel like you have a signature style or do you like to mix things up? 

Caroline: I think I have a signature style. 

Helen: Mm, I like to mix things up. 

Caroline: I would say that’s true. Are you more focused on comfort or style? 

Helen: Uh, comfort obviously.

Caroline: Yeah. Comfort. 

Helen: Comfort, comfort, comfort. 

Caroline: But I also like style. Can I say both? 

Helen: You have a very comfortable style. 

Caroline: Thank you. 

Helen: Okay. And then we have the three descriptive words to describe your current style. So some examples would be, like, romantic or casual or simple or preppy or sporty, you know? 

Caroline: Yeah. 

Helen: Keep it simple. Um, for me, I wrote volumes, bold prints, and modern linen which are not really descriptive words, but whatever. 

Caroline: I like the modern linen. It’s, like, so specific, not antique linen, modern linen. 

Helen: I just wanted modern and linen in there. 

Caroline: You could have just added an extra word. 

Helen: No. Three. 

Caroline: Alright. So I put down relaxed, simple, and natural.

Helen: Ooh, natural lady. That’s creepy.

Caroline: I was thinking more, like, natural tones, but also natural, like, I don’t wear makeup, so… 

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. 

Caroline: Yeah. Does your wardrobe reflect the needs of your current lifestyle? 

Helen: Yeah. Think about, like, the three activities that you do the most. You know, are you a parent? Do you go to an office? Do you go to the gym regularly or do other fitness things? 

Caroline: This is a really great place to have, like, a reality check where you can be like, okay, this is my current situation. Like, this is where my current situation is at. And like, but this is actually my life. And like, do those things line up?

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: And we also give you a place where you can reflect on what you actually like about your current style and then what you don’t like about your current style. I think we all have a few elements about the things that we wear or the way that we style ourselves that maybe we think we could improve. So this is a really cool place for reflection. We give you space to write all of that out. So it’s a really fun part of the process. 

Helen: Yeah, definitely. And then you have all this information that you can refer back to when you are doing the next step which is pinning a bunch of inspiration images, um, or gathering them on Instagram or however you want to do it. Just gathering inspiration and then comparing those inspiration images you’re finding with the initial steps that we put out there like, oh, is this image that I’m really attracted to, does it look comfortable? Is it going to work for my lifestyle, all those kinds of things you want to consider before you add it to your precious Pinterest board. 

Caroline: Yeah. And if you’re, like, a Pinterest junkie like myself, I had all of these crazy Pinterest boards with all kinds of style inspiration, and I just created a brand new one, like, a fresh style board. And then I went through all of my saved posts on Instagram, and I went through all of my style boards on Pinterest, and I, kind of, just, like, put it all together and picked, you know, just a few images that I felt really defined the style that I’m aspiring to create. 

Helen: Yeah, exactly. You can go crazy, and then you can narrow it down because in the end you do want to have a pretty defined idea of what your style is going to be. So once you’ve narrowed down your Pinterest board, we have some questions in the worksheet that you can ask yourself, like, is there a specific, sort of, vibe that’s resonating when you’re looking at your board? And can you describe that in three words, the same way that you described your current style and see, you know, how much contrast there is there?

Caroline: Yeah. And also looking at the colors, like, for me, I had a very, very clear palette on my Pinterest board, and it was, like, white, rust, denim. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: Basically. So I had this clear idea of like, okay, this is where I want my style to go this fall which was really fun. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: You’ll also get to pinpoint trends that maybe you see in the fabrics used, or maybe the prints on those fabrics, the texture. So really try to have a look at the types of things you pin and why did you pin them? Is it because you liked a specific element? Did you like the whole look? Kind of, go through it, and these questions are helping you with that. 

Helen: You were saying that you were surprised that you had so many, like, small scale florals pinned.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. Actually, I think I pinned like three or four garments that were quite romantic and flowy, like button up tops or, sort of, like boho style blouses with a small scale floral print, specifically on a dark background. So I was like, okay. And that really does sort of fit with my current style. I feel like I could pair that with a lot of the jeans and the pants that I have. So I really do want to try to make some blouses like that this fall. 

Helen: Yeah. It’s cool to see what comes up as you start pinning and think like, oh, I clearly am attracted to this, but I don’t actually have this in my wardrobe. 

Caroline: Yeah. 

Helen: And you can also look for trends in silhouette because that’s going to really help you when you’re looking at patterns later, is defining what silhouettes you are attracted to and also what silhouettes you like to wear, and then any, like, style details. So are you pinning a lot of button front dresses? Uh, does everything have a high waist? Are things, kind of, oversized or are they more tailored? Um, looking at those details as well. 

Caroline: Yeah. And then after you’re looking at your vision board, you want to describe your dream style. 

Helen: Yes. 

Caroline: So we have a space where you can talk about where you want your dream style to be. And then there’s also a really fun sliding scale where you can, kind of, mark, or rate, how close your current style is to your dream style.

Helen: Yeah. So you can see how far you have to go. 

Caroline: Yeah. And you’re allowed to put, like, 10 out of 10 on there. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: I’ll just put it out there. 

Helen: Maybe you nailed it.

Caroline: Maybe you nailed it. You just need to keep doing what you’re doing. 

Helen: Alright, so that’s pretty much the vision boarding time and figuring out where you want to go. We kept it pretty simple. Um, you can just think about, you know, the next six months, if you want. You don’t have to think about your next forever, just where you’re at right now. 

Caroline: Yeah, exactly. And then we’re going to move on to Part Two, which is the Wardrobe Assessment. The scary part. 

Helen: I’m Imagining someone severe holding a clipboard.

Caroline: Wardrobe assessment. This was a really great place where we were able to look at our current wardrobe and just, kind of, figure out what we were ready to let go of and what didn’t work with our dream style and the style that we’re aspiring to create. 

Helen: Yeah. Often when I do these kind of exercises, I find that I put things on that I never wear. And then when I look in the mirror and I’m like, oh, I never wear this. Why don’t I ever wear this? And then it doesn’t fit at all with the style that I’ve defined that I want to have. So sometimes it can become clear, even though you’re, like, objectively, this top is really nice. If you never, it, it might just be time to let it go.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s also just a really fun time to, kind of, play dress up and pull out some of those pieces that maybe you haven’t worn in a while and maybe you’ll fall back in love with them or realize that they fit a little better than they used to or maybe even a little bit worse, and you’re ready to really let go of them. So this is a really great process, and it’s going to help you to figure out which me mades or, you know, store-bought clothes you’re ready to part with. 

Helen: So we want you to take things out of your wardrobe and create a clean space where you can put things back in, uh, one at a time, things that you truly, truly love. And we have three questions we want you to ask for each garment. So first is: does this fit with your vision for your new style? And second is: can you alter the garment to fit into your vision for your dream wardrobe? And the third is: is this an exception to the rule, kind of, garment? 

Everyone’s going to have these in their wardrobe. It might be loungewear, workout clothes, sentimental things, special occasion wear, those kinds of things. Probably won’t fit into your vision board unless, you know, you’re super into lounging. Um, and of course, you can keep those things. Everyone needs those things in their wardrobe. 

Caroline: Yeah. I think, like, if there’s an item that you’re looking at and it doesn’t necessarily fit with your dream wardrobe vision, but you still are absolutely in love with it, like, don’t get rid of it, you know? That’s an exception to the rule, even if it’s not loungewear. 

Helen: It’s true.

Caroline: I think there will always be exceptions, but I think this is more a place where you can pinpoint the items that you’re sure you don’t like anymore, you don’t want to wear anymore, don’t fit you, and give yourself permission to let go of them. 

Helen: Yeah, definitely. And on fit, we do encourage you to let go of things that don’t fit you, even if you think they might fit you at a later date because we found personally having those things in our wardrobes just, sort of, taunting us can be really heartbreaking sometimes. So at the very least, take those items and put them in storage and you can revisit it later. 

Caroline: Yeah. 

Helen: But clear them out for now because you only want things hanging in your closet that you can actually wear. 

Caroline: Yeah. I try to remind myself that, like, even though it’s hard to get rid of something that doesn’t fit me anymore, let’s say, in a few years, it fits me again. My style might be different then. 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So you’re holding onto this, kind of, reminder that there are garments that don’t fit you anymore. I just think it’s, like, not healthy. 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Let it go. 

Helen: Let it go. 

Caroline: So then when you have your piles of items that you’ve decided to keep, we think it’s really important that you keep that stuff organized and visible for future wear, so you’re going to have a clean slate and you can put everything back into your closet or your dresser or however you organize your clothes and just try to have some order in there.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. You can even treat yourself and upgrade some of your closet elements, like get some nice wooden or velvet hangers so things stay on. Get the right hangers for garments. You know, like your spaghetti strap Ogden camis are constantly slipping off the hangers cause you don’t have the ones with, like, the little notches in them.

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: Just go get some of those.

Caroline: Yes. 

Helen: Yeah. It’s not that hard, and you can also get some bins or maybe you want to upgrade your entire storage system and go nuts at IKEA. I mean, wherever you’re at, I think it would be fun to treat yourself a little bit and just, uh, freshen it up. 

Caroline: Okay, so once you’ve gone through your wardrobe and organized everything, you’re ready to move on to Part Three… 

Helen: My favorite part.

Caroline: …Plan and Create.

Helen: Yes, hopefully during the process of clearing out your closet, you identified some holes, some priorities, maybe you got rid of that classic denim shirt that you love because it didn’t fit you. So you need another one, obviously, that does fit you, riight? 

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: So you can identify some of those holes and also identifying the gap between your initial assessment of your wardrobe and your dream wardrobe and what articles of clothing are going to fill that gap. 

Caroline: And then you’re going to get to make a list of those missing items and organize that list by make versus purchase. Because remember, we’ve talked about this before, you do not have to sew everything. So this isn’t a moment where you’re making a big, long list of things you want to make. You can split it up and decide, okay, this is something I’m going to buy, you know, invest in, or, you know, however you want to buy it. You can do that. And then maybe a list of things that you get to make. 

Helen: Yeah, for sure. And don’t worry if your make list is really long. We talked about this at the beginning. Sometimes that can be overwhelming, but we’re going to keep narrowing it down, and you’re going to identify the next three things you’re going to make after this. So go nuts a little bit here. 

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: Feel free. 

Caroline: Yeah, and then once you have that list of things that you want to make, now is a good time to do a pattern search to try to plan and figure out what patterns you’re going to use to fill those holes in your wardrobe. And also come up with a realistic timeline because it’s easy to have a mile long list of items, but if you don’t, kind of, put a schedule on that then, who knows when you’re going to get that done? So coming up with a realistic timeline for when you’re going to make those items, I think is really important. And we give you some space to do that in the worksheet. 

Helen: Mhm. And we also give you space to prioritize. So we do want you to narrow in on three things you want to make real bad. And then we have a really fun project worksheet that you can fill out. So you can draw a little sketch of your garment. Put the details in there. Include a fabric swatch if you want. Um, and then there’s some space to write a little bit about why you chose that, how it fits into your style, um, and ideas for hacking. All sorts of stuff.

Caroline: Yes. This worksheet is one of my favorite parts of the whole booklet because you can reprint it again and again. You can use it in your sewing journal, maybe, if you have one, and just print a sheet and, kind of, tuck it in there. You can organize it however you want. But it’s a really great place to just, kind of, come back to every time you want to plan a new make, lots of place to put all the information on that sheet.

Helen: Definitely, and we don’t want you to be intimidated about drawing a croquis or drawing a garment. I mean, I am a pattern designer, and I will tell you that most of the time when I’m sketching out an idea I have for a pattern, it looks really, really weird. Like, I can’t get the shoulders to be straight and the sleeves are different sizes and, like, I try my best, you know, I get my idea down on paper and that’s what counts. 

Caroline: Yeah. And if you’re really intimidated by it, I think you can use the line drawing from the pattern. You can even print out, like, a black and white copy of, like, the pattern cover or the photo shoot or something and then trace over it. You can maybe invest in some credits with MyBodyModel and get your own croquis built for you. There’s so many ways that you can do that yourself and don’t worry about it being perfect. It’s just all about getting your idea down on paper. 

Helen: Yeah, totally. You can even glue the picture of the pattern on there.

Caroline: Oh yeah. Absolutely. 

Helen: Okay. So I’m curious to hear what your Plan and Create process was like. 

Carolien: Ooh, well, I’m really excited about my next three makes because they’re, kind of, well, one of them is a little bit different and unexpected, but one of the things that I was pinning a lot was button up shirts for fall. You know, it’s something that I don’t wear that often, but I think I aspire to wear more button up shirts. 

Um, they’re comfy and they, you know, are a little bit more chic and put together then, maybe, just a t-shirt. I have a lot of t-shirts. I realized that when I cleaned out my closet. Do not need to make any more t-shirts for the moment. So I’m going to make the Olya Shirt by Paper Theory. It’s this really cool shirt where the yoke goes right out into the sleeves. It’s, kind of, a relaxed fit, and I want to make it out of linen. I haven’t decided if I want to do, like, a crisp white linen or if I want to do a colored linen but just a plain linen button up shirt.

I’m super excited about that cause I think it’s going to fit seamlessly into my wardrobe and just be exactly what I’m looking for right now. 

The other make that I put on my list, because I’m desperate to make jeans after recording and talking about denim so much last week, is the Dawn Jeans by Megan Nielsen. I actually have not made the Dawn Jeans yet. Everyone in my office has made the Dawn Jeans, practically, and they’re so, so great. I feel like it’s the jeans pattern to end all jeans pattern. Like, you only really need the Dawn Jeans.

Helen: Sorry to any patterns for jeans. 

Caroline: No, but it’s just Megan Nielsen did such a wonderful job with that pattern because it has all the different views, and it’s just that perfect, like, high waist I personally love. It’s my end all be all jeans pattern. Let’s say that. So I’m going to do a pair of a wide leg Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans in this vintage washed denim that we actually just dropped in the shop last week. Um, hopefully, there’s still some left when this episode comes out, but it’s a really great denim that we’ve carried before. It’s just a really nice, kind of, like, heavy weight with a little bit of a vintage vibe. I really love it. 

And then my last make on my list is the Elliott Sweater from Helen’s Closet. I’ve tried on a ton of your Elliot sweaters, but I’ve yet to make one. 

Helen: You’ll love it. It reminds me a lot of a sweater that you wear all the time.

Caroline: Yes, I know I’m going to love it. I mean, there’s no doubt. I just have to make it. And I also pinned a lot of, like, kind of, turtleneck-like comfy sweater things, so I’m going to do a little hack. I’m actually going to lengthen the sleeves and maybe make them a little bit looser. Like, I, kind of, want the sleeves to be a little bit, like, so I can, sort of, roll them up maybe or something like that. I think that’s maybe going to be more of the vibe I’m looking for this fall. So I’m going to try out the Elliot Sweater in this, like, rusty rib knit that I have in my stash. 

And I mean, it was really hard to narrow down three makes. I also really want to make a Wiksten Haori. I also, you know, really want to make all kinds of things, but I had to narrow it down to three, and it was really fun.

Helen: So have you put any wheels in motion to get started on these? 

Caroline: Um, no. But I only just finished this this week. 

Helen: That’s true. That’s true. 

Caroline: I’m still gunnin’ for my last two jumpsuits this weekend… 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …and then I’ll do this. 

Helen: I know I also have, this was a bit weird for me because I have two formalwear, well you also have Frocktails to think about, but a frocktails dress and a dress to wear to my friend’s wedding, that are top priority at the moment. So I didn’t include those on my list because I don’t feel like they count in this situation. 

But, um, my three makes, I also want to make wide leg Dawn Jeans, uh, in bull denim. I have a bunch of, uh, green bull denim. I really want to make a pair. And then some army green canvas Yanta Overalls. 

Caroline: Ooh. Is that the hemp organic cotton canvas? 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: Oh, it’s the perfect weight. Amazing.

Helen: Yeah. I’m so excited. I have a fresh pair of black Yanta Overalls because I wanted to, like, gear up for fall and make some more Yants, so I made a black pair, and I made a, like, linen slub pair with a tie front. 

Caroline: So cute. 

Helen: And now I’m going to make another army green pair. They’re just so comfortable. 

Caroline: It’s the fall of Yantas. Oh, wait, I need to stop saying that. It’s the autumn of Yantas.

Helen: Autumn also means, like, the fall. 

Caroline: It does? I didn’t know that.

Helen:  It’s the year of Yanta. 

Caroline: Okay. Double wise. 

Helen: And then another pair of Persephone Pants, even though I’m trying the Dawn. I know the Persephone has worked for me, so I can bang out another pair and know that I’m going to be super happy. And I want to use the popcorn denim that you guys had in stock a while back. 

Caroline: Freaking love that stuff. 

Helen: It’s so cute. And I’m also going to stock up again on denim tomorrow cause we’re recording this right before the denim launch, so I’ll have lots to work with. But basically I identified, when I did this process, that I need more pants moving into fall and winter because I know my style is going to shift. I’m not gonna be able to wear my shorts and dresses as much anymore. So I want to be ready and have pants already made because as it stands, I only have one pair of jeans that fit.

Caroline: You can do it. It’s going to be so fun. You’re going to have more jeans, and you’re going to start on your journey to creating your dream wardrobe. 

Helen: Yeah. 

Caroline: And so am I.

Helen: A journey I’ve been on for a long time. A never ending story. 

Caroline: So that’s, kind of, the whole process. Overall, it was really fun to do, and we hope you guys have fun as well. And it is always good to do a style check-in every once in a while. 

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So we hope that this, kind of, gives you that little push to go ahead and do that just in time for fall. 

Helen: Mhm, and let us know what you think of the worksheet because it’s something that we can keep evolving and keep growing based on feedback. So please let us know and give it a try. Hope you create a wardrobe you absolutely 100% love or at least get going in that direction. 

And you can download that worksheet at lovetosewpodcast.com. We’re going to have links in the show notes for this episode. We’ll probably have a link on the homepage somewhere. We’ll have a link in our profile on Instagram. You know the drill, and use the #LTSdreamwardrobe when you share your progress cause we can’t wait to see what looks you come up with and your future garments. 

Caroline: Go have fun. 

That’s it for this Love to Sew favorite, we’ll be back in September with our new season. And in the meantime, you can find me Caroline at blackbirdfabrics.com and Helen at helensclosetpatterns.com and our Love to Sew swag shop at lovetosewshop.com. 

Helen: We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and you can get in touch with us and get links for everything we talked about in this episode at lovetosewpodcast.com. Just search for the episode title.

Caroline: And of course, if you want to join our Patreon fam, now is a great time to start. For just $5 U.S. per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. And $10 U.S. per month will get you a 15% off discount code for Blackbird Fabrics, Helen’s Closet, and our Love to Sew swag shop, plus a bonus mini-sode. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew for more info. 

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. And thank you all so much for listening. We’ll talk to you soon. Bye.

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#miymarch19 Patch: The current state of my only pair of jeans… . @thatwendyward @dressmakerssocial

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Transcript:

This transcript is based on the Love to Sew Favourite version of this episode, released on February 22, 2022. You can listen to this version on the player below:

Caroline: Hello, Love to Sew listener. We’re currently in our podcast off-season, so we’re taking a little break from recording right now.

Helen: This winter we’re so excited to revisit some of our favourite episodes from years past. We hope you will love these reruns as much as we do. Remember, you can still access the show notes by going to LoveToSewPodcast.com and searching for the episode.

If you want more Love to Sew, head over to our Patreon. We have a lot of fun over there, and we appreciate our Patreon fam so, so much.

Caroline: Yes, we do. For $5 USD per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. Our Patreon episodes really feel like a catch up with friends. This is where we share what we’ve been up to in our personal lives, our businesses, what we’re sewing, and things we’re loving like recipes, podcasts, TV shows, board games, and more. Throughout the month, we also share behind the scenes photos, including sneaky peeks of some upcoming releases from our businesses.

Helen: Yes, it is top secret stuff just for our Patreon supporters. And if you join at the $10 USD per month, you get a 15% discount code for both Blackbird Fabrics and Helen’s Closet. The code can be reused again and again, so it’s a great deal, especially if you shop with us frequently. Plus, you’ll get a bonus mini-sode where we answer a patron question or cover a specific sewing topic. You can learn more about all the things we have to offer and sign up to support us at patreon.com/LoveToSew.

Caroline: And don’t worry folks, we’ll be back in March 2022 with a fabulous new season of Love to Sew. Now let’s get to this Love to Sew favourite.

Helen: Hello, and welcome. I’m Helen.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline.

Helen: And we love to sew. This is a podcast for makers where we talk about sewing a handmade wardrobe and bring you interviews with inspiring creatives and small business owners in our community.

Caroline: Are you planning to make some jeans this fall? We’ve got you covered. We talk about types of denim, denim weights, how to sew with denim, and denim terminology. What even is selvedge denim anyways? What does unsanforized mean? How can we make our handmade jeans last for years? All this and more in today’s episode.

Helen: Denim, denim, denim.

Caroline: Hello!

Helen: I can already tell you’re very excited about this episode.

Caroline: I am. I love denim. I love talking about denim. I love buying denim. I love sewing with denim. I love making jeans. Jean, jeans, jeans.

Helen: Yes, and it’s that time of year again, and it’s very exciting. I need some new jeans in my wardrobe, so I think this episode is going to be the push I need to get out all of my denim from my stash and see what I’ve got going on and make some cool jeans.

Caroline: How much denim would you say you have in your stash?

Helen: Um, I probably have about 20 metres. Is that a lot?

Caroline: Twenty metres! That’s, like, 10 pairs of jeans.

Helen: Because I started buying all those bull denims that you’re carrying in all the colours which is really fun. So now I have, like, not just blue denim, but lots of colour denim, too, and lots of duck canvas and stuff like that.

Caroline: Amazing. Tons of bottom weights. It’s going to be the fall of jeans.

Helen: The fall of jeans? That could, that sounds like it could go either way.

Caroline: It’s going to be the autumn of jeans.

Helen: I like that.

Caroline: Alright, so we have so much to cover today.

Helen: And we also wanted to say that today, or at least around this time, is our two year podcast anniversary.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Two years.

Helen: I know. So we started the podcast in August of 2017.

Caroline: Yup.

Helen: It’s been two years. I mean, I can hardly believe it.

Caroline: No, I can’t either. I can. I can, but I can’t. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t.

Helen: We’re very proud of, uh, the fact that we’ve put out an episode every week for the last two years. Um, and we’ve enjoyed every minute of it, so…

Caroline: Never late. Always on time.

Helen: Always on time.

Caroline: Always on time. You can rely on us. Every Tuesday, you can wake up to an episode.

Helen: Um, yes, and we want to thank you so much. We also, we want to brag, and also, thank you…

Caroline: Yes. Thank you for listening.

Helen: …for listening.

Caroline: And showing us love every week and supporting us. And we want to ask for your help to spread the word about the show.

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: We did this last year, and it worked really well. And, you know, if you love listening to the podcast, it would be amazing if you could just, like, take a screenshot of your podcast app or grab any photo from our Instagram feed or our website, and just share it with your friends, share it with your followers, and just help us spread the word about the show.

We get new listeners all the time which blows my mind because a lot of people listen to the show. It’s amazing that there are still people out there that don’t listen to the show, but there are. So help us spread the word and help others sewists discover us. It makes us so happy the idea of getting people to discover us.

Helen: Think about that moment when you found the podcast and realised that there were podcasts about the thing that you’re into and how awesome it is.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Um, so try to spread that to someone else. And if you’re not into social media, you can just email your friend…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …who sews and be like, do you listen to this show? Because you should.

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely.

Helen: Thank you so much for your help. We can’t wait to see you sharing us.

Caroline: Yes. Alright, we are going to kick off this episode with a question from Carmella.

Carmella: Hello, hello. My name is Carmella, and I live in Tampa, Florida. Um, I have a question for you guys. I am considering sewing my first pair of jeans. And, um, I’m looking at the Morgan Pattern cause I really want a pair of, uh, boyfriend cut jeans. However, I’m super picky about my colours, and I really want to do them in a light wash.

So my problem is that I can’t find a light wash denim on the internet, and I have absolutely, like, zero fabric stores in Tampa. Um, so if you guys could give me some feedback on where to find that or if I’m supposed to bleach myself, or whatever, because I clearly don’t know what I’m doing. Love the podcast. You guys are great. Thanks! Bye!

Caroline: Carmella, that is an amazing question, and I actually get this question a lot at Blackbird because it is really difficult to find light wash denim. And I hadn’t really realised how difficult it was until I started trying to source it, and it is really hard to find. The reason for that is in ready to wear the bleaching and the washing of the denim happens after the jeans have been produced. So a lot of the denim that you can find is a darker indigo wash. And then in the industry, they sewed it up into jeans and then they do the bleaching. And that’s how you get those beautiful, kind of, fade lines along the seam lines. And you know, all of that character that a bleached denim has, kind of, comes from doing it after you sew up your jeans.

If you have bleached denim that you work with and then sew the jeans, you’re not getting that, kind of, fade lines and that character in your pair of jeans, if that makes sense. You can still find light wash denims out there, and sometimes you can sew them up into jeans and then wash them even more and you’ll still get a little bit of character there. I’ve seen it online. I’ve seen it on fabric.com. So do a little bit of digging. But, also, I would not be afraid of working with a darker wash denim, sewing up a pair of jeans and then bleaching them yourself.

Helen: Yeah, if that’s how they do it in the biz, then why not you?

Caroline: And we’ll talk a little bit more about that later. Um, we have some tips and some articles to point you towards, people who have experimented with that that might help you on your bleaching journey. But I say, go for it.

Helen: Bleaching journey.

Caroline: Bleaching journey. You’re denim bleaching journey. Thank you.

Helen: Alright, so you did the prep for this episode because you’re the expert. So I’m going to, like, play the listener.

Caroline: I love, I love it when we do this.

Helen: Caroline, what is denim?

Caroline: Denim is the fabric of America. I read that somewhere online, and I thought that would be a really fun thing to throw in there. Um…

Helen: Why is it the fabric of America?

Caroline: I think because it’s just, like, the cornerstone of what Americans wear, and it was also, kind of, developed and started being made in the US.

Helen: For people working in factories and stuff like that.

Caroline: Exactly. So denim is a sturdy twill weave fabric where the warp thread is dyed, usually indigo dyed, and the weft thread is white. So because of the twill weave of the fabric, the diff, and the different colored threads, the front side ends up being dominantly blue and the backside is dominantly white. So that’s how you get that denim look, you know, if you cuff your jeans along the cuff, you’ve got that lighter white colour.

And denim became really popular in the US in the mid-19th century when Western labourers were looking for a sturdy, durable material for their work clothes. So that’s, kind of, the origin of denim, but in today’s society, like I said, it’s a cornerstone of our everyday wardrobe. Like, we all have different preferences for what we look for in a good pair of jeans or a good denim.

So today we’re going to cover as much as we can about denim so that you can feel confident when you’re shopping for your next pair of handmade jeans, or maybe a jean jacket, skirt, whatever you want to make with your denim.

Helen: I think it’s really amazing that denim is so ubiquitous that it’s a neutral in our wardrobes, even though it has a lot of character, like, there’s a lot of going on in most jeans, there’s pockets, and there’s topstitching, and there’s zippers, and there’s all these different styles of waist and leg and it’s blue most of the time, which we wouldn’t think of as being a neutral colour, but we all wear jeans as a neutral base, and everything goes with jeans, and it’s so easy to style, but that’s just because we’re so used to seeing it, that it has become neutral.

Caroline: Absolutely.

Helen: So interesting.

Caroline: Yeah, I love denim.

Helen: Yes, you mentioned that. Okay, so what are the types of denim?

Caroline: Okay. Yeah, I think that’s the first thing we need to cover, right? Cause there are different types of denim. And when you are approaching buying denim, you want to be thinking about, what type of denim do I want to buy today?

So the first one we’ll cover is stretch denim. So usually a stretch denim is a blend of cotton and spandex. Uh, sometimes you’ll have a little bit of polyester in there, sometimes other blends, but generally you’re looking at cotton spandex, and this is going to stretch, which is going to give you the ultimate comfort. So if you’re looking for those comfy, kind of, like, skin hugging pairs of jeans, like, hugging curves jeans, you’re going to want to go for a stretch.

So skinny jeans, jeggings style jeans, usually you’re going to have about two to three percent spandex or elastane in a stretch denim, but keep in mind that not all stretch denims are created equally. So sometimes a stretch denim with 2% spandex will actually stretch more than a denim with 3% spandex. It’s all about the construction, the weight, the way that it’s produced. So don’t necessarily only look at the spandex percentage to know how much stretch your denim is going to have.

Plus, on top of that, when you wash stretch denim, the character of that denim can change really significantly, and so your stretch, a lot of the time when denim comes off the bolt, there’s starch on it. We’ll talk about that again, in this episode, cause that’s, like, a huge part of buying denim, keeping in mind that denim off the bolt is starched, it feels stiffer.

So when you do that first wash with a stretch denim, that starch comes out and that spandex becomes more prominent and you’ll actually get more feeling out of that denim after you’ve washed it the first time. It’s not always as simple as, like, judging a denim based on how much it stretches in the store cause it can change after you wash it.

So, one thing I’ll say is that while stretch denim is more comfortable, it will not last as long as non-stretch denim, especially if you’re going to be washing your jeans all the time because spandex breaks down over time with heat and washing, so eventually, it’s going to lose its elasticity. It’s going to lose its recovery. So stretch jeans are not necessarily the jeans that are going to last, you, like, 10 years, you know?

Helen: Right. That makes sense.

Caroline: There’s a life cycle on those.

Helen: I think all of us, like, well, maybe not all of us, have pulled on that, like, old pair of jeggings, and they’re just, like, all bagged out in the knees or maybe they rip, you know, in the butt or something. And you’re like, okay, these are done.

Caroline: Yeah, and you can almost see, like, the difference if you take a photo of your stretch jeans, like, right after you make them and then, you know, a couple of years down the line, you’ll see the difference. And even just after you wash them, they’re not bouncing back as quickly. There’s, like, a little bit of bagging out. So yeah, it does make a difference. But if you’re looking for that skinny jean style, then you want to go for stretch denim of course.

Helen: Yeah, with stretch denims, are they typically the lighter weight on the weight scale as well?

Caroline: Yeah, I would say like, if you’re going for a classic skinny jean, it’s going to be a lighter weight denim. If you’re going for non-stretch denim, then it’ll be a little bit heavier, but we’ll talk about weight next.

Helen: Oh, yeah. Sorry.

Caroline: Okay. So non-stretch denim often that’s going to be a hundred percent cotton, but I’ve also seen some really gorgeous, like, cotton Tencel or cotton modal blends. So you might find a really beautiful blend, but a hundred percent cotton is the classic non-stretch denim. Doesn’t have spandex, so it doesn’t have any give, but a non stretch denim is going to last longer.

And in my opinion, especially now in the sewing world, it’s more versatile cause there are so many patterns out there for non-stretch denim. There are not that many patterns for stretch denim. So I just think that a non-stretch denim, if you’re, like, building up your stash, is a really great way to go because you can make jeans, but you can also make jean jackets and skirts and all kinds of different things with that.

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: Now, comfort stretch denim.

Helen: Ooh, what did we call it earlier? The silent warrior.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Silent warrior of the denim world.

Caroline: It’s, so comfort stretch denim is basically denim with around 1% spandex in it. So you treat it as a non-stretch denim, but it has just the tiniest bit of give. And that is often used for those non-stretch style garments, but it gives them a little bit more comfort and a little bit more recovery from the spandex.

So if you’re shopping ready to wear, a lot of, like, men’s classic men’s jeans in this, you know, day and age have just that little 1% of comfort stretch. Um, but personally I love a comfort stretch because you get a little bit of spandex, but then you can also use it for those non-stretch denim patterns.

Helen: Yeah. And do you think that fabric stores now are labelling things as comfort stretch? Or are we looking for the percentage being lower?

Caroline: I would look for the percentage being lower cause I don’t know that many fabric stores that would actually market something as a comfort stretch denim. It’s more of an industry term that I’ve seen, like, in the, you know, at trade shows and that kind of thing, but look out for it.

I mean, again, keep in mind that 1% spandex is going to make it so that it might break down a little bit quicker over time. But if you’re looking for, like, the non-stretch styles with a little bit of give, that’s your sweet spot.

Helen: Yeah, and for our sustainable-focused sewers out there, the non-stretch denim would be the way to go, right?

Caroline: A hundred percent cotton. Yeah, definitely.

Helen: Awesome.

Caroline: Alright, so let’s touch briefly on denim weight because I think it can be a little bit overwhelming when you’re looking at a whole bunch of different denims, and you’re like, do I want eight ounce? Do I want 12 ounce? What does that mean?

Helen: What even is an ounce?

Caroline: So, ounce weight is usually ounce per square yard. So that’s literally the ounce weight of the fabric if you cut a square yard of the fabric. Um, and it’s a pretty common term when you’re talking about weight. So if you’re shopping at different fabric stores, like, a lot of them will use ounces to describe the weight of the fabric.

So once you get to know different fabrics, looking at the ounce weight might be helpful for you to, kind of, learn more about weight. To me, an eight to 10 ounce denim would be a lightweight denim. So I wouldn’t go much lower than eight ounces, and that kind of weight is really great for skinny jeans, but it might be a little bit too light for a non-stretch denim.

So, um, you want to be, like, maybe 10 ounces and more for a non-stretch if you can find it. Ten to 13 ounces is a really great mid-weight denim. For me, that’s the sweet spot. That’s what I look for in a denim. It’s my favourite weight for non-stretch jeans cause it’s not too heavy, but it gives you that heft and that stiffness and that, kind of, like, strength and durability that you want out of non-stretch patterns.

And then you can even go heavier weight, so over 13 ounces. Thirteen to 15 ounces, you might find that. I think we have a 14 ounce denim in the shop. That is going to be, like, a heavier weight denim. It’s amazing for if you want to do distressing, or if you want that really classic, like, mom jean style denim that’s going to last a really long time like vintage Levi’s that you find in a thrift store that have been, like, bleached out.

Like, that’s going to be, like, a heavyweight denim, but when you find it in the thrift store, it doesn’t feel super heavyweight cause it’s been washed over and over again and worn over and over again and, kind of, like, naturally distressed over time. So if you want that out of a pair of jeans, that you’re going to, kind of ,commit to wearing for a long time, then, like, the heavier you can comfortably go the better because that just means your denim’s going to last longer.

Helen: Makes sense.

Caroline: Yeah, and just, don’t be afraid of denim when you’re looking at a denim in the store and it feels really heavy. Just remind yourself, it will feel so much softer and lighter after you wash it because you’re washing out that starch from the denim. And it’s just not going to feel as, like, cardboard-y.

Helen: Yeah, sometimes they’re so crisper, like, stiff, like a board, or they feel like upholstery canvas or something. And you’re like, I wouldn’t want this on my body.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: But that’s not what they feel like after you wash them. But, of course, it’s very hard to make that call when you’re at the store.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Um, we’ll talk a little bit more about shopping. Alright, so what about denim terminology? Because there’s so many words and every fabric store’s labelling it differently. And it’s hard to know what is what and who’s where and all that.

Caroline: Yeah, there are definitely some terms being thrown around, and you might not know what they mean. So I covered a few of them here. Um, the first one I want to talk about is raw denim. So raw denim is simply denim that has not been washed after it’s, like, dyeing and finishing processes. So most high-quality denims that you’re finding online in fabric stores are actually raw denims because, like I said, a lot of that washing process is going to happen after the jeans have been made. So the stuff that you can find in the industry is usually raw denim, unless it’s been marked as, like, washed, and there’s some kind of finish on the bolt.

Again, when you receive your raw denim, it might seem really stiff. Don’t worry. That’s the starch. It’s going to wash out. Washing out the starch, it’s not only going to change the hand feel, but it’s also going to change the colour of the denim cause the starch can make the denim look a little bit more grey. So a lot of the time it’ll, kind of, almost become more saturated and darker blue after it’s first wash.

And then some jeans are actually left raw and then worn without washing for, like, at least six months to create the distressing naturally. So if you’re looking for jeans like ready to wear and you buy a pair of raw jeans, like raw denim jeans, usually they’re just, like, stiff as a board. And if you’re like a raw denim junkie, you’ll, like, wear them for six months without washing them.

Maybe even, like, you know, put them in the freezer to get rid of that, like, bacteria and smell and just, like, keep wearing them until you can’t possibly wear them anymore and then you wash them, and all of those natural crease lines that are unique to your body, when you do that first wash, they, kind of, like, fade out and you get, like, a natural distressing that isn’t, like, industry made.

Helen: It’s very cool.

Caroline: It is very, very cool. So as home sewists, you, kind of, have a choice with raw denim. Most of the denim you’re gonna get is raw. So you have to make that choice. Prewash your denim. That’s what I would recommend. But you can also leave it raw and wear it raw. If you want to try that out, you can not prewash it. Wear your jeans raw. Let them, like, naturally distress over time and then wash them eventually. And there’s tons of articles online how to do that, so you can look that up.

Helen: And the reason why we say that we recommend that you prewash your denim is simply because we want you to get a good fit from the pattern that you’re making. And with raw denim, because you’re not sure how much it’s going to shrink after you make the jeans, it’s like putting all this effort into making the jeans and then washing them and hoping that they fit after. Um, maybe you size up or size or two, to, like, make that happen. But it’s just a little bit more of a gamble. So if you’re just getting into making jeans, we recommend washing your fabric first so you have the most chance at getting a good fit.

Caroline: And you can do your own artificial distressing at home. So if you prewash your denim and then you sew it up into jeans and then you decide you want to, like, add some holes or some, you know, fade lines or whatever, you can totally do that at home. And we have some tips for you later on.

But, one thing I’ll mention is, like, for me, I’ve made a bunch of different pairs of jeans. I think I’ve made, like, five pairs of jeans, and I have always pre-washed, sewn them into jeans, and it only takes a few months to start getting those, like, beautiful, natural crease signs and fade lines. And there’s nothing, like, jeans that have been, like, faded to your body. It’s super cool. And it’s super fun to see that change. Like, I even encourage you to take a photo of your jeans right after you make them and then a few months later.

And maybe I’ll pop a photo, cause I have a photo of, one of my jeans that I’m thinking of in particular, after I first made them and now. And, like, they look so different cause they’ve just faded so much with washing and wearing. And, so you don’t even have to do the whole raw denim thing to get fade lines naturally.

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: Okay. The next term I want to touch on is sanforized and unsanforized. And that term, kind of, relates to raw denim. So when you’re buying raw denim, most of the denim that you’re going to find in fabric stores is sanforized. Sanforized means that it has been pre-shrunk. So, in the production process, they’re pre-shrinking the goods so that they’re not going to shrink significantly after their first wash.

Unsanforized has not been pre-shrunk. So if you’re sewing up your jeans raw, you definitely want to size up accordingly because, theoretically, if you’re doing the raw jeans thing and you’re working with unsanforized denim, you’re going to only wash them way down the line. So you want to, like, size up so that you’re thinking about how much they’re going to shrink. Unsanforized denim will shrink, like, 10% on its first wash. Sanforized denim is more, like, two or 3%.

Helen: Right. Okay. Sanforized denim has been pre-shrunk, but it’s, like, pre-shrinking during production, not pre-shrinking post-production.

Caroline: It’s, yeah, exactly. It’s during production.

Helen: And then you still want to prewash sanforized denim, right?

Caroline: Cause it’s still going to shrink that, like, two or 3%.

Helen: Gotcha. Okay. What about, it’s all over the sewing community, selvedge denim?

Caroline: Yes, selvedge denim is really, really cool. So selvedge denim is produced on shuttle looms, and they actually make a fabric that is less wide. How did you say that?

Helen: Narrower.

Caroline: Narrower. Nailed it. Less wide. They produce a narrower fabric, and a lot of raw denim is actually made on old vintage shuttle looms which I think adds a little bit of, like, cache to the product. Because of this type of loom, it produces a denser weave. And the cool thing is that the selvedge is closed. So do you know when you buy a fabric, a lot of the time, even with most denims that are normal widths, you’ll see along the edge that there’s, like, little, kind of, weft threads that are cut? So it’s, like, hairy, almost along the edge of the fabric.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline; With selvedge denim, you don’t have the, that cut edge, so the weft is continuous which means that the selvedge is closed. And, again, a narrow width of fabric, and this, kind of, denotes a higher quality because with the continuous weft, the fabric is, like, denser, a denser weave. Why? Why are you laughing at me?

Helen: Sorry.

Caroline: Cause I like talking with my hands?

Helen: I just wish our listeners could see how much you’re moving your arms.

Caroline: Cause I’m so excited about selvedge denim.

Helen: I know we need to take a video because you were, like, explaining it, and, like, the visuals are really adding to it. Sorry. Okay.

Caroline: So selvedge denim is a denser weave. It’s a stronger weave. And because of the continuous weft, it’s just denotes, like, a higher quality. So the other cool thing about selvedge denim is that when you’re cutting out your jeans, you want to try to preserve that selvedge edge along the side seam.

So usually you’ll find, like, a pattern that’s drafted for that. The Phillipa Pants is a really good example from Anna Allen clothing, with a nice straight side seam. So you preserve that edge so that when you cuff your jeans, you can get that selvedge edge. And a lot of the time it’ll be, like, a pop of colour so that you’ll get, like, a red selvedge, which I think is the Levi’s signature colour. But you know, there’s all different colours. I’ve seen green, blue, pink.

Helen: Like, even just black straight. So yeah.

Caroline: It looks so good.

Helen: So beautiful. So cool. And if you don’t have selvedge denim, you can, like, get that pop of red if you just use, like, red serger thread, and then when you cuff it, it looks like you have selvedge denim.

Caroline: And you can even use that selvedge for other details like in the coin pocket or your back pocket. Like, I’ve seen it used in some really, really cool ways. So I wanted to read this little blurb from Frank and Oak’s website. They have a whole, like, article about selvedge denim, and I thought this was really interesting.

“All denim used to be selvedge, but the booming demand for jeans and denim in the 50s (brought on by movie stars like James Dean) meant jeans makers needed a faster, more efficient method to meet demand. They switched from a shuttle loom to a projectile loom. In the late-70s and early-80s, Japan went denim-crazy. Japanese brands started scooping up old shuttle looms and producing selvedge jeans themselves. Denim-heads in the States began looking to Japan for the best selvedge denim.

Selvedge denim is a mix of quality, rarity, nostalgia, and personalization. Generally, a pair of selvedge jeans will last longer because they feature a denser weave, have more weight to them, provide better creasing over time, and produce a more personalised fit and feel for more character overall.”

And we will link that article in the show notes cause it’s a great read, but I do think that a lot of the appeal of selvedge denim is just that history behind it and that kind of cache, that character. It’s just a beautiful, high-end product.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, it sounds like it’s more than just cache because you’re getting a denser weave which equals a longer lasting pair of jeans in the end. So if you see selvedge denim, snap it up.

Caroline: Yep.

Helen: Alright, what about Japanese denim? Because they mentioned that Japan went denim crazy. So what’s going on over there?

Caroline: Yeah, so there’s a lot of raw denim being produced in Japan. And the cool thing is that it’s often made on those vintage looms that have been scooped up from the US when all those factories were closing in the US. So this old, vintage loom production leads to more variation and imperfections in the weaving process, which for raw denim enthusiasts is actually what they want and like. They like those kinds of slabs and imperfections and texture in the fabric. And that’s, kind of, a signature of Japanese denim.

Japan also has a really rich history of textile dyeing which means they use some unique dyeing processes that create a really great variety of washes and saturations in their indigo denim. So that’s, kind of, what sets Japan apart from other countries in terms of denim production. They also just have really nice quality standards. Um, so, I just think, like, Japanese denims are the best denims out there.

Helen: Oh really? I love it. Okay. Where else are denims coming from?

Caroline: So you’ll also find really beautiful, high quality denims from Turkey and Italy. And, of course, the US. Although, unfortunately, the White Oak plant from Cone Mills closed a few years ago, so we’re no longer getting Cone Mills denim in the US. We’ll talk a little bit more about that in a minute, but you can find Turkey, Italy, Japan, US. That’s, kind of, where you want to go. That’s not to say that amazing denim isn’t made elsewhere, but if you see denims from those countries, then that’s, like, a, kind of, a surefire way to know that you’re getting something that’s of a higher quality.

Helen: Gotcha. Okay. And then Cone Mills is another term that people say all the time. It was Cone Mills denim.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: They have Cone Mills denim. So, like, what does that even mean?

Caroline: Yeah. So Cone Mills is the name of a company that produces denim. And they actually had a factory called the White Oak plant in North Carolina that has, was in operation for, like, over a hundred years. And it was the last selvedge denim mill in the US using vintage looms. So it was really sad actually when it closed because a lot of people were getting their denims from there and able to say, especially American companies able to say, like, our denim is made in America. And they can no longer say that if they’re working with selvedge denim because there aren’t any selvedge denims being made in America anymore. At least not on the scale that Cone Mills was doing it. So yeah, a lot of high end jean companies and, like, Levi’s even were using them.

And even before they closed, we were seeing Cone Mills denim popping up in the sewing world which is really cool. But then right when we were getting real into Cone Mills denim, they closed their plants, so that was sad.

Helen: I know. But then all of these companies, like yourself included, snapped up as much as you could to try and sell it, so you still will see White Oak Cone Mills denim out there in fabric shops because people did try to buy as much as they could basically. Um, but Cone Mills isn’t done for, right? Like, there’s other plants?

Caroline: Yeah, so they have locations in China and Mexico, as well, where they’re still producing denim. And one interesting thing that one of my suppliers in LA explained to me was that the USA plant was using some, like, really vintage looms. So they actually ended up producing goods that had a lot of flaws in them. And there were, like, problems in production. So their, uh, factories in Mexico and in China are using more modern looms. So they’re producing in some ways an even higher quality product than what the USA was, was producing.

Helen: Right, so it just might not satisfy the denim nerds out there, but…

Caroline: And the people that are looking for something that’s, like, domestically made, but don’t, you know, Cone Mills denim is now, like, not a good quality product. It’s still the same beautiful qual-, quality product. It’s just, sadly, no longer made in America.

I also wanted to touch on S-Gene denim because that’s another term that gets thrown around, and it’s, sort of, related to Cone Mills because it’s a patented technology that Cone Mills invented, and it blends cotton with polyester and spandex so that creates a really long lasting denim that holds its shape without stretching or bagging out. So this denim has really, really great snapback, which is, like, recovery and, kind of, boasts the whole concept of, like, no baggy knees, you know, like you’re wearing a pair of jeans and at the end of the day you get saggy knees. So S-Gene denim is known for, like, no baggy knees.

Helen: Alright, cool.

Caroline: It is a really great product. I mean, it’s, it’s definitely above and beyond in quality than a lot of other stretch denims that I’ve seen. Um, not to say it’s the only good stretch denim out there, but it is a great product. So if you can still find it, which you should be able to, it’s definitely out there, then snap it up.

Helen: Cool. Okay. I have a question.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: All of these, like, types of denims, weights of denims, such good information, but what if I’m at the fabric store and I’m in the denim area and, like, it’s just a wall of unlabeled bolts of denim and there’s no information, then what do I do?

Caroline: That sounds horrible.

Helen: I mean, it is.

Caroline: Yeah. I mean, if there is any kind of labelling look at country of origin. That’s, like, the first thing that you want to look at because if you’re finding something that’s, like, made in Japan or made in Italy, then right away, you’re, like, on the right track. But what I would say is, go in with a plan. So think before you get to the fabric store about what you’re looking for in a denim.

So do you want it to have stretch or non-stretch? What weight are you looking for? What pattern are you going to be using? What kind of wash or look or feel are you looking for in your denim? Go in with a plan.

And then also remember that the denim that you’re feeling off the bolt is going to soften significantly with washing. So don’t necessarily be deterred by, like, a cardboard-y feeling denim because that will soften.

Ask for help. I feel like people can be scared going to fabric stores to ask sales associates for help. And that could be because of, you know, negative experiences. That’s a really great way to learn from the people that work there. You might come across somebody who has sewn a pair of jeans themselves and can recommend personally a denim or who knows someone else who works in the store that has.

So ask questions as much as you can to try to find the right denim for your project. Experiment. You could always buy, like, a quarter yard of a few different denims, go home, wash them, see how they feel. And then when you can, buy from a source that you trust and that labels the denims and can, you know, can answer your questions.

So at Blackbird Fabrics, we put as much information in the product description as we can. And we answer all the questions that come in about, is this going to be right for my project or not? Or, you know, kind of look for those companies that are going to give that extra information to use that you can make a more informed decision.

Helen: Yeah. I love that you put the pattern recommendation. So if you’re like, I want to make the Philippa Pants, then you just have to find a denim on Blackbird that says Phillipa Pants in the description and you’re good to go.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. And we love making jeans at Blackbird, so we definitely have, like, personal experience working with most of the denims that we sell. Yeah, so, it’s fun. But yeah, a lot of it comes with experience, too. Like, you don’t expect your first pair of jeans to be perfect, right?

Helen: Mine definitely weren’t. They were a little bit of a mess, and I didn’t end up wearing them that much, but I learned how to construct them. And then I realised that I just picked the wrong weight of fabric for the project which of course is going to happen.

Caroline: So you’re going to learn, like, after your first pair right away, you’ll know, okay, this is too light for me or it’s too stretchy for me or it’s not the right colour or not the right pattern or something like that. Like, you’re going to learn the more jeans you make, and eventually, you’ll figure out what you like, and if you find a denim that you love, buy a lot of it.

You can use it now. You can use it in five years. You can make different types of garments with it. Like, I have one particular denim that I’m thinking of a cotton and Modal blend that I was, like, in love with, and I bought like six metres of it cause I was like, I must have this, like, on reserve for the future.

Helen: I have some of that, too. And it’s amazing.

Caroline: And I’m saving it because I have a pair of jeans out of it, and I love them so much. I still wear them, like, three years later, and I’m like, okay, I’m going to save this for, like, the next pair of those jeans maybe.

Helen: My Persephones are made out of those, and they’re so soft.

Caroline: So soft, right? Yeah, okay, so I also want to talk, kind of, briefly about denim care and raw denim care, in particular, cause that’s most of the denim that you’re going to be finding online. We do have a ton of info about this on the Blackbird Fabrics website, which Sam will link in the show notes. It’s a webpage just called Raw Denim Care.

Denim can do weird things in the wash, especially when you’re talking about heavyweight denims, because in the industry and production denim is usually only washed after the jeans are sewn up. So it’s, like, a much smaller piece of material being washed and in commercial machines, right? So those machines are bigger. They can take larger loads.

And if you decide to go with the fabric pre washing route, which we do recommend, we have some tips that can help you kind of give that denim the care it deserves and avoid any weird mishaps or strange things happening to your denim.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So the first tip that I have is to pre-soak your denim in the tub. So, like I said, home washing machines can be, kind of, small, especially when you’re talking about heavier weight fabric, so, like, 11, 12 ounces or more. So if there are creases and folds in the denim when it goes into your washing machine, this could lead to inconsistent dye runs and, like, white lines in the fabric that are hard, if not impossible, to get out.

So instead of washing your fabric or throwing it immediately in the wash, you can soak your fabric in cold water and hang it to dry. And this is going to lessen that oss of the indigo dye. It’s also going to help to preshrink your fabric before you use it. And you’re, like, avoiding the washing machine altogether.

Helen: Okay.

Caroline: So it’s still going to do the preshrinking. It’s just, you’re not having to worry so much about those creases. You could also pre-soak your fabric, and get it completely wet to relax those creases and then transfer it into your washing machine. But just keep in mind, like, anything over 11, 12 ounces is going to run the risk of getting crease lines in a conventional sewing machine.

So if you’re worried about that, if you’re working with a really heavy denim, then soak it in the tub, just in case. You can also cut it into smaller pieces, especially if it’s a really large piece. Cut it down and wash those pieces individually. Just make sure that you can fit your pattern pieces on the size of cut that you made.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So if you’re gonna put your denim into a washing machine, you have to floof your fabric.

Helen: I’m sorry. What?

Caroline: So floofing is a term that we invented. Probably not, but we use it a lot at Blackbird because it literally means, like, you pull at your fabric. You, kind of, unfold the whole piece, and you flick it a few times to, kind of, unfurl all of those crinkles and creases.

So you’re literally, like, cush, cush, cush, flicking your fabric. I wish you guys could see me right now. Maybe I’ll do a video.

Helen: I mean, I think the word floof pretty much nails it. It, it describes it perfectly.

Caroline: Yeah, you definitely don’t want to, like, take your folded fabric and put it right in the washing machine cause that is going to be a disaster. You have to floof your fabric and when you’re lowering your fabric into the washing machine, mind those creases and make sure that you’re not, you know, like, bunching it up and crinkling it. Like, always wash your denim one piece at a time. Floof it, carefully put it into your washing machine.

Helen: We’re not supposed to cram it in with all of our other washing?

Caroline: No, and then keep in mind too, that the heat from your dryer is going to fade the indigo dye quicker. So if you don’t want that to happen, then you can avoid tumble drying your denim and then just hang it to dry. And it’ll just, like, preserve that indigo.

Helen: Love it.

Caroline: My last thing that I’ll say is, like, you definitely don’t need to wash your denim if you don’t want to. You can go the raw denim route and try that out. A couple of girls at Blackbird are doing that, and it’s super cool to see their denims, kind of, fade over time.

Helen: That’s interesting.

Caroline: Yeah, so you can do it.

Helen: So this might sound scary because you talked about all of the dangers of putting heavyweight denims in the wash, but don’t let it intimidate you. Soaking in the tub isn’t so bad. I’ve also definitely thrown 14 ounce denims in my washing machine, in my apartment building, and it’s turned out fine. So you don’t necessarily have to be worried if you are a little bit more cavalier like me.

Caroline: Yeah, and I think, like, the biggest thing, if you’re going to put it into your washing machine, is the floofing.

Helen: Right.

Caroline: I need to get, like, a t-shirt that says, like, floof your denim or something.

Helen: I’m adding that to our enamel pins.

Caroline: Floof that denim! That’s how you’re going to get your denim to soften. So especially if you’re working with a heavyweight denim, like, I would presoak it or prewash it. And even if you do get some of those creases, like, don’t stress out, it adds character.

Helen: It totally does.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: If you’re working with a really beautiful heavyweight denim, maybe you want to distress your denim.

Helen: Maybe you do.

Caroline: Maybe you do. We have never tried, like, I’ve never tried this. Helen, you’ve never tried distressing denim.

Helen: No, I haven’t. I’m always very intrigued when I see people doing Instagram stories about it or writing blog posts, but I have not dived into this yet.

Caroline: So we’re not going to pretend to be experts on the topic, but there are some really great articles online from Alina Design Co., True Bias, A Pair and A Spare. They have some really awesome articles that we’ll link in the show notes all about distressing denim.

But basically, you can do a few different things. You can bleach your denim, you can use sandpaper, cheese grater, scissors, tweezers, exacto knife, all things you probably have around your house and just experiment. And I would say speriment on swatches first.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Don’t go right into, I just said, speriment.

Helen: Speriment on those swatches.

Caroline: Speriment on those swatches. Experiment on swatches first and see what you like and then go to your final pair of jeans cause, I mean, I’m scared of it, too.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Like, when you think about sewing up a whole pair of jeans and then, like, going at it with some bleach and sandpaper, like, that’s kind of scary, right?

Helen: It is scary. Yeah, you want to get a sense for how it might look and how the denim is going to behave if you hit it with sandpaper. And there’s so many different grits of sandpaper and so many, like, different timeframes for bleaching. And if you’re looking for a specific colour, you really want to do a proper test, see how long you need to bleach it for, and know exactly what you’re going to get at the end.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely.

Helen: But I think sanding is probably the least commitment. Like, if you just want a little bit of distressing on your zipper fly and your pockets, a little sandpaper. See what happens.

Caroline: Sandpaper action.

Helen: Yeah. Don’t sandpaper them while you’re wearing them.

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: I mean, I guess you could.

Caroline: You also have to be careful with, like, your stitching. So if you’re sandpapering…

Helen: Sandpapering? Sanding? Nailed it.

Caroline: If you’re sanding your jeans around areas where there’s topstitching, you could, like, sand off your topstitching. So you might have to go back in and, like, reinforce some areas.

Helen: Or sand in the sewing process, sand your seam, and then topstitch it.

Caroline: I have seen someone do that. Who did that? I feel like it was Anya from Anna Zoey Sews that did a jean jacket where she was, like, distressing and then topstitching. We’ll see if we can find a link for that, but it was really cool. Yeah, there’s tons of different ways that you can do it, and we’ll try to find some really great articles for you guys.

Helen: I’m in the “let it happen naturally” camp.

Caroline: Me, too, but I do, like, one day, want to try making a pair of, like, really cool mom jeans and then, like, bleaching them.

Helen: Yeah, that would be cool.

Caroline: Yeah, I feel like that’d be awesome. So in terms of sources for jeans fabric, jeans making supplies, we have some suggestions, um…

Helen: Blackbird Fabrics, of course. I won’t make you plug yourself…

Caroline: Thank you.

Helen: …but I buy all my denim from you because you just drop it at, like, the perfect time before it’s denim making season, and you usually always have something in stock, and it’s just, it’s always great.

Caroline: And then of course, Stonemountain. Stonemountain, the queens of fabric. Um, they have some really great options as well. And you can Google, I mean, Mood has some good options. I’ve seen, I think it’s called Fashion Fabrics Club, I bought some really cool, like, acid wash Japanese denim from them. Selvedge denim, it’s so cool. Um, and they have really great prices. So hunt, you know…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …hunt around and check out some hashtags and see where other people are getting their denim.

Helen: Totally. And as far as supplies go, I mean, again, Blackbird, I love the finishes that you guys carry. You have, like, the more distressed finishes. So it’s not the shiny and golden silver. It’s, like, you have a black, antique copper, antique brass, like, really nice finishes that already look like they’ve been worn.

Um, Closet Case also carries denim kits and, occasionally, uh, fabric as well. So they’re a good source for denim supplies. Again, lots of fabric stores are carrying this kind of stuff now, so it’s easy to find.

You have that really cute video where you’re actually showing how to put the buttons on and the rivets and stuff like that. So we’ll have to link that in the show notes, because it’s just a really sweet little video. You can see it all happen. It’s not nearly as intimidating as it sounds. In fact, it’s very fun.

Caroline: Yeah. Let’s quickly touch on the different supplies that you would need when you’re making jeans cause it’s not just denim, right?

Helen: That’s true.

Caroline: You’re going to want to work with some jeans thread. That’s going to give you that really finished, ready to wear look,. If you’re using a jeans topstitching thread, doesn’t necessarily have to be copper. It can also be, like, a gold or it can even be blue or navy, like, depending on the look that you want to go for. But that topstitch is going to give you that jeans look.

Helen: Exactly. And that thread you’re just going to put in your main thread. You’re not going to thread your bobbin with it. Your bobbin you want threaded with normal polyester thread so that you’re not getting it too, too much thread happening. Topstitching in your bobbin is a recipe for disaster.

Caroline: Yeah, exactly. I really love the Gutterman Mara 70 product. Um, it might be a little bit hard to find. Gutterman, like, jeans thread that you find in retail stores is also really great, but the Mara 70 is a little bit more of a professional industry quality. Um, it’s a little bit finer, little bit lighter weight than the heavy duty jeans topstitching thread that you might find at, like, JoAnn’s or something. But it is, like, an amazing product. So if you can find Mara 70 for topstitching, get like and, and it comes on these big rolls, so get, like, a nice big roll of, like, copper or something, and you’ll use it for so many pairs of jeans.

Helen: It is so nice. It’s, like, in-between a regular thread and the jeans making thread.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It’s, like, middle of the road.

Caroline: And you’re just using that for your top stitching. You’re not constructing your whole garment with that, so if you, maybe you have two sewing machines that you own, you could set one up with your topstitching setup and you can do one with just your regular jeans making, you know, set up, for the construction of the pants. And then you don’t have to keep switching your thread in between steps to get that topstitch, you know, as you go.

Helen: Yeah, totally. Or maybe you get together with a friend and then you have two machines.

Caroline: Yes. Obviously, you’re going to need denim needles. So those are, like, heavier duty needles. Pocketing, so this is a great scrap busting opportunities. Use your cotton scraps, use your shirting, your quilting cottons. Um, it’s a really great way to use up those, those scraps that you have.

Helen: Definitely.

Caroline: Obviously, a jean zipper. Jean zippers have metal teeth and are heavier duty than a regular zipper. So do not use a regular zipper in your jeans. It won’t be able to take that stress of the heavyweight fabric tight around your stomach. When you sit down, it’ll, it’s gonna pop, so go for a nice jean zipper.

And then buttons. So jeans buttons usually consist of a metal top piece and a post that goes in through the back. Same thing with rivets. There are many kinds of rivets. The type that I like has that metal top piece and a solid post, not a hollow post. Again, we sell these kits in the shop, not to plug our shop.

And in my YouTube video where I talk about jeans hardware installation, I also show you the different tools that you’ll need for that, so a mini anvil for setting your rivets and buttons. That’s like a really nice, solid surface. You can also use a cast iron skillet if you don’t want to invest in an anvil or, like, a bench block for jewellery making. That, kind of, metal brick almost is a really great way to set rivets and buttons.

Um, you’ll also need a tailors awl, so that’s going to poke the hole in your fabric. It’s, like, a sharp little metal stick with a point. A hammer, probably have a hammer already. Wire cutters, that’s going to be for trimming your posts. And then, like, a chalk pencil or something for marking the placement of your button. So not a ton of stuff, probably a lot of it you have around.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Um, and I’ll go through all that in the YouTube video, so we’ll link that.

Helen: Yeah, and most hardware kits, if you’re buying a jeans kit, come with, like, an extra button or an extra rivet so that you get a chance to test. I know yours do at Blackbird. I love that because you need to do a test sometimes. Like, even though I know how to install it, I want to just do a test anyway, just to, like, refresh my memory. Make sure I’m doing it right. Make sure everything’s coming together before I take it to my project.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: So don’t be afraid to just do some tests. And my one tip with installing jeans hardware is I learned that I was doing it wrong for a while because I thought that if I put the button right down on my anvil or my skillet or whatever, like, metal to metal that I was going to damage the surface of the button. So I would put, like, a dish cloth or something in between or scrap of fabric, but that actually doesn’t help the process of installing. Like, if you put a piece of a buffer or a fabric or something in between, you’re actually preventing the hammer from doing the work and the metal to metal is what’s going to make it just really go in nice and solid. So you actually want the metal on metal contact.

Caroline: Yeah, cause if you have, like, a piece of cloth or fabric in between, that’s giving the post room to poke through the front or to have, like, an indentation. If you ever install buttons and maybe you have, like, a little nipple on the end after you finish installing them, and you’re like, oh, why does it look like this is poking through? It’s probably because you have some kind of material there that’s giving it space to poke through. Whereas if you’re going metal to metal, it’s, there’s no room for it to go anywhere, so it’s going to stay flat.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. It was a light bulb moment when I learned I was doing it wrong.

Caroline: But it makes sense, right? Okay, so we have, I mean, we have so many patterns suggestions, but we’re not going to go through them all in the show because it’s just a lot, but we’re going to link some Pinterest boards from Blackbird. Laura works super hard on these. She has so many pattern suggestions in there for stretch and non-stretch, plus, like, ready to wear inspo. So we’ll link those in the show notes, if you guys are looking for suggestions, and maybe we’ll do a couple of Instagram posts this week as well with some pattern suggestions that you can see visually. But, um, I mean, there are so many amazing sewing patterns available right now for denim. So, go crazy.

Okay, and then I also want to talk a little bit about mending your denim and your jeans and, kind of, prolonging the life of…

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: …your jeans cause I think that’s a really important element to any handmade wardrobe, but especially when you’re working with jeans because jeans can last a really long time if you take care of them.

Helen: Yeah, they really can. I mean, you hear people say that, you know, they’ve had the same jeans, like, Denise was on our show recently talking about her, uh, jeans that she’s mended for years and years and years, and just keeps wearing them. And I think Karen Templar was also talking about jeans that she’s had for ages.

And I love that, the thought of carrying jeans with you throughout your life and mending them. And, of course, they still have to fit which may or may not be the case for our changing bodies, but it’s nice to prolong the life of them if you can, especially because you’ve put in all that effort in making them and not just making them but wearing them in. I mean, it’s all about the wear, right? Like, we were talking about how they fade to your body, and all the fade marks in the right place, so mend them and keep wearing them.

Caroline: Yeah, so the ways that you can do that to, kind of, prolong the life of your jeans is to mend holes before they get out of control. I know Elena mentioned this in her episode, uh, from Dogwood Denim, where she was saying, like, don’t wear your jeans with holes in them, like, mend them before they get out of control.

And then also wash your jeans sparingly. So, I think, a lot of the time, it’s easy to just, like, wear something once and then throw it in the wash. But as much as you can try to wear your jeans multiple times before you wash them because the more you wash them, just the more those fibres are going to break down over time.

You can also preemptively add a patch to reinforce areas that you know are going to weaken over time. So, for me, for example, between my thighs, I get that, kind of, like, thigh rubbing, and I always get holes where my thighs rub, kind of, close to the crotch between my thighs. Sometimes it can be pretty intense, like, pretty large areas that, sort of, just wear down from that friction. So, for my next pair of jeans, I’m going to add a patch just, like, right when I finish my jeans before wearing them. I’m going to have a patch there to preemptively, kind of, reinforce that area. And this is such a cool idea that I also learned from Elena, from Dogwood Denim. She did it on Stories, and it totally blew my mind.

Helen: Yeah, if you know, you’re going to need it, you know, six months from now, why not put it in now?

Caroline: Yeah, exactly.

Helen: It makes so much sense.

Caroline: It’s just going to help to prolong that life and maybe, you know, it’ll,it’ll be a little bit longer until you have to mend that area which is amazing. Um, there was also a really great guest article from Rain of Indigo Proof on the Closet Case Patterns blog all about invisible mending. So she actually talks about that, kind of, crotch area that fades and needs mending over time and shows some really cool techniques for mending invisibly, and it’s actually quite amazing. You guys need to go check it out.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, you literally can’t see it that’s how amazing it is, but we usually, the two of us, when we mend our jeans, it’s just sticking some denim in there and sewing the crap out of it.

Caroline: Yeah, you can have the denim patch, like, behind the hole or even on top of the hole, if you want, depending on if you mind, like, that discoloration or not. Like, depending on how faded your jeans are. And then one trick that I learned recently when I was mending is, like, if you have trouble keeping that patch in place, you can actually cut a piece of interfacing that’s slightly larger than the patch. So you’ll put the patch behind the hole, put the interfacing on top of that, press it down with heat, and that’ll, kind of, lock that denim patch in place. And it’ll also, like, add extra reinforcement to the area, and then you sew the crap out of it. So over top back and forth, back and forth.

Helen: With all regular polyester thread?

Caroline: Regular polyester thread. Um, try to match the colour of your jeans. And also because denim has a warp and a weft that are different colours, you get that, kind of, variation, right? So one really cool way to kind of mimic that look is using two different thread colours. So you go one direction with one, the other direction with a lighter colour, back in the other way. And you, kind of, end up getting that variation in colour and, kind of, matching your denim.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Um, that’s something that I learned from that article on the Closet Case Patterns blog.

Helen: Yeah, it’s so cool. You can get really creative with it, and, like, I like to use multiple patches and not just sticking one big square of fabric in my crotch. Like, you have two legs there, and there’s different shapes intersecting, so you, kind of, have to cut cool shapes to match your holes and also the pattern pieces that were originally used and then sew them together and overlap them.

And when you’re finished, it’s going to feel like your crotch is made out of, like, cardboard or something. It’s not going to feel good. You’re going to put them on and be, like, oh God, I’m never going to wear these again. But just like with your jeans, when you first finish them, they’re going to be stiff. It totally softens with wash and wear. I do this to Sam’s jeans all the time, and he says that they get really, really soft over time. So it’s all going to work out.

Caroline: Yeah, and this isn’t something that you’re just going to do once, right? You’re probably, if you’re going to wear your jeans for years and years, have to mend them over and over again, maybe every year, maybe every six months, but give those jeans that love and really, like, invest in the jeans and try to make them last through mending as often as needed.

Helen: Mhm.

Caroline: Alright, so, if you have mended to your heart’s content and your jeans are, like, really done, you can upcycle them or you can use your scraps. I think there are other ways that you can recycle your jeans and still continue to love them for years and years. So, one thing you can do is save all of your denim scraps and your old jeans for a quilt, or you can make, like, a quilt top and then use that length of fabric to cut it into a garment. I think that’s a really, really cool idea. Like, making a giant quilt top and then cutting a jacket out of it or something.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And we’re going to link Sandra Johnson Designs. We had a listener, uh, tell us about her. She does some really amazing denim quilts. So if you’re looking for inspo in that area, um, we got you covered. Sew DIY, Beth from Sew DIY, also did an amazing denim quilt that we’ll link in the show notes, so lots of great inspiration out there if you’re thinking about doing that.

Helen: And if you’re interested in making a garment, there’s a lot of inspiration from The Refashioners, a few years ago, did a denim themed refashioning year and it was incredible the stuff that people came up with. So you can find that on The Makery. We interviewed Portia about The Refashioners very early on in the show, um, so we’ll link all of that in the show notes, and I made a dress for that out of a bunch of Sam’s jeans that didn’t fit him anymore. So we’ll link that, too, cause I had so much fun making that, and it really turned out way more wearable than I thought it would. When I was putting it together, I was like, oh, this is going to look like patchwork, home ec-y but I actually loved the final result and have really enjoyed wearing that, um, dress, so it can be really fun.

Caroline: It was such a cool dress. I love, like, this is one of my favourite garments you’ve ever made.

Helen: Aw, thank youl.

Caroline: So cool. You can also up-cycle your jeans into a skirt. So, like, that, kind of, nineties style long jean skirt with, like, you can see the crotch curve of the denim. If your jeans are in the right shape, you can maybe do that. Also, just making a bag, uh, using, like, different elements from your jeans and cutting out a bag out of your jeans would be a really cool way to upcycle jeans.

Helen: Yeah, for sure.

Caroline: Jeans, jeans, jeans. Finally, I really want to recommend the documentary called Blue Gold. It goes through the history of denim in America. It touches a lot on Japanese denim. It’s just really, really interesting and beautiful documentary, so highly recommend it.

Helen: That’s the one where they, like, follow the denim junkie around and, like, into shop-, vintage shops and denim production.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah. That was such a good documentary.

Caroline: It’s so good. Um, so highly recommend that. We can’t wait to see your jeans. We can’t wait for you to share them with us.

Helen: I know we’re so excited. We want you guys to tag your jeans that you make #LoveToSewJeans because we love to sew jeans, and you love to sew jeans, and we want to see your jeans.

Caroline: Yes.

That’s it for this Love to Sew Favourite. We’ll be back in March with our new season. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com.

Helen: We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and you can get in touch with us and get links for everything we talked about in this episode at LoveToSewPodcast.com. Just search for the episode title.

Caroline: And, of course, if you want to join our Patreon fam, now is a great time to start. For just $5 USD per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. For $10 USD per month, you’ll get a 15% discount code for Blackbird Fabrics and Helen’s Closet plus a bonus mini-sode. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew, for more info.

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team, and thank you all so much for listening. We will talk to you soon.

Caroline: Bye.

Helen: Buh-bye.

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Join us as we chat with Susan Khalje about the art of couture sewing! We chat about why couture matters, how to create ‘couture moments’ in your wardrobe, and the tools needed to succeed with couture sewing. We also chat about her Couture Sewing School and her favourite couture shops!

Sister Mintaka is delighted to offer Love to Sew listeners 10% off their first order when they use coupon code “LOVETOSEW” at checkout!

The transcript for this episode is on this page at the end of the show notes.

Transcript:

This transcript was made from the Love to Sew Favourite version of this episode, released on January 25, 2022. You can listen to this version of the episode on the player below:

Caroline: Hello, Love to Sew listener. We’re currently in our podcast off-season, so we’re taking a little break from recording right now.

Helen: This winter we’re so excited to revisit some of our favourite episodes from years past. We hope you will love these reruns as much as we do. Remember, you can still access the show notes by going to LoveToSewPodcast.com and searching for the episode.

If you want more Love to Sew, head over to our Patreon. We have a lot of fun over there, and we appreciate our Patreon fam so, so much.

Caroline: Yes, we do. For $5 USD per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. Our Patreon episodes really feel like a catch up with friends. This is where we share what we’ve been up to in our personal lives, our businesses, what we’re sewing, and things we’re loving like recipes, podcasts, TV shows, board games, and more. Throughout the month, we also share behind the scenes photos, including sneaky peeks of some upcoming releases from our businesses.

Helen: Yes, it is top secret stuff just for our Patreon supporters. And if you join at the $10 USD per month, you get a 15% discount code for both Blackbird Fabrics and Helen’s Closet. The code can be reused again and again, so it’s a great deal, especially if you shop with us frequently. Plus, you’ll get a bonus mini-sode where we answer a patron question or cover a specific sewing topic. You can learn more about all the things we have to offer and sign up to support us at patreon.com/LoveToSew.

Caroline: And don’t worry folks, we’ll be back in March 2022 with a fabulous new season of Love to Sew. Now let’s get to this Love to Sew favourite.

Helen: Hello, and welcome. I’m Helen.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline.

Helen: And we love to sew. This is a podcast for makers where we talk about sewing a handmade wardrobe and bring you interviews with inspiring creatives and small business owners in our community.

Caroline: Today, we have Susan Khalje on the show to talk about couture sewing. Susan shares her expertise about what makes a garment couture, how we can make space for special techniques in our sewing practice, and what tools we need to get a beautiful couture finish. We also chat about her amazing couture sewing school, sewing club, and online classes.

Helen: What doesn’t she do?

Hello, Susan. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.

Susan: Oh, it’s my pleasure. I’m thrilled to be here.

Helen: We are thrilled to have you. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?

Susan: Absolutely. I’m Susan Khalje. I teach couture sewing, and I’m also a contributing editor to Threads magazine, and oh gosh, I’ve written a couple of books, um, used to have a TV show. I’ve done lots of magazine articles, so, kind of, anything and everything to do with couture sewing.

Helen: And that is why we are so excited to have you on the show because I know our listeners are interested in couture sewing, would love to hear ways they can integrate that into their sewing practice, um, and also just to hear about you and your journey because you have done so much and you have so many exciting things going on. So where are you from?

Susan: I’m from Baltimore, pretty much. Based in Baltimore now, although I did live for a number of years in London when I had a previous life as a classical pianist. And I’ve also lived in Afghanistan where at one point I was running a clothing factory.

Helen: Ooh, cool. We didn’t have any questions about that on our list, but I’m going to add some in there.

Susan: You know, we had a showroom on Seventh Avenue in New York, and I think if anything, it told me that I did not want to be involved in that aspect of the sewing business, that I much preferred my own, I guess, being left to my own devices, being able to develop my own path.

Caroline: And you really have done that throughout your career, so I don’t want to delay any longer. I really want to hear about your sewing journey. So could you tell us how and when you learn to sew?

Susan: Well, you know, my grandmother was a wonderful sewer, and I think she was the kind of sewer, back in the day, she sewed because people sewed. She used to make lots of little dresses for me when I was little, and she had a wonderful sewing room and a huge jar of extra buttons and a treadle sewing machine, and it always seemed very magical to me. And I can actually remember making some kind of a shirt for myself that I do remember wearing out on the street. Goodness. And, um, I remember cutting little holes in the fabric for the buttons, and I couldn’t have been more than maybe seven or eight years old.

And then I studied sewing in home-ec, which people did back in the day, and that was when I, kind of, began to have a real interest in it. I remember spending free time, you know, you could be in a fabric store and look through those Vogue pattern books forever. And, um, I don’t know, it was, it was something I was, I think, like a lot of us, I had, kind of, a talent in, but in those days I never, ever, ever thought it would be a career. It was just something I liked to do.

And I think, like all of us, you know, you buy, you buy more and more complicated patterns. Now you can say, oh, I haven’t done this sort of a collar, and you get a pattern that had that, or I haven’t done, you know, a jacket collar, so you’d get something that showed you that. So it was, kind of, self-guided, and there was the Vogue sewing book back in the day which was, kind of, a very important thing for me. So I think, I think I, kind of, went about as far as you could go on your own, sort of, left to your own devices.

Helen: And then what happened next? Did you end up studying fashion and studying pattern making?

Susan: Not at all. Not at all. No, because there was this, the music inter-, interlude, so I went to a conservatory and then graduate school in England. And then I, I loved England so much I stayed another four years in London. And then I injured my wrist. Not good if you’re a pianist. So I moved back to New York, and I had a girlfriend whose grandmother was a client at a small couture salon. And my girlfriend knew that I sewed. I mean, my friends all knew that I sewed well cause I’ve made things for people sometimes. And she said, well, you know, they, they need someone, and you need a job, and you’re really good at sewing, so why didn’t you, why didn’t you see?

And honestly, I won’t say it was a lark, but it was never, ever anything I had ever thought I would do as a career. It just, it just wasn’t on my radar at all. But I went in and I took a blouse that I’d made for a friend that was, kind of, my little audition piece. I remember it was black chiffon, flowered, had lots of ruffles and, um, I guess they, they saw some potential in that, so I was hired. And I absolutely fell in love with it from day one. It made, and, of course, this was couture sewing, and it was different than what I knew, but it made perfect sense.

And I think it was the logic of it that appealed to me then, that has appealed to me since. It’s so rooted in logic that I don’t know, you know, once you, once you get that, to me, there’s, kind of, no other way. I remember once, I think I was doing an interview for Threads, and I said, well, you know, any other way of sewing is a compromise. And I thought, oh goodness, that sounds pretty snooty, but it’s, kind of, true. I mean, this, this, these are the methods that have developed over the decades, these tried and true methods, and they really do give the most beautiful results.

And, and of course, there’s, there’s a tremendous amount of creativity within that, you know? It’s not just those rules, it’s how you choose to apply them. And I think I’ve, kind of, been in love with the whole process ever since.

Caroline: Oh, well, it’s so wonderful. I feel like we have just this amazing opportunity having you, a couture expert, on the podcast because we haven’t had a chance to really dive into couture sewing with our listeners. So I thought, kind of, a good way to start us off would be for you to just define what couture sewing is for our listeners.

Susan: Oh, sure. I, I’d love to because I get asked that a lot. You know, cause I say to peo-, you know, you’re on the plane and people say, oh, what do you do? And I, I say, I teach couture sewing, and then their eyes, kind of, glaze over. But, you know, it’s kind of sewing the way your grandmother used to sew. It’s sewing without shortcuts.

It’s, and I, kind of, think of it as sewing’s equivalent of gourmet cooking, you know, where maybe you go across town to get the perfect ingredients. You can get out those pots and pans that you don’t normally use. And you, you know, you go through the Julia Child eight page recipe for cassoulet, and you really do get a very spectacular result.

And I think of it as, kind of, that way. Yeah. There, there might be extra steps involved, but it’s, it’s for such, such a wonderful result that it’s, it’s really well worth it. Now, do you cook a gourmet meal every night? Well, probably not. Some of us, as one trick ponies, would, and it’s the only way I, I really enjoy sewing. But, um, you know, it may be something you do a lot. It may be something you only do occasionally. But I think sewing benefits by this approach. I really do.

Helen: And we can’t wait to hear what suggestions you have for our listeners. Um, but one thing that I hear a lot is that couture sewing is all done by hand. And is that true or is there room for machines in couture sewing?

Susan: There’s plenty of room for machine sewing. Um, I think that’s an urban myth. Uh, certainly, yeah, lots is done by hand because that, of course, gives you a lot of control, but certainly, yeah, tons is done by machine. I mean, the machines that we had at Chez Cez et Bez certainly weren’t complicated. I don’t think they even went in reverse, but you know, what, what you’re looking for is a machine that does a beautiful straight stitch. And honestly, that’s about all that you need from a machine for couture work.

That said, you know, things are different sewn by machine and sewn by hand. So for instance, when we put in a lining in a couture garment, it’s sewn in by hand. You stay stitch the edge of the fashion fabric. That gets turned in. You stay stitch the edge of the lining. That gets turned in. And then you sew them together with a fell stitch, and then you do under stitching by hand. And honestly, it feels completely different than if you sew the lining and by machine and under stitch by machine. It really does.

I mean, you know, because if you do that machine sewing, in the first place, you’ve got four layers of thread, right? Two from when you sewed the lining on, and two from when you did your under stitching and, you know, there’s tension in there that holds those threads together. So that’s a very, very different feel than if you just have hand stitching in there.

Caroline: And of course, often in couture sewing, you’re working with more delicate fabrics, so you have to be mindful of that I’m sure when you’re considering sewing by machine or by hand.

Susan: Oh yes. And you know, sometimes you just get better control in the Bridal Couture book, one of the sample gowns that I did, now remember this was back in the day, but there were big puffy sleeves and there was the fashion fabric there was net in there to make them puff out, and it was just a gigantic thing. And th-, the thought of trying to sew that into a relatively small armscye and get the gathers where you want them to be and get the net where you want it to be, I just, I think it’s asking for trouble. I think it would be terrifying. Goodness knows what you’d end up with, right?

You know when you sew and you think, well, let’s see how this looks. Right? You know this. Well, if you sew it in by hand, you don’t have that, that uncertainty, you know? You have such a degree of control and coming to that word, I think that, you know, I joke to my students that I want to stamp the word control on their heads, but that’s what it’s all about. You control every step of the process, and you really, kind of, remove room for error. So, for instance, you control things right away by making a muslin, a toile, you know, a fitting garment, uh, a copy of the garment in, usually unbleached muslin, before you even start. Instead of, well, let me sew this together and see if it fits. Oh, really? That’s expecting a lot. So why don’t we do a dry run? Why don’t we give it a try? Why don’t we see if this is going to work? Why don’t we see if there are any changes we need to make? Why don’t we see if we need more fabric in the bust? Why don’t we test all that out? Why don’t we do a dry run, right?

And you know, when you’re working with the sort of fabrics you work with on a couture garment, and usually you want a special fabric because, let’s face it, you’ve got a lot of time invested in this process.

Helen: Why do you think that people don’t do more testing and muslins and trying out techniques before they jumped right into the sewing? Do you have any theories?

Susan: Well, yeah, I mean, it just takes more time. I don’t even always like to make a muslin, you know? I have an online thing. We’ve been filming a class, and we’re doing, at the moment, the circle skirt dress. And so obviously, I made a muslin of the bodice, and you’ve got two bodices. I made a muslin of those. And I, I said to the fellow who films with us, I said, gosh, do you really think I need to make this skirt muslin?

And he looked at me like I had two heads because he’s been working with me a long time. And he said, you, you don’t think you need to make the muslin? I know. I was just trying to get out of it. Obviously, I did, and I’m glad I did. And there are all kinds of reasons why it made sense, but yeah, it takes time. And I think we’re just eager to jump into the project.

Caroline: Yeah, I can feel that need a lot of the time when I’m approaching sewing where I just want to jump in, but I think that’s one of the wonderful things about couture sewing is that it almost forces you to be a little bit more deliberate and a little bit slower and just approach things in a more careful way.

Susan: Yeah, it completely does because I think when you do this kind of sewing, you love the process. And you, you really do. You love every step of the process, hopefully, otherwise, as a friend of mine says, write the check, go to, go to Bloomingdale’s and buy the dress. But hopefully, you love all the steps along the way. And I guess that’s reinforced, hopefully, by the results that you get.

And when you think, gosh, thank goodness I made this dress up in muslin because, you know, it doesn’t really suit me. I’m glad I didn’t waste any more time on this one, or, you know, thank goodness I practised that tricky seaming on this muslin because now I know what to do when I get to the garment. So it’s, yeah, it’s, do I always like taking the time to make a muslin? No, but do, do I regret it heavily if I don’t? Yes.

Caroline: So, Susan, can you give us some examples of sewing techniques that are often used in couture sewing that may be different from what home sewists are used to using regularly?

Susan: Oh, sure. I guess one, just one that comes to mind right away is a handpicked zipper. And I’ve seen an awful lot of lovely garments, um, I don’t want to say ruined, but, um, looking not quite as lovely as they might look with a machine sewn zipper, right? And handpicked zippers are so easy to do that once people learn how to do them, they’re like, oh my goodness. I’ll never do a machine zipper again. And I think people always wonder, are they going to be strong enough? And they’re very strong.

Now, I don’t know if you’d use them for little junior dungarees, but, um, you know, there’s sewn with double thread that’s coated with beeswax and. you know, really nice firm stitches. And honestly, they’re, they’re as strong as you ever need them to be. They really are, so that I think is one technique that, um, home sewers could easily incorporate.

Helen: I think our listeners are probably going to be very excited right now because I know a lot of people are afraid of zippers, and they don’t have a lot of success sewing them. So knowing that there’s another option where you don’t need to try to wrangle it through your machine.

Susan: Oh, which is the worst. Oh, goodness gracious. I, oh, no, it’s a nightmare. You try to sew along and then it clunks down off the thing and you get, you know, it, you don’t get a straight line. Plus you see all that thread on the back and, you know, you can do either a centred application, which is lovely, or you can do a lapped zipper. They’re, they’re both lovey and honestly, not at all hard to do. And once you do them that way, oh my goodness. You’re a convert. You’re sold.

Caroline: Yeah, I can completely relate to this. I love a handpicked zipper. And one of the first times I tried that was for a dress that I made for my sister’s wedding, to wear to my sister’s wedding. And I just wanted to have that control in the back because the print was so lovely. And I just wanted it to know that the zipper would be invisible. And I don’t know, there’s just something about that, like, hand sewing of the zipper with that technique that just takes that garment over the edge into something really, really special. So honouring those special garments, I think with these couture sewing techniques is a great way for our listeners to, kind of, create that moment in their regular sewing practice.

Susan: I agree. And I would say another one, you know, I talked a minute ago about sewing in linings. You know, so let’s say you were doing a sleeveless dress, okay? And let’s say, you know, you, kind of, sew the lining by machine, and you have to pull it through and all that, and you hope that everything lines up. It can be very, very difficult, in the first place, to get the two sides to match perfectly, and it can be hard to get the lining fabric to line up perfectly with a fashion fabric. right?

I mean, sometimes there’s too little of it, in which case you get a lump in the fashion fabric, or there’s too much of it, in which case it, kind of, peaks out the edges. Well, if you were to sew the lining in by hand, you could just put it exactly where it needs to be, right? You could just fold it and put it exactly on the line, perfectly placed, just the right amount.

So, yeah, it takes a little bit of time, but honestly, not that much time, and, you know, the result that you get is so beautiful, and it makes so much sense. I always think, with my students, there are a couple of big departures that couture sewing has from, if we might say traditional sewing or the way people sew today, and one is that we don’t rely on that five-eighth inch seam allowance as a guide. And, you know, if you’re a fit model that might be fine. Or if you’re selling a pillowcase, that might be fine. But otherwise I think that just doesn’t give you enough leeway. It doesn’t give you enough room to play with.

So in couture sewing, it’s the seam line that’s marked, the seam line is your guide. And there’s always a big seam allowance, and that’s your insurance. Let’s say you want the neckline to be higher, or you want the sleeve to be longer, or the waistline needs to be lower, or you need more room at the centre back or on the sides. You can fix all those things because you-, you’ve built in this decent seam allowance, so that’s a huge difference.

And I have to say, you know, I’m older than you guys, but back in the day, you know, you’d buy a pattern and the seam line was marked. They were individual sizes, and there was always a seam line, and then it was a seam allowance, but the seam allowance, the seam line was marked. You know, couture solves it by marking the seam lines and giving yourself all kinds of room because you’re going to need it. You know, nothing, nothing ever fits perfectly. Gosh, it just doesn’t.

Helen: It’s so true. And when you’re marking your seam lines, are you marking them with chalk or do you use a running stitch?

Susan: Well, that, that gets into another big thing that couture sewing does which is almost, golly, almost all of the time, not a hundred percent, but much of the time, we use an underlining. And an underlining is a supporting layer that, I think, gives a bit of oompf to the fashion fabric behind the scenes, but it also is a layer that you put the marks on.

And silk organza is what we use so much of the time, so the silk organza gets marked and then this, the marked silk organza gets hand basted to the fashion fabric. So you create this, kind of, two layered pod, if you will, um, and that’s treated from then on out almost as a single layer.

So what does that do? That does all kinds of wonderful things. Let’s say you’ve got a pleated skirt. Well, it helps fill out those pleats. It spares the fashion fabric from having that marking go on it. Um, if you’re sewing your hem, the hem stitches go to the underlying, not the fashion fabric, so you don’t see them, cuts down on wrinkling, absorbs perspiration. You can also shift the colour.

Let’s say you’re working with a white fabric. You’re making a white wedding gown bodice, and it’s a little too white. Well, if you use a cream underlining, you can shift that colour a little bit. Or if you want it to be really white, you can use a white underlining and really make that white, even more intense.

The, the biggest example I had of that, you know, I used to do custom bridal. That’s what I did for decades. And I had a bride who wanted, there’s, kind of, a colour that was popular at one point, it was called a rum pink, and it was a beautiful pink, and it almost had, kind of, a beige-y undertone to it. It was gorgeous. And that’s what my client wanted, but I couldn’t find quite the right colour.

I remember, I was up in New York at B&J, and I actually found a pink satin, and I used of all things, a chocolate brown underlying. It sounds bizarre, but it was just, I know, you’re right, but it was just enough to make this beautiful deepening of the pink with this brown behind it. Who knew? So underlinings do all sorts of things, but your question, how do we mark these seam lines? Often, we use tracing paper, the old wax tracing paper, and that’s what marks the underlining. Now, you have to be careful with that stuff because it’s pretty permanent, and you don’t want to ruin something, so you do have to use it with caution.

Caroline: You have a great video on YouTube, all about, ah, this wax tracing paper where you sort of walk us through it. So we’ll have Sam link that in the show notes, if anyone is wondering what that’s all about. So it sounds like silk organza and a wax tracing paper are two things that are pretty essential to the couture sewing process. Can you walk us through any other specific tools that are used in couture sewing?

Susan: Well, you’ll need a tracing wheel. Um, uh, I don’t know. I’m, like, the lowest tech sewer in the world.

Helen: Do you use, like, specific types of pins?

Susan: I do. I do. I’m so glad you asked. Um, yeah, and this is so funny. We’re working on an article at the moment for Threads, and I think it’s called the couture toolkit. So I named all these things, and they’re all things I have in my store. And I wrote to my editor and I said, you know, this is awful. This is going to sound like an infomercial, but these are the things you need.

And so let’s talk about pins. So there’s a wonderful sewing teacher named Judy Bartlett, who used to specialise in a lot of Japanese tailoring techniques. And years and years ago, when I first started my couture sewing school, she said, oh, Susan, you have got to use these Japanese pins and needles for your students. They’re the best. And they really are the best because, so when you put a pin into your fabric in the first place, you don’t want the fabric, you don’t want to have to cram it into your fabric because what happens, the fabric shifts, right? And you lose control, so you need a pin that goes in effortlessly, but you don’t want one that’s too long.

And there are a lot of beautiful, thin, long pins. There are some that, oh, they’re so pretty that’ve got multicoloured glass on the ends, they’re beautiful, but they’re too long, and they’re too thin, and they bend too easily, so you don’t want that. And these, they’re glass headed pins. They’re beautiful. They don’t melt if you press on them, right? Cause you can find pins that have a plastic end. That’s not such a good idea. They also don’t get lost in lace, and I work a lot with lace, and, you know, a lot of pins, kind of, sink out of sight. So I think they’re just gorgeous pins, mostly because they won’t bend, but they go through any fabric without shifting it, and that’s really the whole, the whole reason.

And the same with hand sewing needles. Again, there is certainly hand sewing involved in this process and you want the needle to go through your fabric effortlessly. You don’t want to have to cram it through the fabric because, again, things are going to shift, and you want to maintain this degree of control the whole way. Well, if every time you put your needle into the fabric, it shifts around. Well, that’s not a good idea, is it? Plus, you know, you just, kind of, get tired. You want, you want the needle going into the fabric to be an effortless part of the whole situation. And these are, oh gosh, once you get used to these needles, anything else feels like pitchfork.

Oh, and basting, so there is, you know, I talked earlier about putting those two layers together, the underlining and the fashion fabric, and that’s done by hand. It’s not done by machine because that, we’ve talked before about the effect of machine sewing, but let’s say you changed your seam line, and you had that machine sewing in there, and fabrics are going to slip. You have to do this by hand, and you want to be able to put a lot of stitches on your needle. So basting, you know, we found these wonderful basting needles that you can really put a lot of, you know, you can get a lot of stitches on those.

And then basting thread. Back in the day, silk, you know, basting thread was, was usually silk. And I think the theory was that it, I don’t know, everybody said it didn’t leave an impression if you pressed it, and it’s easy to pull out, but it’s very hard to find the right weight of silk basting thread anymore. So many of them out there, some Japanese silk threads, but they’re so thin, it’s hard to get much of a grip with them. So these days, I like the Japanese cotton which it ha-, it clings nicely to the fashion fabric which is, which is great. Good scissors, um, little, little four-inch scissors that, that just clip to a really sharp point.

Beeswax, you want to have beeswax if you’re sewing, you know, if you’re putting in those hand picked zippers, um, because anytime strength is required, you want to put beeswax on your thread. So you just thread your needle, you pull the beeswax, you pull your thread through the beeswax a couple of times, but you then have to press it to melt the beeswax into the thread, because if you don’t, all the beeswax will come off in the first few stitches, so that’s no good. But what you really need to do is, kind of, coat that thread with the melted beeswax, so that’s an important part of that. Ithink that’s honestly, you could, kind of, do what you need to do with that.

Helen: I love hearing that because that’s a very approachable toolkit, and we’ll make sure we link everything in the show notes in case people want to get started.

Susan: But it is, you know, this is, I say, I’d be happy in a garret, you know, give me a garrett and a candle, a spool of thread, a needle. I’m good. I’m fine. I’d be perfect in the 17th century. My harpsichord and my sewing supplies. It’d be great.

Helen: And what about interfacing? Because we talk about interfacing a lot on the show and I’m sure our listeners would love to hear what your go-to interfacing method is.

Susan: Oh gosh. I hardly ever use it.

Helen: Um, I had a feeling you might say that.

Susan: Well, you know me, um, no, we do use it a little bit, and honestly, I am, I am the furthest thing from knowledgeable in that subject, but we do use it, for instance, behind bound buttonholes, right up against the fashion fabric, not on the organza, but against the fashion fabric.

We use it if, um, we’ve just got this new pattern that, the Parisian Jacket, and it’s got a cut on sleeve, and of course, you know, you have those hinge points where you have to reinforce your fabric and cut right into that sharp angle, so, um, interfacing is used there, fusible.

Anytime where you have an angled seam you have to cut into, but I think it’s not used so much in couture sewing because it does seem to me there’s always, kind of, a problem with getting it to stick permanently and consistently, and, to my mind, it changes the nature of the fabric so totally. So, I mean, I joke with my students. You could make a, I don’t know, a riding jacket out of silk chiffon, if you fused it enough, but would it be silk chiffon?

So sometimes it’s, kind of, an experiment, but back to your questions about fusibles. Yeah, a little bit, but not a whole lot. Um, maybe in an under collar, you could use them, if you felt that would do what you want it to do. You can detect a degree of reluctance here, but, um…

Helen: No, I appreciate you answering the question because I do think, um, you can do a lot of sewing without interfacing. And you talked about control at the beginning of the episode. And a lot of times interfacing things like collars is about getting them to be stiffer so we can have more control. But of course, if you’re hand sewing, you already have that control, and you can manipulate things a little easier.

Susan: Well, you can… Now, I’ll tell you another time, so I mentioned we’re in the middle of filming this circle skirt dress. So it actually has, so in the bodice, it’s, kind of, a sleeveless bodice, there’s a handpicked zipper down the centre back, and this particular dress does not have an underlining. It has just a lining. So the fashion fabric isn’t underlined when you do this zipper. And sometimes, of course, you get some of the support for the zipper from the zipper tape, which is good, and, you know, you’re pretty much on the straight of grain coming down the back of the dress.

But on the sample dress I have, which is actually the dress on the cover of the Linen and Cotton book, I was zipping that zipper, you know, to put it off and on the dress form the other day, and I found that the fabric was getting caught in the zipper. And I thought, well, that it doesn’t look too good. What can we do about that? So I got some fusible and on the sample that I’m going to be making, I’m going to put some very lightweight fusible down that zipper placket so that it will hopefully strengthen the fabric along that fold and keep it from, kind of, crumbling and getting caught in the teeth of the zipper.

Caroline: That sounds like a great use for interfacing.

Susan: Yes, there you have it.

Caroline: So I think a lot of our listeners are thinking like, this is a lot of amazing information, but what is the process actually like for creating a couture garment? So could you walk us through that process of developing a garment from concept to a finished item? Like, what does that look like in steps?

Susan: Okay. Well, to me they’re, kind of, five elements that I think all have to come together. So I think, I guess I’d say it probably starts with design, you know, because if you’re going to put all of this work and time and money into a garment, you want to have something pretty specific in mind, like, oh, I need something special to wear to my sister’s wedding or, you know, to my daughter’s wedding, or I want to make a beautiful suit. So I think you start with that. And, um, I always think, what does the design say? Does it say enough? Does it say too much? I always ask myself, why are certain elements there? So there’s design and I study that pretty, pretty carefully.

Um, you know, and there’s also the concept, I have a friend in England who does custom work, and he says that his clients come to them, come to him with needing a specific garment in their wardrobe, you know? It’s not just, oh, I want to dress, no, I need a new blouse now, or I need a new jacket now. So there’s the whole concept of building a wardrobe too, you know? What fits into the scheme of things? What’s going to be perhaps a useful garment to have? So lots of thought for the design and then fabric.

Oh my goodness. Couture garments use pretty gorgeous fabrics. Again, you know, this is a process that takes a lot of time, and you’re, you’re putting so much effort into it. You want something that’s going to last and the better the fabric is, I think the easier it is to work with, the more beautifully it’s designed. And, you know, you see these beautiful prints, and they’re obviously, you know, a more expensive fabric. Well, they paid their fabric designer more money. And honestly, these really beautiful fabrics do so much of the work for you. They, they don’t make it a struggle to work with them, you know? The patterns just fall into place. They help you with the placement. They, they’re just a joy to work with.

And you know, sometimes I’ll have a student who says, oh gosh, I can’t wait to get good, and then I can sew with better fabrics. Hm. It’s so hard to sew with lousy fabrics. It is a fight you every step of the way. So, you know, should your first sewing project be out of an expensive fabric? Of course not. But I always say, if you were going to have Julia Child come for dinner, you probably wouldn’t serve her rump roast. Get filet mignon. And you just get a better result with these really, really beautiful fabrics. Plus, they’re inspiring. They feel wonderful to work with. They’re beautiful every time you look at them, so that I think fuels much of the process.

Alright, so there’s design, there’s fabric, and then, elephant in the room, fit, um, which let’s face it. It’s the hardest thing of all. Um, it really is. It’s the hardest thing to get right. And fit is tricky, um, because you can’t fit yourself, not very successfully, you know? I always say you can’t cut your own hair. You can’t do your own dental work. You can’t fit yourself. I, I can’t fit myself. I always wish I had me to fit me. Um, I do. There are great dress forms out there these days that help.

Um, you know, you can take a class with somebody and then, you know, get a, let’s say you get a beautiful dress that fits perfectly, and you can vary that tremendously. Change the neckline, change the sleeves, change the sleeve length, you know, add seam lines, and it’s a great basis. And I think you could go an awfully long way with a relatively few well-fitted basics. Gosh, it’s tricky because it’s, kind of, different in every, every garment, you know, every combination is different. It’s that design on that person in that fabric, how they want it to fit. This person likes a tighter garment than that person.

And, you know, the variables are endless, and it’s tricky. There’s a wonderful fitting book it’s called Fitting and Pattern Alteration: A Multi-Method Approach, and it’s by Rasband, Pottberg, and Liechty. I’s easy to find. And what it does, this, kind of, second half of the book, goes into all the body variations, and it’s almost a little bit like a medical textbook because it’ll have a paragraph that says the ulna is pro-, pronated and blah, blah, blah. And, but it makes you look at the body, and then, that tells you what to do. And honestly it becomes, kind of, a logical process because otherwise, you’re just, kind of, stabbing in the dark. Oh, oh, there’s a wrinkle. Oh, let’s pin that up. Oh no another one. Oh, let’s get rid of that. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Go back further. And once you know what’s going on in the body, it all makes sense.

Um, and you know, I do a lot of fitting. It’s, it’s a big part of what I do, and it’s a fun little puzzle. And I start by just looking at that person, and then you’ll say, oh gosh, she’s fuller on the left hip than the right hip. Okay. I need to know that. Lots of people’s heads aren’t in the middle of their bodies, you know, sounds extreme, but you know, for whatever reasons they get shifted a little bit. That’s pretty important to know. Oh my goodness, the variations are endless. So you need to be good at seeing exactly what’s going on in your body or in the body you’re fitting.

And then, honestly, it becomes not so difficult to, to know what to do about it. Like, the doctor, oh, you have strep. Well, here take this. There’s a logic to it. And that book, I’m not saying it’s the most fascinating reading ever, but if you would read that book from cover to cover, I guarantee that your thoughts about fitting would change for the better a thousand times because it will start training your eye. Ours is a visual art. You have to, you have to see what’s going on with the body, analyse that, then you know, then you know what to do about it.

Okay. So fit. And in the world of couture, we talked before about making a muslin, right? And that’s, that really is the foundation of any, any couture garment. It, it has to be. That’s when you, you can perfect the fit and the proportions of the whole thing. And then I think the other two elements are: construction, obviously, you have to know your way around putting it together; and the hand stitches that we use to help with that.

And the final element that I think is such an, such an important part of it is engineering. You know, we’ve all seen those girls at the Oscars, yanking, their dresses up. Well, that’s a dress that’s not properly engineered, and engineering plays a big part in, gosh, so many garments, um, anything that’s strapless, anything that gets into any big amount of weight. You know, engineering is a big, I think, a very interesting part of the whole equation. It’s gotta be engineered right or I don’t care how well it’s put together.

I don’t care how beautiful the fabric is. If any of these areas fall short, your results are going to be compromised. So to me, those are, kind of, the five, the five elements that have to work in concert.

Helen: It’s so interesting, especially the engineering part, cause that’s not how I thought you were going to finish off the vibe. I thought the end would be the sewing. Um, so can we talk a bit more about engineering? Do you mean like the structure within the garment?

Susan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. Yeah. There’s, there’s a, uh, there’s an amazing book out at the moment, and you’ll have to look it up or I will send you the link. It’s a book about Dior. And what she has done, she’s a curator in Canada, and she has studied the garments that are in their archive. And they’re mostly, they’re mostly, um, suits and evening wear that were given to this museum by the wealthy women in town. And the detail into which she goes is phenomenal. It’s unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. She’s, she’s made the patterns, and you can see the inner structure, and you talk about engineering. Now, of course, these Dior gowns of what the forties and fifties were. kind of, the, I guess they were a real high point in that kind of engineering, and it’s absolutely fascinating what goes into these things.

And, you know, so much of it, um, well I had a student the other day who made a dress, um, she wanted to wear a strapless dress to a wedding. So we needed to create an inner foundation, a heavily boned inner, inner foundation for it, the, the dress, you know, th-, this inner foundation. Think of a strapless, very, very tight, heavily boned inner part. Well, the dress is just, kind of, over it. I always say it’s like the paint on the wall, right? And it, they were together along the top seam and that’s about it because this inner foundation is really, really snug so it has its own closure. It had little hooks and eyes down the back.

And then the dress is on top of it, slightly bigger, you know, form fitting, but not as snug as this inner foundation garment, and that had a separate closure, a zipper. So, um, without that, I don’t care how carefully fitted a garment is or how tight you make it. If you don’t have this inner structure, it’s just going to head south. That’s gravity for you.

Helen: And if our listeners wanted to tackle a couture project, um, maybe you can use your classes as an example because you do so many workshops, but do people come with patterns? And if so, are they couture patterns? Is there a difference?

Susan: No, no, not necessarily. I mean, I always say I can couture-ize anything. We can, you can bring an a line skirt. We can make that fabulous. Um, and I think sometimes, you know, students will say, oh, you know, I want a project that combines absolutely everything, you know? I want to get my time and money’s worth out of this. Well, okay. You know, I want this and this, this, but, you know, the lovely thing about these techniques is that they can be applied in ways both large and small.

And, you know, how about the little black dress? Oh my goodness, that’s, a wool crepe dress, what a gorgeous thing if it’s beautifully fitted and beautifully put together. What a staple in your wardrobe that, it’s a fantastic thing to have, right? And that’s, that’s a pretty simple garment.

And what’s interesting about this school is that, back in the day, people would come once and that was it. They’d come. Okay, goodbye. Now students come, I mean, I have a lot of students who come every year, and it becomes, kind of, ongoing education, and it’s great for me because I get to see their sewing improve. I mean, that’s really rewarding as a teacher, and I also get to see them go in so many different directions.

So they’ll say, okay, I’ve done this, this, this, what should I do next? And I’ll say, well, let’s do a lace bodice or let’s do something with ruching or, well, we haven’t worked with anything on the bias or, you know, let’s try this. So that’s, that’s really fun. But honestly I think, I think any, any garment, you know, benefits by these techniques.

And, like I said, it can be very simple, just a beautiful sheath. Gosh, what a, what a lovely canvas that is to apply these techniques. Gosh, let’s say you did a wool crepe dress. Um, you know, you could do sleeves that were on the bias and a beautifully fitted sleeve that has darts in the elbows. And if you put that on the bias, then what a lovely fold you get at the bottom, right? You know, you don’t have to have, you know this gigantic evening dress. No, no, no. It can, what’s so brilliant about these techniques is that I think any garment can benefit from them.

Caroline: Can we talk a little bit about fabric as well? Cause I know that that’s such a key element to creating a couture garment. So tell us how you shop for fabric when you’re working on that type of garment and what are, kind of, the key things that you’re looking for in a really high end couture fabric.

Susan: Gosh, um, it’s, kind of, a cheap shot to say that the more you pay the better it is, but in a sense that’s, kind of, true. Although that dress I just described, the girl who made the, the strapless dress, that was made out of a cotton, a lovely, little cotton, and it worked wonderfully, but I’m, I’m kind of spoiled because I’m in lovely fabric stores a lot. So I get to see really beautiful fabrics.

And again, I mentioned before that, you know, the, the good fabric houses hire the best designers. They use the best fibres, not always natural fibres. You know, the, the synthetic fibres these days are incredible. So a lot goes into producing a really beautiful fabric, and in a way, you get what you pay for it. Not that there aren’t bargains out there sometimes, but I think when you get a really spectacular fabric, it, kind of, kind of, pays.

Caroline: Can you, you name some of your favourite fabric stores that you frequent perhaps in the U.S. cause I know a lot of our listeners are based in the U.S.?

Susan: Yeah. Well, there’s Mendel Goldberg which is on the Lower East Side in New York, and it’s run by a wonderful woman named Alice Wildes, who is the, I think, the granddaughter, if not the great granddaughter of Mendel Goldberg, who was, I think, came from Poland and opened this store in the 1890s in what was then the Garment District. Pretty much everybody has decamped to what is now the Garment Center on the Upper West Side in New York, but Alice is, kind of, a holdout.

And I think her fabrics are extraordinary because her eye is so amazing. I love B&J. I think B&J is a great store. That’s in the Upper West Side. Mood Fabric, you know, a lot of people get a lot of good stuff from there. In fact, um, I found a very beautiful Ralph Rucci twill at Mood. There’s Fabrics & Fabrics, also New York, has beautiful stuff. Really, really lovely, lovely things. Sposabella, if you’re looking for bridal, has lovely laces.

On the west coast, of course there’s Britex which is a lovely fabric store. Oh, Promenade. Gosh. How can I forget that? In New Orleans, um, lovely fabric store, really, really wonderful things. Mulberry Silks, i’s in North Carolina. Um, they say silks, but they have a lot of beautiful cottons as well, quite a, quite a selection. Uh, those are the ones, those are the ones that come to mind.

Helen: Oh, that’s great. I’m sure our listeners will be glad to check those out. We’ll link them all in the show notes as well.

Susan: Yeah, yeah.

Caroline: So I want to talk a little bit about your teaching because you touched on that earlier, working with students, and we really want to learn more about what types of classes you’re teaching and, and what that’s all about. So can you give us a little intro to that?

Susan: Sure. Well, back in the day, 1993, um, I, this is funny, I, so Roberta Carr, who many of your members will know, um, wonderful couture dress maker and teacher used to do seminars in her home. And I remember years ago wanting to go to one and I said to my husband, oh gosh, I’d like to go to one of those. And he said, go to one. You should be hosting them. So you, kind of, get this idea in your head and you think, well, okay. Hmm, gosh, could I do that?

So when I very first started, I started, it was called The Bridal Couture Sewing School, and because that was my world wedding gowns, so people would come, we’d do wedding gowns. And then people would say, well, gosh, I’d love to come, but I’m not working on a wedding gown. And truth be told, I got a little sick of only wedding gowns. And I thought, well, you know, Susan, you do call it The Bridal Sewing School, so that is what people are going to sew on.

But I realised I wanted to expand that, so it became couture garments that people would work on. And then I, at The Couture House, we had done a lot of Chanel jackets. We had clients who would, you know, they had the real ones, and we would copy them, so it was a field that I became very familiar with. And, um, then I thought, oh, well maybe I could kind of branch out and we could do those. So that’s where the Classic French Jacket Classes came about, and it’s separated into its own class because I think of those as, kind of, a subset of couture techniques because there are things you do with those jackets that you don’t do with hardcore traditional couture. It’s, kind of, its own little world.

Yeah, those are, kind of, the two, the two main areas. Sometimes I’ve done pure lace skirt classes, but that can be incorporated into couture, so it’s, kind of, kind of, one or the other. Um, the jacket class is usually a seven day class. It’s just a longer, slightly more complicated project. And part of the reason is that when I teach that class in Baltimore, we go to New York to shop because you really want to have the right fabric and the right linings and trims, and that’s one of the challenges of that project.

Um, in fact, next week I’m doing a, a jacket class in New Orleans, and we’ll be going to Promenade for fabric. But, you know, I’ve given my students other resources because it’s a little trickier teaching that class, not in Baltimore or not in San Francisco, where we can go to Britex, and they have lots of trims cause you’ve got to get all the bits and pieces that go with those jackets. But those are, kind of, the two main avenues.

Helen: Well, your classes are legendary because I think every sewist I’ve ever run into has said they want to take one of your classes. That’s one of their goals of their sewing career is to go and take the class with Susan Khalje.

Susan: Oh, gosh. Well, I have to say and so, well, that’s wonderful to hear, and, you know, it’s not just me because what is so lovely about it, and I didn’t realise this when I started it is that you are with kindred spirits, right? You’re with kindred souls, and people make the most wonderful friendships out of these classes. So do I, I mean, I have so many wonderful friends who I first met in my sewing classes.

Helen: Yeah. People come and they just, they have a great time, and they leave feeling fulfilled and just like their heart is so full from spending time with other people.

Susan: That’s absolutely true. And you know, I don’t know why, but sewers are really, really nice. And I don’t know, I don’t know maybe some psychologist could do this personality profile, but I always say if I did seminars with, I don’t know, young bank executives, I don’t know, maybe it’d be a snake pit, but sewers are really lovely, lovely people. So, so I think that’s part of what makes the whole thing, you know, a really marvellous experience.

Helen: And when you do workshops where people get to bring any kind of project they want to work on, how does that work for you interacting with every student and making sure you’re, you’re teaching them all, or are you just, sort of, doing one-on-one time and going around to each person, making sure that they’re making progress?

Susan: Um, it’s probably both. I mean, there are certain, certain techniques that apply to pretty much every project, you know, how to join an underlining to a fashion fabric, but then we get into specifics, and I think what’s so nice about the classes is that you may not be doing a boned bodice, but you can eavesdrop on the person who is doing a boned bodice, right? So you, kind of, get to get a bird’s-eye view of other projects as well.

I think it makes people feel a little less held up to other people. So let’s say you were all working on the same thing. Well, then you’d think, oh, she’s further along on her shirt than I am. She’s doing her cuffs. I’m still working on my whatever. So there’s none of that, right? You know, you’re each, kind of, going down your own path because you know, sewers, we all know different things, gosh, don’t get me to fit your pants. No, do not. You know, when I teach, I think, I think learning puts you in a vulnerable position because you’re, you’re there to learn which means you’re admitting you don’t know something, and I think that’s a hard place to be.

So I tend to be gentle with my students and realise that that’s a part of it. You know, you’re learning something. So let me, let me, let you learn it in your own way. So yeah, there’s a lot of hands-on, individual approach because, and you guys know this, everybody learns in a different way, right? This way I can personalise, you know, some people, you, kind of, need to tell them every step of the way, some people are, kind of, happy on their own. You just have to kind of check in on them. Some people are happy, but they need a lot of supervision, you know, being on their own. Um, so it’s always a very different approach. And I love the fact that I can personalise that with my students. I really like that.

Caroline: And what is the class size for your couture school classes?

Susan: Um, kind of, depends, 12, 13, something like that.

Helen: And you also have online classes, as well, for our listeners who may not be able to get to you in person.

Susan: I do. And that’s why, um, yeah, I’ve got, uh, we have a couple online, and we’ll be putting more and more of those online, but what we also have, and this is I think a really good way to learn, um, there’s the sewing club, which I started, oh gosh, I think about a year ago, partly because, like you said, not everybody can come to a class and it was, kind of, a way I thought, if I can recreate this wonderful atmosphere that my students have in the class of being with their sewing friends, the atmosphere you have, you know, in your classes, the atmosphere that I think develops, I thought, wouldn’t it be great if we could develop that online?

So that’s, kind of, what the club is and in the club, there’s a lot of, there’s not only people sending me pictures and saying, how can I get this to fit better? And everybody chimes in, or I’m taking a trip to Amsterdam, what are the sewing fabric stores, or what’s a good book about this or that, or, oh, check out this video. There’s a lot of online video content on that, which is sort of exclusive to that site, and let’s face it. Video is a good way to learn. I mean, yes, I would like to have you hands-on with me, that’s the best, but you know, we, we learn by video a lot these days.

Helen: It’s a nice way to get to know an instructor a bit, too. You watch some of their videos and figure out if they’re a good fit for you too, right?

Susan: Yeah, they, kind of, get to see what you’re really like.

Caroline: So if any of our listeners want to join your sewing club, how can they go about doing that?

Susan: Oh, I think you just go to SusanKhalje.com.

Caroline: Perfect. So one of the questions that comes to mind for me is just that you’ve been teaching for so many years, and you’ve dedicated a lot of your career to this, and I wonder what is the most rewarding part of teaching for you? What keeps you coming back? What made you want to really make this into your life’s work?

Susan: Interesting. I think that I find it continually interesting because, I well, part of it is the students, you know, cause they’re so wonderful, and I get a lot of energy and inspiration from them, but I think it’s the endless applications of this couture business, this couture set of techniques, I should say, this couture field, this couture universe, you know, it can just be applied so endlessly that I think that’s what, I think that’s what fascinates me. Just seeing the, the endless iterations of it. There’s that. Yeah. And I think, I think also, gosh, any teacher would tell you that it’s, oh, it’s a joy seeing people gather, inherit, inhabit, gain new knowledge. I mean, that’s the best, you know, when you see that light bulb go off in somebody’s, somebody’s eyes, somebody’s head and you realise, oh wow. They can do things they didn’t do before. I mean, that’s, that’s a special privilege, I think, when you’re able to do that for someone.

Helen: Yeah. I imagine you have a lot of those moments in your class because your students probably have sewing skills that they’ve learned throughout the years, but then when they take it to a couture place and they’re learning different approaches to things, there’s all sorts of light bulbs going off. I’m sure.

Susan: Oh yeah. It’s great. I mean, I get a lot of, my students are good. They really are. A lot of them are good, and I love that I can, I can just make them better.

Caroline: Yeah, it is so exciting the way that you talk about couture sewing. I think a lot of our listeners are going to be excited to give it a try and even just incorporate some of these techniques into their sewing practice on a regular basis. I love how you talk about it as the possibilities are endless, there aren’t limitations with patterns. You can, you can, you can make a couture garment from really any pattern. So I really, really love your approach to this. And I hope, uh, I hope this episode inspires our listeners to go check out some of your work and follow you and maybe take one of your classes someday.

Susan: Well, that would be wonderful. And my, thanks to you all for adding this, this dimension to the sewing world, you know, in, in keeping things going in your way, too, because we all have to, I mean, you know, our numbers are diminishing sadly. We know that. And, um, I think we just all have to do what we can to, to try to, to build them because it’s, you know, sewing’s the best. It’s lovely. It’s, it’s just a wonderful skill. It’s a wonderful world in which, you know, to create and explore. So I think anything that we can do to further that is a good thing. So my thanks to you for doing this.

Caroline: Aw, thank you. Well, we completely agree with you. That’s, we’re making it our mission to spread the sewing love and, and bring as many people into the sewing world as possible because it is such a wonderful craft.

Susan: Well, it is, it is a wonderful craft, and it takes dedication on the part of the learner because you have to be involved with it to a degree. You’ve got to have a degree of commitment and skill and time invested in this until you can wear something that you’ve made, I think, so, maybe letting people know that yeah, you got to, kind of, you got to, kind of, invest a bit in this, you know, you’ve got to, kind of, get into it and then, then you get these fantastic results. So worth it.

Caroline: So worth it. Susan, I hope you know that you are an inspiration for us and for a lot of our listeners. So it’s truly been an honour chatting with you today. Can you tell our listeners where they can find you online? Absolutely. Just go to www.SusanKhalje.com, and you’ll find everything there.

Caroline: Perfect. Well, it was such a pleasure chatting with you. Thank you so much for coming on the show.

Oh, gosh, I can’t thank you enough. Huge thanks for asking me to, to be a part of this. It was my honour.

Helen: Bye.

Caroline: Bye.

Susan: Bye bye.

Caroline: That’s it for this Love to Sew Favourite. We’ll be back in March with our new season. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com.

Helen: We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and you can get in touch with us and get links for everything we talked about in this episode at LoveToSewPodcast.com. Just search for the episode title.

Caroline: And, of course, if you want to join our Patreon fam, now is a great time to start. For just $5 USD per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. For $10 USD per month, you’ll get a 15% discount code for Blackbird Fabrics and Helen’s Closet plus a bonus mini-sode. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew, for more info.

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team, and thank you all so much for listening. We will talk to you soon.

Caroline: Bye.

Helen: Buh-bye.

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