Love to Sew

This week we hear from Caz Adams, the sewing instructor behind UsefulBox in Sydney, Australia. Caz shares a moving story with us and we discuss sewing as therapy and a means to connect with others and with ourselves. She also shares tips for beginner sewists and potential sewing teachers out there!

Sydney Frocktails is happening on Februrary 17th, 2018! You can get tickets here.

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In this episode, we’re setting aside our goals and resolutions, and carving out space to talk about self-love! Inspired by the #SMYLY2018 challenge, we each tell our stories of how sewing has changed the way we view our bodies. We also offer tips for how you can be more body positive and kind to yourself this year.

I spent SO much of my teen years and early 20’s wishing I looked or acted like someone else. And, this was before the days of social media. I didn’t have access to watching the lives of strangers in a way that so easily could make me compare myself to others even more so than I already did. It took me so long…really until my 30’s…to truly feel confident in my own skin, as I am. Some of that comes with age, but I also think a lot of it comes with seeing examples of other women who are not perfect, who are not models, who are unique in their own way just being who they are and being OK with it. So, here is what I am asking you to do today…I would like you to leave a comment here telling me at least ONE THING that you like about yourself. How often do we get a chance to do that? We’re often thinking about what to fix, what to resolve, what to make better in the New Year. But I would love you to just reflect on something you are already doing that kicks butt. AND, you get bonus points If you post a photo of your beautiful self on your own feed telling me and others what you like about yourself there, too. Hashtag the photo #OhJoyLoveYourself and tag a friend to get them to join in, too!

A post shared by Joy Cho / Oh Joy! (@ohjoy) on Jan 3, 2018 at 7:04am PST

We want to hear your thoughts! Help us shape the future of the podcast by taking the Love to Sew Podcast Survey! We really appreciate you taking the time to share.

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Heather Lou, the designer behind Closet Case Patterns, is on the show! We chat about her sewing journey, her pattern line, and her recent move to a new office space. Heather offers our listeners an inspiring pep talk about letting go of fear as a means to improve our sewing practice and our lives.

The pups visited our freshly painted studio today… we move in two weeks from now and I CANNOT WAIT. So happy I listened to Alexis and painted our door yellow. It will lift our spirits in the depths of winter. #closetcaseatudio

A post shared by Closet Case Patterns (@closetcase.patterns) on Nov 18, 2017 at 8:26am PST

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We are talking about sewing resolutions this week on the podcast! What are some of our goals for the new year and how can we help each other stay accountable? Learn about sewing challenges to keep you motivated and get inspired to make your own re-SEW-lution.

We want to hear your thoughts! Help us shape the future of the podcast by taking the Love to Sew Podcast Survey! We really appreciate you taking the time to share.

Happy New Year!

Caroline and I met after connecting on instagram and realizing we live in the same city! Meeting up in real life with fellow sewists can be so much fun. If you want to find fellow sewists in your city, state, province, or country, try using these location hashtags! Tell us your hashtags in the comments! We hope you join us . . #canadasews #bcsews #vancouversews #lovetosewpodcast #welovetosew

A post shared by Love to Sew (@lovetosew.podcast) on Nov 8, 2017 at 9:24am PST

We want to hear your thoughts! Help us shape the future of the podcast by taking the Love to Sew Podcast Survey! We really appreciate you taking the time to share.

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Jess Povenmire is on the show this week to talk about her fabric and yarn shop, La Mercerie. Jess shares her experiences building confidence in business, sticking to a schedule, and planning her creative projects.

Jess is offering our listeners 20% off their next order using the code lovetosew – shoplamercerie.com.

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Our partners Shea and Sam join us for our 20th episode! We are so excited to introduce you to the guys that support us through our everyday lives as sewists and entrepreneurs. We test their sewing knowledge, laugh about the hardships of living with a sewist, and get their take on our journey as small business owners.

A post shared by Feejays (@feejays) on Aug 4, 2017 at 1:44pm PDT

We loved this comment from @lookwhatmarymade about the pants her partner asked her to make! Have you ever received a request that doesn’t make much sense? We want to hear about it! . Leave a comment or call us TOLL FREE at 1-844-739-9428 . #lovetosewpodcast #sewingpodcast #welovetosew #sewing #sewcialist #sewingplans #sewinglyf

A post shared by Love to Sew (@lovetosew.podcast) on Dec 10, 2017 at 4:04pm PST

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On January 1st 2017 I told myself (and my partner… a bit external accountability is always good when it comes to these big goals) that this was the year that I’d get my patterns into print. Now it’s December, and although I’m almost there, my patterns are still not available in print. What took me so long? Well, I’m so glad you asked! I realised that if I was going to have hard copy versions of my patterns – which seem much more permanent than my digital products – I was really going to have to refine and nail my branding. These are products that I hope to live on makers shelves for years and years. Although I loved my original logo, it was created before I had a single customer, before I really knew what I was doing and what my offering to the world was. After some time, and actually having customers who I could think about and design for, my branding no longer felt right. It didn’t feel like it reflected where In the Folds was and who my customers are. So I took the plunge into re-branding, which I must say was the hardest part of this process so far (I might even say it was harder than filming the Kickstarter video…. and that was HARD!) It made me question everything; W who I am, what my brand is about, what my goals are, who my customer is and then find a way to convey that in a visual form. Thank goodness I had an awesome designer (thank you @katekey_ ) to work with, who really understood my vision, but was happy to guide me and suggest ways to make it reflect all the things I wanted it to. That’s how the beautiful cover art for my printed patterns came together. I couldn’t decide between a photo and an illustration and Kate came up with this idea, and I knew it was the one. I love that you can see how the garment will look on an actual human, but the details that can sometimes get lost in a photograph are all reinforced by the illustration. It’s looking like I’m well on my way to getting #inthefoldspatternsinprint ($8 245 pledged so far) and I can’t wait to share them with you all in the new year Again, thank you so much to everyone who has supported me so far! 25 days to go! @lauramarii

A post shared by In the Folds (@inthefolds) on Dec 4, 2017 at 9:36pm PST

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Jasika Nicole joins us to chat about shoemaking, red carpet DIY, handmade beauty products and more. She’s a fearless maker who will try anything! Her approach to making is inspiring and her creative spirit is infectious.

#sewphotohop day 7 Favorite Skill: Mine is patience. I used to think it wasn’t a skill, more of a personality quality that you either had or you didn’t, but I was wrong- patience can be developed, honed, and mastered to suit all sorts of needs. A few years ago I knitted the bodice of this lace dress almost to completion THREE TIMES before I got it right, but I refused to give up on it, not because I am a masochist or a perfectionist, but because there was no need to rush and I had nothing to prove. Slowing down and finding solace in the rhythm of repetition is one of my favorite things about making, and has been one of the sweetest ways in which my patience has been developed. (Details of this make are on my raverly page: HYMagic)

A post shared by Jasika Nicole (@jasikaistrycurious) on Sep 7, 2017 at 12:18pm PDT

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On @lovetosew.podcast, Helen shares a tip from my hand sewing class but it sounds like she got it backwards. →Did you know thread has a direction?→ When #handsewing, you’ll have the best results if you thread the end that comes off the spool into the needle. The fibers are wound this direction and working with the twist will often give you less knots and tangles. An easy way to remember is that you thread this same end when using your sewing machine. Pretty cool huh? . Listen to the fabulous full episode “Inside Camp Workroom Social” on lovetosewpodcast.com! . #campworkroomsocial #sewing #sewingpodcast #handsewingclass #handsewing #couturesewing #sewingcamp #sewingretreat #sewingskills #handsewn #handstitching #slowfashion #ncsews #slowsewing #sewingtip #coutureforbeginners #customsewing #learntosew #sewinglessons #memade #sewingclass #isew #sewingforme #sewingnerd #sewcurious #sewcialists @helens__closet

A post shared by Brooks Ann Camper (@brooksanncamper) on Nov 9, 2017 at 6:27am PST

Featured above: Helen’s Kenedy Dress, Beth’s Catarina Dress, Caroline’s Saiph Tunic. 

We have made 40% of the patterns we own

We have 30% paper patterns and 70% PDF patterns

We have about 87% Indie patterns and 13% Big 4

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Reunited with the raptors this year and it felt SO GOOD! This is Gilboa the barred owl #campworkroomsocial #raptors #barredowl

A post shared by Jen Beeman (@jen_beeman) on Oct 17, 2017 at 10:32am PDT

Happy Rhinebeck from me and my Nancy Drew masterpiece!! I guess you could say I’m pretty thrilled with how this turned out. #nancydrewsweater #nancydrew #rhinebeck #rhinebeck2017 #knittersofinstagram #knitting #intarsia #rhinebecksweater #rhinebecksweater2017

A post shared by Tasha (@bygumbygolly) on Oct 21, 2017 at 6:49pm PDT

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