Love to Sew

We interview Rashida Coleman-Hale, fabric designer for Ruby Star Society! We talk to her about her journey to becoming a surface designer, her process for designing fabric collections, and her upcoming book.

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

Show Notes: 

Find Rashida Online:

Rashida’s Books:

Ruby Star Society

RS1048.SupLadies.Cayenne.RAYON

A post shared by Rashida Coleman-Hale (@iamrashidacolemanhale)

A post shared by Rashida Coleman-Hale (@iamrashidacolemanhale)

Other Mentions:

A post shared by Rashida Coleman-Hale (@iamrashidacolemanhale)

A post shared by Rashida Coleman-Hale (@iamrashidacolemanhale)

Transcript:

Helen: 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.

Helen: Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s basically all we want to talk about.

Caroline: Today we’re interviewing Rashida Coleman-Hale, fabric designer for Ruby Star Society. We talk to her about her journey to becoming a surface designer, her process for designing fabric collections, and her upcoming book.

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Helen: Hello, Rashida! Thank you for coming on the show today.

Rashida: Hi, thank you for having me. I’m so excited to be here.

Helen: We’re so excited to have you. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?

Rashida: Sure. I’m Rashida Coleman-Hale. I’m a fabric designer with Ruby Star and, I guess, an illustrator and published author.

Helen: And where are you from, Rashida?

Rashida: Originally, I’m from Orlando, Florida, but I’m living in California right now.

Helen: Nice. Okay. The first question we love to ask all of our guests is: how and when did you learn how to sew?

Rashida: Oh my gosh. I learned when I was 12. One summer, my mother, she decided that I needed to learn how and, you know, I was pretty reluctant. Reluctant and curious, I should say, because, you know, we had a family of sewers. So, my grandfather, he was a tailor back in the Caribbean. And then my grandmother, she also did a lot of sewing and hand sewing and crafting. So there was always something being made in my, in my home. I, I lived with my grandparents. They raised me, but my mom came to visit and she’s like, “You need to learn how to sew.” So she took me to May’s Fabric. That was the name of our little shop. And she took me and had me pick out a pattern. And, at the time, it was in the nineties. So I picked out this vest and some hammer pants…

Helen: Of course.

Caroline: I love it.

Rashida: And this really hideous orange fabric. And, you know, we picked out all the notions and everything and went home and she taught me how to do it. And, my god, it was really fun, but it was stressful. And I was kind of annoyed, ‘cause I was like, “Why do I need to do this?” You know? But at the end, I was just like, “Oh, I made this thing! It’s really cool! It looks hideous, but this is amazing,” you know? And I just, yeah, I never looked back. So, I just got really into fashion through her and into making garments and stuff like that. So I went to fashion school to learn fashion design.

Helen: Wow. So cool. I’m wondering, because you are a textile designer, if you’ve always had that love and excitement for fabric and for prints. Like, do you remember feeling that way when you were young?

Rashida: I do, I do. Gosh, there’s so many options when you go into the fabric store and I love just walking through and touching and feeling things and the different substrates and stuff. That was always so fun and exciting. And especially growing up backstage at those shows and getting to see the garments and how some of them were being altered and stuff, like, at the fittings, and it was just really fun and intriguing, you know? Like, how can you take this flat textile with no shape and then suddenly you can turn it into this amazing beautiful thing, you know? I love that so much.

Helen: Yeah, it is so transformative and incredible.

Caroline: Yeah. So tell us more about your professional journey. You said you went to FIT. So how did you get into being a surface designer and an artist?

Rashida: It’s from blogging. I was a stay-at-home mom in the early twos and, gosh, my daughter was such a good baby. And so I was bored. You know, I had been used to just, like, you know, working and going off and doing my thing. And so I was home with this really good, quiet baby and so my husband suggested that I start blogging. He’s like, you know, “You’re here sewing and making stuff for her. Why don’t you blog and post stuff?” So I was like, “Oh, that’s a good idea.” So I did. And my blog, it was called I Heart Linen. And it got a little popular from the projects that I was posting and stuff like that. And Stitch Magazine, they were an Interweave Press magazine, the editor reached out and asked me to do a couple projects for them. So I thought, “Oh my gosh, I’ve got my foot in this door of an editor. You know, I’m already doing projects and posting tutorials and I know how to do this. You know, let’s see if she’ll accept my book proposal.” And, you know, I asked her if she would take a look and she was like, “Oh, that’s funny. We were gonna ask you to do a book with us next.”

Helen: Oh, wow.

Rashida: So yeah. So that’s how I wrote I Love Patchwork. That was my first book, in 2009. My goodness, so long ago now. And It just felt natural to me at the time. I said to myself, you know, “You wrote a book. Why don’t you try making fabric next,” you know? So, I got out my pen and pencils and paper and got on the computer, as well, because I had already been pretty well-versed in Photoshop and Illustrator from doing freelance design on my own. And I put some stuff together and I sent it around to a couple places and I got a ton of no’s. Oh my gosh.

Helen: Oh, really?

Rashida: Yes, a ton. It was kind of embarrassing. But you know, I think it was just a really new thing for me. So I don’t think I really had a set style at the time. I was kind of just making whatever I thought was cute. But I kept editing it and kind of trying to make it a little better. And then I reached out to Timeless Treasures and, the same day, the art director, she reached out. She replied to my email. I was really shocked ‘cause usually they take a little time, you know. And she said, “Oh my gosh, I just bought your book today.”

Helen: Oh, no way.

Rashida: I know. I was like, “Oh my gosh. Wow. That’s amazing. How…?” You know, just kismet, I guess. And so she looked at my work and was, she really loved it and that’s how I started fabric design.

Helen: Wow.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. It’s so cool. It feels like it was meant to be…

Rashida: Yeah.

Caroline: Even the writing of your first book and then that sort of leading you into surface design. And you persevered, which is amazing. I mean, I want to know a little bit more about the different fabric companies that you’ve worked for. So you started off with Timeless Treasures, but how did that lead you into where you are now, working at Ruby Star?

Rashida: Yeah, so I had two collections with Timeless Treasures. And I think I really just started to get, get my footing and figuring out what kind of designer I wanted to be. So, I think I started experimenting and exploring a little bit more different art styles. So I put together a collection; it was called Suru. And I think Timeless Treasures just thought it was a little too modern for them at the time. And they didn’t want to produce it, and I was like, “Oh, alright. Well, deuces.” And I had already kind of known about Cloud9, who was the next group that I worked with. And I reached out to their director, Michelle. She’s so wonderful. And I showed her that group and she was in love with it. And so I moved on and I started working with them and I had, goodness, I think it was three collections with them. And I was perfectly happy there. It was such a good pairing. And we just really worked well together. The process and everything, you know. It felt right. But then, I was living in Atlanta at the time, and I was friends with Melody Miller. She was designing with Kokka Fabrics at the time. And we lived in the same neighbourhood, so we became friends, and our kids would play together, and sometimes we’d go on walks and runs together. And she said that she had this idea to start a new fabric company, a division of RJR Fabrics, because she was trying to find a new home for herself at the time. And she’s like, “I know you’re happy at Cloud9, but maybe you want to get unhappy?” You know, she’s like, “I’d love for you to come along with me on this journey.” And I was, I was, of course, you know, it’s such a huge opportunity to do something kind of big and different. So I was definitely nervous and scared because I was still so early in my, my fabric design career. But I’m like, “What is life without risk sometimes? So let’s do it,” you know? So she pitched her idea for Cotton+Steel to RJR and they loved it and we started Cotton+Steel. And that was me and her and Alexia Abegg and Sarah Watts and Kim Kight. And that’s how we started Cotton+Steel.

Caroline: It’s so cool. I remember I had started sewing at the time when Cotton+Steel was launched, and I remember all the marketing around it, and it was so exciting having all of you together working on this collection. And what was that like? There was a lot of buzz and excitement in the sewing industry at that time around this launch of this new project.

Rashida: It was, it was kind of just amazing. And it felt unreal, even, you know, ‘cause like I said, I was still relatively new in the industry. So it was exciting to be like, “Oh, we’re coming in and we’re all, like, shaking it up a little bit.” You know?

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: Yeah.

Rashida: And it’s crazy to look back at it and think like, “Gosh, we really did make such a huge impact on the industry.” And it’s exciting and kind of humbling and, just, wow, we really, we did that.

Helen: You did. Yeah.

Caroline: It was really exciting. Yeah.

Helen: And now Cotton+Steel is Ruby Star Society, is that correct?

Rashida: That’s right. Yeah. So, yeah, things kind of did not work out with Cotton+Steel, which I won’t elaborate on at this point. But that’s history, you know, because now we’re with Moda Fabrics as Ruby Star Society and, you know, when things were kind of falling apart, we had a lot of discussion about, “Well, what’s next for us? You know, are we going to split up and go back to designing on our own?” And we all said, like, “No, this is our family now,” you know, and I couldn’t imagine…for me; I can’t speak for the other women. Well, actually, yes, I can. We all felt like we couldn’t really go forward not working together. You know, we had did this big thing and, and it was amazing. And we can keep going. Let’s keep doing this. Why would we break up the band, you know? Yeah. So we decided to stick together and, and Melody met with Moda and they took us all. So we started Ruby Star and we’re still together and it’s 10, 11 years later now.

Caroline: Wow. Oh my gosh, what an accomplishment. And to be working with four other people for that long,

Rashida: Yeah.

Caroline: Yeah. That’s incredible.

Rashida: Yeah, it really is incredible. And I think about it often. I really do. Every time we go get together at shows and we talk to the different shop owners and the customers, just people who use our fabric and work with it, like…oh my gosh, I think I’m getting emotional now. You know, when you start something, you don’t realize where it’s going to take you. And, and when you end up in this place where you’re inspiring people with your work, you know, I think that feels so good. I feel like, you know, when you’re given a talent, whatever it is, that it’s your duty to kind of share it with the world. And you know, I think that’s what we all got the opportunity to do. And, and, and that feels really good.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah, and a lot of the time as an artist or creative, it’s very isolating. You’re kind of working in your own little world, creating something, and to be able to go to quilt shows and things to meet the retailers and, and the fans, I’m sure that must be really nourishing and, and kind of reminding you of why you’re doing what you’re doing, so.

Rashida: Yes. Yes, it absolutely reminds you every time. And you know, it’s funny, I feel like, especially, like, QuiltCon, you know, where it’s the end users and fans and not necessarily shop owners. It’s more the actual consumers, you know, so you really get to see a lot of what people are doing with your fabric. And then they come and they’re so excited and I love just getting to talk to them and hearing their stories and how we’ve inspired them to do other things. And it really is just amazing. I think that’s definitely why I keep doing what I do because I just, I love that part of it the most.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. And it’s so great, the, the fact that you’re all working on this together. I think, as designers, you’re each bringing your own unique style and perspective to Ruby Star. I’d love to dive a little bit deeper into your own art style and the surface design that you do. So can you describe that art style for our listeners?

Rashida: At first, I think I had kind of a little bit of a Japanese influence, and I think that’s evolved over the years. And I blame that on working in tech all the time. You know, I worked at Google for a little while as an illustrator, and doing icons and things like that. So, when you’re doing that kind of art, you really have to try and tell a story with as little detail and information as possible. So I feel like that kind of helped me hone my design style. So I would say it’s very simplistic with a little bit of storytelling and minimalism, but it’s still, I guess, warm and familiar. You know what I mean? Like, I try and add a little kind of nostalgia in there, too, sometimes. And it’s a little quirky.

Helen: I love the quirky side to your designs. It’s, it’s my favourite part about them. I think they’re so much fun. There’s often characters in your designs who just look happy and like they’re friends. I don’t know. It’s coming across, you know, that warm vibe that you’re talking about.

Rashida: Yeah, I love that. Thank you. I really have fun when I’m doing this and I have a silly sense of humour and kind of childlike and, yeah, I think I crack myself up sometimes.

Helen: And what are some of your favourite colours to work with when you’re designing?

Rashida: You know, this is funny. I had this conversation with the team at our, our last meeting. I always tend to lean towards jewel tones whenever I finalize my art and I love it. And then when it comes back, I’m like, “Oh, I don’t like that.” Which is really funny. I think I, I really, honestly, really do love warmer colours. So I’m trying to push towards that a little bit in my colour palette. But right now I stick with jewel tones ‘cause it feels like my sweet spot, you know? And I think that’s what some of my fans have come to expect from me. So, but every now and then I’ll, I’ll go over and I’ll do a warmer palette and that feels good, too.

Helen: I’ve noticed, also, that you have quite a few prints with darker backgrounds, which is my, like, favourite thing, and not always, like, super common in quilting cottons, especially. So I love to see it.

Rashida: Yeah, thanks. I love doing darker grounds because I feel like it really just makes the colours and the art pop and it gives it just this more kind of dynamic feel, you know, and it also gives the quilt a little bit of depth also, so I love throwing those in, especially when it’s not just for quilting, you know, because I try to think about what what else they’re going to do with the fabric other than making a quilt. You know, because you’re making bags and clothes and all kinds of other projects, so you kind of have to keep that in mind too when you’re designing.

Helen: Yeah, well, Ruby Star doesn’t only have quilting cottons, they also have some rayons and other substrates as well that are great for garment sewing. So if any of our listeners are curious to try it out, you’re not limited to just the quilting cottons, which is amazing.

Rashida: Yeah, that’s right.

Helen: So take us through your process for designing a collection of fabrics. How do you begin that process?

Rashida: Ah, so there’s a couple of things that I do. First off, I have a list, a running list, because sometimes I keep it in my phone in Notes, of themes and ideas. You know, sometimes you’re out and about and you’ll see something that you find inspiring and I’m like, “Oh my gosh, that would be an amazing fabric collection theme.” So I, you know, I jot that down and I have my list that I reference sometimes. And then next, I go on Pinterest and I collect images and colours and I just make a board. And then I kind of take those and move on to Photoshop and I make an actual mood board for myself. Which is my favourite part of the process. And I, honestly, if I could get paid to make mood boards all day, I probably would do that, happily.

Helen: Yeah, same.

Rashida: But I feel like it’s an important exercise because I feel like, sometimes, you know, you have an idea in mind, and once you start pulling in those different images and colours and prints and other things, it feels like you start to see other ideas that you hadn’t even thought of before. It’s like all these different things start to manifest in front of you, and you’re, you know, building that puzzle. So I feel like that’s such an important part of my process, because it just opens other, other windows for me.

Helen: Do you like to have that mood board, like, printed in colour and put up on the studio wall? Or do you just reference it when you need to?

Rashida: I just reference it when I need to. I don’t always print them out. Sometimes I do, but, you know, most of the time I have a huge display that I use when I work and my laptop next to it. So, you know, I’ll have it up on the laptop screen while I work in the big screen in the front and I’ll just reference it every now and then. It’s just a part of my process that I, I feel like I have to do. It’s kind of like, brainstorming, I guess, you know.

Helen: Mmhmm. Yeah.

Rashida: But after that, then I’ll start to doodle and jot down things in Procreate. That’s become part of my process the past, maybe, four years? I used to design exclusively in Illustrator, but I got an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil and Procreate. ‘Cause, you know, everyone’s been doing, been using that. I’m like, “I need to try and see what’s going on with this,” you know? And, oh man, that was a game changer.

Helen: Really?

Rashida: Yeah, because I feel like my illustrations kind of got looser and a little more relaxed, you know, and more movement. And it was just really freeing. So, I start out in Procreate, and then I pull the art over to Photoshop, and that’s when I, all the magic really starts to happen. There is, you start to move the pieces around and clean them up and, and make a repeat and just kind of see how you want to lay things out, you know. And then after I’ve gotten the repeat down, then I work on colour, and that’s also extremely fun and exciting. ‘Cause sometimes, and it’s funny, Melody, you know, she’s our art director, and so we turn the art into her and along with the process, as well, from beginning to end. But I always start with a set of colours and then, by the end of the collection, I’m like, “Mm, nope, I’m doing different colours now” and she’s like, “No, you have to turn it in!”

Helen: That’s a part of your process, it sounds like.

Rashida: It is part of my process.

Helen: Oh gosh, that’s funny.

Rashida: I don’t know what happens, why I end up pivoting at the very end, but I don’t ever regret it, though.

Helen: Yeah. Well, they always turn out beautiful, so you must be making the right choice.

Rashida: Yeah. Thank you.

Helen: So, obviously, you have to have multiple designs in a collection. So do you like to kind of run with one and get it to completion? Are you, like, dabbling in a whole bunch of them all at once and going back and forth?

Rashida: I kind of go in a sequence. So I, you like to start with the hero, of course. And I think that’s my jumping off point. So I’ll start with the hero, and then it has some other supporters that aren’t exactly heroes, but are hero-like.

Helen: Okay. What do you mean when you say “hero?” What does that mean?

Rashida: That’s the main focal print of the collection. So, Linear, for instance, that one, I had the ladies that were all connecting, and that was the hero of that, that collection for me. And the other that was hero-like is the, the ladies that were jumping. So, I kind of took them and then I wanted it to be very kind of geometric and, and with lots of movement. So then I went on and started designing the other supporting prints. Let’s talk about Salutations. That one’s just debuted and is being sold right now. So, Salutations is a stationery-based collection. So, I really love writing letters and handwriting them. I think that’s such an important thing to keep doing since technology’s taken over and people don’t write anymore. You know, so I really wanted to do a collection that was a kind of a love letter to writing letters and stationery and all of those fun things that come along with it. So the hero print for salutations is one called “Tools.” And it has scissors and staples and a stapler and tape and paper clips and all those kinds of things. So that’s the hero of that collection. And then the other prints that I put together as the supporters are little envelopes with hearts on them and washi tape on the backs. And I had another print that’s all handwriting that has all the different salutations and greetings, you know, like, “Hello,” “Dear.” “With love,” “Hey Boo,” “What’s up?” “How you doin’?” You know, little things like that. And that’s just in a hand, in lines with handwriting. And then I have a washi tape print, which is one that’s super popular of mine that people really, really love. So I brought that one back. And yeah, so, you know, you make all these other prints that kind of have the same theme, but you, make those kind of fun and dynamic, and then you bring in the other supporters that are kind of, well, for me, I like to make them geometric and and I think that helps kind of ground the collection. You know what I mean? Like that. So, and I also, I always try and put a floral in, too, because, it’s just, they’re so pretty.

Helen: We love a floral.

Rashida: Yeah.

Caroline: So how long does it take for a fabric collection to be completed, like, from beginning to end, for you?

Rashida: I would say it’s about six months? And then it doesn’t really see the light of day for about a year. We work on them for about a month and a half. And then once we submit it, you wait about three months for the strike offs to come back. And that’s where they come back from the mill. And you get the prints of all the art that you submitted. And you get a chance to see how they’re printed and make any colour corrections or change anything with the design, that sort of stuff. And then you send all those notes back to the mill, and then you have to wait another couple months to get the second round to come back. And then usually, by round two, it’s all pretty in good shape.

Helen: Mmhmm.

Rashida: And every now and then you might need another third round. But it, like, for me, I don’t know. It may be a bit different with the other, other women. But for me, I always, by round two, I’m usually like, “Okay, this looks good. And I think we’re ready to put the stamp of approval. And let’s go ahead and get it printed,” you know? And then, yeah, you don’t see it again for maybe another three months. But yeah, it doesn’t hit the light of day to shops for maybe a year. So like, for instance, right now we just turned in art that won’t be in stores until 2026.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, wow.

Helen: Wow. It’s such a long time. Like, by the time you see people using it, you, like, creatively, you’ve, like, completely moved on.

Rashida: You’ve completely moved on. Like, it’s funny. It comes back. I’m like, “I’m not that person anymore.” And it’s so funny to see it come back. And, you know, I like to look at it again. And think about the place where you were mentally while you were working on that. You know, it’s like, “Oh, well, gosh, so many things happened then and now that, yeah, that’s gone, and I’m kind of not into this art anymore.”

Helen: Yeah. I’m sure everyone else’s excitement gets you re-excited.

Caroline: Yeah.

Rashida: Yeah, you’re still excited about it, of course. But it’s just funny, because, like, even as an artist you kind of have moved on, you know. Because your style keeps evolving sometimes. So, some collections are…for me, I like to experiment and try different things. So I’m like, “Oh yeah, that didn’t work out too well. I don’t want to do that anymore.” So you move on and try something else. Or maybe, “That was amazing, but let’s just try something different,” you know. So when it comes back, it’s always like, “Oh yeah, I remember what was going on then. Now I’m a different artist and it’s fine.”

Caroline: It’s so interesting to hear you talk about this process. And I’m coming at this from the perspective of a fabric store owner and we do more garment fabrics, but we also design prints in-house and stuff, and it really makes me wonder if you are, as an artist, receiving, like, feedback from your customers or your retailers about, like, what’s popular and what people are buying and does that, like, inform you as a creative and and the types of prints that you do in the future? And, like, are you kind of taking that feedback into your designs or are you really just trying to reinvent every collection and keep it fresh and new?

Rashida: I think it’s a little bit of both. I definitely want to keep my customers happy, and fans, and keep making the things that they love. So I think it’s a little bit of both, for sure. Like, you want to explore and grow as a designer. But, you know, you have to make what sells, too.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s hard to find that balance sometimes. Yeah.

Rashida: Yeah, I think it really is, but I do like to hear feedback. Like, I’ll post stuff on my Instagram. For instance, there was a print that I was just working on and I posted it and I’m asking, you know, “Which colours do you guys feel like you’re gravitating towards?” You know, I posted five of them, and people are giving me all kinds of feedback, and I really love hearing what they think, you know, ‘cause at the end of the day, they’re the ones that are going to use it, you know? So I really love that. Sometimes I don’t agree. Like, “Oh yeah, I don’t think I want to do that, but thank you for your feedback.” Yeah.

Caroline: That’s so funny. I’m also curious, because you’ve been doing this over a decade, like, do you have a favourite fabric collection that you’ve designed? Like, favourite one of all time?

Rashida: Oh, goodness. Oh. I really liked Sunbeam. That one was one of my favourites because I took a little detour with colour there. And every time I see someone use the whole collection, as a whole, I’m like, “Yes! That was exactly what I was thinking! You’re doing it!” And that’s always so exciting, you know, because you have this vision and you put it out there, and that’s another thing that I really love about what I do, is just getting to see how people take and interpret your work, you know what I mean? But so, every now and then there’s just a couple of people who just really hit the nail on the head of what you’re thinking and you’re like, “Yes! That’s it!” And I think that that collection just did that for me. It’s really just a warm and sunny collection, and it kind of just reminds me of, like, being out on a, at a picnic on a really beautiful summer afternoon, and you just had this really good day, and it’s golden hour, and…

Helen: Yeah.

Rashida: Yeah, so that one’s my, one of my favourites.

Helen: It is so gorgeous. And the tigers are one of my favourite prints. Yeah. So good.

Rashida: Yeah. Oh, thanks. Yeah. I had so much fun drawing those. Oh my gosh.

Helen: So you design an entire collection of fabric and then you get to see what other people do with it as far as putting it into their patchwork and their quilts and stuff. Do you ever take your whole collection and make your own quilt or project with it to kind of see it all come together in your own creative expression?

Rashida: I do a lot of mock-ups. That’s another part of our process that, I guess, I forgot to mention before. But we’ll take quilt patterns and we’ll design our own quilts on the computer and put the design in to kind of see how everything’s laying out and playing. So that’s also really super important. But that has nothing to do with sewing in real life. Yes. I like to sew with, I do like to sew with my own fabric. I make things for my daughters. My sons aren’t really into my prints. They’re like, “No, thanks, Mom. I don’t want a balloon dog shirt, but thank you.” But I do, every now and then. I haven’t played with an entire collection in a while. But I do like to use my prints, especially the, I’m really into canvas. I don’t know why that’s my favourite substrate to use for making little projects and stuff. So the canvases I hoard. And the neutrals. I always try to include a white-on-white in each of my collections. So I hoard those. I do my studio sales but I never sell those.

Helen: How interesting, because I think of you as such a bold, colourful designer. And to know that you are hoarding the neutrals is really funny to me.

Rashida: I know! It is, it’s hilarious. It’s funny to me, too. I’m like, “I don’t know why those are my favourites.”

Helen: A good neutral is hard to come by. Maybe that’s why.

Rashida: Yeah, maybe so, maybe so. But yeah, I really love linen fabric and it’s such a neutral, blah kind of colour. But when you combine it with other cotton prints and colours, it really just helps all those colours pop and, and dance. And I’m so into neutrals. It’s kind of silly.

Helen: I love that you mentioned the canvas as well, because the Ruby Star canvas is so soft and delightful to sew with. It’s one of my favourites.

Rashida: Thank you.

Helen: So I am totally on board with that.

Rashida: Thanks. Yeah, I really, I love our, our canvas, too. It’s so, so soft and flowy, and I was working on my book, and I realized, I was like, “Okay, I really have to try.” And every time I would reach for something for a project, it ended up being canvas, and I was like, “Okay, I need to stop pulling the canvases out. I can’t, no, no no canvas in this quilt.” Yeah, so, yeah, those are my favourite, favourite substrates.

Caroline: Oh, that’s great. And you mentioned your book. We definitely want to talk about that in a sec, but before we move on, can you share some advice for our listeners, for anyone who’s interested in getting into surface design or becoming a surface pattern designer?

Rashida: I think one of the biggest things is to discover your style. I think that’s so important in surface design. You know, you really should just experiment and play with motifs and colours and different mediums and find what’s truly your own design style, you know? Sometimes I feel like it’s important to find your own style just because you want to set yourself apart from everyone else a little bit and, you know, I think it’s really important to stay in tune to what’s trending as well, but kind of…let it inspire you, but, but still stay true to your own voice as well. Yeah, I think those things are so important, getting into the industry. You know, I was saying that sometimes I, even, I guess it’s harder to see it as you’re an artist. You know, I’m like, I had a conversation with, with the RSS team and I’m like, “You guys, I don’t…do I have a style?” Like, “Do I need to, I feel like I should switch it up and try and just stick to the certain colours and, you know.” And they’re like, “Yeah, you definitely have a style.” But, you know, sometimes you don’t see it yourself and other people can recognize that. You know, but sometimes I question if I need to really hone it in and just stick to, like, designing this certain way. But, you know, I feel like I’m fine.

Caroline: You’re like, “Actually, no, I’m good. I don’t need to do that.”

Rashida: I’m good. Yeah, like, I, you know, I admire artists who, and the other designers who, like, stick with a limited palette or something like that. You know, that totally works for them. And I wish I could be that kind of artist, but that’s just not how my brain works. And, you know, and that’s okay.

Helen: Yeah, it keeps it interesting for sure. And I think a little bit of doubt is totally normal in the creative process. It’s really hard to avoid. But it’s great advice to our listeners to find a personal style. And you have to practice in order to do that because you’re not going to come out the gate knowing what that is. So it’s just a matter of giving it a go and iterating and seeing where you end up.

Rashida: Yes. Yeah, and staying open minded while you’re doing it, you know? You’ll never know what you’re going to discover when you’re playing and experimenting and stuff like that. You’ll find a design sensibility that you didn’t think you loved. And suddenly, here you are, you know.

Helen: It’s so true.

Rashida: Yeah.

Helen: Okay. Well, you mentioned your book that’s coming out. You have a new book coming out next year called Zakka Sewn: Stitch, Quilt, Share, and Love. We’ve seen the cover. It looks so good. It’s got colourful print pillows on a linen couch and a really cool patchwork wall hanging on the wall. And you have two other books focused on zakka projects. So can you describe what zakka is, for our listeners who aren’t familiar?

Rashida: Yeah, zakka is kind of just miscellaneous things. So things you have around the home and, and you know, little tchotchkes and stuff like that, that just make you happy.

Helen: It’s perfect for textile lovers.

Rashida: Yes, exactly. So yes, my first book was I Love Patchwork. And the second was Zakka Style, which is more of a collective. So, it was, the concept originally was, I wanted it to be We Love Patchwork for my second book, ‘cause, at the time, Flickr was super popular and I loved seeing what other people were making and being inspired by their work and design. So, that’s where Zakka Style came into play. So I, I just went around and collected other designers’ zakka, kind of, inspired works. And then Zakka Sewn, my new book, which, gosh, I, I can’t believe I’m writing a third book. And it’s just, this has been a year, you know? So it’s funny. When I pitched the book, I had just moved into my own place ‘cause I was in the middle of a divorce and I felt like I needed to write this book. Just, you know, it was kind of like my rebirth, you know what I mean? And I felt like it was so important for me to do that and, and in retrospect, I’m like, “Oh my god, why did you decide to write a book and you’re a single mom with four kids? Like, what’s wrong with you?” That was a dumb idea. And it was so hard and complicated. But I did it, so yay.

Helen: Yay!

Caroline: Yeah, congrats!

Rashida: Yeah. But, thank you. But the projects are really just lovely and simple projects. I tried to make things beginners would be, maybe an advanced beginner would be drawn to. And I like to think of them as a launchpad, like, projects you could take and turn into patchwork and kind of make them your own, you know what I mean? So, yeah, I’m excited for its release and I hope people love it.

Helen: That’s really cool. So this one is focused on, is it more focused on sewing than the last ones? How is it different from your previous zakka books?

Rashida: They don’t have a ton of patchwork and they’re a little more simplistic. I feel like my first books had a lot of embellishments and, and those kinds of things, but this one is just a lot simpler.

Helen: Well, we know that the word “zakka” comes from Japan. So can you tell us a little bit more about your connection to Japan? ‘Cause we’ve noticed that you’ve referred to yourself as a Japanophile in a few places.

Rashida: So, my mother was a model in Japan. And she started doing that when I was three. So we lived overseas there and I went to school there for a little while and then moved back to the States, but I continued spending my summers there with my mother all the way until my early twenties. So it just became a huge part of my life and I’ve been there so many times, like. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been there at this point. And my dream is to retire there. I’m thinking Okinawa, because it’s the beach, which I love, and Japan, which I also love. So, best of both worlds. So yeah, I, I really, I love it so much. And just the country and the culture and the language and their design sensibility and all of those things. It’s just, I love it so much and I feel like it’s just become a part of me

Caroline: And what is it that you love about the zakka aesthetic and ethos?

Rashida: I think what I love, especially when I see other people sew it, is that you can do so many things that are unexpected. You know what I mean?

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Rashida: With not just the patchwork, but the embellishments and those kinds of things, you know, like, “Oh, why is there a pom pom coming out of that part? That’s adorable! I love that! I didn’t think to do that.” You know what I mean? That’s what I love about it so much. And you can really just take it and make it your own and there’s no wrong way to do it.

Helen: Right. Well, that’s very exciting. I’m sure our listeners are going to be stoked to check out the new book. When can they expect it to hit the shelves?

Rashida: It should be, um, this time next year?

Helen: Amazing.

Caroline: Ooh, Exciting.

Rashida: Yeah, but it’s already up on, for pre-order, so, yeah, you can go check it out.

Caroline: Oh, well, that’s so exciting. And yeah, like Helen said, we’ll link it up in the show notes and I’m sure our listeners will be really excited to pre-order and check out this book that’s coming out soon. But we’ve mostly been talking about surface design and sewing so far. We also wanted to talk about a couple of other kinds of projects that you’ve done over the years. And one of those is that we’ve seen some really cool punch needle projects on your Instagram. You have some beautiful graphic flower wall hangings and little pin cushions that look almost like little quilt block designs. They’re so, so cute. And I know Helen and I both love punch needle and want to try it out. So can you tell our listeners a little bit more about that and how you learned to do punch needle?

Rashida: Yeah, so I got initially inspired by my fabric pal Kim Kight. She was doing punch needle with her strawberry, she had punch needle kit at QuiltCon a couple years ago, and she taught a class and I was like, “Oh, I want to go to your class and learn how to do it.” And she actually showed me how to do it when we were on a different retreat, ‘cause I couldn’t make it to her little class ‘cause I had to be in the booth. Anyway, but she gifted us all punch needle kits for Christmas and showed us how to do it. And I just fell in love with it. I think it’s because, especially my art style, I think it’s so graphic and you can really translate it into this fiber art. And it’s fun and easy to do and can be relatively quick. And sometimes it can be portable. But I, yeah, I really just fell in love with it because I feel like I, I really, at that time, I just wanted to try something that wasn’t sewing-related, that wasn’t necessarily knitting, but I, you know, I love fiber arts. I’m really intrigued by weaving and embroidery and all of those things. Kind of, like, the best of all of that, in a way, you know.

Helen: It’s true. You get to use yarn, you get to, like, work on a surface, but it’s maybe not as finicky as detailed embroidery. It’s a little chunkier.

Rashida: Yeah, I love the chunky part about that, too. I was just going to say, “It’s chunky!”

Helen: Yeah, it’s chunky. Satisfying, too, like, punching through the fabric. Yeah, it’s a bit cathartic, in a way.

Rashida: Yes, it is very, very satisfying. And so I got a whole bunch of books and also just went on online and looked at YouTube videos and things like that. And I just went for it, you know. I did one little, her little strawberry, and then I kind of went, dove in headfirst. I went to the art supply store and I made myself these big frames and I stretched that fabric over it and I was like, “Alright. Let’s try and make stuff.” So, you know, whenever I’m intrigued by something, I totally go all in, you know. So I got all the tools and all the supplies and I kind of just went for it. And it felt natural, like I had already been doing it for years, you know. Like, it just felt right. You know, you pick something up and you’re like, “Yeah, I need to be doing this.”

Helen: I’m sure all your illustrating skills really come in handy when it comes to making a successful punch needle design, for sure.

Rashida: Yes, I think that definitely, definitely helps. So, you know, I’ve been experimenting a little bit with other designs and stuff, like the ladies that I like to draw. So I’ve done a couple of those. I haven’t shown them yet, but maybe soon. But I’ve been punch needling…

Helen: Well, we’ll look forward to it.

Rashida: Some ladies, and yeah, I think I just really love the graphic nature of it, and it’s kind of almost like working in Procreate, but with yarn and, and linen, you know, and things that I love.

Helen: Oh, that’s awesome. You’re making me want to go do punch needle right now.

Caroline: Yeah, me too. We also wanted to touch on a project that you did with Ruby Star designing some really cool zipper pulls to go with your collections, which are so cute. That’s one of the things I love about Ruby Star, is y’all do like other kinds of products to go along with the collections and they’re always really interesting and cool. Are there any other little extras you think would be fun to make along with your collections? Anything else you guys have in the works that you can talk about?

Rashida: Oh yeah, we’ve got a couple of things. We produce tins for holding the zipper pulls.

Caroline: Cool.

Rashida: And those are fun. They’re, they’re small little bite-sized tins. They’re probably like, maybe three by four inches, maybe even a little smaller than that. And those are, those always are super popular.

Caroline: Cute.

Rashida: Right now we’ve got stuff coming out with Renaissance Ribbons. We just made a ribbon with them, which is so fun and exciting. That process has been really amazing to see because the ribbons are woven. And they get so much detail on them. I have one that has my pop bottles on them, and it’s a thin ribbon, but they were able to get the writing…

Helen: Wow.

Rashida: On the pop bottles, onto that ribbon. Like, it’s mind-blowing.

Helen: That’s so cool. Oh, I love the idea of, like, a woven ribbon with the Ruby Star prints. That’s amazing.

Rashida: Yeah, it’s so fun. So you have a couple of those coming out. Everyone’s got a set. And so we just debuted those at Quilt Market. And then we also have webbing coming out soon with Stitch Supply Company.

Caroline: Ooh, webbing will be cool, like for bags? Oh, that’s awesome.

Rashida: Yeah, for bags.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s hard to find, like, cool webbing that isn’t just like cream or black.

Rashida: Yeah, Alexia has some with her Starry that’s coming out that are, that are so fun. Yeah, and I, I saw Anne at Market and she had a bag with the starry ribbing. I was like, “I need that.” Sometimes we do tea towels. Those are also fun to do. They’re produced in India, so it’s a little bit of a different process when we get the strike offs for those, because we have to submit them earlier than the other products, because it takes a little longer. But yeah, yeah, we have tote bags and stuff, and just, yeah, a number of items.

Helen: Ooh, very exciting. Well, I’m going to QuiltCon this February. So I look forward to seeing some of these lovely products in person.

Rashida: Yeah, yeah. It’s so exciting to be able to do those extra goodies and things, too. So that’s always been one of my dreams is to see my art on other things other than fabric, so it’s so exciting to be able to do that along with the collections.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah. So smart.

Rashida: Yeah.

Helen: Well, we know that you’ve recently finished writing your book, or I think you finished it. Right?

Rashida: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Helen: So, what’s next on the horizon? I mean, it sounds like you’re not going to be signing up for another book immediately, but…

Rashida: No, thank you.

Helen: Do you have something in mind for the next little while that you want to start working on or a collection that you’re really excited about?

Rashida: Yeah, I do have a collection I just submitted. I think that’s the one I said that I couldn’t talk about yet.

Helen: Yeah, right.

Rashida: I haven’t even gotten strike offs for that one yet. So, you know, I’ve got a couple of collections already in the pipeline. There’s a lot of other projects, you know, the webbing and, and the ribbon that’s coming out. And there’s a couple other things that I can’t talk about yet. But I think, you know, this year has just been so packed with deadlines and things, so I get to take December off, that’s how we planned our scheduling. But I think I want to, I bought a tufting gun, yeah, and I think I want to kind of start designing with them. You know, like I said, I mentioned, you know, we mentioned punch needle. I really love that so much and I love it in the small scale, but I really want to try some larger designs that I think maybe punch needle is not going to allow me to do. So I’m really excited to try the tufting gun.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. That sounds incredible. I’ve seen videos of people using tufting guns and I’m just in awe, like, and it looks like it’s so fun to use, too.

Rashida: It really does. And it’s sitting here staring at me and I told myself, I was like, “You can’t touch that until you’re done with all these other things for the year.”

Caroline: Oh, it’s your little treat.

Rashida: Yes, that’s my reward, so. And now I’ve really put it out there, so I have to do it.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, that’s so, I’m excited for you. That sounds so fun.

Rashida: Thank you! Yeah, I can’t wait.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, well, if our listeners want to follow along and see your future, your future projects, where can our listeners find you online?

Rashida: I’m on Instagram, it’s @iamrashidacolemanhale. And you can find my website at rashidacolemanhale.com.

Caroline: Amazing. And we’ll link all of that up in the show notes. We had such a great time chatting with you today, Rashida. Thank you so much for taking the time…

Rashida: Thank you, it was so good to be here. Thank you, thank you for having me, this has been great.

Helen: It was a real pleasure.

Caroline: Alright. Take care.

Rashida: Thanks, you too!

Helen: Bye.

Rashida: Bye!

Helen: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Helen, at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co, and Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Helen: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, you can leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Caroline: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening! We’ll talk to you next week.

Helen: Buh bye!

Caroline: Buh bye!

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We chat about sewing for others – what to make, what to avoid, and how to make sure that your experience is fun and fulfilling! We talk about the pros and cons of sewing for others, whether as a gift or as a favour. We share tips about fitting and choosing fabric. And we share OUR experiences sewing for our loved ones!

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

Show Notes: 

Previous Episodes Mentioned: 

Some of the Projects We’ve Sewn for Others:

Patterns and Tutorials:

Transcript:

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.

Helen: Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s all we ever talk about.

Caroline: We’re talking about sewing for others in this episode: what to make, what to avoid, and how to make sure that your experience is fun and fulfilling. We talk about the pros and cons of sewing for others, whether as a gift or as a favour, and we share tips about fitting and choosing fabric, and we share our experiences sewing for our loved ones.

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Caroline: Hello!

Helen: Hello? Who’s this? Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: Hi, Helen. Can I speak to Helen, please?

Helen: This is Helen speaking.

Caroline: Put Helen on the line.

Helen: How’s it going?

Caroline: I’m here to call you about your phone plan.

Helen: Oh my gosh. I’m hanging up. “You’ve won a prize. To claim your prize, please enter your social security number.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh, I have so much trouble hanging up on people who call me trying to sell something. I’m always like, “I’m so sorry. Bye. I’m going to hang up now. Bye. I’m really sorry. Have a good day. Bye.”

Helen: Oh my gosh. No, I have, I have to admit that I am just a…like, I just hang up.

Caroline: You just, you fully hang up?

Helen: Yeah. I don’t want to waste their time. They can call someone else. I’m not gonna buy it.

Caroline: No, I get it. I get it. I think this is a me, I think the apologizing is, like, a me problem. I think it’s like, I should probably talk about it with my therapist. Oh my gosh. Okay, well, speaking of therapy, Helen, when we catch up every month on Patreon and Apple Podcast bonus episodes, it’s like therapy for me. I love it.

Helen: It is therapeutic. I love hearing everything that happened in the month for you. And I get to like go back in my phone and look at all my photos and see what I got up to. And then we get to talk about what we’ve been sewing and what we want to sew. And it’s so much fun.

Caroline: Yeah, I get to tell you all about what I cooked, my favourite recipes, which is one of my favourite parts of the bonus content. But this is all to just remind you all that the best way to support us, the best way to support the show that you love, called Love to Sew, is by joining us on Patreon or Apple Podcast subscriptions.

Helen: And you get access to that bonus content every month. And we have so much fun catching up on those more casual bonus episodes. It really means a lot if you’re able to support us, even if it’s just for a short time. And if that’s not in the cards for you right now, we totally get it. Just thank you so much for listening and for cheering us on.

Caroline: Yeah, thank you for being here. I think we want to just jump right into the show, right, Helen?

Helen: Yeah, today we’re talking about sewing for others, AKA “selfless sewing.” But to be honest, I don’t feel like it’s 100 percent selfless. I actually get a ton out of sewing for others. I get to enjoy my favourite hobby. I get the satisfaction of giving somebody I love something that I made and hopefully I see them wearing or using that thing. It can be, overall, very fulfilling. But with that said, there’s lots of projects I think I would say no to.

Caroline: Yes, everyone has to figure out their own boundaries and comfort level about sewing for others. Not all sewists like sewing for others, and that’s okay. We have a whole episode called Can You Sew This For Me? Hilarious episode. I loved that one. It’s all about figuring out where your boundaries are and saying no when it doesn’t work for you. I think this was one of the ones with the stories, right? We had stories from listeners about things that have been requested. It’s so funny. So we’re going to link that up in the show notes for you all if you want to listen to that, if you haven’t already.

Helen: But this episode’s kind of the opposite of that one because it’s all about the big happy “Yes,” or at least being aware of the ins and outs of making for others before you jump in the deep end. And we’ve got lots of ideas and tips for how to make your selfless sewing projects smooth and successful.

Caroline: Yes, we do. Helen, I see you as a very selfless sewist. Generous with your time. You’ve made many things. Can you just kick it off by talking a little bit about your experience sewing for others?

Helen: Well, when I started out sewing and got really into sewing garments I was more of the “selfish sewist,” where I was mostly sewing things for myself. But as time went on, I got really into sewing for others because it’s such a fun way to try different things. And we’re gonna talk about some of those benefits in a minute here. But I love sewing stuff for Sam, in particular, my partner, because I get to see him wearing those items a lot. And he’s somebody that’s in my home. So it’s easy to do, like, fitting sessions and talk about fabric and actually make the garment fit really well and be something that I know he’s going to enjoy so that I get to see him wear it all the time, which is really satisfying. I’ve made lots of stuff for my nieces and nephews because kids’ clothes are pretty quick to whip up and that’s really fun and satisfying, too. They always enjoy receiving those. And since I got into quilting, I’ve been gifting more quilts, because I honestly can’t keep them all. I don’t have room for that many quilts in my house. So it’s really fun to be able to gift a quilt. It’s such a meaningful present. So that’s been, like, a new addition to my selfless sewing that I’ve really been enjoying.

Caroline: Oh, the nice thing about gifting quilts is that there’s no fitting involved, and it’s something that the receiver will keep for a really long time and cherish. So I love the idea of gifting a quilt.

Helen: Yeah. Me, too. I’ve also made, like, aprons and robes and other kind of Christmas present-y kind of things for my family members. And everything that I’ve made, I think, or almost everything I’ve made, has ended up being one of those cherished possessions that people do wear and use over and over again. So it really has paid off. And I think the more experiences like that that I’ve had, the more I want to do more selfless sewing.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Yes, absolutely. I kind of feel the same way. I used to not be as much of a selfless sewist and I only sewed for a very select few individuals and very rarely, but I’ve been doing more selfless sewing lately and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s kind of contagious, infectious, like, that feeling of giving something and it being received really well just makes you want to do it again.

Helen: Totally. What kind of stuff have you been making?

Caroline: I have been sewing a little bit for my sister-in-law, although now she is sewing for herself with my supervision. So that’s been a fun transition, going from making her things to helping her make things for herself. I always sew for my sister. I haven’t made anything for her in a little bit, but she was one of those people that I used to sew for a lot and I would never really say no to her when she would request things. And my sister cherishes the things that I make her. I made her leggings when she was first pregnant. My nephew is now seven. She still has these, like, bamboo jersey leggings. She, like, hand washes them, wears them all the time, and yet, they are in pristine condition. So yeah, it’s very cute the way that she cherishes the things that I make. I’ve made some things for my niece recently. I made her a pink unicorn dress. I talked about this on one of our bonus episodes. And it’s, like, her power dress. My sister has sent me pictures of her wearing it, like, on her first day of school, for, like, photos for things, like, anytime there’s like a special occasion, she’s like, “I’m wearing the unicorn dress.” So that really warms my heart to know that I could make something that makes her feel really good and, like, powerful and strong and brave. So cute. But yeah, other than that, like, little things. Obviously I have some for Shea in the past, sweatpants and an apron and other things and my mom and friends and stuff, but mostly, you know, mostly what I just talked about.

Helen: That all sounds amazing. I mean, I don’t think there’s a right amount to sew for others or sew for yourself. It truly is whatever is right for you. And if you feel inspired to sew for others, it can be really fun. So let’s get into the benefits of sewing for others. In my opinion, the biggest benefit is the satisfaction, like, seeing a loved one’s excitement when they get the project and then later seeing them wear or use it. It’s so satisfying. It’s truly priceless. I often find that the handmade gifts that I give really get cherished. They’re like reminders of the love that you share. And people who love you and appreciate you will love and appreciate the effort that went into it. And they’re really going to take that seriously.

Caroline: It’s so true. Another benefit of sewing for others is that it can be a good learning experience. You might get the chance to sew a different style of clothing or use different fabrics than you would normally wear. Lots of listeners have told us stories about making special occasion outfits for their friends and relatives, from wedding gowns to prom dresses to birthday outfits. A lot of those stories are from our Love to Brag episode, which is all about our listeners’ proudest sewing moments. Honestly, a few of them are from our Sewing Horror Stories episode as well, but I think you can avoid the horror story side by giving yourself plenty of time to work on whatever you’re working on. More than you think you need.

Helen: Yes, so true. And sewing for someone else can also be a great opportunity to practice your fitting skills. If you’re the type of sewist that likes a bit of a challenge, this can be a cool way to stretch your mind muscles and work out some adjustments. It will advance your understanding of all the ways that a flat piece of fabric can be made into a beautifully fitted three-dimensional garment.

Caroline: Yes. The next benefit is for those of us that have been sewing for a while, and that’s that you don’t keep the project. This might sound like a drawback, but trust me, it’s a benefit for those of us with a full wardrobe or a crammed quilt closet. You still get to do a bunch of sewing, but you don’t have to store or take care of the finished piece. Any sewist who’s more into the process than the finished product can appreciate this benefit. Even beginners. And if that’s you, you might want to get into sewing for others. Suzy Quilts actually told us that as soon as she’s done with a quilt, she doesn’t care what happens to it. She’s there for the process. And so she gives away a bunch of her quilts. This is such a cool way to spread her talent and love around. And I know you relate to this, Helen. I love it.

Helen: I do. And you know, the more that I sew, the more garments that I have in my collection, the more quilts I have around my house, it does just become a matter of, like, you don’t have as much of a need for things. You don’t have as much of a desire even to make new things for yourself. So you can take that energy and that passion and put it towards other people. Sewing for others… that passion. “More passion. More energy.” Sewing for others can make you someone’s true superhero. Making a custom item or helping someone with their mending or alterations can be a big deal. Sewing is like our superpower and people are absolutely in awe of what we can do. So using it to help others is just, it’s just cool. Just dang cool.

Caroline: Mmhmm. My rule is that you have to ask before bringing your mending to my house for me to help you with.

Helen: If you’re assuming I’m going to do it, then I’m definitely not going to do it.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s a good rule.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: But honestly, there are some drawbacks to sewing for others, so we’re going to talk about a few of them. It can be hard to fit another person. Most sewists sew mainly for themselves, so fitting others is going to be a learning curve. We do have some great tips for you later in this episode, but just know that it’s not going to be as easy as whipping up a dress with the same adjustments you’ve already done 10 times.

Helen: The second thing is that it can take time away from projects that you want to make for yourself. If your sewing time is limited, if you aren’t on board for spending your sewing time on someone else, you know, it’s okay to say no. You should work on what you want to work on.

Caroline: And “no” is a complete sentence.

Helen: True. No “buts.”

Caroline: No, that can be hard though, if like your friend is like, “Can you sew something for me?” And then you’re like, “No.”

Helen: “No.”

Caroline: That might be a little rough.

Helen: It does sound harsh, doesn’t it?

Caroline: Yes, it does sound kind of harsh. I’m just trying to empower you. You can say no, okay? Alright, our next sort of drawback is that some people will not appreciate your work. So if you aren’t sure that your recipient is going to appreciate the time and effort you put into sewing for them, it might be best to opt out. We do have some clues that a person is worthy of your sewing time. One of them is that they compliment you on your me-mades. I think that’s huge. If they notice, then they’ll probably love whatever you make them.

Helen: True. And better yet, they ask you questions about your sewing and they admire your skill.

Caroline: If they’re a maker themselves and they know how much work it takes into making something by hand, then they’ll probably appreciate your work.

Helen: They buy handmade things for themselves or often pin them on Pinterest, have an interest in handmade garments.

Caroline: If they’ve offered to commission you. So if they’re offering to pay you, that’s a huge bonus, right?

Helen: And of course, if they’re kind and generous people themselves, then they’re likely to appreciate your efforts. You know, you can sense these things.

Caroline: There is one caveat. Sometimes kids can underreact when they’re at, say, a birthday party, opening presents, the big, like, electronic toy or Lego might steal the attention. But, especially if you have a close relationship with the kid, they’re probably going to realize later on how lovely your gift is and treasure it. Helen, what has your experience been giving gifts to your nieces and nephews?

Helen: Mixed bag, for sure. Sometimes it is, like, total disinterest. Confusion, even. You know, they open it and they’re like, “Oh, what? A pair of pa…a pair of pants? Are you joking?” Like…

Caroline: Like, “This isn’t the Star Wars Lego that I asked for.”

Helen: “I already have pants, okay? I don’t need more pants.” But they always come around, like, unless it doesn’t fit, which is totally fair. You know, not everything works out and fits perfectly. And if it doesn’t fit and feel good, they’re definitely not gonna wear it. But as long as it’s something that feels good when they put it on and they like it, then it does tend to get a lot of wear and they really appreciate it. And I’ve given some quilts to a couple of my nieces as well. And that is a very rewarding experience, but also a little underwhelming at the start, because it’s so hard for a kid to contemplate and appreciate the time and effort that goes into it. Like, they don’t understand that all of those pieces of fabric were pieced together one by one. You know, like, that’s not, if they’ve never quilted before, of course, you wouldn’t know that. So they don’t always initially understand. But hopefully it’s something that they’ll keep for years and when they’re an adult they’ll look back and think about you fondly because they’ll understand at that time how much work you must have put into that present.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally. Okay. One final risk of sewing for others is that there is added pressure and the project might not work out. So when we sew for ourselves, it can be hard to push past failed projects and big mistakes. And then when other people are involved, it can make it even harder. If you’re thinking to yourself, “I know myself and I would die of shame if that happened to me,” maybe sewing for others isn’t for you at this point. I will say, there’s no shame in a failed project. It happens. It can help to budget more time than you think you’re going to need, just in case you face problems. But it’s also okay to call it and say, “I’m sorry, I bit off more than I could chew. It’s just not gonna work out.” It sucks, but everyone will live through it and everyone will be just fine.

Helen: Yeah, totally. You can chalk it up to all those learning experiences that we have while we’re sewing. But it can be a little tricky to navigate when there’s other folks involved.

Caroline: For sure. Yeah.

Helen: Okay, now that we’ve talked about the pros and cons, let’s talk about the actual process of sewing for others. We have some tips for choosing fabric and fitting. Then we have some project ideas that make great gifts. And we’ll round it out at the end with some general advice that will reduce your sewing stress so that you can enjoy the process and really feel how rewarding it is to sew for others.

Caroline: Yes. Okay. So when you’re choosing your fabric, you want to stay in the driver’s seat. It’s great to have your recipient involved, but you have to bring your knowledge to the table. You know what works and what doesn’t work and, to be honest, a lot of times non-sewists don’t. So don’t be afraid to say “That fabric is too thick to gather” or “You can’t use a stretch fabric with this pattern.” It can really help to use the compliment sandwich strategy to soften the blow and lead them to a better solution. Helen, do you want to play this out for me? What is, what would that sound like?

Helen: Okay, we’re in the fabric store. You’ve selected chiffon for your jeans. I say, “I love the colour of that fabric. Unfortunately, you can’t make jeans out of chiffon. So let’s head towards the bottom weights and see if they have some jewel tones over there.” So you have an honest compliment to begin with. You’re validating their decision in the colour. And then you explain why the choice doesn’t work, and you move on to a suggestion that will work with their original choice, or at least honour that choice. So: compliment sandwich.

Caroline: I do think this depends on the relationship, ‘cause if I was in a fabric store with my sister, I’d be like, “Girl, that is not the right fabric. This is not working.”

Helen: Right? “What about this?” You’re just like, “Absolutely not.”

Caroline: Yeah, no, “Walk away from the chiffon.” It can also help to give options rather than turning someone loose in the fabric store or online. So ask them what colours and textures they might be interested in or have them send you inspo pics and then put together some good choices and see if they are excited about any of them. I know, personally, obviously I’m probably in a unique situation because I have a fabric store, but I’ll often just send a link to a collection and be like, “Choose one of these. Any of these will work.” And then they can kind of browse around and then usually we’ll find something that works for the project.

Helen: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And often, people are really excited to get the guidance, too, because it’s so overwhelming. So they don’t really want to choose. But sometimes people do want to use novelty quilting prints or fun prints for custom garments and you know what? That’s often totally okay, as long as they understand what they’re going to get in the end. So you can let them know that maybe it might result in the garment feeling a little bit stiff, or help them choose an appropriate pattern to go with that fabric. But of course it’s so fun to get, you know, your favourite comic book character on a shirt. You can totally let them have this. But the key is really choosing the pattern that’s going to work with the fabric. So: button ups, scrubs, gathered skirts, loose-fitting tops, pajamas. These are all good choices. You can do quilted jackets, you can do bags. There are certainly lots of options for quilting cotton. And you could also try to suggest incorporating quilting prints as, like, a lining or just a smaller detail like maybe just a chest pocket or just a back yoke so that they’re getting that little blast of personality without having the whole garment be something they might not wear on the regular.

Caroline: Mmhmm. I think we’ve all been there in the early days of sewing, where you’re getting distracted by, like, the shiny thing, the exciting thing. A lot of the time that is quilting prints because there’s just so many options. But sometimes just, like, explaining to the person, like, “You’re actually probably not going to love wearing that” is enough for them to be like, “Oh, okay, show me something that will actually work,” you know?

Helen: Yeah. Totally.

Caroline: Alright. Fitting others is definitely an adventure, but if you go into it with a few things in mind, you can avoid the pitfalls and make a great fitting garment. So our first tip here is to take the measurements yourself to make sure they’re accurate. Non-sewists don’t necessarily even know where their waist is and might do something like pull the measuring tape way too tight. If you can’t be there physically, have them take their measurements on a zoom call so you can walk them through it and watch them do it to see if they’re not making any big mistakes, make sure everything is going to go smoothly. I will also add, if you’re sewing something, like, for the same person repeatedly, like, if you’re gonna, I don’t know, you made them a dress and then you’re going to make them a pair of pants or pajamas or something, take measurements every time the same way you would for yourself because measurements change and it’s a real bummer to make something that doesn’t fit. So make sure you retake measurements.

Helen: Totally. And if you’re sewing something as a surprise, you might not be able to get measurements. So you can ask someone else to take a look around the recipient’s closet, find out what size they wear. Or if you live in the same home, you could do it yourself. You could even look up the size chart for the clothing brands that they like to wear to kind of reverse engineer their body measurements. And another thing you can do with an existing closet of clothes is to use them as a reference point. So compare, say, a favourite button up shirt to the finished measurement chart on a pattern and that will give you a feel for what size to make and maybe how long or short you should make it in the sleeves and in the body. There’s tons of great information to be gained.

Caroline: Just make sure you’re using a garment that you know fits the other person.

Helen: Yeah, one that they really like, ideally. Yeah.

Caroline: Whenever possible, you want to make a muslin and test it out. This is the best way to ensure success. So I would do it in this order. So first, you’re going to take their measurements. Cut out and assemble a muslin. Have a fitting session. If you plan this with your sewing machine nearby, you can even make some adjustments and have them re-try on the garment. And if not, you can do a lot with pins or some quick hand stitching. Take notes so you don’t have to keep all the adjustments in your mind. That’s key, definitely take notes, because you will forget.

Helen: It’s true. And if the garment is super fitted or especially important, something like a wedding gown, you might want to make more muslins and do more fitting sessions until you get it just right. If it’s just a regular garment, though, you’ll be fine without a ton of fittings. One might be enough. And the last step is to make the adjustments to your pattern and then make the final garment.

Caroline: Yeah, and it’s worth it to do your best to make something that’s going to fit your recipient. After all, you’re going to put so much time and effort into it. Estimating and choosing the wrong size is really going to mess up the result. But as we said, there are several ways to figure out measurements, including sneaky ones. So do what you gotta do to get the right measurements so that it fits. Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I mean, it’s such an interesting process, because as sewists, of course, we make things all the time and sometimes they don’t work out and we’re like, “Oh, whatever.” We’ll just move on and make something else. And we can kind of, like, push past it by making the new shiny thing and not worrying about that thing that didn’t work out. But then, when you’re involving another person, they might have excitement about the garment, too. And then they might feel disappointment. And in that disappointment, they might also feel bad if they don’t like it, because they want to like it for your sake. So there’s a lot happening here. So the more you can put into making sure that it turns out the way everybody wants it to, the better, obviously.

Caroline: For sure. Okay, let’s get into the best garments to make for others. And the first category is kids’ clothes. Obviously kids’ clothes are great. We’ve both made them. We love them. They’re quick to make and they usually have a forgiving fit.

Helen: Lots of kids like knit garments, like leggings, sweaters, sweatpants, t-shirts. There’s so many cute knit dress patterns out there, too. And bonus, stretchy clothes are easier to fit. You might even have leftover knit fabrics from your own personal sewing that you could use to make kids’ clothes.

Caroline: It’s so true. And there are so many fun prints on knitted fabrics, like, kiddie prints. You can look for prints that are related to something the kids love, like unicorns or Minecraft. There are so many cool prints out there and kids love to wear their interests on their sleeve.

Helen: Right? Where are the Paw Patrol prints? That’s all my nieces and nephews want to wear.

Caroline: Aww.

Helen: Custom prints or designs are another fabulous idea. For example, you could applique a portrait of their cat on the back of a jacket or embroider a silly saying onto a t-shirt. I made a quilt for my niece Zoya that is all Z’s because her name starts with Z, or “zed” if you prefer, but it’s just all little Z’s, so it’s the first letter of her name, and so it’s extra special because of that.

Caroline: Yeah, that does really make it feel so much more custom and so much more special for the kiddo. I love that. We have an episode all about sewing for kids. That’s episode 169. We’re gonna link it for you in the show notes. There are a bunch of sewing pattern companies listed in that episode, so definitely check them out if you’re looking for kids’ patterns. There are so many kids’ patterns out there. If you include Etsy, it’s overwhelming. There are so many. And kids’ patterns are pretty easy to fit. So, I don’t know, the world is really your oyster, but we’re going to mention a few here.

Helen: The Mini Page by Chalk and Notch is a classic sweatshirt with a hood. You can choose between a regular and cropped length. And if the kid wants to be just like you, you can make an adult sized page for yourself and get matchy matchy. I’ve done exactly this with Zoya and Zulfi, two of my nieces. We all have matching hoodies.

Caroline: So cute. The Mini Rio Ringer tee by True Bias is a great way to spotlight a fun knit print. You can make the neck and sleeve bands out of a contrasting fabric for that retro look. I love this pattern for adults, too. I want one.

Helen: Yeah, it’s really cute. The Bubble Skirt for Big Kids by Brindille and Twig is for the budding fashionista. You can use either wovens or knits for the outer skirt while the inner lining is made of a nice comfy knit. Honestly, anything from Brindille and Twig. I’ve used so many of their kids’ patterns over the years. They’re fabulous.

Caroline: There’s also the Mini Eucalypt by Megan Nielsen. This is a woven tank and tank dress that would be a great showcase for a fun lawn or poplin print. It’s really simple and hackable too. This is, like, a great base pattern that you could use for a lot of different things.

Helen: Okay. Enough about kids. Let’s talk about adults. The simplest route when you’re sewing for a fellow adult is to choose an easy-fitting garment. So, robes are a great choice. They wrap around, they don’t need to fit closely, and a quality robe is such a nice gift. It could end up being something they’ll use for years. Choose a super soft flannel or fleece and make, say, the Arbutus Robe. It’s like a big hug. Or you could choose a slinky rayon or a pretty cotton lawn print and make the Veronik Robe by Closet Core. It’s super glamorous.

Caroline: Yes, the Veronik robe is great in a block print. I have one and I love it. And I’ve also made the Arbutus Robe. Both amazing patterns. Robes are so great as gifts.

Helen: Yeah, they are amazing.

Caroline: Aprons are another great garment that’s easy to fit. I won’t say that they’re one size fits all, because they really aren’t. Anyone who’s plus size is going to tell you that. But Hey June Handmade has a free pattern for the Allspice Apron, which has a rounded hem and crossover back. This comes in five sizes. And, of course, Helen, you have the free Sam Apron pattern, which is a more masculine style with lots of pockets and nice top stitching details. And this one is sized, too. I’ve made Sam. Love the Sam apron. It’s great as a gift. It’s, you’ve made me a Sam apron as a gift! Oh my god!

Helen: That’s true. I did. And it was so fun. I love making Sam Aprons as gifts. I mean, even for people who don’t regularly wear an apron, it might be just because they don’t have one yet that someone has made for them.

Caroline: It’s so true. Aprons are one of those things that you just, like, could go through your whole life without having one and then all of a sudden you have one and you’re like, how did I function without an apron until now?

Helen: Love wearing an apron. I feel like my Sam Apron might be my most-worn garment because I put it on at least once a day. Like, I wear it all the time.

Caroline: See, the great thing about the Sam Apron, because it has more of those, like, heavy duty, like, workwear almost, like you’re a chef, you’re in a commercial kitchen, like, kind of vibe, like, it washes so well, it wears so well, it’s super durable, it’s literally an apron you’re probably gonna keep for your whole life. Like, such a great gift.

Helen: Woof. Should we just stop? Podcast over?

Caroline: Full stop. Sam Apron: perfect project.

Helen: T-shirts and pullovers tend to be another easy-fitting one, especially since oversized tees are in style right now. Even fitted tees are pretty giftable, as long as the fabric has stretch to it. And t-shirts are such quick wins. It’s a win all around. They’re really quick to sew. Closet Core has their free Core T-shirt pattern. It has a boxy fit and two sleeve length options. And Friday Pattern Co. has the Old Coast Raglan, which is unisex and perfect for colour blocking. I mean, there’s so many out there, really. You can choose whatever one you have in your collection already or search for something new.

Caroline: I have to plug the Jackson Tee, because it’s such a great unisex…sorry, Helen’s Closet has the Jackson T-shirt. It’s unisex.

Helen: And pullover!

Caroline: Yes, and pullover. It’s, I have a pullover. I have a t-shirt. It looks good on everyone. It’s easy to fit. It’s got that, like, oversized drop shoulder. It’s just, yeah, it’s, like, the perfect oversized t-shirt. I love it. But it’s not too oversized, which is what I like.

Helen: No, it’s not baggy. It’s just ever so slightly comfy, you know?

Caroline: Boxy. Right. Okay, button ups are a really impressive gift. And they’re a good way to gift all the awesome cotton prints out there. Or you could make one in a cozy flannel for layering. The Fairfield Button-Up by Thread Theory is tried and true in the sewing community. The Olya Shirt by Paper Theory is an oversized, stylish choice. This one has a yoke on the front and back that extends all the way down the sleeves. Honestly, Helen, I have to mention the Cameron Button-Up. Like, the Cameron Button…I’m sorry. Okay. Shoot me. I don’t know. The Cameron Button-Up is so good. It’s also unisex. It also fits great on everyone. You’ve made so many for Sam. I’m so jealous of all…I want Sam’s Cameron Button Ups. Like, I would like them and I know Shea would, too. So like, they’re so good.

Helen: Thank you. I do love making Cameron as a gift. It does work out quite well. I think the one thing with making a button-up shirt as a gift is just getting that ease right. Like, you want it to be a comfortable ease for the person. So that’s where, like, grabbing one of their shirts that they wear regularly for comparison is so helpful because it’s like, if you could nail that ease and then you nail the length, then you don’t have to necessarily do a fitting with them. You can do it all as a surprise, just using one of their existing shirts. So.

Caroline: Chef’s kiss.

Helen: Cardigans have enough stretch and ease that they’re easy to fit. And they aren’t nearly as much work as jackets. The Sable Cardigan by Seamwork closes with three little bows down the middle. It’s really cute and trendy. The Marlo sweater by True Bias is a little more roomy and has an adorable wide button band. Lots of options there. And a cardigan is really nice because it doesn’t have to cover your entire body. So you have a higher chance of fitting success.

Caroline: Yes. And of course, loose-fitting tops and dresses are great. The Bardon Dress by Peppermint is a super cute tank sundress with a tiered skirt. All Well’s Box Top pattern comes with a 50 page hacking guide so you can make a style that your recipient will love. I will also mention, anything with shirring, as much as shirring can be a little bit fiddly, we talked about it a couple weeks ago, it’s really easy to fit a garment with shirring. So if you’re making something for someone and you can’t, like, fit it in person, this is a great option.

Helen: Yeah. Along that line, anything that cinches with elastic is great for tops and dresses. The Songbird Skirt by Sew Liberated has an elastic waist and three tiers and pockets, of course. And then the Mabel Dress and Blouse by Tilly and the Buttons cinches in at the waist and sleeve hems with some shirring, so that’s a great opportunity to do just a little bit of shirring, but you will get a nice, like, cinched-in waist if that’s what your recipient is looking for.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Okay, so we talked about garments that we recommend. We’re also going to mention some garments to maybe avoid unless you want to do multiple muslins to get the fit right. The first one on that list is pants. There’s just too much that can go wrong here, people.

Helen: Yeah, and we’re talking mostly about, like, full-on pants. You could make someone an elastic waist pair of like pants if there’s generous ease, probably pretty successfully. But if there’s, like, flies and, like, yokes, pockets and all that jazz, I don’t know about that.

Caroline: Yeah, like, stretchy pants, too, or leggings, I think, are also a good option if you want to make bottoms. We did talk about a bunch of potential adjustments in our Pants Sewing and Fitting episode, so listen to that if you want to discourage yourself from sewing pants for others. Or if you need help along the way. It’s not that it’s not possible, it just takes a lot of work. I would say the exception would be, like Helen said, anything that’s looser fitting. Pajama pants. Like, no one cares if their PJ pants have a slightly droopy crotch, so that would be totally okay, or something just with a really generous loose fit.

Helen: PJs is such a classic sew-for-others project, especially around the holidays. I know a lot of people do PJ sewing for their entire family. I’m always very impressed when I see those posts, like, everyone lined up wearing their matching flannels. So cute.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay, jumpsuits are possibly an even worse choice than pants, because you have all the fitting issues of pants, plus length adjustments so that you don’t end up in wedgie city or droopy butt city. Our least favourite cities. And the odds of getting it all right without multiple muslins are not high.

Caroline: Overalls are a good alternative to a jumpsuit. The fit is much more forgiving, thanks to the open sides and adjustable straps. So if you really want something like a jumpsuit, overalls are a good option for you.

Helen: Mmhmm. Really fitted tops and dresses are another category to avoid. If you’re wanting to surprise someone, just make them an easy fit garment, because anything that’s fitted is going to need fitting.

Caroline: Yes. And special occasion garments are another category altogether. Prom or wedding outfits are really sentimental and meaningful. So they make great gift projects, but that also means that the stakes are pretty high. So before you commit to it, make sure the recipient is on board and involved. You’re going to need to do multiple fittings. Make sure the finished garment is something they’re really excited about because you don’t want to put in an enormous amount of work if they’re feeling kind of lackluster about it. So it’s got to be a collaboration.

Helen: Totally. And another thing that you can sew for others that you might not have considered is costumes. They’re so much fun. It can be a really cool way to experiment with your sewing and work with unusual silhouettes and materials. And costumes aren’t just for Halloween, though that is obviously fabulous and fun. People need costumes for all sorts of things: dance performances, music recitals, drag shows, live theater, Renaissance fair, cosplay events. There might be someone in your life that you could help with some of these projects, if they’re involved in any of these activities, and you get the opportunity to help someone out while also pushing the boundaries of your own sewing skills.

Caroline: Yes. I am not big on like dressing up for Halloween, but I am so game to make a costume for somebody else.

Helen: Right? So fun. I feel like there’s probably, like, local theater groups that probably need people to help with this kind of stuff, too. So if you have some volunteer hours that you’re looking for something to do, that could be really fun.

Caroline: Yes. Of course, there are plenty of sewing projects you can make as gifts that aren’t garments, and this is the perfect time to talk about it because this episode is going to come out just before holiday gift-giving season. You have the time now, so plan ahead. Start soon. Home items make really great gifts. Everyone wants their living space to feel nice and homey. Home items make especially nice gifts for housewarmings, wedding showers, birthday gifts for homebodies and cooks. So here are some of our favourite home items that you can sew.

Helen: Pot holders, oven mitts, bowl cozies, even those little cast iron skillet handle covers. These are all really cute and practical quilted projects. Bowl cozies are like pot holders that kind of fit around a bowl so you can carry it from the microwave to the table or even hold it while you eat at the couch in front of the TV. I do that. And you can use cotton batting and, like, cotton thread and make sure it’s all microwave safe so that you can put it into a microwave, even. They’re such great gifts. Caroline, I’ve also made those for you.

Caroline: I know you have.

Helen: I love making those. Every, like, holiday season I make, like, a few of those and just give them to people. ‘Cause I just enjoy making them.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s one of those things you don’t know you’re missing until you have one and you’re like, “Wow, I love using this. It’s so great. Solves a problem I didn’t even know existed. And now I need it.” Placemats and napkins are so lovely when they’re made out of a beautiful linen or a chic cotton print. Mitered corners and contrast bias binding make really nice touches. The Playful Placemats are great. These are from Cedar Quilt Co.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So go check those out. And they’re free, right?

Helen: Yeah. That’s a free pattern. And that’s a good one if you want to dabble a little bit in quilting. Or if you’re an existing quilter, that’d be a quick project for you. But you also don’t have to do full-on pieced quilted placemat. You can just get a really nice piece of fabric and turn under the edges if it’s, like, a thicker weight. You have lots of options here.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: Fabric baskets are really cute and practical. Everyone needs storage solutions. You can make a fabric plant bucket and gift it with a plant in it. That could be so nice. We have a tutorial for plant buckets on the Helen’s Closet blog. The process is pretty much the same for making a fabric basket for holding, you know, whatever. Really, anything.

Caroline: So cute. Satin pillowcases are popular because the smooth fabric can reduce friction on your hair, keeping it less tangled and more shiny. Most of them have an invisible zipper to keep the pillow from sliding out. This would be such a nice gift for someone who’s interested in beauty. Maybe someone who’s a curly girl and wants to keep those curls intact. Satin pillowcases really help with that. So, great idea.

Helen: So great. Make sure you figure out what size bed they have, because sometimes if you have a king size bed, you get those king size pillows that are, like, extra long. So you want to make sure it fits.

Caroline: Yeah. So true.

Helen: Accessories are another total gifting win. There’s no fitting involved. The only fitting thing to keep in mind is to make sure your bag straps are long enough for your gift recipient. Even better, you could make them adjustable. And speaking of bags, what a useful gift. You can keep it really simple with a zipper pouch or a dopp kit. You could step it up and make a really cool backpack or crossbody bag. We’re going to link up our bag sewing episode in our show notes so you can get lots of tips. And I feel like the BF Patterns Bestie Bag or the Helen’s Closet Orbit Bag, those would both be amazing gifts for this holiday season. Can you imagine receiving one of those? I would be thrilled.

Caroline: I know! Me too. And I want to make some Bestie Bags for friends. I definitely have some in my, like, sewing to-do list, my sewing wish list. But it’s also been really fun to see folks making bags for their besties and sharing on Instagram. It’s so fun. I love it.

Helen: On the more casual side, you can also make a market bag or a tote. These are really easy projects that are really useful. I made a little tote bag for my friend Connor for his birthday. And I, you know, I just, like, it was his birthday coming up and I was like, “I have this fabric, I’ll make him a little tote bag.” Not really thinking too much about it. Gave it to him. He was, like, just, like, deliriously happy and has literally used it every day since, so. Such a win.

Caroline: It’s such a simple project and so impressive to someone who doesn’t sew.

Helen: Right?

Caroline: Love it. If you know your recipient’s shoe size, you can sew them slippers. Tilly and the Buttons has a free pattern for slipper boots and Sew DIY has a pattern for quilted slippers. You can put some lines of puffy paint or silicone caulk on the soles to keep them from slipping. That’s a great idea. But yes, this is such a cute gift. A little pair of handmade slippers.

Helen: It’s really sweet. And I love slippers. It’s easy to make a beautiful scarf from pashmina wool or high-quality flannel. You can pull out threads along each of the four sides to make a really pretty fringe, or you could hem the long sides and keep the fringe on the short ends. Lots of options here. But this is a great one, especially if you want to make a whole bunch of gifts. You can really batch sew this kind of project and make a whole bunch.

Caroline: Okay. And we’ve already touched on this, but it’s worth mentioning again: the gift to end all gifts is a quilt. These are especially nice for sentimental occasions, like milestone birthdays, graduations, wedding showers, or baby showers. You can personalize them with the colours or themed fabrics that you know the recipient will love. You can make a t-shirt quilt from all their favourite tees. You can make a memorial quilt out of a loved one’s old clothing. You can use applique or embroidery to add more personal touches. There’s just something so magical about giving someone a handmade gift that will wrap around them and keep them warm. It’s just the best.

Helen: It’s so special. I mean, if you’ve ever been given a quilt, you know that feeling of just like, “Wow, this person really cares about me.” It really feels so special. And I know, you know, not everybody out there loves quilts and that’s totally fine. That’s something you kind of want to think about before you gift a big quilt is like, “Does this recipient want this kind of thing?” But it might be one of those scenarios that you don’t know how much you like it until you receive one. And then once you have a quilt you start using it and they’re honestly just the best because they’re the perfect weight and they’re so cozy and the sentimental value makes it feel like a warm hug every time you’re using it. And even if they don’t think they want a quilt they want a quilt. So I wouldn’t worry about it.

Caroline: I have to mention, we got an email recently from a listener who said they were listening back to old episodes and they said that you said that you had no interest in quilting and that Sam didn’t like quilts and that I said I had no interest in making bags. And they were like, “What a difference like a few years makes,” which is hilarious because now we’re just waxing poetic about bags and quilting.

Helen: It’s so true.

Caroline: But it is true what you just said. Someone who you might think might not love a quilt, they’re gonna love it when they get it and they get to wrap themselves in that blanket of love. So, quilting is amazing.

Helen: Oh, it’s so true. Yeah. It’s such a magical gift.

Caroline: Okay, before we wrap it up, here is some general advice for sewing for others. The first thing is just to under-promise and over-deliver. This is a great one.

Helen: Yeah, I often keep my sewing for others as a surprise because that way I don’t feel pressure about the situation, even if that pressure is kind of all in my head. And the reveal is so much fun. I enjoy that surprise element. So what I lack in being able to perfectly fit it on them, I gain in the actual surprise of gifting them the final thing and seeing their reaction.

Caroline: Yes. And don’t be too quick to volunteer. I’ve been in situations where, in the moment, I feel really excited and I’m like, “Sure, I’ll make you one.” And then I just feel regret. If this has happened to you, you might want to make a policy of sleeping on it for 24 hours before you offer to sew anything or before you commit to a request. You can just be like, “That’s awesome. Let me think about it,” if someone asks you directly. I think that’s very fair.

Helen: Giving yourself a little space is always good.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: And you want to be prepared for it to not get worn as much as you might like, especially with kids, as we’ve talked about already. They just like what they like and there’s not much you can do about it. So be ready to let it go if it doesn’t work out how you wanted it to. And if it’s really going to bother you, there’s no shame in deciding not to sew for kids, or not to sew for others, because you don’t enjoy that feeling of them never wearing it in your presence.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. Budget more time and more money than you think you’re going to need. There are often unexpected expenses; notions and thread can really add up. And there are usually unexpected roadblocks when you’re sewing. So ask yourself, “If this takes 50 percent more time and money than I planned for, will I still be happy to do this project?” And if not, you might want to think more about it before you commit.

Helen: And you might enjoy sewing for others more than you think. I know we’ve talked a lot today about the risks and some of the drawbacks but, honestly, there aren’t many feelings that are better than sewing something that your loved one cherishes. It truly is a magical experience and it’s a really cool part of the overall sewing experience. So if you haven’t tried it, I would give it a go and maybe you’ll be surprised and you will absolutely love it.

Caroline: Yeah, do it. Hopefully we’ve convinced you to try sewing for others if you haven’t already. It’s great.

Helen: It’s great. That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Helen, at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. and Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. So go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Helen: Head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, you can leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. or send us an email at [email protected]. We’re going to be planning our next season soon. So if you have an idea for the show, a topic you’d like us to cover, a guest you’d like us to have on, shoot us an email. We’d love to hear about it.

Caroline: Please do. And thank you to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We will talk to you next week.

Helen: Bye bye.

Caroline: Bye.

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This episode is all about sewing garments, bags, and accessories for trips! We talk about the best fabrics, how to layer, and how to design a travel capsule. Plus: indie patterns for clothes that travel well, tips for sewing travel bags, and our memories of sewing for travel! We also answer a listener question about sewing lace with big holes and share listener feedback about sewing motivation.

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

Show Notes: 

From the Listener Feedback Section:

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Our Travel Me-Mades:

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Resources:

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Sewing Patterns and Tutorials: 

Fabrics:

Other Mentions:

Transcript:

Helen: 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.

Caroline: Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew, and it’s all we ever talk about.

Helen: This episode is all about sewing garments, bags, and accessories for trips. We talk about the best fabrics, how to layer, and how to design a travel capsule. Plus, indie patterns for clothes that travel well, tips for sewing travel bags, and our own memories of sewing for travel.

Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Ooh, Helen!

Helen: Ooh, Caroline!

Caroline: Ooh Helen! I’m excited for this episode.

Helen: Me too. This one’s right up your alley in particular, because I know you love to sew for travel. And I love to pack for travel. So I think, together, we’ll have a lot to say on the subject.

Caroline: And we recently went on a little trip together, so I feel like we have some fresh experiences of packing and travelling and sewing for travel.

Helen: We can call BS on any misinformation. I’d be like, “Yeah, I totally travel light and I’m super organized!!

Caroline: Yeah, right. Oh my gosh. Yeah, I have a lot to say about that. But before we get into it, we wanted to remind all of our lovely listeners that the best way to support Love to Sew is by joining us on Patreon or Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. Over there, you get access to bonus content every month, and we have so much fun catching up with you all on the more casual bonus episodes that we do monthly. And it really means a lot if you’re able to support us, even if it’s just for a month or two. You can subscribe, catch up on the episodes, unsubscribe. We understand. That’s okay. We appreciate it.

Helen: Yeah. And if supporting us is not in the cards for you right now, that’s also totally fine. Thank you so much for listening and cheering us on. And we hope to see you over on Patreon and Apple Podcasts.

Caroline: Yes. Alright, let’s start off this episode with a little bit of feedback, and this message is from Lexi. “Hi there! I’m a new sewist and have been catching up on back episodes of the podcast. While listening to the Sewing Motivation episode, I thought other sewists might benefit from a habit I started when I learned to paint decades ago. It’s based on a book called The Artists’s Way and is called “morning pages” (though I don’t always do them in the morning). You take a pen and paper and stream-of-consciousness style just start writing for 3 pages. Don’t think about what you’re writing – the aim is to jot down all of the thoughts and info swirling around the front of your mind. Shopping lists, how you’re feeling, and all your random thoughts. Do not edit as you go and don’t re-read it afterwards. The point is to purge your mind of all the practical thoughts clouding your creativity and keeping you in a “blah” headspace. It really does wonders for helping me be creative and get mentally clear to invite all the sewing joy in. I thought my habit might be a helpful idea for others to follow. Love the podcast! Thank you so much!”

Helen: Thank you, Lexi! This is such a great idea. If you have a bunch of everyday problems or just everyday stuff running around your head, it’s hard to get creative sometimes. So writing it all down is one way to clear that stuff out and make room for other things, like sewing. I also think you could take this and make it, like, sewing specific, because I get overwhelmed with all the ideas I have for sewing and quilting and other projects I want to do. So writing them all down to get them out is a good strategy.

Caroline: Yes. Totally. I actually tried doing morning pages for a while, but my issue was, I’m not really a morning person. So I really like that Lexi is giving permission to not do this in the morning.

Helen: Evening pages.

Caroline: Evening pages. Night, night pages.

Helen: Yeah, which could help you sleep because it’s that same kind of thing.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: Clear your head, right?

Caroline: Yeah, no, it’s really cool. I actually have that workbook, The Artist’s Way, and I’ve yet to read it, but I’m feeling inspired.

Helen: I feel like we read it via Lexi, you know?

Caroline: Yeah, we get the gist of it. Right? Thanks, Lexi!

Helen: Alright, next up we have a question from Sara via voicemail.

Sara: Hi, my name is Sara and I am from San Diego, California. And I am working on a project with this really cool skull lace fabric, but it has lots of holes. It’s almost like an applique, like a big skull lace applique. And I’m trying to figure out the best way to seam two pieces of this together for, like, a side seam, you know? When it has a lot of holes between the design, do you use hem tape or bias tape? You know, something that the stitches can kind of grab onto to keep these two pieces of fabric together. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Bye!

Helen: Thank you for calling us, Sara! This project sounds really fun and spooky. I’d love to see this fabric. So if you finish the project, shoot us an email and show us. You should definitely stabilize the seams if your lace has a lot of holes like you’re describing. And one thing you could do is use strips of tulle. This would be a really low-profile option that wouldn’t be very visible. You only need enough for it to fold over once because tulle doesn’t fray. So that’s nice. And you can cut it on the straight grain because it’s stretchy. You could use bias binding in lightweight cotton or organza as well. And for straight seams that don’t want to stretch out, like shoulder seams, for example, you could use straight grain binding so there’s less wiggle room there. And you can match the colour of your binding either to the lace or to the lining. Or if there’s no lining, you could match it to your skin tone so it blends in a little bit more. Another thing is, you’ll probably want to trim down your seam allowance to a quarter inch to get it to be more low-profile. And also, before you start pinning the binding to the lace, press the lace on low heat, making sure not to stretch it out. So don’t push and pull your iron across the fabric, just lift it up and set it down over each part. And then once it looks nice and flat, you can start pinning. But those are all of our lace and lace seam tips for y’all. We wish you the best of luck with your project, Sara. We probably received this in October, so hopefully Sarah finished this spooky project in time for Halloween.

Caroline: Yeah, please update us, Sara. Alright, it’s time to get into the real topic of our show. It’s all about sewing for travel.

Helen: Okay, that sounds familiar. Haven’t we done this episode already?

Caroline: No, we have not, Helen. We made an episode called Sewing and Travel. That was about a year and a half ago.

Helen: Yes, yes, yes.

Caroline: And that one was all about sewing while travelling. And today’s episode is going to be different. It’s about sewing garments, bags, and accessories for your trip, which is, coincidentally, one of my favourite things to do.

Helen: And you have a trip coming up that I know you’re sewing for right now. So it’s very on-topic.

Caroline: Yes! I’m going to New York very soon. Okay. Let’s talk about some reasons why people sew for travel. The first one is: it gets you hyped up for the trip. Planning an outfit and imagining wearing it at your destination is so much fun. I personally get so much sewjo from it. And you can kind of loosely theme your design around the vibe of your trip. Imagine a blue and white coverup for a beach trip or a floor length satin dress for a night at the opera. I don’t know about you, but this is the main reason why I sew for travel. I just get this idea in my head, like, “I really need x thing for this trip and I don’t have it, so I must sew it,” or “I have this outfit in mind, and I just really need it,” and I’m imagining myself on my trip wearing it, and there just is no other thing to do but sew the thing.

Helen: Yeah. You, like, have to, you feel compelled.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It’s so nice to have a vision for a project like that because we don’t always, in our everyday, have a reason to wear more specific things like this. But if you are going on a trip, then you can suddenly envision yourself wandering around a museum or lounging on the beach or doing whatever specific activity you have in mind in a specific outfit. And that’s so motivating. Another benefit is that it could give you something to talk to people about when you get there. It’s a super great way to get a conversation started. If you want to meet locals and connect, maybe with other sewists, that’d be cool.

Caroline: Mmhmm. And sewing for travel gives you something to remember later, like a pre-made souvenir. Whenever you wear that garment afterwards, you’re going to think about your trip.

Helen: Ooh, I love that. A pre-made souvenir. So smart.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: On the more practical side, sewing for travel means you can design just the right clothes for you. You can make clothes that don’t wrinkle easily. They dry quickly. They layer well. You can even make a travel capsule wardrobe so that you have lots of outfit options with just a few pieces, which is very handy.

Caroline: Yeah, I really like the idea of a travel capsule wardrobe. Like, in theory, it’s great. In practice, it’s kind of hard. But we’re going to talk about that today.

Helen: It is hard. It’s true.

Caroline: Yeah, hard to narrow it down.

Helen: Yeah. Well, and on that note, we’re going to try and cover options for both minimalist and maximalist travellers in this episode, because I don’t think there’s a right way to be. Both sides have their advantages. So if having, you know, just a few pieces for a capsule wardrobe doesn’t work for you, that’s okay.

Caroline: Thank you, Helen. I appreciate you saying that. Yeah, on the one hand, minimalist travel means that you won’t have to check any bags, which eliminates the risk of lost luggage. It also makes getting dressed easier since you have a limited number of options. However, you might have to do laundry in the middle of your trip. And if you’re travelling by car, you might not even need to worry about travelling light.

Helen: That’s true. And on the other hand, maximalist travel means you have a bunch of options, which is nice for people who love clothes, like us. And you can bring enough so that you don’t necessarily have to do laundry. You’ll have backups If you spill on yourself. You’ll have plenty of pairs of underwear. All that good stuff. And you can also bring bulkier items. However, checking luggage can be expensive. Lost luggage is a problem. Plus you’ll have a lot of stuff to keep track of on your trip. Caroline, I’m remembering specifically when we went to Camp Workroom Social and you brought two rolling suitcases and we had to navigate the, like, New York subway system with your two rolling suitcases.

Caroline: Why did I do that?

Helen: It was so funny. You, you wanted to bring a lot of stuff, clothes to wear, materials for your class. There was a lot.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Mmhmm. And it’s always, for me, there’s a bit of, like, a dilemma with packing for travel, because often I try to fit everything in a carry-on because I don’t really love to check bags. But if I don’t have the space to fit everything into a carry-on and I have to check a bag, then I don’t want to put everything I own into a checked bag and risk it getting lost. So then I also feel like I need to have a carry-on with some essentials and maybe a couple of outfits, maybe a spare change of clothes or pair of shoes. And then it’s, like, a slippery slope, because you have your checked bag and then you have a full carry-on. And then all of a sudden you’re running through the New York city airport with two suitcases, trying to find a bathroom and questioning all of your life choices.

Helen: Yes, it’s so true. I know it’s really hard. The, like, fear of lost luggage is real.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. Okay, Helen, how are you with packing for travel? Are you a maximalist or a minimalist? And just know I will call you out if you lie.

Helen: I’m definitely a maximalist. I love having lots of options. I love being prepared for every weather scenario in particular. I get really fixated on what the weather’s going to be like, and I don’t like being too hot or too cold. And I need, like, different shoes, depending on what the day is going to be. So I have a really hard time packing light. And even when Sam and I go on quick trips to Vancouver, our car is, like, full. Like, you know, if you have the space, you might as well put things in. Like, we’ll bring like our tower fan so that we can have a fan next to our bed that we like. You know, like, things like that. Like, it’s too much. I know.

Caroline: If there’s a car involved, it will be packed to the brim.

Helen: To the brim.

Caroline: Yeah, like, there’s no point in having any extra space in a car. Like, just bring everything you think you could possibly need.

Helen: It’s so much stuff, though. When we unpack at my parents house, they’re always like, literally, like, “What are you doing?” Like, “We have all of these things. You don’t need to bring them.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh, it’s so true.

Helen: Yeah. But I love bringing lots of clothes, in particular. And a part of that is just excitement about all the fun things that I could wear. And I do get pretty specific with my planning for my packing, where I will make a spreadsheet of all of the days on the trip. And here’s what I’m going to wear that day…

Caroline: Oh my gosh, really?

Helen: Yeah. And my plan for, like, the activities that we’re going to do that day. And then what I want to wear in the morning and in the evening, because usually there’s an outfit change. So that ends up resulting in a lot of clothes, usually.

Caroline: Yeah, on our recent trip to Portland, you did bring many different outfits and had many outfit changes. And I’m just gonna say, I tried to pack light for that trip and I, like, tried to go a little bit more in the capsule wardrobe direction and I brought a lot of pieces that would mix and match well. But then we ended up filming some content of our outfits and by, like, the last day I was like, “I don’t have anything new to wear. This is an absolute disaster. I have to rewear something. It’s gonna be in the video twice.” I just, like, I won’t do it again.

Helen: Yeah. More clothes! More clothes!

Caroline: More clothes! I was very jealous of all of your options.

Helen: I do my outfit for every day for, like, morning and evening, as I was saying. And then after I finish packing, if there’s any room, like, I’ll start throwing in, like, extra t-shirts and extra leggings and stuff so I have more options.

Caroline: Yes, yes, I was gonna say, I’m definitely a maximalist because, like, my usual experience of packing is, I pull out everything I want to pack and then I’m, like, trying to get it all into the suitcase. Then I have to edit it down a little bit to be able to fit everything. And then when I’m finished packing, I assess. Are there any nooks or crannies that I can fit more things in? And if there are, I’m shoving t-shirts, I’m shoving spare underwear, I’m packing some extra stuff if I can. Extra pair of shoes, why not? What if? Right?

Helen: What if, exactly. Extra pair of shoes is a real luxury, like, to have multiple shoe options. And then with underwear, it’s like, take the number of days for your trip and, like…

Caroline: Double it.

Helen: Triple or quadruple that. No, double’s not enough!

Caroline: Double’s not enough. Yeah.

Helen: Double is not enough. You need to triple or quadruple that number.

Caroline: I know. Like, what if you get sweaty? Like, there’s so many scenarios where you would need just backups, backups, backups, backups. Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, like, when I go back to the hotel midday to change for the next thing, I want, like, a full outfit change.

Caroline: Yeah. Oh my gosh.

Helen: This is very revealing and now I feel exposed.

Caroline: The minimalist, the minimalist packers out there are listening to this and going, “These gals!”

Helen: We should do a poll on Instagram. It’s like, “How much underwear do you bring for a 5 day trip? 5, 10, 15, 20, 25…”

Caroline: Yeah. Oh my gosh, there’s really no limit. Okay, I mean, so we’ve determined that we’re both maximalist packers. I think we should move on. We’ve come to terms with it. Let’s get into some things to think about when you’re planning your sewing for a trip, because that is what this episode is about. It’s about sewing. So let’s talk about what makes a garment good for travelling. It kind of depends on what kind of trip you’re going on, where your destination is, what kind of packer you are. But, no matter what, there are some things that are going to make packing easier.

Helen: Yeah. So first up, let’s talk about wrinkles. Making garments from wrinkle-resistant fabrics is going to save you time and trouble on your trip. Keep you looking stylish. The fabrics that hold wrinkles the least are synthetics and wool. There are ready-to-wear companies that market their merino wool garments specifically to travellers. It’s touted as one of the best travelling fabrics. Wool is odour resistant, which makes it good for multiple wears. It also dries quickly and it’s breathable. You do have to hand wash it or wash it on delicate cycle, though, and you can’t put it in the dryer. But that can work for travel because you’re probably just washing it in the sink, if anything. Nylon/wool blends are more durable than pure wools. And also, if you’ve never worn merino next to your skin, you should definitely try it out before you go on your trip, because some people do find it a little bit itchy and that might be uncomfortable. It also doesn’t have great recovery without some added spandex. So, for example, if you were going to make merino leggings, you want to look for fabric with spandex in it so it has that good recovery.

Caroline: Yeah, not all merino is created equally, like, in my experience. I’ve seen some merino that is so so soft and other merino that’s a little bit scratchier. So if you’ve, like, tried it out and you don’t love it, you can always shop around for a different supplier for your merino and see if that works for you. But also, some people are just, like, allergic to wool, so it might not be for you. A note about merino wool versus regular wool. Merino wool comes from the merino breed of sheep, and the wool has a longer staple length than most other wools, and the fibers are thinner, so together this makes merino wool yarns smoother than other wools. And that’s why merino is a good choice for garments that will be against your bare skin. With that said, if you’re sensitive to wool, you might find even merino fabrics too itchy. So if you go this route, give it a test run before you bring it on your trip.

Helen: The other fabric we mentioned is synthetics. And these are, unfortunately, not super breathable. But they also don’t hold wrinkles and they do dry quickly. And there are some technical fabrics, like moisture-wicking athletic knits, that can be sewn into pretty elegant tops and t-shirts. It could also be a nice fiber choice for dressier outfits, depending on the pattern that you’re using. And there are a lot of nice synthetic formalwear fabrics out there. So I think a Sicily Slip Dress in a poly satin print could be really cute for a dinner out while travelling. And because, you know, it’s got bare shoulders and your underarms are free, maybe the synthetic poly won’t cause you to sweat too, too much. And you can even style it for everyday wear. You could throw a button-up on and tie it at the waist. And then that fancier dress becomes a satin midi skirt, which is good for a more casual everyday outfit.

Caroline: Yeah, I’ve seen some really cute poly spandex prints, too, that I feel like could be dressed up or down really nicely. Yeah, I’m like, open up your mind, I guess. If you’re not someone who normally goes for synthetics, they can definitely work for travel and you can, if you’re sewing them, make choices about the style of garment that you’re making. So I probably wouldn’t do, like, head-to-toe poly with sleeves. I would maybe make sure you’re going with something sleeveless that you can layer cotton over or making sure you’re giving your body space to breathe a little bit.

Helen: Yeah. Or choosing that synthetic fabric for less vigorous outings, I guess. You know, sitting down at dinner versus spending four hours at an art gallery walking around, right?

Caroline: Yeah. Plant-based fabrics like cotton, rayon, linen, and silk will wrinkle more than wool or synthetics. However, they are breathable and you can find lots of options at affordable prices. The most wrinkly of these options is linen. Cotton and rayon are on the less wrinkly end. And knits in general are less wrinkly than wovens. And you can look for blends with synthetics if you want them even less wrinkly, so you kind of get a little bit from both worlds.

Helen: Yeah, and when I travel, if there’s a closet at my destination, I like to unpack and hang up all my clothes in the closet. That gives them a chance to relax. And you’d be surprised how much wrinkles will disappear with just a little bit of gravity in the closet.

Caroline: Yeah, or like, bring them into the bathroom when you’re showering and let them get a little bit steamy. That helps, too.

Helen: Yeah, that’s a great tip.

Caroline: The way you pack can also prevent wrinkles. Rolling your clothes rather than folding them makes fewer creases. Some people will make a stack of clothing and roll it into one giant cinnamon roll.

Helen: I love that.

Caroline: Wow, I’m hungry all of a sudden. Put your most wrinkle-prone garments on the outside of the roll where they’re going to get the least wrinkles.

Helen: And if you decide you do want to iron at your destination, you have options. You can check ahead of time and see if there’s going to be an ironing board where you’re staying. Conair makes a mini steamer that you can bring along. It even comes in dual voltage. Or you could bring a miniature iron. Oliso makes a really cute little one. I’ve never thought about bringing my Oliso mini iron, but I should, actually.

Caroline: Oh yeah, you have one of those. I feel like, most of the time, hotels are gonna have, like, an iron and ironing board. But hotel irons, they can be, like, not great.

Helen: Not great, yeah, you do wanna make sure…

Caroline: I’ve definitely had, like, leaky irons or irons that have, like, had weird discharge or, like, stains on them. Like, at the very least you could bring like one of those iron protector things? Like, you know, those pieces of metal that you attach to an iron, to like…

Helen: Oh, yeah. Like a fresh plate. Yeah, that’s a good idea. Or test it first before you go right to your precious shirt.

Caroline: Totally, yeah.

Helen: Another little wrinkle tip I have, and this is kind of an obvious one, but: solid colours will show wrinkles more than prints. So if you want to bring a rayon or linen thing with you, try a print instead of a solid colour. And that way the wrinkles just aren’t as obvious, especially in a really busy floral or something like that.

Caroline: So true. Quick-drying fabrics make travelling more comfortable. If you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, you’ll probably sweat a fair amount. And sometimes you get caught in wet weather as well. So wearing quick-drying clothes can mean the difference between drying off when you sit down for lunch and being damp for the rest of the day. Quick-drying clothes are also handy if you plan to wash your clothes on your trip. Many parts of the world don’t use tumble dryers regularly, so keep that in mind.

Helen: The quickest-drying fibers are synthetics, wools, and silks. And the slowest-drying are cottons, linens, and rayons. The weight of your fabric matters, too. A lightweight cotton jersey is going to dry a lot faster than, like, a 10 ounce denim or, oh my gosh, bamboo, like, sweater fleece?!

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Helen: It dries so slowly. It’s so funny.

Caroline: I’m imagining, like, bootleg jeans in the, like, late nineties, early aughts, when you take them out in the snow or rain and, like, the water just like seeps up the back and all of a sudden the whole bottom of your jeans is wet and it never dries. Like, it just stays wet.

Helen: Oh, I’m having a pure sense memory when you’re describing that.

Caroline: Yeah. Anyone who didn’t live through that, fair warning: bootcut jeans in the winter, never a good idea.

Helen: But that doesn’t mean that you can’t wear jeans on your trip, but it might be smart to bring a mix of weights for your pants and skirts. So if it takes a while for your jeans to dry out, you can wear your lighter weight elastic waist pants in the meantime. Or, you know, if it’s, like, suitable weather, you can wear slightly cropped pants or shorts instead.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Definitely. And even if you’re a maximalist packer, it’s nice to have at least some garments that fold up small. And if you’re a minimalist packer, it’s an absolute must. So voluminous garments like full skirts and puff sleeves tops are going to take up a lot more room in your luggage than jersey tees and leggings.

Helen: And you might want to leave bulky items like big sweaters at home. Your best bet for versatility are items that layer well, anyways. So having, like, a big, bulky, chunky sweater is just going to take up a lot of room and you might not get to wear it that much.

Caroline: Yeah, and fabric weight matters here, too. A full skirt made of cotton lawn is going to take up a lot less room than one that’s made of medium-weight linen.

Helen: Once again, we’re definitely not setting rules here. We’re just talking about things you might want to keep in mind.

Caroline: Yes. Okay, let’s talk about layering. Using the example of a bulky sweater again, it’s only really usable in cold weather. But if you have a long sleeve top, a medium weight sweater, and a water resistant jacket, you can layer those and wear them in cool weather, cold weather, and cold, rainy weather.

Helen: Oh, so true. It’s nice to have a long sleeve shirt to put on under a sweater, just to beef it up and make it even warmer. So satisfying.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: And if you’re flying, you can wear your heavier stuff, like your jacket and boots, on the plane. You can always take them off and tuck them under the seat in front of you. Or roll your jacket up and use it as a pillow. But that way, those bulky things won’t be taking up space in your suitcase.

Caroline: Yeah, I definitely always wear my bulkiest jacket and my, like, boots on, on the plane.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And then at least I can bring those. And I pack my little, my little shoes and little things in the bag.

Helen: It is funny, when you’re going to like a really warm destination though, but you’re leaving somewhere cold, and you’re like, “Do I really want to wear sandals on the plane when it’s raining out? Or do I bring my boots that I’m never going to wear on this trip?”

Caroline: I know. It’s true. That’s always the dilemma. Tees are a classic choice for a base layer top. You can go with a classic boxy style like the Jackson Tee or something more fitted like the Goldie by Seamwork. This one has a wide cinched sweetheart neckline. Honestly, there’s so many good tee patterns out there. It’s just about finding the right one for your personal style. Or whatever your personal style is gonna be on your trip.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. You can have a whole new persona.

Caroline: Yeah!

Helen: This is Italy Caroline. You can even layer your bottoms. You can wear leggings or biker shorts under your jeans or skirts to boost their warmth level.

Caroline: Ooh, I like that idea. Okay, we have some legging sewing tips to throw at you. So look for fabric with a high amount of four-way stretch. For the Avery Leggings, Helen recommends 70% or higher. Athletic fabrics are usually a good choice. So here are some search terms you can use if you’re shopping online for a really good fabric for leggings for your trip. You can look up performance jersey, technical fabric, activewear knits, or dancewear. Dancewear will have some fun prints, too.

Helen: That’s true. And if you want a warmer legging, you can look for technical fleece fabrics. Elizabeth Made This recommends fleece backed Polartec power stretch fabric. And Melly from Melly Sews recommends a 100 weight stretch technical fleece that you can find at Seattle Fabrics.

Caroline: And make sure to grade between sizes if you fall into more than one size category for waist and hips. Leggings are close-fitting, so you definitely wanna get the pattern as close as you can to your size.

Helen: Use knit elastic rather than braided for your leggings. Braided elastic loses strength when sewn through. And if you have a wider waistband, choose a no-roll elastic for the best success.

Caroline: Yeah, and there’s a tutorial on the Sewaholic blog for sewing faux flatlock seams on a regular sewing machine. It’s such a nice finish for athletic leggings. So we’re gonna link that up for you in the show notes.

Helen: I love leggings while travelling. It’s so comfy, low profile, easy to layer. You really can’t go wrong.

Caroline: Yeah, especially for travel days. Like, I never want to wear hard pants. On a plane, like, absolutely not, right?

Helen: Oh, like jeans? I would wear an elastic waist linen, but then it gets very wrinkly. Like, you stand up after a five hour flight and it’s like, it does not look good.

Caroline: Yeah. So keep that in mind.

Helen: Leggings actually still look cute. So that’s a win. Okay. That was base layers. Now let’s talk about second layers. There’s some choices that we love, like button ups, flannel shirts, lightweight to medium-weight sweaters, hoodies, elastic waist pants, elastic waist skirts, and jeans.

Caroline: Okay, and if you’re travelling to a place where you know It’s gonna be rainy and wet, you might want to bring a water-resistant or waterproof jacket. Discovery Fabrics in Canada and Seattle Fabrics in the USA have some really great technical fabric options.

Helen: If you’re going waterproof, you’ll probably want to seal your seams. And Closet Core has an article about sewing a waterproof jacket that’s part of their Kelly Anorak sewalong, and it has instructions for how to do it. It’s pretty similar to applying, like, a fusible interfacing, and it makes it so that no water can get into your seams.

Caroline: I think the ideal top layer isn’t too heavy. A thick coat is lovely, but not really versatile for travelling. I think the Kelly Anorak is a good option. The Ilford Jacket would be nice; an oversized chore coat would fit well over other layers. And the Chilton Trench by Cashmerette would be super chic for a city trip. I like to think about the fact that often, when I’m travelling, I’m going in and out of stores or, like, outside into a museum or whatever, so you want something that you’re not going to get, like, really hot in as soon as you step inside.

Helen: Yes, exactly.

Caroline: Or easy to remove and carry around.

Helen: Easy to carry around. Exactly. Like, you can, like, fold it over your bag and it’s not, like, horrible.

Caroline: Yeah. Like, hasn’t everyone had that experience of, like, “sweaty arm” in a museum because you’re like carrying your coat over your arm?

Helen: Right? And they often have coat checks, but do I use them? No.

Caroline: No. Don’t email us about that because we don’t use it.

Helen: Okay. And this might seem obvious, but it’s so much easier to pack light when you’re travelling to a warm climate because the clothes are just smaller. So if that’s you, just erase everything we just said and enjoy dressing in a single beautiful rayon dress and bathing suit for a week.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, it’s so true. I’m, this is also making me think that, like, people in larger bodies should be allowed to bring more luggage.

Helen: Yes, agreed.

Caroline: Because, like, our clothes are just bigger.

Helen: Yeah, Sam complains about this a lot, too, because men’s clothes are also typically bulkier. So I’ll be able to fit, like, a lot of stuff on my side of the suitcase and then his side is, like, three pairs of jeans and a sweater and it’s full.

Caroline: Yeah. And obviously you don’t want to give up any of your suitcase real estate.

Helen: No, absolutely not.

Caroline: So you’re like, “Sam, make it work.”

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: Also, packing cubes are great. I’ve just started using packing cubes on my last trip and they really helped compact things down. So if you struggle with fitting everything in your luggage, try packing cubes.

Helen: It’s true, it helps you stay organized.

Caroline: Alright, before we move on to travel capsules, let’s talk about our personal experience sewing for travel. Honestly, there are, like, too many, too many memories to narrow down. Helen, is there one that comes to mind?

Helen: I do have one, because I went on a trip to Mexico to visit Sam’s parents, were down there in their RV and Sam and I flew down to visit them. And it was right at the beginning of Helen’s Closet. So I had my blog going, but I hadn’t started the pattern company part of it yet. And I know that because I distinctly remember talking about it with Sam’s mom on the beach and how I wanted to start this pattern company. And I was telling her about it and I was so excited and I had sewn a whole bunch of stuff for this trip because I wanted to document it on the blog. So there’s a whole series on our blog, I think it’s called “Me-Made Mexico,” where I just posted all the things that I made for it, including my very first pair of Winslow Culottes and a Reynolds Dress prototype and some swimsuits that I made. And they’re all using, well, not all, but I think most of them are using Blackbird fabrics from, like, the early days. Like, there’s, like, a parrot rayon fabric.

Caroline:Yes! I was gonna say, I feel like that’s the, the pink parrot or flamingo…

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: I can’t remember…a bird.

Helen: I think it’s a parrot.

Caroline: Yeah, pink print. That’s, like, one of the first projects I saw from you, I think, before we even met. Oh my gosh. Wow.

Helen: Yeah, I know. It was such a fun trip. I have so many good memories from that trip and I brought all these fun things and Laurie helped me take photos of all of them ‘cause she loves to do photography. So that’s why the pictures from that trip are so incredible, too. It’s just, yeah, full of great memories.

Caroline: Oh, that’s a great, that’s a great story.

Helen: Yeah. How about you? Do you have any memories of sewing for trips?

Caroline: I pretty much sew before every trip I take. It’s really when I have my sewjo on the highest level and I just am always so inspired before a trip. But one of my favourite memories, and I don’t know if it’s favourite because it was, like, the best or if it’s just, like, kind of burned into my brain, but I did famously pull an all-nighter to finish a dress that I was making to wear to my cousin’s wedding. This was like back in 2017, I think. But yeah, I stayed up all night sewing this dress. It was an Acton Dress in, like, a black and red floral. I still have it to this day. It’s still hanging in my closet. And yeah, I love that dress. I’m so happy I finished it. And I remember feeling, like, so relieved and I literally, like, finished it, packed, and went to the airport. I did not sleep a single wink that night. Which is…

Helen: So wild.

Caroline: Questionable behaviour. I haven’t, like, stayed up all night sewing like that in a really long time. I’m, I feel like my body would not do well anymore with that. But it is a memory that I think about fairly often because it was just such…yeah, just crazy. Why did I do that?

Helen: It is really funny that it gives us such a drive to create an outfit when, like, we sew. So we already have lots of really great cool outfits that we could choose from, but for some reason, we’ve got to make something new.

Caroline: I know. And I, I think I’ve made a dress for almost every wedding I’ve been to. And often weddings involve travel. So I have, like, this series of dresses in my wardrobe that I’m like, “Oh, that’s the dress I made for this wedding. That’s the dress I made for this wedding.” And like, they’re such great memories and I never want to get rid of them. I hope I get invited to another wedding at some point. And I just want to, like, choose from my beautiful collection of dresses that I make to wear for weddings.

Helen: Yeah, right. You’ll make a new one. What are you talking about?

Caroline: I know. I know. I did rewear one to my friend’s wedding a couple of years ago, or maybe that was last year, but, and I was really like, I was happy to be able to rewear it. I just, like, didn’t have time to sew one. So I rewore it and I was like, “Good for me. I’m rewearing this dress.”

Helen: It does make it special, though. It ups the, like, sentimental value of the clothing and it ties that dress to that event. So yeah, I love it. I think it’s really cool.

Caroline: Yeah, it really does. Mmhmm. Okay, let’s talk about something that we hard cannot relate to, and that is: travel capsules. Fun in theory.

Helen: Yeah, fun in theory, a little hard to execute, but maybe not for everyone. It depends on your personal style. A travel capsule is a set of clothes that can be mixed and matched for a bunch of different outfit options. Usually travel capsules are pretty neutral in colour and style, which makes matching easy, but you can totally make one with brights and prints. Just need to pick a colour palette that everything, you know, goes together.

Caroline: Anuschka Rees, who wrote The Curated Closet, has a good system for making a wardrobe palette. She recommends choosing three main colours that represent the style you’re going for, two neutrals to support and balance the other shades, and four accent shades to add variety. Of course, you don’t have to stick to your palette a hundred percent when you’re putting together your travel capsule, but it might make your design process and shopping a little bit easier. Honestly, that sounds like a lot of colours for a small capsule wardrobe.

Helen: Yeah, you might not, you might not need four accents. But I do like the idea of choosing the three main colours, and often in our wardrobes that’s like denim and black and cream or something, you know, so, fairly obvious. And then you can add a little bit more personality with some other colours.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: What exactly you put in your capsule depends on what kind of clothes you feel comfy and confident in, plus what’s practical for your trip. So there’s not really a perfect formula that’s going to fit everyone in every scenario. But if you do want inspo, you can just google “travel capsule formula” and you’ll find so many resources and video blogs with people showing the outfits and all sorts of different things. So that can be really fun.

Caroline: Yeah, a lot of people who travel with a capsule wardrobe plan on washing at least a few of their garments while they’re travelling, so let’s talk about that for a second. The more you can rewear pieces, the less you’ll have to bring with you. You can smell test your stuff to see whether it’s good to wear or if it needs to be washed. Airing clothing out or hanging it in the sun for a little bit is another good way to get rid of the bacteria that makes things smelly. And outer layers are less likely to get smelly, but you still may need to, like, spot clean them. But yeah, definitely. I’ve been known to do a smell test on, on my clothes. You’re like, “Should I rewear this? I don’t know.”

Helen: Usually the answer is immediately very obvious after the smell test.

Caroline: Yeah. We’ve all been there.

Helen: You can try to find, like, a laundromat at your destination or choose a rental with a washing machine or just wash your things in the hotel sink. You can put your regular laundry detergent in a travel size bottle or buy some travel-friendly packets or just, I don’t know, use the hand soap from the hotel to give it a little rinse and then hang it to dry. And that usually works pretty well.

Caroline: Yeah. I have those, like, little bottles of Soak wash which is, like, you don’t even have to rinse. You just, like, soak the garment in the sink and then hang it up. And I usually, if I have space, we’ll bring that just in case something needs to get washed that I definitely want to rewear again. I feel like it’s always just nice to have something with you.

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: There are some really inspiring me-made travel capsules out there. Meg from Sew Liberated made a capsule for her summer trip to Europe in 2019. It was only 10 pieces and fit in a backpack. So cool. The pieces are mostly black, cream, and warm brown with a pop of brick red. Two box tops, two skirts, two dresses, a pair of pants, a lace duster, and a swimsuit. Honestly, wow. There’s a post on Instagram that you can look at to see these pieces. Sew Liberated also has an online class called The Mindful Wardrobe Project, which is about creating a curated handmade wardrobe. So I bet there’s some great info in there as well about this travel capsule. But yeah, this is really inspiring.

Helen: So beautiful. I love that she included a lace duster, as though that’s, like, a standard item of clothing that you would bring on a trip.

Caroline: I know, but if you know Meg’s style it, like, makes so much sense, right?

Helen: Oh, 100%. It makes so much sense. And it is nice to have those layering pieces you can throw on to make things feel a little fancier.

Caroline: Yeah, totally.

Helen: Lou from Sew Much to Design made a capsule for a trip to London and Portugal. And she chose a gorgeous print fabric as her palette and then built the whole capsule around it. So: brown, coral, yellow, and orange. Such a great idea. It turned out so beautifully. She has a bunch of pics on her blog from her capsule in action and we’ll link it up for you in the show notes.

Caroline: And Casey from Pattern Scout made a travel capsule for a 10 day trip to Spain. It’s so chic and summery and she has a YouTube video all about it that we’ll link up as well.

Helen: Ooh, it’s so fun. I love the idea of planning and sewing an entire capsule wardrobe for a trip, but that’s something you have to start, like, in advance, you know? That’s not like a last-minute sew-the-night-before kind of game.

Caroline: Yeah, but I mean, I think, to be fair, if you want to, like, make clothes that are going to fit into your everyday wardrobe as well, then you can, like, pull some things that you like and just make a few things to complement them. Like, you don’t necessarily have to sew a whole capsule, capsule wardrobe, right?

Helen: Yeah, but what if I want to?

Caroline: Asking for a friend.

Helen: No, that makes so much sense. That’s a much more reasonable approach.

Caroline: Yeah, if you want to, then definitely you need to start early or else you’ll be pulling all nighters like me.

Helen: What if you just buy like 20 yards of one fabric and then make all of your clothes out of it? Like, make literally everything in your capsule wardrobe…is made out of this one fabric and it all goes…Caroline’s like, “What are you talking about?” It all goes perfectly together.

Caroline: Like, I just think you’d get so bored.

Helen: Not if it was like a really bold print. ‘Cause then every fit you wear, people would be like, “Whoa.”

Caroline: Oh my goodness. Yeah, I mean, I do really think, like, the key to a capsule wardrobe is all the things have to mix and match. Like, you can’t have something that stands alone. It all has to work together.

Helen: Every top has to go with every bottom for it to work. Yeah.

Caroline: Yeah. And you have to really think about the pieces that you’re bringing. Like, don’t pack five dresses, you know, pack two dresses and make sure you have, like, a good balance with tops and bottoms, right? You just have to.

Helen: You lost me at “don’t pack five dresses.” Let’s move on.

Caroline: Okay, let’s move on.

Helen: Okay. We want to talk a little bit about travel bags and accessories ‘cause there’s so many cool patterns out there for everything from carry-ons to toiletry bags to full-on luggage. So Friday Pattern Co. actually recently released the Friday Garment Bag, which is a pay-what-you-can pattern. And it folds in half with handles for easy carrying, and it has pockets for accessories and shoes. I think the big attraction of this one would be choosing a really fun fabric. Like, at Blackbird, you guys recently did those exclusive cotton twills with the flower florals and the leopard print. That was so cool.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, those would be so great. I definitely have, like, dreams of making a cool garment bag because every garment bag I’ve ever owned has been so ugly and, like, that plasticky material. And it probably has, like, “Moore’s” on it or something.

Helen: Yeah, exactly.

Caroline: So having, like, a really cute handmade garment bag to put my, like, fancy clothes in or Shea’s suit in, like, I feel like that would just make that travel so much more special.

Helen: It would be really fun and it’s something you’ll use literally forever. So it’s also a good investment in your future.

Caroline: It’s so true, yes.

Helen: We touched on packing cubes already and they do have two purposes and benefits. First is organization. It’s so much easier to find what you need when things are categorized into separate removable compartments in your suitcase. And it comes in handy if you need to take your toiletries out at airport security and things like that. The second purpose is fitting more stuff into your bag because compression cubes can help you do that. So it actually squishes everything down.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s like this continuous zipper that you just keep zipping and everything keeps getting more and more compacted in. It’s really cool.

Helen: I feel like outdoorsy folks probably have, like, stuff sacks and things like that that you could use as well, or you just, like, stick it all in there, but that does increase the wrinkling, too.

Caroline: Okay, Sewfisticated has a pattern for packing cubes that comes in four sizes and you can choose between regular and compression styles. The compression ones have a double zipper. You zip up the first zipper to close it and then you mush it down and close the second zipper. If you want to make the compression style, you want to choose a lightweight, strong fabric like ripstop nylon.

Helen: Some people prefer to use clear vinyl or mesh on one side so they can actually see what’s inside the cube. Just remember that any holes you make in vinyl are there forever, so sew carefully. And you might want to use a layer of tissue paper so that it doesn’t stick to your machine’s foot or needle plate.

Caroline: And if you’re in it more for organization than compression, Mija Handmade has a free tutorial for quilt block packing cubes. And you can make a 12 inch block of your choice and it becomes the top of your cube. That is so cute. I feel like, Helen, this is up your alley.

Helen: I need to do this. It’s so cute. I love it.

Caroline: It’s really really cute.

Helen: Another benefit to making little travel bags is that it’s a great way to use up scraps. Like, you can make yourself a toiletry bag, maybe a zipper pouch style, or a boxy kind of dopp kit style. And if you want to make it waterproof, you can choose laminated cotton, also known as pool? Pule? Pool?

Caroline: Just “P-U-L.”

Helen: I’m gonna go with pule.

Caroline: Pule?

Helen: You can choose laminated cotton, also known as PUL, oilcloth, or chalkcloth. That’s cotton that’s laminated with a thin layer of plastic. So it’s more lightweight and flexible than most vinyls. It’s a little easier to sew with. But, much like vinyl, you’ll still want to use a Teflon foot or a layer of tissue paper so it doesn’t stick to your machine. And we have a few more tips for working with laminated cottons.

Caroline: Yeah, so you want to be pressing them on the wrong side. Or use a pressing cloth. And definitely use a low heat on your iron, because you don’t want them to melt. Use sewing clips. Pins are going to pierce the plastic layer and leave holes. So get some of those, like, little Wonder Clips to use, which are a great thing to have in your sewing space, anyways. I’m so into Wonder Clips right now.

Helen: Yeah, they’re amazing.

Caroline: According to Melissa from Polka Dot Chair, if you need to unpick a line of stitches and you have holes in your fabric, you can melt them back together by laying paper over the piece and ironing it. That’s pretty cool.

Helen: Yeah. And never press your project when the laminated sides are facing each other because they can melt together. This is why Melissa does not recommend using laminated fabrics as a lining.

Caroline: Honestly, it sounds like minimizing or eliminating pressing is a good idea here, if you can. And laminated fabrics don’t fray, so you don’t need to finish your seams, which is a real bonus.

Helen: If you’re looking for a good zipper pouch tutorial, Kimberly from Sweet Red Poppy has one for clear vinyl zipper pouches that would work really well for, like, a liquids bag if you’re travelling by air to the US. But the coolest thing about this tutorial is that you can make a double layered bag and put confetti and glitter in between the layers. Maybe not the best idea for the TSA, but for a regular toiletry bag or a bag for a kid or something, it would be really fun and cute.

Caroline: I really love the idea of sewing a toiletry bag because they’re just, like, so boring, you know?

Helen: Yeah, it’s true. I have a couple that I got at a local quilt show that somebody else in my community made and they’re so great. I love it so much. Just having a fun fabric and having, like, a handmade toiletry kit, that makes me smile. It’s the best.

Caroline: Yes. Yeah, I feel like it’s a great way to add a little personality to your packing. Shoe bags are another good project for travelling. They’re just like drawstring bags where you can store your shoes without getting all of your other stuff dirty with ground shoe dirt.

Helen: Dirty with ground.

Caroline: And these are such a great scrap buster. Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t done this because when I pack, I’m always, like, trying to find plastic bags in my house. Like, where? We don’t get plastic grocery bags anymore. They’re, like, hard to get now. So just, like, I’m always looking around for something to put my shoes in so that I don’t get ground on all my clothes.

Helen: It’s so true, especially after the trip when you’ve been walking a ton. Yeah. That’s a really smart idea. And you can use little bags for all sorts of stuff. Like, sometimes it’s nice to have a drawstring bag to put your dirty laundry in when you’re travelling, so it’s separated. You don’t get your used underwear confused with your fresh underwear, that kind of thing.

Caroline: I mean, there’s so many underwear, like, you do need to organize them, because you’ll obviously have, like, 20 pairs.

Helen: You’ll have, like, 40 pairs of underwear, so you need to keep them organized.

Caroline: No, it’s true. Like, accessories, belts, or socks; there’s like so many uses for little drawstring bags. So.

Helen: Another little project you can make is a passport case. Cristy from Love You Sew has a free pattern for the Navigator Passport Case and Wallet. It’s intended for bag vinyls, but she has some really cute cork samples, too. And it has a pocket for your passport and a clear vinyl window where you can store your ID, tickets that need to be scanned, or like your vaccination card. If you have scraps of vinyl from bag making, this is a perfect use for them. I love this idea. I’m always a mess in the airport with my passport and my ticket and I’m, like, checking to make sure it’s in my pocket like every 10 seconds. Like, I need a better system.

Caroline: Yes. Totally. And Ingrid from Joe, June, and Mae has a free tutorial for making her plane quilt block into a passport case. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. And I wonder, Helen, if this would be like a good way to try out paper piecing?

Helen: I think it would. I was looking at this one. It is the cutest little block. And I love the idea of making it into a passport case. This plane, when we say plane, we mean like planes that fly.

Caroline: Aeroplane.

Helen: This plane quilt block, aeroplane quilt block, it’s adorable and it comes in a bunch of different sizes. So you can make it in different sizes for different projects. Amy from Positively Splendid has a free pattern for a luggage tag using quilting cotton and clear vinyl. The fabrics she chose for the samples are really pretty and she even has a printable PDF for the labels. These would make really great gifts for the holidays, too. I love this idea.

Caroline: Mmhmm. So cute. Bigger travel bags are great projects, too. Carry-ons and weekenders range from beginner to intermediate levels, depending on the details and the fabrics you use. By Annie has some great patterns for travel bags. The Travel Duffel Bag has a padded shoulder strap, handles, inner and outer pockets, and a sleeve that slips over the handle of a rolling bag. And it’s also designed to fit in with the carry-on guidelines for many airlines.

Helen: Yeah, and this bag pattern uses foam stabilizer to give it a sturdy but flexible shape. Foam stabilizers like Soft and Stable and Pellon Flex-Foam give me-made bags a professional look and a lot of structure. It comes in fusible and sew-in versions. You can increase your stitch length and use a walking foot to get the best results with this.

Caroline: And if you don’t want to mess with foam stabilizer, you can try a bag pattern with less structure. The Portside Travel Set by Grainline Studio includes a duffel bag, dopp kit, and a zipper pouch. And it’s intended for heavier fabrics like canvas and twill, but it will still probably be easier to manage than thick foam. Helen, do you remember Joanne’s Portside Travel Set from Camp Workroom Social? I like, it’s like, burned into my brain, it was so beautiful.

Helen: It’s so beautiful to have everything matching in a set. The only thing with, like, a fancy set like that is like, am I prepared to put that on the airport, like, you know, like, to actually check that bag? Probably not. ‘Cause I’m like, I don’t want it to get dirty.

Caroline: No. But, like, a weekend, for like a weekend bag, if you’re, like, going to visit the in laws or something, I feel like it would be cute.

Helen: Super fun to have and really fun to make. Like, if you’re in a bit of a garment sewing funk, bag sewing is so much fun. Caroline, I’ve seen a lot of people making the Bestie Bag and using it for trips, or every day, obviously, but it comes in three sizes. So it’s, like, perfect. If you want a giant one to haul a bunch of stuff around, like, I think that’s a great choice for wandering around a big city or something like that. ‘Cause there’s so much room for a water bottle. You can stuff your jacket in there. Like, it just really works.

Caroline: Yes. Yes. Totally. I know, there’s, like, so many different styles of bags that you could make for a trip. And also bags are really fun to make, so you should try.

Helen: And other sewists might be able to spot you, too. Sometimes I’ll see people in the airport with bags made out of certain fabrics. I’m like, “I bet that person sews.”

Caroline: Yes. Great way to make friends. Okay, well, Helen, I’m leaving on a trip in six days so, I gotta go. I gotta go.

Helen: “I got sewing to do.”

Caroline: I got some sewing to do.

Helen: And if you have any tips or stories about sewing for travel, we want to hear them. Definitely tag us in your travel capsule posts. And we love seeing your travel outfits. I see a lot of Helen’s Closet patterns out and about on trips and that always makes me smile.

Caroline: Helen, this episode comes out the day before I’m leaving on this trip. Do you want to take bets on whether I’m going to be sewing this evening?

Helen: The day before, I’m going to guess a hundred percent. I’ll put…

Caroline: Yeah, I don’t even think we should bet on it.

Helen: Yeah, we, I don’t, I could put money on that, but no one’s going to bet against me.

Caroline: Just know that while you’re listening to this, folks, I’m probably frantically sewing something for my trip tomorrow.

Helen: I can’t wait to see it.

Caroline: Yeah! That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes and that’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. So go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, please leave us a message. You can call us at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Buh bye!

Helen: Bye!

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We share tips and tricks for fiddly, persnickety, awkward, and complicated sewing techniques! We cover invisible zippers, darts, spaghetti straps, princess seams, and lots more. Plus, we share a listener’s experience with custom printed fabric and another listener’s sewing horror story.

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

Show Notes: 

From the Listener Feedback Section:

Resources:

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Tools:

Sewing Patterns:

Transcript:

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 and welcome to Love to Sew! I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s essentially all we want to talk about.

Helen: In this episode, we share tips and tricks for fiddly, persnickety, awkward, and complicated sewing techniques. We cover invisible zippers, darts, spaghetti straps, princess seams, and lots more.

Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show. Hi Helen!

Helen: Hi Caroline!

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m good. I don’t know why the intro always makes me laugh.

Caroline: Yeah? Why?

Helen: I think, like, I don’t want to break the illusion, but we chat before we record. And then we start recording and then it’s like, “Hi!”

Caroline: Yeah. I know. Obviously, we have to chat before we record, because…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Nobody wants to hear that.

Helen: ‘Cause we have so much to talk about.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: What should only take, like, an hour and a half often takes us, like, three hours.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. Especially if we haven’t recorded in a while. It’s like, we gotta catch up. We gotta do our catch-up. Yeah.

Helen: I’m not mad about it.

Caroline: No, me neither.

Helen: If you want to see your friends regularly, start a podcast with them.

Caroline: It’s so true. Oh my gosh. Well, if you want to hear some of that catch-up, we actually do it every month on Patreon. How’s that for a segue?

Helen: I loved it. It was flawless and it’s so accurate. If you like the vibe of this first 30 seconds, you’re going to love Patreon.

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely. We love recording Patreon and our Apple Podcast bonus episodes. We love them. We love them. And we want to tell you about them because it’s a really great way for you to support the show if you have the means to do it.

Helen: Yeah, it really is the best way to support Love to Sew. You can join us over on Patreon or Apple podcasts. You get access to bonus content every month. And we have so much fun catching up with you on those more casual episodes. We do a little chat about what we’re sewing. We make recommendations of things that we’re enjoying right now. And we get a little peek behind the scenes of what’s going on in each other’s lives, which is so fun.

Caroline: It is so fun and it means so much to us if you are able to support us, even if it’s just for a month or two. You can hop in, you can hop out, you can catch up on episodes. In and out is totally fine with us. Whatever you can do to support us is amazing. And obviously, if that’s not on the cards for you right now, we totally get it. We are just so grateful that you’re listening to us right now and cheering us on. We love our listeners and I can’t believe we’ve been doing this for so long. It’s incredible and blows my mind.

Helen: Right? I know. Our listeners are the best, too. They’re, like, so supportive. We get so many nice emails from people, truly just, like, heartwarming, every day.

Caroline: Yeah. It really, really is.

Helen: Well, speaking of listeners, we want to start today’s episode with some listener feedback. First up, we have a voicemail from Romy about our Intro to Surface Design mini-episode. This was all about designing your own fabric, and that episode was actually a subscriber episode, but we thought all of our listeners would really like to hear Romy’s story.

Romy: Hi, Helen and Caroline! This is Romy. I’m from England and I love listening to the podcast. I’ve just listened to the episode on surface design and it’s something I’m really interested in. I had an experience a couple of years ago of designing my own fabric and it turned out way better than I was expecting. So, my nephew was six years old and it was going to be his birthday. And he’s really into drawing. He was always drawing his own monsters and creatures. He’s got a really vivid imagination and some of his drawings are amazing. So on the lead-up to his birthday I started taking photos of his drawings and I had the idea of turning them into a garment. Something that would kind of use his designs in a really fun way and show off his creativity. So I took the photos and edited them in Photoshop to make a fabric design. I used instructions on Spoonflower on how to make a repeat and then I uploaded the design to Spoonflower, got the fabric printed on a jersey, and then when it arrived I turned it into a T-shirt and I gifted it him for his birthday. At first, I think he was a bit confused. He looked at it and I could see him thinking, “Hang on! This looks kind of familiar.” And then he realized, “This is my design! These are my monsters! How did you do that?” Everyone was really surprised and impressed. It’s not like anything they’ve ever seen before. So I’ll include some photos as well, in case you want to see it. It’s something I would love to do again. Unfortunately, it does get a bit pricey, printing fabric just for one garment. But if it’s something I could figure out how to upscale, then it’s kind of a cool business idea, I think, or at least something I could do in future for more family or friends. I definitely encourage everyone to get into fabric design, even if you’re not that arty. I consider myself to be so, but I wouldn’t say I’m great at drawing. But you can take designs from anywhere, even something that’s just squiggles or abstract designs can look great on fabric. And it’s something that no one else will own, so. Thanks for doing the podcast, I love listening to all the episodes and the bonus episodes and feeling like I’m hanging out with you and just chatting and listening about sewing. You keep me company while I’m working from home, so thank you and speak to you soon, bye!

Caroline: Thank you so much for calling, Romy. Okay, these pajamas look absolutely amazing. I’m gonna describe them for our listeners. There’s lots of bold black line drawings of all kinds of creatures. It’s on a white background. The contrast really makes the drawings pop. We’re definitely gonna have pictures in our show notes. This is such an amazing gift. My nephew loves to draw and it’s really getting those ideas flowing for me. I think it’s such a great idea. I love it. I love it. It’s so cute. Come on, who wouldn’t want to wear their drawings?

Helen: I know. It’s absolutely brilliant. I mean, if you really want to blow someone’s mind, this is, this is a good way to do it. We’ll also link up a Spoonflower tutorial for making a repeat pattern. They have lots of really great tutorials about how to go about doing this, so you don’t have to worry about having those skills. You can totally learn them. And if you’re interested in learning more about designing your own fabric, you can also listen to Episode 90, which is Surface Design with two of the lovely folks from Spoonflower. We chat with them all about it and that’s a great episode,

Caroline: Wow, Episode 90, hey? That was a long time ago.

Helen: Right? That one was in-person, too, a rare in-person recording.

Caroline: I know. And it feels, when I think about that episode, it feels like the really early days of the podcast, but we were almost at a hundred episodes. It’s…yeah. Anyway.

Helen: Right? How many in-person recordings have we actually done? I think only, like, three. I mean, with guests, with guests.

Caroline: Oh, with guests? It’s true. We did Jenny from Cashmerette…

Helen: Mmhmm. Jasika Nicole was in person.

Caroline: Yes. And Spoonflower.

Helen: And Spoonflower.

Caroline: I feel like that was maybe it.

Helen: I think so.

Caroline: Other than the boys.

Helen: Oh, yes, that’s true.

Caroline: The men.

Helen: The boys, we haven’t had them on the show in a while.

Caroline: I know, I know.

Helen: They’re doing great. They’re fantastic.

Caroline: Yeah, they are. They’re doing great.

Helen: Anyways, okay, back to Romy. This is amazing. And I know, you know, you were saying, if you’re not very arty, but I just want to remind folks that if you sew, you’re arty. I mean, it totally counts.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. There are different kinds of artists out there, you know?

Helen: Yeah, exactly.

Caroline: All right, next we have an email from Charlotte about our Sewing Horror Stories episode. Warning: there is blood and injury in this story, although everything turns out fine in the end. But if that bothers you, maybe hit that “skip 30 seconds” button a few times just to skip over the story.

Helen: Charlotte says, “Anytime I’m in my sewing room I am listening to your podcast and this time I was cutting out a satin vest for a friend’s son’s school play. You told the story of a sewist who managed to get the machine needle completely through her finger and had to resort to a friend removing it with pliers. Alas, I did the same thing very early in my sewing journey. My mom couldn’t get the presser foot up high enough to remove the needle so we covered the entry point with a cloth and she used a few strokes of a hacksaw to cut the needle. My father was a doctor so I had to go to his office for him to remove it. Needless to say, interrupting his already busy patient schedule did not make him happy. Story ended and was all well, though.” She goes on to say, “But the funny part is that JUST AS I WAS LISTENING to this episode, I gave myself a cut on a finger with a rotary cutter. Man, fingers sure do bleed. Nothing stitches-worthy (get it?), but who wants to interrupt a productive cutting session? So, I grabbed a scrap of the fabric and wrapped it around my finger to stop the bleeding and prevent me from getting blood on this gift-garment. Thought you’d get a chuckle from the photo of my green satin bandage. All is well. Thanks for a terrific show. Your friend from Charleston, South Carolina.”

Caroline: Charlotte! Okay, definitely got a chuckle from that bandage. It’s basically a piece of green satin wrapped around Charlotte’s finger, injured finger, and it matches the project, obviously, that Charlotte’s cutting out. But you are such a sewing survivor. It is wild to think of your mother using a hacksaw to cut the needle off and your dad being peeved that he has to treat you on a busy day. Thank you so much for sharing your story, and just in time for spooky season. I love it.

Helen: It’s true.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: Yeah, I definitely cringed so hard when I was reading this. The hacksaw…no, no, no, no! But also I wanted to mention, we’ve shared this tip on the show before, but in case people missed it: your own spit is the best tool for getting out your own blood because it has similar enzymes, I believe, not a scientist, but I think that’s how it works. So if you do cut yourself, get a little blood on your project, instead of taking it to the sink to try to wash it out, spit on it. Try to get lots of spit on there and then rub that in to kind of get it out and that really does make a difference. I know, it’s gross, it works.

Caroline: I’m just imagining gifting this to somebody and being like, “Blood, spit…”

Helen: Sweat and tears.

Caroline: “Sweat, and tears went into this.”

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Well, on that note, I think it’s time to get into this episode. Helen, hit it! [fiddle music] Dang, I never knew you were such a talent on the fiddle, Helen! Wow!

Helen: Oh, this old thing? That’s nothing. You should see me with my fiddly sewing.

Caroline: Ooh, now that’s impressive. Oh my gosh, we are not actresses. Let’s just put that out there. No, but for real, sewing is fun most of the time, but when it gets fiddly, it can feel like all the relaxation goes right out the window. Invisible zippers that are definitely not invisible, spaghetti straps that seem impossible to turn right side out, extra pointy darts…they can be sewjo drainers.

Helen: Totally. But there are lots of tips and tricks you can learn to make fiddly sewing actually enjoyable. Or, if not enjoyable, at least doable and with a nice result. So today we’re going to be sharing a bunch of those tips and tricks so you can keep your cup of sewjo full.

Caroline: Gotta keep that thing full. Before we get into these tips, I think we should share some of our personal sewing peeves, our sewing gripes, our sewing avoidances.

Helen: Yes, the tasks that when you come to them, you’re like, “Okay, here we go.”

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Caroline, what sewing things do you dread?

Caroline: Okay, so, my first one that came to mind is welt pockets. For someone who designed a pair of pants with welt pockets, I really don’t like sewing welt pockets. They just…

Helen: And it’s been, like, a good chunk of time since those came out, so you’re still feeling that.

Caroline: Oh, oh, the whole way through. Writing instruction for welt pockets? That’s a whole other ball game. Oh my gosh.

Helen: Oh. Brutal.

Caroline: But no, they just take a really long time. It feels like there are so many steps, like, by the time I get to the end of the first welt pocket, I’m, like, exhausted. I’m like, “Am I not finished with these pants yet? Come on.” And also, the permanence kind of freaks me out. Like, it’s one of the few sewing steps that is irreversible. Like, if you make a mistake on a welt pocket, you’re sleeping in it, baby. Like, that’s it. You know, like you’re, that’s, there’s no going back.

Helen: Are you sleeping in it because they are now gonna be pajamas that you only wear around the house?

Caroline: Yeah. Oh my gosh. You’re making your bed with these pants!

Helen: It’s true. They do take so long. And cutting that hole to, like, actually flip everything to the other side is so intense.

Caroline: And that’s the beginning. That’s at the beginning.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And then you have so many more steps. It’s like, you do the whole welt and then you’re like, “Wait, now I have to do the pocket bag? Now I gotta attach the pocket bag? What if that goes wrong?”

Helen: I know. It’s so true. They’re really intense, but they’re also one of those things, playing little devil’s advocate here, that make you feel like a superhero when they’re done.

Caroline: Yeah, no, for sure. When you have a good welt pocket, you do feel like a superhero. I do.

Helen: Yeah. It’s like magic.

Caroline: It is like magic. It’s one of those things. So yeah, welt pockets is something that I kind of, I have an aversion to, but I’ll do it. I’ll do it for the plot.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And for the beauty of the, what it looks like when it’s finished. I do love the look of a welt pocket. The other thing for me is probably buttonholes, but I do, I want to blame my machine. I feel like we’ve talked about this on the show before. I’ve been like, “Every machine has problems with buttonholes,” but, like, my machine is such a B sometimes. You do, like, so many tests and then you’re, like, gearing up, it’s like, the, this is the buttonhole, like, I’m doing it. And then it just, it fails.

Helen: All of a sudden it’s like, “I’m just going to sew this direction forever and I’m never going to turn around, and…”

Caroline: a hundred percent. That always happens to me. It’s like, you do the test. It’s perfect. And then all of a sudden, she’s sewing for miles. Doesn’t want to turn around.

Helen: You’re like, “Wait, how long is this buttonhole?”

Caroline: Like, “What is up with that? I don’t understand.”

Helen: Honestly, I don’t know. My, we have the same machine, and mine does, very rarely does that. So maybe you should go get that checked out.

Caroline: Okay, well, I don’t use, I still use my Bernina. No, I don’t use my Pfaff that much. I’m sorry.

Helen: Well, try your Pfaff! The Pfaff, like, really does great buttonholes.

Caroline: Yeah. I guess, I guess I should…

Helen: She doesn’t want solutions, she wants sympathy, y’all.

Caroline: I just, that Pfaff machine, yeah, I like my Bernina better, generally, but I guess she’s not perfect. So I should be, I should be switching. I should be using both.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, yeah, you gotta use it for the buttonholes, that would be cool. And then you got, like, different tricks for different things,

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Uh, let’s move on.

Helen: Yeah, now you can solve my problems.

Caroline: Yeah, what sewing techniques make you want to throw a fit?

Helen: Okay. Pressing little hems on fabrics that don’t press well, like anything with polyester in it that just, like, doesn’t want to go, or like a really thick wool or something where you have to press like a little quarter inch hem and it’s just like so fiddly and you, like, burn your little fingers and…

Caroline: Do you know? I have a solution.

Helen: I’m painting a picture.

Caroline: I have a solution. I have a solution.

Helen: What’s that?

Caroline: Don’t press, just sew.

Helen: Don’t press?

Caroline: Yeah. Like if I’m doing a hem on a fabric that doesn’t want to press, I just don’t press and I just go to my machine and I just, like, fold it with my fingers and sew and fold and sew, and just, like, sew as I go. Sew as I go, fold as I go, hope for the best?

Helen: You know, that is a good tip and I have done that before, but I also worry about, like, roping and stuff. Like, sometimes you just really want to make sure it’s going to be okay. But you could pin and finger press and then you definitely would avoid the burning your little fingies.

Caroline: Yeah, or get some of those, like, silicone finger covers…

Helen: Oh yeah.

Caroline: That kind of make you feel like I’m like a dog wearing booties. You know, like, I’m like, “What is my hand doing right now?”

Helen: I know, all of a sudden your hand just doesn’t work.

Caroline: I don’t understand how fingers work when I’m wearing, like, little silicone gloves on them.

Helen: No, I, I do not enjoy those.

Caroline: Yeah, but they work. They protect your fingies.

Helen: Anyway, that’s my first one. Just pressing anything poly in general is the worst. Okay. The part where the collar stand meets the shirt on a button-up.

Caroline: Ooh.

Helen: And I know there’s, like, different techniques for how to sew it and, like, different orders of operation to, like, get that area and, like, some things work better for others. And I’ve tried them all, but it’s just like, it’s a tough spot. There’s so many little layers and it’s such a tiny little spot. And it’s right in the front, right under your neck where everyone can see it. And like, there’s no good side. Cause if you’re going to wear it all the way buttoned up, then it shows on the underside. And if you’re going to wear it kind of open, it shows on the other side. And it’s like, what do you, I don’t even know. It’s like, it never comes out perfect for me. And then you go to the store and you look at them and they’re like, how, how are they so perfect?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I don’t have any solutions for you on this one. I’m so sorry.

Helen: That’s okay. Practice, practice, practice. Every once in a while, I get a good one.

Caroline: Yeah, I think practice, and, like, accepting that it doesn’t have to be perfect? You know?

Helen: It doesn’t. You know what the solution is, actually, what I’ve had the best result with is hand sewing it first and then machine sewing it, if you want to. Then you can close it all up nicely and you have so much control and then you can machine sew it and that’s, that’s the best result I’ve seen.

Caroline: That’s a really good tip. Like, when in doubt, baste it, don’t pin it.

Helen: Yeah. And my third one is, we’re going to talk about this today, but, invisible zippers, particularly that little bit at the bottom.

Caroline: Yes. Oh my gosh, yes.

Helen: Where you never like, you’re like, “Do I close it before? Do I close it after? Why is there a bump? Why is there a hole?” Like, come on.

Caroline: Yeah. For me, it’s got to be after. It’s got to be after.

Helen: Uh, see, I don’t know. I don’t know, Caroline.

Caroline: We’re gonna talk about it today. This one we’re gonna talk about today. We’ll hash it out.

Helen: Okay. First, we do have some general tips that can apply to any fiddly sewing process. If you’re feeling frustrated or disappointed, take a break. It doesn’t have to be a long break. Take some restorative breaths, maybe get a little drink, go to the bathroom, give yourself a little perspective. Sewing is such a learning process. So making mistakes and facing difficulties is a part of it. It’s a part of every sewist’s story. And it really does help just to, like, get up and walk away from the machine, even just for a couple minutes.

Caroline: Yeah, it really does. Go complain to your roommate or partner or friend.

Helen: I don’t know. Scream into a pillow. Like, do whatever, do what you gotta do.

Caroline: Nothing like a good trip to the bathroom to gain some perspective, you know?

Helen: You know what? I have, like, this is a tangent, but I have night terrors sometimes. Where, like, I wake up, I have nightmares and I wake up like really scared and, like, my go-to thing is to just get out of the bed and go to the bathroom. And then by the time I come back from the bathroom, I’m like, “Everything’s fine.”

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It works.

Caroline: No monsters in the toilet, so we’re good.

Helen: Yeah, exactly.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay, our next general tip is that you can look up some tips. So, chances are, lots of people have had the same issue that you’ve had. If it seems rare, you can post your question on a forum like Pattern Review or the sewing subreddit. But, chances are, you’ll find some ideas for how to proceed just by googling it.

Helen: Third is: practice. This is a strategy that’s going to get you the best results in the end. Take some of that scrap fabric and practice the technique until you like the result. That way you don’t have to make 10 pairs of trousers before you like how the welt pockets look. You can actually get them right on the very first pair of pants. The secret is practicing. And it won’t even necessarily take you 10 tries. That’s an exaggeration. You can learn a ton just from one single practice round. And it totally lowers the stakes.

Caroline: Yes, 100%. Our next tip is to just let the small imperfections go. Most people aren’t going to be inspecting your garment with a magnifying glass. Hopefully no one’s going to do that. That would be kind of weird. So just let it go and remember it’s not going to be perfect.

Helen: It’s totally fine. And lastly, celebrate your triumph. Even if it’s just patting yourself on the back, you deserve a little recognition for completing a fiddly step. You can put on your favourite song, you can give your pet a hug, or you can go and show off your technique to someone who will cheer you on. I mean, we’ve all been there, right? You’ve run out into the rest of the house and find somebody to be like, “Look, I did it!”

Caroline: Yes, when I was sewing Taylor Trouser samples, there were definitely moments when I’d, like, finish the welt pockets or the front fly and just, like, hold it up for the office and be like, “Look what I did!” And everyone would cheer and it was great. You really need that sometimes.

Helen: Oh, that sounds amazing. I want to, I want to show off my stuff to the birdies.

Caroline: Okay, I think we should get into some of these fiddly techniques and give some good tips here. So first up, let’s talk about darts. Marking darts is pretty annoying, let’s be honest. It can be hard to be accurate when the paper gets in the way. I used to mark darts by, like, sticking my marking tool into the dart point and trying to, like, get it through the paper. Or I’d stick, like, a pin in, you know, and try to pull the pin through.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And then I learned this method from Natasha at the office, and it’s basically to cut along one dart leg and fold that paper back along the other dart leg. So you’re creating, like, a triangle opening, but you’re not removing that paper completely, because when you cut out your pattern piece, you want to make sure you get that, like, hat on the end of the dart, right?

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: So you fold that back and then it’s so easy to just trace the dart and it’s super accurate and you can flip it over and do it on the other side. When I learned this, I was like, “How have I not been doing this the whole time? Like, what?”

Helen: That’s a great method. I have not used that and I’m totally going to do that next time. That sounds legitimately fun.

Caroline: It’s a game changer and it’s like, you get the perfect dart marking every time. Like, in my opinion, it’s the best way. But there are other methods. What do you do, Helen?

Helen: I do the pin through the hole, pin through the point and then fold the pattern back and, like, mark the point and then notch the dart ends and then redraw it with a ruler. But your way is so much better, so I’m not going to do that anymore.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely try this way. Everyone try it. It’s amazing.

Helen: Yeah. Another thing you can do is carbon paper and a tracing wheel. If you have those tools and you’re familiar with them, that’s a really great way. You just slide the paper between the pattern and the fabric piece, and then you roll that cute little spiky wheel along the dart legs, and it marks the dart perfectly.

Caroline: Yes. Love it. This one’s good, too. If you have any issues with pointy bust darts, when you’re sewing them, we have some ideas for how you can round them out. So you can sew the two thirds of the bust dart normally, and then from there sew in a shallow curve towards the fold that eases to nothing at the dart point. It might be hard to visualize, but By Hand London made a reel demonstrating this technique and we’ll link that up for you in the show notes. They don’t redraw the darts in their video, but I think that would probably make it easier to do.

Helen: Wait, redraw the darts where?

Caroline: Like, redraw the dart so that it has that curve before…yeah.

Helen: Oh, I see. They just, like, intuit the curve. Also, pressing on a tailor’s ham really helps to get that nice curve across the bust point. But yeah, I love just adding that little gentle curve to my darts. I just kind of do that intuitively when I’m sewing my darts because it makes sense. Like, I’m pretty round, so I want it to be round.

Caroline: A hundred percent. Yeah.

Helen: And you don’t need to backstitch at the end of the dart. In fact, it’s better if you just sew off the end of the fabric. First of all, you can get a little pocket at the point if you don’t quite sew to the end. And second of all, backstitching can pucker up the fabric and make the dart lay less smoothly. So instead of a backstitch, you can decrease the stitch length to almost nothing for the last few stitches. That will hold. Another option is to sew off the end of the dart, lift the foot, pull threads long enough that you can tie them off at the end. Usually I’ll do one or both these things just to be safe, but I really like tying little knots at the end of the dart. I find it quite satisfying.

Caroline: I often will do both. Like, I’ll lower my stitch length and I’ll tie them off just to be, like, totally safe and secure. The only annoying thing about lowering that stitch length is that I always forget to put it back and then I’ll start sewing whatever I’m sewing next and it’s doing these teeny tiny little stitches.

Helen: Like, “Why is it taking so long?”

Caroline: Yeah, “Why is this taking so long?”

Helen: One thing with tying those, like, dart threads is not to pull too hard, because you can actually, like, cinch up the fabric if you’re tying that knot really tightly. So just a gentle knot and then you can do two or three, whatever feels good, and trim off the excess.

Caroline: Totally. Okay, our next fiddly sewing technique that we want to talk about is invisible zippers. So let’s just get into it because they’re, they’re, this is stressful. Invisible zippers can be stressful.

Helen: They can be, but they are approachable. I know there’s sewists out there who haven’t tried them and are intimidated by them, so I don’t want to give the impression that they’re, like, really hard to sew or anything. There’s just a few things about them that can be kind of annoying. So, invisible zippers come pre-pressed so that the tape kind of curls outward from the zipper teeth at the center. And this curve can make it hard to stitch close to those teeth, and you want to stitch as close as possible to make it invisible. As a first step, you want to open up the zipper all the way and gently press the tape flat, so you’re removing that curve. And use a low heat; you don’t want to melt the tape or the teeth.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely use a low heat, and maybe even after pressing it, test that your zipper still goes up and down easily. Just to make sure, because you don’t want to sew on a whole zipper that has some melted teeth, that it gets caught. It’s just not worth that effort if you melted your zipper. Our second tip is to mark out your seam lines, or your stitch lines. So, the zipper tape is usually narrower than ⅝ of an inch. So you can’t just line it up with the edge of the fabric. So drawing that seam line on will show you exactly where to lay down those teeth. And It’s also a good idea to make a horizontal line at the top, about ¾ of an inch from the edge of the fabric, because that’s where the zipper stop will go. Since you’ll be sewing each side of the zipper separately, this is going to help everything line up in the end. I actually like to, when I’m sewing one edge of the zipper, I’ll then close it, mark exactly where the end of the zipper teeth is on the opposite zipper tape. And then I know exactly where to line that up with that marker on the other side, if that makes sense.

Helen: Totally. Yeah, you can do that with, like, a waist seam, too if you’re doing, like, a center back dress zip, to get everything to line up. It’s also a good idea to finish your seam allowances separately before you sew the zipper because it’s way easier to do it before than it is to do it after the zipper is in.

Caroline: And this is something I started doing recently that I’ll never go back from, and that is basting the zipper in place before you make your final stitches. So before you actually sew into that invisible zipper groove that’s kind of harder to access and a little bit more fiddly, I sew in my zipper with a regular zipper foot. So you can baste on the machine using a zipper foot, like I do. You can also baste by hand. That’s going to give you a lot of control. You could also use wonder tape or like a school glue stick to hold the zipper in place without any stitching. But you’re basically attaching that zipper, closing it, making sure everything lines up and looks good, and then you go in with your stitch line really close to those zipper teeth so that you get that invisible look in the zipper. But you’re not worried about, I don’t know about you Helen, but when I’m sewing the invisible zipper on my machine, it feels almost like the zipper is like, moving because I’m trying to get in so close that, like, your zipper almost, like, travels a little bit and almost doesn’t stay straight. So basting it in place first totally eliminates that risk of your zipper moving around and getting a little bit wonky.

Helen: Yeah, that’s a great tip. And it’s super quick, like you said, you can just baste on the machine. It’s, like, easy peasy. If you’re using a plastic snap-on invisible zipper foot and you’re still getting bad results, you’re not alone. A lot of people have issues with these. And it could be better to get a metal invisible zipper foot that works with your machine or just to use your regular zipper foot. I don’t like the plastic snap-on invisible zipper foot. The difference is that, like, it has a little tunnel that the teeth go into and then the needle is supposed to perfectly align right next to the teeth. But I find that it doesn’t get as close as I can get with my regular zipper foot and I have a little bit more control with my regular zipper foot. So if you have been frustrated by an invisible zipper foot in the past, you’re not alone.

Caroline: Yeah. And they’re not all created equal. I know my invisible zipper foot, that’s all metal, has those tunnels and it works really well. I can actually move my needle position over just a little bit to get even closer to the teeth than, like, having it at the center position. I find that helps a lot. You just want to make sure that you’re not getting so close that you’re stitching over the teeth, because then that, again, will make it really hard to open and close that zipper.

Helen: Yeah. Okay. Let’s talk about the butt of the zipper.

Caroline: Oh, this is the part that you struggle with, and I do, too. Sometimes it can be so frustrating because your zipper itself looks amazing and then you sew that seam below the zipper and you’re like, “What is happening? Why is there a little bump? Why is there a gap, a hole,” whatever. So, some instructions recommend sewing the seam below the zipper before you insert the zipper and some say to do it afterwards. The fiddly thing about sewing the seam before is that you need to make sure that the top of the zipper matches up perfectly on both sides or you’re going to get a bubble at the bottom of the zipper. So you can prevent this by marking out where the top zipper stop should go.

Helen: Yeah and the fiddly thing about sewing the seam afterward is that it can be tricky to stitch along that seam line at the very bottom of the zipper where you pull it inside the garment. Use a regular zipper foot and get as close as you possibly can. But it’s just really tricky because there’s tape and teeth there as well, so it’s hard to get super close.

Caroline: Yeah, overall, I think sewing the seam afterwards is the less fiddly option. You can always try both if you’re curious and see which one you prefer. I find the best trick to avoid any, like, weird bumps or lumps or things getting off is I don’t try to get right up to my previous stitch line. Like, I’m always going maybe like a quarter of an inch away from it in both directions. Does that make sense? Like, I’m, like, not trying to get all the way up to it and I’m not trying to get all the way over to it. Like, I’m just giving myself like a quarter inch buffer around it and just starting a little bit lower and a little bit off to the side. As long as I’m getting a straight line and the fabric is flat and doesn’t have any puckers in it, then usually it’ll look pretty good from the right side.

Helen: Well, yeah, and that’s the end goal, right? If it looks good from the right side, then you did it right.

Caroline: Yeah, yeah.

Helen: You nailed it.

Caroline: You nailed it, exactly.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: if you’re finishing the top of your invisible zipper with a hook and eye, you can sew them on so that the edges of each one just reach the edge of the opening, and this is gonna make each side just touch in the middle when the hook and eye is done up.

Helen: Yeah. We talked a lot about the bottom of the zipper, but the top can be challenging, as well. If you, like, put that zipper top a little too high, then when you flip your facing over or do your bias binding, there can be, like, a little mountain that forms around the teeth. But if you put them too low, then there’s that little gap. And honestly, it just takes practice, a little intuition about thickness of fabric and things like that. So if your first one’s a little wonky, don’t worry about it. I definitely have makes where I have a little mountain or a little valley at the top of my zipper and whatever, you know, it’s no big deal.

Caroline: You know what, too? Like, if your invisible zipper ends up being a visible zipper, cool. Then that’s how it was meant to be, you know?

Helen: Design detail achieved.

Caroline: Design detail. An argument for finding a matching zipper.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true.

Caroline: But yeah, it’s okay. It’s just sewing. It’s not that serious. Let’s just remember that.

Helen: It’s not. Okay. Speaking of not-serious things. What about teeny tiny little tubes?

Caroline: Oh, but those are so annoying! Oh my gosh. I hate those little delicate spaghetti straps. I don’t love button loops.

Helen: Did you do button loops on your wedding dress or did you get loop tape?

Caroline: I got loop tape for my wedding dress.

Helen: Oh, smart.

Caroline: There is a button loop closure on the Selena Set, our newest pattern. So I did get familiar with a few different techniques for turning loops, but there’s just, like, no fail-safe, proven, easy way to do it. Like, it’s always gonna be a bit of a struggle, so you kind of have to accept that, in my opinion.

Helen: Yeah. Okay, loop turners can really help with this step. There’s a couple of different kinds. There’s the kind that has a stick and a tube, and to use these you sew one end of the fabric tube closed, slide the plastic tube inside it, and then you poke the closed end with the stick, which goes into the plastic tube, therefore turning the fabric right side out as it goes through.

Caroline: Yeah, these tube turners are gonna work best with tightly woven fabrics or straps that aren’t super tiny. The risk is that the stick pokes through the fabric or, like, in between the stitches at the closed end. So, always, like, no matter what you’re doing with turning straps and delicate things like this is, like, take your time and don’t force it because, chances are, if you force it you will poke a hole into your strap. And that’s really annoying.

Helen: Totally. It’s so annoying. Yeah, and you can do a smaller stitch length to add a little bit of strength in areas that you know you’re going to be putting pressure on. There’s another type of tube turner that looks like a long metal stick with a little hook at the end, and this one is good for tiny tubes. You cut a little hole about a half an inch from the edge of the fabric tube, you put the little metal stick through it, and then you put the hook through the hole. You close the hook and you pull it through the tube. The hardest part is right after you hook the fabric and start pulling it through. Be patient and fiddle with it for a little bit. Once it gets started, it’s easy from there, but getting that hook to, like, hook on properly is the tricky part.

Caroline: Well, that is, like, one of the best feelings in sewing is, I don’t know if you’ve ever used one of these, but when you’re, like, struggling, struggling, struggling, you’re like, “It’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen.” And then, all of a sudden, whoosh, she pulls through and it feels amazing. And you’re like, “I am a superhero. I’m a sewing superhero.”

Helen: Yeah, I love that feeling. Yeah. This is one of those techniques. It’s like, I have a love/hate relationship with it because it’s annoying, but also one of the most satisfying things. So you, you get a win in the end.

Caroline: When it works, it really works.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: There are a couple of ways you can turn tiny tubes without any special tools. So Annie Stafford posted a genius tip on her Instagram. We’re going to link it in our show notes. This one is for sergers. So, first, you’re going to serge a long thread tail, about an inch longer than your strap will be. Without cutting the tail, lay it In the fold of your strap. You’re going to try to sew it up without catching it. So you’re kind of folding your strap around this long thread tail, and then sew your strap, trim the end, and pull on the end of your sandwiched thread tail to turn your strap out. So you’re kind of, like, I don’t know, pulling this little snake through. And everything should turn right side out.

Helen: It’s so genius.

Caroline: Yeah, when it works, it works so well and it’s so satisfying.

Helen: Totally cool. I gotta try that.

Caroline: Yes, definitely. And True Bias also posted a similar tip on their blog, but for people without sergers. You just need a large hand sewing needle and some strong thread. Topstitching thread is great here. Upholstery thread. Double up the thread and attach it near the end of the tube and then thread the fabric over your needle, eye end first, and then pull the needle and thread through to turn your tube out. So, this is the same method, just with using thread instead of a serger tail. This is what we recommend in our instructions for the Selena Set and it works really, really well. I think it’s, like, the greatest method you can use without having a tool. Otherwise, how do you even do it without a tool, honestly? I don’t know. I’ve actually done the bobby pin method. Have you done that?

Helen: Oh, no, I haven’t. But that would work for, like, a short one, right?

Caroline: Yeah, where you, you kind of hook it and then you have to keep pulling it through. It’s just that, like, the bobby pin is maybe like a quarter of an inch, so if it’s smaller than, the opening is smaller than that, then it won’t work, right? Like, the width of it?

Helen: Yeah. Similar to the safety pin method, but bobby pins are, like, that much narrower. So they’re good for those teeny tiny tubes.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: Teeny tiny tubes.

Caroline: Teeny tiny tubes.

Helen: If your fabric has a bit more weight or bulk than the suggested fabrics on the pattern, you might consider widening your straps a tiny amount. So, for example, if the pattern says to sew, you know, 3/16” from the edge, you could increase that to a quarter inch, and that adds an extra eighth of an inch to the circumference of the tube, which can really help with the turn of the fabric. You can also widen it and then just, like, do the double fold, like, fold into the center and fold it and top stitch it. You could go for a slightly different look for a spaghetti strap with a wider strap. So yeah, you’ve got options. If you feel like you want to make a change, go for it.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. Okay, next up we’re going to talk about easing, and really, easing, it’s not easy, Helen.

Helen: It’s not, unfortunately. Easing is when you have to fit a longer piece of fabric onto a shorter piece of fabric without getting any folds or tucks. You often see this in sleeve caps, but it can also appear in places like curved hems or in the crotch of pants. Ease is everywhere.

Caroline: It really, really is. It’s usually recommended to make a row or two of long basting stitches and gather them slightly, especially if you’re easing a much longer piece of fabric into a shorter piece. Sometimes you can just do it by kind of fiddling with your machine and making sure that the fabric is sitting in the right way so that the feed dogs are easing the fabric through. But if it’s a longer portion of easing or more easing, then stitching is the way to go, for sure.

Helen: Yeah, and Kenneth D. King gave a cool tip on his Instagram that he called “cheater’s ease” that he uses with crisp fabrics. So you lay your fabric on your pressing surface and you press into it with your finger, pushing it forward a couple of inches so that it kind of wrinkles along the seam line, and this is pretty genius because the wrinkles can expand or contract as you need them to when you’re pinning the pieces together, but it’s basically a similar idea to those gathering basting stitches. It’s that you’re trying to shorten those fibers, like, push those fibers together, but without actually getting any crinkles or folds.

Caroline: Yes, it is very cool. I feel like this one really blew our listeners’ minds, because we posted it on our Instagram at one point, and people went crazy. It was very, very cool. Like I mentioned earlier, you can also use your feed dogs to distribute the ease. You can either face the gathered side down when you’re sewing, or you can face it up and use a walking foot. Walking feet have feed dogs on the top. So if you place it correctly, your machine can do the work for you.

Helen: Yeah. And if you want extra insurance against tucks and gathers, you can hand baste the eased section an eighth of an inch away from the seam line before you go to sew it.

Caroline: And if you end up with a tuck, you don’t have to rip out the whole seam. Just rip out an inch or two around the tuck and redo it. I think we’ve all been there, hey?

Helen: Oh, yeah. I feel like 50 percent of the time I get a tuck in my sleeve caps.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s so true.

Helen: Because I’m a little bit of a reckless sewer and I like to just, like, run it through the machine real fast. And I’m like, if there’s a tuck, I’ll deal with it later.

Caroline: Yeah, there’s always that, I always, like, hold my breath after I sew a sleeve in. I’ll, like, I’ll, like, finish and then I’ll be like, “Okay, got to check it for tucks.” You know, turn that thing right side out, make sure it’s all looking okay. Oh, it happens to the best of us.

Helen: Totally. Okay. Well, speaking of sleeve caps, sewing curves can be a really frustrating process, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s explain a little bit about how sewing curves works. So when you add seam allowance to straight lines, like, say, a boxy t-shirt side seam, the edges will match up perfectly. It’s easy to pin them and sew them. But when you add seam allowance to curved lines, like princess seams or sleeve caps, the edges are no longer going to match up. The convex curve will have a longer edge and the concave curve will have a shorter edge. So it makes it harder to match up and sew correctly because you want to be sewing on the seam line, not so much worrying about the edge of the fabric.

Caroline: Yeah, that’s really what you want to focus on when you’re pinning and sewing curved seams, is that seam line. So the seam lines are going to match up perfectly even though the edges of the fabric won’t. And if it helps you, you can even draw the seam lines on the fabric pieces so you know you’re pinning exactly in the right place.

Helen: Yeah, that’s a really helpful tip. So, pin along that seam line, taking tiny little bites out of the fabric. The seam allowance will not lay smoothly and neither will the fabric. pieces, but try not to worry about it. That’s just the way it is with curved seams. So you want to take it slow and pause if you need to rearrange the fabric that’s about to go under the needle. And this is really, like, a muscle memory thing with sewing, where the more you do it, the more comfortable you’re going to get with kind of zhuzhing the fabric and getting those curves to line up. But your first few curved seams are going to feel quite silly. “What am I doing? I don’t understand.”

Caroline: Absolutely. We do have some tips for sewing curves. So you definitely don’t want to skip any of the markings or notches on your paper pattern. Make sure you transfer these over. These can be really helpful for lining up the pieces. Many patterns will give you a marking near the middle of the curve, so you can start pinning there and then work your way outward.

Helen: If your fabric isn’t prone to fraying and you plan to trim your seams anyway, you could trim your seam allowance down to a quarter inch before you start pinning. This can actually make it easier to sew because there’s less seam allowance kind of pulling your fabric in the other direction.

Caroline: Mmhmm. And stay stitching your curves is going to help them to keep their shape as you work with them. They might stretch out if you don’t, so definitely, if the pattern recommends stay stitching in one of the first steps before you start handling your fabric too much, do it. And even if it doesn’t recommend it, if you feel like your fabric is, like, shifty, delicate, lightweight, just stay stitch. There’s never any harm in stay stitching within the seam allowance.

Helen: Yeah, and you can clip or notch your seam allowances so that they lay more smoothly. So, with princess seams especially, some instructions recommend clipping the curve on the center piece before you sew it. This can make the pieces easier to handle because the seam allowance is going to spread out and lie more flat. And after you sew the piece, you can clip the other side of the seam allowance as well. Anything you can do to kind of increase those curves’ ability to move can be really helpful. But If you’re working with a really fray-y fabric, maybe avoid clipping because it might just turn into a hot mess.

Caroline: Yeah, this works really well with heavier fabrics. I was, spoiler alert, sewing a little bucket hat for my niece recently and…

Helen: Ooh! Oh my gosh.

Caroline: The instructions had you clip basically all of the seam allowances before even pinning them together. And that made such a huge difference and it was no biggie because the fabric I was using was a little bit heavier weight, so. Wouldn’t recommend it for lightweight fabrics, but definitely works in some applications. For unlined garments with princess seams, you might want to trim your seams to a quarter of an inch instead of clipping them. And then you can finish them with a zigzag or you can serge them.

Helen: And using a pressing ham with lots of steam to press the curve Is going to help the curve to turn out really nicely.

Caroline: Yes, definitely. I think hand sewing is a love it or hate it thing. We’ve talked about this on the show before, Helen. I’m not the biggest fan of hand sewing, but I definitely got more into it when I made my wedding dress last year. I was one of those sewists who would do anything to avoid it. But I think some sewists really like that control. And I can get behind it. I think sometimes hand sewing can go a long way to just, like, that insurance of making sure things are going to work out.

Helen: Yeah, especially if you know that you are the kind of sewist that gets frustrated in fiddly sewing situations, hand sewing could be just the ticket for you. And we have a few tips to improve your hand sewing situation so it’s something that you’re going to want to reach for more often. If you find that your beginning or end knots pull through the fabric, it can really help to combine them with a couple of back stitches. So, for example, you make your little starting knot, you pull it up to the fabric gently, and then make a couple of back stitches, one on top of the other, to really anchor that spot, and then you start your sewing. And you can do a similar thing at the end, just to make sure that both of those points are really secure.

Caroline: Ooh, okay, I learned this technique from Bernadette Banner and I used it so much when I was sewing my wedding dress. This little backstitch tip is incredible. If you haven’t tried it, definitely try it. Try to keep your hand and needle above the fabric. So instead of putting your needle down into the fabric and pulling the thread down to the end and then poking the needle back up, try inserting the needle and bring it back up at the next place it needs to be, and then pulling the thread from above. This is a lot faster. You can’t do this with every hand sewing task, like sewing on buttons, but for most of them you can.

Helen: Yeah, big time saver. A lot of hand sewing manuals from the past recommend keeping your thread at 18 inches or less. This prevents those really frustrating tangles that make you pull out a bunch of your work. Like, it’s just so frustrating, especially when you don’t notice them underneath the project and then you, like, flip it over and you’re like, “Wait, what? No!”

Caroline: What do you do in that situation, Helen?

Helen: I don’t know, cry?

Caroline: But do you start over or do you just, like, leave, leave the little, little hangy bits?

Helen: No, I would probably cut that out because, like, it could un-nest and then there’s going to be all this slack in the thread line, right? So I think the best thing to do would be to go back to that point and redo it or put extra stitches on it or secure it somehow. I mean, you gotta do something, I think.

Caroline: I’ve been known to, like, take the little nest at the back and just tie it in a little knot and trim it…

Helen: Oh, you know what, that’s really smart!

Caroline: Like, so that…because…or, I’ve definitely just, like, trimmed it and been like, “You know what? Out of sight, out of mind. I’ll redo this button at a later date.”

Helen: Oh my gosh.

Caroline: Like, if I’ve stitched it enough, I’ll just…

Helen: When it falls off…when it falls off tomorrow I’ll figure that out.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, I just revealed my secrets.

Helen: I like the idea of untangling it and then tying it in a knot. That’s a great solution.

Caroline: If the end of your thread is fuzzy and kind of hard to thread, you can fold the thread near the end and then hold the fold close to the top of your pinched fingers to make like a little point and then slide the eye of the needle over that point. You could also clip the end of the thread to take the fuzz off, sometimes that works, too. I also find, with hand sewing, if you have, like, a thread wax or I have, oh my gosh, what is it called? Like, thread magic or, I don’t think they make it anymore, but I still have this, like, precious little square of it and I always run my thread through that before I hand sew and it really helps with avoiding those like knots and tangles and it just gives the thread a little bit more strength and just makes it easier to use.

Helen: Yeah. Yeah. And you can get needle threaders, too, different kinds, if you struggle with threading the needle. It is so annoying.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay, Caroline, this next section is for you: buttonholes.

Caroline: Ugh. Yeah.

Helen: These are tricky and we hear a lot of sewists say that they avoid them because they’re scared of them or tried doing them, but they turned out badly. Once you get comfy with buttonholes, your pattern options really open up. And buttons are amazing, but the price of having buttons and buttonholes on your garment is learning to do good buttonholes. So for this one, I would definitely recommend testing, testing, testing. It’s not just about testing your machine. You also want to test out the tension and the size of the buttonhole. Use some scraps of fabric and interfacing, the same number of layers that you will have on your finished button placket or cuff or whatever it is you’re applying the button to, and then test out your settings until you’re happy with the result. Make sure to push the button through the test buttonhole to make sure that it fits nicely. Not too snug, not too loose. You want it just right.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Some people are disappointed by how sparsely their machine stitches their buttonholes. So if you want a sturdier result, you can always sew it a second time right on top of the first one. Whew, that would stress me out too. What if it works once and then not the second time? I’ve been burned!

Helen: That is stressful. Yeah. Ideally you have machine settings that let you really tighten up those stitches, but it’s, it’s frustrating when they’re, like, kind of sparse. ‘Cause you’re like, “Well, if I clip it into this, it’s just gonna unravel. Like, this is not enough stitches.”

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You can also use Fray Check before you cut your buttonholes open. It keeps them neat and free of loose threads after you open them up. But if you’re nervous about putting Fray Check on your fabric, you can test it on some scraps to make sure that it’s not going to change the look of the fabric. Fray Check, if you’re not aware, is kind of like a little liquid glue almost. It’s, like, clear liquid that you just sort of dab onto the buttonhole. I swear by this stuff. I put it on all my buttonholes.

Caroline: Yeah, me too. And it really doesn’t, I haven’t had a bad experience with it, like, staining my fabric, but I do always test it, just to be sure.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Super pointy, thin scissors like Gingher embroidery scissors are great for cutting buttonholes open. The nice thing is that you can push your scissors through the fabric to start cutting without having to snip a hole first.

Helen: But whatever scissors you use, you want to make sure they’re sharp to the tips. So, line up the tip of your scissors to the end of the buttonhole before you snip. And if you need extra help, you can put a pin at the ends of the buttonhole opening so that you won’t accidentally snip through it. The only issue with this is that you might nick your scissors on the pins. I’ve seen those method, too, where you do the pin and then the seam ripper. That makes me so nervous. I do not like that. I don’t like seeing it. I don’t like even talking about it. I’m, I’m mad that I brought it up. Don’t do it.

Caroline: It had to be mentioned. It had to be mentioned. Just don’t do it. Cautionary tale. I have seen many sewists complain that they’ve cut right through their fabric with this method. So…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: It’s not foolproof, failsafe, none of that. Don’t do it.

Helen: It’s not foolproof. And it dulls your tools, right? You don’t want to be jamming your seam ripper up against a pin.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. I, personally, have a buttonhole cutter. Maybe this is a really niche sewing room tool, but it’s, like, a little Clover buttonhole cutter. I find it super satisfying. You can just cut right into it. You have to have, like, a surface underneath, like a cutting mat or something, so you don’t ruin your table. But I find this works really well and that I’m not stressing about cutting through anything.

Helen: And, pro-tip, you don’t need to buy a specialty buttonhole cutter. It’s literally just a little chisel. So if you have, like, maybe a woodworker in your life, they might have a set of chisels that you could use one of those, or you can just go to the hardware store and buy a small chisel. That’s what I have. It’s just, like, a woodworking chisel and it works great.

Caroline: All right, another one of my fiddly things that I don’t love, but we’re going to talk about it: it’s welt pockets. These are notorious for being fiddly.

Helen: It’s so true. I think one of the reasons that they have such a scary reputation is that it’s hard to visualize the entire process of how they’re done. If you’re looking at a photo tutorial or a pattern instruction booklet and feeling intimidated and confused, it probably will help to watch a video so you can visualize the entire process. And then that will give you a bit more confidence.

Caroline: Yeah. And this is one of those techniques that really benefits from a practice run. Emily from In the Folds recommends doing the pockets one at a time instead of assembly line-style. You’re gonna learn a bunch from doing the first one. You can bring all that knowledge to the second one. Or do a test one and then bring all that knowledge to the second and third ones that are on the real garment. I probably wouldn’t sew a welt pocket for the first time on the garment that I want to wear. Like, I think I would always recommend doing it on some scrap fabric. Low stakes, learn all the lessons before you’re actually cutting into your precious pants or skirt or jacket or wherever you’re going to have that welt pocket.

Helen: Yeah. 100%. And you want to use very short stitches to sew the welt to the main piece. This strengthens the opening and keeps threads from poking out at the corners when you turn that welt to the inside.

Caroline: Once again, use scissors that are sharp to the tips when you’re cutting the Y shape into the corners of the opening. You want to get as close to the stitches as you can without cutting into them. This is really important because you gotta get really close or else you’re going to get little puckers in the corners.

Helen: Yeah. And after you turn the welt to the wrong side, you press it thoroughly on the wrong side and then on the right side. This is going to help you to get the corners perfectly flat. You really gotta take your time with welts. And it can be a really enjoyable process if you’re not, like, pressed for time or feeling super stressy. So it’s not one that I would recommend doing, you know, late into the evening or at the end of your sewing session. It’s probably one you want to do with fresh eyes, you know?

Caroline: Totally. Yeah, one thing I’ll also say about welt pockets is, if you end up with, like, corners that aren’t perfect, or maybe you clipped too far into the corner and you have a tiny little hole and you’re worried about it fraying and getting bigger as you wear the garment, you can do a little bar tacks, like, on the edges of your welt pocket. I find this works really well with, like, a bottomweight fabric, maybe not necessarily for, like, a wool coat or something, but if you just sew little bar tacks along those short ends of the welt, it sort of like locks in that corner, locks in that edge. Gives it a little bit more of like a workwear look, but I think it works really well in certain applications and it hides all the things that might be wrong with those corners if you’re struggling.

Helen: Just reinforce that area. Yeah. It’s tricky because these are pockets, so they’re under a lot of stress when you’re putting your hands in and out or putting your phone in and out. So it’s definitely an area that you want to make sure is secure. Okay, we’re down to our last fiddly sewing technique for the episode. And it is shirring. Or shearing. Or shirring. Shearing?

Caroline: Ed Sheeran? What?

Helen: Ed Sheeran?

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Helen: I say shirring. You say shearing. Let’s call the whole thing off. I don’t know.

Caroline: Tomato, tom-ah-to. Yeah, no joke. Um, Helen, what do you think about shirring?

Helen: Uh, I’ve only done it once, so I feel like that’s not really fair. I didn’t enjoy it that much, but, yeah, it was a while ago too, so I feel like I really gotta give it another chance. You’ve done quite a bit recently.

Caroline: Yeah, I did a lot last summer, or two summers ago, maybe two summers ago. And then I did a lot again this summer when I made a dress for my sister-in-law. And I’ve done it a little bit on, like, back panels. It was one of those techniques that, like, felt so intimidating. And it was annoying, like, don’t get me wrong. Shirring, I wouldn’t call it fun, like, I wouldn’t ever call it fun, but, but it is super satisfying when you get it right, and it looks really good, and it’s just, like, a really beautiful finish on a garment, it makes things easier to fit, like, I think it has its redeeming qualities. Would do again. It’s one of those ones that, you know, once you learn it, you’re like, “Yes, I got this!” and it doesn’t feel as crazy. One of the biggest tips that I have with shirring is to mark your lines. This feels like it takes forever, but it’s so worth it. Even if you’re sewing lines that are, like, the same width as your sewing machine foot, because you have to stretch out your fabric as you’re sewing. And once you sew one line, your fabric gets kind of puckery. It’s really hard to sew accurately if those lines aren’t marked out. Like, you might think you can, but I’m here to tell you, you can’t. Or if you can, you are, like, working miracles over there. But, like, I could not do it without marking my lines. It just got super wonky. And once you go off with shirring, like, you can’t get back on the road. Like, you’re off, you know?

Helen: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it makes a difference in the final result, like, it’s visibly off, right? Yeah, and you definitely need to test out your machine settings before you start shirring on your fabric. So, probably increasing the tension. Usually the goal is to get the fabric to shrink by about 50 percent, so this is one of those situations where testing is mandatory.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: You get your scrap fabric, you figure it out, and then you can start on your project.

Caroline: Oh, and one thing to remember is, like, once you get your little panel of shirring off the machine, go over to your iron and steam it. Because the steam is going to shrink everything up and it’s just going to give you a, like a much more finished, beautiful final result. So it might not seem like your fabric shrunk enough once you sew it, but once you take it over to your iron and steam it, it’s going to shrink even more. It’s going to look even better. So don’t, like, think you did something wrong until you take it over to your iron and make sure.

Helen: Oh, Caroline, what a hot tip!

Caroline: Speaking of tips, Geri in Stitches has some great shirring tips on her Instagram, and we’re going to share a few that we love. When you’re hand winding your bobbins, drop the elastic thread in a little cup so it won’t roll away. My own tip is to hand wind a few bobbins at once so that you don’t have to pause to wind in the middle of your sewing. Also, like, when you’re hand winding bobbins, you have to use the same tension every time. It really makes a difference if you’re not using that same tension for every bobbin. So if you’re winding them all at the same time and wind more than you think you’re gonna need, then you’re setting yourself up more for success. ‘Cause if you end up having to, like, stop in the middle of sewing and wind a new bobbin, your tension might be different. Like it’s, it’s such a nuanced thing. So try to do it all at once.

Helen: That makes sense. And for bobbins, Geri recommends buying a bobbin case that’s just for shirring or for thicker threads. Then you can turn the bobbin screw a quarter turn counterclockwise to loosen the tension. You can also do this with your regular bobbin case. You’ll need to turn the screw back when you’re ready for the regular stitching again. And opinions in the sewing community are divided on whether or not you should ever mess with your bobbin case screw and we are, too, also divided. Caroline and I have debated this before. I’m more of a, like, make an informed decision to adjust the bobbin tension if you feel like you need to, and Caroline’s team don’t touch the bobbin screw. So, you know, do it at your own risk.

Caroline: Yeah and, like, to be fair, I have evolved a little bit as a sewist and I have touched my bobbin screw. I’m just going to put that out there. I don’t want to feel like a fraud. I want you all to know the truth. I’ve, I touched my bobbin screw and it’s okay.

Helen: Good for you.

Caroline: Thank you. Feels really good to get that off my chest.

Helen: Yeah. This is a good idea, though. ‘Cause you can just get another bobbin case and then you can mess with that case and you don’t have to worry about your original one.

Caroline: So true. Adding a band of elastic to the top or bottom of a shirred bodice can help it to keep its shape and its place on your body. At the top, you can fold over the top edge to make a channel, and at the bottom you can sew a band of fabric on the wrong side. You’re going to need to make these channels before you start shirring, so keep that in mind. A lot of the patterns I’ve used do this. They have that sort of anchoring elastic at the top and bottom. ‘Cause shirring is nice and stretchy, but it’s not necessarily, uh, like, it doesn’t have good hold, you know. It’s not going to suck everything in. So it’ll support better at that top edge, if you have some elastic in there.

Helen: Yeah, definitely. And Geri also recommends holding the fabric down with one of her fingers as it comes out from under the foot so that it bunches up. She says it makes the shirring tighter and more even. I haven’t tried this technique, but I really want to. And Geri’s shirring looks amazing. So we’re gonna link all these reels in the show notes so you can see all these tips in action if you’re working on a shirred project.

Caroline: Yes, well, that’s all we have for fiddly sewing tips for this episode. Sewing isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it, right?

Helen: It is so worth it. A lot of these tips have really satisfying elements to them. So it’s, you know, no risk, no reward as they say.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Well, should we just go back to regular fiddling?

Caroline: Yeah! Hit it, Helen! [fiddle music] And on that note, that’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. and her new account, “Helen Plays the Fiddle,” on Instagram. Go check it out. Fiddly Helen!

Helen: I wonder if there is such an account.

Caroline: We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, you can leave us a voicemail at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore at The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Buh bye!

Helen: Bye! I feel like next time I have like a struggle, fiddly moment in my sewing room, I’m going to play…

Caroline: Like, a fiddle music…

Helen: And it’s going to make me laugh. Break the tension. Yeah. And also really ratchet up the tension! You know when you’re trying to cook and you’re listening to, like, really intense music and all of a sudden you’re like, “Why am I so stressed out?”

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In this episode, we interview low-waste pattern designer Cris Wood! We chat with her about how her patterns work, her design process, and what draws her to low-waste patternmaking. We also talk about her cool and colourful personal sewing.

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

Show Notes: 

Find Cris Online: 

Cris’s Makes:

A post shared by Cris Wood (@criswoodsews)

A post shared by Cris Wood (@criswoodsews)

A post shared by Cris Wood (@criswoodsews)

A post shared by Cris Wood (@criswoodsews)

A post shared by Cris Wood (@criswoodsews)

Sewing Patterns:

Other Mentions:

A post shared by Cris Wood (@criswoodsews)

Transcript: 

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 and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s all we know how to talk about.

Helen: Today we’re interviewing low-waste pattern designer Cris Wood. We chat with her about how her patterns work, her design process, and what draws her to low-waste patternmaking. We also talk about her cool and colourful personal sewing.

Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Helen: Hello, Cris. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.

Cris: Hello, thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here.

Helen: Oh, we’re so excited to have you. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?

Cris: Yes, my name is Cris Wood and I am a pattern designer.

Helen: Ooh, We love having a pattern designer on the show. Cris, where are you from?

Cris: I was born in San Jose, California and lived all over California until I moved here to Seattle about seven years ago.

Caroline: Amazing. And we definitely want to hear all about your sewing journey. So can we kick it off with you just telling us how and when you learned to sew?

Cris: Yeah, absolutely. So I learned to sew when I was about 10 years old on the machine. My mother taught me how to do that after I’d shown a lot of interest in hand sewing. I was making clothes for my Barbies starting at about 8 or 9 years old, using my mom’s scraps and her orange plastic sewing kit, which I think a lot of people of my generation remember. Yeah, just sitting at the kitchen table and hand sewing. And then I spent a lot of time in her fabric stash and pattern stash, just looking at the illustrations. And I had an interest in fashion and clothes from a very early age. My mother sewed quite a bit. I think it was just pretty obvious to her that that was something I needed to learn. And so we sat down at the sewing machine and I think I sewed a bag, like a tote bag for my first project. And then I was in 4-H. So by the time I was like 13 or 14, I had moved on to, like, full outfits and garment sewing.

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Helen: Wow! That’s amazing. And have you been sewing ever since or has there been a period in your life where you haven’t sewn?

Cris: Yeah, I took a long break from sewing in my 20s. I just had a lot of things to work through and I didn’t have the right living situation. I think I was without a sewing machine for a while. And during that time I was playing music. So I also am a musician, and have been since a young age, as well. In my twenties, I shifted my focus to music. And then as my living situation changed and I, I didn’t move away from music ever, I’ve been in bands this whole time, but I don’t know, there just became a point where it was like, I was staying at home more, and I realized sewing was missing from my life, and I had opportunities to make costumes for my friends who were also in bands. So that’s how I got back into it. Was doing costuming for performers that were my friends that I, you know, just from my community of music people. And then after that, I was making custom garments out of scraps and vintage clothes. I started selling that stuff. And then I started selling handmade. And then I didn’t like that anymore and I started making patterns.

Helen: Long story short.

Cris: Long story short. Yeah. It’s been a long, it’s been decades of just trying to remain flexible and just doing what’s presented to me. So when I have the opportunity to make a change, then I just go with it.

Helen: You’re rolling with it. Well, I think a lot of our listeners can relate to taking a hiatus from sewing and then coming back to it later on in life. And I love that you were making stuff for your bandmates and for performances. That must’ve been so fun. And before we talk about your pattern company, I want to know, what instrument do you play?

Cris: I started on piano and then, really, I’m a vocalist. So I took voice lessons starting at 12 and all through high school. But I played bass. And I’ve played bass in many bands. And keyboard, yeah. And some percussion.

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Cris: So basically, whatever. I’m the person you call when you just need somebody.

Helen: Who can also make you a cool outfit to wear.

Cris: And I show up with my sewing machine and my microphone.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, do you, are you still playing music? Can we look you up and find some of your music online?

Cris: I’m not playing at the moment. So, just about a year ago, my band disbanded. We were called The Middle Ages. And before that, I had my own band called Crystalette and Company. We did 60s covers, deep soul cuts and stuff. And then a 60s girl group before that called The Bitter Honeys.

Caroline: That is so fun.

Helen: Oh my gosh, great name.

Cris: It’s all on, it’s all on Bandcamp if anyone wanted to check it out.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, will do. Amazing. Okay. We do want to talk about your pattern company, but wait, I also want to know, can you tell us a little bit more about the costumes that you made or the outfits that you made for performances?

Cris: Oh yeah, it’s really one of the most fun, creative times of my sewing journey. So for my own band, since we were like a 60s girl group, we had three women singing and playing on stage. And then the rest of the band behind us. So we really wanted that 60s, transport you into another time vibe. So I made these floor length sequined gowns, three different sets, and they were basically form-fitting, but like, one had a mermaid kind of skirt, one was a halter, one had a square neckline. So they’re all the same but different. And so I did that for my own bands. And then at the time, and this is the early 2000s, so it’s like very clubby, lots of spandex, lots of this no-wave sort of music movement. Lots of shiny spandex unitards and latex. And yeah, so fun, so much fun. And going to the club and seeing people in my outfits. And then a friend of mine who had a dance company, I made some outfits for them. And my kind of, this is a little bit off, but one of my friends is a performer who does like an ironic magicians show, an ironic magic show. It’s, like, very, very funny. And I made all the costumes for that show, which involved, like, a tear-away sequined white suit.

Caroline: Wow.

Helen: Wow.

Cris: Yeah, basically, whatever. Yeah, just like the craziest, most fun stuff during that period.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. If you can dig up any photos and you’re willing to share, I am dying to see some of these costumes. They sound incredible.

Cris: Yeah. 100%.

Caroline: All right. Segue over. I think we should talk about your amazing pattern company. It’s called Cris Wood Sews. And yeah, can you tell us a little bit more about how you came to start your pattern business and what the inspiration was behind that?

Cris: Yeah, so the year was 2020. The month was March, and…

Caroline: Okay. I remember it well.

Cris: Yes, so at the time, I was teaching sewing and after school programs to grade school kids, which was great and super fun. And I loved it. But when the pandemic hit, of course I couldn’t teach anymore. So I was just sitting at home, wondering what to do with myself. The company I worked for who employed all of these teachers was trying to get zoom set up and a system for online classes, which eventually we were able to do, but in the meantime, I had been sitting on this idea about releasing a dress that I had been making for myself and posting and that had been getting, a lot of people just seemed to like it. And so I thought, maybe I’ll take those chicken scratch notes of mine and write them out and see if I can, I don’t know, what happens if I just put it on Squarespace or something. I really had, it was such a weird time. It just seemed like, throw anything out there and see if it sticks. You know, it was like, I felt like I was in this blank space, waiting for, to see what was going to happen with my job. And so it wasn’t like, “Okay, I’m going to sit down and write a business plan.” And it wasn’t like that at all. It was sort of like, “What am I doing here?” And I had a few hundred dollars to spend on a graphic designer, a friend of mine. When I look back now, it’s, “Man, I had no clue what I was doing at all.” But I had a friend do a test for me and, yeah, I think my, my first website was on Squarespace, and I just went for it. And that’s how the ball got rolling.

Helen: We’re certainly glad that you went for it. And sometimes ignorance is bliss. If you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s okay. You could still put something out there, give it a try and learn on the go. And that’s exactly what you’ve done. You’ve built an amazing line of patterns over at Cris Woods [sic]. And your patterns are different from typical patterns that are out there. So can you explain how they work?

Cris: Sure. Yeah, very unconventional way of garment sewing. So, all of my patterns are made with rectangular pattern pieces. So every piece of the garment starts out as a rectangle. And because they’re rectangular pieces, you can use your own specific measurements to create the dimensions of those rectangles. Then you assemble the rectangles and you have a garment. So I think the ways that it’s most unconventional is that there’s no size limits and there’s no grading. So if you’re falling within, like me, I fall within three different sizes, usually, on any pattern. And so I do have to, always, you have to do some grading or on a traditional pattern, often. And that sort of eliminates that need because you’re going with your specifics. And then, because they’re all rectangles and fabric is in the shape of a rectangle, they’re low-waste as well, because you don’t have these kind of curved, odd shapes. So what you’re left over with is also more useful. Because it will be in a rectangle as well.

Caroline: Ah, yes, of course. And on your website, it says that your patterns are custom-sized, paper-free, and garment sewing patterns for beginners. So we wanted to know, what makes your patterns great for beginners?

Cris: Well, first thing is that it’s all straight seams. There’s no curves at all. So if you’re learning how to sew a straight seam, or you’re already there, you’re good to go. And there’s no closures at all, either. So no zippers, no buttons. For the more advanced beginner patterns, there’s some elastic insertion, but that’s about as complex as it’s going to get. They’re good starter patterns. If you’ve made a tote bag, you can start with the Start Here Top, which is a free pattern. And just, I don’t know, get the bearings of what it’s like to make a pattern like this.

Helen: Oh, that’s really cool. Aptly named, “Start Here Top.” I love that. And you mentioned that your patterns are like size limitless, so they really can work for any size. How does that work? Can you walk us through the process of figuring out what size to make a pattern?

Cris: Sure. Yeah. So let’s say we’re doing a bodice and we have the rectangle. So we’re going to use, depending on the length of the bodice, we’ll use the largest measurement. So let’s say the bodice goes to your hip length. You know, in a lot of cases, let’s say your hip is your biggest measurement. So you’re going to use that. And then there’s addition or subtraction for the ease. In the case of a knit fabric, you might subtract. Most of my patterns are woven. And you would enter in your hip measurement, maybe your neck measurement, and your bicep measurement to create the neck and sleeve openings. And then you just draw that rectangle and cut it out without needing to print or tape anything. You can draw directly on your fabric, which is nice. I don’t know if that really helps explain how it works.

Helen: No, it does, it does. I think a lot of our listeners would be very excited to hear that there’s no printing and taping involved…

Cris: Yes.

Helen: ‘Cause that is an arduous part of the process. But also maybe a little intimidated by the math that you’re talking about. Can we talk a little bit about the math?

Cris: Yes. Yeah, I think that’s always the, that’s the sticking point, you know, is, “Oh, but I have to do some work on the front end.” And that’s true. So instead of choosing your size, printing and taping it, you’re just doing a little bit of preparation on the front end. But these formulas are simplified so much. We’re doing, like, bust circumference plus 5 inches. Take that answer, divide it by 2. And there you go. It’s not complex at all. In fact, the idea that I even ended up doing this, like, math-based pattern making, it blows my mind, because I’m not someone who’s like, “Math is fun.” So, really, I’ve just made it so simple. If you have a phone calculator, you can do it. And it’s all in workbook style. So you’ve got a box to fill in and it tells you what to do next. Put it in the box and then you end up with your result. And then you can, I provide a template for all of the pattern pieces, and then you just write in your dimensions there.

Caroline: That actually sounds really fun. That was gonna be my next question: are we getting these formulas written out and we just have to fill in the little numbers as we go? And then there’s your answer.

Cris: Exactly. If you’re the kind of person who liked doing those, like, workbooks in the car on a road trip with your, when you were a kid, you’re gonna really like doing these. It’s like that. And then I do provide a layout. So the layout is actually really important for the sizing. So because they’re all rectangles, I don’t have to worry so much about grain, ‘cause there’s no curves. So the widths of each pattern piece are laid across the length of the fabric. That way, the width of your body is not limited by the width of the fabric.

Helen: Right. Smart. Yeah, cool.

Caroline: Does that…so, it’s almost like you’re cutting your pieces cross-grain a lot of the time so that you’re not, like, at the mercy of that like narrow fabric, if you’re using a narrow fabric.

Cris: Yeah, the fabric can’t change. So if you have a 60 inch width and you have a 65 inch hip, you’re using more fabric because, do you know what I’m saying? So you’re using more yardage or meterage. So, this way, it keeps…I think my fullest dress pattern for my size, which is about a standard 14, is about 3½ yards, which is reasonable, I think, or what’s expected. But yeah, so that’s the way we get the ability to not be limited by the fabric width and instead use that length.

Caroline: And I imagine if you’re working with a fabric that has like a direction or a nap or a print that wouldn’t work cross-grain, you can still cut something on the grain if that width allows.

Cris: Yes, absolutely. Yeah, it’s not a requirement, but that’s how you’re going to use the least amount of fabric. And if your measurements don’t allow you to use fabric in a directional way, then you have that option.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Yeah.

Cris: So you can lay it out any way you need to.

Caroline: It’s really great. It’s flexible and it feels kind of, like, I don’t know, “choose your own adventure” kind of sewing. You know, you can sort of make it work for your body, for the fabric that you have. And yeah. It’s, it’s really, really great.

Cris: Yeah. “Choose your own adventure” is, like, the perfect way to put it. I love it. So far we’re going back to childhood. We’ve got workbooks in the car. We’ve got “choose your own adventure.”

Caroline: One of the things, like, you describe your patterns as low-waste instead of zero waste. And I wanted to ask you to kind of elaborate on that, ‘cause there are some designers out there that claim to be zero waste, but you’re not making that claim. So what is the difference, would you say?

Cris: Oh, it’s size inclusivity. So the only way to make a perfectly zero waste pattern is to have a very specific layout. So a lot of times you’ll have zero waste patterns come in, like, a range. Say you’re size 0 through 8, say, and then 10 through 14 and so on. So that the layout is perfectly designed to use no waste at all. But with my patterns, in order to accommodate this no size limit, you have to have flexibility in the layout. And that just means that might be some leftovers. And they are minimal, but they are existent. And for some, I have one pattern that is totally zero waste. And that’s the Envelope Dress. But it also means you do have to have the correct width of the fabric for it to be completely zero waste. But that one, you calculate how much you need and then you just make it up and that’s it. Nothing left over. But that’s the only one, just because of the pattern pieces. So the more pattern pieces you have, say you have a facing, you have a yoke, a bodice, a skirt, then you’re getting into more pattern pieces and the layouts start getting more complex.

Helen: Mmhmm.

Cris: And because they’re always going to be different dimensions, they’re not going to fit on the fabric the same way every time for each person.

Helen: Yeah.

Cris: Does that make sense?

Helen: Oh, totally. Yeah. It makes a lot of sense. And I like what you said earlier about the fact that the leftovers are rectangles, which are really easy to use for other projects like tote bags or just patchwork. If you want to put them together and make more fabric, it’s easy to do that when everything’s cut on the grain or the cross-grain. It’s always satisfying when you have a nice solid piece left over, not a bunch of little scraps.

Cris: Yeah. Or like weird little shapes. I like to save them and use them for, like, under, you know, make a collar that’s two-sided. So maybe the under collar is a different colour, or pockets or facings. And then, I also have a friend who does quilting. So that’s the most obvious use of a rectangle or square is…I don’t quilt.

Helen: What?

Cris: I, I know, controversial, but I don’t quilt. But I do have a friend that makes amazing quilts. And so she gets all of my scraps.

Helen: Well, that’s awesome. I’m curious if you, like, how you came across zero waste patterns, what drew you to this low-waste pattern making, and when did you start doing this?

Cris: The design came first. So it was really just, “This is a cool garment and I can make it with this one piece of fabric.” And so I just started making it for myself, over and over. And the zero waste aspect was, I don’t want to say it wasn’t a consideration, but it wasn’t what I set out to do. What I set out to do is make a cool garment that I wanted to wear. And then what I liked about it was that it was made with one piece and I could adjust it to fit me, depending on any weight fluctuations, or if I just wanted it to look bigger or smaller, it was just super easy to do that. And I’ve just found it very versatile. And then it was only, I think on my second pattern, I thought, “Oh, I wonder what else I can make with rectangles.” And then that led me to start realizing, “Okay, these are the benefits of this type of pattern. If I can continue making these, then that’s the category that they’re in.” So it was a little bit backwards.

Caroline: It’s interesting. ‘Cause we were talking about feeling a little bit intimidated by doing the math and all the numbers, but I, I actually think that your patterns almost, like, evoke this, like, childlike curiosity, inner child vibe, because you’re like…like, when I was younger and I started sewing, that’s what I was doing. I was cutting out rectangles. I was like, “Does this fit on my body? Okay, let’s sew it together.” Like, straight lines. Like, it feels very simple, but it also gives a lot of space for creativity and just, like, letting the fabric guide you, letting the, like, feeling guide you. So I love that about your designs and your patterns, is that they’re just, like, fun and creative and they just make me feel like a big kid.

Cris: That’s awesome. I love that. That’s definitely what my designer, if I was to categorize myself, what kind of designer are you? That’s exactly what I would say. It’s down at a table with a bunch of scraps and see what you can do. That’s sort of my, my whole sort of thing. I didn’t go to fashion school. I didn’t go to design school. So my approach really is, I would say, really is very childlike in that way, in a playful, in a playful way.

Caroline: I love that.

Helen: It is, yeah.

Cris: I try to make sure the designs are elegant and fashionable. But as far as the approach goes, it is, “Let’s play.”

Caroline: For sure. And they are very elegant and very fashionable. And I think there’s this common misconception that zero waste or low-waste patterns are, like, shapeless because they’re a bunch of rectangles. But I’d love for you to help us convince our listeners that this isn’t true.

Cris: Oh, I love this question. Well, there’s a lot you can do with a rectangle. One is you can make it into a triangle. So a lot of my most recent patterns use an A-line skirt, and then the scraps from the A-line become pockets. So you can make a rectangle into other shapes just by cutting off diagonals, or squares into the square, like for a neckline, for example. And then there’s a lot of techniques you can use to create shape. Elastic is one way I do it. One of my dresses, so it has a knit bodice, so, which creates shape. It’s got a tight bodice and a full skirt. Belting, of course, is an option, like a, a belt that’s included in the, not just on the outside, belted up, but incorporated into the design. Those are the, the three main ways that I create shaping. Or four, sorry. Cutting into the pattern shape, elastic, using knit fabrics, and incorporating ties into the design.

Caroline: Yeah, no, it is great. And I encourage our listeners to go and check out your library of sewing patterns. It’s actually surprising how many patterns you can create just with this low-waste or zero waste concept. I also wonder what inspires you as a designer. How do you come up with your designs?

Cris: Okay. So basically I’m a total, like, obsessed fashion person and I have been since I was a little kid. And when I say little, I mean like, around the time I started machine sewing I was looking at these, kind of, new wave fashion magazines. ‘Cause this was something my older brother was into. He was into punk and art punk and, like, European design. So he actually introduced me to Issey Miyake. And I was really young. I’m like 13 or 14 and learning about all these Japanese fashion designers. And I think what really appealed to me about these sort of more contemporary designers is that they were very tongue-in-cheek, so, funny, but always based in geometry. So it’s: here’s a circle. We’re going to put arm holes in it and, and a neckline in it and it’s going to become a garment. But that’s a very simplified way of putting it. But it’s like, when you look at the garment itself, you can see the shapes involved. And that just really appealed to me because it seemed more like engineering than fashion. So they have a timelessness to them. Because they’re not trend. And so that really started me thinking about fashion and clothing and garments as shapes. And just seeing: these are the shapes that you can make. And wear. Who doesn’t want to wear a circle? It’s so fun.

Helen: It is the funnest shape to wear, I think.

Cris: We can all agree.

Helen: We can all agree. Swishes and swishes of fabric. I’m curious, when you’re working on your patterns, do you start with sketching out ideas on paper or do you go straight to draping yourself in fabric so you can see how it’s going to hang and stuff like that?

Cris: The first thing I do when I have an idea is, I used to go straight to fabric, but now, as I become more comfortable in my own design, I’ve changed that up to going straight to the computer. And I just use a computer program to draw my rectangles and piece them together and then separate them into the different pattern pieces. So I do “sketch” on the computer with the different rectangles and move them around. And then I go to the fabric and give it my best shot. It’s a kind of a guessing game where I’m thinking, “Okay, how much ease do I want on this? Oh, maybe about four inches on each side.” And then I’m figuring out, “Okay, how am I going to do that?” And I’m writing down notes and then adjusting that as I go. So I do get a lot of my fabrics from a store called Seattle Recreative. So, Seattleites, you might know about this place. It’s like a thrift store for craft supplies. They have everything you could think of: printmaking, jewelry making, all kinds of stuff, and they often have large pieces of fabric, so that’s how I managed to make, make up samples, and I really, I’m always crossing my fingers that it works out the first couple times, because I don’t want to be using so much fabric. But that’s the name of the game when you design, it’s just, you have to make up samples. I try to do my best to make samples that are wearable, but also are coming from a smart place. But yeah. So that’s what I do. It is a playful vibe.

Helen: And do you have a favourite pattern in your collection? Like one that you keep coming back to?

Cris: Maybe slightly an underdog, but I love the Throw Jacket. I make it all the time and I make it with sleeves in like a cotton jacquard, that really squishy one from the, the, Merchant and Mills’s squishy cotton jacquard that, that we all know and love. I’ve made one of those with long sleeves. It’s so cozy and comfy, in the house or out. It’s just like a throw over anything and be put together and, and cozy. And it’s really versatile. So I’ve made it in sheer fabrics. I’ve made it in linen. I’ve made it in wool. I’ve made it in a sweater knit, stable sweater knit, I’ll say that. So yeah, that’s probably my favourite one.

Helen: Yeah, that’s a great one. You can never have too many of those, kind of, throw on over any outfit, take it to the next level kind of garments. And I love the concept of a pattern underdog. I’m totally stealing that.

Cris: I think, definitely if you’re a pattern designer, you know what I’m talking about. There’s those ones where you’re like, “Why doesn’t everyone love it?” Like, you know, it’s like, “I’m the mother of this pattern and I think it’s the best.”

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: You also share so many amazing makes from the sewing community on your Instagram. How does it feel to see people making and wearing your patterns?

Cris: Oh, it’s the best part. It really is the best part. I mean, it’s kind of amazing, right? It’s like, I wonder if this is what it’s like to be a chef and you make this recipe and you’re like, crossing your fingers like, “Oh, I hope it works for them the way it worked for me.” And then they have a delicious meal and you just feel so sustained by that. It just feels really good to have given someone a good experience. And it’s just ink on paper that you’re handing over to somebody. And then they’re able to have an experience with it that ends in something that they love to wear and want to show off. It just feels great. It makes me feel like, I don’t know, like I’ve given someone a gift. I think that’s what feels so great about it is, I know how sewing something successful feels to me. It feels great. And the experience of sewing, if it’s enjoyable, it’s an emotional thing, right? It’s, like, stress relieving and it’s exciting. And so knowing people are doing that with my patterns, it’s really rewarding.

Caroline: Oh, this is making me slightly emotional, honestly, because it is, like, incredible, the impact that you can have as a pattern designer, where you’re not just giving people that gift of the experience of sewing and holding their hand through that and being able to help them get to that end result, but then they get to wear the end result and feel good in it. And that, like, impact continues into their day-to-day life. And like, clothes, wearing clothes that you love can have such a huge effect on your self esteem and just, like, how you move through the world. So it is such a gift to be able to design patterns and it sounds like you really appreciate that as well. It’s so sweet.

Cris: Aw, thank you. My heart’s in the right place.

Helen: Yeah, it really is. And, okay, before we move on to our next little segment here, we want to briefly touch on the Fabric Genius Calculator, because it’s so cool. So can you tell our listeners about it?

Cris: Yeah, so the Fabric Genius, basically, it does some of the fabric requirement calculations for you. For any pattern, you plug in your measurements, not all of them, but just the required ones. So let’s say, your bust circumference, hip circumference, bicep circumference, or something like that. And then the calculator will just tell you how much fabric you need and what width. And that’s it.

Helen: Amazing. And this is for your patterns, specifically, we should be clear.

Cris: Yeah. These are just for my patterns. This has actually been a difficulty, is that I don’t have a pattern requirements chart that I can share. So, in a particular listing, I can’t say, “Oh, for this size, you’re gonna need this much fabric,” because I don’t know what size you are, exactly. So the fabric calculator, I felt, was really, really missing because I think a lot of people, maybe they have a fabric already and they’re thinking, “Oh, what’s the perfect pattern for this fabric?” And then they find it and they’re like, “I don’t know if it’s going to work unless I buy the pattern.” So that’s for that person. And it just makes it easy. I know, as a customer, it’s, if I can just push a button, that’s, like, the best.

Helen: Yeah, so true.

Cris: So right now, unfortunately, the process of making the calculator is very, what do I want to say? It’s very complicated on the back end. And so I’m just catching up to my latest pattern. But the most popular ones are on there. And then for my latest ones, we’ll get those up and running very shortly.

Caroline: Okay. Awesome.

Helen: Nice. Very cool. Alright. We’re going to switch gears a little bit here and talk about your personal style because it’s really fun and inspiring seeing the clothes that you make on Instagram. And you post over there quite a lot. So we encourage all our listeners to go and give you a follow. But for anyone who isn’t following you yet, can you describe your personal style?

Cris: Yeah, I can try. I feel like my style is so eclectic. I’m all over the place. On one hand, you might see one day in a very streamlined, oversized, geometric kind of look, and then the next day I might be wearing something that’s very poofy and has bows on it. I love vintage, always have loved vintage, of every era. So that’s always in my mind. I love the, kind of, art punk scene. I would say, in general, if I was going to generalize, I would say, think of, and this is a very specific reference…

Caroline: I can’t wait.

Cris: I might be dating myself quite a bit, but think of an 80s New York art gallery owner. And that’s sort of where my whole thing is coming from.

Caroline: I see it.

Cris: Anything that she would wear, I would wear. So yeah, and, and really, I just like things that are bold. So bold colours, bold shapes, bold sizing.

Caroline: Amazing. Do you have any style icons that you look to for inspiration?

Cris: That’s a really hard question. I would say, instead of a specific icon, I do have, like, some books and some authors that are photographers who’ve compiled all of these looks, mostly street style photography. So street style photography Instagram, I follow quite a few. One of those that’s been the most inspiring to me in the past few years is Ari Cohen’s Advanced Style. So these are two books, this street photographer, and the subject matters are women and men over a certain age, so like, in their seventies or eighties, just in the most incredible outfits, just totally free with colour and design. And it’s, I think for me, that’s really inspiring, because I think in our society, we have this idea that you should fade into the background as you get older. Stay away from trend, stay away from colour, stay away from youthful, whatever that means, fashion. And so this just breaks that mould. And, to me, is very punk rock, right? Like, there’s no rules except you like it and that’s all there is. And so, yeah, that’s Advanced Style. So you can find that on Instagram. And then the two books are great. And then of course, I’m thinking of Bill Cunningham who, another street photographer who took pictures, I think, beginning In the 70s, I really hope I’m right about this, but in the 70s through the 2000s, when he passed. And these are photographers who have such an eye for style. And then also in the case of Bill Cunningham, for trend. You just really get this, I don’t know, this whole collection of looks and ideas that are coming from the imaginations of all of these different people. I can’t nail down, pin down just one person or two people, but I would say, I’d look to the street photographer to kind of do that sort of sorting for me.

Helen: I think that’s great advice. We haven’t really talked about street style photography that much on the podcast, but it is an excellent place for inspiration. And we’re definitely going to link up those books. I want to get my hands on that. That sounds awesome.

Cris: Yeah, great.

Helen: Do you have any favourite things that you’ve made over the years that you’d like us to highlight for our listeners?

Cris: Yes. So my very favourite thing that I’ve made in the past few years has been one of my own patterns, a Throw Jacket, which we were talking about earlier. And I made it out of, it’s oversized, so it’s, like, really wide. It’s like basically a big square because I wanted to use all of the fabric that I bought with nothing left over. And it’s an Issey Miyake grey wool that has, like, little fuzzies coming off of it. And the grey is all different tones. And it’s so thick and it’s heavy, like one of those comfort blankets, you’d be like, a weighted blanket, like that. It feels so good, but it looks so, I don’t know, to me, it just looks like a very confident garment. I put it on and I feel like, “Yes! People are going to notice this and think, ‘That’s a fashionable person.’” And I like that feeling. Got to admit, that is, I dress for myself, but it is nice to think, “Oh, I might get a compliment from this one.” But yeah, that’s probably my favourite garment that I’ve made. And partially because Issey Miyake was involved, who’s one of my favourite designers.

Caroline: Awesome. Selfishly, I also want to talk about fabric a little bit with you. And I’m wondering, when you’re shopping for fabric online, or if you’re in a fabric shop, what are you looking for? Like, what draws you in?

Cris: So, the first thing I look for is colour. I call it, like, if something makes my eyes vibrate, where I’m like, you know, like two colours coming together where I’m like, “Ah, I can’t even, like, really look at it, even, like, it’s so it’s vibrating so much.” And I love that. That’s, like, my favourite, favourite thing. I love a bright colour. I love colour combinations that are unexpected. And I like fabrics that are non-directional. There’s something about it, just makes me feel like I have more options. And I don’t usually go for a symmetrical pattern. I don’t know if that’s just my personality or not, but I, I like really abstract prints. I tend to like more abstract prints. And definitely a textural kind of component too. So, for example, if I’m shopping for a solid or I see a solid, it’s always got to have some texture to it. Something, even if it’s just, like, a washed cupro, that’s something that has that velvety feeling and a slight nap to it. That’s really cool to me. Or I love a seersucker. Anything with a nice texture to it. Or a clip dot, like a Swiss dot or something like that. Corduroy. I just feel like if you’re going to do a solid, it’s nice to do it in various textures. So when you combine your solids together in an outfit, you’ve got a little bit more interest there. And it’s almost like a pattern, but a little more subtle. That’s what I look for.

Helen: You’ve got great taste in fabrics. And I’m partially saying that because I would wear every single one of the things that I’ve seen you post. I think we have very similar taste. I also love a bold print and I love clashing colours, so I can relate to this so much. Do you have a lot of fabric in your stash?

Cris: I don’t, actually. This might surprise people, but I really don’t. When I’m making for myself, I don’t buy fabric first. I have the pattern first or the idea first. Then I go out and look for the fabric. That way I don’t end up with a bunch of fabric that I haven’t used. And it’s not to say that I don’t do that from time to time. Sometimes you stumble on something and you’re like, “Oh, I just need this.” And I’m going to guess three yards. I tend to just buy three yards whenever I’m out.

Helen: Same.

Cris: You know, if I, there’s something, I don’t know. I’m like, I don’t know. Three seems good. So there are times when I’ll do that, but generally I don’t because then I find that it just sits around. And it works better if I do, for me, if I do it the other way. I also work in a small space, so I don’t have a ton of room. So yeah, that’s just how I do it. Works better for me.

Helen: I mean, I think we would, I’ll say, that’s the smart way to do it, but it’s probably not the way that most of us do it. I know I’m guilty of that. I always just buy the fabric first and figure out what I’m going to do with it later.

Caroline: What’s your fabric stash like, Helen?

Helen: We can’t get into that. We can’t get into that.

Cris: No shame.

Caroline: No shame at all. No, absolutely. Cris, what’s on your sewing table right now? What are you working on?

Cris: I’m actually working on my latest pattern. So the one that just came out yesterday, I just announced it on Instagram, it’s called the Garden Dress. And I have that on my table right now. The reason I have it out on my table right now is ‘cause I bought the, this fabric for it back two whole weeks ago when it was super hot and sunny and these pastel florals made a lot of sense. And now we’ve just had a rainstorm and it’s cloudy and 60 degrees. So this is Seattle. So I feel like, “Oh, I gotta bust this one out before I’m covering it up with a sweater or something.” So.

Helen: I can relate to this.

Cris: Oh, I don’t know what it is, just always picking fabrics or wanting to make garments or use fabrics that are out of the weather, like, what the weather is. I don’t know what it is about me, but like it’ll be the dead of winter and I’m like, I don’t know, “I think I need a sheer cover up right now, right?”

Caroline: You’re planning ahead.

Helen: It’s a good thing, yeah, clothes don’t go bad. So you’ll get a chance to wear them.

Cris: Well, some making is just like having a snack. There’s no real sense to it. It’s just like, “I want to snack on some crackers right now. I want a snack on a sheer, you know, a sheer cover-up.”

Caroline: I love that.

Helen: Yeah, that is genius. Just have a snack. Let yourself, just, treat yourself.

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Helen: When this episode comes out, it’s almost Halloween, and we saw that you’ve posted your own sewing horror story on your Instagram. Can you share this cautionary tale with our listeners?

Cris: Oh, absolutely. Okay. So every Halloween for the past few years, I think, I post, “Share your horror stories,” and it could be anything from, like, you know, it’s usually like a physical thing, but sometimes it’s just “Oh, I, on the very last stitch of something, I completely ruined it” or, you know, it’ll be like something that makes you feel bad, but in a fun way. Anyway, so, my horror story is that I was sewing some latex pants for a friend. And it was like that shiny latex. And basically, I made every mistake possible. I was in a hurry, I was not conscientious, I did not prepare, and I used an old needle. I didn’t use the right presser foot. I think if I had used a silicone presser foot it would have slipped through more easily than a metal one. I’m not sure because I didn’t bother to test it or try. So here I am, I’ve got, like, four layers of latex that I’m trying to sew through. And I’m just, like, pushing it through. I’m trying to get out the door in half an hour. Another very common mistake is sewing when you have very limited time or like you’re in a time crunch. And so I’m just, like, pushing this fabric through and paying way more attention on getting it through than the placement of my hands. And so I sewed right through the tip of my finger. And it went through the top of my nail and then down into my finger. And it came back, so, the needle came back up…

Helen: Oh, God.

Caroline: Yeah.

Cris: But the tip of the needle was missing. And it was stuck inside my finger.

Helen: Oh, It broke in your finger?!

Cris: It broke inside!

Helen: Oh, God.

Cris: Luckily, at that time, I lived right across the street from a hospital, from the emergency room. So, I just sort of, like, walked out my front door, walked into the emergency room. I was like, “I hurt my finger.” It didn’t, actually didn’t hurt that bad. That’s the thing, I think, because even though the needle was old, it wasn’t very sharp, so it wasn’t too bad. It hurt, but I wasn’t crying or anything.

Helen: If you cry, then, yeah, you’re not on Cris’s level.

Cris: There’s no, there’s no tears in sewing. No, no, there are many. But anyway, so, they had to cut my finger open and take the little tip out. And I have a really cool X-ray that I like to share every year. Very spooky.

Helen: The X-ray’s really spooky. I love that.

Cris: It’s very spooky, but it’s a cautionary tale because those are the things that you should never do. Never be in a hurry. Always change your needle, always test your fabric, and don’t push. If you’re forcing it, something is not right. Anyway.

Helen: Well, thank you for sharing.

Cris: Do as I say, not as I did.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. I’m still, like, recovering from the shard of needle in the finger. Well, to end us off, can you share a sewing tip that you love with our listeners?

Cris: The first thing that I think of is for a very, very, very beginner sewer. So you got, your machine’s set up, you’ve got it threaded, and you’re like, “Now what? How do I even sew a straight seam?” Well, you line up the right edge of your presser foot with the edge of the fabric. Don’t watch your needle, watch your presser foot, and you’re gonna get a straight seam. I feel like there’s so much assumed knowledge in beginner sewing. That’s stuff that nobody ever tells you unless you have someone teaching you. And I feel like that’s a, really, that’s one that a lot of beginner sewers who I’ve taught before never learn, “Oh, you don’t have to watch the needle to make sure it’s straight. Just use your presser foot.” That’s the best way. So that would be a tip to my very, very beginner sewers. And then, just, the other tip would be: keep it clean. Always clean your machine between projects. No lint. Lint is the enemy. So, in your bobbin casing, take that thing out, clean it out. Your serger. Just keep it clean. Change out your needle. Hygiene.

Helen: I feel like you’re talking directly to me, Cris. Fine, I’ll do it. Fine.

Caroline: God.

Cris: Wagging my finger at you.

Caroline: Yeah. Keep it clean, Helen. Keep it clean.

Helen: My serger, especially, like, when you open that little window, that little door on the side…

Caroline: Oh my gosh. That’s a sewing horror story in itself.

Helen: Yeah, it’s true.

Cris: Yeah. You’re like, there’s a little sweater in there.

Caroline: It is so true that there’s so much assumed knowledge, Like, I was teaching my sister-in-law to sew recently, and she, like, gets at the machine and I was like, “Okay, like, start sewing.” And she was like, like she didn’t even know that you have to, like, lower the presser foot to, like, get it going. Like, there’s, like, these little things that we just do automatically, that if you’ve never sat at a sewing machine, you just don’t know. So, taking it back to basics. I love that.

Cris: Yeah. I learned that from teaching kids, because the age group was about seven to nine. So it was really, like, every little step. And I realized how much I just do automatically, especially after sewing for so long, that I don’t even think about. And then I’m like, every step is like, you’re breaking everything down at, to the smallest increment that you can, even from threading your needle, give yourself space, put your presser foot down, put your needle all the way up. Teaching beginners was a, actually probably really helped me write patterns, too.

Helen: Mmhmm.

Cris: You know, you want to make sure you’re giving people the, not bogging them down with too much information, but also giving them enough little tips here and there so that they can take that along with them to the next project.

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely. So, what is next for you?

Cris: Well, I don’t want to jinx it by talking about it too much, but what I want to do next is a physical pattern collection. So, because I sell PDFs and the nature of my patterns, there’s really no need for a paper pattern. So what I, my PDFs are, are booklets. Because of that, I don’t have any retail, physical retail presence. So to get my patterns out, further out into the world of, like, fabric stores or bookstores, I have to have a physical product. So my goal is to put all my patterns together into a collection with some nice photos. And put that out into the world so I can kinda reach more people and spread my message.

Helen: Ooh. I love the sound of that. Yeah. It would make an excellent book, too, if you ever got a publisher’s…any publishers listening.

Cris: I’m getting out there. I’m trying to do what I can. It’s a, it’s a crazy world out there.

Helen: It’s true. Well, it’s been a short time since you started this back in 2020. It’s only been four years. You’ve accomplished so much. And it’s been a real treat today getting to know you a little better. And hopefully our listeners will go and follow you and see what you’re up to.

Cris: Yeah. I would love that. Thank you so much for having me. I’ve had so much fun. You guys are awesome.

Caroline: Oh, thank you. Well, tell our listeners where they can go and find you online.

Cris: So on Instagram, it’s @criswoodsews. And then on my website, criswoodsews.com, and then I have a YouTube channel, @criswoodsews, with some limited tutorials.

Caroline: Amazing.

Cris: Yeah.

Helen: Fantastic. We’ll link all that up. Once again, Cris, thank you so much. And we’ll see you out there in the community.

Cris: Okay. Thank you. See you there. Bye bye.

Helen and Caroline: Bye.

Caroline: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. So go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We will talk to you next week.

Caroline: Buh bye.

Helen: Bye.

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We take a deep dive into TWO fabrics: corduroy AND velvet! Both of them have a fluffy, fuzzy, pile – but they’re not exactly the same. We chat about their history, how they’re made, and how to sew with them! Plus, we share pattern recommendations and answer your corduroy and velvet questions.

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

Show Notes: 

Inspo:

A post shared by Hannah Dyer-Heynen (@winterwren_knits)

Resources:

Patterns:

Tools:

Where to Buy Corduroy and Velvet:

Transcript:

Helen: 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.

Caroline: Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s all we ever talk about.

Helen: In this episode, we take a deep dive into two fabrics: corduroy and velvet. Both of these fabrics have a fluffy, fuzzy pile, but they’re not exactly the same. We chat about their history, how they’re made, and how to sew with them. Plus we share pattern recommendations and answer your corduroy and velvet questions.

Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show. Hi, Helen!

Helen: Hi, Caroline. How are you? Oh, she’s drinking tea.

Caroline: I’m good. I know, I just, it was actually coffee, but probably not the best time to take a big gulp.

Helen: Oh, you need your fuel. I understand.

Caroline: I need my fuel. Yeah, we’re recording a lot these days. How’s it going? How’s your morning going?

Helen: It’s going great. Yeah. Good morning so far. I think this episode is very aptly timed because I have fall and winter sewing on the brain. So I’m definitely thinking about these kinds of fabrics for cozy fall weather and also holiday sewing. Is it too soon? I don’t think so.

Caroline: By the time this episode comes out, I will be super on board.

Helen: Currently still clinging to the last rays of summer. I understand.

Caroline: Yes. exactly, exactly. But I do have some, like, corduroy velvety dreams for winter, so we’ll see what happens.

Helen: Ooh. Okay. Well, maybe we’ll chat about that in this episode. That would be fun. I want to hear your dreams.

Caroline: Yes, I will tell you, I’ll tell you all about them. But before we get into the show, we wanted to mention to everybody the best way to support Love to Sew and that is by joining us over on Patreon or Apple Podcast subscriptions. If you do that, you’re going to get access to bonus content every month. And we have so much fun catching up with you all on those more casual bonus episodes. We’re actually recording one this afternoon and I can’t wait to tell you all about my month and what I’ve been sewing and what I’ve been cooking.

Helen: Right. What I’ve been watching on TV. We have to talk about it. And I’m really, really excited.

Caroline: OMG. Juicy reality TV catch-up.

Helen: Honestly, it means so much to us if you’re able to support us, even if it’s just for a short period of time. And if that’s not where you’re at right now, we totally get it. Thank you so much for listening and cheering us on and checking out our fall season of Love to Sew.

Caroline: Yeah. We love you guys. Okay. Normally we cover a listener question right now, but we’re actually going to skip that section because, in today’s episode, we have some listener questions at the end that are all specifically about corduroy and velvet. So I think we should just get right into it.

Helen: Yes. So, today we’re taking a deep dive into two fabric types: corduroy and velvet. And we decided to group these two fabrics together for this episode because they both have a distinctive nap, also known as a pile. A nap or a pile is a raised surface on top of the fabric. In corduroy and velvet, the naps are made from cut threads that form a really soft, fuzzy surface. We’re all familiar with the beautiful fuzzy surface of corduroy and velvet.

Caroline: Yeah, I think of both of these fabrics as, like, fall/winter fabrics. I just don’t really want, like, a nap in the summer, you know? I mean, I want a nap in the summer, but I don’t want a nap on my fabric in the summer.

Helen: The only nap I want in the summer is in a hammock.

Caroline: Yeah. But, specifically, corduroy has rounded ribs that run down the length of the fabric. They kind of end up looking like stripes and they can be in varying widths. And velvet has more of an even, soft pile throughout the fabric, but they both have that pile. And there is a lot of crossover in sewing advice for both of these fabrics, but they’re not exactly the same. So we’re going to talk about how they’re made, their characteristics, what you can sew with them, and then we’re going to share a bunch of sewing tips and answer your listener questions about these awesome fabrics. So I think we should start off with corduroy.

Helen: So, corduroy actually has its origins in fustian, which is a fabric that was made in an ancient Egyptian city of al-Fustat. And it was a hard-wearing fabric with a pile, but it didn’t have any ribs like today’s corduroy that we know and love. Corduroy that we know now was probably created sometime in the mid-18th century, though the history is a little bit hazier on this point.

Caroline: Yes, and fun fact: there is a popular belief that the word “corduroy” came from an anglicization of the French phrase “corde du roi,” which means “king’s cord.” However, the British Philological Society debunked that one. It kind of makes you wonder if it was just made up to sell the fabric, because “king’s cord” sounds really appealing to me. I want to wear king’s cord.

Helen: It does, and it has, like, a regal energy, so I can see it.

Caroline: Regal energy. Yes, I love it.

Helen: For a long time, corduroy was associated with workwear and outdoors pursuits. It was tough and warm, so it was good for things like farming, hiking, and hunting.

Caroline: And the 1970s were when corduroy had its fashion peak. Corduroy bell bottoms, A-line skirts, and even full corduroy suits were popular. The textural interest and cozy vibes totally fit that era’s style perfectly.

Helen: And corduroy has never fully gone out of fashion since then. I feel like every era has its own version of cool corduroy. It’s just too good to let go.

Caroline: It really, really is. I love corduroy. We want to talk a little bit about the fabric itself. So, corduroy has a base fabric in either a plain weave or twill weave. And the pile is made from extra weft yarns that are floated over several warp yarns and then woven under one and then floated again over and over. And the floats are later cut, brushed, and singed to create rounded ribs or wales.

Helen: Ooh, it’s quite a process. A lot of work going into this corduroy fabric.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Corduroy can be wide-wale, and that wale is spelled “W-A-L-E.” So it can be wide-wale, medium-wale, pinwale, or even no-wale, meaning it has no ribs at all. In fashion listings you might see a wale number, and that’s the number of wales per inch. So, kind of the number of stripes per inch. So a 20-wale corduroy would be super fine. There’s so many lines in that inch. Whereas a 3-wale corduroy would be really chunky.

Caroline: Yeah, and corduroys can vary in weight from medium to heavy. The lightest corduroys work well for button-up shirts or kids’ clothes. Oh my gosh, I want to make my niece, like, a pair of overalls or something.

Helen: Yeah. So cute.

Caroline: Sorry, sidetracked there. In the middle of the corduroy spectrum, you find fabrics that work for pants, skirts, or lightweight jackets, and the heaviest corduroys are usually best for structured clothing like workwear-style pants or outerwear.

Helen: Corduroy has a lot of body and not a lot of drape. And that’s why it’s best suited for garments with more structure. You’re not seeing a ton of, like, corduroy dresses for a reason, you know?

Caroline: Yeah. And you can find both stretch and non-stretch corduroys. Usually stretch cord won’t have more than about 30% stretch. And, ideally, you should pair stretch corduroy with a pattern designed for stretch. If you’re using stretch corduroy for a non-stretch pattern, you’re going to want to size down.

Helen: Most corduroys out there are made from cotton, but sometimes they’re blended with synthetics, and less commonly they’re made entirely from polyester. Stretch corduroys will have some percentage of spandex or elastane in them.

Caroline: Yes. Okay. We have some pattern inspo for you all. One of the first things I think of when I hear “corduroy” is a jacket. One of the samples of the Thayer Jacket by Grainline Studio is that classic workwear jacket with corduroy on the outside and teddy fleece on the inside of the collar, but it’s actually pink corduroy and grey fleece, so it feels kind of unexpected. Although I do love a classic combo of tan cord and off-white fleece.

Helen: Ooh, yes. I actually made a jacket using some corduroy, but just in small amounts. I made an Ilford Jacket from Friday Pattern Co., and it’s a scrap-busted piece. So it’s a bunch of different fabrics put together. And I used some wide-wale pink corduroy to make patch pockets and elbow patches. And it added a lot of interest because of the texture and the stripey-ness of it. And so I really liked that application. You don’t necessarily need to make an entire garment out of corduroy. You can just throw a few patches on.

Caroline: Ooh, I agree. I think that does really add a really nice visual interest. Pants are another classic choice for corduroy. I really want to make a pair of corduroy Taylor Trousers. This is one of my dreams, Helen. My corduroy dreams.

Helen: Very fun. That would be great.

Caroline: Yeah. I feel like it would be a really, like, grandpa-coded, like a pleated corduroy Taylor Trouser.

Helen: 100%. Great for winter, because how warm and cozy will they be?

Caroline: How warm and cozy, yes. But with pants, the main thing is to make sure that the weight of your fabric is in the right range for your pattern. So for fitted pants you can go for medium to heavy weight cords. And if there’s an elastic waist or an elastic back waist, I would choose a lighter weight corduroy.

Helen: And jeans patterns can work well in corduroy, too. We made a pair of Brooks Jeans in a 9 oz green corduroy from Blackbird. The colour name was “pickle” and they turned out so cute. We’ll put a pic up there in the show notes, but I do want to mention that the crotch on this pair of pants got worn out quite quickly. And I think that’s in part because if you have any rubbing between the thighs, which, you know, most of us do, it tends to rub away the wales and the nap of the corduroy. And so it actually got kind of worn down. So I ended up refashioning these into a skirt because of that. So we’re going to talk a little bit more about pants later. ‘Cause I know one of our listeners has a question about this exact problem.

Caroline: Yeah, we should also link up a picture of your refashioned version of these jeans. But it makes sense, I guess, because, like, even for me, denim gets worn out really quickly in between where my thighs are rubbing. And a corduroy with a pile…I could totally see that happening way faster. Anyways, we’ll, we’ll talk about it later. I’m already getting carried away.

Helen: I think the Taylor Trousers might be almost a better fit because they’re not as tight. I’m not sure.

Caroline: They’re not as, like, up in the crotch, right.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. But I mean, it would be a good experiment for you to give it a try and see.

Caroline: Totally. You can also make a great 70s vibe with a pair of corduroy bell bottoms or flares. The Jude Flares pattern by Closet Core has options for wider flares or narrower bootcuts. And this one would be so cute If you cut the patch pockets on the crossgrain for some interest.

Helen: Overalls and pinafores are another really great option for corduroy. The Dani Pinafore by Seamwork has a deep V and a short skirt, and this would be really cute worn over a turtleneck or tee, paired with some leggings, some boots. An ideal fall outfit. I have previously made a snap front version of our York Pinafore pattern in a really beautiful, like, saddle brown corduroy. And this always feels so perfect for fall. I love busting it out this time of year because it just feels absolutely ideal for this weather.

Caroline: Yes, and the Riley Overalls by True Bias are also, like, a really great classic style of an overall that would work really well for corduroy. Also, one of the samples that you made, Helen, for the Ruby Overalls was made in, like, a lightweight lavender cord. That was such a fun statement piece. Do you still have that one?

Helen: Well, that was modeled by my mother in law, Laurie, and she kept that sample and she does wear it. And she says every time she wears it she gets compliments from people, especially women around her age, saying how much they love it. And sometimes saying things like, “Oh, you’re so brave to wear overalls” or “wear that colour,” which always kind of cracks me up. But I mean, it is hard sometimes to put yourself out there and wear something so bold. So it’s nice that she’s getting compliments, and she does love them. They’re so much fun.

Caroline: Oh, they so are. For skirts, corduroy works best on patterns without gathers. So many corduroys are just too thick for gathering, and the lighter corduroys have so much body that they might just stick out and bunch up weirdly. So A-line skirts like the Barkly by In the Folds would work better for corduroy. The body of the fabric holds the skirt’s shape nicely. Yes.

Helen: Denim skirts are another style that works really well. The Ellis Skirt by Cashmerette is a nice option. I think like the miniskirt view in corduroy, again, with tights and a turtleneck or just, like, a tighter-fitting knit top is a really great outfit.

Caroline: Yeah, I like the idea of doing a wrap skirt in like a lighter weight corduroy, too. I feel like that would be really cute for fall.

Helen: Ooh, that would be cute. Wait, what’s the wrap skirt pattern that you really like using? Is it the Peppermint one?

Caroline: The Peppermint Wrap Skirt, yeah.

Helen: Right. Yeah, that’s a good one.

Caroline: The lightest corduroys would look nice as button-ups. Corduroy has the body that you need for a crisp shirt. I would just avoid princess seams if you can help it. It’s going to look neater with side darts only. I think the unisex shirt by Modern Sewing Co. or the Vernon Shirt by Cashmerette would work well. Have you made any corduroy Cameron Button Ups, Helen?

Helen: No, I haven’t, but I would like to. I’m looking for, like, a really nice lightweight cord. So, just to put a little, like, bug in your ear, Caroline, if you want to stock that later this season.

Caroline: Okay, noted.

Helen: I, yeah, I think it would be great. I really liked the idea of a lightweight corduroy. Feels like a nice closet staple. Medium-wale corduroys do make great shackets, though. If you want to kind of bump up a shirt pattern into shacket status, the Shoalhaven by Muna and Broad is a really great shacket pattern. I think that would look good made up in corduroy. And we have a jacket pattern coming out soon, it might even be out by the time this episode comes out, that would work really well in cord, and I will be sewing up a sample of that in a corduroy. So I’m excited.

Caroline: Ooh, I’m so excited to see that! I also think a corduroy blazer in, like, a gorgeous rich colour would be the perfect statement piece. A nice way to make this fabric a little bit dressier. The Assembly Line has a pattern for a modern oversized single-breasted blazer that I think would look really great in a jewel tone, like a deep green or purple. I’ve seen some amazing corduroy Bestie Bags out there, so I feel like that’s also a great option. If you don’t want to make a garment, you can make a little bag. And I wanted to give an honourable mention to another dream of mine, of making a corduroy peacoat.

Helen: Oh, yes.

Caroline: Because, like, a 90s vibe, like, brown corduroy peacoat…I don’t know why I want that, but I really want it.

Helen: That would be really nice. Would you do like a Bemberg lining or would you do like a nice exposed seam finish? What are you thinking?

Caroline: Um, I don’t know. I’d probably do, like, a more fun lining. Like maybe I’d go full retro and find some kind of, like, a funky printed satin or something and put that on the inside.

Helen: Oh yeah, if you’re going brown on the outside, like doing a really rich orangey brick red or like avocado green kind of situation…

Caroline: Yes. Like a psychedelic kind of situation or something.

Helen: That’d be so good.

Caroline: Dreams.

Helen: Dreams. I don’t know if I have any corduroy dreams. I do think a mini skirt would be so cute. I’m feeling inspired by that idea. I don’t wear a ton of skirts in my work-from-home life, but I’ve always loved that look of, like, skirts and tights and boots. Just so cute.

Caroline: What about a pinafore? I feel like another corduroy pinafore would be right up your alley.

Helen: I know. How many corduroy pinafores do I need, Caroline?

Caroline: How many do you have right now?

Helen: I only have the one, so that’s true. I think there’s, there’s room for another one.

Caroline: There might be room for another one.

Helen: I’ll put it on the list. I’ll put it on the list. Okay. We’re going to switch gears slightly and move on to our second fabric, which is velvet. Piled fabrics have a super long history going back as far as 2000 years BCE in ancient Egypt. However, historians believe that the earliest mentions of what we now call velvet came from Damascus, Syria in the early 8th century CE. Later on, in the 14th century, Italy became a center of velvet production, exporting it all over Europe. And in the 15th century, the French and Spanish courts encouraged Italian velvet weavers to settle in their countries. And this increased the production of French and Spanish velvet. But it never reached the status of Italian velvet. Italian weavers imported silk from what is now Syria and Iran and exported velvets made with that silk. And the next big development was the first industrial revolution in the 18th century, which changed velvets from ultra-luxury textiles to be more accessible. And today, velvet is not just for royalty and lofty church officials. It’s truly for everybody. We can even wear velvet sweatsuits, velvet undergarments if we want to. I mean, velvet is everywhere and it is one of those fabrics like corduroy that I think is here to stay. It’s so fun to mix it into your wardrobe and have just a playful, playful time with it.

Caroline: Absolutely. Woven velvets have a ground fabric of tabby, twill, or satin weave. Short loops are worked into a set of predetermined warp or weft threads, for example, every 6th thread, and then after weaving, the loops are cut to create the pile.

Helen: Yeah, so it’s kind of a similar process to the corduroy. It’s so crazy that, like, every little fuzz on that velvet is a loop that’s then been woven in and cut. It’s like we’re talking almost, like, microscopic here.

Caroline: I know. It’s quite the process, Warp pile velvets are for long filaments like silk or polyester, and weft pile velvets are reserved for short staple fibers like cotton. Velveteen is a weft pile velvet, and corduroy is also technically a weft pile velvet. Wait, corduroy is velvet?

Helen: What? Mind blown.

Caroline: Inception!

Helen: No, that makes a lot of sense. Velvets that have a knit ground, like for things like those sweatsuits and underwear we were talking about, those are known as velours. And most stretch velvets that you can buy are knit velvets. Of course. So we’re talking, we’re talking velour.

Caroline: Love a stretch velvet, especially for the holidays.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: There are a pretty wide variety of velvets. It’s a bigger category than corduroys, for sure. Depending on their ground fabric and pile, velvets can range from structured to super drapey. Most velvets will be in the medium weight category and velveteens may verge on heavyweight.

Helen: And the fiber content of your velvet will play a major role in how it looks and feels. Silk velvet has a really beautiful sheen and more of a fluid drape. Woven polyester velvet is made to look like silk velvet, and it usually drapes quite similarly. Velveteen is made from cotton, and it’s a lot like corduroy, but without the wales, so it doesn’t have that same fluid drape.

Caroline: Yeah. Knit velvet or stretch velvet is usually made of synthetics like polyester and nylon. They may also contain some spandex for extra stretch and to help with recovery. And they’re usually medium weight with a really nice fluid drape. Sometimes the pile has different fiber content than the ground fabric. For example, many silk velvets actually have a rayon ground. So, a lot of silk velvets are like 30% silk, 70% rayon. They’re not all silk.

Helen: Oh. And that’s because the base fabric, like basically what you’re seeing on the back side, is rayon, and then all the little piles are the silk.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: That makes a lot of sense. There’s also a lot of different styles of velvet, for example, burnout or, oh Caroline, you’ve got to help me with this word: devoré.

Caroline: Devoré.

Helen: Devoré. Burnout or devoré velvet has areas that have been cleared of the pile. So, exactly as it sounds, they’ve been kind of burned away and it makes a pattern on the fabric. So on some velvets, the cleared areas are sheer. I know at Blackbird in the past, you guys have had some really beautiful burnout velvets around the holidays, like checkerboard patterns or floral patterns. And I just love it. It’s so pretty.

Caroline: Those are super fun, yeah. I also love crushed velvet. This one has been mechanically flattened in certain areas to make an abstract design. And when it’s on a knit ground, it’s also called panné velvet.

Helen: Ooh, I do like a knit crushed velvet. So fun. Printed velvet has, you guessed it, a print on it. I feel like these you don’t see as often, but they can be really special and beautiful. So if you see a nice one, snap it up.

Caroline: Yeah. And then embossed or stamped velvet has a design pressed into it which flattens some areas of the pile. There’s so many types of velvet.

Helen: Speaking of printed velvet, I made, ages ago, I’ll have to dig it out of the blog archives, but a Seamwork pattern, I think I refashioned it from, like, a thrifted skirt or something. But it’s a printed velvet with a black base and this gorgeous floral pattern and it is still one of my favourite fabrics. The dress doesn’t fit me anymore, but it’s in my refashion pile because I want to turn it into a top or something. Like, it’s just so gorgeous. I can’t let it go.

Caroline: I can’t wait to see it. That sounds really, really beautiful. Yeah, one of my favourite velvet garments I’ve ever had, which I wish I kept, was this, like, Gap velveteen blazer that I had, like, in the early aughts. It was, like, cropped and it had like a little bit of a puff on the top of the sleeve. I’m going to find a picture of it because I wore it to Italy when I went on this Italy trip when I was like 16 with my mom.

Helen: Oh, that’s so cute.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. But it was like a rusty brown colour, like a really, really rich, rich colour. And I remember buying it and thinking it was like the most beautiful garment I’ve ever owned and I wore the crap out of it for years and years and years. I loved it so much. Oh my gosh.

Helen: Maybe it disintegrated. Maybe that’s why you don’t have it.

Caroline: No, I think it just, like, stopped…it didn’t fit me anymore and I had to let it go at one point, but I, oh gosh, I just, I, I should try to recreate it. I love it so much.

Helen: Oh, that would be a really fun project.

Caroline: It’s such a good jacket. Yeah. Alright. Thinking about projects, let’s get into some pattern recommendations. I think simple is best when you’re choosing a pattern for your velvet fabric, because details like fashion seams and top stitching are likely to get lost in the pile, while pieces like collars and cuffs can be difficult to manage with fabric that you’re really not supposed to press. I would say the exception to this rule is velveteen, which you can treat more like a corduroy, So if you want to work with velveteen, go back and look at our corduroy pattern recommendations. But from here on we’re going to be talking about those, like, drapier velvets.

Helen: Yeah. And dresses and tops are really perfect for drapey velvets. There’s nothing like swathing yourself in a luxurious textural drapey fabric. It feels so good on the skin. And then also it feels so good to the touch, which is really fun. For wovens, the Ultimate Shift Dress by Sew Over It would be a great choice. It has a simple shape, a short length, and lots of sleeve options. So that’s a good one.

Caroline: For stretch velvet, the Nikko Top and Dress by True Bias would be such a cool 90s vibe. It has a mock neck and your choice of long sleeves or no sleeves. And you can make the top view, which ends at the hips, or the dress view, which ends at the ankles and has slits on both sides.

Helen: A cowl neck looks really great in velvet. The Cowl Neck Dress by Sew Over It is designed for stretch fabrics and it comes with a top version too, so that would be a fun one for stretch velvet.

Caroline: Yeah, velvet just looks so luxe in a cowl neck, the way that the light hits it and the way that it drapes. I just love the way that looks. Simpler jumpsuits can look just as good in velvet as dresses. Heather Lou from Closet Core made an Amy Jumpsuit from black silk velvet, and it’s an absolute stunner. It has a v neck, no sleeves, and those beautiful wide legs. I will say, the Amy Jumpsuit pattern isn’t super size inclusive, but I think the Norman Jumpsuit by Style Arc would be a really good alternative. It looks really similar.

Helen: Yeah, these styles work really well for this because of that drape. I mean, imagine you’re going to a holiday party and you’re wearing this super comfy no-cinch-at-the-waist jumpsuit. You’re gonna just, it’s gonna be the best. So comfortable.

Caroline: Yeah. absolutely.

Helen: Another great option is to make a velvet duster or kind of cover-up piece. This looks amazing over a simple shift dress or top and pants. I think the Moss Jacket would look really beautiful in velvet. I remember all those burnout velvet dusters in the early aughties and I wonder if those will ever come back into fashion. Maybe they already are.

Caroline: I bet they will. Speaking of the early aughties, I heard that velour sweatsuits are coming back. As Helen said earlier, we can wear velour sweatsuits if we want to.

Helen: You can’t stop us.

Caroline: Yeah. I think the Sloan and Silas Sweats by Made for Mermaids would be a fabulous option for the pants and the Arlo Track Jacket by Friday Pattern Co. could work really well for the jacket. Would it not be amazing, Helen, to see a set with like, “ME-MADE” embroidered across the butt instead of, what was it back in the day? “JUICY,” or?

Helen: “JUICY,” yeah. I mean, I had a sweater that said “CUTE” on the front with, like, the zipper going in between the “T” and the…yeah. Oh, all of the things written all over your body.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: For pants, you want to think drapey. I think elastic waist pants would be really fun in velvet, especially for the holidays. If you want something a little more fitted at the waist, maybe the Winslow culottes could be a good choice because they’re really wide, pleated, and they have a center back zip. It’s an invisible zipper, which can be a little tricky with velvet because sometimes the pile can get stuck between the teeth of the zipper. So one thing you can do is just test your invisible zipper with the fabric that you’re going to be using it with and see how that functions before you go ahead and make the project. You can always sub out maybe a centered zipper or do the elastic back hack or something like that to make that work. We don’t recommend doing pants that have, like, a full-on fly closure and a lot of pocket detailing because, again, all of those details just tend to get lost in the pile. And working with these fabrics can be a little bit tricky and we’re going to get into some sewing tips about that here shortly. So you just want to avoid a lot of details so that you’re saving yourself the headache.

Caroline: Yeah, for sure. Okay, finally, for skirts for velvet, it’s best to substitute pleats for gathers because the gathers are going to be too bulky. So the Three Pleat Skirt by The Assembly Line is going to save you time since it’s already designed for pleats. That would be beautiful.

Helen: Alright, as I mentioned, we’re going to get into some sewing tips for corduroy and velvet. Most of the tips are the same for both of these fabrics because they have so many similar characteristics. So it makes sense to do them together. We mentioned that nap at the top of the show. So you always want to use a nap cutting layout. If you’re making your own layout, make sure all the pattern pieces are facing the same direction. This means that the top of the pattern pieces will be facing the top of the fabric and the bottom of the fabric pieces will be facing the bottom of the fabric. You’re going to determine where the top and the bottom are, but essentially you don’t want the front of your garment with the nap running down and then the back of your garment with the nap running up, ‘cause in light, it’s going to look very different.

Caroline: Yes, definitely. I think a lot of us have been there, finished a whole project, and then ended up with those pieces looking different.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Like, “Dang it!”

Caroline: So before you lay your pattern pieces out, you’re going to want to choose a nap direction. If you run your hand down corduroy or velvet, one direction will feel smooth and the other direction is going to feel like little ridges as the nap resists. And if you have the nap going down your body, meaning that running your hand from the top to the bottom of the garment feels smooth, it’s going to end up having a lighter colour and more of a sheen. If you have the nap going up your body, meaning that running your hand from the top to bottom of the garment feels rough, the fabric is going to have a richer colour. So before you decide on which direction you prefer, hang it up, look at both directions in different lighting, mark the top of the fabric in the direction you like, and stick to it as you lay your pattern pieces out and cut them. And if you end up cutting your pieces with different nap directions, the left leg of your pants could have a slightly different colour than the right one, like I mentioned, so we don’t want that.

Helen: And many ready-to-wear corduroy and velvet garments are cut with the nap going down the body. This is because it reportedly wears slightly better and mats less. I don’t think I believe this would make a huge difference in the long run, especially since these kind of garments aren’t necessarily the things you’re going to be wearing every day, you know? More of a special occasion thing, especially with velvet. So not enough, you know, that it would affect how I would cut my own clothes. I really like the nap going down the body because it just feels correct. Like, when I kind of rub my hands down my own body, as you do when you’re feeling sexy…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It feels correct, you know?

Caroline: Yeah, I agree. It does almost feel wrong when the nap is going upwards. I think it might bother some people less than others. Maybe if you have sensory issues, you might feel the need to have it going down because it’ll just, like, feel better against your skin and your hands and your arms or whatever when you’re touching the garment. But I think it’s a personal preference. And I do see the appeal of having it running up and seeing that richer colour. And like, you might not believe that it’s, like, that noticeable, but it really is. When I’m picking out corduroys with Laura for Blackbird, we have to make sure that we’re sitting on the same side of the table because if we’re sitting across from each other, we see the colours completely differently and we’ll pick a palette and then like turn around the samples and be like, wait, they look totally different from the other direction. Like, it’s quite a significant difference in colour depending on which direction you’re looking at. So definitely take a look at your fabric and see which one you like, weigh the pros and cons, and then you can make your decision.

Helen: Yeah. Okay, with all of this nap talk being said, with corduroy, you can cut smaller pieces like patch pockets, collars, yokes, cuffs on the cross-grain or the bias for visual interest, the same way that you would do with a striped fabric. Just do keep in mind that there is still that nap, so maybe just test it out and make sure it’s something you want to do before you proceed.

Caroline: Yeah. And then we have a cutting tip: you want to cut in a single layer. Velvet and corduroy are notorious for shifting. Plus this is going to save you some fabric because it’s easier to do pattern tetris in a single layer. Just remember to flip your pieces over if you’re doing two sides of a garment because there is a right and wrong side to velvet and corduroy. And then make sure that you’re having the pile facing up so that it doesn’t shift against your surface when you’re cutting.

Helen: Yeah, that’s good advice. I feel like corduroy, especially, it is like a stripe fabric, basically. And so it’s so beneficial to cut it flat because you want your straight cuts to follow the line of that stripe. Otherwise it’s going to end up looking kind of wonky. And another thing to keep in mind is that a nap cutting layout usually requires a bit more fabric than a non-nap layout. ‘Cause you’re not as able to tetris the pieces together. So you might want to buy a little extra yardage.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you need to interface, you want to choose a sew-in interfacing. If your fabric is sturdy enough, you might be able to skip the interfacing altogether, but if it’s not, use the sew-in or do things like cut the under collar from a different fabric and use fusible interfacing on that instead.

Helen: Pressing is another tricky one with these fabrics. You don’t really want an iron to touch that beautiful pile because it can permanently crush it or damage it. Finger pressing or seam rolling can work pretty well on some of these fabrics. You can also use steam and either hold the iron over the fabric without pressing down or finger press along the fold while the fabric is still hot. Another option is to press on top of a fluffy surface, like a towel, a piece of thick upholstery velvet, or a velvet board. A velvet board has a bunch of close-together little needles sticking up from it. It looks like a bed of nails, you know, that, like, a magician would lie on or something.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And if you press with the pile facing the needles, then it protects the pile. So if you’re planning to sew a bunch of corduroy and velvet, or you just really like picking up new sewing tools, a velvet board is a really fun one to get.

Caroline: Mmhmm. You also want to try to stitch in the direction of the pile as much as you can so that you do not disturb too much of that pile. You might also want to reduce your presser foot pressure if it looks like it’s going to make permanent marks on your fabric. So I guess the moral of the story is do a lot of testing with some scraps of fabric to make sure that you’ve got all your techniques down before you start sewing.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Test the iron, test the machine, test the foot pressure, test the tension, the stitch length, all of these things are going to make a difference. And once you’ve figured that all out, then you can just proceed with your project. Velvet and Corduroy have creeping problems. They’re really creepy. They’re creepy, creepy fabrics. And what I mean by that is that they shift over each other. So when you get to the end of the seam, the pieces might not match up anymore. Or as you’re sewing along, it can be hard to keep a five eighths seam allowance on both pieces because one of them keeps falling over when those piles are interacting. They get really shifty and creepy, creeping all over the place.

Caroline: They’re so creepy. We do have some ways that you can avoid that. So, use a walking foot. This is going to pull the fabric through evenly on the top and bottom. You can also hand baste your pieces together before you take them to the machine. And finally, use adhesive sewing spray and then finger press your pieces together along the seam line before you start sewing. Just make sure to test your adhesive on scraps beforehand to make sure that it washes out and doesn’t affect your fabric. Wonder Tape or school glue sticks are other possibilities. Just keep that within the seam allowance, again, just to make sure that it’s not going to affect the right side of your fabric.

Helen: Right. I don’t know if I could bring myself to spray glue velvet or corduroy. I would be too nervous. I think hand basting is a really smart tip because you have so much control when you’re doing that and it doesn’t take as long as you think it does to do, like, a side seam and make sure that it actually is coming together correctly.

Caroline: Totally.

Helen: Another thing with this fabric is that it can get quite bulky when you’re sewing your seams, so you want to reduce that bulk whenever you can. Don’t skip the trimming and the grading of the seams. This is really going to help to get a nice finish. And you can make things like facings, pocket bags, and even the inner half of waistbands out of lighter weight fabric in a compatible fiber content.

Caroline: Yeah. And some people will shave down the pile of corduroys and velvets within the seam allowance to reduce bulk. They tend to use hair clippers. I think this could help, especially in super bulky areas, like where the crotch seam meets the inseam in a pair of pants. Maybe hammering would work too, like people do for denim. So you could try that out if it’s becoming an issue.

Helen: And you want to do single fold hems when you can or make hem facings to reduce that bulk. You can make those out of a different fabric. French seams are out of the question. They’re way too bulky. So don’t go with that route. And to do a single fold hem, you just want to finish that edge before you press it up. So you can use your serger for that. You could even do, like, a nice cotton bias-bound finish. That would look really beautiful. But you’re not going to want to fold that under twice. It’d be too bulky.

Caroline: And you can also consider doing a blind hem stitch by machine or a catch stitch by hand to sew up the hems, especially on velvets. It can be really nice to have that sort of invisible hem versus having that stitch line sort of breaking up the beautiful velvet.

Helen: And for other seam finishes throughout your project, for lighter weight corduroys and velvets, a simple serged or zigzag seam finish works well. And for heavier fabrics, like I was saying, a bias bound finish, Hong Kong seam finish, looks really beautiful, especially on like the inside of a jacket.

Caroline: Yes, yes, that would be great for my peacoat, my future peacoat.

Helen: True.

Caroline: For wider wale corduroys, you might want to pattern match the wales. It will really elevate the look. And for medium or narrow wale corduroys, I wouldn’t worry about it. I think that would be painstaking work and probably not have a huge impact on the look.

Helen: Yeah, I agree. For stretch velvets, you want to use a ballpoint needle. For all other velvets and corduroys, use a regular point needle. And do some tests and see what works as you’re going along.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. So if you are wondering where to snag some corduroy and velvet this fall and winter, Blackbird does have some great corduroys in stock right now. It’s definitely corduroy season here in the northern hemisphere. It’s so cozy. We picked out some really fun colours this year, so I’m really excited for everyone to check those out. And we also might have some velvets coming for holiday soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

Helen: Yeah, you will. I’m excited. Stonemountain and Daughter has gorgeous wide-wale Lady McElroy cords and prints, too, which is so fun. So check that out.

Caroline: Harts has lighter weight corduroys in beautiful colours, and Denver Fabrics also has a bunch of stretch velvets, plus some cool burnouts, prints and even a crinkle velvet that looks like pleats. Very cool.

Helen: Mood, of course, has beautiful silk velvets, plus velours and embossed velvets. Fabrics and Fabrics has some stunning luxury velvets. They’re a little bit pricey, but they’re really fun to look through. And Renaissance Fabrics has a nice selection of cotton velveteen. So we’ll link up all of those stores in the show notes. And i’m sure many more stores will be stocking these fabrics this fall, so just keep your eyes peeled on your favourite local fabric shop.

Caroline: Totally. So, we asked our Listeners for their questions about corduroy and velvet and you all came through with some really great ones. So we’re gonna answer them now. The first one is from Joanna. They wrote, “I recently got some deadstock no-wale corduroy which I’m hoping to make into a chore jacket or overalls for my sister in law (her choice). The fuzz isn’t as long as velvet but it also looks so different to regular corduroy. Is a no-wale corduroy still a good choice for work wear type patterns? There doesn’t appear to be a direction…is there a good way to find out if there’s a discrete direction?”

Helen: Okay, I love this idea for a project. I’ve never sewn with no-wale corduroy. Next time, if I see it anywhere, I’m going to get some, because this sounds really interesting. Yes, no-wale corduroy is a great option for workwear patterns. It’s like a low-pile velveteen and you can treat it like a regular corduroy. And to answer your question about the direction, you can run your hands across the fabric parallel to the selvage and if it feels smooth when you run it from top to bottom, then the nap is running down the fabric. If it feels rough or making little ridges when you run your hand from top to bottom, then the nap is running up the fabric. It kind of sounds like you’ve probably already done this test and you’re not sensing a direction. In which case I think you’re okay. You probably don’t need to worry about it too much. But just to be on the safe side, you could cut all your pieces in one direction and just choose one, you know?

Caroline: I think that’s a good call. I wouldn’t go all different directions because you might just notice a little bit of a difference in colour once you sew it up. So it was a good idea. Next up, Caro asked, “I have been wondering what the best way to wash, dry, and iron corduroy is.” So we already answered the ironing question, but we’re going to talk about washing and drying. It’s best to wash corduroy on cold with the garment inside out and then reshape it and hang it to dry when it comes out of the wash. With that said, we don’t always make the most optimal choices. Washing your corduroy garment right side out and tumble drying it probably won’t ruin it forever. And if you’re worried about it, pre-wash a scrap of your fabric to see how it reacts before you pre-wash the whole fabric. I would also avoid ironing your finished garment. You can steam it or don’t do anything with it. Just let it, let it live. I will say, not all corduroy, specifically, is created equally, because we have some corduroys that we actually have our supplier wash for us. They’re kind of like pre-washed and we find that it makes the pile look a little bit more fluffy and, like, lived-in. And I really like that look, versus sometimes corduroy comes in and it looks really crisp and kind of, like, flat and almost shiny. And I like the more sort of lived-in cord look. So if you’re okay with that, do some tests, but washing your corduroy and drying your corduroy, it’s okay if you’ve tested it and you like it.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I haven’t done any special care. I haven’t taken any special care with my corduroy makes.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: They’re just getting the regular old laundry treatment.

Caroline: And they’re okay.

Helen: And they’re fine. They’re fine. Okay, Merry asked, “I sewed a romper in brown corduroy for my daughter, but noticed that some of my pink top-stitching isn’t visible because it fell in between the ridges of the fabric: kind of a small detail, but I wonder if there is a way to make all top-stitching visible?”

Caroline: Okay, this sounds so cute. I love the idea of, like, a brown romper with pink topstitching. It sounds adorable.

Helen: Mmhmm.

Caroline: Unfortunately, topstitching pretty much always gets lost in the pile and the ridges of corduroys and velvets, so it’s not actually a good fabric to do contrast topstitching. However, topstitching does make a nice crease in the fabric for like jeans-type projects, so I wouldn’t skip it altogether. But just, in the future, maybe use an all-purpose thread in a matching colour and save that contrast topstitching for like denim or twill or something that doesn’t have a pile.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. I agree with that. Next up, we have Adelaide, who wants to know, “I know cotton, linen, and wool are breathable because they are natural… so is it possible for corduroy to be breathable? Or am I missing something?” Adelaide, yes, it’s totally possible for corduroy to be breathable. You want to look for cotton corduroys and avoid synthetics like polyester. These fabrics can get hot. They’re on the warmer side. So even if you’re wearing a full cotton corduroy, it is something you probably want to wear when the weather’s a little bit cooler, otherwise you’re going to start sweating. But they are still cotton, so it is breathable.

Caroline: Yes. Seraiah asked, “I have always wanted to try these fabrics, but I never have because I don’t know what to make. Do you have any small project ideas that I could start with?” Yeah, we do. What do you think, Helen?

Helen: Okay. For velvet, I can definitely think of a couple. Fancy Tiger has a free tutorial for a cowl that has silk velvet on one side and silk noil on the other. So simple and pretty great for elevating any kind of holiday look. So that would be a good one to start with.

Caroline: There’s also a free tutorial for a reversible drawstring bag by Angela Fitzgibbon on The Sewing Directory, and that would make a great velvet evening bag. You could use a matching satin for the lining. It’d be so beautiful.

Helen: For corduroy, I think a simple zipper bag or a dopp kit would be practical and cool-looking. You could do a really fun printed lining. We’ll link up a couple of Melly Sews’s tutorials for you in the show notes. But I also love the idea of a corduroy Bestie Bag. So I’ve got to throw that one in there, too. I think that would be such a fun project.

Caroline: Yeah, I think that’s going to be on my to-sew list this fall for sure. Alright. The big question. Jo asked, “Is there a way to make corduroy pants that don’t make a swishy sound when you walk?”

Helen: I wish I could say otherwise, but unfortunately I don’t think you can avoid it with pants. The only way I can think of is to make pants in a different fabric, like a twill or a denim…stay with me. It’s like, my advice is just like, “Don’t use corduroy.” No, you make them out of a different fabric and then you sew on double fronts made of corduroy, kind of in that workwear style where it’s following the line of the pants. That could be a really cool look, but you still have like a nice solid fabric in between the legs. Otherwise, you could make a skirt or a jacket and not have to worry about it. Or you could just accept that swishy feeling and become one with the swish, you know? Rock the swish with pride. As I mentioned earlier, that can sometimes result in the crotch wearing out a little bit faster than it does with some other fabrics. So something to keep in mind. I do have a pair of velvet Winslows. They’re kind of, it’s like a burnout velvet. So it looks like a quarter, right? It’s really stripey. And I noticed that when I walk, not only does it swish, but I feel like the stripes are like grabbing onto each other and, like, climbing up my legs. ‘Cause there’s, like, friction there, you know? And so they end up climbing. And it’s fine if I’m going to an event where I’m not, like, you know, walking around. Like a dinner or something like that, But if it’s somewhere where I’m walking around a lot, it’s a little bit of a weird feeling.

Caroline: Yeah, and then you end up, like, all of a sudden your pants are, like, bunched up and the hemline is, like, angled inwards and you’re like, whoa.

Helen: Yeah, exactly.

Caroline: We’ve all been there.

Helen: Alright. Arolyn asks, “How do you determine the quality of velvet?” Ooh, Caroline, I’m interested to hear what you think about this one.

Caroline: Yeah, so higher quality velvets are going to have thick piles and lower quality velvets will have a more sparse pile. And then you also want to think about natural fibers. So natural fiber velvets like silk are higher quality than synthetic velvets. You can still find some really beautiful synthetic velvets, especially like in the stretch velvet category. I haven’t seen a ton of natural fiber stretch velvets. Usually they are polyester or nylon. I think we mentioned that earlier. But I would, yeah, I would look for the density of the pile. You don’t want to be able to see the backing from the front side of the fabric. That’ll usually indicate a lower quality.

Helen: Unless it’s, like, a burnout design detail.

Caroline: Yes. Okay, next up, Hannah asked, “Why is velvet affected by water?” So we googled this and it seems like it’s mostly upholstery velvets that are negatively affected by water. Courtesy Cleaners Atlanta says, “Velvet garments made from cotton or polyester will not be damaged by water, but get caught in the rain with rayon or acetate velvet and the nap will be permanently disrupted where the raindrops hit.” So I guess avoid rayon or acetate velvet if you’re gonna get caught in the rain. However, silk velvet with a rayon backing is not going to be an issue. That shouldn’t be permanently damaged by water. And if anyone out there has any more info, we’d love to learn more about why some velvets are affected this way. I think, generally speaking, you probably want to avoid your velvet garments getting wet. Yeah. As much as you can.

Helen: I mean, if only just because they’re not going to look very good once they are wet, right?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: But yeah, if you live in a rainy climate like we are it is something to consider.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: Danielle wants to know, is there “any way to combat the lint buildup without cleaning multiple times per project?” Oh, I don’t know if there’s a good way to avoid getting the lint in your machine and all over your, you know, sewing space, but kudos to you for cleaning it out during the project. It’s a good reminder to all of us when we’re working with fabrics like these, like, keeping a little vacuum cleaner handy is really great when you’re cutting things out. And then having those brushes near your machine, little lint brushes so that you can regularly get in there and get out all of those extra fibers.

Caroline: Yeah, for sure. @shopdahl asked: “Someone told me you need to wear a mask when serging velvet, is this true?” I’ve never heard of this one, but I can imagine it might be dangerous to inhale, like, a lot of the lint from velvet. But I also don’t know that sewing one or two garments out of velvet would qualify as a lot. So maybe it’s something to look into if you’re sewing a lot of velvet, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it if you’re just making a garment.

Helen: Yeah, I agree with that, but if you want to wear a mask, just in case, I mean, you totally can.

Caroline: Yeah, it wouldn’t hurt. That’s for sure.

Helen: Jennifer asked, “How to restore loft to silk velvet that has fold lines? Gently patting with damp velvet: thumbs down!” Okay, the technique that Jennifer is referring to for getting rid of the fold lines is to dampen a piece of the velvet and use it to brush the velvet in the direction of the nap. So basically, smoothing it out to match the rest of it. It might take a lot of smoothing, some extra dampness, an extra steam maybe, but it is worth a shot. Sounds like it didn’t work for Jennifer. And unfortunately, some creases are just too ingrained to change. So it might not be possible. If you can’t do it yourself, maybe consider taking it to a dry cleaner and asking if they can help you out.

Caroline: Yeah. Always worth it to ask an expert. @she.has.notions asked: “What’s the best way to make a curved waistband in corduroy?” So, for the outer waistband, you want to make sure the grain of the fabric matches the grain line on the pattern piece. But for the inner waistband, you can use a compatible but lighter weight fabric like a cotton lawn or quilting cotton. And if you need interfacing, either interface the inner waistband or use sew-in interfacing. And don’t forget to understitch along the top edge of the lining so that it doesn’t, like, peek out to the outside of your garment. But I think that’s a good solution so that you don’t have too much bulky corduroy in your waistband and have, like, corduroy rubbing against your skin on the inside. I feel like that might be a weird feeling.

Helen: Yeah, and it can be a bit of an odd look. Like, those Brooks jeans that we made out of corduroy, because corduroy is like a stripe, so the grain line’s perfectly aligned at the center back, basically, but by the time you get around to the front where it’s overlapping at the fly, it’s on a weird angle, so it looks kind of funny, like it’s been cut not on the grain, but it has. So it is okay, it will work out, but I can understand the hesitation because it looks a little bit funny, so if that’s going to bother you, then yeah, maybe a curved waistband is not the way to go with your corduroy.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: Claire asked, “Is rolling velvet the best way to prevent permanent wrinkles?” I’m assuming Claire’s referring to storing velvet. The best way to store velvet is the way that they do in fabric stores, which is wound onto a wide roll, clipped onto a hanger along the selvage, and hung up in the space where it has enough room to hang freely. That’s a lot, a lot of effort. And I’m sure a lot of people out there don’t have the space or the bandwidth to care for this fabric storage in that way, but it is the best way to care for your velvet. So if you’re investing in a nice silk velvet, maybe it is worth taking the time to roll it up or to hang it.

Caroline: Yeah, I would just generally not recommend stashing velvet for too long because I do think that it can get sort of crushed and almost aged in a certain way if you keep it stored folded up or something for a long period of time. If you can get your hands on, like, a tube to roll it around and, like, keep it in the corner of your sewing room, then that’s probably the best way to do it. And make sure that it’s out of direct sunlight so it doesn’t get any sun damage. But yeah, it’s a bit of a conundrum, because I do think that you can get some permanent wrinkles in velvet if you leave it folded for too long.

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: Alright, our last question is from Meghan and it’s about buttonholes. They said, “Buttonholes! I had a rough time with corduroy once – ended up using tape under the foot.”

Helen: Oh, buttonholes. Buttonholes. Just buttonholes.

Caroline: Buttonholes, man. Yeah.

Helen: This sounds rough. Okay, if your foot is catching on the fabric too much, you can use a Teflon foot, you can reduce the presser foot pressure, or you can do what you did and kind of fake a teflon foot by putting a piece of scotch tape under it so it moves around more smoothly. I think on a previous episode this season, Caroline, we were talking about how sometimes, with buttonhole attachments, you need to, like, give it a little push, you know, like, you’re not supposed to, but sometimes it just needs it and you need to guide it through a little bit with your hands. But yeah, with these fabrics that have things that the machine can kind of catch on, the buttonhole attachment is going to struggle with that. So that can be, that can be challenging.

Caroline: Yeah. We always recommend testing, testing, testing with something like a buttonhole on velvet or corduroy. Test the crud out of it and hopefully you’ll get to a point where you’re happy with the way it looks and then it’ll actually do that on the final garment. That’s also always a fun experiment.

Helen: Yeah, right. Okay, I’ve got it all figured out. Now let’s see what actually happens.

Caroline: Yeah. And you just never know and that’s why sewing is an adventure.

Helen: Okay, that is it for this fluffy, fuzzy pile of an episode. We had so much fun talking about these fabrics. And tag us with your corduroy and velvet makes! We want to see what you’ve made out of these beautiful fabrics

Caroline: Yes, and that is it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to our bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew! Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week. Bye!

Caroline: Bye bye!

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In this episode, we interview Michelle Thomas-Elder, a designer, tailor, and sewing teacher who owns The Kut Studios, a co-working space for designers in LA! Michelle has made custom pieces for celebrities and altered haute couture gowns – and recently, she released her first book. She has amazing stories to tell and a “Say Yes” attitude that we absolutely love.

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

Show Notes: 

Find Michelle Online:

The Ultimate Fashion Sketch & Pattern Card Workbook by Michelle Elder and Christian Chacon

Some of Michelle’s Projects:

A post shared by Aunt Funky’s Closet, Inc. (@auntfunkyscloset)

Other Mentions:

Transcript:

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.

Helen: Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s the only thing worth talking about.

Caroline: In this episode, we’re interviewing Michelle Thomas-Elder, a designer, tailor, and sewing teacher who owns The Kut Studios, a co-working space for designers in LA. Michelle has made custom pieces for celebrities and altered haute couture gowns, and recently she released her first book. We are so excited to hear her stories and get her sewing and design tips.

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

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

Michelle: Hello, thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here.

Helen: We can’t wait to chat with you. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?

Michelle: So I’m Michelle Thomas-Elder. I’m from Los Angeles by way of Houston, Texas, and I am a fashion designer and mobile tailor for TV and film.

Caroline: Amazing.

Helen: Yes, we have so much good stuff to talk to you about today. But first, we always start our interviews asking our guests how and when they learned how to sew. So can you share that story with us?

Michelle: That’s a crazy one. I only learned to sew about eight years ago and it’s, it’s kind of a wild ride. I did HR, corporate HR, for a really long time when I first moved to LA and a lot of things happened and I ended up making jewelry and things like that as a hobby. And then I realized you can make more money making clothes, but I didn’t know how to sew. So I asked my best friend to help me learn how to sew, because we owned a showroom together and I made the accessories, she made the clothes, and one of my pieces were in a store. And one of my stores that sold my pieces, and I used to hot glue, like, beads to corsets, like, I made it look like it was sewn, but it was like trims and things like that. And someone saw it, loved it. And they wanted the designer to make them a dress. So I came down to the store. They told me what they wanted. It was like a simple spaghetti strap dress, but I had never sewn anything. And I was terrified of sewing machines, but she was going to pay me a thousand dollars. So I was like, okay, I’m buying a sewing machine today and I will figure out how to make a dress. So I asked my friend to teach me how to sew so I can make this dress. And she tried for like 30 minutes and she was like, “You’re never going to understand how to do this. Like you’re, I don’t know what’s wrong with you, like, why you can’t pick it up, like, why you’re not understanding.” And I was like, “You’re supposed to be teaching me. I don’t know the answers.” And she’s like, “I don’t know why you don’t get it. I just, I can’t.” And that was it. That was the end of our lesson. And then she was like, “Okay, goodbye.”

And then I just took my little sewing machine home and I just could not figure out what I was doing wrong. So then I did like everyone else and went to YouTube university and started just, just trying to search through YouTube, how to sew, looking at as many videos as possible. And something I was watching, like one video I was watching and the lady said something very specific. She was like, “Oh, just make sure you don’t push your fabric through your machine.” And all of a sudden it, like, clicked in my head that I was pushing my fabric through and not letting the machine pull it through. And so it would get jumbled up. It would go, it wouldn’t sew straight. The threads would get all jumbled because it was changing the timing of the machine. And once I stopped pushing my fabric, it just started sewing perfectly. Like a light switch turned on and all of a sudden I understood what I was doing. And once I got comfortable with that, I just, I planned and I, I watched more videos and I practiced and I sewed straight lines over and over again. And then I finally started to understand how, like, patterns worked. And I, I read through the patterns. And I had like three months to make this dress that I can make in 10 minutes now. And finally, I figured it out and got the dress done. She looked amazing. I made it from scratch with just her measurements. I figured that out, too, made a little pattern, made her dress. She looked beautiful. She loved it. Everything went great.

And from that point on, I picked up every pattern that said “easy” on it. And I just made it until I got comfortable with it. And then I moved to, like, intermediate and then advanced. And I just kept practicing. And then one day I got a call, about two months later, from a friend of a friend of a friend who needed a tailor for his client. And I had never tailored anything before, because I just learned how to sew. And then I went to his house. He was a stylist. He said, “Oh yeah, I needed a tailor for my client, who is Naturi Naughton from Power.” Um, from the TV show Power. I had never worked with celebrities, either. He was like, “So, can you do it?” And I was like, “Sure. Yeah. Of course. Yeah.” I had no idea what to bring. I just brought safety pins and stick pins. I didn’t know anything about tailoring. I barely knew how to sew clothes together, but someone’s going to pay me to do it, so I will figure it out. And that was my first time doing a celebrity. I did two gowns overnight for the next day for her to walk on the red carpet. And I just prayed over both dresses. And I was like, “Lord, I have no idea what I’m doing, but please guide me through this. Because I am so terrified. This is what she’s wearing tomorrow. And it has to be right.” At the fitting, I’m just like putting pins wherever she says, she’s like, “Oh yeah, I just want to make this tighter here” and “A little more snatched right there.” And I’m like, “Oh sure. Right here? Like this? Okay, great.” And I’m just safety pinning things that I have no clue as to how I’m going to figure this out. And thank goodness, like, I got there, she tried on the first dress. It fit like a glove. She was so happy. The second dress comes on. It’s so tight. I made it so snug. And she was pregnant and no one knew at the time. And it zipped up and she was like, “Oh, I feel so snatched. I feel great. This is amazing. Thank you so much. This is perfect.” And after that day, like, I cried in my car, I was like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I made it through that. It all worked out.” The stylist was like, “Okay, I’ll call you sometimes when I have clients that need tailoring.” And that went from that one time to seeing him almost every day of the week for every client that he has. And it’s been eight years. And that’s how I started working with Enrique Melendez, Jenna Ortega’s stylist. And we’ve been working together ever since. Yeah.

Caroline: That is such an incredible career journey. Oh my gosh. It’s like the definition of fake it till you make it. Like, you’ve absolutely made it. And I can’t believe that you didn’t know what you were doing at the beginning. I feel like we have to jump right into talking about the incredible work that you do on costumes for TV, performances, music videos, as well as red carpet events. You mentioned some of them here, but very recently, Sabrina Carpenter came out with the “Taste” music video and you worked on some of the costumes for that. So can you just share with our listeners what kind of work you were doing on that set?

Michelle: Yes. So, professionally, I’m a mobile tailor. I come out to clients and I tailor them for all kinds of things, press events, red carpets, music videos, TV shows, you know, everything that, if a celebrity needs to wear something, I’m there to tailor their clothes. So I’ve been working with Jenna Ortega for eight years, just as long as I have been working with her stylist. She was like the second or third client that we got when I was with him. So I tailor everything that she wears for press and red carpets and things like that. And I tailored the pieces that she wore, actually, I was the fitting tailor for that music video. So, the night before, we were doing a 20 look fitting until, like, the wee hours of the morning, because the music video shot the next day. We had a secondary tailor, Giovanni, who’s an amazing tailor as well. And he took everything that I pinned. So I pinned all the looks and then he took them to his studio and tailored them overnight. And then they went on set the next day. I actually was working on the Disney Legends award show as the costume designer. So I couldn’t be there on set, but I was their fitting tailor, got everything fit, and then he went and sewed everything for me.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Incredible.

Michelle: And she looked amazing.

Caroline: Yeah, she did look amazing. And what is it like working on a big production like that? Like, I imagine it’s really high-pressure. Is it stressful or do you feel like, after eight years, you’re like, “Ooh, piece of cake.”

Michelle: I feel like, for me, I don’t see it as high-pressure, because we do these things so regularly, and it’s a part of my job to move quickly. So, you know, like I said, I wasn’t at the video the next day because I already had another job booked for a concert, but we’ve done these types of things before. And it’s kind of all hands on deck. We had two tailors, me and another tailor had to come in because it was so overnight and quick. She had just flown in. And so we only had a very slim window of doing a fitting, getting it tailored and then getting her on set in that look, in those six or seven looks that she did. It, the pressure, I think, is, you know, normal for any job that’s quick and fast like that. But it’s normal for us, in this industry, who do it all of the time. It doesn’t feel as frantic because we’re used to the pace. So, you know, it’s exciting. It’s fun. It’s a lot. It’s a lot of options and shoes and packages coming in all hours of the night from different showrooms and just trying to get the looks right. Trial and error and seeing what works with the brief, what’s going to match with Sabrina. But Enrique is an amazing stylist and he’s been styling her for so long, for eight, almost nine years. And so we know what she likes, how she likes to look in her clothing. And It was a, it was a big feat. And then she’s leaving immediately the next day to go on a press tour for Beetlejuice. So we were doing all of that at the same time. So it’s a lot of moving parts. But It’s just another day, you know, and in the life of being in fashion, so.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, so cool that in just eight years, you’ve gone from not knowing how to sew to making custom garments for Jenna Ortega. Like, does that ever hit you at times when you’re doing your work? You just think, like, “Wow, I’m, I can’t believe I’m here.”

Michelle: Yeah, you know, there’s certain people that I’ve watched grow. We worked with a lot of Disney and Nickelodeon kids that were, you know, child actors. And then they kind of grew up with us. And so, with Jenna, I was there when she was 14 and I’ve taken her to set and I’ve picked her up from set if she, if she couldn’t, you know, if her parents couldn’t make it or, or couldn’t get there, and you know, it’s become like family. And watching her be driven to photo shoots and fittings with her mom and her dad to watching her drive to a photo shoot or a music video or to set or drive away from an interview has been so rewarding. And so I think that’s the part that I’m in awe of, is watching someone grow and seeing different parts of their growth in this industry and the ups and downs. And then to see her, like, just skyrocket. And I have a lot of clients like that, that were teenagers when I started working with them and now they’re adults doing amazing things in acting and music. And so I’m in awe of that and a lot less in awe of working with stars because that part is just a part of the job. It’s just like coming to your regular job, working with coworkers. It feels normal because it’s what you’re always doing. Maybe the first time I was a little starstruck, the first time I worked with a celebrity, my very first one, when I had to learn how to tailor. But once you get past that and you realize they’re just people, you know, they have insecurities, they have things they like about themselves, they laugh at jokes and they’re just regular people. Then it’s, it’s a little bit easier and it doesn’t feel so scary. And you don’t get super starstruck. I’ve had a few that I just can’t believe. I’ve just looked up and like, “Wow, I just did that.” And I’m, in the moment, I’m just doing my job. I don’t think about it. I just do the job. I do a great job and then I move on. And then when I get home, it’s just like, “Wow, I just worked with Shaquille O’Neal” or “Wow, I just worked with Chaka Khan.” Like, you know, like, like, “Wow, I can’t believe I just worked with En Vogue,” like, my favourite girl group when I was in the, you know, growing up, like, but in the moment you don’t see that, you see it as a job. I get paid to be here and I’m going to do my job and I’m not taking selfies. I don’t think like that. I just want to do a good job and that’s it. And then I get to freak out when I get home.

Caroline: Well, it is incredible that you’ve worked for so many years with these celebrities like Jenna Ortega. And I think that’s a testament to the professionalism and the incredible work that you’re doing and the tailoring that you’re doing. So it’s really, really wonderful to hear about. Speaking of Jenna Ortega, you altered a one-of-a-kind Versace dress for her to wear on the red carpet and then completely reversed the alterations afterwards. And a lot of our listeners are sewers who I think would be interested in the nerdy details of the techniques that you actually used to do this, because this sounds really cool.

Michelle: Oh man, I would say that was probably one of the highlights of all of the things I’ve ever done because it was, like, a really special dress and Versace really wanted her to wear it. And for that, I think it was for the SAG Awards. And so they had to do a meeting with me. because I couldn’t sew through it. It was one of the last gowns that he made before he passed. And so it was going in an exhibit. It had leather at the top, so we couldn’t put holes in it. I couldn’t physically sew it on a sewing machine. They told me I could not put holes in this dress. And I’m looking at the dress. And I mean, it was, like, brought into his house by guards. Like, that’s how special this dress was. They had to fly it from Italy and, like, had guards bring it in. So I’m just like, “Okay, I can’t have anything happen to this.” So I’m like, I’m running straight to my studio so that nothing comes, you know, in contact with this dress. And I did a zoom with, with the team in Milan at like two o’clock in the morning my time. And they were like, “Okay, so listen, you can’t sew on this dress, but she needs to wear it.” And I’m like, “Yeah, she tried it on. I need to take like 12 inches out of this dress.” 12. Because she’s very tiny and this is a very small dress, but 12 inches still needs to come off the back of this dress because it’s just too wide and it does not fit. And so they were like, “Yeah, but you can’t sew it.” So you know how some gowns have these, like, elastic straps or these little straps with hook and eyes on the inside to keep it held up on the inside? And so they had that already, inside. And they were like, “Okay, well, why don’t you do something like that?” Again, and I was like, “Well, that won’t take away all this extra fabric.” I can’t sew it. So I can’t create a seam. I can’t put holes in it. I said, “But you know what? I have an idea. I, I do have an idea. I think I know how to do this.” And they were like, “No, no, no, this is going to work.” And I said, “Okay, no worries.” They said, we’re going to videotape how to do it. and then we’ll send you the video in the morning and then you’ll just do what we showed you.” This is their atelier. So they made the dress, like, that…they know how to do it. And I’m like, “Okay, great. No worries.” I was like, “I have a question, though. You know, can you use the lining? Can I sew on the lining?” They’re like, “Yeah, we don’t care about the lining. It’s just the outside shell. We can’t get holes in it. It’s going to be in this huge exhibit, like, in the following week.” Cool. No worries. I have a plan, but I’ll do what you tell me to do. I’ll watch the video. I’ll sew it that way you want me to sew it.

The next morning, the rep from LA, the Versace rep from LA, gives me a call. And she was like, “Yeah, so, I talked to the people in Milan. They said that they trust you.” And I was like, that’s weird to say. Just they, they, they, you’ve done other stuff for Versace before. I’ve done other gowns and stuff for Versace and I haven’t ruined it. Because they’ve had people, other tailors, ruin their dresses. And just kind of haphazardly just sew and just chunks of pieces of the leather coming off. And I, like, I’ve never ruined any dress that I’ve ever tailored. So I was like, okay. So they said, “They trust you. Do what you feel you need to do because they said that you seemed confident.” So I was like, “Yes, I am confident. I know how to do this.” And they were like, “Okay, it’s all on you.” The stylist, he was like, “If you feel confident, when you say you’re confident, I know you’re confident. So if you say you can do this…’cause we don’t have another dress. This is the dress that everyone, the whole team wants her to wear. And Versace wants her to wear.” This is a big deal. Cool. No pressure. Honestly, I’m not even feeling pressure because I’m so in a flow and I’ve been doing this so long that I’m like, I’m so confident in what I’m about to do that this is, like, light work for me.

So I come into the studio. I had my assistant videotape it because we never really do that. I never really videotaped, like, my tailoring for my clients. I just kind of do it and move on. But I was like, “I’m going to show you how to do something like this without messing up a gown on the outside.” And so all I did was, because I could hand sew the lining, I figured, okay, I’ll just create a seam right on the back, not down the middle of the back, but just next to the back, because the dress was kind of, like. weirdly shaped. So it has all these random seams in it. So it really wouldn’t matter if there was a seam just randomly down the back. I can work with this. So I basically folded the fabric in half, or folded the back in half. And then I just sew the lining to itself. And that creates a fold, a nice clean fold. And I use the heat from my hands to press the leather down and then I put topstick in the fold, on the outside, like in the inside of the fold, right where the crease would be, or right where the seam would technically be if I sewed it. And then press that down with my hands, but just, really strong topstick. Press that down, make sure the lining was sewn to itself from the inside all the way around and just hand stitch the whole thing. And made sure it was super solid, but it wasn’t sewn through the dress. It was only sewn through the lining. And so if you can imagine it, I do have a video on our TikTok that shows what I did. And then that was it.

So I go to the hotel. It’s now, it’s time to get her dressed. Like, we’re in the hotel. We didn’t get a chance to fit it again. I came, we came early before everybody came, like, glam came. We tried the dress on. It zipped right up. It fit her, but it still could be smaller. So I took 12 inches out of that dress and it still needed to be just a little bit smaller. So everybody’s freaking out. Like, what are we going to do? Like, you know, do we have time? Well, we have five hours of glam time. I think I can do that. I did this in 10 minutes. And they were like, “But are you sure? Are you, are you sure? Like, what are we going to do? Like, this is the only thing she has.” And I was like, “I did it myself. So I’m going to just take the tailoring out now and I’ll do it again.” I marked where it needs to be. She asked me if I was sure. I was like, “Of course, you know, I got this.” She’s like, “I know you got this.” I did it again while everybody watched me do it. They actually got to see me do it in person. And then 10, 15 minutes, and I was really just doing it slowly so people could feel like I was taking my time. But I, I could have done it faster. I just didn’t want people to think that I was just, like, whipping through it and I was, like, haphazardly just sewing. I was like, “No, I just know what needs to be done.”

It’s time to get her dressed. Glam is done. So we go into the bathroom. We put it on. And then, you know, these dresses always have the tiniest little invisible zippers with those little tiny, tiny little zipper pulls. I don’t know why people use those things. They’re just the worst, especially with something so heavy duty. So we’re putting it on. And when I say it was snatched, it was like she had no waist. And we’re zipping it up, but it’s really snug now. I made it fit. And then the zipper pull, like, we’re looking in the window, in the mirror, and the zipper pull comes off in my hand, mid zip. And so everybody’s just, it’s just me, the stylist is holding her up, I’m holding her waist with the zipper pull in my hand. And she’s looking, we’re all looking at ourselves in the, in the bathroom mirror, like, staring at each other. Like, “We good?” And now she’s like, “You good?” And I was like, “Yeah. Don’t move.” And so I run, get a safety pin, come back, put the safety pin in the, in the zipper, pull, and then yank it up. And then I just hand stitched that zipper closed to make sure that it doesn’t come down. And she starts to breathe and she’s like, “Okay, I feel great.” And it’s, like, skin tight. Like, it’s like I moulded it to her body. And she comes out. Everybody’s like, Oh my gosh, you look amazing. This is beautiful. We’re taking pictures. And the whole time I am standing there looking at that zipper. Like, please do not come down. Like, please do not just split down the middle and come down, because there’s no pull there to kind of lock it in. She’s just moving around. It’s warming up on her body. So, you know, the leather starts to warm up on her body. Everything’s fine. She looks amazing. They leave, they go to the awards show. She does a big thing with Aubrey Plaza on stage. I’m just hoping that I don’t get a call that the whole dress fell apart on stage. Like, I’m just, fingers crossed. She gets back to the hotel. They call me, ask me how to get her out the dress. I tell her what to do. And then they, they carry the dress back to me.

Like, the next day. Everything worked out. She looked amazing. I get a call from Versace. And they were like, “How did you do that? Like, what did you do?” Because I took, I took pictures all the way around, show them everything that I, like, all of the seams and everything. And they were like, “It literally looks like you sewed it. Did you sew through that dress?” And I said, “Absolutely not.” And so I was like, “I have the dress. I’ve already taken the alterations out. It’s back to where it was. But I did just safety pin the zipper pull back so they can change the zipper out.” Other than that… She got the dress back. They were like, “Oh my gosh.” Of course, they examined it to make sure that there was not one hole. Then she was like, “I don’t know what you did, but whatever you want to send on that invoice, send it. Like, whatever you want, because it was stunning and it was beautiful. And she looked amazing. And thank you so much.”

Helen: Wow. Oh my gosh. I mean, huge congrats to you for pulling that off. I loved that story so much. I’m looking at pictures of her in this dress. I’m trying to spot this zipper. As you said, she looks absolutely incredible. It’s fitting her like a glove. It’s so amazing.

Michelle: Yes. That was probably one of the highlights and one thing I’m really super proud of.

Helen: Yeah, you should be. It’s so good. And I want our listeners to know that you’re one of the select few tailors who is entrusted to work on authentic Versace gowns. So is that because of what an amazing job you did on this particular project?

Michelle: I think so. I think there’s a, you know, at the beginning I sent my little invoice and then, you know, the production or whatever the team’s, you know, I get paid. But now as she’s grown and we’ve grown and they’ve seen all of this work that I’ve done and all these different big brands that we’ve worked on, I’ve tailored their clothes, now those brands are paying me directly. Because they trust me to do the tailoring and it looks great and it doesn’t ruin the clothes, the garments. And, and so, you know, Gucci, Fendi, Prada, all of the, you know, Givenchy, all of the big ones now will contact me directly and say, “Okay, we’re going to pay you directly for doing the tailoring” because they trust that I will do it right. They trust that it won’t ruin the garment. And so I’m really proud of that. I’m really proud that I’ve grown that much in my career to where I’m trusted to do that. And they know that it won’t be ruined. And I will care for the garment and try to keep the integrity of the garment.

Caroline: Amazing. Yeah. It’s so, so cool, the work that you do. And we wanted to call out one of the other one-of-a-kind pieces that you worked on. This was for Erykah Badu. We just loved these stunning epaulets that you made for her out of white zippers with gold metal teeth. They just have this huge impact. And one of the questions that came to mind is: just how detailed are some of these requests that you get, and how much creative freedom do you have throughout that process?

Michelle: Well with Erykah, the first time I worked with her, it wasn’t for that. It was actually a few years ago, and a stylist that I knew who actually got me into, into fashion. He was working with her and she wanted something for, like, the Soul Train Awards, but she had a very specific costume in mind. And it was a replica of a costume that Sun Ra used to wear with a tuning fork head helmet and this, like, kind of ornate bib, like, Egyptian bib. And so I had to replicate it and I had two days to do it. So I didn’t sleep for two days and I just focused on getting everything made perfectly to make this costume look exactly like what he was wearing. And then, like, I want to say maybe an hour after we got off the phone, I got off the phone with her, her stylist calls me and says, “Hey, oh, she also wants, like, a random ring that’s bigger than her hand that has like the, the goddess Isis on it.” That’s all that I got, just making sure it’s bigger than her hand and it has the goddess Isis on it. Figure that out. Bye.

And then, so I had to figure out how to do that. I didn’t even know what she meant. So I went and got, you know how they have those, those wood mouldings? Like, you know, crown mouldings, you can have like these little ornate, like, figures that they have carved out of wood. So I, I found one that looked like wings on both sides. And it was about 12 inches wide. And so I was like, well, if I put three finger rings on the back of it with some resin, then it’ll fit her, her three fingers, and it’ll cover her whole hand. And then I took transparency paper and found a picture of the goddess Isis with her wings spread and added a few more and created this picture and printed it in colour on transparent paper on transparent film. Cut it out, laid it on top, and then resined the whole thing. And it looked like the goddess, like, as a big ring on her hand. And she was obsessed with it. And so that was like my first time. And she was so obsessed with the costumes that she didn’t even wear them at the Soul Train Awards, she only wore the ring. And she was supposed to wear it for one shot, like, for one look and wore it the entire time she hosted and on the carpet. And she had beautiful gowns that she wore. And she decided to keep those costumes as art pieces for her home. And she told me, she was like, “They were just too good to wear. I needed some art.” But I got all these write ups in Cosmo and Vogue about that ring. It was everywhere. So I was really proud of that.

And then a few weeks later, I met her at her concert. A friend of hers told me to come to her concert randomly. And he was like, “Get in the car. We’re going to Santa Clarita. She knows you’re coming.” And he lied about that part. And he said, “But bring a bunch of stuff that you just made. Just bring new stuff. And she’s going to buy all of it.” And I was like, “What?” And so we get there. She had no idea I was going to be there. He was like, “Oh, hey, Erykah.” She’s like, “What are you doing here?” And he was like, “Oh, this is Michelle.” And she was like, “Okay, hi, nice to meet you.” And then I was like, “Erykah, I’m Aunt Funky’s Closet.” And she was like, “Wait, you’re the one that made my costumes and my ring. Oh my gosh, what are you doing here?” And I was like, “Oh, well, he told me to come. He said you knew I was coming.” She’s like, “No, don’t worry about it. Stay backstage. Meet me after the concert, come up to my room and we’ll talk.”

So me and my best friend, we brought all these pieces that we made. And after the concert, it was about two in the morning, she has us come up. We stayed there ‘til five in the morning, with our shoes off, chit chatting with her. She tried on all of the clothes that we made, and then proceeded to pay cash for everything. And I’m, like, a broke, like, designer at the time. So this is, like, a lot. And she bought every piece. Loved everything we did. Cut to a few years later now. I mean, she follows me and everything. So she, you know, but that was like our last kind of real interaction. And then one of the stores that I’m sold in on Melrose is a store that she shops in all the time. She, she loves it. When she comes here, they shut the store down for her and she shops there. Well, they’ve been selling my zipper pieces. I mean, these zipper capes that I’ve been making for 10 years, they’ve been selling them at their store. And she saw one that was short and she loved it. It was like, maybe like mid-length to, like, her knee. And he was like, “Oh, she also makes them down to the floor in every colour.” And she was like, “Have her make me, like, seven in any colour she wants. Floor length. And I need, but I specifically need a long white one for my tour.”

So I make them in like two days. I make all seven in like two days, drop them off at the store. She comes, she buys, she originally bought the shorter white one and then she bought the white long one. And I, you know, Erykah is very eclectic. So what you think you’re going to do with it, she’s going to do something completely different. And she decided to layer them both on top of each other to create like this long, almost spiny piece. And so those are actually two zipper epaulets that are stacked on top of each other to create that shape. They look amazing on her. I posted this and everybody was like, “I knew that was yours. I knew, ‘cause you’re the only person who makes those things.” And, and they kept tagging her in my post. And then, so she hits me up in my private messages. And she was like, “I am obsessed with these. Like, I shop at that store all the time. I’m obsessed. I’m going to get more, like, you’re amazing. Like, this was amazing. Thank you so much, Queen.” Like, and it was amazing. And then she commented on the post, too. And it was great. And, you know, I told her, I was like, “I don’t even think you remember that, you, I’ve done things for you before.” And I, and so I told her that, and she was like, “Oh yeah, the ring! Like, yes, it’s my favourite thing.” So, that was, like, my reintroduction to Erykah recently.

Helen: It’s such a cool look, like, the whole ensemble with the two layered pieces. And yeah, I can see why she’s totally obsessed with them.

Michelle: But with your question about the process of working with the client. Sometimes they’re very specific and they want very specific things. Sometimes they want replicas of something else. Like with Ariana Grande, they wanted a replica of this Gaultier bodysuit that Madonna wore with the cat udders on it. And I think he did this campaign in, like, 1989, I want to say. And I got the call to do a replica of it for God is a Woman music video, for her to wear. And I had no idea what they were talking about, but they sent me a picture and they were like, “Can you make that?” And it was very specific. And I was like, “Yes, send me her measurements.” And then I made it overnight. Made a couple of other things, too: a cat helmet, a Mickey Mouse helmet. She wanted, like, the old Military helmets from, like, you know, way back in the day. But she wanted cat ears on it and then she wanted Mickey Mouse ears on it. And then she wanted one with Mickey Mouse ears that looked like it had been through battle. So I made three helmets like that. And they wanted a cat face, like a mask, but they wanted it to look realistic. Like what looked like realistic fur. And I was like, “What? Okay.” Okay. I, I’m a crafty person, so I can figure things out. So I figured it out, made an actual cat mask that looked like a real cat face. But they ended up doing a digital cat mask for that part. But they wore the helmet, the cat ear helmet, and she wore the catsuit with the cat udders in that God is a Woman video. And I made it.

Helen: Wow. Oh, that’s so cool. I feel like a through line through everything that you’re talking about today is that you never say no. You’re always just like, “Yeah, I got it. No problem.”

Michelle: I’m going to…money is a big motivator for me. So if you’re going to pay me…I do this for a living. I’m going to say yes. I don’t know why my mind works that way, but as soon as I get the call and I’m told what it is, I instantly start thinking of every technique that I can think of. And I start researching things. And this is even before I’ve gotten, like, the money for the supplies and all that. I’m just, I’m working out a solution in my mind, and then I’m going to all those resources to see if those things are there so that when it’s time for me to actually execute, I’m quick. And so I’ve, I’ve done things like this for so long that I’ve…in so many different techniques, and I’m not just a sewer, but I’m also a crafter and I do resin work and I do leather work and wire wrapping and painting and every little medium that you can think of… felting and yarn work, you know, macrame. I know that I can figure out how to do something because I just use every tool in my little toolbox. And when it’s time for me to execute, I can do it in hours, not days. And I won’t stop until it’s done. So my assistants all think it’s weird. And they just, like, they try to keep up, but they’re just like, “I don’t even know how you thought of that. You got the call and then you made it and then you delivered it in, like, two hours. Like, how is that a thing?” And I was like, “Because in this business, you want to be the first person to say yes, and you want to over deliver.” So, my reputation is: be the first one to say yes. Just say yes and then figure it out after and quicker than they ask and better than they thought.

Helen: Yeah. I mean, ultimately, you’re a problem solver, right? People come to you and they’re like, “Look, I need this thing.” And you’re like, “I can do that for you.” And then it’s not their problem anymore, which is perfect for them.

Michelle: Yes. Which is great for them.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah. Well, I wanted to ask you about taking our sewing and crafting lives to a professional place, because a lot of our listeners do a lot of sewing, and we mostly sew for fun and not for work, but I’m sure we have some folks out there who are curious about taking their sewing to that professional level and working in fashion design. And do you have any words of wisdom for them, other than just saying yes?

Michelle: Yeah. So, other than just saying yes, you have to be confident in what you do, not what other people do, but what you do. Because if you get the call saying, like, “Oh, I need this because you do this,” then say yes and be confident in your ability to do what they called you to do. If you don’t know how to do something, there’s always a video to find out. But if the core of it is what you do and they found you because of what you do, be confident in that. Don’t worry about who it’s for, what it’s for, when it is. None of that matters. Those factors don’t matter because you’re just simply doing what you do best. So if what you do best is sewing little doll clothes, and that’s, that’s your, that’s your favourite thing to do. And you’re really good at it. And you’ve honed in on that skill. Don’t worry about when they call you and say, “Oh, this doll is for Blue Ivy,” you know? And, you know, “Beyoncé requests a doll and we found you and, and you make doll clothes and they’re beautiful, but it’s for Blue Ivy and we need it in three days and it needs to be in this blue fabric.” That…none of that matters. Just don’t worry about the other noise. Do what you do best. Focus on it like it’s just what you’ve always done and be as good as you’ve always been. And all the other stuff doesn’t matter. Because they called you because of you and your talent.

And I always try to tell, like, new designers is that they’re not really buying just your product. They’re buying an experience with you. Because you’re, there’s a million people that do this. A million people sew. There’s plenty of tailors in the world, but people are hiring me because I bring something different. They’re hiring me because they like my personality or they like me because of the way I make them feel. And I make them feel supported. And I, I don’t make them feel insecure about their bodies. And you know, I’m gentle with them and I’m private with them and I make sure that they feel supported and comfortable. But there’s plenty of other tailors in the world that can do better jobs than me. I’m self-taught. And they know all of the lingo and all of the things, some things I don’t know, but they bought an experience with me because they’ve seen my work and they trust my work. And so confidence is always key to break in when that opportunity comes. Over deliver. And be on time, be early. Be enthusiastic about the job. But don’t try to sell yourself. You’re already there. They called you. You didn’t call them. So don’t try to sell yourself to get the next job. Just do the job. Do what they ask. Show up on time. Be professional. And you’ll get the call the next time. And your name will be referred over and over. And I would say 95% of what I do is referral. It’s someone tell… I don’t really advertise what I do. I post what I’ve done, but I don’t say, “Hey, I’m a tailor, guys, if you need a tailor.” I’ve never posted things like that because I’m always, I’m always working, but everything I get is referral. It’s just, someone told someone else about me, and I’m really proud of that, because that means that I left an impact on so many people that it keeps me working. And so I just strive to continue to, to show up, do my best. Not someone else’s best, but my best. Give them a hundred percent. And be true to my work and just do my best. That’s all I can do.

Caroline: That’s really great advice, and I’m sure our listeners will be really inspired to hear about your journey and how far you’ve come from your humble beginnings, not knowing how to sew and taking on clients. But, believe it or not, you have, you have some other things going on that we also wanted to touch on today. And one of those is your book. You recently had your first book come out. It’s called The Ultimate Fashion Sketch and Pattern Card Workbook. And we just want to ask you, what inspired you to create this book?

Michelle: Okay, so I’m an artist, but not in the way that most people are. I cannot draw. I can’t draw to save my life. And I love art so much, but I cannot sketch. When someone asks me, like, “Oh, can you make me this dress?” And then they’re like, “Oh, I want it to kind of, like, have these type of sleeves. And then I want this kind of bottom and then this kind of like waist.” And I’m just like, “Okay, I know what you’re saying and I know what you want.” And they’re like, “Oh, can you sketch it out for me so I can see if you, you understand.” And I’m like, “Alright, well, here goes the stick figure” and me trying to like, make it make sense because I can’t, I don’t draw figures. I didn’t go to school for this. I didn’t go to, you know, do illustration. I can see it in my head. And I always say. “I can make it faster than I could draw it.” So you’re going to have to trust me. And I was like, “You know what, I have to start learning how to, to try and make, some sort of, sort of sketch.” So I found that when I would buy, like, sketchbooks, you know, like the croquis sketchbooks with the fashion forms in it helped because now I had a form to kind of lay the clothes on and figure it out. And so I loved that. And I felt like the sketchbooks just weren’t, didn’t have enough variety, because I have a variety of clients. I have kids and teenagers and adults and, you know, plus size women and men. And, and so I’ve always thought about having my own sketchbook that had kind of everything I wanted in one place. As a designer, you’ll do a sketch and sometimes you’ll send that sketch to someone else, like, oh, you send it to another designer. ‘Cause their specialty is gowns. And so, I have a client that needs a gown and I’m going to do some of it, but they’re going to do the rest of it. And maybe I’m going to do all the rhinestoning or something, but I need someone else to make it. How do I sketch this out for them to understand and then give them all the details like a pattern card needs to make this piece? And pattern cards can be expensive. Like, the nice, hard pattern cards are expensive.

And I was like, what if it was all in one place? So then you could just tear the page out and give the sketch, the technical sketch, the pattern pieces and your pattern card with all of the yardage, the trims, the buttons, all the notes, the measurements as well, all in one place. And then you can just give that to a designer or give that to a manufacturer. Because I also do manufacturing. What if there was a book for that? So that’s why I created it. I wanted a place that had straight size, plus size, and men croquis that we created ourselves. My incredible assistant, Christian Chacon, he made all of the illustrations and all of the croquis to scale, nine heads tall. And then I added all of the different types of measurements at the bottom. So you can put all your clients’ measurements on that page. Then on the back of that, every page is your pattern card, that has what yardage of fabric, what type of fabric. You can put your swatches on there. You can do your technical sketch. You can put your buttons and zippers and trims and any notes about hardware or any notes about the client on there. And then you can take that to your designer or to your manufacturer and it’s all in one place. Or, as a person who maybe doesn’t do professional tailoring or professional sewing, and you’re just a home crafter or a home sewer who does things, like, for their friends and family, this is a place to put all of your ideas and all of the swatches. And sometimes you just sit and sketch an idea and then you find fabrics that you would like to put it, you know, put it on or put it with. So now you can put all of that in this book. And now you have a book that has all your ideas, with those fabric swatches, with what you need for the pattern, all in one place. And then you can come back to it when you’re ready to actually do it. And so that’s what this book is for. It’s not just for professional sewers or, or designers. It’s for the home crafter. It’s for children. It’s for teenagers who want to get into fashion.

My nieces both love to sketch and love to sew. And my seven-year-old niece is an amazing artist, like, amazing. Like it’s kind of weird how good she is. And she loves to draw clothing. And then my older niece, she loves to actually sew. And my mom and me showed her how to sew and how to embroider on the embroidery machine. And so this is for them as well. This is like a love letter to design and fashion and the home sewer because I am a home sewer who turned professional. That’s my pitch.

Helen: I love this. I can definitely see our listeners using this book, like, in their home sewing practice, because we always need to sketch out our ideas and concepts. And I like the idea of having the place to include the measurements and notes and notions and all of that good stuff. So I encourage our listeners to go and check out this book because I know people out there are looking for a sketchbook that does include more variety in the croquis. So thank you, thank you, thank you for that.

Michelle: Yes, and one other thing about it is, I actually have, like, a little fashion kind of reference guide in the, in the front. So, we have measurement sheets in here so that you can understand how to measure a body. And we have them on straight size, plus size, and men, and it shows you exactly where to measure, how to get this measurement, like, from the neck down to your shoulder cap, this is your across your shoulder, this is your bust height, this is your across the front. Like, it points to everything. So it’s easy to understand how to measure, because I know that a lot of people don’t know how to measure their selves or measure other people to make clothing for them. We also have a reference guide for, like, body form silhouettes, dress silhouettes, neckline, sleeve styles, skirt styles, and pants styles, because sometimes you’ll have a client and they’ll say, “Oh, I want that kind of, you know, those kind of pants at the bottom. Like they kind of flare out kind of like a bell bottom, but not that big.” So now you have a kind of a reference guide to point to. And like, “Oh, like this?” Or “I want the neckline, you know, how it like kind of ovals or, you know, you know, the thing?” And you’re like, “Oh, like this.” And like, “Yeah, I want that neckline and I want those straps and I want that sleeve.” And so this is just another way to, to help you with your clients or with your, your friends or family to show them kind of a reference of what they’re looking for. And it just makes it easier for you to make those illustrations. So I just kind of wanted a little bit of everything in here.

Helen: Yeah, so smart. I love that we can hear you flipping through the pages. You’re, like, really bringing us into your world right now.

Michelle: I didn’t even realize that. Yes, yes. I’m just really proud of it.

Caroline: It’s great.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: If our listeners wanted to get their hands on a copy, where can we get that?

Michelle: Oh. So we have it on our Etsy, @thekutstudios. We also have it on our website at thekutstudios.com. And that’s “The Kut” with a “K.” You can also purchase it on our Instagram and on our TikTok. And it’s all @thekutstudios.

Caroline: That’s actually a perfect transition, ’cause we did wanna talk about The Kut Studios. This is your co-working space for designers, and you also teach sewing classes there. So can you tell us a little bit about this space? What’s the vibe like? Give us the lowdown.

Michelle: Well, the vibe of The Kut Studios is funky and messy and cool. And so, in the front of our studio, we actually have a storefront in the world-renowned fashion district of LA, right next to Santee Alley. And so you walk in through the doors and you’re greeted with, like, a big closet full of the craziest-looking clothes and the most random things that you’ve ever seen. I have multiple designers, local designers, here, of colour, that have their different walls where they sell their pieces. And there’s costumes, there’s ready-to-wear, there’s more, like, there’s thrifted pieces, things that we found online, and then pieces that we make, things we’ve upcycled, things we made from scratch, costumes for, like, Burning Man and raves. And then we have things that you would see just on a television show, like, ready-to-wear, and then really unique pieces.

And then when you walk through, we have a massive wall that we built. And you walk through the wall and then you’re transformed into this workspace, like, a workspace that has big cutting tables, two huge cutting tables, and some of our merch. There’s a mural that we painted on the wall that my, my assistant did, and six desks full of sewing machines by Brother, our favourite sewing machines. And there’s fabric rolls and all of these totes and trays and things under the tables with labels on it for notions. And we have a fabric room back here. We have dressing rooms, we have heat press, just everything you could possibly want in your sewing studio. Dress forms and mannequins and all, and sewing patterns and everything. And designers and crafters alike can rent time in our space. They can become a tenant and actually get keys and have a workspace. We actually have an extra office here that we have a couple of different designers who actually work here full-time like that. So their office space, and then we have an option where you could just rent by the month, just monthly or by the week or by the day. And you can work in our space, use all of our fabric, because we get all of the fabric donated. People all over will just donate fabric to us, which I love. Our students, too. So you can use our notions, our fabric, our tools, our measurement tools, everything. And you can just work in our space. And it’s a community. It’s fun. There’s no competition. Everyone here is helping and everyone here kind of does different things. And so there’s, it’s a resource for you if you’re, you’re trying to learn how to do something or you just want to have a bigger space to work out of and not have to work out of your apartment or your home. It’s a very creative space. And we love watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. So that plays 24/7 on our television while we’re all in here working and talking. It’s our favourite thing. And we’ve had so many of the drag queens come in and get things. But It’s just a really fun, collaborative space and everybody kind of just shares what they have, their knowledge and their materials, if they have leftovers. So, really collaborative space, really funky and cool. And it’s two blocks away from where the fabric and notions are, where you can buy them in our fabric district. So you can walk, go get what you need, and come back. And I’m really proud of this. This is what I’ve always wanted. And this is my fourth studio. So we’ve grown to this. And I’m very proud of what we’ve done here. And we’ve had different designers and stylists come.

We do, also do classes here every Sunday, I mean, Saturday and Sunday. We do intermediate classes on Saturdays. And then there’s an intermediate class at 10. And then we do different classes every Saturday. So we have a tailoring class, a Spanish-speaking only class that my assistant teaches for beginners. We do a new kids’ class now on third Saturdays for ages 7 to 15. And Then we do a Sip and Sew, which is basically like a workshop that’s, like, four hours long. We usually do like a bigger project that you can get done in the four hours. And maybe a little sangria, a little, a little something, nothing too heavy. You know, optional, if you like. And then on Sundays we have two beginner classes, 10 o’clock and 1 o’clock. And the beginner classes are great because, like I told you before, my friend was not very patient with me. She is still my best friend to this day and we laugh about it all the time. But I said, if I ever really learned how to sew, I would want to teach. And my husband, who was amazingly supportive, he just kept pushing me to, like, “It’s time. You need to teach.” And so, about two, maybe two and a half years ago, we finally started doing classes. And I, I feel like I’m not a good public speaker. Like, I feel like I ramble and I make jokes a lot. And, but when I did my first class, everyone seemed to really enjoy it. And I think that’s my way of taking the nerves down. And now we got it down to a science. So in the two hours that you’re here for class, you learn how to sew in 30 minutes. And when I say in 30 minutes, you will know how to use a sewing machine. Even if you’ve never even seen one in person, you will know how to use your sewing machine. You will feel confident on that sewing machine and you will sew a complete garment by the end of the class. So the next hour and a half is you making a garment.

We do different projects every time. So we did pants this Sunday, this past Sunday. So they learned how to make pants. You’ll learn how to make jackets, dresses, skirts, things that you thought, “I don’t know how to sew. So how would I know how to make those things in two hours?” But I have it down to a science on how to teach someone how to sew and be confident. And they’re just so surprised after about 45 minutes, I’m like, “kay, you’re going to pin this. And then everybody go back to your desk and go ahead and sew that side seam and then come back to the table with your pins.” And then they just go sit down and sew. And so they don’t ask me how to do it again. They just do it. Like, and, and I’m like, I always make this joke. I’m like, so, “You know, you guys are all sewing now, right?” And they were like, “Yeah, that’s so weird. Like, it’s so weird that we’re just sewing, like, we’re just making clothes now.” And I was like, “So now the next thing is, since y’all are doing so well, we locked the doors and everybody goes into our little dungeon and you start sewing for us.” You know, and they all laugh and they, but they, but they all feel so confident. And to see their faces when they turn those pants inside out and realize they made pants. And they put them on in class and they’re, like “I made pants that fit me. And they’re, like, really cozy. And this is really cool. And I made pants.” Like, it’s just such a rewarding feeling, every single class, to see the joy on people’s faces for learning a new skill. So, yeah, The Kut Studios is a magical place, we say. And It’s a very supportive community of designers and students who just wanted to learn and take a little time for themselves to learn a new skill.

Helen: It does sound like such a magical place. It’s funny that you mentioned RuPaul’s Drag Race, because I was picturing the workroom from RuPaul’s Drag Race. I don’t know if it looks anything like that, but that’s what I’m picturing.

Michelle: It’s very, it’s very similar to that. Yes, yes.

Helen: Oh, so fun. I definitely think you’d be a great teacher. I love that you keep mentioning instilling confidence in your students. That’s something you talked about earlier, too, just knowing that you’re good at it, that you got it, that you can do it, not second guessing yourself. And I really love that. Especially with sewing, I think it can be easy to get a little bit bogged down and feeling worried about what might happen when it’s really not, it’s not that hard, you know, we got this. We can do it.

Michelle: No, like, you got this. And at the end of the day, like, I always tell my students, I’m like, “Guys, we’re not curing cancer here. We’re making clothes, you know what I’m saying? We’re making clothes!” Like, I always do this thing, when it’s their first time actually putting their foot down on the pedal and having to, like, when we start sewing, we’ve gone through all of the things and the anatomy of the machine and how it works and, and they’ve threaded their machine. And now it’s that it’s time to put your foot on the pedal and to actually make that machine move. And I always say, “Okay, so before we start, unclench your butts. Relax your jaw. Take the tongue off the roof of your mouth. Relax your shoulders.” Because everybody’s hunched over their little machine because they’re so nervous. And I was like, “Just relax. We’re just sewing. This is supposed to be fun. There’s no deadline. If you do it wrong, that’s why you’re in class. You will learn how to do it right. Relax. This is supposed to be fun.” And I was like, “I should be the one that’s worried. ‘Cause I need you to want to come back to my class. You know, I should be the one that’s worried, because I’m on a deadline with that when I make, you know, do manufacturing and make clothes, but you are simply learning a new skill. And give yourself some grace. Because you don’t learn things overnight.” And I still learn, I still teach myself how to do things. I get requests for different things that I don’t know how to do. I know what they are, but I’ve never had to do them. And so what do I do? I go to YouTube university and I look it up and then I practice. And now I know how to do that skill.

You know, I had a client just, that I’m working on something right now. She’s like, “Oh, I want to have all the inside of the seams, be French seams.” I’ve never had to do a French seam for any reason. There’s just no real reason for me to do it. So I’ve never done it, but I know what it is. I looked it up, took me 30 seconds. I was like, “Oh, okay, easy. Done.” And now I’m doing French seams on the inside of everything that she’s, I’m making for her. Extra step, but it looks beautiful. And I’ve been doing this this long and I professionally sew. I’m always going to be learning and I, and I implore every person, designer, every home sewer to continuously learn. Never stop, because you’re good at what you do. There’s always a better way to do it, a faster way to do it, a more efficient way to do it. So always keep learning, always keep your mind open and give yourself grace when you’re learning new things.

Helen: Oh, timeless advice, for sure. I really appreciate that. Okay, Michelle, we talked about so many things today. I mean, you’re teaching classes, you’re mentoring new fashion designers, you’re doing your own fashion design, custom things, Versace alterations. How are you doing all of this? How do you balance it all?

Michelle: Ooh. Well, I have a problem with sleep. I don’t sleep a lot. So I have, like, really bad insomnia. And so, and that’s been an issue for years, because my mind won’t turn off. I feel like I’m always thinking of a, of a new thing, or I see, like, I’m watching a TV show and I see, like, the collar of somebody’s shirt and I’m like, “Oh, that would be really cool if…” I can’t, you know…or,” What’s the texture of that fabric? What is that? I need to find that fabric.” Like, I’m always thinking of things or ideas. So I just, I don’t know. I thrive on being rushed. I think, because this industry is so quick and everything is so fast and, like, hurry up and wait or do it now, do it now. And working on TV and film, it’s like, we need this right now. Like, “Can you sew this really quick?” And so I’m so used to, like, this, these time crunch pressures that I tend to procrastinate when I have too much time. Like, if someone says, “Oh, we don’t need this until, like, a month from now, I will procrastinate, because they gave me too much time when I’m used to, like, if somebody gives me two days to do it, I start immediately and get it over with. I just, I have to keep moving. And so, I don’t know how I balance it.

I, and I’m married, I just got married a year ago and I have a whole husband and I have two dogs and, you know, I have a lot going on, you know? But I also have support. You know, my husband is very supportive. Shout out to him. He’s amazing. And I also have a really supportive team. I have an amazing assistant that I’ve mentioned multiple times, Christian Chacon, who has been with me for almost four years now. And he was simply just a guy that came in here looking for something to wear for his birthday. And something about him, he didn’t even say he sewed, and I don’t know what it was. And I’m very particular about this space. And he had just a light. And I asked him if he wanted a job and he was like, and his friend said, “Yes, he does. He hates his job and he’s an amazing sewer and he’s an amazing artist and he wants that job.” And he was like, “I work at a grocery store in a bakery.” And and the next day he became my assistant and he’s been here ever since. And he does all the videos that we do, too. So I’m, I’m amazingly supported with him. I also have an internship program, so I have lots of young designers and students that work here and get to learn, they get to do jobs with me, they get stipends for helping me with projects and, and manufacturing. And so, I’m lucky to have these young people who are so excited about design and excited about getting into the industry and learning the ins and outs. And this is a very fast-paced place because we, you never know who’s going to walk through our doors. We get celebrities that just randomly walk in here ‘cause they saw the store open. And now we’re, now that they’re our new client or we get a manufacturing job or I get a call to do a dress for Fantasia for a music video, but we need it in two hours, like, like those things happen so often and they kind of just thrust into these projects with me that they’re learning, like, on the job, really quick. And they’re very supportive. And so, I’m grateful and lucky to have them to also be here with me and stay late with me and help me because I am not much of a delegator. I’m more of a hands-on, I’m gonna do it with you. We’re gonna do this together. And teach at the same time. So balance, to me, is just having a great team around you who support you and family and friends who are cheering you on.

And because I love this so much it doesn’t feel like work. It is work. It is work, but it doesn’t feel like work. And I tell, you know, my students and I tell my, my team and my friends that the way I wind down is to sew. So I could sew all day for 12 hours. And the way I come down from all of that busy hustle and bustle is to sit and sew and to create something else. And I can’t help it. I can’t. So I’m always moving and my brain is always working. Because I love this so much that I could not see myself doing anything else. And eight years ago, this was not even a thought. 13 years ago, when I moved to LA, this was not something that I even knew I could do. I used to own a dance studio, so fashion was not a part of my life. And so, to go from doing HR, and that’s what I came here, I just came to LA to, to have a change of scenery from Houston and just live in LA and that was it, have a regular job and have a regular life, to this. Your path is not certain for the rest of your life. You can want to do one thing. And, and I always speak about God because he’s the only person who is keeping me afloat and keeping me through this, but he is the one who set me on another path and said, “You’re not meant for only one thing. And you have other gifts that you’re not aware of. And I’m going to plant those seeds and I’m going to lead you to those things. And I’m going to, it’s going to be hard and it’s going to be upsetting and it’s going to be great. And you’re going to cry and you’re going to laugh and you’re going to have a great time and you’re going to have a miserable time. But you’re going to love this so much that it will be worth it. And you, you will wonder why you continue to do this when you’re broke or when you have all the money in the world and when you lose it all, and when you gain it all, and you’re going to wonder why you continue to do this. And if you can continue to do this and I will show you that I will continue to provide and it will continue to be worth it.”

And so, I breathe this. Like I, I breathe this. Every aspect of it, every part of it is me now. And it’s the only thing that I love more than my family and my friends. It’s what drives me and keeps me getting up and seeing the smiling faces when they get the garment that I made or when my clients look amazing on set or they feel good in their clothes when they’re on that red carpet. And, and when my students are surprised at what they can do and how they didn’t know a skill before they walked in here and they’re walking out with a new skill and a new love and a new path and a new passion. That brings me joy and that gives me balance. That’s how I can do it all.

Caroline: Wow. Well, I think that’s a beautiful note to end this conversation on. It’s been incredibly inspiring to talk to you today, Michelle. And I know that our listeners are going to be dying to find you online and follow you if they aren’t already. So can you please share with everyone where they can follow you and your website and all that good stuff?

Michelle: Yes. So, my website is thekutstudios.com, and that’s “The Kut” with a “K.” And our Instagram is @thekutstudios. Our Facebook is The Kut Studios. You can also follow us on TikTok, @thekutstudios. So you can see all of our classes. We also have a Patreon, @thekutstudios, and where we have some classes and some, like, some tips and tricks. We’ll be adding more videos there. If you want to follow me directly, it’s @auntfunkyscloset. And you’ll see that on @thekutstudios that I’m the owner. But @auntfunkyscloset is my personal brand and you’ll see a lot of my tailoring and things like that. And things that I make, new pieces that I make and create. And you can always, you know, look us up on Google. You know, a review on Google is great for us, too. We’re also on Yelp. And if you’re in LA, or you ever, if you’re in LA and you are looking to just stop by, which does happen often, we are open Monday through Sunday, 11 to five. And we are in the fashion district on 11th and Santee, and you can see that on our website, where our address is, and you can always pop in and see the studio, see our classes, see what we’re making today. And I appreciate you guys for even having me on, and this was so much fun. And just keep sewing, guys. Just keep sewing.

Helen: Oh, we will.

Caroline: Just keep sewing!

Michelle: Just keep sewing. I love it. We have our little hashtag, #sewinthekut, and sew in that, and sew in that quiet place. Sew in that corner, sew in the kut.

Caroline: That’s terrific. We’re going to link all of that up in the show notes, and we’ll be sharing lots of pictures from this conversation on social media this week. So please go give Michelle a follow, everyone, in The Kut Studios, and check out the book. And Michelle, thank you so much for chatting with us today. Honestly, I’m in awe of the work that you do and your career journey. So thank you for sharing. Thanks for coming on the show.

Michelle: Thank you. I appreciate it.

Caroline: Thank you so much.

Michelle: Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate you guys. Your platform is amazing. You have so many sewers and inspire so many sewers around the world. And I am blessed and it’s been a pleasure to talk to you guys about what I love and what so many other people love to do. You guys are doing the lord’s work. I love it. You’re amazing. Thank you.

Caroline: You’re amazing.

Helen: Oh, likewise, Michelle. No, you’re amazing.

Michelle: No, you’re amazing.

Caroline: No, you’re amazing. Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, thanks so much, Michelle. Take care.

Michelle: Okay. Bye bye.

Helen: Bye!

That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Helen, at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. and Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Helen: Head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and gorgeous pictures of Michelle’s custom work from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, you can leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Caroline: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you all for listening. We will talk to you next week.

Helen: Bye bye!

Caroline: Bye!

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In this episode, we talk about rising fashion trends for fall/winter ‘24/’25! We say how we REALLY feel about them and share some ideas for how to incorporate them into your me-mades. Let’s get trendy!

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

Show Notes: 

“The 18 Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Fashion Trends to Know” by Héloïse Salessy in Vogue France

Boho

Aye-Aye Captain!

Back to the Future

A post shared by 𝐰/𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐲 (@withwendy)

Leopard Couture

Coquette

Bubble Skirt

Lady

The New Cape

Faux Fur

Still Life

Slip Dress

A post shared by Helen’s Closet (@helens__closet)

Beautiful Undergarments

Rebellious Tartan

Double Denim

Red Alert!

Transparency

Comforting Cardigans

Helen: 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 and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s essentially all we want to talk about.

Caroline: Today we’re talking about rising fashion trends for this fall and winter. We’ll say how we really feel about them and then share some ideas for how to incorporate them into your me-mades. Let’s get trendy!

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Caroline: Ooh! New episode format. How are we feeling about it, Helen?

Helen: I’m so excited. I think this is really fun. It may not be the most evergreen. Like, if it’s 2028 and you’re listening to this…

Caroline: We’ll have a good laugh.

Helen: You’d be like, “Wow, that was trending.”

Caroline: People are gonna be like, “Wow, red. Groundbreaking.”

Helen: Groundbreaking.

Helen: Caroline, I wore red for the occasion.

Caroline: my gosh, you did! I should have put on something on this list. I’m sorry, I’ve totally failed.

Helen: You’re wearing a striped shirt and I think we are going to be talking about nautical inspiration.

Caroline: Okay, I’ll take it. I’ll take it.

Helen: It counts. This is about how you can incorporate this into your everyday wardrobe.

Caroline: So true, so true, and I can’t wait to have a laugh about some of these trends. It’s going to be really fun. But first, we want to remind everybody about the best way to support Love to Sew, and that is joining us on Patreon or Apple Podcast subscriptions. If you do this, you’re going to get access to bonus content every month, and we have so much fun catching up with you all on those more casual bonus episodes. They’re really, really fun.

Helen: Yeah, it really means so much to us if you’re able to support us, even if it’s just for a month or two. And if that’s not in the cards for you right now, that’s totally fine. Thank you so much for listening and cheering us on and just spending time with us over here on the podcast. We love you.

Caroline: Yeah. We love you! Okay. Should we talk about trends?

Helen: Ooh! I’m so excited. I’m going to be honest. I love a trend.

Caroline: I love a trend too.

Helen: I don’t love every trend, but when a good one pops up, it’s really fun to see what people are making and wearing and join in, especially as sewists. I think we have a unique opportunity to play around in the trend arena and customize things for our own personal tastes.

Caroline: A hundred percent. I am all for the, like, timeless classics, but I feel like part of the fun of fashion is injecting something new and fresh into your wardrobe once in a while and experimenting and trying new things. And letting trends inform that is a really fail-safe way to go because you’re just going to be jumping on board with what everyone else is doing, which is kind of fun.

Helen: It’s always good to do exactly what everyone else is doing.

Caroline: Yeah, 100%. You can be buddies.

Helen: I’m gonna tell you, I’ve mentioned before on the podcast, my town…not the most fashion forward place. So it is really fun to wear some of these trends out in the wild and get some looks here and there. I do enjoy being a little bit more, um, dressed up than the majority of people around town and having a unique sense of style. And participating in trends is a really fun way to, I don’t know, inject a little flavour into my local community.

Caroline: Yeah, have you ever had some interesting interactions with people in your town? Being like, “Wow, nice, I don’t know…jorts, Helen.”

Helen: You know what? People are always so nice and if they do comment, it’s always complimentary. Saying, you know, that they love my outfit, which is always nice to hear, especially when you put so much work into making it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay, today we’re going to go over a list of trends courtesy of French Vogue’s article “18 Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Fashion Trends to Know.” Catchy. These trends are showing up again and again in fashion media and by the trend forecasting agencies out there. So we’re going to go through the list and react to each trend, talk about if we would try them or if we’ve already tried them, and share some ideas and patterns for incorporating them into your me-mades.

Caroline: Yes, and as always, we want to encourage you to pick and choose what works for you. Trends are not all mandatory at all. They’re just a fun thing you can take or leave. And we have some tips for figuring out whether a trend is for you, to kick it off.

Helen: First, you want to think about what will work well with your personal style. Will incorporating this trend mean that you’re going to have to change up a lot of your wardrobe? It might not be a practical choice in that case. But on the other hand, maybe you find a trend that resonates with you and what you already wear. So for example, nautical goes really well with classic style. You might be able to participate with only one or two new garments. Just a striped top!

Caroline: And you also want to think about what’s gonna fit into your lifestyle. if you live in a warm area, faux fur might not be a great idea. But a floaty boho dress could be the perfect fall trend for you.

Helen: And finally, and most importantly, in my opinion, does the trend light you up? I think it’s only worth it if you think it would be really fun and fulfilling to wear for you. A trend should make you feel more like yourself. If you’re participating in a trend only because you think other people are going to like it, but you’re personally kind of hesitant or uncomfortable, just forget it. Life’s too short.

Caroline: I have to tell you a funny story. Laura often tracks the trends for us at Blackbird and she subscribes to some newsletters and she recently told me about a newsletter that she got that was like, “Alert!” Like, “Rush trend: lime green, brat summer.” Like, “Invest in lime ASAP.”

Helen: You gotta get on the lime bandwagon now! It’s now or never!

Caroline: Yeah, it was like very, like, urgent, which I thought was hilarious. People are like, “Urgent! Urgent! Everybody’s in on the lime!” And it’s kind of true. Lime is everywhere right now, so. Good thing we did that mojito washed linen this summer. I think it’s perfect for the lime trend.

Helen: Oh my gosh, I have a whole outfit, top, matching skirt, in the mojito linen and I love it.

Caroline: I know you do. It looks so good. Oh my gosh, I love that outfit.

Helen: You know what’s better than being on-trend?

Caroline: What?

Helen: Being accidentally on-trend.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: Like, I didn’t even plan this, so I guess I’m, like, super fashion forward?

Caroline: Be careful. If you wear that out, people are going to be calling you brat.

Helen: I’ll keep an ear out for that.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay. We’re going to have so much fun today. Keep in mind that if we don’t like a trend, that doesn’t mean we’re putting down anyone who does like it. We’re just sharing our personal opinions based on our personal style. So I think we should just get into it, Helen.

Helen: Yes, okay. Our first trend is boho. This is kind of a classic trend. It kicks around every now and again and it’s defined as: “Nomadic and free, next winter’s style has been tinted with a 1970s filter. The boho look is making a welcome comeback and comes complete with floaty dresses and psychedelic prints. This winter, boho style will be as romantic as ever, if a little more rebellious.”

Caroline: Okay, I love boho. I think it goes without saying. I think we both love boho, right? This is totally for us.

Helen: Any chance I get to wear so much fabric, more fabric than is necessary, and have it draped all over my body, floating around, I am so there.

Caroline: Yeah, the gathers, the drapes, the flounces, the long length, the like, just wrapping yourself in fabric. It’s, it’s everything. And lots of like, warm tones, floral prints. I don’t know. It’s just right up our alley.

Helen: And the seventies inspiration too. I love a 1970s flavour in my wardrobe. So boho is really the place to do it. And I do think I have quite a few boho pieces already in my wardrobe, but I could add some more for sure. There’s always room for more.

Caroline: There’s always room for more. And I feel like I probably add a boho-inspired piece almost every season. So it’s kind of perfect.

Helen: Yeah. Okay. So, fabrics for these kind of garments, typically light and drapey. The ones in pictures are, like, satins and chiffons. If you want to incorporate this trend into more casual outfits, you can look for crinkle rayons and cotton lawns, solids and prints in earthy colours like gold, rust, and Brown are definitely the vibe. And here are some print types to look out for: paisley, large scale floral, retro, and of course, psychedelic.

Caroline: Those are some great search keywords if you’re shopping online.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: One of the dresses in the article is by Chloe. It’s a golden brown chiffon dress with a high neck. It has long sleeves, tons of floaty ruffles. It probably looks absolutely stunning when it’s in motion. If you really want to go all the way for this look, I think you could use the Wilder Gown pattern by Friday Pattern Co. and add layers of circular flounces.

Helen: Ooh, that would be amazing. And if you want to incorporate the boho look in a less intense way, you can try the Zero Waste Tier Dress by Birgitta Helmersson. It’s a maxi dress with a very 70s yoke. In a drapey print fabric, it would be perfect for this trend.

Caroline: Okay, let’s move on because we have 18 to get through. The next one is Ahoy, Captain: “Fashion sets….”

Helen: Wait. That’s not how you say it.

Caroline: Okay…

Helen: Ahoy, Captain?

Caroline: Sorry Helen, can you please say it for me?

Helen: Ahoy, captain!

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Maybe I want to put my own spin.

Helen: Okay, sorry, sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t judge.

Caroline: No, that’s fine. That’s fine. I’m going to describe it. “Fashion sets sail with a nautical wardrobe. For a cozy winter by the sea, the sailor’s jacket gets a couture makeover, while the sailor’s cap becomes a wardrobe essential.” Cannot wait to see you in a sailor’s cap, Helen.

Helen: I do not do hats well at all. I have a giant head and as a result I’ve never been much of a hat wearer and definitely sailor’s caps are not for me. I’m sorry, can’t do it.

Caroline: Yeah. It is kind of hilarious. I don’t know if you have the article open in front of you, Helen, but I do. And some of these trends are almost, like, so exaggerated because they’re from the runway, right? So it’s like, this one, to me, reads very costumey, but I can see how it would trickle down and I could see how it would work for, like, a sewist in everyday wear. Not to say that you can’t go all in on this trend, but I would probably water it down a little bit, personally.

Helen: Yeah. And it’s easy to do with the sailor-inspired looks. We’ve talked about, like, a striped t-shirt, nautical flair, like that, in these pictures. One of them is wearing, like, a very lovely kind of peacoat-looking garment that I think would be really easy to incorporate into any wardrobe, especially if you’re wanting to get into coat making this winter.

Caroline: Yeah, and truly just the colours…if you want to lean into, like, a navy blue or a cream colour, I think you can capture that essence. So in terms of pattern and fabric suggestions, a captain’s hat sounds like a silly thing to wear, but it actually could look really nice in a solid wool. Elsewhen Millinery has a pattern for one called the Hyatt that you could try, if you want to try this trend.

Helen: And as I was saying, a pea coat would be a less theatrical way of incorporating this trend. The Beatrice Pea Coat by Style Arc looks like a really good one. Use a gorgeous smooth suiting in cream or navy blue to really capture the essence of that nautical inspiration. Okay, our third trend is Back to the Future. “Experimentation with volumes and materials resulted in resolutely desirable, high-fashion aliens. Whether it’s an astronaut, an alien, or an astronomer doesn’t matter, as long as the look evokes dreams and travel.”

Caroline: Yeah, I think high fashion alien is, like, my style alter ego for next season, Helen.

Helen: Oh really? I love that for you. I definitely don’t have a lot of experience with sewing metallic fabrics or incorporating metallics into my wardrobe. This is like a whole new world to me.

Caroline: Yeah, and going back to watering down this trend for something that I feel like I would wear, I’ve been seeing a lot of metallics in shoes, like metallic ballet flats, or metallic accessories, a little bag, but I feel like you could also make a really cool metallic jacket or a pair of jeans, something that’s, like, simple style but you’re really letting that fabric shine. I’ve seen some really cool metallic denims. We just ordered some metallic linen blends that we’re gonna release for our holiday collection at Blackbird. And they’re just really cool and they have, like, a kind of an earthy vibe because they’re linen, but they still have that really cool silvery sheen to them that I think would work really well for this trend.

Helen: Ooh, I love that as a way to incorporate it. ‘Cause you know I love linen, so that sounds right up my alley.

Caroline: Mmhmm.

Helen: WithWendy made an amazing top out of chrome vinyl inspired by the Thierry Mugler Gynoid Suit that Zendaya wore to the Dune 2 premiere. It’s so futuristic. We’ll link the video in the show notes. Totally worth watching. I loved watching Wendy work through the process of making this look. It looks almost like a mirror and I’ve never seen anything like it. I was so impressed that she pulled it off.

Caroline: Yes! And you could totally incorporate metallics in a lower key way by making a bag out of faux leather. I feel like a shiny blue Bestie Bag would be so cool. I don’t know.

Helen: Ooh! Oh my gosh, it would. Yes. I do love that metallic royal blue that’s featured in the Vogue article. It’s really, really cool.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, yes, yes. Alright, next up, this one is one of my favourites. It is Leopard Couture. “What better than a roaring print to conquer the chilly season? Leopard print adds warmth and just the right amount of sensuality and confidence to any look.”

Helen: Ooh, I like that description. It does add a sensuality to the look for sure. It evokes some, you know, nods to lingerie and just something about big cats in general. They’re kind of sexy.

Caroline: Sassy. Yeah. It’s like totally, I don’t know. It’s cute, but it’s cool. I love it.

Helen: I’ve always really liked leopard print and I’ve made many leopard print things over the years. I feel like, to me, leopard is a neutral and it’s timeless.

Caroline: Yeah. I feel like it’s one of those thing that never goes out but I do notice that it comes in more, like it’s like always kind of around in the background, but once in a while it’ll really have a moment and you’ll see it in stores and you’ll see it in fabric stores and it is definitely having a moment right now.

Helen:Yeah. Do you think when leopard is having a moment that extends to like zebra, cheetah, giraffe, like other adjacent prints, or is leopard its own thing?

Caroline: I think leopard’s its own thing. I think like each individual animal print has its own moment.

Helen: Okay, what’s your favourite one?

Caroline: Well, I really like leopard. I also really like zebra, but I like a not super classic zebra. Like I don’t really want, like, a black and white zebra. I want like a more neutral, tonal, like brown and black or light brown/dark brown zebra. But to be honest, zebra print doesn’t really sell, in my experience.

Helen: Oh, interesting! It is definitely my favourite and I love the classic black and white, high contrast zebra, but leopard’s a close second. And then, you know, I love a snake print. We can’t forget about snake prints.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, snakes. What about cows? Cow prints? Love them.

Helen: Oh, I love a Cow print.

Caroline: Cow prints are so fun.

Helen: So fun.

Caroline: But yes, I would 100 % make something with leopard this season. I actually have good news for anyone who’s excited about this trend because we designed our very own leopard print denim at Blackbird that is coming out before this episode comes out. So it should be online now. I think it would look so great as a jacket. The Amelia Jacket by Sew Over It has a cool bomber look to it, but it would work well with a denim. And personally, I definitely want to make a pair of leopard print pants. I’ve seen some really cool leopard print jeans out there that are totally on my pinterest boards and I just have to pick a pattern. But I can’t wait. They’re so cute.

Helen: 100%. 100% I’m going to be making those jeans.

Caroline: We did it in two tones. We did like a darker one and a slightly lighter one, both in, like, the brown family. But one is like a bit more of a cool brown, one’s a bit more of a warm brown and ooh, I’m just so excited about this one. I feel like it’s really spot on. People are gonna love it.

Helen: Okay, if you really want to turn up the volume on this trend, you can try a leopard faux fur. The Fibre Mood Penny Jacket is designed for faux fur, and we have a few tips for working with it. Firstly, you want to cut it in one layer. Draw your cutting lines on the wrong side of the fabric, and then just use your scissors to part the fur and cut along the lines in small snips. And you want to finish your seams. Even though the fur won’t fray, it definitely will shed, so seam finishing is key. And if the pile of the fur gets caught in your stitches, you can use a pin to ease it out so it looks fluffy again. Keep your vacuum handy. This is going to be a messy one.

Caroline: I was gonna say, just mentally prepare yourself for the fur that’s going to be all over your sewing room.

Helen: But what a statement, though. You go out rocking that? I mean, come on. Next level.

Caroline: Yeah, I…there’s so many ways that I would love to use this trend. Like, I’d love to do some kind of, like, a leopard print mesh top or like a leopard print jersey T-shirt I feel like could be a fun casual look. Even like leopard print tights or like wide leg little like stretchy pants or something could be really cool.

Helen: Very fun. Yeah, I have a leopard print Slocan Tank that I made and I wear it all the time. It’s great. It’s just a simple basic. You tuck that into a high waisted jean. It looks very chic even though it’s, like, just a camisole. It’s really comfortable. It’s great. Alright, our next trend is coquette. Coquette is: “Marrying baby doll and ballet core influences, the coquette aesthetic lends a touch of naivety to women’s wardrobes. The trend channels pure femininity, punctuated by an invasion of bows and pastel pink.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh, bows! Bows on bows on bows on bows. I love bows. Bows are here to stay for another season. I am thrilled about it. I love this trend.

Helen: Yeah. I’m really into bows, too. It’s not for everybody. I know some people are a little sick of the bows, but that’s okay because you know what? They’re easy to add or take away at your leisure.

Caroline: Yeah. And this is another one that can be, like, kinda sexy. Like if you mix a bow with, like, black, or like in this particular trend on the website that we’re looking at, they have, like, light pink mixed with black and it’s like, I don’t know. It’s just kind of sexy. I like it.

Helen: Yeah, it adds a little bit of…the black, it adds a hardcore kind of edge to this really soft pink and I like that juxtaposition a lot if you’re not into going, like, the full baby doll route. Yeah, I am for this trend, but to a certain extent, because for me, that, like, hyper pink frilly feminine look has never been my style comfort zone. But I do like taking elements of it and incorporating it into my own fashion.

Caroline: Yeah. And even just a simple bow as a closure or adding a bow to a waistband or something could really incorporate this trend in a more accessible way that feels maybe a little bit more timeless.

Helen: Mmhmm. And in that vein, there are a bunch of sewing patterns that include bows right now. The Ballet Bow Skirt by Matchy Matchy Sewing Club is a midi length gathered skirt with high slits up both of the side seams. And then those slits are closed with three kind of oversized bows and it’s so cute. And it’s free when you sign up for their newsletter. So get on this and get it before it’s gone. It’s so cute. I’ve seen so many versions of this and I’m obsessed.

Caroline: Yes, and they also just came out with a pair of elastic waist shorts that have a bow on the side seam. There are so many cool bow patterns out there. The other one I think of automatically is the Syd Tie Top by Syd Graham Patterns, who is absolutely having a moment this year. Her patterns have been so popular. I’ve been seeing them everywhere. This one is an A-line top that closes with bows down the front, very Ganni coded, plus you have your choice of sleeveless and elbow length puffy sleeves and there’s a dress version too, so you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with this one.

Helen: If you really want to dial up this trend, you can make the Bow Patchwork Dress by Roberts Wood. If you have not seen this pattern, you gotta check it out. It’s absolutely mind-blowing. It’s a dress with ties at the shoulders and a full skirt and the patchwork that you make to create the dress looks like a pattern of bows and it kind of gives this, like, swoopy psychedelic feeling. It almost looks like an optical illusion. It’s just so, so cool. Extra credit if you make it from those pastel pink fabrics or maybe mix those pink and that black together. That would be really cool.

Caroline: Okay. Next up we have The Bubble Skirt. “In May 1987 in Cannes, Princess Diana shook up the codes of fashion in a striped puffball dress. Decades later, the puffball skirt is injected with extra volume in exquisitely pop versions.”

Helen: Caroline, this is my least favourite one on this whole list.

Caroline: Okay, honestly, I agree, but I have to tell you, I went on a hardcore Love Island binge recently, the new season of Love Island US, and those girlies were all over the bubble skirt. At their, like, party, eveningwear parties when they would get all dolled up, there were bubble skirts left, right, and center. And they were cute, but I just, I don’t think I could do it. I couldn’t do it.

Helen: Well, you know what? I haven’t tried it on. And sometimes when you try something on, it totally changes your whole perspective on a trend. But just, generally, this, like, ultra fitted bodice that goes all the way down to the hip. So it’s like you’re wearing this, like, tube and then this giant puffball. I just think it’s so funny. It looks so funny, but I believe you that the people on Love Island look hot because they always look hot. So I’m sure they were hot.

Caroline: Honestly, like, impractical, too. I’m like, how do you sit in this without, like, crushing it? It seems to be so short that you’ll just be, like, flashing the whole world.

Helen: Yeah, you’re not sitting on it. You’re just sitting on nothing, I think.

Caroline: Yeah! Unsanitary, to be honest. There needs to be some kind of, like, a bodysuit situation underneath, for sure.

Helen: I don’t think it has to be micro though. It can be incorporated in a more wearable way for sure. And if you do want to incorporate it, you want to use fabric with some body to it so it can hold that bubble shape. Fabrics like taffeta would be a great choice. You could also insert some gathered tulle or netting into the upper seam of the skirt so that it puffs out even more. You definitely don’t want a floppy bubble skirt.

Caroline: No, I don’t think that would really land. We also found a couple of tutorials for bubble skirts that we’ll link in the show notes. We didn’t find any indie patterns that were already onto this trend, but you could probably find something if you look for vintage patterns from the 80s or early aughties. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we’re not gonna be jumping on this trend. Right, Helen?

Helen: Might be eating my words in, like, spring 2025. I’ll be like, “the Helen’s Closet Bubble Dress.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Helen: Okay. Our next trend is: Lady. “Elegance in a few chic pieces. A leather midi skirt, a fringed top, a skirt suit and opera gloves will all guarantee the look of a chic, Lady 2.0, with a touch of sass.”

Caroline: I’m sensing a theme. It’s like: sass, sensual.

Helen: Yeah, it’s very fun and playful, a lot of these trends for fall/winter, which I really appreciate, because fashion should be fun. And this was one that stood out to me because I hadn’t really thought of this as a whole trend. It seems like a lot of like disparate ideas kind of crammed together, but it actually does create this very cool aesthetic. And I’m into the leather midi skirt. I want that.

Caroline: I was going to say, it’s like, when you think of leather, I don’t necessarily think of, like, ladylike necessarily. Same thing with, like, suit jackets, but somehow, when you, like, put it all together, leather, midi skirt, like fringe, collars…

Helen: Opera gloves, yeah.

Caroline: There’s something about it that’s, like, sexy and cool and ladylike. And I’m loving it. I’m really into this one.

Helen: And powerful, too. Like, there’s just a confidence that’s radiating from these models. Of course, they’re models, so, of course they’re confident, but you know what I mean? Like. there’s a don’t-mess-with-me vibe in this one, which I like. So are you going to try this one out?

Helen: I mean, maybe. I do have some faux leather in my stash that has been lingering for a while because I don’t know what to do with it. So this might be my chance. Maybe. I don’t like the idea of leather pants. Too hot. Too hot for me. But a leather skirt I could get behind because there’s a lot more air circulating.

Caroline: Yeah, I feel like a skirt might be the ticket for this one, for getting this fabric out from your stash.

Helen: And we do have a few tips for if you’re sewing with faux leather. You want to use clips instead of pins because pins will leave permanent holes in most faux leathers. So if you really need to, try to pin inside the seam allowance. But clips are really going to be your friend here.

Caroline: If you don’t have a rotary cutter and weights, mark around your pattern pieces on the back of the fabric and then cut them out with your scissors. And you also want to use sharp microtex needles in your machine so that it will pierce clean holes while it sews. A dull needle might tear the vinyl layer.

Helen: You can also increase your stitch length. It looks neater and it prevents tearing as well. And if the leather sticks to your foot or machine as you’re sewing, you can layer tissue paper over the vinyl part. It will help it glide through much easier. And then afterward you can just tear it away.

Caroline: I think a good pattern option for this faux leather skirt would be the Evelyn by Chalk and Notch. It’s a midi skirt with a subtle A-line shape and a high side slit. And there’s a view with buttons and a view with an elastic band back waist, but I would choose the view without the buttons and with a fitted waistband for faux leather.

Helen: Yeah, that would go over really well. I like that idea.

Caroline: Okay, next up: The New Cape. “Far from its first-degree interpretation, the cape shakes off its bourgeois reputation for more experimental variations. With its sophisticated shoulders, this wonder-piece dresses up the simplest of our everyday looks.”

Helen: I love a cape.

Caroline: You love a cape? Have you ever made a cape?

Helen: No, I haven’t, and I don’t think I’ve had one in my wardrobe in years, but when I saw this, I was like, oh, capes. Capes are so great. They’re so delightfully impractical and fun. And I’m really into it. I want to try one.

Caroline: Yeah, I really like this interpretation, too, because it’s not super dramatic, like, cloak-y cape. It’s more of, like, a shoulder moment, like, it could almost be done with, like, a big scarf. You can get that look if you don’t want to actually, like, make a whole cape. You’re just, like, covering your shoulders with, like, a drapey piece of fabric, you know?

Helen: Yeah, totally. They almost look like they’ve just been tossed over the shoulder in these pictures and it looks effortless, but very elegant. I think you could really hack this look out of a sweater pattern. Like, we have the Elliot pattern at Helen’s Closet. And if you took the long funnel neck view and, like, cropped it in the back and made it extra long in the front, you could take that long part and just throw it over your shoulder for this kind of cape look. Definitely want to choose a bit of a drapier sweater knit and make sure it looks nice on both sides, since, you know, the underside is going to be exposed, but this would be a really fun way to play with this look.

Caroline: Yes, or like, if you wanted to recycle or upcycle, like, an old blanket from the thrift store that needs a little bit of love, I feel like you could totally do that with this trend and, like, use some of the details from that piece. And I mentioned the scarf interpretation and kind of having it artfully draped over your shoulders. You could make one out of, like, a nice flannel and fringe the ends. And, once again, make sure your fabric looks nice on both sides. You want to look for yarn-dyed flannels rather than printed ones. And we’ll link up a tutorial for making this type of scarf in the show notes.

Helen: Yeah, this is a great use for some leftover fabric. If you have some, too, you could even patchwork together a few different kinds of flannel. That would be really neat.

Caroline: That would be cool.

Helen: Okay, this next trend, we already touched on a little bit when we were talking about leopard print, is: Faux Fur. “As kind to the wardrobe, as they are to animal rights, these faux furs will keep us warm in a conscious, respectful way.”

Caroline: I like faux fur. I’m a little afraid of sewing with it, to be honest, because of the previously mentioned mess that it will make in my sewing room.

Helen: I have only sewn with faux fur once. I added a little faux fur collar to a coat that I made. And that was a really fun, small way to incorporate faux fur into my wardrobe without trying to tackle an entire jacket. I think, also, Caroline and I, we both live in a very wet climate. And so the idea of wearing faux fur, while cozy, it just doesn’t really work when you think about the weather here. It kind of gets a little bit gross.

Caroline: Yeah, there would be a very short window where you could actually wear this faux fur outside.

Helen: Yeah! but it’s such a fun piece to have in your wardrobe for those moments when, like, you maybe want to have a statement jacket to wear over a dress to an event or something. I think that’s when this kind of faux fur look can really shine.

Caroline: Okay, so yeah, I don’t think I’ll be trying, like, a full faux fur outfit or jacket or coat this season but I would love to incorporate some, like, sherpa into a collar, maybe, or maybe a lining in a jacket. I think that could be a cool way to try it out but not go too crazy.

Helen: Mmhmm. Yeah, the example photos for this trend are really puffy furs, like, you’re in a puffball. And all we’re seeing is just the model’s face surrounded by this mass of faux fur. Tabitha Sewer, past guest, has made a couple of these kinds of coats with faux fur and they look absolutely amazing, so we’ll have pictures of that in the show notes. And she recommends trimming down the pile of the fur within the seam allowances to make sewing easier. And that makes so much sense. You’re basically giving it a bit of a haircut along the edges where you’re going to sew it together.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you want to try this out, I would choose a super simple pattern. Details like patch pockets, cuffs, and collars are not going to work with a really puffy faux fur fabric. The Jessie Coatigan by Sew Over It is a great option. It has a subtle swing shape and a full lining. And the shawl collar would actually work with faux fur because it’s not a traditional collar. It’s grown onto the jacket.

Helen: And another more sustainable way to try out this trend would be to shop for vintage faux fur. It can be really tricky to sew, so it’s probably best to search for already finished garments in this case.

Caroline: Also vintage regular fur. Real fur, I guess. Okay, next up is: Still Life. “Make sure you get your five a day!” This is cracking me up. This daily sum applies to both food and fashion. “Grapes, radishes, bananas and apples can be tailored to suit all tastes and styles.” Okay, I have to say, Helen, calling it back to that trend newsletter, Laura also forwarded me one that was all about this trend and they were saying that in the next season we have to be thinking about garlic and onions on clothes.

Helen: No way. That’s really funny.

Caroline: I’m not even joking. They’re like, “Leeks, garlic, onions. That’s what’s next.”

Helen: That’s what’s next. I think this trend is so fun. I mean, it’s as simple as wearing a more novelty print that has these kind of food themes on it, or you could incorporate this in accessories as well. I have a friend, Melinda, who loves food-themed earrings. She has a whole suite, a collection of food themed earrings and she loves wearing them. So she’s super on-trend right now, which is great. But I do think that this is really as easy as just finding a fabric that has a fruit or vegetable on it that you love and you can sew it up however you like.

Caroline: Yeah, I love this trend. I feel like it has been around for a few seasons now. It’s very Lisa Says Gah. I feel like they’ve been doing this kind of print for a long time. I have been seeing a lot of tomatoes recently. I think tomatoes are really having a moment. but yeah, I love it. Would wear, would try, 100%. I think it’s all about the print. You want to make sure, if you’re trying this out, that you use a pattern that’s right for your fabric. So for a button-up, choose, like, a shirting weight cotton. For a drapey dress, you want to look for rayon challis. I would avoid quilting cotton unless you’re making something like a quilted jacket or maybe, like, patch pockets where the body of the fabric would work well. Search for fruit or vegetable print fabrics and you’ll find some amazing stuff. There are a lot out there. And I know I’ve been talking for a while, but I will also mention that we are just about to release a linen viscose print that is from The Fabric Godmother. I don’t know if we’ll still have stock of this by the time this episode comes out, but it has a really pretty, like, painted tomato, lemon, grape, wine bottle kind of moment. It’s, like, very picnic-y. It’s very cool. the scale is huge. It’s really, really fun. So I am all in on this one.

Helen: I do like this one and I think it’s really fun. I’m just, like, I have trouble thinking about it in my wardrobe. But maybe I just haven’t found the right fabric yet. You know?

Caroline: Yeah, I think, like, maybe incorporating it into, like, some more home decor things. I know we’re talking more about fashion But, like, an apron would be really cool, if we can stretch it to that kind of clothing, like an apron or even, like, a tablecloth would be really cool for a fabric like this.

Helen: Yeah, you could use a more novelty print in a lining on, like, a quilted jacket, just to have it on the inside of something. I think it would be really fun. You’re like, “I’m participating in the trend, but secretly.”

Caroline: And I do think the prints like this, that have, like, a darker background tend to feel, at least to me, a little bit more wearable. So in the pictures of this trend on the Vogue France website, we’re seeing, like, a couple of examples with, like, a navy or black background and to me those feel a little bit more, I don’t know, like I could incorporate that into my wardrobe versus, like, a big white background, maybe slightly less wearable.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. I don’t do a lot of white background prints, so maybe that’s part of my hesitation. I just haven’t found the darker background print of my dreams yet.

Caroline: Yeah, but honestly, Helen, like, garlic on a dress? Come on.

Helen: Come on!

Caroline: I’m a garlic girl.

Helen: What more do you need? I look forward to seeing the garlic and onions.

Caroline: Perfect. Summer 2025. Hold your breath for that one.

Helen: An onion printed bubble skirt dress. It’s perfect!

Caroline: Yep. Coming soon.

Helen: Coming soon. Okay, our next trend is a really simple one. It’s The Slip Dress. “Far from the metallic slip dress that Kate Moss wore in the 1990s, the slipdress has made its way back to the catwalk as a must-have basic that is dethroning the LBD. This season, make sure your slip dress is lacy or sheer!”

Caroline: Ooh, va-va-voom!

Helen: I feel like the sewing community is obsessed with slip dresses, so we don’t need to tell you twice.

Caroline: And it feels, this does feel like the next iteration because we’ve been doing a lot of lace at Blackbird. It’s been really popular. I think people are wanting more lace in their wardrobe. I love playing with that, like, sort of see-through vibe, layers. Even if you don’t want to, like, show your underwear, you can layer something over a pair of jeans and it could still be really cool. I think there’s so many ways to incorporate this look and I’m super into it. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, I love it too. And there’s a lot of ways to sew slip dresses. Like, it seems like a singular style, but there is a lot of subtlety in the variation of patterns out there that are available for slip dresses. Some of them are cut straight. Some of them are cut on the bias. Some of them have, like, more cowl neckline. Some of them have more straight necklines. There’s a lot of differences. And, of course, it’s all about the length of slip dress that you want, too.

Caroline: You made a Sicily Slip Dress last year that you ended up turning into a top, right? Am I remembering this correctly?

Helen: Yeah, I made one for Vegas and I just chopped it off and made it a tank top in the end because it didn’t work as a dress, because I used a knit fabric, so it’s a whole other story.

Caroline: But honestly, it was super cute and I think it incorporated a few of these trends because it had a metallic sheen to it and it was really cute and I think that’s, like, we could take a lesson from that because if a full-on slip dress doesn’t work for you, a little bias-cut cami, maybe in a lace, could be a cool way to try this out without going, like, full-body slip.

Helen: That’s true, and sometimes it feels a little bit easier to get away with showing a, like, fancy special bra under a see-through fabric than showing fancy special underpants.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Like, I’m more comfortable with the top than I am with the bottom, personally, but I do love the full look, and I think it looks incredible.

Caroline: Yeah. So, in terms of pattern suggestions, the Simone Slip Dress by Closet Core is a good pattern option for non-sheer fabrics like satin or charmeuse. You could applique lace across the top of the neckline for a really lingerie-inspired look.

Helen: And if you’re sewing with sheer or lace fabric, I would not recommend choosing a bias-cut like the Simone or the Sicily, because the openness of the fabric will stretch too weirdly across the bias. Instead, you probably want a straight-cut pattern like the Ogden Cami by True Bias. There’s a dress hack on the True Bias blog. So, you can use strips of organza that match your fabric or your skin tone to reinforce the seams and the hems on the sheer fabric to keep it from stretching out. But yeah, there’s lots of different options out there. And if you’re going with that sheer or lacy fabric, you might need to sew a test version or give it a try a couple of times and take some little time to figure it out.

Caroline: Are you gonna try this one out, Helen?

Helen: I mean, I do love the lace-inspired. I don’t have any lace in my stash right now, but I’m sure that you will have me covered in the next few months.

Caroline: Absolutely.

Helen: After my debacle with my…well, it wasn’t a debacle because the top turned out amazing. I do love it so much. It’s such a fun party top. But I really want to go back to the Sicily Slip Dress and make it proper, in the right fabric, and, like, make the full dress version. Cause I think there’s something about the drape of a bias-cut slip dress that just takes it to a whole other realm.

Caroline: Yeah. I love my Sicily Slip Dress and I’ve actually been able to wear it a few times, even though I made it for a wedding and I was like, I don’t know if I’m ever going to wear this again, but I managed to do it. I love it.

Helen: So wearable. And that’s by, uh, Sewing Patterns by Masin. We forgot to mention that, but, great pattern.

Caroline: Okay, the next one feels a little bit like a continuation of this. It’s called Beautiful Undergarments. “Why hide them? Undergarments are in the lime-light for another season. A special shout-out goes to garter belts, which can be worn paired with a suit jacket or a soft sweater.”

Helen: Ah, I mean, I understand this trend, or I thought I did, and then I saw the pictures that they were using to represent this trend and I was like, “Oh, this is a different version of this than I’ve seen before.” The garter belt coming down off the sweaters and the suits. It’s like an extension. One of them is wearing a waistcoat that has a garter belt extending off of it. And one of them’s wearing a turtleneck sweater with a garter belt, like, fully attached to it. So it’s a very interesting look. Again, this is very fashion-forward. Of course, it’s a little bit easier to incorporate it into your everyday wardrobe if you make it as separates, not a whole piece.

Caroline: Yeah, it feels like just a continuation of the garment. Like they’re incorporating those details into just something that’s a little bit more wearable. I kind of like it. I like it more than wearing just, like, a regular garter belt out in public, like, fully exposed. It feels maybe, like, a little bit too risque for me personally. But yeah, I don’t know if i’m gonna try this one. It’s, it’s a lot for me. It’s a lot for me.

Helen: Yeah. Garter. Oh, again, it’s like, it depends on where it is on your body and your own personal comfort level. I could see wearing, like, a bustier as a top. I think that’s a really beautiful way to incorporate undergarments into your everyday wardrobe. But the garter belt thing is something I hadn’t considered. So, you know, maybe I need to broaden my horizons.

Caroline: Yeah, and I think this detail that we’re talking about where the garter is kind of, like. coming down from the bottom of the garment. By the way, this is a vest by Moschino. We’ll probably link up a photo in the show notes. But you could totally hack this by just redrawing the hem of a garment that you’re already into. And just don’t forget to redraw the lining as well. But I think you could totally try this out. And if you want to make an actual garter belt, Pin-up Girls has a pattern for that. Bra-Makers Supply will have all the fabrics and supplies that you need. And for tips on sewing lingerie, check out our interview with Emerald Erin. That one’s episode 53 and there’s lots of great stuff in there.

Helen: Okay, Caroline, I think this last one is maybe the hardest-to-describe trend that we’ve had so far. They’re calling it Dressed? Undressed? “As if to keep up with the ever more hurried pace of everyday life, the sweater is captured like a moment in time. Worn in a new way, as if thrown on in a hurry, it becomes a fashion statement in its own right, epitomizing spontaneous femininity.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh, Helen. I died when I saw this. I was like, this cannot be real. This is like a parody of a trend. It’s literally, the pictures are, the models are wearing full outfits and then it looks like they have sweaters just, like, pinned to the front of their bodies. Like, they are not wearing the sweaters. The sweaters are just…

Helen: On them.

Caroline: On them. They’re not in them. They’re just put on top of their clothes. It’s so weird.

Helen: It’s really hard to describe. And you know what? I’m not saying it doesn’t look good. Like, they actually look very chic. But it is just confusing. Okay. The one, the one on the left with the tan and the grey, I think is actually pretty cute. The center one…there’s, like, a back neckline that’s, like, visible. Anyway…

Caroline: You can see the tag. You can see the tag!

Helen: You just have to go and look at it. It’s so funny. But this is a great, like, you could play around with this trend really easily with sewing. And so that’s why we definitely wanted to incorporate it into our conversation today because it’s such a great candidate for upcycling. You could take apart a sweater and basically applique it over top of another sweater. The best thrifted sweater candidates have seams that have not been cut into. So what I mean is, like, some sweaters are made of pieces of knit cloth that are serged together at the side seams and some are knit into shaped pieces and then sewn together. So the second type is the one that you want to look for. And you’ll be able to tell, ‘cause there’s no serging over any of the seams on the inside. And these are best because you’re going to unpick the seams and then basically applique the sweater on without having to finish and hide any of the edges. But depending on the look you want, finishing the edges yourself might not be a bad thing. Obviously, it will depend on your knit, too. If it’s going to, like, fray and unravel, you might have to do some treatment there to prevent that from happening. But it would be a really fun thing to experiment with. Just go and get a couple of sweaters and basically try to meld them together to achieve this look. “A moment…captured like a moment in time.”

Caroline: It’s like you’re colour blocking with a sweater in the shape of a sweater on top of a sweater. I could see that. I could see that. And I, I kind of like the idea of being able to thrift a sweater that maybe wouldn’t normally fit me, because often I can’t find, like, cute sweaters in my size at thrift stores. And so, I could get, like, a smaller size, and you’re just appliqueing it on top of something that does fit. Like, I can get behind that. I just, I don’t know.

Helen: I already find sweaters too hot. I’m having trouble imagining wearing double layer sweater.

Caroline: Like, one of these looks literally, like, this person, like, did laundry and the, like, sweater had, like, a lot of static on it and just, like, stuck to her and she, like, didn’t notice. She went out the door. She’s walking on the street and, like, she has a sweater stuck to her and someone’s gonna be like, “Excuse me, Miss, you have something stuck to you. I don’t know if you know.”

Helen: It’s like, you’re walking a runway, you’re, like, stomping, and you’re living your best life, and you like encounter a clothesline covered in clothes, and they just like, they all stick to you as you pass through.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, yeah.

Helen: Oh, it’s great. It’s great. You gotta go check it out. I don’t know if I’m gonna get around to this one this year, but you know, we’ll see if it, we’ll see if it stays.

Caroline: Yeah, maybe it’ll trickle down to next season and be slightly more wearable.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay, next up is: Rebellious Tartan. “This checked wool fabric retains its protest aspect, serving as a throwback to the golden age of punk. Tartan, cut in wraparound fabrics, creates a comforting aesthetic in a timeless color palette designed for everyday wear.”

Helen: Oh, I love a tartan. I mean, come on. It’s so cool. It’s so rock and roll. It’s so punk. It’s so, I don’t know. It does have that rebellious streak, even though it also feels prim and proper because it’s the kind of fabric you might see in, like, a school uniform or something like that. But when you kind of deconstruct it or add a little bit of leather or something, it takes on this hard edge. And I really like that.

Caroline: Yeah, I was gonna say, it mixes well with leather and denim and neutrals. I think this could easily be incorporated into a more wearable wardrobe. Yeah, I love it.

Helen: Very cute. And there’s so many great plaid fabrics out there right now. It’s totally the season for it. Here’s some search items to help you find what you’re looking for: plaid, tartan, check, wool, flannel, suiting, and coating. I mean, any of those will get you where you want to go.

Caroline: Yes, and for a spot-on punk-inspired look, try Folkwear 152: Scottish Kilts. You can crop it short or lengthen it for a modern look. I also think the Taylor Trousers by BF Patterns, our pattern company, would look amazing in a bold tartan. Especially the pleat front view. This might be a good option if you don’t want to walk around wearing a full-on kilt, which would be understandable.

Helen: Yeah, it could be quite warm. I have never worn a kilt, but I gather that they’re quite comfortable once you’ve got them on and they keep you warm while also, you know, letting you breathe. So it’s kind of a winner of a garment.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I don’t know why I said that. It’s kind of a winner of a garment, you know.

Caroline: Kind of a winner.

Helen: It’s kind of a winner. Okay, speaking of winners. Not the clothing brand store. Double Denim. “From the 1970s to the 1990s and the 2000s, jeans are truly the fashion piece that never gets old. Jeans are a must when creating a timeless look.” And in this case, they’re featuring denim on denim on denim on denim. Now I’m thinking of the Beyonce song, “denim on denim on denim on denim.” It’s so good. I mean, it’s true that it doesn’t get old. I, personally, as a 36-year-old, vividly remember the double denim looks from Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. And it’s iconic and always will be.

Caroline: I think double denim has never gone out. It’s another one of the trends that I feel like, maybe it’s having a moment, but, like, it’s always been having a moment in my mind. I think double denim…

Helen: Yeah, and you don’t have to double down on your denim. Even just wearing a singular denim piece, it truly never goes out of style. But it is a fun way to incorporate it into your sewing because you can use the same fabric and create pants and a jacket or maybe, like, a skirt and a bustier top. I mean, there’s lots of options of things that you can make with denim. And if you make it in the same denim, then you’re really creating a head-to-toe ensemble.

Caroline: Yeah, I mean this trend is double denim, so I feel like it does have to be at least two items of denim.

Helen: That’s fair. That’s fair. I was trying to let them off the hook, but okay, fine.

Caroline: I’m really serious about denim. No, if you want to, if you want to try this out and go matchy matchy with your double denim, I think this would look really cute if you sew up a pair of jeans and a jacket out of the same fabric. I am imagining the Brooks Jeans by Helen’s Closet and maybe the Audrey Jacket by Seamwork. Put those two together. Amazing. I love it.

Helen: Amazing. Yeah, that would be so cute. And for, like, a less intense version of that, you could try mixing denim weights and washes, like maybe a light wash jean in heavier, light wash denim, and then pair it with a dark wash kind of chambray button-up. Like, the Closet Core Jenna Shirt would be a nice oversized button-up choice. That way you’re going double denim, but it doesn’t look like you’re wearing an entire matching outfit.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Yeah. Red Alert! Red Alert! I love red! This one, I actually do love this trend. This one is described as: “Red alert! Fashion will paint the town red next winter. Whether festive or conservative, red will color both everyday and eveningwear silhouettes. From leather to fringing and knitwear, anything goes – as long as it’s red!”

Helen: Ooh! On board. I love red. I think red looks really great on my skin tone. I have lots of red things in my wardrobe. And let’s be honest, this one’s easy to incorporate into your sewing. Alls you gotta do is pick some red fabric.

Caroline: It’s so true. There, you probably already have a red item in your closet. And if you don’t, you should. ‘Cause red is such a happy colour. I feel like it just, when I wear my red jumpsuit, I’m just instantly in a better mood.

Helen: Yeah, It’s true. It’s a power colour too. I feel like it’s a good one to put on if you have something, you know, scary that you need to do that day or something you need to accomplish. You’re on a mission. Red is definitely a good colour for that kind of day.

Caroline: Yeah. And keep in mind, red dye can run in the wash, so make sure that you’re pre-washing your fabric separately, or at least with very dark colours. You can test the colour fastness of your fabric with fabric scraps. Take a scrap of your red fabric and a scrap of white fabric, and wet them both thoroughly, and then set the red fabric on top of the white fabric and let it sit for a few minutes. If there’s any red on the white fabric after that, you know you’ll need to wash it separately. And you can repeat the test after washing until it’s not bleeding anymore. I feel like, haven’t we all been in a situation where we’ve washed a red garment and turned all of our white things pink? Or is it just me?

Helen: Oh yes. No, I think we’ve all been there and it can be a little bit devastating, although sometimes pink is good, you know,

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Just like, Oh, it’s pink now. Great. No, it is something to watch out for. And on that note on dye, you can also dye other fabrics red or dye garments red that you already have in your wardrobe. So if you want to try this trend, but you don’t have time to sew something new, perhaps there’s, like, a white, you know, button-up or something in your closet that’s run its course. Maybe it’s not as white as it used to be. Dye it red.

Caroline: Dye it red. And if you’re making a head-to-toe red outfit, make sure the reds look good together. So if you’re doing, like, separates that you want to wear together, it might not look great if you pair, like, a bright blue-toned red with a more orangey red. Or it might, but you’ll need to hold the fabrics up to one another to find out. Another thing we’ll add is that red can really, like, run a spectrum from, like, cool to warm tone. So if you have something red that you’re like, “I don’t like how this looks on me,” try the opposite tone, because I think it really makes a difference for, like, what really shines on a person, if you’re wearing, like, a cool or a warm tone and what looks best for you.

Helen: Yeah, I like that they mentioned all the different kinds of fabric that you could incorporate into this trend. Like, they’re talking about fringe and leather and knit and there’s truly just so many options. Like, if you want to go simple, just making, like, a bright red turtleneck for fall would be so easy to incorporate into your wardrobe.

Caroline: But what about the full fringe red dress that we see here, Helen?

Helen: I mean, I live. It’s so beautiful. Like, how much fun would that be to wear? It just looks like it’s shiny and it would probably make a really fun sound when you’re swishing around in it. I don’t know where I’d wear that, but do I want it? Yes. Okay, our next one is Transparency. “The delicate interplay of sheer fabrics sublimates any look. In natural shades such as nude or black, transparency gives free rein to the body, and comes to life as it moves.”

Caroline: Mmhmm. Into it. We’ve already talked about liking the sort of, like, sheer trend. And I think this is a continuation of that. I don’t know. I’m into it. I don’t know if I would, you know, try it, like, as intensely as they have it pictured here. Like, you’re literally seeing everything in these pictures. Not safe for work, in my humble opinion. But I think, I don’t know, like, a sheer top layered over a cute bra I think would work really well here. We’ve talked about, like, lace pants on the show before, so I think Incorporating like a sheer pant could be cool if you’re wearing, like, little shorts underneath or something. I don’t know. I think it could work.

Helen: I would love, like, a full-length organza skirt, you know, some real volume to it, like a full princess moment, but in like one of these more neutral colours, like a black or a chocolate brown. I could see that working really well with, like, even just styling it with like a T-shirt or a cute vest or something, you know, like, playing around with that, like, fancy and casual at the same time. I don’t know if I’ll get around to making that, but it’d be cute.

Caroline: I love the way that, like, gathers and pleats and folds look in a sheer fabric. I think that you can really like play around with opacity and layering and have some really cool effects, especially if you’re putting together, like, a more evening look. I think this trend could be a cool thing to try out.

Helen: It’s an interesting fabric to sew with, too, if you’ve never sewn with it before, so that’s a fun challenge for leveling up your sewing. You do want to think about how you’re going to finish your seams if you’re working with a sheer fabric. So, French seams are usually a good choice, since most sheer fabrics are lightweight. You can serge the edges or zigzag over them, but just make sure your thread really matches your fabric. Another option that both covers your seams and prevents too much stretching is to sew strips of tulle over the seam allowance. Choose either a colour that matches your skin tone or a colour that matches the fabric.

Caroline: One of the sample skirts in the By Hand London Draft-It-Yourself Skirt Bundle is made in a sheer mint-coloured fabric. It’s a wrap skirt with a hem ruffle that curves up the front. It’s so cute and the layers of sheerness give it a lot of dimension. You can always wear contrasting slip shorts or a half slip underneath. This one would be so cute for this trend.

Helen: Yeah, it really would. And it’s just a testament to how you can incorporate this trend into any kind of pattern that you’re working on, if you have the right style lines and everything. It’d be a really fun one to play around with. Okay, our last one is Comforting Cardigans. “Although it seems to have never really left our wardrobes, the cardigan is regaining its fashion credentials in fluffy, body-hugging versions, sometimes even getting doubled up!” I mean, I’m all over coze. Cozy trends.

Caroline: Yes, me too. I love that cardigans are back again. I don’t think they ever really went out, but I’m seeing a lot of cute cardigans in ready-to-wear right now. I’m seeing them styled really cute. I don’t know if you’ve seen, like, a cardigan just buttoned at the top and open?

Helen: Oh, cute. Yeah. That’s a good look. Or, like, buttoned at the bottom and kind of, like, off the shoulder on one side for, like, a more deconstructed look, a little bit, uh, rebellious.

Caroline: It’s really cute just worn as a top. Like, you can fully button your cardigan and it’s just, it’s a sweater. You don’t need to wear anything under it.

Helen: Oh yeah, I saw on the Bachelorette, Jenn Tran was wearing some really cute cardigans as tops and she looked amazing.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Jenn Tran’s style this season. On point.

Helen: Oh, all the shawls. Where is “shawls” on this list? I know that’s a good way to incorporate, like, a faux fur or another fun fabric and, like, in just an accessory way. Yeah, she’s a shawl girly.

Caroline: It’s interesting because I think cardigans are a more tricky thing to sew because it’s knitwear, you’re not necessarily always getting that, like, I don’t know, finished look that you would get from like a knitted piece. But if you want to try it out, there are some patterns out there. I think the Marlo sweater by True Bias is a great cardigan pattern. I’ve seen some really cool versions in the long version made with a sweater knit fabric. It would look a lot like some of these inspo pictures. Just don’t expect to get that, like, I don’t know, ready-to-wear, knitted-on-a-machine cardigan look. It’s a little bit of a different look when you sew it yourself.

Helen: Yeah, or even hand knitted, for that matter. I mean, if you want to take up knitting, now’s the time. You can make your own cable knit sweater one stitch at a time. It doesn’t take long at all. It’s super easy and you should try it.

Caroline: I was going to say, Helen, I feel like if I started a cable knit sweater, it would take me five years to finish.

Helen: Cables are so fun, though. It feels like you’re literally wielding magic when you make them. It’s amazing.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s okay. By the time I’m finished, it’ll be on-trend again.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. It’ll come back around. Okay, when you’re working with these really chunky sweater knits, one thing you want to think about is reinforcing the shoulder seams of your sweater. We have a tutorial on the Helen’s Closet blog for this. You can use clear elastic, twill tape, a strip of woven fabric cut on the bias, or strips of knit interfacing, lots of different things you can put in there. And you just lay your stabilizer on top of the shoulder seam line before you sew your seams, and then you can sew it with a narrow zigzag, and it just adds a little extra stability because this fabric has a lot of heft.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, I can’t believe we got through them all. I’m exhausted. I’m losing my voice. That was a lot of trend talk.

Helen: Your poor voice. Okay, which ones are you most excited about trying, though? Hit me with your top.

Caroline: Okay, definitely leopard. Like, I will be making a leopard print pair of pants this fall. Watch this space. It is happening. I cannot wait. Also, a leopard bag I think would be really fun. Love the bows trend forever. So I think coquette is also on my list of favourites. Still life. I think it’s no secret that I love the still life. I’m still looking for the perfect tomato print. I’m having a tomato girl summer. Every summer is a tomato girl summer, like, give me all the still life prints. I love them so much. And red. Red forever. Also. I just I love red and I love that red is back. I love that red is everywhere and I’m gonna be hopping on some more red things, I think, this fall. What about you, Helen?

Helen: You know what’s red?

Caroline: What?

Helen: Tomatoes.

Caroline: Perfect.

Helen: Perfect.

Caroline: Two in one!

Helen: Okay, I think my top are: boho. Always and forever want to wear swaths of fabric. I was really interested in the lady trend. I think I want a leather skirt now. And when I was a kid, I was really into wearing gloves. And I had this, like, collection of gloves that was gifted to me by, like, my mom’s friend or something when I was a kid. And it was in our, like, costume box and I would wear them to school. And I was really into wearing gloves. So I’m like, maybe I should bring that back. And then the new cape, I think this is perfect for working at home in the fall and winter. If you need to be cozy in your home office space, wearing something that can kind of be worn fully covering you or be worn draped over your shoulder, just a little element that you can pull on and still feel chic, but very cozy. I’m into it.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, we didn’t even talk about a work-from-home cape. That sounds amazing.

Helen: Okay, let us know which trends you’re excited about and how you plan to incorporate them into your me-mades. You can let us know on social media or via email, and we’re really excited to hear what you think of these fall and winter trends.

Caroline: Yes, let us know.

And that’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. And we’re recording today in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We will talk to you next week!

Caroline: Bye-bye!

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We interview Geri Berman, AKA Geri in Stitches! Geri’s social media accounts are the happiest place in the sewing world – she shows off her jaw-dropping projects, shares lots of tips, and demonstrates interesting techniques, all with her signature high energy and positivity. We talk to her about hand dyeing, sashiko, and more!

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

Show Notes: 

Find Geri Online:

Geri’s Sashiko Projects (She learned from Atsushi Futatsuya – @sashikostory and @upcyclestitches on Instagram):

Geri’s Hand Dyed Projects:

A post shared by Geraldine Kok-Berman (@geri_in_stitches)

Tools and Notions: 

Patterns:

Transcript:

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 and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s basically all we want to talk about.

Helen: Today we are interviewing Geri Berman from Geri in Stitches. Geri’s social media accounts are the happiest place in the sewing world. She shows off her jaw-dropping projects, shares lots of tips, and walks us through interesting techniques, all with her signature high energy and positivity. We talk to her about hand dyeing, sashiko, and more.

Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Helen: Hello, Geri. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.

Geri: Thanks for having me. I’m so happy to be here with you guys.

Helen: Oh, we’re so happy to get the chance to talk with you. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?

Geri: Well, I’m Geri, and I have the Instagram handle @geri_in_stitches, and I love to sew!

Helen: You certainly do. You are such a prolific sewist and it’s amazing following along with everything that you do over at Geri in Stitches. So if y’all aren’t following Geri yet, go give her a follow. Totally worth it. Geri, where are you from?

Geri: Originally, I was born and raised in Singapore, and then I moved to the States and lived in the Northeast for a while for my studies. And then I fell in love with my husband, and now I live in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Helen: Wow, oh my gosh. Okay. And tell us a little bit about your sewing journey. How and when did you learn to sew?

Geri: Like almost all little girls in Singapore, the sewing journey begins at age about eight in a home economics class. But at that time, you know, honestly speaking, we were not enraptured with sewing to say the least. I mean, we all kind of coveted ready-to-wear clothes, right? It was just something that I wasn’t really into when I was a kid. But we did learn the basics of sewing. And then when I was doing work study at school in the States, I worked in the costume department and it was basically just hemming miles of skirts. But I was actually secretly in love with all the costume design that was coming out of that room, right? So even though it was tedious work, just getting my work study money, I think in some ways I, sort of, started to love costumes. But I didn’t really pursue it. I was into acting at that time. And then I made my journey into sewing mainly because of a huge failure. I was working with my husband in theater and we created a show and it failed miserably. And I guess my confidence as a creative person just kind of went down the drain. And I lost a lot of confidence in myself and sewing became like a healing journey back to myself. It was something that I could make goals for myself and start small again. So that’s why I sew now. It was a healing journey back to myself.

Caroline: Wow, that is incredibly powerful and kind of poetic that, out of failure, you created this incredible sewing journey. And now look at where you are, with the amount of followers that you have and the influence that you have and the, the presence that you have in the sewing community is filled with light and happiness and your style is, as well. We’re so inspired by your personal style. So maybe give our listeners a little bit of a taste of what your personal style is.

Geri: I think it’s filled with colour. And I think you described it quite well. It’s about light and happiness, right? So, because it came out of failure, I really needed light and happiness. I felt it was a rope that I could hold onto. And I was in a very negative place and sewing helped me, stitch by stitch, build something back for myself. And it wasn’t just making clothes for me. It was the process of sewing clothes and then wearing the clothes. And filling myself with colour and light and happiness was the main goal. So in some ways, I tried to convey that in my content and the, this content creation was by accident, really. I, I didn’t start an Instagram account thinking I wanted to have this whole following and make a whole career out of content creation. That wasn’t the plan at all. I just needed to share this part of myself that was helping me get through a difficult time, you know? And It happened during COVID as well, when we were just sort of cut off from each other, right? And I needed that, I don’t know, connection somehow. And I needed to connect back to myself and I needed to connect to some kind of wider community. So in some ways the content creation happened by accident. And it just started to have this momentum that I never really planned for. I guess people just like light and happiness.

Helen: I do think that’s what draws people to your content, as well as the awesome tips and tutorial stuff that you post, as well. And it’s interesting to hear that you have a background in theatre and acting because I think that comes across. You’re so expressive in your content and so it’s so fun to watch you make things and to watch you react to the things that you’ve made and wear them out and about with this huge smile on your face.

Helen: I think that that confidence that you’re getting through that experience translates to the people who are watching it. I feel confident watching you feel confident, if that makes sense.

Geri: I’m so happy to hear that, because I think it’s important to share what you love so that other people can connect with what they love. I mean, I’m happy to influence people who sew but I’m also happy to influence other people to do the thing that they love to do, you know? I think that’s so important.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely.

Helen: Yeah. And you mentioned not intending to make a career out of being a quote-unquote influencer, but has this become your career? Are you a full time content creator now?

Geri: I guess I would consider myself a full-time mum. And the content creation is something that I do on the side. And I can’t really say right now that it’s a career. It’s just something that I do. And it makes me happy. It’s now part of my creative process as well. I can’t really disengage the content creation from sewing.

Geri: It just developed that way, you know, and I’m only afraid that, you know, sometimes whatever you create, it starts to eat you up like Frankenstein. So I do watch it also, to make sure that it doesn’t become the monster that controls me, right? And that’s with everything. I think every creator or maker needs to find that kind of balance. So yeah, I’m, doing my best to also be creative as a mum as well as a sewist and content creator, you know, trying to balance all those things.

Helen: You’re crushing it. Let’s be real.

Geri: And I also want to be a pattern maker. This is something that has been stewing for a while and I’m giving it the time to marinate. And I have some things that are cooking.

Helen: So exciting. Wow. I could totally see you with a pattern line. I love your style, especially like, just, the aesthetic of a lot of the things you wear. I think people would be so into having patterns for the kind of stuff that you enjoy making.

Geri: Oh, thanks so much. And Helen, I must say that you’ve been an inspiration in terms of the pattern making department as well. Because I, I also love your patterns.

Helen: Oh, that’s so sweet. I know I’ve seen you make our patterns over the years and it’s always a thrill every time you do. I’m like, “Oh, Geri made something!”

Geri: I mean, I love your journey as well. Your, your journey into pattern making. I think that it’s really special, and that also inspired me to make the move into doing it, I think.

Helen: Oh my gosh. I can’t wait to hear more about this. Are you working on this in the next, like, year or so? Can we expect to see something from you soon?

Geri: I hope so. I mean, I’m trying to juggle all these things. And it’s something that has been in the works for a while, but I’m a, completely a one-man show kind of thing. And I’m also giving myself the time to get it done, you know?

Helen: Yeah. Not put too much pressure on, for sure.

Geri: Again, it’s, it’s sort of like finding that balance, right? You have to find that sweet spot that it brings excitement and not something that will bring you down because of the pressure of it.

Helen: 100 %. Yeah, the deadlines can really eat you up. So it’s good to give yourself lots of time. And I think you would be really great at pattern making, especially the instruction part, because you always share so many amazing tutorials and sewing tips. And we were wondering if you could maybe share one or two of your favourite sewing tips with us.

Geri: I guess the biggest sewing tip I have is to slow down. I’m really loving it right now. So, for example, I’m trying to avoid fusible interfacing.

Helen: Oh, okay.

Geri: I’m, I’m trying to sew it on. Because even though it takes a longer time, I think the end result is much better. Because with, for example, fusible interfacing, I never know when it will bubble up, because I have limited resources in terms of how hot my iron can be, right? And so it’s kind of inconsistent. And after many inconsistent tries, I’ve decided, like, look, if I can sew it on, then it will be better. And, and so, this is one of the things that I am into right now, which is to try and slow things down, because for a long time, I was just so excited to produce more and more and more. And now I’m looking more at the quality of things than the quantity of things that I do. So I guess that’s a tip. Once you slow down, in some ways the quality sort of gets a boost.

Helen: Yeah, so true.

Caroline: It is so true and it’s, it’s so interesting that you say you want to slow down, because looking at a lot of the projects that you do, they look to be extremely time consuming. These beautiful big projects that you pour your heart into. And we want to ask you a little bit more about some of the techniques that you’ve done over the past couple years. You have some really jaw-dropping sashiko projects. And for our listeners who have never seen sashiko, can you explain what it is?

Geri: It’s basically a Japanese embroidery technique. And a lot of the patterns are based on geometric designs. So, I have to say, I’m not an expert in sashiko. I learned it from Atsushi, who runs the @sashikostory handle on Instagram, and I think he also has a website called Upcycle Stitches. And he is a master, I think, and I took a course with him, and I think it’s such an amazing art form, because stitch by stitch, these geometric designs come into shape, and part of the magic of the art form is that it is time consuming, right? And it is, in some ways, labour intensive, but the process of making will put you in a meditative state. When I’m doing sashiko, I’m always reminded that the end product is not the goal. It’s all about process. And this technique came out of a need to mend clothes. And I just love how, through the mending of things, they’ve also developed a way to make things beautiful at the same time, right? So this aesthetic is very appealing to me. So in order to strengthen a jacket that is worn out, they use another piece of cloth. And they stitch these geometric designs, and it doesn’t just strengthen the cloth, it also beautifies it, so I, I think it’s so amazing, it’s so poetic, right, the practice itself, and that’s why I’m so drawn to it.

Helen: It is so beautiful and poetic. I’ve dabbled a little bit myself as well. And it’s meditative. Like you said, it really gets you in that zone of enjoying the process. And you can kind of sit back and reflect while you’re doing it, which is really fun. Could you walk us through a little bit, I know we’re not going to get into depths, but the process of sashiko and things like what do you use to mark your fabric and what kind of thread do you use?

Geri: If you’re going to be marking on darker fabric, then you would need to use some kind of chalk pencil so that it can contrast on the darker fabric. If you’re using a lighter fabric, then I recommend using these Pilot Frixion pens that come in many colours, just because the lines that are made are finer, because they come in so many fun colours, and it’s easy to erase them, right? You just apply some heat. The grid is one of the first things that you have to mark on the fabric, and in some ways, this is the prep that is the most important thing to do before you even stitch, because everything happens on this grid. And I just love how, again, all these intricate patterns are formed on a very, how do you say, basic grid, you know? And then from this grid the, the, the possibilities are endless, right? I also like how this art form was actually developed in the rural areas in Japan, this is what I’ve come to understand. And I, I love how it shows that the people that were practicing this art form were taking patterns from nature and putting it on this grid. Because a lot of the patterns have names coming from nature, right? So there’s like a whole series that are, like, a wave series, you know? Inspired by waves. And a whole series inspired by the hemp leaf, for example. And I just love how you can see from that point of view that there is order, right? It’s a way, for them, of making order by putting everything on a grid, and the way that they view nature almost like that, there’s a higher order that’s beyond themselves. That’s another thing that I’m really drawn to. And the, the preparation is as important as the actual doing as well. Because everything happens on this grid.

Helen: Yeah, I feel like this all ties back in with your advice to slow down in your making because you get to take the time with this process. And I’m wondering if you have an environment that you like to do this in. Like, do you like to have a drink nearby? Do you watch anything while you’re doing sashiko? Or are you really just engaging with the stitches?

Geri: You know, I’m engaging with the stitches, but then it is really a meditative process. I start to watch my thoughts. It brings me to a place of stillness. And then I have to watch my breathing. And then I have to make sure that after long hours of repetitive movement, that I didn’t lock my body in a place that becomes detrimental to the small joints of the body. It kind of increases my awareness of things around me. And sometimes I’m, I’m not in this place all the time. I have to admit, sometimes I have Netflix on, as well.

Helen: I’m only human, okay?

Geri: Sometimes a podcast going or, or whatever. But these are the moments that I feel where the, where the gold is. Right? But you know, sometimes the Netflix is also okay.

Helen: Look, it’s a long project.

Geri: Yeah, exactly. When you’re doing like a hundred hours… but it’s interesting. You watch where your mind goes, you know, or, or where your mind wants to go. And you become accepting of whatever state your mind is in, basically. That’s the beauty of it. You start to accept acceptance. Of course I get frustrated. I’m looking at the stitches and I’m like, “Oh my God, I have like 85 more hours to go.” And, you know, I, you know, I do feel that way too, right? And I’m saying all these zenned out things. “It’s not about the end product.” But of course, sometimes I’m thinking, like, “When will I get to the end?!”

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Geri: But, you know, you kind of accept that this is all part of the process, right, while getting to the end.

Caroline: Oh, it’s so interesting to hear you talk about this. I’m trying to, like, form a thought here, but…sewing can, I think, sometimes feel really superficial. Like, we’re just making clothes to wear, right? But it does go so much deeper than that with projects like this, where you’re really taking your time. And hearing you talk about connecting with your body, connecting with your emotions and your mind, like, I love that these long projects can really give us that space to reflect and connect with ourselves a little bit more. And it’s just really inspiring to hear you talk about these. And it doesn’t have to be obviously, you know, Netflix comes up and, and that’s fine. But, being able to just sort of, like, connect with the stitches and take your time and slow down and, and feel those feelings, I think, is such a beautiful part of making and sewing.

Geri: I completely agree. I think that’s why, for people who sew, you immediately connect with this feeling. Right? And for people who don’t sew, sometimes they don’t know what we’re talking about.

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: But basically, we’re creating clothes that become our second skin, right? And these clothes that we wear, we are sort of presenting ourselves to the outside world.

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: And I think it’s very empowering, this skill of sewing, because as we are creating this outer shell, and we’re crafting this outer shell, and how it fits and aligns with our bodies. You eventually go to the thought that, hey, if I can craft an outer shell, then, of course, I can also craft an inner being, right? I can also craft the person that I, I want to be. I can unveil the person that is me, you know? And I can accept who I am, I can accept this outer shell that sort of is going to be on the outline of my body. And then you start to think, “Hey, I should accept this outline of my body, right?” It kind of makes you feel that it’s okay, wherever your body is, whatever outline it makes in space.

Helen: That’s so interesting, because I think a lot of people struggle with taking up space in the world. And one of the ways that we take up space is by wearing clothing and being noticed and representing ourselves through our clothes. So it’s really interesting to hear you talk about it with that perspective.

Geri: Yeah.

Helen: Oh, we’re going deep today.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Yeah.

Helen: Okay, we also want to talk to you about hand dyeing, or just dyeing in general, because you seem so comfortable with the process. You do a ton of dyeing on your Instagram channel, and I love seeing things transform from one colour to another, the things that you do with tie dye and shibori and everything. So first of all, have you always dyed things? What was the first thing you dyed?

Geri: Wow. I can’t, I can’t really remember the first thing that I dyed, but I, you know, I’ve always been very attracted to colour. I think I was trying to get rid of the me when I was living in New York and everything that I wore was just black and grey. After I had children, I just, I just started to love colour, right? And I was not content with the colour palette that was limiting me at the fabric store. And I wanted to make my own colours in some ways, right? And then I just started to dabble in dyeing. I really can’t remember the first thing that I dyed, but it’s my love for colour, really, that has fueled this excitement for, for dyeing. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but whenever I dye, I’m also, in some ways, going back to stitching when I dye. You know, a lot of the things that I dye currently involves what we call stitched shibori. So the stitching becomes the resist that creates the pattern for the dyeing project. And again, this stitching happens on the grid. But what I love about it is that even though it’s on the grid and there’s so much that you have to prepare for, and it’s organized in a certain way, but once you put it in the dye vat, it kind of all goes to chance as well, you know? You sort of have to pray to the, the dye gods. And, and then you open up the stitches. And then a lot of the times it’s, sort of, not what you expected, even more, right? Because you, you can’t really plan the dye resist to a point, you know, you sort of have to release it right? And then it takes on its own form. And I really love that about dyeing, that there’s an element of surprise, you know, for the good and the bad. And this element of surprise, it’s just so intriguing to me. This is the best moment of a dyeing project, when you release the stitches, or when you release the folds or whatever resist pattern, you know, the rubber bands or the string or whatever. And it reveals something that, in some ways, you didn’t plan, you know, and I think that’s so, I think that’s so great.

Caroline: Over your time dyeing, since you’ve done so many projects, I wonder if you could share some tips with our listeners for getting good results: types of fabrics that you would recommend, that kind of thing.

Geri: I love working with linen. Especially if you’re making folds of some kind as a resist because as we all know linen wrinkles really well, right? But it also means that it can make sharp lines for a resist dye. And I love the way linen feels on my skin. That’s my favourite fabric. So I use that a lot for dying as well. Some tips with dyeing. In some ways know what you can control, but also understand that you have to release at some point. You have to follow the instructions of the dye product, whatever it is. And it surprises me, because a lot of people don’t follow these instructions, you know, and every dye product has, like, a different, I don’t know, instruction manual, and you should do your best to follow that. And a lot of commercial dyes have a colour fixer, and this colour fixer happens after the dyeing process, and some people confuse it with natural dyes, where some of the fixing happens before the dyeing happens, right? So, you sort of have to pay attention to different dyeing techniques and how to fix the colour properly.

Helen: Yeah, you don’t want it bleeding on your clothes.

Geri: Exactly. And, and there’s a way to, there’s a way to do it. You just need to pay attention and follow instructions. And I think, also, with dyeing, that you have to experiment as much as possible. Because you would see that you only get better with more experiments. And to have fun with it. I think that’s a big tip. And if there’s some kind of binding that is required, do your best to bind for sharper lines and for a better resist result. For example, when I do stitched shibori, it is actually literally quite painful, because you have to bind these strings and you have to tie them and it will dig into your hands. The strings will dig into your hands and you need to figure out a way to protect your hands you know? And I use these gloves that sort of have a thick layer but at the same time, there are these gloves that keep the fingertips open so that I can maneuver the, the knots or the string easier. So, yeah, if there’s any kind of binding that is required, figure out the best way to bind.

Helen: Right, it’s like making that grid with sashiko. You have to lay the foundation before you go ahead and do the actual dyeing part, which is probably the easier part by the sounds of it, because it sounds like making these resists can be quite complex. And you’ve done some amazing shibori projects, like your three-piece shibori outfit with the pleated trousers and the camisole and the blazer. And you’ve made butterflies. I mean, it’s just absolutely incredible following along with your process. So definitely go follow Geri if you want to see more of that. I’m personally not a big dyer. I mean, I’ve done a little bit of dyeing. Caroline and I have had some dyeing dates. And I can definitely relate to the excitement when you unfold the final project and you see it for the first time. It’s so, so cool. But I think I’m very intimidated and nervous to dye things because of that lack of control of the process and the not knowing what you’re going to get. And especially dyeing finished projects, because they’re all done and they’re fine just the way they are. But even if I’m not wearing it, I’m like, still resistant to dye it. So I guess I’m wondering if you have any words of encouragement for people like me, who are nervous to throw something into a dye pot.

Geri: I would say, start with something that you are not so invested in. For example, like a T-shirt you know? And build your skills on a T-shirt or a piece of fabric instead of, like, a finished garment. And I, I have to warn sometimes, when you are dyeing a finished garment, because for some dye projects, you have to raise the temperature, right? Higher than the regular laundry temperature of your clothes. You run the risk of actually shrinking the finished garment as well. This is something that people should know. And so a lot of the time when I am dyeing a finished garment, I make sure that it’s at least half a size larger, just in case it, it will shrink down a little bit, right? And this happens especially with linen, because the higher the temperature, the more the colour will stick. And so sometimes it is like, at least 100 degrees Celsius when I’m dyeing the, the garment. And it will shrink some if it didn’t reach that high temperature before. And the other way to do it is to dye your fabric pieces first, before making it into a finished garment. And I do that a lot as well. Just because I know this feeling of fear that you described. That, you know, the garment is finished and then you have to dye it. And you’re not sure how it will come out on the other end, right? So sometimes I counter that fear by first dyeing the fabric.

Helen: That makes a lot of sense. I should try it that way, because I think that would put my mind at ease. for sure.

Geri: Yeah, And start small, and then slowly make bigger pieces. And that will help build your confidence with dyeing, and it will build your experience as well.

Helen: Totally. I’m also wondering about thread, because I know that polyester thread doesn’t take on colour as well as cotton thread. So if you’re dyeing something that’s already been sewn, is that something that you think about, or do you just kind of go for it and let the thread be whatever colour it’s going to be?

Geri: Well, now if I, if I know that the garment is going to be dyed after I’ve finished sewing it, then I use cotton thread instead of polyester if I, I want the thread to be the same colour as the garment. But sometimes when you use polyester thread, then it becomes a contrast colour, right? And, sometimes that’s not bad as well. So, I would say if you do know that you’re going to dye something and you’ve finished sewing it, it’s going to be a finished garment before you dye it, then you might want to consider sewing with cotton thread instead of polyester if you want it to be the same colour.

Helen: Yeah, that makes sense.

Caroline: Is there a type of dye that you recommend?

Geri: I think all dyes are great. I, I use RIT dyes a lot just because I live in a small apartment and I don’t have outside space for, like, a soda ash vat, or, like, a indigo vat. You know? I kind of have to work with a space issue. I would love to work more with, um, natural dyes. And that’s something that I plan on doing. But in the meantime, RIT dyes work for me. But I’ve also used, like, the Dharma Trading Company dyes. And I think it’s called Jacquard dyes. And those work well as well. But the dyeing process is different, again, for all these different products and you just have to make sure that you really understand the dyeing process for these products before dyeing. You’re doing the correct prep work and the, the post-dyeing work is important as well.

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, you want to set yourself up for success, which also makes me wonder about those moments when you unveil the project and it’s not what you were expecting. Can you talk to us a bit about how you feel when your dyeing doesn’t work out?

Geri: You just have to make the best out of it, I guess. There was a piece of fabric that I dyed and I didn’t bind it as well as I could in the, in the middle part of this piece of fabric, and it was such a bummer, but I managed to work around it. I mean, that’s the best advice. You just sort of have to work around it, right? And maybe you have to be flexible and abandon your initial plans and make something else out of it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: That’s my best advice. Or there’s also: dye it black.

Caroline: I love that.

Helen: Yes, just dye it again.

Caroline: It kind of goes back to what you said earlier, like, do all of the prep work that you can do and then understand that there are some things that you can’t control. And I feel like that parallels sewing in a lot of ways. Like, we can do all of the prep we could do in sewing, but if the finished garment doesn’t fit or something’s wrong with it, like, we have to sort of let go, right? And understand that that will happen and that’s all part of the process. And it’s kind of the beauty of the process when you have to problem solve at the end and figure out what to do, how to move forward.

Helen: Or what to do next time, right? The lessons we learn along the way are so important.

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: I mean, that’s how we learned how to sew, right? It’s through a series of failures and mistakes. I mean, it’s, it doesn’t go, I mean, what you see on Instagram, what I post, I’m mainly posting my successes. You didn’t see 60% of the time where I failed. I didn’t post that.

Helen: Yeah. There’s a whole new series for you.

Geri: And maybe I should, but you know, most of the time when, when you come up with a failure and you start sweating, a cold or hot sweat, and you get so…I get so frustrated with myself. I, I, and you know, I turn off the camera because I’m not in a good mood. I need some time to get over myself. Right? Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, that’s really fair. Well, coming back to your involvement in the sewing community, you do post a lot of different things on your channels, and one of the things you do is pattern reviews on your blog. And it’s so helpful for sewists who wanna get more information about a pattern before they buy it. Wanna learn about your experience. And we are wondering, in your opinion, what’s important to include in a pattern review to be useful for people?

Geri: I think people have to be honest in a pattern review. I mean, I want to say nice things about every pattern and there will always be nice things to say about every pattern. But I think, also, I will always offer my way of doing things. Sometimes the instructions may be lacking or I feel like maybe that’s not the best way of doing a certain technique. And then I offer what I would do instead. And I, I guess that’s the honest part. I think most of the time I’m, I’m quite nice, but I think maybe readers also want to know an alternative way of doing things. And maybe readers of sewing blogs want to know if it’s worth their time and money, spending on this pattern, right? So in some ways I’m, I’m sort of giving them that, I’m giving them that honest opinion, whether it was worth my time and money to work on this pattern. I think I’ve been very nice most of the time. I, I, I like to see the good in everything, right? But also, there are my approach to the pattern. And I think people love to read about hacks, you know, and see other possibilities. I think that’s something that’s very important, to give a different perspective of, like, the base pattern could also be this, this, this, this, this, you know, and you start to ignite the imagination of your readers so that they can also come up with something that, you know, inspired by this little change that you made. You know, and, and I, I love to read about this in other people’s sewing blogs, right? I like to see what they, their take on it.

Helen: Yeah, 100%. I think I can hear your hesitation and wanting to say that you shouldn’t be nice when you’re doing a pattern review, but I don’t think that sharing alternative methods for construction or ways that you think that for you personally would have improved it or done it differently is necessarily a negative critique of the pattern. It’s just a different approach. And as we know, there are so many ways to do things in sewing, and what works for somebody might not work for somebody else. So it’s always great to have lots of different options and perspectives out there.

Geri: Right.

Helen: Do you have any tried-and-true patterns or pattern companies that you like to go back to?

Geri: The pattern that I keep going back to is the Wide Strap Maxi Dress by Peppermint Magazine. Yes, I, I’ve made quite a few of those, and of course I’ve made the Ashton Top quite a few times with many variations.

Caroline: Infinitely hackable, the Ashton Top.

Helen: Yes.

Geri: I have to admit, these days I’m, I’m more into making versions of my own patterns. Like, trying to make my own patterns better. So I’m not really looking at too many other pattern companies, but I must say, with Fibre Mood, the sizing works very well for me. So I like working on some of their patterns. And they tend to have a very unusual structural, sometimes, take on basic patterns. I like the lines of some of their patterns. So I’m, I’m always looking out for the magazine to come out to see their newest patterns.

Caroline: Fibre Mood does have really unique designs, so I could totally see where you’re coming from. It also made me think of how exciting it is as a sewist to find a company that their sizing really works for you and I’ve had that with a few companies and I feel like it’s, it’s just so great when you know that pattern is going to come out and you’re, it’s going to probably fit you because you match their size chart so well. So there’s something to be said for sort of getting to know a pattern company and, and their designs and their, and their sizing and really sticking with that.

Geri: Yeah, it just makes it much easier, right? You don’t need to think about so much. You just kind of dive right in. I don’t usually make a muslin or toile when I’m working with a Fibre Mood pattern, so I can skip that step, so.

Caroline: That’s so wonderful.

Helen: Well, we’ve been singing the praises of your social media presence the entire episode, but one of the things that we wanted to point out to our listeners is that not only are you sharing these gorgeous projects, but within your voiceovers and your captions, you’re so thoughtful. And sometimes I click on a post expecting to learn a sewing technique and I get a whole life lesson or a pep talk that really sticks with me, or a beautiful poem, like, there’s just so much variety. And we were wondering where your empathy and that positivity comes from and that desire to share that with the sewing community.

Geri: I usually pay attention to the thoughts that come up while I’m working on that sewing project. And when I make these voiceovers, they’re, they’re basically the essence of what I got from working on the project. And I’m just kind of sharing it on social media because that’s what came up. You know, and I guess I said in the beginning of the podcast, that the sewing and the content creation sort of go hand-in-hand right now, in some ways, that’s what I mean. For me, right now, the sewing project is not complete until the reel comes out. You know? It’s like, it completes the circle for me right now because I feel like I’m channeling some thoughts. Right? While I’m reaching into my creative source, something is coming through me. And then feel, like, a responsibility to share it with the world. Because that’s what happened. Right? I was privileged enough to have the time and the space and the resources to create and whatever comes out from that providence needs to be shared with more people besides myself. That’s kind of my perspective on it. It’s not mine, really, these thoughts. They kind of just came through me, so, it took me by surprise also. I, I didn’t think I’d be writing poems. I’m, I’m not a poet. I sew. That’s what I do.

Caroline: It is beautiful and inspiring. Your content is so great. I have, I have a few questions, but one that comes to mind is like, has your content evolved? Like, have you always been sharing in this way or have you, sort of, like, found your voice over the years throughout your sewing journey on social media?

Geri: I’m so glad you asked that because I was thinking about this. These days that it’s sort of coming out of me again without me planning it. And I think my voice is still evolving. When I first started, it was very instruction based, like, “Oh, this is how you sew an inseam pocket. Do this.” You know, it was like a sewing instruction manual. And sometimes I still do that. But now I feel like it’s moved into this, like, the thoughts that come up while I’m working on the project, and in some ways that it’s more interesting to me now to be sharing that than, like, an instruction manual. I have to say I’m more inclined to listening to that voice. And it is still evolving. I feel like if you look at my earlier videos, you can hear it in my voice. I was just listening to an old video and the voiceover was unsure. Even though I was giving out instructions, it had a vibration of fear and doubt, and right now I feel like I’ve settled into something that is calmer, that is more still, and I guess it reflects more of the silent places that I go to when I’m sewing. Because that is the loudest thing that is happening to me right now. And it’s also the most appealing thing to me. These silent spaces where I’m just allowing for things to be as they are. And it’s really helping me deal with these little annoying things that you have to deal with that come because we’re experiencing life, you know?

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: And, and sometimes I think like, in some ways, the world has come to a very divisive place, and there’s a lot of noise, also, on social media. There’s a lot of outrage. And this sewing is a space that I’ve created to come back to stillness, to come back to some kind of grounding. And I feel it’s important for people to understand where their silence and where that grounding is happening for them. And if I can connect to this place, hopefully it will infect other people to connect to theirs. So yeah, that’s what sewing is helping me with.

Caroline: It really does come through in your content because not only is your content really happy, like we talked about, and positive, but it also has a really calming quality to it. Listening to your voice and your voiceovers on a lot of your videos, it just feels really meditative and, and soft. And I really enjoy that. And it’s been, it’s interesting to hear about your sort of journey to get there. And that journey, I’m sure, will continue and we’re excited to see where that goes. One other question I had that I’ve been thinking about since you mentioned sewing failures and how a lot of your projects that you don’t share are failures, things that, you know, didn’t work out. I wonder how you handle that as a content creator. And you mentioned that, when you’re sewing, a lot of it’s sort of interconnected with content creation. It kind of goes hand-in-hand with you. But when you have these failures, how do you handle that as a maker? How do you push through that? And maybe I’m also asking as a personal question, because, you know, we all have failures as sewists. And I wonder, yeah, how do you work through that and, and get past it?

Geri: As I said, sometimes I wonder if I should be posting more of my failures, but in some ways, I feel like maybe I’m missing a moment, and maybe it’s something I should reconsider, but I turn off the camera because I’m trying to…I didn’t get the sewing right. So, it’s like, I’m trying to figure out the mistake, and maybe that is an interesting process for other people to look at, and I’m dismissing it. Right? And this conversation, bringing up that question: am I dismissing my failures? But in some ways, it’s like, I find it difficult to multitask at the same time. You know what I mean? Like, there’s the sewing and the content creation. And sometimes when the, something in the sewing goes wrong, I feel like, “Oh, I have to fix that.” And then I sort of abandon the content creation. You know what I mean? It’s like, in the moment, and I wish there was some kind of CCTV in, that I set up in my room, right?

Helen: One day we’ll have a reality show that’s just fully filmed and edited of your sewing station. And we can see everything.

Geri: Like, I wish there was, like, some kind of CCTV that would film the actual authentic moment, right? And I think maybe that would be interesting. But really, I have, I just have my iPhone, and it’s like a logistical thing right now. And most of the time, I must say, I’m not so, emotionally speaking, I’m not so attached to my failures. It’s like, oh, okay, you know, maybe some swearing, maybe some sweating, and then, and then I, I very quickly get over it because I face so many of these failures. It’s not so big anymore. You get a thick skin and you grow a thick skin for these failures, right? And and they don’t matter as much anymore.

Helen: Which is a good practice, in general for, for, life, right?

Geri: Yeah.

Helen: Build that thick skin up.

Geri: Failing is really a fantastic practice, and I’ve learned how to not let it bog me down and then, you know, just move on, right? And maybe even just, and maybe even invite it sometimes or be thankful for it or be grateful. Right? “Oh, I made that mistake.” You know, it informs the future you, right? Always.

Helen: I really love this concept, but I’m just trying to imagine myself at my sewing machine, you know, and I just sewed an entire hem on a circle skirt without any thread in my bobbin. And then when I finish and realize, I’m just like, “Oh, thank you. Thank you…”

Caroline: “Thank you to this failure. Thank you to me.”

Helen: “I’m so grateful that this happened to me.”

Geri: Right. But it’s also something very funny about it, isn’t it?

Helen: It is. Yeah, it’s true. I have learned to laugh at those moments, in particular, where there’s no thread in the machine. I mean, what’s funnier than that, right?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, okay, one question I have, Geri, because I’ve been following you for years, and you make so many amazing things. So I have to imagine that your closet is full to the brim. So tell us a little bit about what the situation is. How do you manage your wardrobe? Do you get rid of things when you’re not wearing them? What do you do there?

Geri: I roll them up.

Helen: Okay.

Geri: You know, the way you pack when you’re going on vacation, everything into a small luggage, and you have, you have to roll them up. I roll up my clothes to make it fit better in the drawers. I don’t have an ideal storing situation right now for any of my clothes. And that’s also, partly, the reason why I’m going more for quality than quantity these days.

Helen: Mmhmm.

Geri: Just because it’s a storage issue, right? And really, I really don’t need that many clothes. I’m sewing because I, I want to get the practice, right? It’s not because I want that piece or garment…it’s, I’m trying to practice a technique or figure out something, right?

Caroline: Yeah.

Geri: Making samples, something like that. It’s not really, I have the need for more clothes. I also don’t like sewing for anybody else, right? I’m a very selfish kind of sewist. I don’t like sewing for other people and, so, you know, I’m stuck, I’m stuck with a bad closet situation and I really shouldn’t be sewing so many more garments and it is a problem. It’s not, I don’t have the solution. Just so you know.

Helen: I was hoping you did, because I need one.

Caroline: I think rolling is a pretty great solution. Honestly, I’m gonna try that.

Helen: Yeah, I’ll try the rolling thing. Well, especially in your case, because I feel like so many of the things that you make are truly works of art. And I’m not exaggerating there. Like, absolutely incredible works of art. So even if they’re not getting worn on a regular basis, it’s not something you’re gonna just give to the local thrift store without thinking about it. You know, you might want to gift it or or just keep it for prosterity. So, I think, or posterity, that makes sense that you would have a very full wardrobe.

Geri: Yeah, and that’s why sometimes I choose projects that take 50 hours to complete, you know. That’s part of the reason because, you know, in 50 hours I could either make 10 dresses or just one thing, But, you know, it’s going to be beautiful, or something like this. Right? So that my hands stay busy, right, for, for a longer period of time, and they don’t itch.

Helen: Geri, I’m curious, because you mentioned, you know, you love the grid process, the geometric shapes, the things that take forever. Have you ever tried quilting?

Geri: I made a quilted vest before, and, you know, I’m, partly afraid to get into it, because I, I have a feeling it’s, it’s gonna draw me in, into another dimension.

Helen: I think it will. Come to the dark side, Geri. Come with me.

Geri: That’s the only reason that I’m staying away from knitting needles as well, you know?

Helen: Oh, true.

Caroline: Oh my gosh.

Geri: I can tell you that I am very, very seduced, okay? Very tempted.

Helen: You’ll get there eventually, I’m sure.

Caroline: Well, speaking of which, do you have a dream project or technique on your list that you’ve never tried that you really want to try?

Geri: Wow, I have been dreaming about a huge wall installation of stitched shibori. It’s not a, it’s not a garment, but a huge wall, like maybe, I don’t know. I’m afraid to say it because maybe, you know, if I, if you say it, it has to happen. Like maybe…

Helen: We’re talking dreams. We’re talking dreams. It’s okay. Dream big.

Geri: Like, five meters by three meters wide of stitched shibori. Something crazy like this, right?

Caroline: That sounds incredible.

Geri: This sometimes comes to me in my dreams and I don’t know what to do about it. Because number one, it’s not a garment.

Helen: Yeah. But there’s nothing to say that you couldn’t take it down off the wall when the installation is complete and make it into a garment.

Geri: Exactly. Exactly.

Helen: Well, that sounds really cool. I look forward to seeing that very soon. And…

Geri: Oh.

Helen: Well, do you have something you’re working on right now that you want to tease for our listeners? Something on your sewing table at the moment?

Geri: It’s not really, well, it’s sort of on my sewing table. But I just released an online sewing course. And it’s designed for beginners. And it’s how to make a shirred bodice dress. Something fun and easy to do. I, I did it with a company called Now You Know. They provide online courses and I just did a sewing course with them. On my sewing table is another shirred bodice dress. Right now I’m working on it. Yeah.

Caroline: Shirring is so beautiful and I feel like it’s one of those techniques that sort of intimidates sewists. So I hope people will go check out this tutorial. It sounds really great.

Geri: Yeah. Because there, there’s some unknown factors with shirring. No matter how many shirring samples you make, you’re only making an intelligent guess, right, about the final product, just because a shirring sample is just, I don’t know, like a 10 inch by 10 inch sample. And it’s not really the actual thing that you’re going to shir and it changes. But yeah, I have some tips and tricks to make it as intelligent as you can, you know, as close to the final thing as possible.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: That’s so cool. And congrats on the e-course. Absolutely amazing. We’ll link that up in the show notes so people can find that.

Geri: Oh, thank you.

Helen: Yeah, of course. I apologize for not asking about it. I didn’t know about it. This is great information.

Geri: And then I have a second course coming up with them soon. And it’s a little bit more challenging. I think it’s not for the beginner beginner; it’s more for, like, the confident beginner. It’s basically taking a T-shirt that you already own and using the lines of the T-shirt, making a tank block. And then from the tank block you can make tank variations. So that’s another course that will be coming up soon.

Helen: Cool! So kind of like a refashioning course direction.

Geri: Yeah, it’s, it, it involves making, like, a tank block or, or sloper from a T-shirt that you already own in your wardrobe.

Helen: Very cool. Ooh, that sounds really exciting. So whereabouts can our listeners find these e-courses if they’re interested?

Geri: The second course hasn’t been released yet, but the first course with the shirred bodice dress, the link is live. You can go to now, you know, you can go to my Instagram account, it’s linked in my bio.

Caroline: Awesome. And this episode is coming out at the end of September. So possibly your second course will be out by then.

Geri: Yeah, yeah, it will be out and it will, you can find all the information from my Instagram account.

Caroline: Awesome. And we’ll link all of this up in the show notes for folks, but can you tell our listeners where they can find you on social media and your website and all that good stuff?

Geri: Yeah, my website is geriinstitches.com and on Instagram I am @geri_in_stitches. I also have a YouTube channel, Geri in Stitches. I have these online courses coming out, and hopefully my patterns will be out next year.

Helen: Ooh! That is so exciting. I cannot wait to see what you come up with.

Geri: Me too! I can’t wait, as well.

Helen: Yeah, fair. Well, Geri, thank you so much for coming on the podcast today. It was truly a pleasure speaking with you. And we just really appreciate how open you were about your whole process and your time spent in the sewing community. It’s been a blast.

Geri: Yeah, it’s been a blast. Thanks so much for inviting me. And I wish you all the success in your podcast and in every endeavour that you are going to pursue, both of you.

Caroline: Thank you!

Helen: Aw, thank you, that’s so sweet. You, as well!

Geri: Wishing you abundance, happiness, light.

Caroline: Aww, thank you.

Helen: Thank you. Thank you. Take care, Geri. Talk to you later.

Geri: Okay, bye!

Caroline: Bye! That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns, and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. So go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Buh Bye!

Helen: Bye!

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We talk about a bunch of popular jacket styles and give fabric advice, sewing tips, and indie pattern recommendations for each one! We also talk about unusual details you find on jacket patterns and play “Is it a Jacket?” Plus, a listener question about options for non-staticky office tops.

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

Show Notes: 

From the Listener Questions Section:

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Some of Helen and Caroline’s Coats:

Resources:

Sewing Patterns: 

Tools and Notions:

Other Mentions:

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Transcript:

Helen: 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 and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns And Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s all we know how to talk about.

Caroline: In this episode, we talk about a bunch of popular jacket styles and give fabric advice, sewing tips, and indie pattern recommendations for each one. We also talk about unusual details you find on jacket patterns and play “Is it a Jacket?

Helen: Is it a jacket?

If you love to sew, this is your show.

Caroline: Hi Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m good. Thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I’m pretty good. Pretty good. Excited.

Helen: I’m excited. I, too, am excited. I love jackets. I love outerwear in general, and I have a lot of jackets in my wardrobe.

Caroline: Yeah, I think you have more jackets than I do. And I feel like I have a good amount of jackets. So we’re gonna need to have a jacket-off one day.

Helen: Okay, phrasing, first of all. How many jackets do you think you have in your closet?

Caroline: I don’t know, like, eight?

Helen: Oh. I have like, 30, I think.

Caroline: Yeah. Wow. Okay, you’re on a different, you’re like, at a whole different level.

Helen: Yeah. this jacket-off is gonna be quick.

Caroline: Yeah. You’re gonna jacket me right off the playing field.

Helen: Okay, okay, okay.

Caroline: Okay, okay, okay. Oh my gosh.

Helen: Okay, before we get started today, we did want to remind you all that the best way to support Love to Sew is by joining us over on Patreon or Apple Podcast subscriptions. You get bonus content every month. And we have so much fun catching up with you on those more casual bonus episodes. We talk about what we’re sewing right now. We talk about the new pattern releases. It’s a blast.

Caroline: Yeah, we do have such a great time over on there and it really means so much to us if you’re able to support us, even if it’s just for a month or two. You can cancel anytime. And also just know that if that’s not in the cards for you right now, we totally get it. And we just really appreciate that you listen and that you’re cheering us on.

Helen: Yeah, thank you.

Okay, let’s start off with a question from Erin. Erin asks, “I work in a fairly professional environment and would love to make some nice blouses and shell tops. The ready-to-wear ones I’ve bought in the past are always so staticky. I can’t handle it. What are some of the fabrics that wouldn’t be so staticky but would still look polished and professional?”

Caroline: Hi, Erin! Okay. I think the main problem is that a lot of office-friendly tops are made of polyester. And poly is especially bad for static because it doesn’t retain moisture well. So when the fabric rubs against itself or your other clothes or your skin, it creates this, like, static charge.

Helen: Yeah, and polyester is the fabric of choice for ready to wear office tops because it mimics the look of silk, but it costs a lot less and it’s way easier to care for. You can wash polyester in the washing machine. It doesn’t hold any wrinkles and it’s really easy to remove stains from it.

Caroline: And if you want to use polyester for your work tops, we have some steps that you can take to reduce the static. So, you can hang your tops to dry instead of tumble drying them, and that way they won’t build up static by getting super dry and rubbing against the other clothes in the dryer. You could use fabric softener in the wash or a dryer sheet in the dryer. And this next tip sounds silly, but it actually does help. Moisturize your body. Static is less likely to build up in a humid environment. So, you know, moisturize, your skin will be humid, won’t get as staticky. You can also spray the inside of your clothes with static spray or rub them with a dryer sheet. And that’s going to put lubricants on the fabric that will help to reduce friction.

Helen: What if I rub my body with a dryer sheet? Will that work? Let us know if you try it.

Caroline: I know. Yeah, just let us know how that goes, guys. Oh gosh.

Helen: I have a feeling that you probably want to avoid synthetics when you’re sewing your own tops and use more natural fiber fabrics. And they do retain moisture better than polyester and they don’t have that clingy problem. So for light and drapey tops, silk or rayon are your go-to choices. We’ve already mentioned the drawbacks of silk. It’s more expensive and it usually needs to be hand washed, but it’s also really beautiful and professional-looking. Rayon is both drapey and affordable, but the colours do fade a bit more easily than silk. So keep that in mind. Cotton shirtings are also great for crisper professional tops. Oxford and poplin make great button ups. Lawn is slightly drapier, so that’s better for less structured styles. But maybe your go to professional shirt is just a classic button up. I mean, it doesn’t get better than that.

Caroline: Oh yeah. Totally. And I’ve seen some really cool blends. I know we got, we get a lot of questions at Blackbird about, like, “What fabric can I wear that’s, like, natural, but doesn’t wrinkle?” And the answer usually is, “That fabric doesn’t exist.” But sometimes when you blend, like, a rayon with a cotton or a cotton with a nylon, it’ll just bring down that like wrinkle factor a little bit. So you can experiment with different blends and see what works for you.

Helen: Totally. Okay, enough about tops. It’s time for jackets, jackets, jackets!

Caroline: Okay, long-time listeners will know that we’ve already had an episode about coats. But first of all, that was almost six years ago. Can you believe, Helen?

Helen: No, it wasn’t. Stop it.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. And second of all, jackets are different from coats, right?

Helen: I mean, kind of. Let’s talk about it. What makes a jacket versus a coat? Here are some definitions from the handy Merriam Webster dictionary. “A coat is an outer garment worn on the upper body and varying in length and style according to fashion and use.”

Caroline: And “A jacket is a garment for the upper body, usually having a front opening, collar, lapel, sleeves, and pockets.”

Helen: Oh, well, thanks for being so specific, Merriam Webster.

Caroline: Yeah, that totally clears everything up.

Helen: Oh, it’s for the upper body. Oh, okay.

Caroline: Yeah, of course.

Helen: Most jackets and coats would easily fit into both of those definitions. And the truth is that there’s no, you know, authoritative source that can tell us the exact difference between a coat and a jacket. I mean, if you’re listening, if you’re an authoritative source on the subject, let us know. But there’s definitely a lot of crossover between the two. And generally speaking, here’s what we see as the main differences. So, jackets are usually made of lighter fabrics than coats. Think denim, twill, and satin versus, like, boiled wool, down-stuffed nylon, melton wool, those kind of fabrics.

Caroline: Yeah. Jackets are also usually shorter than coats. They can go from crop length to hip length, and coats often go longer than that.

Helen: When I hear the word coat, I think of a long wool coat with, like, a big chunky collar and like a beautiful silk or bemberg lining. And like, you’re walking through a winter wonderland. But, you know, when you’re out at someone’s house or something, you’re like, “Oh, I got to go. Let me get my coat.” That could mean literally anything, right? Like, that could mean a jacket. Colloquially, they’re all mixed up.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s so true. And there’s crossover, and there’s some exceptions as well. So, I think, you know, it’s sort of hard to define, exactly. But I think we should play a game. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Helen: Yes. Let’s play a game. Are you ready? Welcome to “Is it a jacket?

Caroline: Woo!

Helen: First up, we have the trench coat. Is it a jacket?

Caroline: Okay, well, it’s lightweight, so that to me is jacket-y.

Helen: Yes. And it’s usually long. Which is kind of coat-y

Caroline: But sometimes trenches are short, right? You can get a short trench coat.

Helen: Can you? I guess you can. Yeah. I don’t know. When you hear trench coat, are you thinking short coat, jacket?

Caroline: No, I do think long, but also, It’s called a trench coat, Helen.

Helen: I know, I know. But it’s more jacket-y, right?

Caroline: Yeah, okay. I think I, despite the fact that coat is in the name, I think it’s a jacket.

Helen: Yeah, I agree. Jacket. It’s a jacket.

Caroline: Trench coat is a jacket.

Helen: Don’t @ us. Okay, Next up the shacket. Is it a jacket?

Caroline: Okay, so it’s a top layer and it’s lighter weight than coats usually are, which to me is pretty jacket-y.

Helen: Yeah, and it’s also very shirt-like. It has a lot of shirt-y details, like, it’s got a collar, sleeve plackets, back yoke. It’s kind of just like a heavier flannel shirt in a way. Obviously, that’s where the name comes from. Shirt, jacket, shacket.

Caroline: Yeah, I mean, I think it’s a jacket, decidedly.

Helen: Yeah, it can’t be a coat, right? It usually doesn’t have a lining. It doesn’t even have a lining. Get out of here.

Caroline: No lining, no coat. Come on. Okay. All right, next is the cape. Is a cape a jacket?

Helen: Some capes are drapey, like, wrap kind of style. That doesn’t seem very jacket-like.

Caroline: Okay, but I could see an argument for more tailored capes, but the longer and heavier you get, the more I would see it on the coat side.

Helen: Yeah. Because usually it’s made out of those, like, wool fabrics and it has that beautiful lining and, again, you’re in the winter wonderland and the snow is falling and you have a hot chocolate and you’re wearing a coat.

Caroline: I love these pictures you make.

Helen: I don’t know. But would you call it a coat? I’d probably still just call it a cape.

Caroline: Okay, but cape patterns are also usually categorized under jackets and coats by, like, pattern companies when you’re shopping.

Helen: That’s true, because cape isn’t something that necessarily a lot of people have in their closets. But I don’t think it’s a jacket. Not every outerwear piece is a jacket or a coat. And since this one doesn’t have sleeves, I don’t know if it can qualify as a jacket.

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: Okay.

Caroline: I concede. I think it’s neither.

Helen: It’s neither. Get out of here!

Caroline: Get out of here! Why is this even in here?

Helen: Okay, next up we have the duster. Is it a jacket?

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay. Nowadays, dusters are usually a long lightweight layer.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. They could even be made, like, in light fabrics, like linen and stuff like that. But historically, dusters were long coats that people wore to protect themselves. Like, When they were on their horse from like trail dust and stuff.

Caroline: Yeah. I feel like you don’t wear a jacket on a horse. You wear a coat, right?

Helen: Well, I mean jockeys aren’t wearing coats, are they? I don’t watch horse racing very much.

Caroline: Okay, I’m sorry. I feel like you know more horse people than I do.

Helen: I feel like I think they’re wearing jackets. You know, they’re wearing, like, very tailored, smart-looking jackets if they’re doing, like, dressage and stuff like that.

Caroline: Okay, so maybe it depends. Like, if you’re wearing a knit duster, for example, I would think that would fall more under the sweater category. But if you’re wearing a traditional long coat, that’s definitely a coat. But what about a woven duster, like the Moss Jacket?

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: I think that one qualifies as a jacket.

Helen: Well, yeah.

Helen: Is that even a duster? I don’t know, I always thought dusters had to be super long because it’s like, they’re dusting the ground, you know?

Caroline: Maybe a duster is just its own thing, also.

Helen: Get out of here!

Caroline: Get out of here.

Helen: I think a duster is a, I was going to say jacket, but then I was like, no, I think it’s a coat. I think a duster is a coat.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, okay. Undecided on this one. I think it’s a jacket.

Helen: Okay, great. Well, podcast over.

Caroline: Okay, okay, one more, one more. What about the hoodie?

Helen: I mean, we don’t usually call, like, sweatshirts jacket, and it’s pretty much a sweatshirt, right?

Caroline: Yeah, but it does have, like, a zipper down the front a lot of the time, which makes it feel more jacket-like.

Helen: Yeah. What about, like, fleece jackets? Like, they’re almost like hoodies, right? But they, they become jackets when they’re fleecy-ness.

Caroline: So, like, fabric-dependent, potentially.

Helen:Yeah, because if it’s sweatshirt fabric, I don’t think that’s a jacket. That’s a hoodie. But hoodies don’t all have zippers. Do they?

Caroline: No, they don’t all have zippers.

Helen: I, I feel like I don’t, I understand less now after playing this game.

Caroline: This didn’t help at all.

Helen: This didn’t help at all.

Helen: A hoodie is its own thing. It’s not a jacket.

Caroline: Okay, okay, okay, fine, fine. Alright, well, if we haven’t lost you yet, in this episode, we’re going to go over a bunch of different jacket styles. We’re going to recommend fabrics, we’re going to give sewing tips, we’re going to name some indie patterns that go with each one. And we’ll define some jacket-specific terms and talk about how to choose the right jacket for you. But first, Helen, let’s talk about some jacket-making memories, because I feel like you have made many jackets. And some of them have been kind of sentimental, right?

Helen: It’s true. Yes, one of my first forays back into sewing, when I got back into it in my mid-twenties, was the Sewaholic Minoru Jacket. And I still get emotional thinking about it because it was such a huge project for little baby sewing me. When I think back on it, like, the fact that I chose that pattern and tried to sew a lined jacket after, you know, I had done, like, sewing in high school and home ec and stuff, but it had been a while since I had sewn anything. And I love diving in the deep end, as you know, but it was so challenging to sew this jacket. And it still turned out pretty good, but there’s elements of it that I laugh out loud at because, like, I forgot to like change my stitching back from basting to top stitching but I just like, went with it, so some of the top stitching is basting. And like things like that where you’re like, “Aw, that’s cute.”

Caroline: It is cute. It’s wild that this was one of your first projects getting back into sewing. Like, overachiever.

Helen: Right? It has, like, a, a zip in the collar that the hood, like, stores into.

Caroline: Wow.

Helen: I can’t believe. Even now, I would be like, “Uh, I don’t know. That seems like a lot of work.” But it is such a cute jacket. And it’s too small for me now, but I did keep it for sentimental reasons. So that’s one that I always think about when I think of my jackets. And then the Kelly Anorak, when that pattern came out, I sewed that up. And that was also a pretty big project for me at the time. I love how it turned out. It’s so beautiful. It was so much fun to sew. And then in our pattern collection, we have the Wildwood Jacket, which is one of my personal favourite patterns that I have. I just love how it pairs quilting with garment sewing so perfectly. And I’m a big fan of the quilted jacket because it’s the most comfortable thing to wear.

Caroline: Yes. I’m also a big fan of a quilted jacket.

Helen: Yeah, tell me about your favourite jacket projects over the years.

Caroline: Well, thinking about quilted jackets, my Tamarack Jacket was a huge project and I’ve talked about it on the show before. It took me a really long time to get it done because it was just so daunting and took so much time, but it has been worn tons over the years. I also had a Robson Coat, which was the trench coat pattern from Sewaholic, which is actually a jacket, not a coat, by the way, as we’ve determined. But I donated it recently because it didn’t really fit me anymore, but I did have that one for years and that was such a satisfying project. Wasn’t lined. It was finished with binding through all the seams. So it looks really cool from the inside. And I really loved that project. So I have really fond memories of that one.

Helen: Yeah, so cute.

Caroline: I also really love wearing my Pona Jackets, my long ones. I have a linen one and a hemp cotton denim one. But I didn’t actually make those, so I don’t know if they count. Because I’m pretty sure you made them, Helen.

Helen: Well, I mean, one of us made them, so it’s fine.

Caroline: Yeah, they were kindly gifted to me.

Helen: Yeah. Well, you modeled for that pattern. And if our listeners haven’t seen those photos, you can check them out on the website under the Pona Jacket. Yeah, so cute.

Caroline: Oh yeah, but I do, I love a quilted jacket. I also have a Grainger Coat, which is a Muna and Broad quilted coat, which, I don’t know. Is it a jacket? Is it a coat? They call it a coat. Could be a jacket. I don’t know.

Helen: Theirs is a bit longer, so maybe that’s why they went with coat instead of jacket, you know?

Caroline: Yeah. longer, oversized. It’s a great piece. I love it.

Helen: Did the second one take less time than the first one, the Tamarack?

Caroline: No, no.

Helen: It still took forever.

Caroline: They both dragged on. It’s not so much that it took forever. It just was like, it was involved. So I took a lot of breaks in between. It was one in my WIP pile for a really long time.

Helen: Right. Yeah. That makes sense. Okay. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty and talk about some of the details that you might find in jacket patterns. Lapels are the flaps that fold out from the front opening of a jacket. And they’re often notched, but not always. A jacket’s lapels are an important part of its style. A wide lapel looks a bit more playful while a narrow lapel looks a bit more neat. And you can customize the width and shape of your lapel by slashing into your pattern and spreading or overlapping the pieces. Or you can redraw the lapels completely. The only part that needs to stay the same is the part that’s attached to the front opening. So you can use that as a starting point. This is a really fun opportunity to play around and customize. You can cut a few muslin collars and see how they look. It’s a great opportunity to try your hand at a little pattern drafting on a small area of a garment.

Caroline: Totally. Another lapel tip is that a lapel is made up of two layers. So there’s the top layer, which is going to be seen all the time, and the bottom layer, which is going to face towards the body of your jacket. And if you cut the bottom layer slightly smaller around the outside edge, I’m talking like an eighth of an inch smaller, the top layer will roll over slightly and hide the seam. So you’ll have to slightly stretch the bottom layer to match the upper layer. But this works really well to sort of hide that lining. Or you could just make sure to understitch your lapels and that’s gonna help keep the seam in the right place. You kinda wanna understitch either way, I think. But yeah, that’s a great tip.

Helen: It’s also a great place to put a different colour or print of fabric. Get a little pop of colour.

Caroline: I was just thinking that. I love that look. Yes.

Helen: Yeah, do that on the facing of the jacket and then also the collar. So it’s kind of consistent all the way around your neck. And it almost, like, really highlights your face because it draws the eye.

Caroline: Yeah, totally.

Helen: A vent is a slit in a jacket that gives room for movement. They’re especially common in blazers. A hip-length fitted jacket without a vent could bunch up when you sit down, but a jacket with a vent or two lays more smoothly because it makes room for your hips when you’re seated. Usually jackets have either one vent in the back or two vents near the side seams to kind of create like a little butt flap.

Caroline: Yeah, vents are like those things that are often stitched closed in ready-to-wear and then you have to remember to, like, snip them open. I always want to do that when I see people on the street with their, like, vents stitched closed. I just want to, like, whip out a pair of scissors and just be like, snip snip!

Helen: Yes! Let me help you.

Caroline: You’re welcome. Jackets have a single breast or a double breast. A single-breasted jacket meets in the front with one line of closures, like buttons or a zipper, and a double-breasted jacket crosses over in the front and it’s going to have two lines of closures, usually buttons.

Helen: Yeah, think, like, peacoat, but jacket-style.

Caroline: Pea coat! Oh my gosh, remember when pea coats were in?

Helen: Is a pea coat a jacket?

Caroline: I think a peacoat is a jacket.

Helen: No! No, no.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, like the…okay, no. Listen, the, like, 90s, like corduroy peacoats, those are jackets.

Helen: You’re googling it right now? Are you googling?

Caroline: I’m googling it.

Helen: Well, because a peacoat, to me, usually is like a wool coat, but you’re talking about maybe more of a jacket-y thing?

Caroline: Okay, hold on. Pause for googling.

Helen: When you google “peacoat,” that’s a coat.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay, but do you remember what I’m talking about? Like, I feel like in the 90s and early aughts, corduroy or, like, velvet pea coats were in.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: And like, to me, those were, like, jackets.

Helen: more like jackets? Well…sure.

Caroline: Weigh in, everyone.

Helen: I’m willing to let you have it.

Caroline: We need to do some polls on Instagram when this episode comes out. Is it a coat or is it a jacket?

Helen: Trench coat and pea coat are definitely interesting ones, because the, you would think…

Caroline: Yeah, I think they could swing either way.

Helen: Okay, some jackets have hoods, which is one of my favourite jacket parts. They’re so handy. I think making a muslin of your hood is underrated. They don’t usually come in a variety of sizes, but people do have a variety of different head sizes and neck and even like, the way that you style your hair can impact the size of hood that you want. So if you’re making a hooded jacket, it’s a good opportunity to just test out those hood pattern pieces. They’re pretty small too. So you can just go for it and test the hood.

Caroline: Yeah. It is kind of crazy that people don’t muslin hoods all the time because our heads, like, I have a big head and hoods often don’t fit me and I never think to muslin a hood, but it’s so annoying when it doesn’t fit. So, note to self: in the future, I will always muslin my hoods.

Helen: Always.

Caroline: A storm flap is a detail that you usually see on trench coats, a style of coat that was popularized during World War I. It comes down from the shoulder seam over the chest where it either hangs free or buttons down with a single button. On early trench coats, there was an opening for ventilation underneath the flap, but nowadays it’s not usually functional. I’ve never seen a modern trench coat with an opening underneath the storm flap. It’s just fashion. They do look kind of cool. Honestly, I’m a fan of a storm flap.

Helen: Yeah, it does look cool, for sure. And I like the idea of ventilation. Maybe that’s something that you could add if you were customizing a pattern for your own personal use. ‘Cause I get hot. So I love when there’s little breathable, like, zips under the arms. I love that.

Caroline: Cool.

Helen: Cool, cool, cool. You know, like on rain coats that have zips under the arms?

Caroline: Yeah, yeah, no, I do. I’m just imagining you, like, you’re like, hot, you’re hanging out with like friends. You’re like, “Hold on, guys. I just gotta unzip my pits.”

Helen: “I gotta unzip my pits.”

Caroline: Like, “Just gotta let these air out a little bit.”

Helen: Look, I keep them unzipped all the time. So I’m not going to be in that situation. They’re always unzipped.

Caroline: Got it, got it. Oh my gosh.

Helen: Okay. Lastly, an epaulette is something that ornaments or protects the shoulder. These started out in military regalia and they have those great golden shoulder coverings that sometimes have fringe hanging down over the sleeve cap. But they’re a big thing in fashion, too. They can be as simple as a little fabric strap or tab that buttons across the shoulder seam on, like, a utility-style shirt, or as complicated as you can imagine, with beads and studs and sequins or feathers. On jacket patterns, simpler epaulettes are more common. You usually see them on trench coats or leather jackets, but you can really add epaulettes to pretty much any jacket that you want to embellish. For pre-made epaulettes, you can just attach them by hand the same way you would sew on, like, a decorative patch.

Caroline: Yes, okay. So, now that we’ve defined some terms, we’re going to share a few pieces of general jacket sewing advice. And I don’t think you’re going to like the biggest, most annoying one that I’m about to say, but…

Helen: I like it. I like it.

Caroline: Okay, some people might not like it. Make a muslin, people! Jackets are not a quick project. You’re going to be putting lots of time into this, so make sure that you like the fit before you cut into your nice fabric, which is often pricier than, you know, just a regular shirting or linen. A lot of the time, fabrics that you use for jackets are a little bit stiff.

Helen: Totally. And this is a piece that you might end up keeping and wearing for many, many years to come. Jackets often stick around in our wardrobes longer than other garments do. So it is something you want to put effort into getting right, right off the bat. The nice thing about a jacket muslin is you don’t have to do the whole thing. We’re not talking about finishing it and lining it and all that. Literally front, back, sleeves. That’s, like, the bare minimum. And if you do that, that’s a huge step in the right direction to getting the fit right before you begin.

Caroline: Yeah, maybe a collar, just to see how that looks, right?

Helen: That’s nice. Yeah, that’s nice.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Put a collar on. Why not? But like, you could just kind of baste it onto the neckline. You don’t need to, like, interface it and sew it together and turn it right side…like, no.

Caroline: You’re not doing buttonholes. You’re not doing all the really complicated bits. Totally.

Helen: To go along with that, don’t be afraid of ease. You definitely want room for movement, plus room for the clothes you’re going to be wearing under it. So when you’re making your muslin, keep that in mind.

Caroline: A jacket’s an intermediate to advanced project. There are lots of tricky fabrics and fiddly details that you just don’t find on elastic waist shorts or simple dresses. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do it if you’re a beginner. You can sew anything, remember. I just want everyone to go into jacket making with, like, a realistic idea of what’s ahead. But on the other hand, if you’re looking for a challenge, a jacket project might be for you.

Helen: Yeah. It’s true. There’s a lot of additional steps that you don’t necessarily do when you’re making your average shirt or skirt or whatever, but I think those steps are really fun and exciting. So I think it’s a really cool project that’s quite fun to work through, even if it is a little bit more challenging.

Caroline: Yeah. Just don’t try to, like, make it in a day, you know?

Helen: Yeah, give yourself some time.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Let’s talk about classic jacket styles. We’re not going to debate. And we’re going to share some patterns and tips for each one as we go along.

Caroline: That sounds great. Okay, let’s kick it off with denim jackets. These are such a classic. They really go with everything. The fronts are often paneled, which looks great with classic copper topstitching. The bottom edge is usually finished with a band. The buttons are jeans buttons, including the ones on the chest pocket flaps, and they have a collar and a back yoke. Sometimes they have cuffs and sleeve plackets. So there are tons of techniques that you can try out working with denim jackets. And the bonus is that denim is really fun to work with.

Helen: Yeah, it really is. And we have a whole episode about sewing denim. Lots of advice will cross over into sewing denim jackets. It’s episode 107, so we’ll link that up in the show notes. But we’ll give a few of our top tips right now. We love Mara 70 thread for topstitching. Use it only as your top thread. You don’t need to put the top stitching thread in the bobbin. It’s too thick. So just put it in the top and lengthen your stitch length. Test out your tension on scraps to make sure the stitching looks even and neat and you’re getting what you want before you proceed.

Caroline: Yeah, and you want to use a hump jumper tool or some cardboard to keep your foot level when you are about to sew over thick parts, like where seams meet. You just lift up the foot, slide the tool under the back, and lower the foot to get through that portion.

Helen: Yes, and jeans needles, jeans needles. You need special needles for working with denim because it’s so thick. So that will go a long way. Many denim jackets are unlined. You can do a simple seam finish by serging or zigzagging over the edge or you can level it up and cover the seam allowance with beautiful bias binding. You can also underline jackets. I made a denim jacket once with a flannel underlining, so, just sticking the fabric together and treating it as one. And that looked really great.

Caroline: Yes, love that. A good indie pattern option for a more fitted jean jacket is the Audrey by Seamwork. And if you’re looking for a more oversized look, you can try the Stevie by Style Arc.

Helen: Next up we have chore jackets, sometimes also called chore coats. These usually have a simpler design than denim jackets. It’s kind of like a stripped-down denim jacket. But like denim jackets, they’re usually made of heavy cotton fabrics like canvas, twill, denim. And they’re usually unlined. They tend to be a little oversized, easy to throw on over a long shirt or a light sweater.

Helen: So they’re very wearable.

Caroline: Yeah, and easier to fit too, which is great.

Helen: True. True. One thing I’ve noticed about chore coats is that they don’t always have jeans hardware buttons. They sometimes just have regular buttons, which is an option regardless of which style you’re making. But you might end up sewing buttons onto your chore jacket. So, sewing buttons through thick fabrics can be a bit challenging. You want to make sure your hand sewing needle is nice and sturdy. There’s a few things you can do to help you grip the needle and pull it through the fabric. Needle grippers are little flat rubber circles that wrap around the end of the needle as it comes out of the fabric to kind of pull it the rest of the way through. If you have one of those rubber jar opener things, you can make your own needle gripper by cutting off a piece. A piece of leather can work. A silicone or rubber-coated glove, like a quilting glove or like a lightweight gardening glove, is really handy. And of course, if you have a pair of pliers lying around, those really work, but they can damage and bend the needle. So just keep that in mind.

Caroline: Yeah, don’t go too hard with the pliers. Chore jackets look really great in corduroy. The details of a denim jacket pattern would get lost in the fluffy pile, but the simplicity of a chore coat is perfect for this fabric .The Potter’s Jacket by Modern Sewing Co. is a nice choice for a pattern. It has clean lines, bold buttons, and big bellows pockets in the front.

Helen: Next up we have bomber jackets, also known as flight jackets. And these are more cropped jackets that have ribbing cinching them around the neckline, cuffs, and hem.

Caroline: Yeah, early aviator jackets were made of leather, but by mid-century they were being made of lightweight nylon, and they had crossed over into being more of a fashion item.

Helen: Bomber jackets are a great opportunity to make a light layer. They look really good with light to mid-weight fabrics like cotton, sateen, poly satin, and water-resistant performance fabrics, or even fancy fabrics like brocades. I really like that crossover between the casual style and the fancier fabric. So that’s something that you see often in bomber jackets, and I think it does pair really well together. One thing to consider is that shiny fabrics tend to fray a lot. So to get that shine, the fibers have to be really smooth, and the satin weave has a lot of floating yarns that tend to come undone. So that’s why they fray so much. And if you’re dealing with a fray-prone fabric, you can add a little extra seam allowance to your pattern pieces to account for it. And just remember how much you added so you can sew accurate seams. Another technique would be to finish the edges of your pieces with a zigzag or serge before you even start sewing. So you just go all the way around, get rid of all of that fray potential before you start sewing the project.

Caroline: A satin bomber jacket sort of makes me want to like, do some sort of big embroidery on the back. You know those bomber jackets that have like, the big, like, flower on the back or something?

Helen: I was imagining a peacock for some reason.

Caroline: Wow, I love it. Or like, I don’t know, if you’re, like, on a bowling team. You could have, like, your logo back there. You know, it just feels so cool and retro.

Helen: Love that.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Well, the Causeway Bomber Jacket by Itch to Stitch is a great pattern option and it comes with your choice of four cup sizes. Pretty cool.

Helen: Ooh, sweet.

Caroline: Okay, blazers are the most classic jacket style there is. There’s so much tailoring tradition behind this one garment. It’s also sometimes called a suit jacket, but only when it has matching pants or a skirt to go with it.

Helen: If you want to get super into tailoring like Emilia Bergoglio or Julia Bobbin, you can do pad stitching by hand and shape your wool fabric with a steamy iron. I’m not going to go that deep into high-level techniques right now, but just know there’s so much gorgeous sewing techniques involved in sewing blazers. Definitely follow Emilia and Julia if you want some great inspo. And listen to our interview with Emilia if you want to hear more about learning how to tailor. But right now we’re going to talk about entry-level blazers.

Caroline: The best entry point for sewists who’ve never made a blazer is the Jasika pattern by Closet Core. This is a single-breasted blazer with notched lapels and a back vent. And Closet Core has great instructions in their patterns and they have nice resources to go with it, including fitting advice and a free pattern for shoulder pads and sleeve heads. And there’s also a paid e-course that you can take. So, lots of resources there.

Helen: Totally. The fabric that you choose for your blazer will depend a bit on what kind of interfacing you’re planning to use. A lot of modern blazer patterns call for fusible interfacing. And if they do, you probably want to go for a medium to heavy weight suiting fabric to go along with that because the lightweight wool suitings tend to bubble up when you try to fuse them with a home iron.

Helen: So here are some of the fabrics recommended by Heather Lou from Closet Core for blazers: wool melton, wool flannel, wool crepe, wool tweed. I see a common thread here. Crisp textured cottons, heavy to medium-weight linen, and synthetic suiting fabrics with some texture. All these fabrics have enough body to hold their shape and enough texture to hold the fusible interfacing. So it’s kind of a balance there.

Caroline: Yeah, and you want something that’s going to, like, hold a press well. So even some synthetic suiting fabrics can press well. And I would test that if you can, or even just, like, fold the fabric in the fabric store and see if it holds like a fold nicely. ‘Cause you don’t want to use a fabric that doesn’t press well for a blazer. I feel like that pressing is so important. If your pattern suggests sew-in interfacing, you have more flexibility with the fabrics you can choose. Just keep in mind that sew-in interfacing is more difficult to handle than fusible, so you want to take your time and do lots of basting here.

Helen: And if you want to make, like, more of a low-key version of a blazer, we do have the Pona Jacket over at Helen’s Closet. This is a good choice. It’s like a simplified, slightly oversized, slightly drapey blazer look. And you still get the polish of the notched collar, but without all the fuss of the traditional tailoring. So it was truly designed with beginner jacket makers in mind.

Caroline: Totally. I think I was telling you this before the show, but my Pona Jackets, they feel like blazers to me. I can throw them on the way I would throw on a blazer, but it just feels a bit more casual. I also want to throw in a mention of the Heather Blazer by Friday Pattern Co. because they have a really good simple blazer and some of my team members have made it. And it looks great in, like, a linen if you’re looking for something a little bit more casual, but also looks great in a suiting. So maybe a little bit more of an entry-level-friendly classic blazer.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: The trench coat is such a classic. Even if you put a twist on it, like cropping it or making it in a bright-coloured fabric, it’s still such a put-together look. We mentioned that trench coats were popularized in the early 20th century. The style of coat was around for about a hundred years before, but it was not issued by the military until World War I, and that’s when it got its name. It was worn in the trenches.

Helen: Nowadays, a trench coat is a lightweight coat or jacket that keeps many of the classic details of the original, like the storm flap, the tie belt, the epaulettes. Most trench coats are double-breasted, though they can be single-breasted too, and they almost always close with buttons. Some also have a cape that hangs down the back and it helps to shed rain off of the shoulders. I always really like that cape detail. It feels fancy.

Caroline: It does feel fancy. Traditionally, trench coats are made of a light brown gabardine. Gabardine is a tightly woven, water resistant twill that was patented by Burberry in 1888. It was revolutionary at the time because the wool yarns were treated with lanolin before weaving to waterproof them, and the resulting fabric was a lot lighter and more flexible than fabrics that were waterproofed by rubberized cloth. Nowadays, gabardine fabrics can be made of wool, cotton, texturized poly, or a blend. And if you want a classic-looking and water-resistant trench coat, gabardine is the way to go.

Helen: You don’t need to limit yourself to only gabardine. There are lots of fabrics that will work well, like medium-weight twill, wool coating, heavy linen, cotton sateen. These are all fun choices. And you can try out using fabrics like medium-weight linen or poly crepe if you want that drapier look. I think you could also try a technical, like, raincoat fabric if you wanted to go for more of a full-on raincoat look. Lots of options here. I did not know that about the lanolin being a part of the waterproofing process. That’s so cool.

Caroline: It’s really cool. Yeah.

Helen: As far as patterns to get the trench coat look, the Isla Trench by Named has a very classic aesthetic. It’s double-breasted, long, straight cut, and has all the traditional trench details. And then the Eliza Trench by Papercut has a more streamlined look. It’s single-breasted with raglan sleeves, and it has that cape back.

Caroline: Yes. Okay, next up, parkas, anoraks, and puffer jackets. But first, let’s talk a bit about these terms. According to the Fashion History Timeline by FIT, “An anorak is a jacket that typically has a hood, But not always, which was originally worn by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, designed to keep them warm and protected from harsh weather.” So “anorak” has a long history and current usage that is specific to indigenous peoples of the Arctic. The word is an adaptation from “annoraaq” in the Greenlandic Inuit language.

Helen: And similarly, “parka” is a word derived from the language of the Nentsi people of northern Russia and it refers to a similar style of jacket.

Caroline: And there are other words for these coats and jackets that are used by Indigenous peoples of the Arctic, but anorak and parka are the ones that have passed into English. We wanted to mention this because the words anorak and parka have multiple meanings in fashion design. Anorak and parka are used in ways that are only loosely connected to indigenous jacket traditions. They’ve become kind of their own things. So here’s our understanding of how they’re used in the fashion industry today.

Helen: An anorak is usually a light or mid-weight water-resistant jacket. I think the Kelly Anorak by Closet Core is a great example of this style. It has the snaps down the front, the drawstring at the waist, and your choice of the hood or standing collar. One of the samples is made in an olive green fabric, which is kind of the classic anorak colour.

Caroline: Yeah, and parkas are much warmer than anoraks. They sometimes have faux fur trim on the hood. The outside layers often made of water-resistant fabric. They might be puffy, with a layer of stuffing or down in between the outer fabric and lining. And the puffy ones that have lines of quilting are sometimes called puffer jackets.

Caroline: The Emmi Jacket by Papercut is a super cute and versatile option for this. It’s designed for pre-quilted fabrics, but you can absolutely quilt your own and customize it. And this is the coolest thing about it: it comes with four interchangeable collars that you can button on or take off depending on the weather and the look that you want.

Helen: Okay, speaking of things being lined or puffy, let’s talk about teddy fleece and sherpa jackets. Teddy fleece and sherpa both refer to fabrics that feel a lot like sheep’s wool. One side is a smooth knit fabric and the other one has a really fluffy, almost bobbly nap.

Caroline: When I think of a sherpa-lined jacket, I think of a workwear style, like a denim jacket or a chore coat. One of the samples of the Thayer Jacket by Grainline Studio has a sherpa lining and it’s so cool and retro. It’s probably super warm too because that fluffy pile really traps air and insulates you.

Helen: You can use a sherpa-lined fabric as a main fabric too. I would just recommend choosing a pattern without a ton of details and extra seams because they will get lost in the pile and it will just be quite challenging to sew. Something really simple like the Cozi Jacket by Pattern Scout is perfect. It has a zip down the front, a kangaroo pocket, and your choice of a funnel neck or a hood. And we do have a few tips for you when you’re working with teddy fleece or sherpa. Try not to iron it because you can crush the pile and possibly melt it. If you absolutely must iron, use a press cloth and a low setting.

Caroline: Teddy fleece has a nap, so make sure to use the nap cutting layout. This is less important if you’re using it as a lining. If you are using it as a lining in your jacket, it’s so cute to also make the collar out of the fleece. It sort of, like, picks up that theme from the lining. And if you’re using it for your main fabric, choose patterns that are intended for wovens or for low-stretch knits. Teddy fleece doesn’t have much stretch to it.

Helen: Even though it’s a knit and knits don’t fray that much, it does shed. It will shed. So make sure to thoroughly finish all of your seams. And I would recommend keeping a vacuum handy so you can clean up as you go along. If you have, like, a little handheld vacuum you can just keep next to your sewing station, that’s so handy because, yeah, it’s a, it’s a whole thing.

Caroline: Yeah, and clips are way easier to handle than pins. So you can use Wonder Clips for sewing. One other thing I want to mention, from the perspective of a fabric store owner, is that teddy fleece and sherpa are super bulky fabrics. So if you’re ordering them online, expect to receive a very large box. If you’re going into a store to pick up some fleece, bring a giant bag or expect to leave with a garbage bag full of fabric, because it’s not going to fit in a regular bag. It’s just really bulky. It’s not the kind of thing that you probably want to, like, stash, you know.

Helen: Yeah. I actually do have some sherpa-lined denim and some teddy fleece in my stash right now and they’re taking up, the two of them is taking up a whole shelf in my cabinet. Like, they’re huge.

Caroline: It’s like, surprisingly bulky.

Helen: Okay, we’ve already debated shackets, but we do want to give some patterns and tips for this, because it is a great option for a jacket or jacket-like garment. Any oversized shirt pattern works well for a shacket. I made one with wool coating using my Cameron Button Up pattern and to kind of get the look, I sized up a couple sizes, and that accounted for the turn of the thick fabric and gave me room to wear things underneath it. Also, shackets just kind of look best when they’re a little bit oversized, I think. I’ve never really seen a fitted shacket.

Caroline: Yeah, I don’t think that would work.

Helen: You want it to be a bit loosey-goosey. And I would recommend using a lighter weight fabric for some parts of it, like, say, the inner side of the sleeve placket, maybe the inner part of the collar stand, the inner yoke, perhaps. That could make it easier to maneuver when you’re sewing those details. I also sized up the chest pockets and gave them flaps because I wanted it to look cooler and more outerwear-ish. So you can really play around with those details when you’re converting a shirt pattern into a jacket pattern.

Caroline: Yeah, there are some great patterns out there that are specifically for shackets. Muna and Broad has the Shoalhaven Shacket, which looks so nice and long and cozy. Hey June Handmade has the Fairmount Shacket, which is slightly more fitted. And fabric-wise, shackets are best for mid-weight woven fabrics. Thick flannels and lighter coatings are cozy and give a nice drape. Denims, corduroys, and twills would look amazing too. They’ll just have more body to them.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I really love a thick flannel shacket. That’s become one of my go-to pieces for fall and winter. It’s always so nice to throw it on and it feels like you’re wearing a blanket.

Caroline: Question for you: would a denim shacket just be a jean jacket?

Helen: I feel like a jean jacket has a, like, bottom hem band. Yeah. And the little tabby things at the back. And like, some of those more like classic denim, even just the hem band. Right? Whereas a shacket doesn’t have a hem band. Typically it…

Caroline: It has more of, like, a shirt hem.

Helen: Shirt hem, yeah. With the scoop. Yeah. That’s what I think of when I think “shacket,” which you can definitely make out of denim. But I think if you made, like, an oversized Cameron Button Up out of denim to wear as a shacket, that wouldn’t be a jean jacket. Although technically it is a jean jacket, ‘cause it’s a jacket made of denim.

Caroline: That clears it up. Thank you.

Helen: Yeah, no problem.

Caroline: One jacket style we’re not covering today is quilted jackets. You know we love them, but we do have an episode all about making quilted garments, so listen to episode 217 if you want a deep dive into those.

Helen: Oh, yes, we love a quilted jacket. And I wanted to add one last thing before we sign off, because I’m excited to do a little teaser. We have a new jacket pattern coming your way this fall, and I’m so excited about it. I would describe it as a coat. No, I’m just kidding. I would describe it as a shackety chore coat style with lots of options for pockets. We’ve got a collar option. We’ve got a hood option. There’s three different lengths. So there’s lots of versatility there as well. I am honestly having trouble defining it. It started as a shacket. Now we’re calling it a jacket. It’s probably never gonna be a full coat.

Caroline: I’m getting so overwhelmed by this, ‘cause I’m like, it’s a shacket, it’s a chore coat, it sounds like it has coat details. Is it a jacket or a coat? Is it a jacket or a coat? What is it?

Helen: It’s a jacket. It’s a jacket. There’s no lining.

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: So it’s easy peasy. But yeah, I’m so, so pumped for it. It probably won’t be out by the time this episode comes out, but soon, soon it is coming your way.

Caroline: Awesome. So exciting.

Helen: Yeah, I wish we could sit here and cover every single type of jacket, but I do have to do things like eat and pet my dog. And so …

Caroline: Yeah, I mean, pretty thorough job today. Not to toot our own horn, but, toot toot!

Helen: I think we crushed that.

Caroline: Yeah, we crushed it.

Helen: Let’s hit the road, jack…et.

Okay. That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Helen. at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co., Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: And you can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get to access the back catalog of bonus episodes. That is over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Helen: Head to www.lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, you can leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Caroline: Thank you to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Helen: Bye bye.

Caroline: Bye.

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