Love to Sew

Knits vs. wovens! Late night sewing vs. daytime sewing! Making a muslin vs just going for it! In this episode, Helen and Caroline have friendly debates over different approaches to sewing. They weigh the pros and cons of each choice before revealing their personal preferences – and the results of our Instagram polls (nearly 3,000 of you responded!). It’s all in good fun – there is a lot of laughing in this episode. Plus, listener questions about using fabric that goes over a pattern’s recommended stretch percentage and what to do about white pants where the pocket bags are visible.

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

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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.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Caroline: Join us for today’s topic: This Way or That Way.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: Hi, Helen. How are you?

Helen: I’m doing well, thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I am great.

Helen: Good, good, good, good, good. Great.

Caroline: Good, good, good. Great. I keep forgetting to tell you the last few times we’ve recorded, I, like, changed my desk position, so now I can see outside…

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: …and there is a squirrel that does aerobics in a tree across from me, and it’s so distracting.

Helen: Sounds adorable.

Caroline: It’s very cute. The squirrel is just jumping from branch to branch, taking chances, like, really just, I don’t know how they do it, but this, this squirrel’s really cute.

Helen: I wonder, maybe it’s got a nest nearby or something, like, if it’s always there, it probably…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …lives nearby.

Caroline: I mean, I’m assuming it’s the same squirrel ‘cause I’ve never seen such a brave squirrel, but, maybe it’s a family of brave squirrels.

Helen: Well, that’s very cute. I love the visual.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Thank you for that.

Caroline: You’re welcome. I can also see my blooming magnolia tree and…

Helen: Aw. Lovely.

Caroline: …rotos, but, we’ll talk about that on Patreon, won’t we?

Helen: And for our listeners, I am sitting in a closet, so it’s beautiful.

Caroline: Yes. Picture this: a closet.

Helen: Picture a closet. That’s where I am, but the sound quality is amazing, you know?

Caroline: Isn’t it? It really is. Kudos to you for that.

Helen: Alright. I’m excited to get into this episode, but we have a couple listener questions to start us off. Olivia wrote, “I’m starting to dip my toes into sewing stretch garments (the Jackson Tee is all printed out!) and I’m curious about stretch percentages. Most patterns recommend a minimum stretch, say 10%, but can you over do it? Is there a range I should stick to, like if the pattern says 10% I shouldn’t go over 30%?”

Caroline: This is a great question, Olivia. So when a minimum amount of stretch is listed on the pattern, there is usually not a maximum. You can use 80% stretch fabric for a pattern that suggests 10% minimum stretch. So you can always go over, I just wouldn’t go under. It’s the opposite of The Price Is Right.

Helen: Yeah, I think opposite Price Is Right.

Caroline: Honestly, yeah, you’ll remember. Um, but there are two things you wanna keep in mind when you’re going, like, far above the recommended stretch percentage. So first up, you wanna make sure that the fabric has good recovery. This means that you can stretch it out and release it, and it’s gonna go back to its original shape.

And if it doesn’t, your garment can bag out and grow a little too much as you wear it. And this would be amplified if you’re using something with more of a stretch percentage ‘cause you can stretch it more. So keep that in mind.

And then secondly, if your pattern has a neckband, you might need to make an adjustment to that neckband so that it fits the neckline accordingly. So you’re gonna wanna shorten it. If you’re using a fabric with more stretch, you need to shorten that neck band ‘cause it’s gonna stretch more as you, sort of, shape it to your neckline.

Helen: Yeah. Definitely. And I would also say that since you’re a beginner and you’re just getting started with stretch fabrics, you don’t wanna veer too far from that stretch requirement because it’s just gonna get harder. So for the Jackson Tee, for example, we say 10% minimum. I think anywhere from 10 to 50 would be fine.

But if you go with a really, really, really stretchy jersey that’s in the 80 to a hundred percent stretch range where it just stretches nonstop, it’s gonna be harder to sew. So stick with those lower stretch percentages when you’re just getting started with knits, and you’ll have an easier time.

Caroline: When you say harder to sew, Helen, can you give some examples of, like, what is hard about sewing those really stretchy fabrics?

Helen: Definitely. Well, it’s harder to handle as you’re actually trying to pin things like your sleeves into place. Um, it just becomes a little bit harder to distribute the ease of the fabric. It’s harder to run it through your machine and get a nice flat finish. You’re gonna end up getting waves in your fabric. Those little bumps that happen when your fabric gets all stretched out.

And I find that fabrics with a lot of stretch like that tend to curl more, and curling is really common with jerseys. It means that the edge of the fabric starts to roll, and that can be so frustrating as a beginner because you just are so used to flat fabrics, and then, all of a sudden, you’re working with knits ,and they’re all curly, and you’re like, what is going on?

Caroline: Yeah. Totally. And you want those curls to, sort of, flatten as you’re sewing or else you’re gonna lose some of that seam allowance, and it’s gonna become a big mess. I also find that really stretchy fabrics tend to, like, mould to your body a little bit more. So you might get more of, like, a drapey effect with something with a really, really high stretch percentage versus something with a low stretch percentage is gonna stand away from the body a little bit more.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So just something to keep in mind. Alright. Our next question is from Emma Rae: “I love your podcast! I listen while I sew. I have sewn for many years and at this point I would attempt any project given the appropriate time. I made my own custom suit for my graduation photos. But I need advice on something! My fiancé is wearing a white suit at our wedding. It looks amazing! The only thing is the material is not completely opaque, so when he tried it on I could easily see the outline of the pockets.

“Do you suggest that I sew a pant lining and hand stitch it in above the pockets or should I interface each pant leg? With fusible interfacing? It’s likely that he will only wear these pants for our wedding. Our wedding is also in winter so it’s OK if the pants are warmer. I need some advice! And I don’t know very many people who do advanced sewing like this!”

Helen: Ooh. Thank you so much for asking this question, Emma Rae. First of all, congratulations on your graduation and on your engagement, too. I think you have a few options that you can choose from that will give you a good result. The simplest, most versatile option would be to make a white lining for the pants, as you suggested.

This would most likely make the white pockets invisible. You can test out whether this would work by simply holding the lining fabric up to the back of the pants fabric. You can either bring the pants to the fabric store to test out linings or maybe order some swatches. Once you’ve decided on your lining fabric, you can either sew the lining into the pants, or you could make a separate garment with an elastic waist that your fiancé can wear under the pants, kind of, like super long and silky boxer shorts.

Caroline: Ooh, that’s a great idea. Another option is that you could just focus on the pocket bags and sew or fuse a fabric in a colour close to your husband’s skin tone over the white fabric. You want to go lightweight to keep the bulk down. You could also replace the pocket bags with ones you make out of your own fabric. Just keep in mind that if you choose this option, your husband’s undergarments will also need to be in a colour close to his skin tone.

Helen: And our last idea is that you could draft a lining in a neutral colour and sew it under and around the pocket bag so that it’s in between the pockets and the pants. This option is probably the most labour intensive. But it could give a really nice result. I’m, kind of, into the long, silky boxer shorts solution.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I think that sounds like a good one. And who knows, maybe he could use them for another garment, too.

Caroline: I know. I was gonna say they could be, like, shortened into actual boxers afterwards or…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …I don’t know, lounge pants or something.

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: A nice pair of skin-toned, long john boxers. That’s all the questions we have today, so we are ready to get into the show. Let’s do it.

Helen: Today we are discussing different ways to approach sewing. We asked you, our listeners, what you thought about a variety of sewing topics. So for example, when is the best time to sew: morning or evening? Or are you Team Cut or Team Trace? Do you like PDF patterns or tissue? We’re gonna be sharing some of the stats from our online polling and sharing our thoughts, as well, and mostly, celebrating the diversity out there when it comes to approaching sewing.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. I am already, like, so excited to share my opinions about these things, Helen, so I think we’re gonna have a really good time today. But before we get going, we just wanna say this different sewists have different needs, and if what you’re doing gets the job done, then you’re doing it right. The only exception is if you clean up as you go. Like, are you some kind of tidying wizard? I don’t know. Just kidding.

Helen: There’s gonna be a lot of exceptions today. It’s, like, it’s totally fine if you do it that way, but I mean, is it though?

Caroline: But it’s all in good fun. We’re gonna have a fun time going through these, and let’s just get into it, Helen. Our first set of topics is all about sewing prep. So first up we’re gonna talk about shopping the new hotness versus shopping your stash.

Helen: Yes. Shopping for new pretty fabrics is so exciting. It really can boost your sewjo. But on the other hand, shopping your stash is really satisfying, and it feels like you’re saving money even if you’re the one who paid for it originally. Money I spent two years ago doesn’t count, right?

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely. Sound logic. A drawback of shopping for new fabrics is that if you do it more often than you sew, you can build up quite the collection, and that can be a space issue and a money issue.

Helen: Meanwhile, shopping your stash can land you with the problem of not having quite enough yardage for what you want to make or being, like, shoehorned into something based on just the amount of fabric you had. Maybe it’s not the perfect fabric for that project. I don’t know.

Caroline: Okay. I wanna know where you come down on this, Helen.

Helen: Oh, I do both very frequently. You know I love to shop for fabric. I do it a lot, but I have a business, so I think I get away with a bit more fabric shopping than the average sewist, and I have a very large fabric stash as a result. And I love going through my fabric stash and selecting things, especially when we’re doing new patterns. And I get to shop my stash for the patterns that we’re gonna use in the upcoming photoshoot. That is always so much fun.

Caroline: Yeah, I find when I sew on a whim, I always pretty much shop my stash, and there’s something really satisfying about finding a fabric that maybe wasn’t originally intended for the project, but then, it works perfectly. And then, you make it and you’re like, thank goodness I have a stash that I can dip into.

Helen: I know it’s so, so exciting when that happens.

Caroline: Next up we’re gonna talk about PDF versus paper patterns.

Helen: Ooh, hot button topic. I’m not gonna lie. PDF patterns are pretty amazing. They’re the reason why many indie pattern companies can be successful and have businesses like myself. We can reach sewists all over the world, and a sewists halfway across the world can print out our patterns and use them just as easily as someone who lives in the same city as we do. That’s pretty cool.

Caroline: That is so true, but paper patterns are really convenient. You can take all the time you spend taping sheets together and put it towards actually sewing instead.

Helen: Yeah, but you don’t necessarily need to tape patterns together. You can get them printed at a local print shop or order them from a printing service online. Caroline, you even offer this service.

Caroline: Okay. I admit it’s convenient, and that is why we offer that service. But it does come at a price if you’re paying for the pattern, and then, the printing of the pattern. And it could take even more time than taping the sheets together because you’re having to order the pattern and then, order the print and then, wait for that to come. So it’s not, like, an instant gratification, kind of, thing.

Helen: That’s true. Taping it out is much more instantly gratifying. If you have to wait for that printer, it, kind of, takes away that bonus. But getting your hands on paper patterns isn’t necessarily any quicker. You have to buy them in person or have them shipped to you anyways.

Caroline: Yeah, but, it is nice that Big 4 patterns go on sale pretty often. It’s hard to find a better deal than those, like, 2.99 sales, right?

Helen: True.

Caroline: And you can tissue fit with paper patterns. It’s impossible to tissue fit with print at home patterns unless you trace them onto tissue paper or Swedish tracing paper or something like that.

Helen: The thing is paper patterns are hardly even an option for some plus size sewists. The Big 4 hardly have any patterns in plus sizes, and the ones they do aren’t exactly on trend. So that can be a sticking point for a lot of people.

Caroline: That’s true. I was shopping the Big 4 website recently, and I was really bummed that they didn’t have my size in a lot of the patterns I liked.

Helen: Right? You’re like, come on, get with the program.

Caroline: Yeah, if you do go with tissue patterns though, they’re much easier to store in a small space. Much less bulky, Helen.

Helen: I mean, there’s nothing less bulky than digital. Just saying.

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: No, it’s true. Once you print them out, they can be a bit unruly on that printer paper. They get really thick and bulky. Okay. We asked our listeners on Instagram which side they were on, and these were the results: 67% said they prefer PDF patterns, and 33% said they preferred paper patterns. So it’s about two thirds versus one third, and we had a ton of people answer. 2,776, to be exact. I do wanna say that I think our audience probably skews a little bit younger, especially on Instagram, so that might be why we’re getting those results. But hey, this is just for fun.

Caroline: I was gonna say, I know that you and I, full disclosure, I think we both agree that PDF patterns are better for us, personally.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So I was just gonna say these, our listeners are our people. They just understand us.

Helen: I love that you get every size, and you can reprint it whenever you want to, if you wanna make it for somebody else. I think that’s a big benefit for PDF patterns. And of course, I’ve built my whole business on PDF patterns, so no surprises there.

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. Speaking of reprinting and getting every size and all that jazz, we’re gonna talk about cutting versus tracing next.

Helen: Yeah, so on the cut side, being able to just get into your project without adding extra steps feels amazing. If it’s not a super fitted garment, I mean, why not just cut right into your pattern?

Caroline: Yes. And as we mentioned above, printing patterns is expensive though. So if you wanna ensure you’re getting the most out of your pattern, tracing is the way to go because it allows you to preserve the pattern and just trace off the size you need.

Helen: That’s true. You can more freely make changes and adjustments on a traced version of the pattern because you’re not gonna be as concerned about preserving that original.

Caroline: And you can obviously still cut out a pattern outright and make adjustments, but you won’t have the original to refer back to or revert back to if needed.

Helen: And if you plan to use that pattern for multiple people in your life, tracing is a great way to do that because you just trace off the size you need, and then, you have that original there.

Caroline: For me, sometimes I just want to get right to it. And if you’re the kind of sewist is who sews for themselves primarily and feels confident choosing a size, you can totally go for it and just cut. I also think that when you’re dealing with a PDF pattern, you can always reprint it. So for me, I would rather reprint probably than trace.

Helen: Cost more money though. Cost more money. Cha ching. Cha ching.

Caroline: Okay. This is another topic we asked our Instagram followers. About 58% were Team Cut. Woo, sorry. And 42% were Team Trace. Those numbers are pretty dang close, and almost 3000 people responded, Helen.

Helen: I was surprised that this was, like, almost 50/50. I mean, I shouldn’t be, but as someone who prefers to cut their patterns, I was, kind of, surprised that so many people were Team Trace. But there are so many benefits to tracing, and I think it is more of a old school method, as well. So if you learned how to sew, tracing off patterns, that just feels natural, maybe.

Caroline: Yeah, I am in the same boat as you. I prefer to just cut right into my pattern.

Helen: Yeah, and I still make adjustments, but I just don’t have that original to refer to unless I print off another copy. But again, being a pattern designer, I’m printing things all the time, so I don’t really think too hard about hitting that print button.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. Okay. This next one’s pretty juicy, too. Making a muslin versus just going for it.

Helen: Ooh. Okay. Sometimes making a muslin feels like one more thing my sewjo just cannot handle, so I just go for it and see what happens.

Caroline: That works fine up until the moment you try it on and it’s all wonky, then it might be too late to get the right fit.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. But if you are using a pattern company that usually fits you, or if the garment is, like, more loose fitting, then I think it’s a little bit less risky.

Caroline: Okay, that’s totally true, but a muslin doesn’t have to take forever and look perfect. I’m all for quick and dirty muslins, especially if it’s a high stakes project. And you can use long basing stitches to put it together and only make a muslin of the parts that need to fit a specific way.

Helen: You know what takes less time than making a quick and dirty muslin, though? Not making one at all.

Caroline: Yes, and there is sometimes joy in seeing what happens. It’s, like, a little rush from taking the risk.

Helen: Yeah, it can really motivate you with your sewjo. Caroline, I feel like you often make wearable muslins versus I am more in the quick and dirty, use the actual, like, cotton muslin fabric, kind of, muslin-er.

Caroline: I do more often than not make a wearable muslin ‘cause I just can’t bring myself to make something that I can’t wear.

Helen: I know it is, kind of, funny when you’re cutting out, like, that muslin fabric, you’re like, this feels like a waste. But I love how fast it is because I’m not trying to make it perfect. Like, I’m not trying to actually make something wearable, so I can just go so fast. I’m just throwing it together.

Caroline: Just throwing it on.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay. Our Instagram followers responded to this. 35% said muslin, and 65% said no muslin. That’s about two-thirds of people just going for it. No muslin needed. I don’t know.

Helen: This doesn’t surprise me. I think it is like, you know, people have limited sewing time, and they just wanna get right to the fun part with the good stuff.

Caroline: Okay. Our next set of topics is all about fabric.

Helen: Yes, we’re going to be debating first whether in-store shopping is better than online shopping. And I would say the best thing about shopping in-store is that you can see and feel the fabric. I mean, that’s huge. You can tell how it’s gonna feel on your skin. You can see how much drape it has. You can even hold it up to yourself in front of a mirror and see how the colour’s gonna look on you.

Caroline: I agree with that. It is nice to feel before you buy, but the variety of fabrics you can find online is unbeatable unless you live in a city with a big fabric district. You can find almost any fabric online or even order custom fabric.

Helen: Oh, that’s true. But then you do still have to wait for it to be delivered to you, and you have to pay that extra for shipping unless you’re up in like a high, cost amount for your shopping cart. And if you want to start a project ASAP, shopping in person is a really fun way to get started.

Caroline: Yeah, that’s true. I mean, I love looking at fabrics online on my phone. I have been known to shop Blackbird Fabrics, my very own store, while I’m lounging on the couch. And then, I don’t have to drive anywhere. I don’t have to put on pants. It’s the best, I mean, I know I’m biased, but you know.

Helen: I’m with you here. I’m, what do they say on Sound Like Occult? Devil’s Avocado.

Caroline: The Devil’s Avocado. Yes.

Helen: I’m playing Devil’s Avocado here because I do mostly shop online, as well, but shopping in person is a really great way to find good deals. Like, big stores usually have great coupons, plus there’s like thrift stores, discount fabric stores, and creative reuse stores that have really the best prices on fabric if you’re on a budget.

Caroline: But if you have a really specific idea of what you’d like to make, it’s probably best to buy one piece of fabric you really want, instead of three pieces you don’t. And like indie pattern companies, there are some fabulous online only fabric stores out there that are successful because they’re able to reach so many customers online. And by supporting them, you’re supporting a small business.

Helen: Well, I obviously love shopping online, but when I get the chance, I also really enjoy shopping in person. I mean, it’s so fun to go to a fabric store while you’re traveling. We’re talking about that this month on the podcast, as well. It’s fun to pick up a souvenir or fun to support your local, small business, as well, if there’s a local sewing shop in your area. So do a little bit of both. Who says you can’t have it all?

Caroline: Okay, Helen, but let’s be real. Where do you fall? Are you more of an in-store shopper or an online shopper?

Helen: I’m more of an online shopper.

Caroline: Yeah. I feel like I have to say, me, too, because, like, I own an online fabric store.

Helen: Blackbird Fabrics for life.

Caroline: Alright. Next up is knits versus wovens. Okay, Helen. Stretchy clothes are the most comfortable clothes. I will die on this hill. Definitely a point in favour of knits. Come on.

Helen: I am not so sure about that. I mean, a roomy cotton house dress or an elastic waist linen pants, those rank near the top of my most comfy ever list.

Caroline: Oh, it’s true. But knit patterns are so easy to sew – no darts, no extra seams. I have been known to sew up a t-shirt in an hour or less.

Helen: Ooh, that’s true. But as we discussed at the top of the show, getting the hang of sewing with knits isn’t always easy. And there are special machines that help, but you might not have them. Woven fabrics are great on a regular machine, and fabrics like cotton lawn are so stable and nice to sew. I mean, that is a beginner fabric.

Caroline: Okay. True. But once you get a handle on it, you can make some of the most wearable stuff with knits. At least half of what people wear today is made of knit fabric. And if you wanna sew a full wardrobe, you’re gonna need to learn how to sew knits. Most people want knit tops, leggings, sweatpants, sweaters, undies, and swimsuits. I can’t imagine a wardrobe without those things.

Helen: Oh, that’s true, but woven fabrics last longer though. Knits usually get stretched out after a certain amount of washing and wearing, and I find my woven garments tend to last a little bit longer.

Caroline: Oh, Helen. I don’t even know where I land on this one.

Helen: If you had to choose one for the rest of your sewing life, which one are you choosing? It’s not knits. I know it’s not knits.

Caroline: For the rest of my sewing life? Or for the rest of my practical life?

Helen: The rest of your sewing life For all the, all the fabrics you’re gonna sew for the rest of time. It’s not knits. I’m sorry.

Caroline: I know. I just have one cubby of knits, and I have, like, seven cubbies of wovens, so that probably speaks for itself.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. But honestly, of course you want both. I love knits. Don’t get me wrong. Knits are great.

Caroline: We can have it all.

Helen: We can have it all. Okay, this next one’s a doozy: tumble dry versus hang to dry.

Caroline: Ooh. Okay. I feel like we’re gonna land on different sides of this one.

Helen: Okay. Hanging to dry makes your clothes last longer, and it uses less energy. Boom. Mic drop.

Caroline: Okay. Correction. Hanging to dry uses less electricity, but it takes more of my energy and time to hang everything up, and I don’t always have that. Using a tumble dryer makes my clothes feel softer, and they’re ready to wear a lot sooner than when I hang them up, which I never do, especially in winter.

Helen: Okay, but what about when you don’t take your clothes out of the dryer right away and then, they end up all wrinkled? Or God forbid they get damaged in the washer or dryer. When you hang dry, you can smooth them out, and they will dry without needing any ironing.

Caroline: Okay, but then, they’re crunchy. Can we talk about the crunch?

Helen: Not all fabrics get crunchy, but some fabrics get real crunchy.

Caroline: I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a huge deal to take your wrinkle-prone clothes out of the dryer right away and hang them up. Plus, I don’t love hanging clothes drying all over my living space. You know, I love an aesthetic space, Helen. C’mon.

Helen: I know. Oh, when I lived in my apartment in Vancouver, I had a balcony, and it was a covered balcony. There was, like, another balcony above us, and I screwed a pole into the balcony above me, probably wasn’t supposed to do that, but I screwed a pole up there so that I could hang all my clothes to dry out on my balcony. So there was always, like, my entire wardrobe was always out on the balcony drying.

Caroline: Oh, I remember.

Helen: Air dried. You know, it’s just, it smells nice, too. I mean, taking things off the line. Mm. Love it.

Caroline: I do think that if I ever have, like, a clothesline in my backyard, I might use it ‘cause there’s something really sweet and idyllic about having clothes hanging on a line.

Helen: Right. You should get one of those umbrella ones that spins.

Caroline: Oh, yes!

Helen: That would be cool. You have a big enough yard for it.

Caroline: I know I just wanna go outside in the summertime and in my, like, cotton cottage core dress and, like, pull sheets off of the line.

Helen: I love how we’re romanticising laundry right now. I feel like all the parents out there are gonna be like, oh, my goodness.

Caroline: Okay, but where do you stand on this, Helen? Do you have a preference?

Helen: I mostly tumble dry my clothes, but there are things that I pull out and hang to dry because they’re precious or I don’t want them to get damaged. Or if there’s really long, like, straps or ties on things, I get worried that they’re gonna get all tangled up. So I like to pull those out. I’m not as hardcore about hanging my laundry to dry as when I was in my apartment, but that’s mostly because I don’t have that cool bar anymore. I need to set that up again.

Caroline: You also have laundry in your home now. Whereas before you used to have to wash your stuff in a laundry room, right?

Helen: Yeah, and I had to pay for it.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally.

Helen: So you know, you can save a few bucks. Hang it up.

Caroline: Absolutely. Well, I am tumble dry for life. How about rotary cutter versus scissors? Another hot button topic.

Helen: People have very strong preferences about this one, and it’s often because one is easier to use than the other, easier on the hands, or easier to control. And it’s worth trying both out to find out what works best for you ‘cause one might be easier than another. I don’t think one of them is inherently easier. I think it really depends on you.

Caroline: And your preferences and all of that.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay. Rotary cutters are so, fast though. can we just talk about that for a second? I probably cut my pieces out in half the time it would take to pin and cut them with scissors,

Helen: Oh, maybe, even in, like…

Caroline: That’s a point for rotary

Helen: …a 10th of the time.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I haven’t cut something out with scissors for a while, but it takes a, it takes a long time. Rotary cutting does take more equipment and space than cutting with scissors, though. You might need a cutting mat, a rotary cutter, extra blades, pattern weights, a big table. That gets expensive and you still have to have scissors. So whereas if you only cut with scissors, then you only need those and some pins.

Caroline: Yeah. Rotary cutting definitely has a startup cost for sure, but I think it’s worth it. I find it’s easier on my back than using scissors because you spend less time bent over your surface, and it can be easier on your hands because you’re not opening and closing scissors over and over and over and over.

Helen: Ooh, that’s true. People have been making really beautiful things for ages without using fancy rotary cutters, you definitely don’t have to use a rotary cutter to be a good sewist. That’s for sure.

Caroline: That is so true. Okay. Our Insta poll was really close for this one: 55% of respondents voted rotary cutter, and 45% of respondents voted scissors.

Helen: Ooh, that’s interesting. I like that. 50/50

Caroline: I will also say one point for scissors is that you don’t really have to, like, sharpen them as much as you would have to change the blade on your rotary cutter. And is there anything worse than, like, putting in a new blade and realising it has a little kink in it and you have to change it again because it’s, like, skipping one singular thread and pulling your fabric? It’s just not fun.

Helen: No, that’s true. Rotary cutters can be, kind of, annoying in that way.

Caroline: Okay, Let’s get into some clothing construction topics, and the first thing we’re gonna talk about is following the pattern versus winging it. Ooh, I can’t wait to hear what you think of this one, Helen.

Helen: Okay. Following pattern instructions has saved me from a ton of mistakes, and I feel like you’re bound to forget a step or mess something up if you’re just going through winging it.

Caroline: Okay. It probably depends on how experienced you are and how complicated the garment is. I know the techniques I like to use, so most of the time I’d rather do my own technique regardless of what they recommend in the pattern booklet. And for something like a t-shirt, following pattern instructions would just slow me down. Like, I know what I’m doing here.

Helen: Yeah, but sometimes Caroline, a pattern booklet includes a new technique that you might absolutely love, or you might accidentally skip a step that would make things really tough down the line. I feel like you should at least look through the steps before you wing it, like, at least once.

Caroline: You’re right. I usually do, but then I make my own decisions because I’m an independent woman, and I can sew a fly however I wanna sew a fly.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. You can so a fly from memory. That’s crazy.

Caroline: In sewing there are usually a bunch of ways to do things right, and as long as it looks good and is functional, who cares If you follow the steps? Come on.

Helen: I care. I care. I put literally hours of my life and blood, sweat, and tears into every instruction booklet, and I think about it really hard, and I’m upset that you don’t read it.

Caroline: I do. I do.

Helen: I’m just teasing. No, I totally get it, especially with simple garments. And oftentimes, the instructions, I mean, they’re there for people who need them, right? So if you know how to do a step and you breeze on by, you know, my instructions for how to do gathering or whatever, I’m not offended. It’s totally okay.

Caroline: Thank you, Helen.

Helen: But I love reading instruction booklets, so I usually follow them to the T because I’m curious how the designer has thought out the various steps and the approach that they’re gonna take. So I think that’s just the, designer in me wanting to, like, have a little sneak peek into somebody else’s process.

Caroline: I know you’ve been known to read these before bed.

Helen: It’s good reading. Okay. Our next subject is bias tape finish versus facing finish. Ooh, I really like this one. Okay. Making bias tape takes forever, and I know a lot of sewists hate making it because they’ve told us how much they hate making it and how annoying they find it. So that’s definitely a point against bias tape.

Caroline: Okay, but bias tape gives such a clean, lovely finish on a garment, and it doesn’t flap around or get wrinkled up like a facing can.

Helen: But you can tack facings down at nearby seams so they don’t move around. Another good thing about facings is that they’re less bulky than a bias tape finish, and it can be tricky to get a bias tape finish to lay flat, especially for beginners.

Caroline: Okay. But there are techniques you can use to make sure bias tape lays flat. We’ve shared them on the show before.

Helen: This is true. And you know what? Facings don’t always lay flat either. Let’s be real.

Caroline: Yeah. You might need to top stitch them down.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. I love a top stitched facing, like…

Caroline: I do, too.

Helen: If it’s just bias tape versus facing, I think I fall on the bias tape side because I really love that finish. But if it’s bias tape versus top stitched facings, then you might have me. I don’t know.

Caroline: I don’t even know where I fall on this. I feel like I’m right down the middle because I love a facing, and I also love a bias tape finish, especially since I got my Simplicity bias tape maker from one of our lovely listeners who sold theirs to me. I mean, it’s really life changing,

Helen: Yeah, that is, makes it so much faster to make those bias tape, and, like, it is a, a technique that you wanna practise and get quick at. So I think it’s always nice when you get a, an opportunity to do some bias finishing. But facings can be so satisfying, and they can be lengthened into linings, as well, a lot of the time, if you want to go to a full lining instead of a facing. This is why we included both finishes in the Ashton Top because I wanted people to have both those options ‘cause it, it does change the look of the top. Like, with the bias binding, it’s a bit more casual. With the facing, it’s a little bit more elegant, so sometimes you just need one over the other.

Caroline: It’s true. Okay. The results of this polo are, kind of, hilarious because even though almost 3000 people responded, the results were 50/50.

Helen: Now that is a divisive topic.

Caroline: Okay, next up serged seams versus french seams. Okay. The best thing about using a serger, Helen, is that it sews trims and finishes a seam all at once. It’s at least twice as fast as any other seam finish and probably three times as fast as french seams.

Helen: Okay, that’s true. But french seams are stronger than regular seams. They make the inside of the garment look beautiful, too. So I would say they’re worth the extra time.

Caroline: I think that most seams do just fine with serging and since I’m the only one looking at the inside of my clothes, I’m not sure it’s worth it to spend all the extra time making it look perfect.

Helen: Wow, Caroline. What about self-care? Don’t you wanna look inside your clothes and think, wow, what a beautiful french seam.

Caroline: No.

Helen: Okay, and not everyone can afford a serger, though. French seams can be done on a regular machine, and they can’t be beat for delicate and sheer fabrics. So, point in favour of the french seam.

Caroline: That’s true. And uh, to be completely honest, I have been known to do french seams when I’m feeling too lazy to change the colour of thread on my serger. If it’s a really simple make, I’ll just do the french seams.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. I’m swayed by that, as well. And if it’s really a short seam, sometimes I’ll opt for a french seam. Like, several of our patterns, there’s only one or two exposed seams, like say a shoulder seam and a side seam. And in that case I’m like, yeah, I’ll go for the French because it’s gonna be pretty quick, and it will give that nice finish, you know?

Caroline: Oui, oui.

Helen: Oui, oui. But you know, I love my serger – Juki MO654D.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I have it memorised ‘cause I got asked about it a lot. It’s a great serger. If you’re looking for one, that’s the one.

Caroline: Oh, I love it. I have it, too, and we have it at the office. It’s, it’s great. It’s great, great, great. Okay, so what are you, Team Serger or Team French Seams.

Helen: I mean, most of the time I’m using my serger, so I guess I have to put myself in the serger camp.

Caroline: Me, too. Button fly versus zip fly.

Helen: Ooh, okay. The zip fly is the standard for a reason. It’s functional, and it’s low profile.

Caroline: Okay. But button flies are so cute and retro though, and it’s great to be able to do something special on your me-made garment like that. Plus, you can use flatter buttons if you want a lower profile.

Helen: Okay, but the fabric on button flies sometimes shows wear on the front. Also, I feel like a zipper is more reliable than a button. I don’t know why. I just feel like it’s more secure.

Caroline: I don’t know though, you can use strong buttons that you hammer on, and those are not gonna fall off. And zippers do break. Is there anything worse than having to replace a zipper? I feel like I’ve said that a few times in this episode. So there’s, there probably are worse things than having to replace a zipper.

Helen: Is there anything worse?

Caroline: Is there anything worse? Yes. Yes, Caroline.

Helen: And you might find zippers are easier to use though than a bunch of fiddly button, especially if you have arthritis in your hands.

Caroline: That’s true.

Helen: And, like, let’s be real, if you go to the bathroom and then you stand up and you have to do up your pants, what do you wanna have there? A zipper or a bunch of stupid buttons.

Caroline: I do have to pee a lot. So a zipper.

Helen: Yeah. Yeah, I’m very much Team Zipper on this one. Although, I do really like the look of a button fly. I’m looking at you Lander Pants.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I mean, so cute.

Caroline: And I don’t mind how it wears sometimes and shows, like, if there’s, like, a shield in front of the buttons and the fabric, kind of, like, fades a little bit in the shape of the buttons.

Helen: That’s true. And you get that with zippers, too. You’ll often get, like, a line of fabric on the shield that’s, like, wearing in the spot where the zipper is. So I mean, either way you’re getting wear, and that’s just part of denim.

Caroline: Yeah. Alright, so when you’re sewing buttons, Helen, what do you think about sewing buttons on by hand versus sewing buttons on by machine?

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: I have a feeling I know where you stand on this one.

Helen: I’ve mentioned it a few times on the show. I’m definitely a sewing buttons on by hand gal. I think it’s quick and easy once you get the hang of the hand sewing. Setting up the machine to sew the buttons on probably takes almost as much time as sitting down and just sewing them on by hand, in my opinion.

Caroline: Okay. But for people who don’t like hand sewing, doing them by machine would probably be easier. Plus, once you have the machine set up, you can do button after button i you have a bunch of the same size to sew on.

Helen: That’s true, but you don’t need any special machine feet to sew buttons on by hand. All you need is a needle and thread.

Caroline: Okay, but once again, some of us don’t like hand sewing.

Helen: Okay, well, some of us are wrong, so…

Caroline: I actually love using my button foot, and I love when I can sew a button on my machine. I will absolutely do it.

Helen: I think I have just had bad luck with my button foot. Like, I always break needles, or I break the button. Like, something always goes wrong when I try to use my button foot to sew on buttons. So that’s probably why I’m in the hand sewing camp.

Caroline: Okay. Okay.

Helen: Okay. Our next one is fusible versus sew-in interfacing, I mean, fusible interfacing is obviously great because it becomes part of the fabric that you’re working with. Sew-in interfacing can shift around depending on how big of a piece it is.

Caroline: But some fabrics can’t be fused. I’m thinking delicate synthetics and silk fabrics. Sew-in interfacing was the standard from the beginning of time until the mid-20th century. So you can definitely make gorgeous stuff with just sew-in interfacing.

Helen: For some reason, I just had a vision of, like, dinosaurs, sewing with sew-in interfacing.

Caroline: The beginning of time.

Helen: Making little dinosaur suits. Okay, that is all true, but it’s a little bit harder to use since you have to baste it to the fabric instead of just ironing it on. Fusible interfacing is more foolproof as long as you follow the instructions.

Caroline: I don’t know. I hate it when fusible interfacing peels away from the fabric even when I fused it correctly. It’s easier to gauge the quality of sew-in interfacing because you can just use good quality fabric.

Helen: That’s very true. I feel like I underutilise sew-in interfacing. I’ll almost always opt for fusible just ‘cause it’s what I’m used to, and I have a lot of it in my studio, and I find it pretty fast and easy, but it’s, kind of, messy. Like, it messes up your ironing board. Things get all sticky. Things can get shifted out of place. I don’t know. I do think sew-in interfacing probably has more benefits than I’m giving it credit for.

Caroline: Fusible interfacing is a pain in the buns to cut out, too.

Helen: Yeah. Oh, I mean, that might be my least favorite step in sewing, just in all the sewing steps is cutting fusible.

Caroline: Is there anything worse?

Helen: Is there literally anything worse than cutting out fusible interfacing? No.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Okay. Our next one is snip threads as you go versus sniping them at the end.

Helen: Ooh, I really like this one. I feel like this is a super divisive one. Like, people either do one or the other. So if you snip threads at the end, you most likely are saving a bit of time. Overall, they say that you should batch tasks in sewing because switching between tasks can slow you down. So if you’re trying to go fast, you can just leave all your little thread tails and get ’em all at the end.

Caroline: Okay. But some of those threads are definitely gonna get forgotten, and you’re gonna have to snip some threads in between any way, like the ones at the ends of the seams that get enclosed.

Helen: But if you’re gonna trim seam allowances anyway, the threads will get cut as you trim. So if you snip the threads and then you’re going back to trim, then you’re basically sniping the threads twice. It’s not efficient.

Caroline: Okay. But I don’t think snipping threads along the way takes all that much extra time. It, sort of, becomes a mindless habit. So we’re not talking a lot of extra energy here. You know, I don’t like to expel extra energy, Helen.

Helen: Well, then why are you sniping your threads and then trimming them, Caroline? Okay, in our poll, our Insta followers were 77% snip as I go, and only 23% snip at the end. So sniping along the way definitely has the numbers on this one.

Caroline: I will say, ha-, like, have you ever seen a finished garment with no threads that have been snipped?

Helen: No.

Caroline: It’s pretty hilarious. It’s pretty funny.

Helen: It’s like it’s got little hairs.

Caroline: It’s so hairy, and it’s, like, kind of, funny to look at. So, yeah, there’s one point in its favour.

Helen: Yeah, I was gonna say total point in favour. It’s, like, gives it another level of personality. Okay. I was playing Devil’s Avocado, but I definitely snip as I go when I’m sewing. I love, like, taking it off the machine and snipping the threads real close.

Caroline: Sometimes I even snip before I’m finished sewing a seam. Like, I’ll start sewing, and then, I’ll go snip the thread at the back, and then, I’ll continue sewing.

Helen: That’s, like, a true procrastination technique.

Caroline: It’s so true. Oh, my gosh.

Helen: Okay, the next one is, kind of, similar. This is press after every seam versus pressing when absolutely necessary.

Caroline: So going between your machine and your ironing board to press after every seam has the benefit of getting your blood flowing and adding movement to your day, which is a positive thing for most people. Rose Parr told us in the Sewing Ergonomics episode.

Helen: Yes, and if moving around a lot when sewing doesn’t work for you, you can even set up an ironing pad next to your machine, so you can still press after every seam if you want.

Caroline: But pressing only when absolutely necessary saves a lot of time. And there are very few people who can raise their hand and say they have way too much time to sew.

Helen: This is true. Pressing after every seam is how a sewing instructor would probably teach you how to do it, and there’s a reason for that. Keeping everything neat and flat keeps you from accidentally sewing tucks into your seams. It makes for a neater garment in the end.

Caroline: Let’s be real though. You don’t have to press absolutely everything. Like, does every single shoulder seam need to be pressed to the back? Or can you just fold it that way right before you sew the sleeves on? As long as you’re holding everything flat when it goes through the machine, there won’t be any tucks.

Helen: This is true, but I feel like pressing as you go is a little bit easier. Like, if you take your garment to the sewing machine to press those shoulder seams, it’s nice and easy because there’s no sleeve getting in the way, and then, you sew your sleeve on, and then, you go back to press your sleeve. I mean, it’s a lot harder to get into some of those areas once the garment’s constructed. So I think pressing as you go is actually easier.

Caroline: Okay. I think you’re right. I actually, kind of, like an in-between method, and you taught me this: sort of, like, sewing all the seams that I can sew before I need to press before the seam intersects with something else, and then, I go and, like, batch press. So it’s, kind of, the best of both worlds.

Helen: That’s true. Yeah. You, kind of, break it up a little bit and just use your judgement about when is a good time to go to the ironing board.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I like sewing all the little things for my project at once, too. Like, I’ll sew all the little ties, or I’ll sew the collar, things like that that are separate pieces, just so I can sit at my machine and do a bunch of things, and then, I’ll start constructing the garment. So sometimes I guess I do go off script from the pattern. Oh no, I’m, I’m contradicting myself now.

Caroline: You’re just playing Devil’s Avocado.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Our final few topics are all about sewing habits. This next one is a good one: late night sewing versus daytime sewing.

Helen: Ooh, I know we’re in separate camps for this one, so I’ll take this first one here, daytime sewing has a big advantage of better lighting. Plus, if you need to run to the store to pick up more thread, the store will be open.

Caroline: You can put good lighting in your sewing space. Late night is great because it’s quiet. There are fewer people asking you to go on errands. There’s no meals to cook. Just you, your machine, and a fridge full of snacks.

Helen: Okay. In terms of sleep hygiene, there’s a good argument to be made for sleeping when it’s dark outside, just saying, and not staying up too late to fight with your machine over a thread bunching incident.

Caroline: Hygiene, smygiene, Helen. I will stay up all night sewing if I want to. Okay. Not everyone has the same sleep schedule. Actually, I think there’s an argument to be made that sleep rhythms are biological, and we should just let night owls be night owls.

Helen: Okay. If you’re truly a night owl, I get that, but what if you just really, really want to finish your dress and you stay up late giving it a wonky hem because you’re rushing? It probably would’ve been better to stop sewing and finish it when you’re more well-rested. Tell me I’m wrong. No. What if your flight is at, like, 7:00 AM the next morning though? You don’t really have a choice. You have to finish it.

Caroline: True, but you know, I have pulled an all-nighter sewing something before having to get on a flight, and I just finished the hem once I landed.

Helen: Amazing. Okay. Here’s how our Instagram followers responded. We had 61% on the daytime sewist camp, and 39% were the late night sewists.

Caroline: Yeah, those are my people. I think it’s obvious where we stand on this one.

Helen: Indeed.

Caroline: Okay. How about slow and steady versus frantic chaos?

Helen: Okay. There’s something very satisfying about taking your time and making something really beautiful. Let’s call it mindful making, or you could call it slow sewing, whatever you call it, it’s therapeutic to just take your time.

Caroline: Okay. But sometimes what I want to call it is done. If I get the same garment out of the process, when I take days to make it as when I take weeks to make it, I don’t really wanna take the weeks option.

Helen: But it’s not always the same garment. I mean, couture level hand sewn finishes take time.

Caroline: Beautiful finishes are nice to look at but have someone stand four feet away and try to tell the difference between a hand finish and a machine finish. I don’t think most people would be able to, and it feels amazing to finish a project at high speed. I’m a speed demon.

Helen: I mean, yes, or it could just be stressful.

Caroline: Yeah, that’s true.

Helen: I do both. I am often in my sewing room frantic sewing, trying to get something down as fast as possible, and sometimes, I like to take my time, so I’m not quite sure where I stand on this one. I feel like I’m, kind of, sure where you stand though.

Caroline: Yeah. I like a speedy sew.

Helen: Yeah. This last one is tidy as you go versus tidy at the end. Versus never tidy, I guess.

Caroline: Okay. If you tidy as you go, then when you’re finished with your garment, you can just enjoy it fully instead of starting on a big cleaning session right when you’re finished.

Helen: Tidying as you go can really slow you down though. Like, I’d rather do a big tidy at the end and not have it as part of my sewing time instead of doing a lot of tidying throughout.

Caroline: It doesn’t really feel like tidying if you’re doing it tiny bit by tiny bit though, and if you don’t have a sewing room, it could get annoying to have a big mess in your living space.

Helen: Or you could just choose not to be annoyed and just sew and sew and sew until you absolutely have to tidy at the very end. That’s always an option.

Caroline: I guess. I actually like to tidy at the end. I definitely like to tidy, but I usually save it ‘til the end.

Helen: Yeah, I like to just focus on the sewing and make a big mess. And then, I go around, and I don’t even often tidy at the end. I’m more of, like, a once a week tidy upper.

Caroline: We’re tidy at the beginning of the next one.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Sometimes it’s the first thing I do before I start my next project, which can be, kind of, nice. I will say when I cook, I like to do the dishes as I go. So I don’t know, maybe I should start implementing that in my sewing practice.

Caroline: Yeah, I do that, too. It’s so much better than letting all the dishes pile up and having to do them all at the end.

Helen: Agreed.

Caroline: Let’s do a cooking-themed this way or that way.

Helen: Let’s have a cooking podcast.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes! Alright. That’s all we have for our episode today. The truth is everyone probably comes down somewhere on a spectrum for each of these topics, but it was really fun to talk about the benefits and drawbacks and hear what you all do in your sewing practices.

Helen: And as always, we are a hundred percent in favour of whatever makes your sewing a good time.

Helen: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. You can find Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: Go 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 message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: And if you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For $5 a month, you get a full length bonus episode and weekly behind the scenes pictures. For $10 a month you get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for you. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

Caroline: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you all for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Helen: Buh-bye.

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Sewing is a good thing. Travel is a good thing. Put them together and you get a GREAT thing! In this episode, we talk about taking your sewing with you on your travels, planning sewing-themed activities for your trips, and how to make your me-mades presentable while travelling. Plus, we talk about sewing retreats, sewing conventions, and planning your own sewing trip! We also share listener feedback about shopping for sewing souvenirs while traveling, crafty Vancouver recommendations, and an international sewing pattern database.

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

From the Listener Feedback Section:

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Resources:

Retreats:

Conventions:

Tools and Machines:

Sewing Patterns:

Other Mentions:

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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.

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 our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Helen: Join us for today’s topic: Sewing and Travel.

Caroline: Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m doing well, thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I’m so good. This past week we had some gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous weather, and it’s just putting me in the best mood.

Helen: Oh, I know. Same. I actually went for my first swim of the season yesterday.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes!

Helen: Hoo! The water’s still very cold.

Caroline: It was a cold plunge.

Helen: It was a cold plunge. Yes!

Caroline: Oh, good for you though. Oh, my gosh. The weather was perfect for that because you probably came out and you got to just bask in the sunshine, and…

Helen: Oh, yeah. Once we got out it was fine, but when I was in there I was like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Caroline: Was it a very brief swim?

Helen: Yes. It was a very brief swim, but I did put my head under. We got fully in.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh.

Helen: And so did Sam, and so did Sam’s mom, Laurie. We all jumped in the icy lake and then, jumped right back out again.

Caroline: Oh, I love it.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Congrats on the first one of the year.

Helen: Thank you!

Caroline: Cheers to many more.

Helen: Oh, yes. I’m so excited. It’s always a nice way to mark the beginning of the summer season.

Caroline: Ugh. Love this weather. Love this episode ‘cause we both love sewing and travel. So I’m excited to talk about what we’re gonna talk about today.

Helen: I know I love both those things separately. I will say I don’t have a ton of experience bringing sewing projects on my travel trips, but we’re gonna go over some tips for that today and talk about our personal experiences travelling with projects and things like that. It’s gonna be fun.

Caroline: And we’re also gonna talk about sewing retreats, which we do have some experience with.

Helen: That’s true. Love a good retreat, but we’re starting this episode with a question. We have a question here from Ruth: “I live in York, England where we have great fabric and sewing shops. Shout out for Boyes where I’ve bought fabric my entire sewing life. I still have a seersucker tablecloth I made on a hand sewing machine at primary school. I’m now retired so there’s more time to sew and travel.

“When travelling, one of my favourite things to do is to seek out fabric and haberdashery shops. I’ve just been to Oslo, Norway, and the only souvenir I bought, due to a very limited hand luggage only trip, was six buttons for a jacket I had just finished making. The jacket was made from linen I bought at Gala Fabrics in Victoria, BC.”

Caroline: Ooh.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I love Gala Fabrics.

“On a trip I take swatches of fabric in case I need any buttons or other trim, and I have all my favourite patterns in a photo album on my phone for inspiration just in case I happen upon some must-have fabric. One of my best sewing travel experiences was a guided tour of the New York garment district where we visited some amazing places, and I’ve made several well-loved garments from the material I bought that day.

My eldest daughter lives in Pemberton, BC, and we often stay in Vancouver on trips to visit her. I’ve bought some fabric in small shops on Granville Island, but I’d be really interested to know all the great places to shop for fabric in Vancouver if you know of a good list?”

Caroline: Ooh.

Helen: Sure do!

Caroline: Hi, Ruth. Ooh. I love these questions, and I love your message. Fabric and notions are amazing souvenirs, and we love that you’ve collected and used unique things from all the places that you’ve been. And I bet that every time you wear a garment you made with your souvenirs, you remember the trip, which is so cool. Helen, I know that when you travel, you love fabric shopping.

Helen: Oh, I do. I always try to leave a little room in my suitcase to pick up some textiles. One of the most memorable fabric shopping adventures I went on was in Thailand and actually used Meg from Cookin’ and Craftin’ had written a blog article because she used to live in Thailand. And she wrote a blog article about fabric shopping there, so I basically followed her guide.

And I went to some of the shops that she mentioned, the area that she mentioned. And there were so many shops, and it was so busy, like, everywhere in Bangkok is pretty busy, so it was very intense. And I tried to learn a little bit of Thai before I went so I could actually ask, you know, how much for this many metres when I was looking at fabric.

And of course, a lot of the people there are catering to tourists, so they just answered me in English and, kind of, laughed, laughed off my attempt at speaking the language. But it’s always nice to try. And I’ve definitely gotten some beautiful fabrics there. One of my absolute favourites is this kind of tropical linen print. I have a Reynolds Dress and an Ashton Top made out of, and I just cherish every little scrap of that fabric. We’ll have to dig up some pictures for the show notes, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. Like, royal blue and red and yellow and white, and it’s just stunning.

Caroline: Was that your first Reynolds Dress, like, prototype that you made in that fabric?

Helen: Yes! The prototype and everyone was like, I need this dress in my life. And I was like, okay. Pattern coming your way.

Caroline: I remember. That is such a striking, beautiful fabric.

Helen: Oh, yes! It’s absolutely gorgeous. And I’ll be honest, I bought probably, like, six or seven different cuts of fabric on that trip because there were so many beautiful things. And I think I’ve used about half of them. But I have a tendency to hang on to the fabrics that I get when I’m travelling because they feel that much more precious…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and I really wanna make something out of them that I’m gonna cherish and love. And it puts a little bit more pressure on sometimes. So some of them are still sitting in my stash, unfortunately, but I do still love them.

Caroline: They’re waiting for you for when you’re ready.

Helen: Exactly. So that was really fun. And then you and I also went to the garment district in New York, Caroline. We’ve been a few times, three times now I wanna say…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …when we go to Camp Workroom Social, we always stop by Mood Fabrics. B&J is another one that we really liked.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: And Gray Line[s] Linen, Ugh, just a store full of linen. What more could you ask for?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I know I have such great memories of shopping in the garment district in New York, and Mood is the, is the experience.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Mood is one of my favourite places to go, just to see all of the fabrics that they have and, kind of, explore the different floors and, ugh, yeah. Just so fun.

Helen: Yeah. And then when you leave, you can go, thank you, Mood.

Caroline: Yeah, exactly. And then you’re always on the hunt for Tim Gunn. Is he there? Is he not?

Helen: I’m more on the hunt for the dog.

Caroline: Yes. Watch. Oh.

Helen: I’m like, where is the dog? I need to pet it.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes. Lovely, lovely, lovely fabric shopping options in New York if you’re ever there, everyone.

Helen: I think when you’re shopping for fabric while travelling, you have to be a little bit more decisive because it’s so easy to be overwhelmed. There’s so many shops. You’re already overwhelmed ‘cause you’re in a different location. You’re trying to find your way. You’re trying to interact with people you don’t know, maybe in a language you don’t speak.

And so if you see something you like, you, kind of, just have to go for it. Be a little bit more impulsive. Obviously, stick to your budget, but don’t wiffle waffle on things. If you really love something, I think when you’re travelling, you just gotta like, go for it.

Caroline: Yeah, I really love Ruth’s idea of having all of their favourite patterns in an album on the phone…

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: …because I feel like we always have, like, complicated ideas for how to, like, log your patterns, but it’s such an easy way to just have your patterns on hand and be able to just go through them really quickly. If you’re the kind of person that needs to know what sort of project you’re gonna make with a fabric before you buy it, have those favourite patterns on your phone, and it’s just always accessible.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. And make sure you have, like, the cover image, but also the fabric requirements so…

Caroline: Exactly. Yeah.

Helen: …you can get what you need.

Caroline: Yeah, I know that you probably get this question a lot, Helen, but when you’re shopping for fabric, how many metres do you get, like, as a default if you don’t have a project in mind?

Helen: Three is, kind of, my default. If I really think I’m gonna make a dress, I might get three and a half or four, but I think this is really dependent on your size.

Caroline: True.

Helen: Like, I’m around a size 16/18, so three to three and a half is good for me. But if you’re a size, like, zero to six, you could probably get away with two or two and a half. And if you’re on the larger end of the size range, you might wanna get four or four and a half. So, I don’t know, it really depends on your personal size, your sewing preferences, what kind of stuff you like to make. But yeah, it is, kind of, nice to have an idea of a default amount that you can get. So if you’re just shopping, kind of, randomly and you’re not planning on making any projects, you can have that number in mind for when you get to the cutting table.

Caroline: Totally. And you also want to remember to note the width of the fabric because something that’s narrower you’re gonna need more of, obviously, and something that’s wider, like sometimes denims can come in, like, 70 inch wide, in that case, you probably don’t need that much.

Helen: That’s true. Yeah. And I like to buy lighter weight fabrics when I’m travelling for obvious reasons. They pack up a lot smaller. Buying wool coating and denims and things like that when you’re travelling, it just becomes a hassle when it comes time to pack up your suitcase or even just walking around with the fabric the rest of your shopping day. I mean, think about all these things before you buy, for sure. Because you don’t wanna be hauling around a big heavy bag while you’re going to the rest of the shops.

Caroline: No fleece when you’re travelling ‘cause then you’ll be carrying around a garbage bag.

Helen: That’s true. But it’s a light garbage bag at least.

Caroline: I still remember in New York when you bought some wool fabrics for Pona Jackets

Helen: Yes. I know I did not heed my own advice.

Caroline: Or you learned from it, and now, you’re giving me advice.

Helen: It’s true. Yeah. But that wool, I could not, I could not resist. I had to have it.

Caroline: It was beautiful. Okay, let’s move on. We wanna answer Ruth’s question about Vancouver. So here are our favourite sewing destinations in Van. So Dressew is one of them. Spool of Thread, Atex Designer Fabrics that’s right across the street from Dressew. Button Button is also right around the corner from Dressew.

So that’s a really great little spot to visit ‘cause you can do a three in one. If you’re into yarn, Baaad Anna’s is amazing, and there are lots of yummy restaurants and good bookstores and other shopping near all of these places, as well. So check these out. Those are our favourite spots to hit up in Vancouver if you’re a little crafty or if you’re a sewist.

Helen: Dresssew is not to be missed. It’s such a fun store. Two levels. The lower half is all notions. It is incredible down there.

Caroline: More zippers than you’ll ever see.

Helen: Yeah, every zipper you can imagine, every, like, buttons galore. There’s a great little clearance section down there, too. And they have good prices on those fabrics, so, yeah, not to be missed. I love Dressew. I used to go there all the time on my lunch breaks when I lived in Vancouver. It was the best.

Caroline: And so many buttons, too. And they pick up a lot of deadstock from local designers and manufacturers. So there are always treasures to be had at Dressew.

Helen: I know. It’s, like, it’s, people always wanna go to Blackbird, I know, when they travel to Vancouver. And then, they’re like, oh, it’s not open to the public, but it’s okay. We have Dressew. It’s a good close second, you guys.

Caroline: Yes. Okay, so we also got an email from the fabric store Das Blaue Tuch. I’m not a hundred percent sure that I’m pronouncing that correctly. They are in Munich, Germany, and they told us about their huge online database of international sewing patterns. So we wanted to tell all of our listeners about it.

Their website says they have 9,500 patterns from 37 countries. You can filter by garment type, sewing level, plus or petite sewing, and more. You don’t buy the patterns on the site though. It links you to the pattern company website. I think this is such a cool way to find patterns you’ve never seen before. There’s even a lot of patterns in English that I hadn’t seen.

I think any fairly experienced sewist would do just fine sewing a pattern in a language if you don’t speak that language. But you can follow the diagrams and use the knowledge that you already have. So don’t be intimidated by that. But if you speak another language, even better. I speak French, so this is a great way for me to find some French patterns that I don’t see on English-speaking Instagram.

And yeah, it’s just such a cool tool. We’re gonna link Das Blaue Tuch in our show notes. Everyone should definitely check it out. I know the Foldline also has a great pattern database that I use all the time, but I love having options because sometimes you’re just looking for a specific type of pattern, and you wanna see all of the versions of it before you make a decision.

Helen: Yeah, I do this actually when I’m designing sometimes. I’ll be like, I wonder what else is out there in this ura, kind of, the style that I’m thinking of doing for a pattern. And I’ll go and have a look at what’s available. And it’s amazing that even after all these years and all these patterns, there’s still holes in the market. Sometimes you just can’t find the exact thing that you’re looking for.

Caroline: Yeah. We recently ran into that with swimsuit patterns ‘cause we were looking for swimsuit patterns to sew up some samples, and yeah, I mean there’s not as many swimsuit patterns out there as I thought there would be, especially if you’re looking for a specific style or specific size. A lot of swimsuit pattern size ranges are, kind of, limited. So if anyone out there wants to design a swimsuit in a good size range, have at it, there are holes in the market.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. Amazing. Yeah, this site seems really cool. It’s nice to have an international focused database of patterns, so definitely gonna link this one up, and people should go check it out.

Caroline: Alright. Should we get to the rest of the show, Helen?

Helen: Yes. Today’s episode is all about sewing and travel, so we’re going to chat about adding sewing time to your trips, the tools and types of projects to bring, do’s and don’ts for sewing on the go, and sewing activities that you can plan while you’re travelling.

Caroline: We’re also gonna talk about sewing retreats and conventions, how to find them, and what to expect while you’re there.

Helen: We’ll give ideas for planning your own sewing trip. Ooh, I like the sound of that.

Caroline: And finally, we’ll give some ideas for how to make your me-mades look presentable while you’re travelling.

Helen: Ooh, okay. Let’s talk about sewing away from home. There’s often downtime on trips, for both family and work, and you can fill those times with sewing. And I think especially if you really love sewing and it’s a big part of how you calm yourself down, or how you bring focus back into your life, or how you spend a little bit of me time, it can be important to bring something like that on your travels so that you can have that time with yourself.

Caroline: Oh, a hundred percent. I did this last summer when Shea and I went on a little weekend getaway to one of the Gulf Islands here in BC. And I brought my sewing machine, and I brought some projects that I had cut out, and I sewed, like, two things, and it was amazing. And I absolutely loved sewing while I was travelling ‘cause I knew I was gonna have a lot of downtime, and yeah. And then, I had two new Orchard Dresses to wear on my trip, so…

Helen: Oh, that’s so cool. I remember when you did this, and I was pretty jealous ‘cause you guys also had this beautiful Airbnb…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and you were sewing in, like, a puddle of sunshine, and I was like, oh my gosh. So cool.

Caroline: Yeah. It was so nice. Okay, so you might be thinking, what should I bring with me if I’m gonna be sewing on a trip? So obviously, the first thing is that you can travel with your machine. There are rolling totes and cases that you can put your machine and other supplies in, and some sewing machines come with these, but for others you’ll have to buy a separate one.

Helen: It’s a good idea to bring an extension cord along with your machine. You’re not gonna know exactly what the table and outlet situation is gonna be like where you’re going. So make sure you bring that extra cord.

Caroline: Yeah, that’s a really good tip. And if you plan to check your sewing machine case or bag when you’re flying, you may wanna pad out the bag with clothes, towels, or other soft items so that your machine is snug inside. Of course, wrapping your machine in bubble wrap or foam is always a good way to protect it without adding extra weight.

Make sure to turn the hand wheel to put the needle all the way down. This protects it from damage, and that’s not just if you’re checking a bag. Literally, any time you’re transporting your sewing machine, try to have that needle down into the machine. Let the staff know that your bag is fragile and consider getting insurance.

Personally, I don’t think I would check a sewing machine because baggage handling can be pretty rough, and I just wouldn’t wanna risk the damage on my precious machine. I’d probably carry it on and put some of my clothing and toiletries in the bag. You do you. And I think that you can probably do it and still be successful if you do a really good job of padding it out.

Helen: Yeah. I do think it could probably be done, but I would be so nervous about it.

Caroline: I know.

Helen: And people bring, like, pretty huge carry-ons on the plane these days. Let’s be real. So I think you can probably swing it, bringing it as a carry-on.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You could also put your sewing machine a regular suitcase. Again, padding it out so it doesn’t bump against the sides as you move it. You just have to find kind of the right sized suitcase.

Caroline: And some sewists travel with smaller or lighter weight machines. Just be careful with mini machines ‘cause they don’t usually work that well. It would suck to spend a trip fighting with a crappy machine. Plus, they’re not that much cheaper than a basic machine that’s on the lighter side. A lot of basic machines are between 11 and 13 pounds, which isn’t that bad. Suzy Quilts recommends the brother CS5055, which only weighs 10 and a half pounds, and it has full functionality, tons of stitches, and even buttonholes.

Helen: Whoa. That’s awesome.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I remember Jasika Nicole was on the podcast early days, Episode 18 I believe, and she was talking about travelling with her sewing machine…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …‘cause she travels for work a lot as an actor. And it was, it feels like so long ago, but I can still remember her telling us about padding it out. And I think it was a Janome Jem that she was travelling with.

Caroline: I love that you remember that.

Helen: 200 episodes later. Still got it.

Caroline: Seriously.

Helen: Okay. You can check it out if you wanna hear us talk to her about it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I mean, listening to her talk about anything is delightful. So Episode 18.

Caroline: Yeah! Check it out. Okay, so if you don’t want to travel with your machine, which is totally understandable, you can still bring a sewing project. Hand sewing supplies take up a lot less room than a sewing machine. So we have some hand sewing project ideas for you.

Helen: Yes, you can do hand finishing steps on otherwise machine sew projects like stitching a lining onto a jacket, or hand binding a quilt, or doing a nice little rolled hem. I mean, this is a great way to finish those WIPs that we’ve been talking about.

Caroline: Oh, yeah! You can handwork a button, even…

Helen: Ooh!

Caroline: …like, add some hand sewing techniques to a project that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have them. You can also hand stitch a whole garment. Fibr and Cloth Studio has an ebook about hand sewing stitches that you can look at. If you’re not sure how to do it, a small project like an Ashton Top would be perfect. Have you ever hand sewed a whole garment, Helen?

Helen: I have not, but I’m feeling really inspired by this. I think I’m gonna cut out an Ashton top for my next little vacation and see what happens.

Caroline: Yes. I feel like Meg from Sew Liberated has done this and shared about it, so if you’re looking for some inspiration, maybe check that out. Yeah, that would be so crazy.

Helen: You would feel, like, really accomplished by the end.

Caroline: I know. I feel like it would be, like, that feeling when you first start sewing, like, all over again…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …where you’d wanna show everybody the thing you made, but you’ll be like, I actually did this with my hands.

Helen: Right? Another thing you can do while travelling that’s really fun is embroidery. This is an amazing time to stitch some embroidered embellishment onto a garment you already have.

And here’s another idea. You know how some people do embroidery journaling? They embroider a bunch of images related to events in their lives over, say, an entire year. But you could do the same for a trip. Like, every time you had some downtime, you could embroider little doodles based on the experiences you had on that trip. And at the end of the trip, you could have, like, a little embroidered piece that just, like, shows your whole trip. You could put it on your wall.

Caroline: Yeah. I love, love, love this idea. It’d be so fun. I love any kind of, like, improv embroidery or quilting or ‘cause you can just, it’ll be, like, a reflection of how you were feeling in that moment. I don’t know, so cool.

Helen: Exactly. Just go for it. Free.

Caroline: Be free. You can also do hand patchwork, like paper piecing hexes. Ooh. Or Helen. what if you did, like, the Playful Placemats, but then, saved the actual quilting for a trip and hand quilted them?

Helen: Oh, totally. That’s a great idea. You piece it all. You can sandwich it all together, get it all ready to go. And then on your trip all you have to do is the hand quilting. It’s a nice small project. And then you could even bring a pair of scissors. You can trim it down at the end and do the hand binding, too.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. This is so cool. I feel like that would be a really fun travel project…

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: …‘cause you could also, I don’t know, you could do it while you’re sitting outside basking in the sunlight or…

Helen: Oh, I’m definitely sitting outside in this scenario.

Caroline: …in front of a fire, I guess. If the lighting is good enough.

Helen: Bring a little headlamp…

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: …or, like, one of those task lights with you. Yeah.

Caroline: Okay. So you probably won’t wanna bring all of your sewing tools with you when you travel. So what would the essentials be?

Helen: I think you definitely need scissors. I would probably bring a pair of dress shears and a pair of embroidery scissors for snipping and a couple of hand sewing needles, maybe an extra machine needle if you’re bringing your machine. You can take a small piece of felt and stick your needles into it. Or even better, you could make or buy a little needle book to travel with.

Caroline: Yeah, you’re gonna want pins and a pin cushion, as well. Obviously, a seam ripper. We always need to have that seam ripper just in case. But actually the embroidery scissors might also work in a pinch.

Helen: That’s true. Yeah. And you can get tiny versions of a lot of tools. Like, I have a little teeny tiny seam ripper in my toolkit, so I don’t know if it matters, but if you’re, like, really tight for space, you can get all the tiny versions of things.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You’re gonna want some kind of marking tool and a, maybe a small retractable tape measure is a good idea. Hem gauge could be handy, too, and it won’t take up too much room. It could double as a ruler if you need one, as well.

Caroline: I think those are the bare essentials. Of course, you might need other things depending on what you’re working on. So I would definitely recommend reading through the steps on your pattern and making a list of what tools you’ll need to use. And then, if you’re making a drawstring, you can bring a loop turner. Or if you’re sewing a collar, you can bring a chopstick for the points. Preparing in advance is gonna really pay off because I don’t think it would be fun if you brought a bunch of stuff on a trip and then, you realise you forgot, like, the matching thread.

Helen: Yeah, the thread. That’s what I was thinking of, too. Oh, my gosh. That would be such a bummer.

Okay. Let’s talk a little bit about what stuff you can bring onto a plane because it narrows it down a little bit, and it obviously depends on the country you’re going from and what country you’re going to. Don’t take anything with you that you wouldn’t be okay replacing, even if you’re sure it meets the regulations because sometimes they just take things away from you, even though you’re allowed to have them

Caroline: Totally.

Helen: And you don’t know what they might ask you to leave behind. So don’t bring grandma’s special thread snips with you on your carry-on.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. So the USA’s TSA says that the following things are okay to bring on the plane: scissors under four inches from the pivot point. So embroidery scissors should be okay, but shears won’t be. You’re gonna wanna check those shears in a bag. Sewing machines, sewing needles, nail clippers, 7ou can use these to cut threads, knitting needles, and crochet hooks. We threw those last two in there because we know there’s some crafty crossover among our listeners.

Helen: Oh, yes. So you see a lot of people, I mean not, maybe not a lot of people, but there’s always at least one person knitting on the plane.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Me and one other person. So the TSA will not allow scissors with blades over four inches. Rotary cutters definitely not. Or circular thread cutters. Other items with blades like that. They don’t want blades, basically. I’m, kind of, surprised by the four inch thing because scissors with four inches from the pivot point, like, that’s still like a pretty big pair of scissors.

Caroline: Yeah. Well, I think that’s why it’s, if you are checking a bag, things like scissors, it’s probably best to just put that in there just so that you’re sure they’re not taken away ‘cause you never know, right?

Helen: That’s true. Okay. What about irons? Because we want to be able to press our projects when we’re working on them. And hotel irons are not always super reliable. We’ve definitely had bad experiences with irons spitting water everywhere. You have a few options here for travelling. You could bring your regular iron. Obviously, this is gonna work best if you’re travelling by car, but if you have room in your checked baggage, you could shove it in there.

Caroline: You can also bring a travel iron. Oliso’s mini project iron is absolutely adorable, and you know it’s gonna work well. There’s also the Dritz Petite Press Mini Iron, which comes at a lower price point but doesn’t have any steam. And you can also just not bring an iron at all. Finger pressing or steamrolling might be enough for what you’re making.

I also had a thought, like, if you want to use an iron in your hotel room, you can buy an iron cover. We used to have these in school. It’s just like this piece of metal, the size of an iron plate. And it has, like, a metal coil that you wrap around the back of the iron, so it just attaches to the front of the iron just in case that iron is, like, gunky or something.

So you have, like, a fresh surface, and then, you could use, maybe, a little spray bottle. Instead of risking using the steam and having that iron spitting weird water on your stuff, you could just use a little spray bottle to get that dampness that you might need and use the iron that’s available to you.

Helen: That’s smart.

Caroline: So that’s, kind of, a good alternative to seam rolling or finger pressing ‘cause that might not work for your project.

Helen: Yeah, it depends how involved a sewing project you’re doing. I mean, if you’re just hand sewing an entire project, maybe you just plan to give it a good press when you get home.

Caroline: True. Yeah.

Helen: If you wanna have a full ironing kit with you, you could bring a mini ironing board. IKEA sells one that’s pretty great. However, you could also just bring a foldable ironing mat or a wool mat. All you need is a flat surface to lay it on. You’re ready to go. A towel on the bed or the floor can also work in a pinch. I guess it depends on how minimalist or maximalist you wanna be with your packing. And it also depends on where you’re going, what you’re making. I mean, if there’s a shadow of a chance of someone having an ironing board where I’m going, I’m probably not gonna bring an iron ‘cause it’s just quite heavy and bulky, so…

Caroline: Yeah, totally. One last thing, it’s not on the essentials list, but maybe it should be: task lighting. So Helen mentioned this earlier, but a headlamp or wraparound neck light could make the difference between you sewing and you not sewing on your trip. So that’s always something to keep in mind. And obviously, for me, like, if I’m flying, I’m gonna bring way less. But if I’m bringing my car, like, I’m packing that ironing board and the iron, I’m I, anything that can fit, I will bring, just in case I need it.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I love it. Are you planning to bring sewing stuff on your honeymoon, Caroline?

Caroline: I don’t know, maybe.

Helen: You should. I wanna see some pictures of you sewing on the beach.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes. Okay. At least hand sewing. I’ll bring some hand sewing. I feel like one of those embroidery journal projects…

Helen: Aw.

Caroline: …would be so lovely to do on our honeymoon…

Helen: That would be so nice.

Caroline: …‘cause that would just be so memorable.

Helen: Okay. We have a few more tips on how to sew when travelling. Here’s a great one. Cut out your project in advance. It’s tricky to find a good place to cut things out while you’re travelling, so finding a good place to sew things together is a lot easier than cutting them out. Just prep and cut everything ahead of time. You’ll be good to go.

Caroline: And if you really wanna cut out your fabric while you’re at your destination, you can make a portable cutting table and ironing board combo. Take two small folding tables, a foldable cardboard cutting mat, and an ironing mat. Lay the cardboard cutting mat over the folding tables for cutting. Put the ironing mat on top of them for pressing. Obviously, this idea is more practical for car travel than plane travel, but you know, sewists, we gotta do what we gotta do to make it work.

Helen: Yeah. Exactly. Oh, this sounds great. I mean, imagine having, like, that giant surface when you’re travelling. That would be awesome.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You can also do some of the steps like interfacing and things like that ahead of time.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: So they’re, you’re just ready to get right to your sewing machine. You’re gonna wanna make yourself a little kit with everything that you need, put your tools and notions in a little bag to contain them, and then, put it and your fabric pieces in a larger bag. Having everything in one bag makes it easy to grab whenever you’re ready to work.

And this is also, I think, a really fun pre-trip project. You can make yourself a travel sewing bag, so something that can hold everything that you need, maybe has some fun pockets or even a set of bags, so you have one for your notions and one for your projects, and then, you put it all together. So fun.

Caroline: This is making me think of having, like, a sewing go bag.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Like, imagine, like, when you’re pregnant and you need to have, like, a hospital go bag, but, like, a sewist, you have a sewing go bag. Like, just in case you gotta run out the door and you need a sewing project, you just grab it and go. It’s always ready to go.

Helen: I keep my knitting project in a little bag by the couch for whenever I wanna work on it, and I always throw it into my travel bag so I have something to do while I’m travelling.

Caroline: Love it. If you travel often and you wanna make packing your sewing stuff easier, you can make a packing list of your essentials. Make a printable one and print it four to a page, or make one in the notes app on your phone and reuse it. This is a great tip because I feel like there’s so many little things and you might have your favourite tools that you wanna make sure you remember, and if you have a list, you’re just gonna know that you will have all the things you need, and you won’t be stressing about it.

Helen: I don’t need a list because I have a sewing go bag. I’m already packed.

Caroline: That’s actually the perfect, perfect solution.

Helen: You can look for resources at your destination, as well. You could call sewing shops and ask if you could use their space and sew while you’re there. They might even have a machine you could use. Some places offer this as a service for a small fee. You can come in and use their space. Shops or community spaces that have sewing classes and open sewing hours are especially likely to have this option.

And if all you need is a room with an outlet and a bit of elbow room, you can check with the hotel to see if they have a conference room. Or community centres nearby might have something, libraries, colleges, even parks, a lot of them have community spaces that you can use. So you could look into that.

Caroline: I love the idea of going to a sewing shop or, like, a creative space where they might have rentable sewing machines or rentable space to use because you might meet other sewists…

Helen: It’s true.

Caroline: …and be able to make new friends in a new city. And some of the time that can be, like, a situation where you make, like, a lifelong friend. And it’s just, I don’t know. It’d just be so cool to meet someone that also sews when you’re on your trip.

Helen: Yeah, it’d be, it might be a fun little meetup that you could plan with somebody that you know in that destination. You could go to a local sewing shop together and do a little bit of sewing. That would be so fun. And if you’re planning ahead, incorporating those sewing adventures into your trip can really make things memorable.

You can look for sewing meetups in the city that you’re travelling to. Google and Meetup.com and the websites of local fabric and craft shops are great places to check to see if there’s any meetups happening. I think a lot of sewing groups would be delighted to meet a new person from a different place. And you could even bring your hand sewing to a knit or crochet meetup. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. They’d be delighted to have you.

Caroline: Yeah. And then, you can tell them all about how great sewing is and just inspire them to start sewing, too. It’s a gateway. You can also check for sewing classes in the city you’re travelling to. You’re gonna learn new skills and meet new sewing people. This sounds so fun. I wanna do this more often ‘cause I feel like taking a little class and meeting new people in a place I’m travelling to would be just the best.

Helen: Oh, so fun. I really like taking cooking classes when I travel…

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: …because I get to learn how to make local cuisine. And yeah, you get to meet lots of fun people. It’s really great. You can also check the city sews hashtag, for example, #VancouverSews or #ChicagoSews, for the place that you’re travelling to. They might have a sewing hashtag and you might be able to find some sewing people, maybe get some travel advice, make some new friends. Obviously, be respectful of people’s space and time, but you never know who you might meet out there.

Caroline: And of course, you could also meet people at a place that has open sewing time, like we mentioned, and work on your project at the same time.

Helen: Another thing that I think would be incredible is to plan your trip around a Frocktails event. A lot of major cities have Frocktails events, and if you’re planning to go somewhere and you’re not sure exactly when you wanna go check and see when their Frocktails is because if you can get a ticket to a local Frocktails event when you’re travelling, that would be the most fun.

Caroline: Absolutely. When we did Vancouver Frocktails, we had some folks come up from Portland and Seattle, and that was so, so fun because you know sewists, we just bond over sewing, and…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …it’s just a fun way to incorporate travel and meeting up with people at the same time.

Helen: Such a memorable night. Just amazing. I love it.

Caroline: I was trying to find a photo of my outfit recently from Frocktails, so I got to go back and look through our photos from Vancouver Frocktails, and oh, it just gave me the warm and fuzzies. I had such a good time.

Helen: Yeah. It really was.

Caroline: Okay. If you wanna go whole hog with your travel sewing adventures, sewing retreats are the best. A sewing retreat is a trip with lots of planned sewing activities by the hosts. There can be classes, free sewing time, fabric shopping, a group bonding activity like hikes, themed parties and games. Meals are usually included and eaten together with the other participants. So it’s, kind of, an all-inclusive sewing experience.

Helen: Definitely. And retreats are a great way to level up your sewing, too, because you can learn new skills. You get a lot of work done in an inspiring and fun atmosphere. If you always find yourself wishing you could set aside more time to sew, this is definitely one way to do that. I know at Camp Workroom Social, where we’ve been to a few times, there’s a lot of moms who attend, and they love having that free weekend to focus on their sewing time. It’s really special and important. So I love seeing them getting all of that time to just sew, sew, sew.

Caroline: Yeah. And they’re also a great way to share your love of sewing with other sewists. You’re gonna meet cool, creative people who can talk about sewing for hours, and maybe you’ll even make some lifelong friends.

Helen: Oh, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll make a lifelong friend.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I love that retreats combine sewing with travel. A lot of them are held in places that are destinations in their own right, and I think the best way to see the fall colours of upstate New York is in between sewing sessions of course.

Caroline: A hundred percent. I think we can attest to that, Helen.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: It’s also nice that retreats are planned out by someone else. You don’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning or setting up the itinerary. Someone else is doing a great job of that. You just need to show up with some fabric and a good attitude.

Helen: Yes, you do, kind of, have to go with the flow when you go to a sewing retreat. And there’s often a lot of opportunities to take time to yourself. They can be a little bit overwhelming at times. But you know, there’s often times where you can just take a moment, hang out in your room, go for a walk.

You can bring your own snacks if you’re worried about not having, you know, enough snacks to eat or whatever it is. You know, you can, kind of, take care of your needs and also enjoy the atmosphere. And you’re probably gonna have an amazing time, but I know it can be a bit nerve-wracking and, and a bit overwhelming to do that much socialising in one weekend.

Caroline: Yeah. And sometimes retreats will have options to, like, upgrade your accommodations to have a little bit more privacy. I know Camp Workroom Social offers that option. And if you’re the kind of person that it feels uncomfortable sharing a room with a bunch of strangers or maybe just you know yourself and you know that you’re gonna need that social recovery time, just know that there might be some options out there for you. So don’t rule out a retreat just because of that. Speaking of Camp Workroom Social we had such an amazing time at Camp all three times that we went. Actually, I think, Helen, you went four times, right?

Helen: I believe so. Did you go three and I went four?

Caroline: I think so, yeah. We went three times together. And then you went one year before I did, so…

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. Cherish the memories, honestly. It’s, like, some of the best times of my life.

Caroline: Absolutely. Camp Workroom Social is in upstate New York, and it’s held in fall, and there’s also a spring session now, oth great times to visit upstate New York. It’s so gorgeous there. The fall camp is around the same time as the legendary Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, so you can go and hit both.

There are great classes you can take, open sewing hours, lots of fun activities. Fall is a more general themed sewing camp, and spring is wardrobe week, which is focused on creating your dream wardrobe. We have a couple of episodes where we talk about our Camp experiences and interview the host and founder Jennifer Wiese. Check out those if you are thinking about going.

Helen: The other thing that I love about Camp Workroom Social is that it’s near New York. So after, you can go to New York and go to the garment district and go to a Broadway show and eat dinner every night with your sewing bestie, Caroline.

Caroline: Yeah, I have such great memories from Camp and also such great memories of the New York trips that we would always tack on…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …because the bus that takes you to Camp picks you up in New York in the garment district, so you’re, kind of, forced to stay there, often for at least one night just to be able to make the bus. So we would always add on some extra time to visit around and check out some of the sites and go fabric shopping, obviously, as we already mentioned.

Helen: Oh, yes. Oh, and after, and when the trip is over, everyone goes back to New York and everyone gets off the bus, and a lot of people go fabric shopping in groups after that as well, because they’ve made all these friends and all wanna go get some fabric.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay. Straight Stitch Designs hosts a Maker’s Retreat once a year in Washington State, in a former convent actually, but you don’t have to act like a nun to enjoy it. There are a bunch of activities and classes. Some are free sewing time. Others are focused on learning new techniques. Last year, they had espadrille sewing, clay resist indigo dyeing, and macraweaving. I would love to try all of those things. It sounds idyllic.

Caroline: Mamas Who Dream is an annual retreat for creative parents of colour. I know about this one because they reached out to us and asked Blackbird Fabrics to sponsor the event, which we are going to be providing some fabric for some of the attendees. So I thought this was such a cool retreat. It’s held once a year in Deer Isle, Maine, and you choose one studio art session out of six that are offered: sewing, quilting, knitting, ceramics, textiles and fibre, or writing. And they also offer daily yoga, hikes, and mindfulness sessions, and there are sliding scale prices, as well. So check it out. It sounds like such a cool place to go.

Helen: StyleMaker hosts several retreats every year. There’s a Summer Camp Weekend, a Sew Your Own Jeans Weekend, and a Maker Jacket Weekend coming up this year. They are held at the Maker’s Hideaway, which is a big house in Snohomish County, Washington. And there are accommodations for 10 guests and a dedicated maker space. It looks seriously so cosy. This retreat is on the more luxurious side, and by the way, you can also book the Maker’s Hideaway for your own sewing retreat, which sounds awesome. Caroline, I think we need to look into this.

Caroline: Yes. And if I’m not mistaken, there’s also, like, a fabric store, fabric shopping component because StyleMaker has fabrics there…

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: …so you can actually go and shop while you’re at the Maker’s Hideaway. It does look like such a beautiful space. And yeah, I just feel, like, a little sewing retreat. I don’t know. I, I think we need it, Helen.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. That would be so fun. We could invite lots of people. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh, Caroline.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh.

Helen: Okay. Speaking of luxury, and if you’re in the mood to do a little bit more travelling with your sewing travel, Susan Khalje hosts tours of Paris and London that are focused on couture sewing, designer fabrics, and fashion history. She arranges talks with experts, museum visits, sewing classes along with classic entertainment, like an elegant afternoon tea in London, and of course, fabric shopping. And these trips sound so dreamy, so much fun. We had Susan Khalje on our show, if you wanna hear a little bit more from her, past guest, and she’s just great. I think she would be so much fun to travel with.

Caroline: Oh, gosh. I know this is definitely a dream. I would love to go on one of these tours one day.

Helen: Paris. Paris. I wanna go to Paris.

Caroline: Paris. London. Yes. Okay. This next one is all virtual, so it’s more of a staycation retreat, but it’s so fun. The Foldline hosts The Sewing Weekender every spring. This year’s is on the 13th and 14th of May, which is the weekend after this episode comes out.

There are longer talks from makers like Birgitta Helmersson, Juliet Uzor, and Helen, our very own Helen – plus shorter informal vlogs from other makers. They have a really stacked list of speakers this year, and they also have Zoom sessions for participants to chat with each other. They have sewing experts available to help you out with the sewing project you choose for the weekend. It’s super affordable, too. Definitely check it out. Helen, this is so exciting that you’re participating this year.

Helen: I know I was so glad when they reached out and asked if I wanted to do a little tutorial course about quilting because of my new quilting business. So I’m actually walking through how to make a Playful Placemat from start to finish and a little tutorial for the weekend. And I think it’s a great project for a weekend, too, if it’s something you wanna work on You can use fabric scraps. It’s pretty low pressure. Um, learn a new sewing skill.

But The Sewing Weekender, I think, is really neat because turning it into an online event makes it more accessible for people all over. It makes it more affordable, and it’s something that you can, kind of, do at your own pace from the comfort of your own home, with your own tools, your own sewing space, and all that kind of stuff. So I think it’s just a really fun community event that anyone can participate in from anywhere in the world, which I absolutely love.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely check it out. Okay. Sewing conventions are another fun destination to consider. Conventions bring together a large number of sewists and sewing brands, and there are scheduled talks and classes that you can attend. There’s also the convention floor where people have booths set up. There are booths where you can shop and booths where you can talk to the makers that rented it.

Unlike a retreat, your accommodations and food are not included in the price. Often, the convention will block out rooms for discounted rates at a nearby hotel though, and there’s usually food available to buy at the convention.

Helen: And here are a couple of sewing conventions that we know about. There’s Sew Expo, also called The Sewing and Stitchery Expo, that brings together more than 22,000 sewists every year. It’s in the Washington State in late winter. There are tons of booths. There are classes you can sign up for an extra fee, and there are fun events in the evenings. I saw that Aaronica Cole of Needle and the Belle taught a few classes this year. It would be so fun to take those. It would be, like, a real Who’s Who of sewists I feel like. You’d wander around and you’d probably recognize people, and you get to meet designers and people from the community. It’d be so much fun.

Caroline: I would actually love to go to this. I don’t know if you’re interested, Helen.

Helen: Ah, a hundred percent. I’m interested in both of these events that we’re gonna be talking about today.

Caroline: Okay. I know we both definitely got QuiltCon FOMO this year, seeing everyone’s pictures on social media, and this is the convention held by the Modern Quilt Guild. It’s held in a different city every year. Next year’s is in Raleigh, North Carolina. There’s a huge judged quilt show. I think one of the best parts would just be looking at the quilts and meeting the quilters who made them. There are also a ton of vendors and special exhibits, and if you sign up for a four day pass, you could attend lectures and workshops. I mean, what a dream. I feel like this would be so fun to attend.

Helen: It would be so fun. I mean, you definitely wanna wear your comfiest shoes. You wanna bring your go bag with your water bottle and your snacks. Conventions require that you have some stamina. You’re gonna be walking around all day, but can you imagine four full days of just admiring beautiful projects and chatting with fellow sewists and going out for drinks and dinner? It would just be amazing.

Caroline: Also, getting to see all these different, like, quilt lines in person and samples of the fabric sewn up into quilts and other projects. I always love seeing that on social media. All of the designers that I love, coming out with their new collections and showing them off is just, sounds like it would be so much fun to see in person.

Helen: It really would be. It would be great.

Caroline: There is another option for combining sewing and travel that’s more affordable and customizable than signing up for a retreat or convention. You can plan your own sewing retreat.

Helen: Yeah. The first thing you wanna do is think about what you want out of the trip. Do you wanna spend a lot of time with your friends? Or do you want to do sewing-themed activities, like museums or shopping? Or some combination of both of those things? Or you could just plan a retreat for yourself.

Caroline: Yeah, just a retreat, party of one. You also have options when it comes to accommodations. You could stay in a hotel and book a conference room for your sewing time. You could get an Airbnb or cabin and bring some folding tables and extension cords. Call or email ahead to make sure that the place you’re planning to stay has enough room and robust enough electricity to handle your group. Those irons will trip a fuse, whatever that’s called.

Helen: It’s true.

Caroline: It has happened to me. You could even do a camping trip if you and your friends are into hand sewing. Oh, my gosh. That would be so fun.

Helen: And you wanna think about your meals. You could throw together something simple, like good bread and cheese and charcuterie for a lot of your meals. Or you could go eat out at restaurants if you’re in a city. You could make cooking one of your activities and make elaborate meals together with your friends. Take turns cooking for each other. There’s so many options, but it’s important to plan out the cooking side of things so that you can get to the sewing side of things.

Caroline: Yeah. Another fun idea is to travel specifically for a workshop or class. When we did workshops at Blackbird, people travelled from Seattle, Portland, and more just to come to our workshops. It was so special, and you can do that, too.

Helen: If you have sewing friends or family that live further away, you could meet up in the middle for your retreat or meet up at a totally different location that you’d both like to explore.

Caroline: Riikka Alloilla on Instagram had a sewing retreat with friends last month. They had a gorgeous house in the Finnish countryside, and they ate delicious food, sewed, chatted, and went to a sauna. The reel she made made me want to go so badly, so check it out. We’ll link it up in the show notes.

Helen: I absolutely love this idea of planning a sewing retreat with friends in a destination that you all want to visit. Taking some time to do a little sight seeing, a little eating out maybe, and then, doing lots of sewing together. I think that sounds like a dream vacation, honestly.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Totally. Okay. Before we finish this episode, we wanna answer one more listener question. This one is from Joy: “My question is regarding travelling with your handmade garments. With all our restrictions lifting, I can’t wait to travel again! I’m currently putting together my wardrobe for a work conference. I’m thinking linen vest suits and cotton shirts – all things that need ironing. Do you have any tips on how best to pack these items in your suitcase (do you roll yours? Vacuum pack?), and how do you get them looking presentable (I mean, a little rumpled linen realness is ok but not deep creases for a work trip)? I find the hotel irons often spit calcified or rusty deposits on my garments of various colours. The ironing boards often also leave a little waffle burn on my items, too, so I now use one a bath towel to line the ironing board. Do you bring a pressing cloth? Iron on the bed? Please help! Oh, and also: Does your ‘travel wardrobe’ differ from your normal wardrobe?”

Helen: Hi, Joy. These are such relatable questions in a very relatable situation. We love natural fibres, but they really don’t travel especially well as far as wrinkles go. However, there are things that you can do to make your me-mades work when you’re travelling.

You can pack a portable ironing pad, get one that’s flat, not quilted, so that you have a nice smooth surface to iron on. Dritz makes one that looks pretty good. You could put the ironing pad on any flat surface, like a desk, table or bed, or lay it over the ironing board. But I do love your tip of just throwing a towel over that ironing board in the hotel room to make sure that you’re not getting those burn marks.

Caroline: Yeah, that’s really smart. Since hotel irons aren’t super reliable, you could bring a mini iron like we recommended before, but if you wanna make the hotel iron work for you, but you wanna avoid bad steam situations, you could bring an empty misting bottle with you. And you can even buy those really small ones that only hold, like, two or three ounces so that it doesn’t take up too much room in your suitcase. Empty the hotel’s iron water reservoir, turn off the steam, and then, just mist the fabric before you press it and use a press cloth.

Helen: Another option is to just forget about the iron and ironing board and bring a portable steamer. This is probably better for fabrics like cottons that release wrinkles more easily than linen. If you’re staying at a hotel, you could call ahead and ask if they have a steamer that you could use, you might be able to get one on request.

Caroline: Totally. One way of packing your clothes to avoid excess wrinkles is to lay out your garments on a flat surface, one on top of the other. Put your most wrinkle prone garments down first, and then, gently roll or fold the whole stack and put it in your suitcase.

Helen: Right when you get to the hotel, you wanna unpack your clothes and hang them up. A lot of the wrinkles will release with space and gravity, and then, you won’t have such a big job to deal with when you break out the iron.

Caroline: Yeah. This is a really good tip, and it’s something that I always do when I travel. I just unpack and hang up anything that I don’t want to be wrinkly, and a lot of the time it just, kind of, fixes itself.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Another strategy is to make garments in less wrinkly fabrics for travel. Lots of people do this. Knits tend to hold less wrinkles. You might even be able to get away with the hack of taking a steamy shower with your clothes hanging up in the bathroom. Poly blends can give you a polished look while being less wrinkly than fully natural fibres. Wool fabrics look super professional, and they resist wrinkles. You can even get wool in super light tropical weight so that you don’t get too hot. Although most work trips involve sitting in an overly air conditioned room, so maybe that’s not even an issue.

Helen: Caroline, you do quite a bit of travelling and you go to, like, fabric shows and things like that. How do you avoid wrinkles? Or do you just go with the flow?

Caroline: I usually just go with the flow. I think the hanging tip works really well. Just hanging up your clothes and letting them, kind of, do their thing, and hopefully, a lot of those wrinkles will, kind of ,smooth out. But I, for sure, I use the ironing board in hotel rooms and the iron that’s available. I just try to be really careful and not use steam to avoid that, kind of, spitting issue.

Another trick with irons is letting them completely heat up before you use them because a lot of the time the water will leak out of the reservoir if you’re not letting it get to its, like, full heated up state. But then, once it’s heated up, it won’t do that anymore. So, kind of, look out for that.

Also, always test your iron before you use it. So, like, test it just on the bare ironing board or, kind of, inspect it a little bit to make sure that it’s not dirty or doesn’t have any weird, like, calcium deposits already on it. And that’ll help you to, sort of, catch that before it ruins your garment.

But, yeah. What about you?

Helen: I honestly just wear wrinkly clothes.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: But I don’t go to work conventions. Like, I’m not in situations where I really wanna be looking professional.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I’m, kind of, just in situations where I know I’m gonna be sweaty and wandering around a big city all day, or maybe sitting down and eating and stuff like that. So I know I’m gonna get messy and my clothes are gonna get wrinkly anyway, so I tend not to worry too much about it, I just bring all my lovely linen things and go with the wrinkles.

Caroline: Yeah. I think if you’re travelling a lot for work, then it might be worth investing in some pieces or making some pieces out of poly or poly blends. There’s some really beautiful polyester fabrics available out there, and so that will make your life so much easier ‘cause you won’t even have to worry about wrinkles.

Also, travelling with, like, a garment bag instead of folding stuff up and putting it in your suitcase. A lot of people going on work trips will do that. And there are some really cool ones out there. I’ve even seen some patterns for handmade garment bags, so look at that. And that could be an option for your, like, precious, you know, pieces that you really want to stay nice and flat and not wrinkled.

Helen: Yeah. On our recent trip that we went on for my birthday, I brought a dress with me and I hung it in a garment bag and didn’t put it in my suitcase. And then we were car travelling, so it was really easy. I can just hang it up in the car. And then, when we got to the hotel, we were eating dinner right after we checked in, and it was still in perfect condition. So that was really handy.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally. Oh, okay. I am so inspired to take a sewing trip now, Helen. There are so many ways to bring together cool places, cool friends, and our favourite thing, which is sewing.

Helen: Yes, and if you’ve taken a sewing trip, gone on a sewing retreat, or know of a good sewing retreat, please tell us about it. We wanna hear all your fun stories, and we wanna hear about all the possibilities out there that are available. So let us know.

Caroline: That’s it for today’s episode of Love To Sew. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: You can head to the Love to Sew podcast to find our show notes. They’re filled with all the 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. We love getting your voicemails. You can ask us a question if you want, and we might even play it on the show. You can also send us an email anytime at [email protected].

Caroline: And if you love Love To Sew and you want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For $5 a month, you get a full-length bonus episode and weekly behind-the-scenes pictures. For $10 a month, you’ll get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques, and 15% off discount codes for both Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for you. So go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info, and we appreciate all of our patrons so much.

Helen: Thank you to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Bye.

Helen: Buh-bye.

See you at The Weekender.

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In this episode, we share all the info you need to get gorgeous gathers, stretchy shirring, and fluttery flounces. This episode is packed with techniques and tips! We also recommend lots of patterns and share pattern hack ideas. Plus: a listener writes to us about gathers in quilting.

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

From the Listener Feedback Section:

A post shared by Rohini (@whensewingonlysew)

Our Gathered, Shirred, and Flounced Makes:

Resources:

Sewing Patterns:

Fabric, Tools, and Notions:

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.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Caroline: Join us for today’s topic: Gathers, Shirring, and Flounces.

Oh, my gosh. Happy Me Made May, everyone!

Helen: Ah! Happy Me Made May! I love this time of year for the weather, the Me Made May of it all, I mean, it’s great.

Caroline: I know. When I think about May I think about documenting handmade outfits and flowers.

Helen: Doesn’t get better than that.

Caroline: Doesn’t get better… If I can combine the two even better.

Helen: Outfits with flowers on them.

Caroline: Yeah. Or take some photos in front of a blooming plant…

Helen: Oh, yes!

Caroline: …of some kind.

Helen: For the first week, you get photos in front of blooming plants and for the rest of it you get bathroom selfies.

Caroline: Yeah. I’m excited though. I always feel so inspired during Me Made May…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …and I hope everyone has a great time, if you’re participating or not. It’s just a really fun and exciting time to be a part of the sewing community.

Helen: Yeah. And for anyone who doesn’t know what Me Made May is, it’s just when you wear and optionally share your me-made outfits online. But it can just be wearing them. And I think I’m just gonna try to get dressed for work every day and not wear sweatpants, even though my sweatpants are handmade.

Caroline: Yeah. You can have a sweatpant day once in a while…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …if they’re handmade.

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: Yes. I’m very excited to see what all of the Birdies wear, and I’m gonna try to document a little bit. We’ll see what happens. Low pressure.

Helen: Well, we have a very timely episode this week because I feel like this time of year people are sewing all sorts of gathers and shirring and flounces, and we even have an appropriate listener feedback today from Rohini.

Caroline: “Just heard the quilting episode! When you mentioned there is no gathering in quilting, an image came to mind from Colette Wolff’s Fabric manipulation book that I have been perusing these days. Check those gathered blocks out! I think it’d be so fun to make it in a light-coloured fabric that showcases winding lanes and gathers in a quilt or maybe a smaller wall hanging.”

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I wanna interrupt Rohini’s email here for a second to describe what she’s talking about since you can’t see the cool picture that she sent. We’re gonna post it in the show notes. It’s an image from The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Collette Wolf, and it’s a closeup of patchwork made with white fabric.

The blocks are quarter-circle blocks, also called drunkard’s path blocks – but the fabric around the circle part is gathered, so it’s, kind of, tucking into that little quarter-circle. It looks really gorgeous. And the text on the page says “Part One: Controlled Crushing,” which is an amazing name for gathering, like, ten out of ten.

Caroline: I feel like we should rename this episode Controlled Crushing.

Helen: Controlled Crushing. Okay. Back to the email, Caroline.

Caroline: Rohini goes on to say, “I just tried quilting myself a few weeks ago out of necessity because I wanted to make a quilted housecoat and the fabric I purchased was only one yard. So I could either buy similar or contrasting fabric. And I thought, why don’t I try quilting? I quilted cotton and cupro remnants from another project in the same one inch diamond pattern. I only had enough to cut the left side and left arm, and voilà, it’s a housecoat.”

Rohini sent us a link to her Instagram, and the coat looks amazing. It’s a wrap-style cropped jacket that she drafted herself. Half of the jacket is a beautiful pre-quilted fabric in shades of grey and blue, and the other half is the white fabric that Rohini quilted herself. It looks amazing. I love how the fabrics cross over in the front. We’re gonna link this post in our show notes, and you can follow Rohini on Instagram @WhenSewingOnlySew.

And here is the last part of the email: “I very much felt in the zone while quilting. I’m planning to do the Cedar Quilt Co. placemats next, albeit in half size ‘cause my dining table is a small round.”

Helen: Ooh. Yay! I am so glad you’re gonna make the Playful Placemats. And customising your size is totally doable. In fact, we have a little tutorial on the Cedar Quilt Co. blog for making those eight-at-a-time half-square triangles, and there’s a handy table there to help you make squares anywhere from one inch all the way to six inches.

So you can make tiny placemats, or you could make huge blanket size placemats. I guess at that point it would just be a blanket. But hey, I don’t know how big your table is, but thank you so much for your great email Rohini. I, for one, am ready to do some gathered quilting. I honestly thought to myself when we were doing that episode, when we were like, there’s no gathering in quilting, I was like, I bet there is though, thinking to myself, like, someone’s gonna email us about this. And they did, and it’s great. So thank you, Rohini. And speaking of gathers, let’s get into this episode. I love it.

Caroline: GATHER ‘round, listeners. I’m SHIR you’re going to enjoy this episode.

Helen: Oh, Caroline. Those puns are terrible.

Caroline: Sorry, Helen, I didn’t mean to RUFFLE your feathers. Don’t FLOUNCE away.

Helen: No. Okay. Sidenote, I pronounce it sure-ing, and you pronounce it shear-ing.

Caroline: Oh.

Helen: Who’s right? I don’t know.

Caroline: Listen. Okay.

Helen: We have to do a little poll and see what our listeners think.

Caroline: You say sure-ing. I say shear-ing. You say to-mat-oh. I say toe-may-toe.

Helen: Yeah, let’s call the whole thing off. I don’t know. Nevermind. That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew.

Caroline: No, but seriously, it does feel like the perfect time of year to be tackling this topic. I know that I love sewing gathers, especially for summer. And spring and summer patterns often include these pretty details. So some examples of what you might see are maybe gathered tiers on a dress or a skirt, a shirred back on a top or dress, flounced sleeves, gathered puffy sleeves, a flounce at the curved hem of a wrap skirt, maybe some fine ruffles around the edge of a collar, or gathers above or below the chest for bust shaping. Really, there are so many ways that you can use these details in your makes.

Helen: Oh, the possibilities are endless, and you can add these details to patterns that don’t even have them, which is very exciting. And I wanted to mention that I’m actually working on a summer pattern right now that has gathered tiers and flounced sleeves…

Caroline: Ooh!

Helen: …so I’m super excited for that to come out, hopefully this June or July. Hopefully not August, but we’ll see.

Caroline: Who knows? I mean, a summer dress this summer, next summer.

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: Yeah. Anytime. So in this episode, we’re gonna talk about the different methods you can use to gather your fabric, how to hack patterns to add gathered pieces like ruffles and tiers, and tips for great gathers.

Helen: And we’re also going to demystify the process of shirring. You can definitely do this. And finally, we’re gonna talk flounces: what they are, how to make them, and most importantly, how to sew that giant circular hem without tearing your house down in frustration.

Caroline: Yes! So important. Okay. So we do have a lot to cover in this episode, but I feel like we should kick it off as usual with talking about our personal love of this topic: gathers, shirring, and flounces. Helen, tell me what are some things that you’ve made with these details and what do you think of the process of gathering, shirring, or flouncing?

Helen: I love gathers. I’ve made lots of things with gathers. Early in my sewing days when I got back into indie sewing with indie patterns, I made the Alder Shirtdress and the Archer Shirt from Grainline, both of which have really neat gathered panel details. And I think that might have been, like, one of the first things I gathered when I got back into sewing.

And then the Roscoe Blouse, Caroline, you and I both had a, like, serious love affair with that pattern for a long time. Still do actually. I still wear my Roscoe Blouse all the time. That one’s really fun ‘cause you gather it, like, right into the bias finishing on the cuffs and the, and the neckline. I love that. And I made the Megan Nielsen Brumby Skirt, as well. That one gathers into the waistband.

And then I got into adding gathered tiers to everything. Like, it’s the easiest pattern hack ever. You can just add a gathered tier to a tank top or a dress. I even added gathered tiers to the York Pinafore pattern. Pretty much every pattern we’ve released, I’ve tried adding a gathered tier to it.

Caroline: Yup.

Helen: It always looks great. And then we released our March pattern, which is our pattern with the most gathering. It has a gathered skirt and gathered sleeves. And then I did a little Reynolds Top hack a couple summers ago that has a tiny little gathered ruffle just under the facing. It’s the cutest little thing. I honestly still haven’t tried shirring ,and I’ve not sewn very many flounces, but that is definitely changing this summer with the summer pattern that we’re working on. And I do love the look of shirring and flounces. I just don’t love the effort that it takes. Yeah.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Yeah. We’ll get into that a little bit later.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. How about you? I know you’re a gather fan.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I have made so many things with gathers over the years. I absolutely love them. I, kind of, feel like adding a gathered tier or, like, a gathered skirt to a pattern is basically my signature sewing move.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I do it all the time. But I went to my closet to take a look at some of the things that I’ve made with gathers that are still on rotation. So my favourite March Dress, that’s your pattern, Helen, by the way, in a block print, I added an extra gathered tier, so I even added gather on top of the existing gathers because I wanted it to be a little bit longer.

The Closet Core Pauline Dress has gathered sleeves. It also has a gathered tier at the bottom of the skirt. And I’ve made two of these. I love hacking to add gathers. So the Wiksten Shift Top is a favourite pattern of mine, and I made a version in a block print where I added ruffles to the sleeve and the hem. And love that top. I wear it all the time. I, also, last summer, I hacked Helen’s Closet Orchard Dress. I added, like, a gathered skirt to it, so I, sort of, cut it off at the waist and added a gathered skirt.

Helen: Cute!

Caroline: That’s a fave, for sure. All of my gathered pieces are also my favourites. So what does that say? I don’t know. But, Christine Haynes Verano dress, I have a couple of those. Love the gathered tiers on that. And then, in terms of sure-ing or shear-ing, I did that for the first time last summer. And I’ll talk a little bit about that experience later when we get into shirring. But I made the Victory Patterns Sophia Dress. It was definitely a learning experience, so, excited to talk about that, but love that dress so much. And I, kind of, finished it late in the summer. It was August, so I didn’t have a chance to wear it very much. So I’m very excited to wear it this summer.

Helen: Ooh!

Caroline: And then one of my favourite skirts that I’ve made is the Style Arc Sorrento Skirt. It has really lovely flounces along the bottom, and I actually made this for Vancouver Frocktails in 2019, but I still wear this skirt all the time. It dresses up and down really well, and I wear it to my dance classes now with Shea and it’s, like, really twirly and fun and lovely and yeah, one of my favourites.

Helen: Yeah, I think flounces generally bring up images of flamenco dancers and things like that. Like, so beautiful.

Caroline: Totally. But yeah, I wouldn’t necessarily call, like, the process of gathering or shirring fun really in any way. But for me it’s, like, a means to an end, and it’s over with quick enough that it’s not, like, scarring, like, quilted garments are for me.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I actually don’t mind the process of gathering. I find, like, sliding the fabric along the basting threads really satisfying and pulling the basting threads out afterwards really satisfying. But if you’re adding multiple tiers, it does get old.

Caroline: I think, also, like, the messiness of it stresses me out a little bit ‘cause you have so many loose threads everywhere because of the, when you’re pulling, you have these, like, long thread tails, and then, that you, kind of, don’t want to cut them until you’re finished, and then, you have to pull out the basting stitches, and there’s just, like, there’s a lot going on.

Helen: Yeah. That’s true.

Caroline: I like order, and I feel like gathering feels like a lot, but it’s totally worth it.

Helen: It is totally worth it, and it doesn’t need to be perfect because you’re literally putting little gathers and tucks in so you don’t have to worry about getting gathers and tucks in your seam.

Caroline: It’s so, so true. Yeah. It can hide all manner of sins.

Helen: Okay, let’s get into the process of gathering, and we’ve got some tips for you today to get those beautiful well-spaced out gatherers. Gathering is, of course, a way of creating small folds in fabric, and they’re a great way to create volume because you can attach a much longer piece of fabric to a smaller piece, and then, you get all of that beautiful volume that that larger piece of fabric offers.

Caroline: Yes, and there are a few different methods of gathering fabric. So once you’ve figured out your favourite method, you can ignore pattern instructions and just do the one that you like best.

Helen: The traditional method of gathering is to create lines of basting stitches, either by hand or by machine. The longer the stitch, the larger the gathers will be. Shorter stitches make for finer gathers. Using two or three rows of basting stitches will help the gathers to stand up and prevent the fabric from folding over when you make your final stitches. Some sewists like to take a risk and just go with one line of gathering s- or basting stitches.

Caroline: Ooh.

Helen: And I say, you know, if you get good results, more power to you. I’m a two girl. I rarely go for three because I feel like two is enough, but it really depends on the, like, precision that you’re after with your gathers. And I wanna say, too, that the stitch length that you choose can depend a lot on the fabric you’re working with.

If you go too short with your stitch length, you’re not gonna actually be able to gather the fabric. So do some tests and figure out what’s gonna work with the fabric you’re working with. If it’s really delicate, you might get away with a shorter stitch length. But yeah, heavier weight fabrics are gonna require that nice long stitch.

Caroline: And another thing to keep in mind is that you’re not locking those basting stitches. You’re not back stitching at the beginning and end of your seam. You wanna leave the tails long, and you’re gonna tie them off at one end of the fabric. And then, take all the bobbin threads at the unknotted side and gently pull them all at the same time to create the gathers.

You’re gonna keep gathering until the piece is the right length. And the gathers don’t have to be perfectly distributed at this point. Just get it to the right size. And if you made it too small, you can push some of the gatherers off of the untied edge to release them. Once the measurements are right, tie off the untied ends. And now it’s time to distribute the gatherers. So you can push and pull the gathers along the piece until it looks nice and even, and then you can pin the gathered piece to the piece you’re attaching it to and sew your final stitches.

I want to add that, like, doing just the one line of stitches for gathering s-, one of the things that stresses me out about that is that if you pull too hard at some point when you’re trying to distribute your gathers and you break your thread, everything comes apart and you have to start over.

Helen: Yeah, it’s true.

Caroline: So if you have two stitch lines, then you have a little bit more security there that if you break a thread, at least you have your extra stitch line.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Even better if you do three lines of stitches. But yeah, that’s just something to keep in mind.

Helen: Yeah, it makes the whole process easier, I think, to do, too. And it doesn’t take that much longer to sew that extra line of basting stitches ‘cause you’re running it through the machine, and it’s going really fast ‘cause it’s really long stitch length…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …so you can, kind of, power through. It doesn’t even need to be that straight…

Caroline: No.

Helen: …to be honest. So I think it’s totally worth it.

Caroline: And sometimes a pattern includes notches to help you with the distributing of your gathers, especially if it’s, like, a long piece that you’re attaching. So in this case, what you can do is pin your gathered piece to the piece you’re attaching it to at the notched points and then, distribute the gatherers evenly in between the notches.

And if I’m adding a gathered piece to something as, like, a hack, usually, I’m gonna add some notches at centre front and back, for example, to help me to have, like, even distribution of gathers.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So it’s always good to have some notches along the way to help you or else you just have this big, long piece, and it’s, kind of, hard to make sure that everything looks even when you’re dealing with such a long piece.

Helen: Totally. I think that does help a lot, and it’s worth taking the time to distribute the gathers evenly because that is gonna end up with a much nicer looking finished product. It can feel like, I think, a part of the stress of gathering makes me always wanna, like, rush through it and just, like, get it attached so that I don’t, like, lose the gathers and, like, all these threads everywhere and everything. But just taking your time to distribute those gathers as evenly as you possibly can is gonna be worth it in the end.

Caroline: Yeah. Completely.

Helen: If you’re using a regular foot, you can face the gathered side down so that the feed dogs will help to ease everything in nicely. If you’re using a walking foot, you can face the gathered side either way. After you sew your final seam, you can check out your work to make sure it looks right. If there’s anything you’re unhappy with, now is the time to unpick the final stitch line and redo it.

And when you’re happy with your work, you can pull out your basting stitches. I think being unhappy with your gathers would mean, you know, maybe some tuck got a little carried away and went totally diagonally and, kind of, overlapped a bunch of the other gathers, and it’s just looking really obvious. You could just unpick that area and sew it again.

I, personally, like to sew with my gathered side up so I can distribute the gathers as I’m going. And sometimes they start getting a little bit, like, pushed towards you, and you wanna just, like, make sure they’re feeding under the machine. But I know a lot of sewists swear by putting them down because then the feed dogs do that work for you. So, I don’t know.

Caroline: It might depend on your machine and the fabric that you’re using, as well. But this method is really the tried and true method, and it might take longer than some of the alternative methods that we’re gonna talk about, especially if you make several rows of stitches. But it’s also gonna be the method that gives you the most control over your finished product.

I remember once, I think it was Seamwork, did a little article comparing what gathers looked like with one, two, or three rows of stitches and when you see it that way, it’s really easy to visualise, like, oh, when you do three rows of stitches, you’re getting really, really beautiful gathers, really even gathers.

But it is more work. So you, kind of, have to weigh that: your patience against how, how much you care about what the finished product will look like. Also, the, like, project itself, if it’s a printed summer-y dress that I’m gonna wear every day, it might not matter so much, like, if the gathers are perfectly distributed, but if it’s, like, a dress that I’m gonna wear to a special occasion that’s gonna be photographed and that I’m gonna be, you know, showing off, then maybe I’ll want my gathers to be more perfect, and I’ll do three rows.

Helen: Yeah. Or, like, the placement of the gathers. Like, if it’s up on your shoulder, it’s gonna be more obvious than down at your knees, right? So you might wanna do a little bit more effort if you’re doing something on the bodice versus on the lower half of your body. But one of the reasons I don’t do three lines of stitching typically is that that third line is usually right where you’re gonna be sewing. And I don’t wanna have the trouble of pulling out that line of basting stitches.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: This is my reasoning.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Okay. I want, I also definitely want to acknowledge that it can be, like, so tedious sometimes to pull out those basting stitches because sometimes they get caught in the seamline. That’s an argument for being a little bit more accurate with your basting stitches being in a straight line and, like, let’s say you have a half-inch seam allowance. You want to do your basting stitches at three-eighths and five-eighths so that you’re not sewing right over your basting stitch…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …because that is so annoying to unpick. And that’s, like, just an argument for going slow and making sure that my seamline is just beside my basting line and not, sort of, overlapping or crisscrossing. That makes it a lot easier to pull out those basting stitches. And honestly, I don’t know about you, Helen, but if a basting stitch is, like, within the seam allowance and not showing on the right side of the garment, sometimes I just leave it in.

Helen: Oh, yeah. I just leave it in, too. That’s the, you, if you’re using a matching thread, then you’re probably never gonna see it. But it be, can be, kind of, annoying. And, like, even pulling out the ones that aren’t in the seam, sometimes they can get caught and you end up, like, sort of, yarding on your fabric a little bit. You’re like, ah, get out of there. And that can damage the fibres. So be careful with that.

If you’re encountering a lot of resistance when you’re pulling out those basting stitches, the best thing to do is to stop and get your seam ripper and just help it. You just, kind of, break it at a couple points, and then, you can get it…

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: …you can get it out more easily, but sometimes it comes out smoothly. And I think I’ve talked about this on the podcast before, but that’s, like, one of my favourite things in sewing is when the basting stitches from gathering comes out in, like, one pull.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. And you pull a long piece out, and it, like feels so good. The satisfaction.

Helen: Feels so good.

Caroline: And, oh, my gosh. I know.

Helen: And then you flip it over, and the other stitch line is still, kind of, like, just on top of the fabric…

Caroline: Oh, and then you just pull it and…

Helen: …it’s just barely in.

Caroline: …it just goes, boop.

Helen: Boop, boop, boop, boop, boop.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes. Oh, that’s a sewing win. That’s such a good feeling.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. Okay. There is an alternative method out there that a lot of people use, which is to sew zigzag stitches over some kind of cord, or dental floss is pretty popular. Supposedly, dental floss is easiest because it’s made to be super strong, and it glides smoothly, and it’s minty fresh. But the idea here is that you do a pretty wide zigzag over the cord without catching it into the stitches, and then, you can pull the cord like a drawstring to make gathers. Then, you sew your final stitches without catching that cord. That’s the tricky part. And after you’re done, you can just pull the cord or dental floss, out, and then, you have to unpick your zigzag stitches. I have not tried this, but I know you have, Caroline. So what’s up? How’d it go?

Caroline: I have tried this, and honestly, it didn’t save as much time as I thought it would. The actual gathering part went quickly, and I thought that the gathers that I achieved looked really, really nice. But the unpicking of the zigzag, Helen, took so long. And with the traditional method, you can pretty much just pull those long basting stitches out. I mean, we talked about the challenges of that a second ago, but usually, it can go pretty quickly.

But unpicking a zigzag is like unpicking overlocking stitches. Like, it’s so annoying. And then the zigzag gets caught in your final stitches. So you have to, kind of, just remove the one side, like, I don’t know. If there’s a trick to this, please somebody email us and let us know, and we’ll do a follow-up.

Helen: Right? Did Caroline do this wrong?

Caroline: Am I do-… Exactly. Did I miss something? Because I just wanted to pull my hair out when I was pulling those zigzags out. So, yeah.

Helen: The cord idea makes sense because I think you would get a really nice, even gather, and it would be, like, super well distributed and beautiful. But yeah, the un-, unpicking at the end, you lost me there.

Caroline: Yeah, because the little points of the zigzag end up sticking out. And if you sew next to the zigzag, I feel like you’re not catching that beautiful gather that you’ve, sort of, prepared. And you might end up with more pleats and folds and things. So anyways, if I’m missing something, let me know. But anyway, those are my thoughts.

Helen: I love it. Well, we mentioned overlocking, and if you have a serger, you can actually use that to gather. You need to turn up your stitch length all the way, set the differential feed ratio as high as possible, and then, increase the tension of both of the needle threads. And you want your final piece to end up smaller than the piece you’re attaching it to because then you can loosen the gathers.

But you can’t tighten them with this method. So you wanna make sure they’re nice and scrunched up. You’ll also have to test out the serger setting on scraps until you get the result that you’re looking for. So there’s a little bit of setup time here, and you wanna adjust your seam allowance from the standard five-eighths to three-eighths if you’re doing this on the serger. So keep that in mind. I’ve never tried this either, but it sounds like a fun and, like, fairly quick method once you get it set up.

Caroline: Yeah, I feel like this would work well if you’re maybe hacking something and you’re not as concerned about the gathers being exactly two times the length of the fabric that you’re attaching it to or something. And if you have some flexibility and you can maybe trim down that gathered panel after you’ve gathered it to make it fit. I feel like I would not love to try to adjust my settings to make it work if I was trying to be really exact with it. But I mean, it sounds like a cool method though. I would totally try it.

Helen: Yeah. I don’t like to adjust my serger settings period because I like them just the way they are, so I don’t wanna mess with the tension. But yeah, this would be interesting to experiment with. There’s also gathering feet that you can use on your machine, which I also haven’t tried.

Caroline: Yeah. This seems like an easy solution. You just put the foot on and go, right? But actually that is wrong. In order to make the right amount of gathers for your project, you’re gonna need to find the right combo of stitch length and tension setting. So longer stitches and higher tension make fuller gathers. Turn one or both of them down to get sparser gatherers.

And you’re gonna need to do some math to figure out the ratio of the smaller piece to the larger piece. So, for example, if a bodice waist seam is 50% smaller than a skirt waist seam, you’re gonna want to find the setting that makes your scraps 50% smaller. So you’ll need to measure the top edge of the scrap, do your test, and then, measure again and divide the after gathers measurement by the before gathers measurement until you get 0.5.

So again, you’re doing a lot of math calculating trial and error with this method. But if you know your machine and you’re gathering foot and you’ve done this a few times, I bet you it could be really, really useful.

Helen: Yeah. Or again, if you’re just gathering a piece that you’re gonna trim down to the correct size, then you don’t even need to do all that math.

Caroline: Okay. The final gathering method that we’re gonna cover is clear elastic. How does this one work? I’ve never done this before.

Helen: Okay, so you take a piece of clear elastic that’s the length you need for your final gathered piece, plus a little extra that you’ll use for handling. Then, you mark the length you need on your elastic so you know where your extra is at the beginning and the end. Then, quarter the elastic by making marks at the quarter, middle, and three-quarter marks.

Mark the quarter points of your fabric in the same way. You pin them together, and then, you use a straight stitch, locking it at the beginning. You sew the fabric to the elastic, stretching out the elastic so the fabric is nice and flat. And then as the fabric and elastic passes through and the elastic releases, it’s gonna create those nice even gathers.

After you’re done, you can tear away the elastic. There’s a bit of risk with this method because the elastic can stretch a bit when you sew it on. So if you do this method, you might want to make the elastic measurement a little smaller to compensate. I think this would take a little bit of practice, but with that clear elastic, if you sew, like, a pretty tight straight stitch, it basically punctures holes in the elastic, and then, you can rip it right off after.

Caroline: Are you basting the elastic on so that you can then tear it? I’ve just never torn elastic.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Like, the stitches are puncturing the elastics, so it’s, kind of, losing a bit of its integrity…

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: …and then, when you go to rip it off, it’s, kind of, like, tearing off, like, paper after you sew paper. But again, it does take some practice, and of course, you can use, like, braided or knit elastic, as well, to create a gathered piece by sewing the fabric to the elastic, and then, the elastic is doing the gathering. So you can use that as a method, as well, depending on the pattern. But this is for if you wanna use elastic to create the gathers, but you don’t want the elastic to be in there afterwards.

Caroline: Right? Yeah. ‘Cause I imagine using clear elastic in gathering would work really well for, like, a knit garment if you wanna add a gathered tier, and then, you can just leave the elastic in there. But no, this is really cool. I wanna try this. I feel like ripping elastic would be really satisfying.

Helen: Right?

Caroline: Just rip it out.

Helen: More, more sewing ASMR.

Caroline: Okay. Before we move into our tips for making your gathers a-perfect, we’re gonna take a little sidebar and define a gathering-related term. Ruching is a, kind of, decorative gathering or pleating on an overlay or trim, and often, it’s two or more parallel lines of gathering.

You might have seen ruched swimsuit bottoms with gathering at both sides to create pretty folds over the belly area, or the bodice of a fancy dress might have several lines of ruching to create a pretty texture. Sometimes, ruching has complicated and precise folds, and other times, it’s simply just gathered.

Helen: Yeah, there’s lots of different definitions of ruching out there, and it’s, kind of, hard to tell the difference between ruching and gathering. And I think, in general, they can be a bit interchangeable. But when I think of ruching, I totally think of that classic side seam on a swimsuit, or maybe, like, the hem of a dress has, like, a little ruching at the bottom on the side to…

Caroline: Oh, yeah!

Helen: …kind of, pull up one little side. It can be a really nice detail at the front of a top, as well, or, like, a bralette with a little bit of ruching. Yeah, I mean, it is essentially a type of gathering, I believe.

Caroline: I’ve seen some really pretty, like, fancy dresses with, like, a panel in the bodice that’s ruched, maybe around the bust, to give a little bit of shaping or even just as decorative, kind of, a decorative detail. I think it could look really cool depending on the fabric.

But I’ve done some ruching, only on knits though, in the past. I made a swimsuit pattern for my mother-in-law, and it has this really lovely ruching at the centre front bust. And I actually also hacked, like, a gathered tier to make it, like, a little tankini top.

Helen: Ooh! Cute.

Caroline: So I feel like I get bonus points for ruching and gathering in one make. Thank you. But I also hacked some Virginia Leggings years ago to make them maternity friendly for my sister. So in this case, the ruching was along the side seam. Really classic place to have ruching on this, like, wide band that I added to the waist to accommodate her belly. So, yeah, ruching is fun. I feel like it can really add a little something to a project.

Helen: Totally. Nice little pattern hack that you can do pretty easily. Okay, let’s get into our tips for perfect gathers, if there is such a thing. If you have a long piece of fabric to gather, you may want to break your basting stitches into sections to prevent those threads from breaking when you start pulling them. It’s so frustrating. You start pulling if it breaks or you realise that you’ve actually pulled it out from the end that you put it in on, and you’ve just been, kind of, like, undoing it as you go along. So breaking it up into sections makes it more manageable, and it can prevent confusion.

Caroline: You can also change up your basting stitch length depending on your fabric. So super lightweight fabrics, like chiffon, can take smaller stitch length for finer gathers, while a mid-weight linen might need a longer stitch length. Don’t make your basting stitches too small though, because it could make your gathers harder to manipulate.

Helen mentioned this earlier, and it’s so true. You have to be careful. So three and a half millimetres is gonna be the shortest you’re gonna want to go when making basting stitches for gathering. Four and a half millimetres is a typical length for basting stitches on mid-weight fabrics.

Helen: And you can sew your basting stitches with contrast coloured thread. It makes taking out your basting stitches easier because you can see it, and as a bonus, it’s a great way to use that leftover thread. The only exception I would make is if you are actually sewing on top of your basting stitch, then you might wanna use a matching thread so that if it happens to still be in the seam, you’re not gonna notice it as much.

Caroline: Yes. And if you’re gathering a fabric that frays easily, you might wanna do something to protect your seam allowance. So there’s no way around it. You’re gonna be handling the fabric a lot as you get the gathers just right. And that’s a recipe for lots of fraying. So you can serge or zigzag over the edge to keep everything together. Or you can fuse a thin strip of interfacing along the edge.

Helen: Oh, so smart. Before you knot the ends of your basting threads, you can pull the top threads through to the back. Then, you can tie the threads in a knot, or you could secure them with a few vertical hand stitches.

There’s also a cool technique we saw on a Closet Core article about gathers. You can put a pin at the end, and then, wrap the threads around the pin, like a little figure eight to secure them so that they won’t go anywhere, but they’re still there if you need them, rather than trimming them off. And then the pin is easy to remove, and it keeps the fabric from collapsing between those lines of stitching.

Caroline: Yes, and you might wanna reduce your presser foot pressure so that your gatherers don’t get smooshed down too hard. So check out your machine’s manual for how to do this. But yeah, this could be a really good tip because gathers just don’t look as good when they’ve been smooshed.

Helen: Yeah, especially depending on the fabric. And you wanna go slowly with gathers and check on those gathers as you go. If there’s an uneven spot, you can pause and redistribute the gathers before you send that part through the machine. If you’re attaching a really heavy gathered piece, like a long skirt, you can add an extra line of stitches over the first line to reinforce it and just make sure it’s really on there.

Caroline: And when you press the seam after you sew and finish it, try to press only the seam allowance. Again, you don’t wanna crush the gathers you just created.

Helen: What was it at the beginning? Controlled crushing.

Caroline: Yeah. Controlled crushing.

Helen: Okay. We wanna make some pattern recommendations for y’all. We already mentioned the March Top and Dress by myself at Helen’s Closet has lots of lovely gathering at the sleeve caps and hems of those voluminous sleeves and at the waist for the skirt or peplum. Caroline, you and I have both made a March hack with an extra gathered tier at the hem, both in block prints, and I know you wear yours all the time. I do, too. It’s my favourite dress. It really works well in that lightweight fabric. It’s, kind of, got, like, cottage core cult vibes.

Caroline: I feel like the block prints are, like, made for gathers…

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: …like, they’re just so beautiful in a gathered garment. DIY Daisy incorporates gathers in a lot of her designs. She uses a lot of rectangles, so the gathers give her garments shape and interest. Her gathered rectangle dress uses gathers at the sides of the bodice for bust shaping instead of darts. And of course, it has a gathered skirt.

And her Rori Wrap Top is super cool and unique. It’s really hard to describe over audio, but I’m gonna try. It’s, kind of, like, a life jacket with all the buckles and straps undone. So there’s a back and two fronts, but there are no side seams. And there are ties where the side seams would normally be. And once you tie them up, you’re in, like, a cool wrap top. But the best part is the huge ruffles along the side edges that become amazing statement sleeves. There are free tutorials for both of these garments on the DIY Daisy website.

Helen: Ooh, I really wanna try this wrap top. It looks so cute.

Caroline: It’s so cute. I’ve had that one pinned for so long.

Helen: I could see you in that for sure. Another one that immediately came to mind when we started prepping for this episode is the Sage Brush Top by Friday Pattern Company. This one has a yoke over the shoulders. It ends in a really adorable ruffle and a gathered front. There’s also gathers at the sleeve caps and the hems of the puffy sleeves. I mean, it’s just gathers galore.

Caroline: Yes. And the Roscoe Blouse and Dress by True Bias. We’ve mentioned this one already. It has a gathered neck with ties that can be left open or tied closed, and it has a really cute drop waist gathered skirt. This one is super versatile, very hackable to add, like, extra tears to the skirt or cut it off at the waist. Like, there’s so much you can do with this one.

Helen: And lastly, the Polly Blouse and Dress from Daisy Chain Patterns features an abundance of gathers and ruffles. They describe it as: that charming children’s dress you wish came in your size. And it’s so accurate. This would be a great one if you wanna do a ton of gathering.

Caroline: Yeah. I love this one too ‘cause they, kind of, call it a choose your own adventure pattern. They have a bunch of different sleeve options, bodice options, neckline options, different ruffles you can add. And you can, sort of, mix and match to make it as ruffle-y or as simple as you want. And the puffy sleeves are just, like, maximum cream puff vibes.

Helen: Aw. Love it. I’m so into it.

Caroline: Also, would be amazing in a block print. Just saying. Love our block print so much. Okay, it is shirring time.

Helen: So shirring is made by sewing parallel lines of stitches with just all-purpose thread as the top thread, and then special elastic thread in the bobbin. And this creates a really stretchy gathered fabric. Shirring is incredibly popular right now. It’s, kind of, timeless actually. I feel like it’s been around for a long time.

Historical garments have, like, this kind of detailing on them. Probably not made with elastic thread, but similar kind of look, and you definitely see it around a lot right now. It’s nice because it makes clothes look fitted, but they’re super stretchy, so they’re very comfortable.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s great for sewing if your, like, weight fluctuates or something and you want something with a little bit more flexibility in the fit. So here are some ways that we’ve seen shirring used. You can get shirred panels at the backs of tops or dresses, shirring all the way around the bodice of a dress or top. These are tight enough that you could even go strapless if you want, but you can absolutely add straps or sleeves, too. Shirred waistbands for skirts and lightweight tropical-style pants. You can do a band of shirring to cinch in the waist of a blouse-y top or dress, or a few rows of shirring to cinch in a sleeve near the hem is also super cute.

Helen: Ooh. Okay. What kind of fabrics would you say work best for shirring? Caroline?

Caroline: So the best fabrics are definitely lightweight wovens. The elastic thread is gonna have difficulty pulling heavier fabrics together. So you wanna go with fabrics like lawns, voiles, double gauze and single gauze, challis, seersucker. You could do a poplin, cotton batiste. Lots of options, but you wanna keep it lightweight.

And I would also try to go with something that’s a little bit more opaque because you’re gonna see, like, the elastic through if it’s too sheer. Or go with, like, an elastic that, sort of, matches to make sure that you won’t see it through if you’re going with something a little bit more sheer.

Helen: Don’t go sheer with your shirring. Got it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay. Here is our guide to shirring. You’re gonna wanna choose all-purpose top thread that matches your fabric and then that elastic thread for your bobbin. The kind, that, of thread that you’re looking for is a rubber thread that’s covered with cotton. It’s also called shirring elastic.

You’ll need to wind your bobbin by hand when you’re using this type of elastic thread. Whether or not you stretch the elastic as you wind the bobbin depends on your machine. You can try out a bobbin of barely stretched elastic and a bobbin of very stretched elastic on some scraps and just see how things go.

Shirring is one of those things that I think requires a little bit of setup and practice and just getting the settings right before you can really get into it. You’re gonna wanna test out a few different things before you start shirring on your garment pieces. You’re probably gonna wanna increase your stitch length a bit.

Elisalex from By Hand London recommends a 3.5 millimetre. You ca- also probably want to increase your tension a little bit. Your goal is to get a sample that shrinks the fabric by about 50% when you sew shirring lines across it. Keep in mind that you have to sew five or six rows to get a good idea of how much the shirring will gather the fabric.

It will look less gathered with only a few rows. And after you finish sewing your rows, you can hold a hot steam iron about an inch above your fabric and steam it and they’ll tighten up even more and, kind of, take out some of those imperfections.

Caroline: It’s pretty magical actually. After you do the shearing stitch lines and put some hot steam on it, they just like…

Helen: Ooh. Cool!

Caroline: …they tighten up, and they look really, really good. So don’t be discouraged if your shirring is looking a little wavy or wonky. An iron can really, really help that. I also have a tip I want to add because you’re going to be hand winding your bobbins with that thread. I would say to wind more bobbins than you think you’re going to need. Not a lot of thread fits on these bobbins, so you wanna make more than you need because when you’re winding them all at once, you’re gonna have a better chance of having even tension from bobbin to bobbin.

If you do it one at a time, you might forget how much tension you used the first time. And it should be consistent bobbin to bobbin ‘cause that will affect how much your fabric gathers or shirrs as you sew. I definitely made this mistake where I didn’t do enough bobbins, I didn’t prep enough bobbins, and then I was like, wait, how much was I stretching this? And the whole thing is, is, it’s a little stressful. I’ll say that.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, I want you to elaborate like, was it as hard as I think it is?

Caroline: It took me, like, I, okay, so I did a bunch of tests. I was like, yes, I’m excited. This is gonna work. And then when I actually went to sew, it was really hard to keep my stitch lines even. And I think one of the mistakes I made was thinking that I could use my presser foot as a guide when I was sewing my shirring lines instead of actually marking each line because it was quite, like, a large bodice piece that I was trying to shirr.

And it’s just really hard because once your piece starts to gather, it’s hard to then sew a line next to it because the gathering, kind of, pulls the fabric in. And I ended up with a lot of, kind of, wavy lines that just didn’t look even. So I actually recut and restarted my bodice after my first try.

But yeah, we’re gonna talk about it in a second. But definitely marking those stitch lines is something that I would recommend unless you’re really confident and you’ve done it a bunch. Because it really, really helps to keep things even.

Helen: Yeah, that’s totally a point in favour of doing a test, as well, which is basically what you ended up doing because you, kind of, scrapped that piece and started over, and you learned a lot from that first test. So there.

Caroline: I totally did. I totally did. Okay. So if you try out different levels of stretch on the bobbin, a longer stitch length, and a higher tension level and you’re still not getting the results you want, you may want to increase your bobbin tension. And you can do this by turning a screw on your bobbin case.

Even a quarter turn can make a big difference. Keep track of the changes you make so that you can change it back after you’re done with your shirring. Always be careful when you’re adjusting this little screw.

Helen: Yeah, usually I’m the one who reads the part about the bobbin screw…

Caroline: I know!

Helen: …‘cause I know that you’re not a fan of this.

Caroline: I’m Team Don’t Touch The Screw.

Helen: But if you, if you’re looking for those results, sometimes you gotta touch the screw.

Caroline: Totally, totally.

Helen: You can shirr before or after you construct your garment. If the seams are already sewn, it’s easier to make sure the shirring lines match. However, you will have to do a little extra work to make it look neat instead of backstitching. To lock the stitch at the beginning and end, you’re gonna wanna pull your threads to the wrong side and knot them off.

The nice thing about sewing the seams after you shirr is that you can just backstitch at the beginning and end. It doesn’t matter if it’s neat because it’s within the seam allowance anyway, and as Caroline pointed out, if for some reason it starts going awry and you’re not happy with the result, it’s a lot easier to just recut that piece and try again.

Caroline: Absolutely. I would always opt for shirring before I assemble my garment if it’s possible with the construction of the garment.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. So mark your shirring lines, if you want them to be anything other than a third of an inch apart. You can probably get away with not marking them if you could use the width of your machine’s foot to measure the distance between the lines. But as I mentioned, that can get a little tricksy, especially if it’s your first time shirring. I would totally recommend marking your lines with something that’s gonna disappear later, or even a chalk pen or marker. Just mark your lines. It’s gonna make your life so much easier.

Helen: Mark your lines no matter what, by the sound of it. Makes total sense because how are you supposed to line up the edge of your foot with something that’s already all gathered and bumpy? Like, it’s not gonna happen.

Caroline: You, kind of, have to, like, stretch it, but then, yeah, it just doesn’t work as well. It just doesn’t work as well.

Helen: You can change up the distances between your shirred lines, as well. Like, you could do a couple of inches of lines, a third of an inch apart, and then leave a three quarter inch gap before starting a couple more inches of close together lines so you could create different patterns that look really interesting with shirring. You don’t have to do all evenly spaced lines. I think that’s pretty cool.

Caroline: Yes. And you wanna gently stretch the fabric as it goes through your machine so that you’re sewing over flat fabric.

Helen: Check on your bobbin every few lines to make sure you have enough thread in there to make it across to the other side. You do not wanna be running out in the middle of your seam.

Caroline: Yes. But if you do, that’s okay. You can still continue. You just, kind of, finish off wherever your bobbin thread, and then, you can start back a few inches, and then, you can, kind of, like, knot your elastics together.

Helen: Oh, nice.

Caroline; I definitely had to do that a couple times, but way, way easier if you start and stop with the same bobbin thread. And then, when you put in a new bobbin, you wanna pull up the bobbin thread before you start sewing. So here’s how you do that. You turn the hand wheel towards you so that the needle goes down and back up and gently pull on the top thread. It should pull up a loop of the bobbin thread, and then, you can use a pin to gently pull the loop up.

Helen: And you wanna take your time with shirring. This see-, probably seems obvious. If you’re working with all of these gatherers and this elastic thread. If you sew a line of shirring too quickly. Also, the top thread may have a hard time picking up the bobbin thread on every stitch, and you don’t wanna get those skipped stitches. So yeah, take your time. Take breathers. Caroline, did you manage to finish your shirred panel in one sewing session, or did you have to do it over multiple days?

Caroline: I think I did it over multiple days. But I think I probably could have done it in one session.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: It was probably because I had, like, had a failure and had to restart and I was like, I need a breather. But yeah, it does help to do it all in one session because then you’re just, like, remembering the tension that you had on your machine and the tension that you used to wind your bobbin, in case you need to wind another bobbin, like, it’s all, kind of, fresh on your mind. Definitely takes a minute to remember how to shirr when you come back to it.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I feel like with shirring, too, like, the end result is this, kind of, bumpy shirt situation that you can’t really see the lines of stitching that clearly. Like, it doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s gonna hide a lot of the flaws.

Caroline: Yeah, it definitely doesn’t need to be perfect. so that is how you “shear” or “sure.” But we also wanna touch on faux shirring, which is a technique that gives a shirred look without using elastic thread. And this works best for back panels or waistbands. The elastic is gonna be too firm to give a good result on a full bodice.

But basically what you do is you layer a lightweight fabric with the garment fabric, and sew a bunch of small channels. For quarter inch elastic, you want to sew channels a third of an inch apart, and then, thread your elastic through all of those channels. And you can secure them at the sides with pins or safety pins, and then, you sew down each side of the panel within the seam allowance to secure the elastic to the fabric, and then, you sew that panel into your garment.

I think this is a really good option if you wanna sew a pattern that has shirred panel, but you have issues getting good results with shirring on your machine. It could also be a way to get a firmer hold and more support than shirring normally gives. It also can have, like, a more substantial look. So I feel, like, with a slightly heavier fabric, like, I’m thinking if I were doing a shirred panel with like a mid-weight linen, I would totally use this method ‘cause it would just, kind of, give me a little bit more control and it would almost, like, weight-wise balance better with the fabric.

Helen: Yeah. Yeah, totally. I think this could be really cute. I’m imagining, like, the back of a, a dress that you just wanna, wanna, like, cinch in. You could do a few lines of this quarter inch elastic in these channels. It would look really great.

Caroline: And way less, like, question mark of, like, is your machine gonna work or not work with it? No fiddly hand winding of your bobbin. You just cut the elastics to the width that you need and you’re sewing some channels, and then, you can go with it. So I feel like this is a really, really great way to get that look if you’re a little bit, you know, intimidated or just not on board to do shirring with the elastic bobbin.

Helen: Well, yeah, or you can’t even get elastic thread, like, maybe it’s something that you’re not able to acquire. But quarter inch elastic might be more common. Another thing we wanted to touch on is smocking because smocking and shirring sometimes get confused.

Smocking is a traditional embroidery technique that’s used to gather fabric. It’s stretchy, even though it doesn’t use elastic thread. It’s pretty magical. We don’t have enough time to cover smocking in this episode. We’re gonna have to explore that one more in the future, but that’s the main difference. Shirring uses elastic thread. Smocking doesn’t. And then, I think aesthetically they look quite different, as well. Definitely look up some pictures of smocking. It’s absolutely beautiful.

Caroline: It’s so cool. Okay, there are a few patterns we wanted to mention to get you started with shirring. So, By Hand London has an amazing and free tutorial for a sundress with a shirred bodice and voluminous sleeves. And this is in a story highlight on their Instagram, it’s called DIY Shirred Dress. And we’re gonna make sure to link that in our show notes along with all of these great patterns.

Helen: Victory Patterns has a couple of patterns that feature shirring, and they have some resources on their website, as well, about it. The Sophia Dress and Top that Caroline has made has that shirred bodice and a couple of sleeve choices.

I like that the flutter sleeve option has a bit more fabric on the shoulder. You know, sometimes the neck on shirred dresses is super wide, and it’s hard to wear a regular bra without it showing, but I like that these sleeves bring the neckline in a little bit so it’s easier to wear with a bra.

Victory Patterns also has the Rowena Jumpsuit and Pants, which has a shirred waistband. The jumpsuit has a drapey cross front and wide pants, and it cinches at the waist with those lines of shirring. And both the jumpsuit and the pants would make gorgeous evening wear for hot weather and fancy fabrics, or they’d be great to wear on the beach in, like, a rayon or a really soft cotton. Absolutely love the look of these pants. I bet they’re so comfy.

Caroline: Yes. And then the Sundaze Dress by Les Perlines is a romantic dress with a shirred back panel. It has a gathered bust and an a-line skirt. This dress looks like it came straight from Reformation. Les Perlines’ patterns are on trend without feeling trendy. I love these patterns, and this is such a cute dress. I totally wanna make it this summer.

Helen: Oh, the Sundaze dress. I feel like it has, like, a lot of, like, bust emphasis in a really beautiful way.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally.

Helen: So cute.

Caroline: Finally, we’re gonna talk about flounces and ruffles. So here’s the difference between flounces and ruffles, even though they’re often used interchangeably. Both are pieces of fabric that are added to a garment for decoration. A ruffle is gathered at the top, and a flounce is smooth at the top and builds in fullness as it goes towards the hem.

Helen: Yes. Let’s talk about flounces first. The pattern pieces for flounces, I think, are the coolest looking pattern pieces out there. They can look like semi-circles or circles, or like a donut shape, or even like a little curly cue, or like, kind of, like a horn shape, like a curled horn, like a cinnamon bun. I don’t know.

So many different ways to describe these pattern pieces, and they’re fun to work with because you don’t often get to cut out, kind of, these wild shapes that are often seen flounces. So when you attach the rounded edge of a flounce to the less rounded garment piece, the hem of the flounce falls in this really lovely fluttery way.

This is partly because there’s more fabric at the hem than at the seam point. So it adds that fullness. And it’s also because flounces use the bias of the fabric, which falls really beautifully. So that’s part of the drama and the romance.

Caroline: Yeah. You can think of flounces as, like, little circle skirts that you can add to the edges of your garments, and they look really beautiful at the hem of a skirt or, like, a bell sleeve. You can even add flounces to straight pieces, like down the front of a shirt, and they become these beautiful cascading folds.

Helen: Ooh, yes. I forgot about cascading folds.

Caroline: Come on! Cascading folds!

Helen: There is a post on The Shapes of Fabric called “Flounce Constructions Revealed” that shows a bunch of different flounce pattern methods and the kinds of flounces that they make. It’s a great way to get a handle on how flounces work and what they can create.

Caroline: And the hardest thing about sewing flounces is the hemming. Circular hems are no joke. So with some flounces, both the right and wrong sides are visible because of the way the fabric falls. Obviously, in this case, it’s a good idea to choose a fabric that looks nice on both sides, and the hem is gonna need to be neat, as well.

We like this method for hemming this kind of flounce. So you’re gonna sew a line a quarter of an inch away from the raw edge of the fabric. Use that line as a guide and press the raw edge up, and now, use the raw edge as a guide to press the hem up again. And then you can use a really steamy iron if your fabric can handle it, to sort of press that in place, and then, pin and sew that hem. So using that stitch line as a guide to create that perfect, like, quarter inch fold or eighth of an inch fold is a great way to go.

Helen: Definitely. And if you really like hand sewing or you’re working on a super special piece, you could do a hand rolled hem. This is, kind of, a magical hand stitch that rolls up as you sew it. It’s the standard for silk scarves because it’s very tiny and delicate, and it would work well for flounces because it only uses a quarter inch of fabric, but it completely encloses the raw edge.

The deeper the hem on a circular piece, the more difficult it gets to ease in all that extra fabric without getting any tucks. So we’ll link up a hand rolled hem stitch tutorial for you in the show notes. I think it would be nearly impossible to describe verbally. You really need to see it to believe it, but there’s this beautiful moment where you pull on the thread and the fabric just, like, whoop, whoop, rolls up, and you feel like a magician.

Caroline: Yes. And if the hem is not gonna be visible, you could do a single hem. You can finish the raw edge with a serger or narrow zigzag, and then, turn it up and stitch the hem down, and you’re done. This method is nice because it’s gonna preserve a lot of the floatiness of the fabric, which is great for flounces.

Helen: Yeah, and if you do end up getting a few tucks in your flounce, I wouldn’t worry so much about it, especially if it’s on the hem of a skirt or something like that. No one’s ever gonna see it. Don’t beat yourself up about it being on the inside of the bottom of your skirt. Some tucks are totally normal when you’re doing these big circle hems.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so here are a few flounce-y patterns. I already mentioned the Style Arc Sorrento Skirt. This one has two layered flounces, and the skirt has an elastic waist, and it’s, kind of, like, a straight shape until you get to the flounces. And one is set diagonally over the other. So this is the one that I made for Vancouver Frocktails, and it just moves so beautifully. Like Helen mentioned, it’s, like, the perfect dress for, like, flamenco. Tango.

Helen: It makes you wanna dance. You feel like the dancing lady emoji.

Caroline: Oh, a hundred percent. Yes!

Helen: Yeah. There’s the Rosalie Dress by Fibre Mood. This is a short smock dress with a deep V-neck, and it has really cute little flounce sleeves that make it look so unique.

Caroline: And this is so funny, the Rosalie Skirt, no relation to the Fibre Mood Rosalie Dress, is a “pay what you want” pattern by Johanna Morris of Forget Me Not Patterns for Peppermint Magazine. It has a really pretty tulip shape with a flounce at the hem. I guess there’s some connection between the name Rosalie and flounces. Is there something we don’t know?

Helen: Right? Is there, like, a character or something? Or it’s just a really great name for a flounce. I mean, it does seem to suit it perfectly.

Caroline: It totally does. Yeah. Okay. Before we go, we wanna put in a pitch for adding ruffles to your makes because they are such an easy way to dress up and personalise your garments.

Helen: Yes, you can add them pretty much anywhere. You have a seam or a hem around the edge of a collar, the top of an armsyce, to the hem of a sleeve, all along the top of a yoke, around the edges of pockets, to the hems of tops, skirts, dresses, down the edges of button plackets. I mean, I could seriously keep going, like, literally anywhere you have stitching line, you could stick a ruffle.

Caroline: Just slap a ruffle on there.

Helen: Slap a ruffle on there. Yeah.

Caroline: And ruffles are pretty straightforward. Most are just rectangles that are hemmed along one edge and gathered at the other edge. There are also rounded or circular ruffles, which are, like, a combo of ruffles and flounces. Oh, my gosh.

Helen: And ruffles look different depending on how much fabric is gathered into them. So for example, let’s say you wanna add a tier to a skirt. If you cut a rectangle that’s one and a half times the length of the skirt’s hem, it’s gonna look different from a rectangle that’s three times the length of a skirt’s hem.

To get a good idea of what different ruffle ratios look like, you can check out the post “Learn All About Ruffles” at The Shape of Fabric. I think this is really interesting. My, kind of, preferred gathered tier ratio is 1.5 ‘cause I find two, like, too many ruffles, personally. But I don’t know. I mean, what do you think?

Caroline: I think I’m on the same page as you. I will admit that often when I’m hacking a pattern to add a ruffle, I don’t necessarily calculate exactly what the ratio is. I’m often just working with whatever the width of the fabric is…

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: …and I’ll just cut rectangle strips and just make it work. And whatever looks right and looks wide enough that it’ll gather into something that makes sense I’ll use ‘cause sometimes you’re, kind of, at the mercy of, like, what’s left. Also, bonus: adding a ruffle to a garment is a great way to use up that, like, last bit of fabric that you have that you’re like, what am I gonna do with this last, like, half metre strip of fabric after I cut out my project? You know, you always end up with a little bit extra.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So it’s a great way to use some of that up for a little fun detail on your make.

Helen: Yeah. And if you’re doing, like, a gather-, multi-gathered tier situation, it’s totally normal to have to piece together fabric…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …in order to make the length required. The width of the fabric sometimes is not gonna be enough. And I’ve seen some really cool scrap busted garments where people have used just different pieces of fabric and, kind of, blocked them together and then, gathered them up.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: And that can look really cool, too. So you don’t necessarily need to have, like, six yards of something. If you have a lot of cotton scraps left over, you can totally put those all together into a beautiful gathered situation.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s, kind of, like a combo of patchwork, tiers, gatherers, ruffles, all in one, and it does look so cool. I’ve seen some garments like this, and I totally wanna do this with some of my cotton scraps.

Helen: Yeah. Or linen scraps would be beautiful, too. I mean, I’m on board. It’s all my favourite things.

Caroline: Ooh. Also, the Designer’s Matchy Matchy Sewing Club, they have a lot of different patterns that are already, sort of, designed to be patchwork-y that are great for scrap busting, and they often have gathered panels and gathered details, so check them out if you’re looking for that look, but you don’t want to, like, improvise.

Helen: Cool. Okay. I will.

Caroline: Okay. The type of fabric is also gonna affect how your ruffles look. So a super drapey fabric, like charmeuse, is going to fall closer to the body than a fabric with a lot of body, like an organza. Oh, my gosh. An organza ruffle.

Helen: Beautiful.

Caroline: She’s the star. She’s showing off.

Helen: The pattern we’re working on right now has, like, flouncy shoulder detail, and it’s so fun playing with fabric. Like, in a rayon, it’s just this beautiful, like, cascade of fabric. But then if you do it in a stiffer cotton, it’s, like, dink, like…

Caroline: Yeah!

Helen: …sticking up outta the shoulder, like, this frill. It’s so…

Caroline: …like little wings.

Helen: Yeah, they’re like little wings. Yeah. I love it. Okay, well adding ruffles is one of the simplest and most impactful pattern hacks there is. You can literally just sandwich them anywhere. So I hope you give it a go. Gathers, shirring, and flounces, oh, my, Caroline! That was so fun.

Caroline: Yeah. This was so fun. I also definitely wanna know what your favourite pattern is, listener, or make that includes these elements. Share this with us on Instagram or email us some pictures. We wanna see your gathered, shirred, flounced garments or maybe whatever you are interested in making and new pattern you’re excited about. Let’s talk about it.

Helen: Yeah! Hit us up.

Caroline: All right. That’s it for today’s episode of Love To Sew. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: Head to the Love to Sew podcast to find our show notes. They’re filled with the 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: And if you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For $5 a month, you get a full-length bonus episode and weekly behind-the-scenes pics. And for $10 a month, you’ll get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques, and you get 15% off discount codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content. So go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

Helen: Thanks so much to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you so much for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.

Caroline: Buh-bye.

Helen: Bye.

Caroline: I’m gonna flounce on out of here.

Helen: Crushed it.

Caroline: Crushed it.

Helen: Controlled crushed it.

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Crack that WIP! In this episode, we chat about why projects become works-in-progress, how to organize your WIP pile, and strategies to work through your WIPs. We also answer a listener question about brushed fabrics – and share an upcoming sewing-themed cozy mystery novel that features Helen’s Closet! Plus, a challenge: #LoveToSewWIPs!

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

A Challenge! #LoveToSewWIPs from April 25-May 25

From the Feedback Section:

A Few of our WIPs:

Sewing Patterns:

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.

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.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Caroline: Join us for today’s topic: WIP Woes.

Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m doing great. How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. I’m feeling cosy on this rainy day in Vancouver.

Helen: I know. Same. It’s pouring here, but that’s, kind of, perfect for podcasting.

Caroline: It’s also perfect for sewing.

Helen: True. For tackling some works in progress, perhaps?

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. It’s a great day for that. Will I do it? Remains to be seen.

Helen: I mean, or you could cut out a new thing. That seems way better, right?

Caroline: Okay, we’re gonna get into the WIPs of it all today, but before we dive in, we’re gonna answer a question and share a bit of fun news. So let’s get to the question first. Kristen asked, “What in the heck is brushed fabric exactly? What is it best used for?”

Helen: Ooh, great question. Brushing is a finishing technique that can be done on various fabrics. The almost-finished fabric is brushed by machine to create a soft fuzzy pile on top. Some common brushed fabrics are flannels and knit polys. You might even encounter, like, brushed denim out there. If you see a knit poly fabric described as “buttery soft,” it’s probably because it was brushed.

And brush fabrics feel great against the skin, so they’re good for comfy, cosy garments, flannel shirts, or PJ pants, knit leggings, and T-shirts. Thicker fabrics make really nice jackets, and the soft pile traps air for good insulation, so brushed fabrics are good for colder weather. They can be prone to pilling, so it’s a good idea to keep a pill shaver on hand for your brushed garments. They can also be weaker than comparable fabrics that haven’t been brushed since the brushing lifts fibres up and out of the fabric.

I hope that helps, Kristen. Thank you so much for writing in with your fabric question.

Caroline: Yeah, we love a fabric question here. We also love books.

Helen: I know. We don’t get to talk about books that often on the podcast, but let’s get into it.

Caroline: Let’s get into it. Okay. We recently got a super exciting email from Madeline at Crooked Lane Books, and here’s what she wrote.

Helen: “I’m so excited to share a very special, cosy mystery with you today – Seams Deadly!”

And that’s sewing seams, of course. S-E-A-M-S.

“The author, Maggie Blackburn, is an enthusiastic sewer and maker, and she has infused her debut with rich details that any crafter is gonna fall head over heels for her. When sewist Lydia Barnes finds a dead body soon after moving to a new town, she will need more than sheer luck to find the killer.

Rachel Copeland at Boswell Book Company said, ‘The story is peppered with names of indie pattern companies and patterns they produce, as well as descriptions of sewing techniques and supplies, which made me extremely happy as a fellow sewist. By the end of the book, I was ready to start solving murders, but only after I finished sewing a murder-solving dress.’”

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, Helen. I was so excited when Lisa, our assistant, told us about this email, and I was even more excited when I heard that Helen’s Closet was mentioned in this novel.

Helen: I know!

Caroline: Come on!

Helen: It’s in a book. My business is in a book. That’s so, so cool. I mean, I, yeah, Maggie, thank you so much, if you’re listening. That was such a treat. Um, also the Ashton Top is mentioned by name, and she even thanks Helen’s Closet in the, like, credits of the book or the acknowledgements. I mean, I was so touched. I was so excited. I cannot wait to read it. I’ve been, I like, I, I mean I searched for my name so I could find the parts where you mentioned me. I haven’t read the book yet, but I’m so pumped. Um, and Crooked Lane Book sent us an early copy, so hopefully, it will be available to y’all soon. I’ll update after I read it. It comes out on September 5th, but you can pre-order it now and you can also find the author Maggie Bailey on Instagram @MeasureTwiceMysteries and on Twitter @MeasureTwice1.

Caroline: I’m so excited to read this.

Helen: I know it sounds perfect for us. It’s, like, true crime and sewing in a book. What more could you ask for?

Caroline: Yeah, and I mean, exactly. Murder. Love it. Sewing. Love it. Both of them together. Haven’t even heard of it. I love it.

Helen: I hope it gets made into a movie, too, ‘cause I wanna watch it, also.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. How crazy would that be? Okay, but Helen, I wonder if the killer is you.

Helen: Ooh! I hope not. That would maybe not be good for business.

Caroline: In the sewing room with the seam ripper.

Helen: Ooh! I mean, that would be the tool to choose. Very sharp.

Caroline: Yeah. Or like, um, an awl.

Helen: Yeah. Ooh. Ooh, Caroline.

Caroline: We’re talking about murder here. Come on.

Helen: Well, why not just use the scissors? I mean.

Caroline: True. The scissors. The rotary cutter.

Helen: No. Okay. That’s enough. That’s enough. That’s enough. We can’t.

Caroline: This is a PG show. Oh, my gosh. Okay. I think we should get onto the episode and crack that WIP.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay, Helen, so let’s start off by just defining WIP. WIP stands for work in progress. W-I-P. These are the projects that we start and we don’t finish.

Helen: And this can happen at pretty much any stage. You can have a WIP that’s only been cut out or a WIP that has one step left, like hemming or just sewing on some buttons.

Caroline: Yeah. And some people call these UFOs, or unfinished objects, which I also love. Um, but we tend to say WIP because it’s just quicker to say out loud, and it has that WIP crack ring to it. Whoopshoo.

Helen: Yes, exactly. I know I do love the term UFO, too, but I feel like UFO makes it sound like it’s gonna be perpetually unfinished, whereas work in progress is, like, a little bit more…

Caroline: More optimistic.

Helen: Optimistic.

Caroline: Aspirational.

Helen: Aspirational. Yeah. So in this episode, we’re gonna talk about the reasons why projects become WIPs, strategies to motivate us to finish them, when to say goodbye to a WIP, how to organise your WIPs, and so much more. Plus, we have a little challenge at the end, if you wanna join us #LoveToSewWIPs.

Caroline: Love it. Okay. And we also wanna mention that having WIPs, or UFOs, is totally normal. I think nearly every crafter or maker has them. They aren’t inherently evil or anything. In fact, they represent a part of the creative process. And if you have a lot of WIPs, that’s okay. if you wanna tackle some of them, today’s episode is for you.

Helen: Definitely. I have a bit of an existential question about WIPs. When does a project become a WIP? Because I know that WIP stands for a work in progress, so it, kind of, implies that all projects you’re working on are WIPs, but I don’t really think of them that way.

I have a couple things I’m working on right now that I just started this past month, and they’re not in the, like, WIP bin yet. They’re on my work table. They’re getting love and attention every now and again, and I like to have multiple projects on the go, so I’m bouncing around between things, but I don’t really think of those as WIPs. Like, what are those called?

Caroline: That’s interesting. I feel like it must depend on your personality and tendency, which we’re gonna get into a little bit today on the show. But, like, for me, I don’t tend to work on several projects at once, generally speaking. Like, my focus tends to be on one project, and then, I like to finish it.

So as soon as I put something aside and start something new, I’m calling that a WIP ‘cause I’m probably not gonna come back to it for a little while. But you tend to have several things on the go. Probably also, ‘cause you sew for your business as well, so you’re used to, kind of, juggling different projects.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true.

Caroline: But I mean, I won’t start psychoanalysing you, but I, I think that that’s probably contributing to it. Whereas me, I, I mostly just sew for fun, so I don’t know when I, when my heart’s not in it anymore and I start a new project, that other project, she’s in the bin. She’s, she’s waiting. It’s fine.

Helen: I know. I think it really depends on your creative process, your personality, and also your organisation system. Like, for me, it’s, like, as soon as it’s in that bin where they all go.

Caroline: Yeah. The dreaded bin.

Helen: To languish in the bin or the closet or wherever you’re storing your, your WIPs. That’s when it’s a WIP for me.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: As soon as it hits that area.

Caroline: Okay. So why do we abandon sewing projects? Because my WIP pile can’t take anymore. We need to talk about this.

Helen: Yeah. I think with a long or difficult project, we might just lose steam after a while. Sometimes it’s because we’re intimidated by a new technique. Maybe we’re scared that we’ll ruin the work we’ve already done if we mess it up. I know that for a long time, this is why I never put buttons and buttonholes on things because I was just, like, scared to cut holes in my project, you know?

Caroline: Yeah. No, that’s so true. This is a good time to break out some scraps and do a practice run though ‘cause it might not be as hard or intimidating as you think. And if it is hard and you have to practise a few times, then it’s not gonna ruin the work that you’ve already done.

Helen: Oh, it’s totally true. Especially things like plackets on sleeves or zipper flies. I mean, absolutely. Just bust out some scrap fabric and give it a go. It’ll be so much easier when you go to your final project. and if the technique is something that can be reversed, you can just try it on your garment and rip it out. If you mess it up, you can always go back.

Caroline: And it, kind of, sucks having to take extra steps, but it might actually get the project done faster. If otherwise, it could sit in your closet for months. So just remember a practice run can sometimes just get you going.

Helen: Right. I like how you’re saying months. I mean, years.

Caroline: Oh, gosh.

Helen: Sometimes it’s years. Let’s be real.

Caroline: We haven’t gotten to the confession part of this show.

Helen: Okay. Sometimes a project also just feels like it’s taking forever, Caroline. I feel like this happens to you with those quilted garments we’ve talked about.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes. I think quilted anything is something that I will just abandon for days, months, years. There’s just some kind of a block for me there where I’m like, quilting is intimidating, and it just takes so long. It takes so long. And I just lose steam. I lose steam. I’m sorry.

Helen: Okay. I’d like to state for the record that it doesn’t take that long.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. Okay. But it’s a mental block for me.

Helen: No, it is.

Caroline: You’re like, quilting is great, everyone.

Helen: Quilting is great. Do not come for quilting. Um, no, it’s true. It is involved, for sure. It takes a lot longer than your average project when you have to, like, stop in the middle of sewing a garment and, like, sew a bunch of extra stitching on it. Of course, that’s gonna take a long time.

And if you’re getting tired of a project, it could be a good idea to give yourself smaller milestones to celebrate. Like, instead of spending forever on the quilting step of your quilted jacket, you could take a little break after each piece that you complete so you can quilt your sleeve piece, and then, take a break, maybe work on something else that’s an easy win. Then, you quilt the back, and then, you get take out for dinner to celebrate or something. And that way you feel like you’re moving forward instead of running in place.

And Caroline, I actually wonder if, like, part of your aversion to quilt, not aversion, but your, your reluctance to, like, finish your quilted garments, is just that you love getting a sewing project done in one session…

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: …and that just might not be doable with a quilted jacket.

Caroline: It’s not. It’s not. Yeah. And I often take a while to come back to the sewing room. Like, I don’t sew every day or even every weekend. So, you know, sometimes I’ll start a project and then when I come back to it, it’s, like, not in season anymore, or I just have something else that I’m more excited about, you know?

Another idea is to pair your project with a fun activity. Like, you might decide to only listen to your favourite podcast when you’re working on it, and then, maybe you’ll look forward to it more. I know I went through a phase where I was watching Gilmore Girls while sewing.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: And I freaking loved that show, and I would only watch it when I was sewing, and it really made me wanna go back to the sewing room. So find a show you love.

Helen: That is a perfect choice for the sewing room because you don’t really need to watch it. The dialogue is super snappy. There’s, like, cosy vibes everywhere.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. Now I wanna watch Gilmore Girls again.

Helen: Where you lead, I will follow…

Caroline: I will follow…

Helen: Okay. Sometimes WIPs happen because you just lose interest. You got a new fabric or a new pattern that you’re more excited about, and then, you abandon what you’re working on for something shinier.

Caroline: It’s the classic magpie problem. You gotta get that new shiny thing even though you have a whole pile of shiny things at home.

Helen: Yeah. Magpies should really be the mascot of WIPs or, like, the mascot of sewing in general.

Caroline: Yeah. But I do think it’s totally okay to move on to something shinier every once in a while. If it’s keeping you from finishing lots of projects, though, I think it makes sense to make some sort of policy for yourself. Like, I’m gonna quit making this top and make the bathing suit that I’m excited about right now. But then afterwards, I’ll get back to the top before I start anything else.

Helen: Right. You give yourself a little bit of grace, but then you, like, commit to returning.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah.

Helen: That can be a good strategy, and it doesn’t have to feel like homework. Part of it can be, you know, rediscovering your excitement about that original project. Like, take out the fabric and really look at it and imagine it finished. Look at your inspiration photos again. You might get your sewjo back that way, or maybe get some ideas for how you could alter the project to be excited about it again.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. But sometimes there are bigger issues, like if the project doesn’t fit right.

Helen: Yeah, this can be such a bummer and, like, partway through a project, especially for experienced sewists, you can often tell…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You’re, like, trying it on. You’re, sort of, draping on your body or trying it on half-finished or pinning it closed. And you’re like, oh, I don’t know. This is not looking like it’s gonna turn out. Sometimes you’re wrong, but often, you know, your gut instinct is spot on, and it’s such a bummer. It’s totally understandable why those things become WIPs, and they end up in that pile. There’s a lot you can do to alter things though, especially if you’re only part way through. Like, now’s your chance.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. I, I’m thinking about a recent WIP that I finished, and I’m so happy I finished, which was my Reynolds dress. And that was in my WIP pile for almost a year because I was almost finished the dress, and then, I tried it on, and it was too large in, sort of, the bust area. And I knew that to fix it, I would’ve had to take it apart, remove the facing, fix the side seams, recut the face. Like, there was all these steps involved.

Whereas I felt like I was so close to the end, so I was like, ugh, I can’t even do this right now, and then, it just, sort of, got abandoned ‘cause I was intimidated by those few steps I needed to, kind of, backtrack on. But then, I did pull it out, a year later, admittedly, and I remember I was on a video call with you and our friend.

We were doing, like, a fun sewing day, and y’all were just like, you can do this. It’s almost finished. Like, you got this. And I did. And it only took me like, I don’t know, an hour, an hour and a half to finish it. And it was so worth it. So remember, like, a lot of these things can be fixable. Maybe you just need a breather. Maybe not a year long breather, but a little breather.

Helen: I mean, part of the instance in that case is probably that you almost finished it, you put it aside, and then, by the time, you know, you wanted to come back to it, it was, like, fall and winter and you didn’t want the dress anymore. So it’s, kind of, perfect that you finished it in March, April, right? As the timing is everything.

Caroline: Thanks, Helen.

Helen: But yeah, it’s often not as bad as we think it is, but it’s so easy to be frustrated, and it’s very relatable. And you put, try it on and you’re like, oh man, all that work, all that effort, this beautiful fabric. I was so excited. It’s not fitting at all the way I want it to. It looks like crap. You’re looking in the mirror, you’re like, I hate it. And you just wanna rip it off your body and throw it in a bin…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and that’s fine. You can totally do that, but try to come back to it. Try to have some fresh eyes the next few days and not let it languish too long ‘cause chances are it’s very fixable. You can take things in where you need to or let them out if you have a good amount of seam allowance.

Even five-eighths of an inch of seam allowance is enough to let three quarters of an inch out at each seam total. And you’ll still have that quarter inch seam allowance left, and that can really add up across your project. and you can also add panels or gussets if you need to, if you have some extra fabric around, or maybe even a contrast panel or something. There’s always ways to fix things with sewing.

Caroline: Yes, and it can be hard to face disappointment when you realise a garment doesn’t fit. But remember that the garment is here to fit your body, not the other way around. And there are lots of ways to alter things. So if you need to feel free to take a break from the sewing project that has disappointed you and if you wanna make sure to get back to it, you can set a reminder on your phone so that you can make a plan in a week or two. I really like this reminder idea, actually…

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: …‘cause it’s so easy to forget about WIPs once you throw ’em in the box of doom.

Helen: I’m imagining the reminder’s, like, a photo of you, like, mirror selfie, wearing the thing that you made. You’re like, remember you have this work in progress.

Caroline: Yeah, totally.

Helen: Okay. I think the hardest problem to solve is maybe if you just don’t like the garment anymore, or you’re halfway through the garment, you’re like, I don’t like this.

Caroline: Yeah, this one is really hard. Like, sometimes your style or your colour palette changes. I think if you just don’t like it and you don’t want to refashion it, just let it go. We have some suggestions for what to do with the WIPs you no longer want. We’re gonna talk about later in this episode, but life is too short to be making stuff we don’t like, right?

Helen: Yeah. Like, what are we even doing here? But for most of us, sewing is our hobby, our passion, and we should be focusing on making things we like, not forcing ourselves to finish stuff that we don’t even wanna wear. It’s just not worth it.

Caroline: Another thing that can happen is realising that you chose the wrong fabric for your project. Like, maybe you’re making a top with grown-on sleeves, but the fabric has a lot of body, so the sleeves are standing out really aggressively. Or you make a fitted pant in double gauze and you realise that the crotch seam is just gonna pull apart because of stress. Maybe it’s already pulling apart when you just try it on.

Helen: And that’s a super common part of sewing. I mean, it’s maybe the hardest thing in sewing to learn how to do is to match the right pattern with the right fabric. And when this happens, you can try to refashion it or, once again, you can let it go. Sewing is such a learning process and those kind of mistakes, pairing fabric and patterns are definitely gonna happen.

So don’t be too hard on yourself. Try to internalise the lesson that you’ve learned and let it go. And it’s, it’s hard enough if the project didn’t work out. You don’t need to heap more punishment on yourself with negative self-talk or feeling like you should have known better. I mean, you are learning an art, a craft. Like, it’s gonna take some time and some experimentation.

Caroline: Absolutely. Yeah. Think of it as experimentation and learning. That’s what you’re gaining from it. It’s not all negative. It’s definitely, there are positives to making mistakes even.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay. And sometimes a sewing disaster can stop us in our tracks. Like, if you burn a hole in your fabric or if you have to unpick a long serged seam. I’ve definitely burnt a hole in a project before, and man, oh man, it is heartbreaking.

Helen: Yeah, it really is. Or, like, cutting a giant hole in a project with your serger blade by accident.

Caroline: Yeah. And it’s usually right in the middle.

Helen: Yeah. Oh, man. My cutting table has like, kind of, a sharp corner on it, and I have, like, ripped things before…

Caroline: Oh, no!

Helen: …like, moving them. Like, moving my fabric across the table. I really need to do something about that corner. I made Sam those Yanta Overalls last month, and I had all this stuff on my cutting table ‘cause I do work on a lot of things at once. And I’m very messy, so I have piles everywhere, all this stuff. And so I was, like, kind of, cutting his Yata overalls out in the corner of the table, and I accidentally cut the, like, bib facing piece while the pants piece was, like, underneath it.

Caroline: Oh, no!

Helen: And so I, like, cut a hole into the pants piece. I’d already cut out because I just like literally had stuff piled on top of each other. I should have just cleaned up before I started, but you know how it is sometimes.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And so then there was this big slash in the side of his Yantas, so I ended up putting, like, an extra fabric patch on top that ended up looking really cool. But I was, like, swearing. I was, like, slamming down my rotary cutter, being like, I’m done with this.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I gotta get out of this room. And, and then, like, 15 minutes later I came back and I was like, I’ll just put a patch on it. It’s fine.

Caroline: Yeah, but it is, it’s so natural to feel like quitting when a problem pops up that we don’t know how to fix like that. Like, how, I mean, you had your problem solving hat on, thinking of putting a patch on top there, but that’s not always possible to fix a problem like that. Or if you’ve been facing difficulty after difficulty with a certain project, like if you’ve had multiple mistakes in a row, that can be a sewjo killer.

Helen: Oh, yeah. Yeah. For long periods of time, too. It might mean you take a break from sewing for weeks or months just ‘cause of one series of things goes wrong, and you’re like, I don’t know if sewing is for me.

Caroline: Oh gosh. Yeah. But we do encourage you to take a break in these instances. Like, sometimes a little bit of space, a deep breath, a little meditation, or a walk outside, or even a few days away can really, really help give a little bit of perspective, and then, you can look into how to solve your problem when you’re ready.

Helen: Yes. Like, for example, if you burn a hole in your fabric, you totally have options. If you have enough leftover fabric to cut a new pattern piece, that’s obviously a good choice. Or you could do invisible mending with your scraps. Or maybe you put a really fun little patch appliqué or embroidery design over the burned area. Just an opportunity for creative embellishment. I love that.

Caroline: Yeah. And if I have a long, boring job to do, like unpicking a serged seam, I pair it with something fun. Like, I put on a great show, and then, I do the unpicking on the couch. I’ve definitely done this with refashioning projects.

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: I’ll always do my unpicking in front of the TV.

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: Just makes it so much easier. You just need a good light.

Helen: Right? It’s such a treat when you have to unpick something, right? ‘Cause you get to grab your seam ripper and head to the nearest couch.

Caroline: Yeah. Love is Blind, baby.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Okay. I wanna talk about our own experience with WIPs because I’m sure people are dying to know what’s the deal, Caroline. How many WIPs do you got?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Okay. I just cleaned out my WIP pile, and it was pretty tragic. It was also really cathartic at the same time because I had boxes and drawers, and I just had things in there that I have had for, truly, way longer than I care to admit. So I tried to take a really hard look at these projects and think, first of all, is it even feasible for me to finish this?

Like, I had a pair of pants that I had cut out for Shea when we lived in our first apartment together, and it was still, like, with the pattern pieces in the bag ready to be sewn, but Shea is not the same size anymore. I don’t even know what measurements he was when I cut that out. Note to self: make a note of that in the future. But, like, it wasn’t even something that I was interested in anymore.

If I had, like, finished them and given them to me, he would’ve been like, what are you doing? Like, what is this? You know? So I was like, okay, let’s take this apart, put the scraps in the scrap bin. Maybe I’ll use ’em for something else. Maybe I’ll recycle them and…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …move on. Like, let it go. I had a few projects like that. So what I was left with was seven WIPs, so I, kind, of broke it down. So I have three projects that I have cut out and not sewn. I have one wearable muslin that’s about halfway finished, from about a year ago when I was making, uh, an Elodie Dress for my cousin’s wedding, and I made a wearable muslin. And it’s great. I love the fabric. I love that dress. I really should finish it ‘cause I will wear it.

And then, I have two almost finished garments that are not for myself. They’re for other people.

Helen: Ooh!

Caroline: And, but the thing is, that they’re very old. Like, one of them is a dress that I was sewing for my mom, but she, like, didn’t really like it, but it’s almost finished. So I feel really weird about getting rid of it because it literally just needs a hem. So I kept it because I was like, I’m gonna hem it and then I’m gonna donate it.

Helen: Oh, smart.

Caroline: You know, so that at least it can be worn by somebody. Same thing with, oh my God, Helen, this is the worst confession. Can I make this confession to you?

Helen: Yes, please.

Caroline: So I, this is a safe space, right? I have a Blackwood Cardigan from our first ever workshop when we did it with all of our friends.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And my friend Cam was sewing a Blackwood Cardigan, and she was like, I’m not gonna finish this. Like, I don’t even have a sewing machine. Can you just finish it for me? How many years ago was this?

Helen: I don’t know, like, a, like, five or six, I think.

Caroline: It was a while ago. So long Cam is not the same size anymore. Like, again, it’s like, it’s so close. I think it just needs the bands on it.

Helen: Oh, man.

Caroline: So that one, too, I kept it. I was like, I’m gonna just throw, I’m gonna finish this and donate it. I’m gonna feel way better about that than, like, trying to get rid of this not finished garment, which really just ends up having to go in the garbage. And then I have one home decor item that’s about 75% finished that I am excited about. I was just working on it the other week. Okay. And then I have my quilt WIPs. One times one.

Helen: That’s good. Only one.

Caroline: Yes. And it’s so ready. It’s, like, I just have to put the backing together, and then, I’m gonna send it off to get quilted. So I’m actually really excited about this one, but I have had this quilt top in my WIP pile since, it’s gotta be eight years, seven years.

Helen: You’re coming up on a decade.

Caroline: I’m coming up on it because it was, I remember sewing it when our friend still had an office in Burnaby I would go and do sewing days there with her at her office. And it was, like, right when I started my business, so it’s gotta be seven years ago, so, yeah. Yeah, absolutely unacceptable.

Helen: Are you still excited about this quilt?

Caroline: I am, like, I, I wasn’t until I pulled it out and I threw it on a bed. I sent you a picture, too.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Uh, when I was going through, I threw it on a bed and I was like, you know what? This is really cute. It’s gonna look so good when it’s quilted, and it’s just gonna be a quilt that I’m gonna be able to have for guests, for, maybe I’ll give it away one day. But, like, it’s literally finished. Like, it’s the top is pieced. I have the backing fabric, I have the binding. I just need it to be quilted, and I need to attach the binding, and then, it will be done.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So I will finish that. And then I have a couple things in my mending pile, just two things. So it’s really not that bad right now. Like, I feel good about these, but I do think I’m gonna implement the, like, sew one WIP, sew one new project rule. So, like, I have to finish a WIP before I start a new project. And, you know, kind of, alternate in between to try to get through this ‘cause it does feel so good when that pile shrinks. Like, it’s, like, a high.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I know that you had this high recently because we were on a video call when you were finishing a bunch of WIPs at some point recently. So tell me about your WIP pile. What’s your WIP journey been? Give me all the tea.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. Yes. I went through my studio at the beginning of this year to tidy things up, and I did a big, clear out, tidy town. It was so great.

Caroline: Love it.

Helen: It felt so good. So I did pare down my WIP pile, although I will say I’m very bad at letting things go completely. Like, I want to save every project and see if I can see it through. So I made a pile of the things I was actually excited about working on, let go of a few things, and then, I decided I was just gonna, like, give ‘er, and I’m just gonna work on the WIPs, and I’m just gonna go through them, and I’m gonna get ’em all done.

And I also separate my WIPs and my refashions. And my refashioning pile includes items that are, like, the wrong size or need to be altered to fit better. Or they’re just things that, maybe I have a dress, I wanna turn it into a top or a skirt or something like that. They’re often things that I’ve made in the past that just aren’t working for me, and I just want to turn them into something else. So I, kind of, have two separate piles. I think they’re both WIPs, but I like to separate them.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Helen: So right now I have eight WIPs. I have seven refashion projects. And I have five quilt WIPs, which I don’t know in the world of quilting if that’s a lot or a little, but I, it feels reasonable to me. I will get them done

Caroline: How long have those quilt WIPs been, been sitting around for?

Helen: Not that long, like, a year or so. And some of them are, like, samples of designs that I’ve been working on that I’m not sure if I’m ever gonna finish. Like, I think sometimes it’s okay for me to, as a quilt designer, just make the top, just to make sure…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …that it works and I like it and to try different fabrics and try different techniques. And they may not ever become finished quilts. We’ll see.

Caroline: Yeah. Absolutely. Okay, well, that’s, like, not too bad. But during our sewing day, you tackled so many WIPs, like, wasn’t it, like, 10 things in one session…

Helen: I think it was eight in one session. But this is because of the reason that I abandon projects is often the very end of the project. Like, I have lots of WIPs in different stages, but most commonly, I abandon things at the finishing stage. So hems, buttonholes, bindings. I definitely think I’m more of a starter than a finisher.

And my creative drive tends to peter out a bit when I get to those last few steps. It doesn’t really make a lot of sense because you think I’d be excited to finish the thing, but I think if I’m unsure about the result or I’m feeling, like, a little bit, like, I don’t know if this is really what I wanted it to be, then I, I tend to abandon it at the last second.

Caroline: Yeah. Can you gimme some examples? Like, what, why would you abandon a project in the final, the final mile, Helen?

Helen: Well, recently I had a pair of checkerboard Brooks Jeans that are really cool, and I’m so glad I finished them, I actually wear them all the time, and I think they’re so cute, but I was just feeling very unsure about whether I was ever gonna wear these pants. They’re, they’re a lot. Like, it’s a look.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I was like, I don’t know. Where am I gonna wear these? Like, am I really gonna wear these out to the grocery store or whatever? Like, I just couldn’t picture myself in them. And so I didn’t sew the final thing, which is, like, the zipper fly. And actually, it was even just, like, a button. I think I had to put, like, one metal button on the zipper fly, and then, it would’ve been done. And so they sat in the WIP pile for so long, just waiting for that. So that’s a good example. And it turns out I love them, and I wear them all the time. So that worked out.

But I also have a Luna Dress hack that just needs a hem. I’m procrastinating on that one because the hem is really long, and it’s really curved, and it’s rayon fabric…

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: …and, I’m just like, I don’t wanna do that. Like, I never go in my sewing room and think, oh, today I wanna do a curved rayon hem. No.

Caroline: You’re like, that sounds like a great time. Yeah. That’s when you need to bribe yourself with, like, I don’t know, a dinner out afterwards or something.

Helen: Right? Where I could wear the dress.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I actually think it’s gonna be cute. Maybe I’ll finish that this afternoon. That would feel good. I have, like, a Dawson turtleneck that needs hemming, but I don’t have the right colour threads, so that one’s been sitting in there for ages, and I keep forgetting to buy the thread at the store. I need to just, like, make a shopping list and go do that. And then, I have a March Top that is, like, half done. It’s made in poly blend fabric that, I think I might hate this fabric.

Caroline: Oh, no.

Helen: I thought it’d be cute. But you know, halfway through working on it, you’re like, this fabric sucks. I can’t with this fabric. It’s so annoying. The poly makes it so hard to press. It feels weird on my body. I’m, like, 80% sure I’m not gonna like this top. But there’s part of me that’s still curious, and I have definitely been surprised before thinking I’m gonna not like a project for most of it, and then finishing it and being like, oh, it’s actually really cute.

Caroline: It is, kind of, funny though, how sometimes you’re working with a fabric and, like, you love it on the bolt, you love it on your fabric shelf, and then, you start working on it, and you’re like, I hate this. I hate this project, and I hate this fabric. And you just, like, it’s hard to get over that. It’s hard to move on.

Helen: Yeah. Exactly. Even after you finish it, it’s hanging in your closet sometimes. That’s, like, that hateful feeling can linger.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And lastly, I have a pretty big project. I have a, a cut out waxed canvas jacket.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh.

Helen: Be, like, so cool, but I’m a little worried it’s gonna be too big cause I cut it out when I was a larger size. And I’m also intimidated to sew the wax canvas, which is why I abandoned it in the first place. I was like, oh, I don’t know. Like, it’s just involves some extra care, and I wasn’t feeling it in the moment. And then it went into the WIP pile, and that’s where things go to die, we know.

Caroline: What pattern is it?

Helen: It’s the Assembly Line Hoodie Parka, I want to say.

Caroline: Oh, cool.

Helen: It’s a really cool pattern, and I, I was so excited to sew it. The pattern looks fantastic. The instructions are so cool, and I think it will be good. It would be fun. I was imagining it as, like, a dog walking jacket for the fall, so maybe I’ll work on it over the summer. We’ll see.

Caroline: Even if it’s still a little big, it could be cool, like, a jacket like that. Nice for layering.

Helen: Totally. Yeah. It won’t matter too much if it’s too big, and I can just take it in when I’m sewing it. Like, it’s not really an excuse, but you know how it is.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally.

Helen: Okay. What about you? Why, why are you abandoning your projects mostly?

Caroline: Yeah, I mean, I, I talked about some of the different projects I have already. But I think the most common point in the process that I abandon a project is in the early stages, like, when I have it cut out, but I haven’t even started sewing. Or even when I’m partway through sewing, but I, I really lose steam.

But usually, it’s just after cutting, which is, like, so annoying. Like, why did I even cut it out if I wasn’t gonna sew it? You know? And a lot of those projects that I, sort of, gave up when I was going through my WIP pile were projects like that, that were cut out. And I was either like, I don’t even know if this is gonna fit me anymore. I don’t even like this anymore.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And yeah, it’s discouraging. It feels like you wasted your time, you know?

Helen: Yeah. And materials too, right?

Caroline: Yeah. Exactly. Like, when it hasn’t even been sewn yet, it, like, hasn’t come close to fulfilling its potential as a garment, you know?

Helen: It’s garment destiny.

Caroline: Yeah, exactly. I just ruined the destiny of the garment. Obviously, I’m being very negative, but I, I do believe that WIPs are okay and that they’re very normal. So don’t let my, um, poo-pooing get you down.

Helen: No, I’m sure there are lots of listeners out there who can relate. Like, it, I think it can feel a little bit, like, almost shameful to cut something out and not go any further with it. Uh, but I think there are lots of people out there who have that problem ‘cause cutting out is, like, a big undertaking. It’s the beginning of the project, so sometimes you muster all your creative energy to do that step, and then, that’s all you got. And then, it sits for a little while and other things happen, and there you go.

Caroline: Okay. I, I wanna talk about, like, what our WIPs say about our personalities or tendencies, because I feel like we can get some, information from this.

Helen: Yes, this is true.

Caroline: What do you think, Helen?

Helen: I think I am a big ideas person. I love embarking on a new creative endeavour. That’s the easy part for me. I can really work up a lot of excitement and enthusiasm at the beginning. Given my WIP and refashion and scrap bin situation in my office, I would say I have trouble parting with things.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay.

Helen: I wanna save every project. I wanna use every scrap, and I wanna keep all the makes. I rarely get rid of things that I’ve made. And I have so many clothes in my closet, in my storage bins in my bedroom, too. So, yeah, that’s also a thing: I’m not good at parting with things. But I will also say on a more positive note, that I really like to go with the flow, and I like to work on things and do things that I’m excited about in the moment.

And I, I think I’m getting better at recognizing that this doesn’t mean that I’m, you know, moving on from things and that that thing is over. I can always come back to stuff. And I think it’s totally okay to follow your own creative process. And if you’re just not jazzed about something, then yeah, do something you are jazzed about.

Caroline: Yeah. I really love that sentiment. And I also wonder if, like, having more space since you moved into your house is contributing to your ability to keep things. Like, do you think that you were like that when you lived in a really small apartment?

Helen: I mean, we did have a lot of stuff in that apartment. My fabric stash was still huge in that apartment. I had it in, like, every nook and cranny. And even as a kid, I never wanted to part with things, especially clothes. Like, I had so much clothes as a child and, like, dress up clothes and stuff, and I never wanted to part with any of my stuffed animals. Like, I just, I tend to like anthropomorphize things and, like, I’m like, this shirt, like, has a personality. It’s, like, a living thing to me, and I can’t, like, throw it away. Like, what?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh.

Helen: I don’t know. I need to go see a therapist.

Caroline: We all need a little therapy.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Maybe I’m just a caring, empathetic person. Let’s, let’s go with that.

Caroline: Let’s put a positive spin on it. Yeah.

Helen: Okay. Caroline, what about you? What insights do you have for us?

Caroline: Yeah, like, earlier you were, you said you’re more of a starter than a finisher. I think if that’s you, then, I’m more of a dreamer than a starter.

Helen: Oh, my God. I love that.

Caroline: Like, I think I’m often optimistic about how much time something is gonna take, and I end up overextending myself with creative projects. So if I really like a pattern, I’ll cut out three more of them and be like, yeah, I’m gonna knock this out in a few weeks.

And then, you know, that, that doesn’t end up happening. And those are the things that end up sitting in my WIP pile. I also think that sometimes I take on projects because I think I should make something, or I’ve committed to it without actually wanting to do it. And this is me, like, being painfully honest, but it’s true.

Like, if my heart is not in a project, I’m not gonna want to reach for it. So, I think this has happened in the past with things that I’ve made for other people or committed to making for other people. Unless there’s, like, a clear deadline on that, where they’re like, can you make me this thing for my wedding or for this event that I need to go to? Outside of that, like, usually, I, it doesn’t end up happening. And then there’s, like, a lot of guilt associated with those WIPs, right?

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: So I, I try, I’ve tried to learn from that and, and say no more often than yes. It’s hard though, with friends and family. But yeah, I, I think that I overextend myself. I’m overly optimistic about how long things will take, and sometimes, I, I’ll do things that I don’t really want to do, you know?

Helen: Been there. Yeah, definitely can relate to that. And you know what? Being overly optimistic is not necessarily a bad trait.

Caroline: No, I mean, it, sometimes it ends up resulting in some stress, like, in all nighters.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, you do know this about yourself…

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: …that you love a deadline.

Caroline: I love a deadline.

Helen: And that is always gonna help you achieve anything you’re working on.

Caroline: Totally.

Helen: So, I mean, you can utilise that, for sure. It’s pretty easy to put a deadline on something or, you know, ask a friend or family member to put a deadline on something.

Caroline: Or to hold me accountable. Yeah. I also, I, I wanna call out too that I just, like, I love your strategy of just doing things that you’re excited about and following your creative process, and I, I have tried to be more like that in my creative process of just like, what do I really wanna sew? What do I really wanna make? Like, what is exciting to me right now? And, like, not feel guilty about maybe all of the other things that were meant to be but didn’t end up coming to fruition, you know?

Helen: Yeah, exactly.

Caroline: Yeah, We should talk about one of our favourite topics now, and that is organisation.

Helen: Yes! If you got a lot of WIPs, you gotta keep those WIPs organised.

Caroline: I love to organise. I love to organise when I don’t even need to organise. I love to reorganise.

Helen: Great procrastination technique.

Caroline: A great technique. Yes. I was just doing it yesterday. So here are some ideas for organising your WIPs that make them more easily accessible. Knowing what you have and where to find it is super helpful when you’re trying to reduce your WIP pile. So, yeah, let’s kick it off. I know this first one is something that you do, Helen, right?

Helen: Yes. I think that large Ziploc bags are a really great way to store projects. You can put your fabric pieces, notions, even the pattern and the thread in there if you want, so that you’re ready to work on it again and you have everything you need in one place. Labelling each bag with a Sharpie will really help.

Your future self will be very grateful when you’re going through that WIP pile, and you can clearly see what things are. You can write the pattern, name, size, and the fabric type and content on there. Or you could just write that all on a piece of paper and lay it against one side of the bag so that you can really clearly see it. I don’t even put that much detail. I just scrawl on it, like, Yanta Overalls. Throw a piece of paper in there just so that I can quickly leaf through them and remember what they are.

Caroline: Yeah. You don’t wanna be, like, taking out pieces and being like, what size is this? What pattern is this even?

Helen: Yeah. Exactly.

Caroline: If you have a lot of WIPs, clear stacking boxes can be really handy. Then, when you’re figuring out which WIP you wanna work on, you’ll have a really clear visual. And it’s also nice that stacking boxes never, kind of, become, like, a literal pile…

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: …which can easily happen with bags. I think shoe or boot boxes would be the right size for most WIPs. And then, you know, they look really organised in a little pile, and it looks very intentional. And you could just be like, yeah, I meant to store them like that, and they’re just gonna hang out there until I’m ready for ’em.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I have some clear stacking boxes in my workroom for things that I’m currently working on. We never did decide what to call those current WIPs in progress.

Caroline: CWIPs.

Helen: Yeah, sure. I also, recently got a large filing cabinet for my quilting projects ‘cause I thought that would be a cool way to store them. So it has these big drawers, and then, the files are organised in a horizontal format, so I can, kind of, leaf through them. And I basically put all the materials, like, all the cut pieces and stuff into the file folder. And then, I can, like, quickly leaf through and find the project that I wanna work on, which works well with quilting projects because when you’re in the middle of working on them, they’re, they’re quite small until you actually sew ’em together and they become huge.

Caroline: No, totally. That sounds like it would work really well. I think that could work for garments, too.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. I think it really could. If you’re really visual or you have a bit of extra closet space, you can hang your WIPs up. If they’re almost done, you can hang it up on a regular hanger. Otherwise, you could use, like, pants hangers with clips to hold your fabric and your pattern pieces. You can even put your notions in a little baggy that you pierce and slide over the hook of the hanger so it’s all in one place.

Caroline: Love it. And you can display a WIP you want to finish on a dress form if you have one. Out of sight, out of mind really is a thing. So if you have your WIP hanging around and haunting you, you might be more likely to pick it back up.

Helen: Haunting you. Like, literally, like, on a, like, headless dress form in the corner.

Caroline: Can you imagine? You turn around, you’re like, ah, not you again.

Helen: Finish me. Finish me!

Helen: Okay. If you do nothing else, at least make yourself a little note with all the info you would normally label your WIP with. You can even just do this in your notes app on your phone or a little notebook. I have so many of those little notebooks I’ve gotten as gifts over the years just lying around. So designate one as your WIP book and record the pattern size, fabric type, content, and where you stored it, if that’s applicable.

It might also be a good idea to write down the next step. If you have, a reason that you quit the project that you are aware of, you could write that down in the book. Might make restarting it a lot easier. I love the idea of a paper notebook, because you can cross out the entry with, like, a big X when you finish.

Caroline: Yeah. Or, like, uh, post-its, you know, that really amazing satisfaction of, like, taking a post-it and, like, crumpling it up when you’re finished with it.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: God, so good. if you’re not a physical list person, you could also keep track of these, in an online organisation tool like Notion or Evernote, Google Drive, Trello. Some of these even allow you to set reminders for yourself…

Helen: Ooh. That’s true.

Caroline: …or put things in a calendar format. So there’s lots of things you could do to try to keep yourself motivated to come back to those WIPs if you’re using, like, a digital tool.

Helen: Yeah. That’s a great idea. Side note: I do think it’s hilarious when you’re going through your WIP pile and you stumble upon something that you literally don’t remember ever working on. You’re like, what is this? Where did this come from? Did I cut this out? I don’t remember this.

Caroline: I have some of those, or had.

Helen: Right? Like, your brain has completely blocked it out.

Caroline: Yeah. Totally.

Helen: Okay. Let’s get into what are some ways that we can get back into our WIPs, work through the pile, and do that without totally losing our sewjo or feeling like we’re doing something that we don’t wanna be doing.

Caroline: Yeah. So your first step is to sort through your WIPs. You want to get all of your WIPs out at once, just so you can see what you have and figure out which ones are worth finishing and which ones you just don’t wanna finish. So organise your keep pile and make a plan for your no pile.

Helen: And if you can’t decide whether or not something is worth finishing, it can be really helpful to find someone to use as a sounding board. If you’re not sure how to fix a sewing problem, you could talk to a sewist friend or get on a sewing message board, like Pattern Review or the sewing subreddit. And if your hesitation is mostly about the style, you could talk to any friend whose style you admire. Even journaling about it can help because getting your thoughts written down instead of letting them swim around in your head makes everything just so much more clear.

Caroline: Yeah, and you should totally make your sorting day fun. Like, put on great music or your favourite movie. Set an intention to be gentle and kind to yourself and make it feel like you’re setting off on an adventure: conquering your WIP pile.

Helen: Yeah. And after you’re done, your sorting, you’ll have a better idea of what WIPs you have. You can make a plan to start working through them and start with the WIP that you like the most. I mean, having a new garment that looks and feels amazing is a great motivator. So definitely start with something that you’re excited about.

Caroline: Yeah. Or you could start with two or three quick wins. The momentum is gonna help you move on to the rest of your pile, and it can be so satisfying. I personally feel like the first thing I’m gonna work on is, like, those two garments that are almost finished that just need bands and hem. ‘Cause I’m gonna be like, yeah, this is done. Now I can donate them, and they’re gonna go to somebody who loves them, and I’m gonna feel so happy. And then I’ll have more space in my sewing room.

Helen: Yeah, that’s a great idea. I mean, the hemming is definitely a, a great one to knock out of the park. If you need supplies to finish your project, you can go on a little shopping spree and get those supplies. I mean, who doesn’t love some craft shopping?

Caroline: You can incentivize yourself by planning rewards. Like, once I finish the first WIP for my pile, I’m gonna start working on the swimsuit I’ve always wanted to make. Or if I finish this WIP, I can go get ice cream to celebrate. I love that one.

Helen: And we mentioned this already, but you could try setting a WIP ratio. This is your ratio of WIP projects to new projects. So if you set a one-to-one ratio, like Caroline was talking about, that would mean that you plan to finish a WIP for every new project that you start. Or you could go one to three if you wanna allow for more new projects or three to one if you wanna finish more WIPs. That kind of thing can work really well as a motivator.

And I’ve seen some folks do this with fabric purchasing, too, like, buying two new fabrics and then finishing two projects from the stash kind of thing. And I know that some sewists think of their fabric stash as WIPs, like the uncut fabric. If you’re one of those people that has a clear vision for what you plan to do with that fabric, it can feel like a WIP just in and of itself.

Caroline: Totally, I can’t even imagine how many WIPs I have if I started thinking about my fabric as WIPs.

Helen: That’s true. I tend to buy fabric for fabric’s sake and not with projects in mind. So I don’t think of it quite that way. But I know people out there do have, like, specific plans for things and that can be motivating, too.

Caroline: Yeah. You could also do a WIP ratio that’s based on time. Like, for every 30 minutes you work on a WIP, you work for an hour on a new project, or you could start every sewing session with 15 minutes of WIP work and then, move on to whatever other projects you’re motivated to finish.

Helen: Ooh, I really like that strategy. A little WIP work.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: If you’re in the mood for a timed challenge, you could spend a whole weekend working on your WIPs. See how many you can finish. If you do this periodically, you might be surprised how quickly things get cleaned up.

Caroline: Yeah, or you can get together with friends and all work on WIPs together.

Helen: Ooh! WIP weekend.

Caroline: And share your finished WIPs. Social media is a fun place to do this, but it can be just as fun and fulfilling to share them with friends and family who support your sewing. Make sure to let them know how long the project’s been hanging around and how excited you are to finish it. It’s super motivating to get good feedback. I know this really encourages me when I show someone a WIP, and they’re like, yeah, you should totally finish that. I’m like, yeah, I should, right?

Helen: Yeah. Right? It’s gonna be awesome. Let’s talk a little more about letting go of WIPs. I don’t know anything about this. I can’t let go. No. But when do you call it and what do you do?

Caroline: I think if you don’t like a project anymore or you think you won’t wear it, then it’s time to let it go. It’s important to be honest with yourself during the sorting process that we talked about earlier. Like, come up with the actual reason why you left the WIP unfinished. And if the reason has a fixable component, like, I need to learn how to sew a zipper fly, or I wanna get matching serger thread for this project, or I have to let it out at the seams, then it’s a good candidate for finishing.

But if you find yourself saying, I’m not ready to let it go, then you might wanna press harder to see what the real reason is. The answer might be, I don’t like it. And that’s the moment you ask yourself: do I wanna refashion this or do I wanna let it go? And if you can’t think of any good refashioning ideas, or you just don’t want to, just let it go.

Helen: Oh, okay.

Caroline: Deep breath.

Helen: I think the sunk cost fallacy can hit us really hard here, too, because you’re like, I spent all that money and time on it already, so I have to finish it. But the truth is that money and time is already spent…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and are you going to spend even more of your precious sewing time on something that you’re not going to necessarily enjoy and maybe lose your sewjo on the way? The best thing in those cases is just try to learn whatever lesson you can and move on.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. And we have some ideas for what you can do with the WIPs that go in your no pile. I know this is something that I struggle with because I might have a pile of things that I don’t want to finish, but I also don’t really know what to do with them, and I feel really bad just throwing them in the garbage so I have some ideas.

So you can offer them to another garment sewist, quilter, or crafter. Quilters are especially good at making use of smaller pieces. So if you have a local buy nothing group, you can make a listing. There are probably some sewists in there or people who know sewists. You can even offer your old WIPs to people in an online sewing or quilting group and ask them to pay only for the shipping cost. Just be careful with your personal information if you do that one.

Helen: And if you can use the fabric yourself, of course, that’s an option. There’s a lot of good scrap busting projects that can work well for garment fabrics, and those can make great gifts, too. And cutting up a WIP into tiny pieces can be very cathartic. It’s, like, truly, you’re letting it go. You’re cutting it up. It’s no longer that garment that you didn’t want. It’s just becoming fabric again. And then you can make whatever you want out of it.

Caroline: Yes, you can also donate them to a creative reuse centre. These are like thrift stores for sewing, crafting, and art supplies. Or you could try donating to a regular thrift store that has a great crafts section and maybe someone will discover your WIP and want to finish it.

Helen: Yeah, and search the internet for textile recycling near you. Textile recycling centres turn discarded textiles into things like insulation, paper, carpet padding, car seat cushions, etc. So we’ll links up some options in the show notes.

Caroline: Yeah. Or you can stuff it into your scrap pouf. Maybe just cut it up first so it’s not so bulky. Also, remember, uh, those poufs can get really heavy if you fill them with only fabric. I’ve definitely almost thrown out my back trying to lift scrap pouf.

Helen: I know I have one in my living room. It’s, like, rock hard. Like, it weighs, like, a hundred pounds. It’s always funny when people, like, randomly will, like, try to pull it over to sit down on it, and they’re like, what is up with this pouf? Why is it so heavy? So for those of us who have a problem with creating a lot of WIPs, how can we avoid making them in the future?

Caroline: Okay. So you can change your regular routine. Don’t print or cut things out until you’re ready to start sewing them. I really need to tell myself this. Caroline, don’t do this. If you’re having trouble mustering up the sewjo to finish your current project, go into problem solving mode, ask yourself, why haven’t I finished this? If you need to learn a new technique, read a tutorial, maybe practise it on scraps. And if you need to buy a notion, buy it right away. If you’re feeling tired of your project, create some small goals with rewards when you accomplish them.

Helen: Yes, and be realistic about how much you can handle. Maybe don’t start a lot of garments at once if you don’t have the time or energy to finish them. Going a long time without feeling that completion high is a sure way to drain your sewjo. So if you find yourself in that position, consider picking one of your projects and finishing it before getting back to all your other ones.

I am so guilty of this. I’ll, like, wanna make five t-shirts at once or, like, three pairs of leggings, especially with knits, I think. I always cut out a bunch and then I only sew one or two and then the rest languish.

Caroline: I can relate to that one. You don’t actually have to avoid making WIPs. Life happens, and some sewists actually work best if they can move back and forth between projects. But taking a break from a project you’re having difficulty with is a good way to work through a problem with it. And some people like to choose what to sew according to their mood. So that’s totally okay. And a good way to keep your sewjo up.

Helen: Yeah, and there’s one caveat we wanted to mention, which is that some projects make better WIPs than others. It’s, kind of, funny to think about, but for example, a quilt that you work on for years is pretty harmless. You can come back and finish that at any time, but if you’re someone who’s weight fluctuates or you’re working on a project that’s more form fitted, it’s possible that the garment you started a year ago is no longer gonna fit by the time you finish it. So that’s something to consider when you’re relegating things to the WIP pile and be like, how likely is it that I will succeed at this when I come back to it?

Caroline: And if you’re in a situation where you wanna put a project away for a bit or you wanna start something new, just go for it. It’s totally okay to start another project. You’re not a bad sewist or a silly person. You’re just seeking enjoyment in your hobby, and that is what it’s all about. So no guilt here.

Helen: Oh, 100%. I mean, there’s a world of difference between making a few garments that you end up deciding you don’t wanna finish and being a fast fashion production house. Like, building the skills to make quality garments is as anti-fast fashion as it gets. And I don’t think that it should be shameful or you should feel like you’re wasting materials or time if this happens to you. We all have WIPs. It’s cool.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. No, it’s so true. Okay, we have a fun challenge for all of our listeners out there. So for the month after this episode comes back, so that’s gonna be April 25th to May 25th, we wanna challenge you to work on your WIPs and share them on Instagram. So here are some ideas for posts that you can make.

Helen: Yes. We wanna see your WIP pile. Show us what’s in it. Oh, my gosh. Give us a full show. I would love to see people just, you know, pulling out one project at a time and telling us all about them. I would watch that for hours. Tell us what your WIP making tendencies are. When do you usually abandon a project? What are the usual reasons? What do you think that says about yourself personally? What do you think you need to talk to your therapist about? I mean, I wanna hear it all.

Caroline: Okay. You can also talk about your WIP pile strategy. So talk about how you’re planning to tackle your pile. What motivates you to finish your WIPs. Maybe you’re gonna help motivate some other people.

Helen: What’s your go-to television show for the WIP pile?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And, of course, we wanna see your finished WIPs, say how long they’ve been in your pile, and how you feel now that they’re done.

Caroline: Yes. And use the #LoveToSewWIPs so that we can see your progress and follow the hashtag to see what other sewists in the community are doing. This is gonna be so fun.

Helen: Ooh! It’s gonna be so fun, and I’m, kind of, hoping there will be some actual whips in the hashtag. Like, if you wanna sew an actual whip, like a wiiish whip, you can do that, too.

Caroline: Perfect. Okay. Love it.

That’s it for today’s episode of Love To Sew. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. We’re recording in beautiful, but rainy, British Columbia, Canada.

Helen: Go 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 voicemail at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. You can ask us sewing questions there, and we’ll probably play it on the show ‘cause we don’t get that many voicemails. Or you can send us an email at [email protected].

Caroline: And if you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon for $5 a month. You get a full length bonus episode if you want ideas for what to listen to and watch, while you’re sewing. We love talking about our favourite shows, and you’ll also get weekly behind the scenes pics.

And for $10 a month, which is the next tier, you’ll get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off discount codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for y’all. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

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

Caroline: Bye

Helen: Bye.

WIP, WIP, WIP, WIP, WIP. Now watch me WIP. Now watch me. Na na. Watch me WIP, WIP.

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Double gauze is a lightweight, breathable, cloud-like fabric that often has a nice crinkly texture. In this episode, we answer all your questions about sewing it – how to pre-wash it, how to keep it from fraying too much, and most importantly: DO YOU PRESS IT?! Listen in for all our best tips and pattern recommendations. Plus, we answer a listener question about how to prevent and treat underarm sweat stains!

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

From the Catch-Up Section:

A post shared by Christine Haynes (@christinehaynes)

From the Listener Question Section:

Resources:

Where to Buy Double Gauze:

Patterns:

Tools:

Other Mentions:

A post shared by Samantha | Sewing, Crafts, Content Creation (@purplesewingcloud)

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.

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 our own clothes and wanna encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Helen: Join us for today’s topic: Double Gauze.

Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m doing well. Thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. I’m good

Helen: I just got to see you in person, like, a few days ago. Such a treat.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. What a treat. A whirlwind. Less than 24 hours.

Helen: Right? We like to hang out hard.

Caroline: Yeah, we still got a delicious Sam dinner and a delicious Sam brunch…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …and some delicious Helen clock-, cocktails.

Helen: Clocktails.

Caroline: Clocktails. And a nice forest walk. So it was the perfect day.

Helen: A forest walk. A fire pit hangout.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yeah, we squeezed it all in.

Helen: We did it all.

Caroline: Yeah, and I got to see a preview of some of the future Cedar Quilt Co patterns.

Helen: Oh, yeah. My studio’s covered in quilts.

Caroline: Yeah. That’s one of my favourite parts of coming to visit you is you’re like, come into my studio, and I get to see all the stuff you’re working on.

Helen: Yeah, it’s really fun. I love showing people the stuff in person. Like, we can look at all the garments on the rack and all the quilts on the wall. It’s so good.

Caroline: If anyone out there is jealous, you should be. It’s really fun to hang out with Helen.

Helen: I mean, it’s equally fun to go to Blackbird Fabrics, so I wanna see all these block prints and handwoven cottons in person, you know?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Those fabrics are everything.

Helen: They’re so beautiful. I bought four different block prints when you did the drop. Couldn’t resist. Very excited. Gonna use them for some upcoming patterns, but honestly, I think my favourite fabric that you sell is those block prints.

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: I just love it. I love the substrate that they’re on. I love the designs, the colours, I mean, everything. I love everything about them.

Caroline: Me, too. Me, too. I have, like, four garments made out of these fabrics and, like, a bunch more in my stash. It’s totally my favourite thing to wear. Can you guess the favourite, or the bestselling, block print?

Helen: Ooh. Oh, that’s really tough because everyone has different vibes, and there’s so much, like, variety in that last drop, like, something for everybody truly. Oh, I mean, oh, Caroline. One of my favourites… I really like the, like dark teal-y background with, like, the bright yellow sunflowers.

Caroline: Yeah, that one was the second most popular.

Helen: Okay. Wait, okay. So the first one was probably, then, the navy background with the gold swirling.

Caroline: Okay, the most popular one was, it’s called Pete Blush Kale. Shout out to our marketing team for coming up with new colour names. It’s, like the, the larger scale florally one with, like, a greyish-brownish background and, like, pink and yellow flowers and green foliage on it. It’s called tapestry block printed organic cotton batiste, Pete Blush Kale.

Which is not surprising because when we release these block prints, often the dark background ones, like the grey background ones or the brown background ones do the best, which I mean, I, I never know how to predict, like, what’s gonna sell the best, but definitely I gravitate towards the brighter coloured ones, but I think people love a neutral, and these ones sew up so nice. Like, they look so, so good.

Helen: I mean they would all look incredible sewn up as pretty much anything.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Maybe not, maybe not jeans, but…

Caroline: Yeah, no. Don’t make pants. Well, maybe you could do, like, an elastic waist pant, but… uh,

Helen: Oh, yeah. You totally could. Like, a easy breezy, like, summer pant or short.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah. it’s a bit thin, but, like, it would totally work.

Caroline: Yeah, it would totally work or, like, a little pj set or something.

Helen: Oh, yeah. Well I got a bunch of the, like, the sunflower one that I was describing. I got a bunch of that one to make a dressing robe.

Caroline: Ooh.

Helen: You had some pictures of Christine Haynes in the marketing content.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: She totally sold me on the dressing robe. I was flipping through, and I was like, dressing robe in this fabric would be amazing. I want, so I definitely am gonna copy her.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I was gonna say Christine Haynes is killing it with her block print makes. Like, she has a few that are so, so beautiful, and I agree that dressing robe, I wanna make one, as well. When I saw it, I was like, yeah, I definitely need that. Absolutely.

Helen: I need that. Yeah, it was so funny. I was definitely marketed to. It worked. Well done.

Caroline: Thank you. Thank you.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. No. I’m not surprised that this one was the best. I didn’t personally get this one, but I can see why people love it. It’s so pretty. That pink colour is just gorgeous. I mean, love it.

Caroline: But they’re all just so beautiful.

Helen: Really are. And you guys have lots of stock in these, right? You said…

Caroline: We do. I mean, the one that I just mentioned, we sold a hundred metres of it on day one, which is amazing. I love that there’s gonna be that many people out in the world with this fabric. Um, it still, like, thrills me when I think about that, but, so that one is, I think we only have 30 metres left in stock, maybe.

Um, so by the time this episode comes out, it will probably be sold out, but otherwise, yeah. Some of the other ones have quite a bit of stock still, so we try to bring in a lot because these take a long time to make. So to restock them, it’ll be a few months which I’m sure we’ll do a restock this summer.

Helen: The artisans do such a good job on these. Like, they’re so beautiful. You almost rarely see the, like, lines where the blocks happen. It’s very impressive.

Caroline: But I do, kind of, love when you have a little bit of overlap…

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: …or a little bit of imperfection ‘cause it just, it shows that maker’s mark, right?

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: You’re like, oh, somebody hand block printed this with love…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …and attention, and it just makes that fabric feel all the more, more special.

Helen: Totally. Yeah. I love it. Okay well, we’re not talking about batiste today.

Caroline: I know. We’re talking about double gauze.

Helen: Yes, we are. But first we have a question here from listener Desi: “I discovered your podcast fairly recently, and I have been bingeing episodes ever since. I aspire to make garments I love made of good-quality fabrics that will last me a long time—but I’m a sweaty person and armpit stains seem to foil my plans time and time again! Looking for any and all advice: types of fabrics to use; care techniques; patterns to try, etc.”

Caroline: Ooh. Okay. Desi, this is so relatable. I think this is a problem a lot of us have. I certainly am a sweaty person.

Helen: Same.

Caroline: So we have lots of tips for you today. But first, let’s talk about preventative measures. So you wanna make sure you’re using the right fabric. Natural fibre fabrics like cotton, linen and wool and plant fibre fabrics like rayon or Tencel are going to allow moisture to pass through.

Synthetics like polyester and nylon can trap moisture and heat making you sweat even more. And the exception to this is moisture wicking fabrics, which are synthetic. But designed to draw moisture away from the skin and into the fabric. So this is often like athletic wear fabrics that you would use for making leggings and things.

And they’re often marketed as moisture wicking. They’re also gonna dry quickly, unlike natural fibre fabrics. So these are actually a great option for sweaty situations. But I guess our first tip is to choose a fabric that’s gonna help you breathe so that the sweat doesn’t sort of fester.

Helen: Ooh, yeah. I can’t wear a polyester because of the sweat situation.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It’s not great. Another tip we have is to dress in light layers. This is a good way to keep yourself from getting too hot. Might seem obvious, but just in case you hadn’t thought of this. You can try lightweight cardigans, jackets, and dusters that are easy to take on and off.

You don’t even need to make cardigans out of sweater knit material. You can make cardigans like the Blackwood Cardigan is great in just, like, a bamboo rayon, like something really light that then gives you the layering option, but is not heavy like a sweater knit.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. I love a lightweight cardigan that I can just throw on. Like, it’s so, so nice and doesn’t feel heavy or make me feel sweaty. So great tip.

Undershirts can absorb moisture and protect the garments you wear over them. So you can make an undershirt from a lightweight cotton or moisture wicking performance fabric and choose a close fitting t-shirt pattern or tank pattern. I think the Helen’s Closet Dawson Top would work well because it has that open neckline that could make it wearable with a lot of different garments over top.

But if you wanna avoid extra bulk or having to pull down the undershirt, you might want to go for a bodysuit. The Rowan Bodysuit by Megan Nielsen would be good for that. Or you can buy ready to wear body suits and wear your me-mades over them. Google no show short sleeve bodysuit, and you’ll find some good options.

Helen: Yeah. Let that ready to wear bodysuit soak up all that sweat.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay, next we wanna talk about antiperspirants. They are actually more effective if you put them on at night. I didn’t even know this…

Caroline: No. Me, neither.

Helen: …but this is interesting. The aluminium takes time to penetrate your skin and work effectively. You can even take a shower in the morning and the antiperspirant will still work because it’s already absorbed into the sweat glands.

And keep in mind, this tip is only for antiperspirants. If you don’t like to use antiperspirants and you’re more of a deodorant person, or you’re just going au naturel, if it doesn’t have aluminium in it, it’s not gonna work In the same way.

Also, antiperspirants need to be applied to the dry skin. So if you’re just out of the shower or you’re already sweaty, you need to actually dry off your skin before you can apply and have it be effective.

There are also antiperspirants out there that are made so they don’t leave stains on clothes. So, that might be a problem that you have. I know Dove makes some that are called Advanced Care Clear Finish. Caroline, do you use antiperspirant or deodorant? I’m curious.

Caroline: I use deodorant, but now I’m wondering if I should switch ‘cause the idea of having something that doesn’t leave stains is appealing to me.

Helen: Yeah, it is super appealing.

Caroline: How ‘bout you?

Helen: I’ve always tr-, I’ve avoided the aluminum antiperspirants ‘cause, like, I don’t love the idea of the aluminum, like, getting into my, like, pores.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Helen: And, like, I work from home soI’m fine with being sweaty.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I just use a natural deodorant. I think I use the Schmitz brand and I really like it. It smells really good, the, like, lemon grass one.

Caroline: Oh, I definitely have tried using natural deodorant in the past, and it’s given me, like, a rash almost.

Helen: Oh, no!

Caroline: So I wonder, yeah, if I should try some different brands and see, see how they work for me.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, ultimately you gotta do what works for you.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. And this is not medical advice in any way.

Helen: No.

Caroline: Okay, moving on. Our last preventative strategy is dress shields. We’ve talked about this on the show before. These are also called sweat guards or underarm pads. You can buy disposable ones that you can stick on the underarms of your garments, or you can buy or make reusable ones that you pin to them. Verity Vintage Studio has a tutorial for how to make your own, and we’ll link that up in the show notes for you.

Helen: Yeah, dress shields underrated.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: my top thing that I do for not getting too sweaty is I wear sleeveless clothes…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …pretty much all the time, and then, I’ll throw layering pieces over it. But I love to be able to, like, take off all those layers and have my armpits be free.

Caroline: Yeah, I also find, like, garments that are not super tight to my underarm. Like, I don’t get sweat stains on my, like, Wiksten Shift Tops or my other, like, linen tops that are looser, like, my button ups that feel looser on my body.

Helen: Yeah.

But I definitely get sweat stains on my, like, Nikko Tops…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …or my Jackson Tees or whatever, you know, like, things that are tighter get those stains. So it might just be a question of making some garments if you don’t like wearing sleeveless that have a little bit more space in the underarm.

Helen: Right. Bat wing sleeve.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Here you come.

Caroline: Okay. Should we get into stain removal?

Helen: Yes. First we have a few general tips for pretty much every stain ever. You wanna treat it as soon as possible, so it’s best to do your stain removal at the end of the day versus doing it all on laundry day. Um, this doesn’t mean that it won’t come out if you wait, but it’s a lot easier the sooner that you do it.

Caroline: And don’t put a garment through the dryer if the stain hasn’t come out, because this can set a stain and make it harder or impossible to remove.

Helen: Finally, and this doesn’t really apply to the advice we’re about to give, but we want to say it’s always worth saying when we’re talking about stain removal to never, ever, ever mix ammonia and chlorine bleach because it makes a poisonous gas. And I just want everyone to know this. Okay. Now let’s get into stain removal nitty gritty.

Caroline: Yeah. So sweat is a protein stain, so an enzyme product is the best way to remove it. Enzymes break down proteins. So pre-treat your underarm stains with the enzyme stain remover according to the instructions. And if the fabric is discoloured, you can use ammonia to treat new stains or vinegar to treat old stains.

Helen: If you have stains that are a mix of antiperspirant and sweat, the process is a little bit different. First, you wanna scrape off any solids with a butter knife. Oh, my gosh. Solids, like, just the leftover deodorant, I guess.

Caroline: Yeah, like, the, you know, sometimes you get those little chunks.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Love this. Love this conversation for us, Helen.

Helen: Love this convo. Yes. Super informative. Okay. Scrape off those solids with your butter knife, and then soak the stains in a mixture of about a quart of lukewarm water, half a teaspoon of dish washing soap, tablespoon of ammonia for about 15 minutes. Gently rub the back of the fabric to loosen the stain, and then, soak it for another 15 minutes. Then, rinse it out, and then, you can go ahead with your enzyme product. If the stains are new, you can soak it for about 30 minutes, and if they’re old, you can do up to a couple hours. If the colour is still off after you’ve done all this, you can wash it with an oxygen bleach to try and get the fabric back to what it once was.

Caroline: And we got all of our stain removal info from an amazing website by the University of Illinois extension called Stain Solutions. We’re gonna link into the show notes. It’s such a great resource to have in your pocket.

Helen: Totally. Okay. That’s a bunch of tips to keep your me-mades in tiptop shape no matter what’s happening with your pits.

Caroline: I feel like we just did, like, a mini deep dive on stain removal.

Helen: I know. A mini ep, and we’re laughing ‘cause it’s funny. We’re not laughing at you, Desi.

Caroline: No!

Helen: We are both the sweatiest people, like…

Caroline: Oh, yeah. My pits don’t lie, Helen.

Helen: Pits don’t lie. Okay. Caroline, are you ready to get into the double gauze goodness?

Caroline: Heck yeah, I am. I love a fabric episode. So let’s kick it off and just talk about what is double gauze anyway. So gauze is a lightweight, loose weave, sheer fabric, and double gauze is two layers of gauze held together by basting stitches. So you can gently separate the two layers at the edge if you wanna see this more clearly. And the double layer makes the fabric less sheer and more stable than a single layer gauze.

Helen: Nearly all double gauze fabrics are made of a hundred percent cotton, and this means that they’re very breathable and washable.

Caroline: And double gauzes fabrics usually have some texture to them. They vary from just a little spongy to very crinkly. And the crinkling is usually what’s trips sewists up, but we have some good tips for working with crinkly double gauze coming up, so don’t worry.

Helen: Yes! And because of its open weave, double gauze is very soft against the skin. The double layer makes it feel airy. It’s almost cloud-like. Its weight and breathability make it comfortable to wear in the summer, but double gauze is also great and cooler weather since the air that gets trapped between the layers is like a good insulation.

Caroline: Ooh, so interesting. And double gauze has a soft drape, meaning it’s at the midway point on the drape continuum, so it does stand away from the body, which is really nice in hot weather.

Helen: Double gauze does not have good recovery. That’s why it’s best for casual, easy fit garments. If you try to make something super fitted with double gauze, you’re gonna be disappointed by the end of the day. It’s gonna get all bagged out, and it’s not going back until you wash it.

Caroline: Yes, and you can find double gauze in solids and prints. Sometimes both layers are printed or dyed. Sometimes only the top layer is and the lower layer is white, or sometimes it has different patterns on each side, so it’s actually reversible.

There are also really pretty double gauzes embroidered with eyelet designs or just like floral, kind of, embroidery designs on them. So you can find a really cool variation of double gauze, but probably the most common is just, like, a solid coloured a hundred percent cotton double gauze.

We carry this at Blackbird, and one of the reasons why I wanted to do this episode is because double gauze is so popular. Like, people love it. We sell so much of it. It’s just such a great versatile fabric.

But we also get a ton of questions about it at Blackbird. People ask us, how do I work with this? How do I wash it? Do I iron it? Do I not iron it? Like, tons and tons of questions. So I thought it would be fun to address all of those in this episode today.

Helen: I love it. I mean, I also think double gauze is such a cool fabric. It looks really modern. I think that’s in part because in the last, like, five years or so, we’ve seen more fashion labels doing double gauze in their lines and having, like, these beautiful, modern looking makes created with this, kind of, like, childlike baby fabric.

Caroline: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Helen: It’s a really interesting juxtaposition. And I think people just love it because it’s freaking comfortable.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. And sometimes it can be hard to picture what you can make with a double gauze. I know when I first saw double gauze with one of our suppliers, like, years and years ago, I didn’t really wanna carry it ‘cause I was like, that’s for swaddle blankets. Like, that is a baby fabric. And I remember Laura, being like, no, like, look at this designer and what they’re doing with double gauze. Look at this picture and what you can make with double gauze. And I was like, oh, I get it now.

Helen: Thank you, Laura.

Caroline: Thank you to Laura for opening my eyes, but it’s true. Like, it can be hard to imagine. So we’re gonna also talk about pattern suggestions today to get your creative juices flowing.

Helen: Yeah. Okay. Caroline, I wanna know if you’ve ever worked with double gauze personally.

Caroline: Yeah, so I have made swaddle blankets for my sister’s babies years and years ago. I think a simple project like this is a great way to practise working with and sewing double gauze. I’ve also seen some really gorgeous double gauze napkins, so that could also be a great project if you don’t have a kiddo or a pregnant friend, or if you’re not having a baby, you might want to still make something that’s really simple to kind of get your feet wet. So, I think a napkin would be a great way to start. I also get to wear a double gauze March Dress that Helen gave me. Thank you, Helen. And it is so, so comfortable. It’s like wearing a cloud. I can attest to that. It’s amazing. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, that comfort, like, the March Dress being this oversized…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …comfortable garment already, and then, pairing it with a double gauze, it’s just, like, the ultimate.

Caroline: Yeah,

Helen: It’s amazing. It, like, feels like a nightgown, but it looks like fashion. It’s really incredible. Shout out to my sample sewer Juliana because she made that dress, and she did such a good job, and it looks great on you.

Caroline: Thank you! She did do such a great job. How about you? What have you sewn with double gauze?

Helen: Oh, okay. I have a double gauze Donovan Skirt that I made years ago when we released that pattern. That’s our, like, super simple, beginner friendly skirt pattern. Just elastic waist, can’t go wrong, easy sew, and that’s a great option if you’re just getting started with double gauze, as well. It works really well for that pattern, and it’s so comfortable. I absolutely love it. I wear it a lot in the spring and summer months.

And then, other than that, I haven’t done a ton of sewing with double gauze, but I’ve had a double gauze Gilbert Top on my to-make list for ages, and I’ve seen other people make double gauze Gilbert Tops, and it really works well with that pattern. It looks so cute. So that’s next on my list.

Caroline: Ooh, yes. Okay. I feel like that would be so, so cute. And I’ve seen some inspo images of, like, the camp collar shirts in double gauze, and I, I think it could be cool.

Helen: Yeah, it really works.

Caroline: Okay, so we’re gonna get into how to pre-wash and care for double gauze first. So it’s definitely a good idea to pre-wash double gauze because it shrinks. So you wanna wash it and dry it the way that you expect to wash and dry the finished garment. And we recommend washing it on a cold, gentle cycle and hanging it to dry. This is gonna extend the longevity of your garment. It’s gonna keep it from shrinking too much.

But if you wash all your clothes with hot water and dry them in the dryer, like me, uh, then you can do that for your pre-wash. Just do what you would normally do with your finished garments so that you’re not veering from the norm for how you care for your clothes.

Helen: Exactly. And because of its loose weave, double gauze is prone to fraying. You may want to finish the cut edges of your fabric by serging or zigzagging over the edges. You can also sew the edges together to make a big loop, and that will help it from getting tangled up in the washer, as well. So that’s a precaution that you can take. I honestly didn’t do that. And yeah, the edge is frayed a bit, but then I just cut the frayed edges off and…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …it was fine.

Caroline: Yeah, and double gauze is also prone to snags and holes. So if you’re washing your fabric with other garments that have metal or plastic bits like zippers and buttons that could snag it, you could put it in a mesh bag or even in a pillowcase to protect that garment so that it doesn’t get snagged.

Helen: Smart. After your fabric is washed and dried, it’s time to make a choice.

Caroline: Yep.

Helen: Sounds so serious.

Caroline: Big decisions.

Helen: Big decision to make at this point. You need to decide whether you want to work with the double gauze in its crinkled state, or you wanna work with it flat and press all of those crinkles out. You wanna make this choice before you cut, and you’re gonna stick with it throughout the process. So let’s go over how you make this decision.

Caroline: Yeah. So the good thing about working with the fabric in its crinkly state is that you’ll have a better idea of how the garment is gonna look and fit when you’re done. But the difficult thing about working with it is that you’ll have to make some changes to your sewing process.

So you’re gonna have to be careful when pressing, if you press at all. You wanna press in an up and down motion to preserve the crease instead of that back and forth motion that we often are used to when we’re, like, ironing a finished garment. Some sewists don’t use an iron at all on double gauze. They just finger press or use a seam roller.

And by the way, a seam roller is a tool that quilters often use to avoid going to the ironing board. It’s like a cylinder roller with a handle that you roll over the seam allowance and that’s gonna press it open or to one side. It’s kinda like finger pressing, but maybe a little easier on your hands. So you can finger press or steamroll without using any heat, or you can use steam from your iron to help you out.

And keep in mind, if you’re working with the fabric in its crinkly state, you might need to order extra fabric because the fabric is gonna shrink with washing and crinkle up more than it did on the bolt. So it’s gonna be a narrower fabric and also you’re gonna lose length, so just buy extra just to make sure that you have enough for your project.

Helen: Okay, let’s talk about the benefits of pressing the fabric flat before you start working. It’s a little easier to work with if you do this. You can press your seams the way you usually do when you’re sewing.

And by the way, ironing double gauze flat doesn’t permanently remove the crinkles. They are gonna come back when you wash the garment. So you’re just removing them for the time that you’re gonna be sewing. The difficult thing, and you’ve probably predicted this, is that you’re not gonna be able to tell how the garment’s gonna look after you wash it and it all crinkles back up again. It might be a different length or a totally different fit than you expected.

But on the other hand, if you want to press out the crinkle every time you wear it and have more of a flat looking double gauze, then you definitely wanna press it flat before you work with it, so you’re always gonna have it flat. That seems like a lot of work to me and, kind of, negates the beautiful texture of the double gauze.

You can obviously do that, but I think that the beauty of this fabric is that crinkly texture. And I think you can press it flat and then make your garment. And then crinkle it back up again. And if your garment is oversized, that can actually be totally fine because it just ends up a little bit smaller and a little bit crinklier, and it’s still gonna fit. But if you’re doing something that’s a little more fitted, yeah, you’re gonna run into problems, for sure.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. And I think some people just like that look of like a pressed garment or maybe even find it meditative to go through their closet and iron all their clothes and make them really nice and crisp. So if you are that person, then you might want to be the person that presses your fabric flat before you work with it and then presses your garment after you wash it.

And, like, that’s totally cool. I think it’ll still look good.

But I do agree with you, Helen, I think that the beauty of double gauze is in, its, like, pillowy lushness and the fact that when you wash it, it gets this beautiful crinkly texture to it. It’s just really cool. There’s not really anything else like it.

So in terms of interfacing, a lightweight woven, or tricot interfacing is a good choice for double gauze. If you want your finished garment to be crinkly, sew-in interfacing is a good choice, so you can sew the interfacing to the pattern piece within the seam allowance and then treat it as one. Just make sure not to smooth out the crinkles in the piece before you attach the interfacing.

Helen: Yeah. Fusible is, has the potential to, like, press out all the crinkly goodness. So that’s why we’re recommending the sew-in here. But because the fabric is already made of two layers, you may be able to get away without using interfacing at all. Woohoo.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: The four layers sewn together like that gets pretty stable if we’re talking about something like a button pocket. Rosemary Huf wrote about her experience making a camp shirt for the Maai Design blog, and she skipped the interfacing even though the shirt has a button packet, and a collar. It still looks really great.

You could test this out on your fabric by sewing together some scraps and seeing how stable it is and making a test buttonhole or two, or maybe you’re just interfacing that little tiny square around where the buttonhole’s gonna go, minimising the amount of fusible that you’re using on your finished garment.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you wanna wear your final garment pressed, you can just use regular old interfacing. Lightweight fusible interfacing is a good choice, and it’ll be easy peasy.

Helen: Okay, let’s head to the cutting table, and we have some tips for cutting out double gauze. You wanna use sharp scissors or a rotary cutter with a fresh blade. This fabric is delicate and can snag or pull fairly easily, so you wanna make sure you’ve got that sharp blade.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you use pins, use sharp ones to avoid snagging the fabric. You wanna pin parallel to the cut edge within the seam allowance. And also don’t use dressmaker’s pins with those tiny metal heads. Use pins with ball heads or flower heads or something because the tiny metal pins’ heads can slide into the loose weave of the fabric and get hidden, and then you’re gonna have pins in your garment.

Helen: You also wanna try to handle the fabric as little as possible to avoid fraying, and you may want to serge or finish the raw edges early on to help with the fraying, too.

Caroline: And you can add extra seam allowance. So if you’re using a pattern with a seam allowance smaller than five-eighths of an inch, I would definitely recommend adding some. Or if you’re planning on doing French seams, I would add a bit extra, so you have plenty to work with. Just make sure to keep track of how much you’re adding so that your seam line is gonna be in the right place.

Helen: And if you plan to wear the finished garment crinkly, and you’re between two sizes on the size chart, choose the smaller size. The crinkle will allow for some stretch, and the double gauze does tend to grow with wearing. So if you’re concerned about it being oversized, size down.

Caroline: Yeah. That’s a good tip. Okay, so we’re gonna go to the sewing machine now. I love this. We’re taking a tour of the sewing room together.

Helen: Right.

Caroline: We went to the washing machine, the iron.

Helen: What are we making, Caroline?

Caroline: We went to our cutting table. Now we are on our way to our beautiful sewing machines. So if you’re sewing crinkly, double gauze, you’re facing two challenges.

The first is to get the layers to feed evenly through the machine, and the second is to keep the crinkle if that’s what you’re going for. So you can either use a walking foot or you can lower your presser foot pressure and increase your stitch or both.

Helen: Yeah, and if you really don’t want to buy a walking foot, you can test out how lowering the presser foot pressure and increasing the stitch length works for you first. Use some scraps and see how it goes. If it doesn’t look good, if it’s getting all smooshed out and all those crinkles are disappearing along your seam line, this might be your sign to invest in a walking foot.

Caroline: Yeah, and one more thing about presser foot pressure. The presser foot regulator is usually a knob, dial, or screw, or a pin that pops up. It can be directly above your presser foot on the top of the machine or around the side where your foot’s located. The easiest way to find it is to look at your sewing machine manual, but if you don’t have a copy of that, you can Google it. Chances are there’s a copy online.

Helen: Ooh, good tip. Yeah, this can be a little bit hard to find, and it might be something you’ve never used before. And you’re like, oh, I didn’t even know this little thing was here.

Caroline: It’s a cool tool to have in your back pocket though.

Helen: Super handy. Great for knits, as well. Similarly, you don’t wanna be stretching out those knits. Caroline, you and I both have a Pfaffm and it has a built-in IDT system, which is like a built-in walking foot that you, kind of, just pop down from the back. Big fan of the IDT. It’s awesome.

Caroline: Yeah, yeah. No, it’s so nice to have it built in there. I remember when I first started using the machine, I, like, didn’t really understand that I already had a walking foot built in, and I was like, why is this sewing things up so nicely? I don’t understand. This machine’s amazing.

Helen: How is it doing this? Yeah. Okay. Another thing you’re gonna wanna do is stay stitch any edges that go along the bias, so this means any curves or diagonal lines like your armscyes, your necklines, especially v-necks, The loose weave of this fabric means that the double gauze can stretch really dramatically on the bias, and the stay stitching will keep your pattern pieces in shape.

Caroline:: And when you’re sewing, you wanna use fine, sharp pins with large heads and pin within the steam allowance. Or if you have clips, now is a great time to use them.

Helen: And use a new sharp sewing needle in your machine. A size 70/10 is good; it’s intended for lightweight fabrics. Or an 80/12 will work as well, but you just wanna make sure you’ve got a new needle in there because again, this fabric is really prone to snagging.

Caroline: Okay. And there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re choosing a pattern for your gauze fabric. So in general, the less style lines, the better. Princess seams, pleats, and extra panels are gonna be difficult to make neatly, and those details will get lost in the texture anyway. So simpler garments are gonna highlight the fabric and save you some stress.

Helen: Garments with an easy fit are best for double gauze. It grows as you wear it, so you won’t be able to get a super close fit. And it’s nice to have a pattern that allows you to enjoy the puffy fluffiness of a double gauze.

Caroline: I love that puff

Helen: Puff and fluff.

Caroline: Double gauze makes amazing clothes for kids and babies. It’s soft and washable, but it’s not suitable for anything on the bias because it stretches too dramatically.

Helen: Even though it’s super lightweight, double gauze does have body to it. I wouldn’t go for any super drapey patterns, treat it more like a mid-weight cotton or linen when you’re thinking about what patterns to choose. And you can use that volume to your advantage with things like dramatic sleeve or getting more volume in an A-line skirt.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. And double gauze can be sheer, especially in lighter colours. So darker colours are best if you want to get the most opaque double gauze. And if you’re shopping online and you’re not sure how opaque the fabric is, you can always email the shop to ask. Sheer double gauze is great, too, though. So if you want more opacity with a shee-, more sheer double gauze, you can wear a slip or a camisole or an undershirt underneath. Smooth fabrics like bemberg, rayon, or poly charmeuse are good options for lining or for a slip. The gauze is gonna slide over it rather than bunch up.

Helen: And double cause isn’t usually great for pants. The strain on the crotch and thigh seams can cause them to pull apart, and the delicate fabric may wear away on the thighs quite quickly because of the friction. This isn’t to say that every pair of double gauze pants will be a total fail. It’s just not ideal for the pants and fabric pairing. But I do think if you wanted to make a pair of, like, pajama lounge pants…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …that you’re not gonna be walking around in all the time.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Although, I mean, if you have a pair of double gauze pants, you are gonna wear them all the time.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Let’s be real.

Caroline: I think that they would be, like, the most comfortable pants in the world, but you’d have to be, like, really delicate when you’re, like, sitting.

Helen: Oh my gosh, it’s such a catch-22. Do you want the most comfortable pants in the world, but you can’t walk around?

Caroline: Yeah, you can’t throw yourself on the couch. I do think it could work, and I’ve certainly seen pants made out of double gauze, but if you’re looking for something with that longevity then I probably wouldn’t recommend it for, like, an everyday garment.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay, well let’s give a few pattern ideas to folks that we think would be great in double gauze ‘cause there are a lot of options.

So, first up, the Bardon dress, which is a free Peppermint pattern designed by Elbe Textiles. This would be the perfect sundress. It’s a simple scoop neck tank with a couple of gathered tiers for the skirt. You can even hack it into a top if you want.

Helen: Ooh, cute. The Array Top and Dress by Papercut Patterns is another good option. The flared sleeves would look really dramatic in the pillowy double gauze, and you could make the wrap belt in a complimentary fabric or do, like, a drawstring situation at the waist to cinch it. Very nice.

Caroline: Love that. A sheer double gauze would make a cute swim coverup. The Micah Dress by Seamwork would be really chic. It’s basically a caftan. I also think the Moss Jacket from your pattern line, Helen, would be so cute. Like, a hip length, open front, double gauze robe to wear over your bikini.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: I love that. And in cooler weather, you could wear it as a light jacket over a t-shirt and jeans. It would be super versatile.

Helen: Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that, but now I really, really, really, really, really want one. Okay. For shorts, I think the Bailey Shorts by Tessuti would be cute. I like that they have a bit of volume. They have an elastic waist, so they’re pretty roomy. Again, watch out for the crotch wearing…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …out on a pair of shorts, but if you really wanna go for it, that would be a good one.

Caroline: Another top that would look great in double gauze is the Sage Brush Top by Friday Pattern Co. If you go on their website, one of their samples is in double gauze, and you can see how it’ll look sewn up. The little ruffle across the top yoke is so fluffy and adorable. It just really works for this pattern.

Helen: It really does and for kids’ clothes,Twig and Tale has a lot of great patterns that would work with double gauze. The Breeze Shirt is a simple tunic with a slit at the neck. The Driftwood Blouse is a peasant style top with an option for a ruffle around the neck. It’s just too freaking cute, like, you have to go look at these. I love it.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. I mean, double gauze does really shine in kids’ clothes. I know we got some deadstock from a local brand called Petits Vilains, and they do a lot of kids’ clothes in double gauze, so go check them out if you want some inspo because it just sews up so nicely into kids’ clothes, and it’s just so cute. I love it.

Helen: It’s just so cute.

Caroline: So cute.

Okay, now that you have a few ideas, you might be wondering where you can buy double gauze. It actually used to be harder to source, but it seems to be everywhere now. So check out your local fabric shop or quilting shop. You’ll probably find a couple of bolts no matter where you are.

But there are even more options online and, of course, Blackbird Fabrics. We have some really great solids in organic cotton double gauze. And we also have some really cool stripes right now in the store and even a print. So go check out our shop to see the options.

Helen: Yeah, it seems like you guys pretty much always have…

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: …double gauze.

Caroline: …in the solids. We always keep it in stock.

Helen: The Fabric Store has really nice versatile double gauze plaids right now. Very cool.

Caroline: Style Maker has a bunch of gorgeous prints including florals, Nani Iro abstract designs, and Atelier Brunette reversible ginghams, which look so cool.

Helen: Ooh. Stonemountain and Daughter has some really nice solid colours and lots of Nani Iro prints, including quilted double gauze.

Caroline: And Fabric Godmother has solids, prints, eyelets, and embroidered double gauzes. So cool.

Helen: We asked our listeners on Instagram if they had any double gauze questions for us, and we already answered a bunch of them in this episode. The most popular question was, do you iron it?

Caroline: All caps.

Helen: Yes. So hopefully you all feel like you have a good handle on that situation now. Remember, you have to make the choice.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: The ultimate choice.

Caroline: The ultimate choice, the most important choice you’ll ever make.

Helen: But there are a few questions left that we haven’t addressed yet. So here we go. Kaitlyn asks, “What’s the best way to finish seams with just a sewing machine?”

Caroline: Ooh! Okay. I think the best way is French seams. It totally encloses the edges and strengthens the seams at the same time. Flat felled seams also enclose the edge, but the top stitching can look, kind of, weird on double gauze since the double gauze is so puffy. And I think you can still get a good result with a flat felled seam though, if that’s what you want to go with. You can also do a narrower zigzag over the edge to, kind of, mimic a serged finish. It might not look as neat as the other options, but the main thing is to keep it from fraying, and it’ll do that.

Helen: Yeah. And be careful when you’re doing your French seams with double gauze that you’re trimming too close to your stitch line because, again, that fraying situation. So you just wanna maintain as much of that seam allowance as you can inside that French seam. And that might mean that you wanna increase your seam allowance and have a bit of a wider seam. That will be totally fine.

Okay, next question. Ina asks, “Does every double go snag and get holes really easily or is that just a low quality variety?”

Caroline: Yeah, so I think it’s mostly just a gauze thing. The loose weave is just really snaggable and, kind of, delicate. Clover makes snag repair needles that you can buy that help you pull the snag to the inside of the fabric, and that can be pretty handy if you wanna get one of those. Like we said before, it’s also a good idea to launder your garment inside a mesh bag or a pillowcase.

And next up, Sarina asked, “Should you use a different fabric as bias tape on a double gauze garment?”

Helen: Yes, I think that’s a really good idea. It would be tricky to make double gauze into bias tape without losing the crinkles and having all of that fraying happening and just, like, thi-, the amount that it stretches on the bias. Plus, it would be, kind of, bulky in the end. I would use a lightweight, but tightly woven, cotton like a cotton lawn, if you wanted to do a bias finish on, like, the edge of a top or something like that, you could definitely get away with using a contrast fabric.

Caroline: Yeah, and it’d be a fun way to include, like, some stripes or checks or florals into the garment.

Helen: Leisa asks, “Any recommendations of patterns to upcycle baby swaddles from double gauze?”

Caroline: Yes! So you can turn swaddles into a really beautiful quilt. SuzyQuilts has a roundup of some double gauze quilt inspo. If your kid is still tiny, you can make really nice bibs. I think the bandana style looks great in double gauze and, and clothing-wise, swaddles don’t give you a ton of fabric to work with. But if your swaddles are still in good condition, I can see making a simple top, like an Ogden Cami or you can make adorable little clothes for your kid.

Helen: Ooh. I love the idea of a double gauze quilt. I mean…

Caroline: Yeah. Uh, obviously, you do.

Helen: Gorgeously cosy.

Caroline: I know it would be so cosy.

Helen: It’s so good.

Caroline: I think my cat would ruin a double gauze quilt.

Helen: This is the funny thing. It’s, like, double gauze is so snaggy, but it’s so popular for, like, kids.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And, like, I have to imagine that they’re gonna snag. I mean, I guess if it’s a baby, it’s not really, like, moving around that much, but probably making a double gauze outfit for, like, your five to eight year old.

Caroline: Unless they’re really aware of preserving clothing. Don’t get messy. This is your nice top.

Helen: That’s most kids, right?

Caroline: Okay, our next question is from Alison. Alison asked, “How to reinforce seams? My fabric keeps coming apart at the seams!”

Helen: Okay, this might be due to the fact that your seams are too stressed, so that could mean that there’s a lot of, like, pulling happening because the garment is fitting tightly or there’s stress from it fitting not super well. So you might have, like, stress coming from drag lines that are happening or just, like, wear and tear.

If you have room to take it in, you could redo it with French seams or flat felt seams. But if it’s already fitting, kind of, tight, you might not have that room to redo the whole thing. You can try to reinforce the seams that are coming apart by adding more stitching to them.

And another possibility for this happening is that the seam allowance is trimmed too short. We mentioned that earlier. You really wanna give yourself room away from your stitches because double gauze frays, so if it starts fraying up into the seam line, then it’s gonna start coming apart.

And one more possibility is the pattern’s just not the right kind of thing to pair with double gauze. Again, if it’s a tight-fitting garment, you’ve trimmed those seams close, then yeah, it’s definitely gonna start coming apart. A serger is a good thing to, kind of, hold those seams together. So if you happen to have a serger or overlocker, that is a good option for making sure those seams are super reinforced.

Caroline: Yeah. I’m imagining, like, if you made a dress with a really fitted bodice and let’s say a zipper down the back, and you know, when you wear dresses like that and you extend your arms forward, it puts that stress on that zipper at the back. And the, if polyester thread that you’re using is stronger than the yarns that are used in the double gauze, and the double gauze is really loosely woven. So when you’re pulling your arms forward, it’s just stressing that fabric, and it totally makes sense that it would slowly sort of pull apart because the stitch line wants to stay in place, but the fabric wants to grow and stretch out. So really not recommending patterns that are really tight fitted.

Helen: But yeah, I mean, simply sewing two lines of stitching on your seams will help to reinforce the seams for sure.

Caroline: Okay. Margaret asked, “What lining to use with double gauze that’s not double gauze?”

Helen: Ooh. Hi, Margaret. Guys, Margaret is the transcriber for Love to Sew and all of our newer episodes since, like, a couple years ago I wanna say.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: We’ve been working with Margaret for a while now. All of our newer episodes have a full transcript on our website. It’s on the same page as the show notes. It’s just at the bottom. This makes it really easy to search the episode if you’re looking for something that we talked about. She does really great work. Shout out to Margaret. Thank you.

Caroline: Thanks, Margaret. We said earlier that smooth, lightweight fabric like bemberg, rayon, or poly charmeuse work really well under double gauze. I also think that it’s best to have a separate garment, like a camisole or a slip rather than a full lining. It would be tricky to attach a flat lining to a crinkly fabric, and it might even prevent the double gauze from crinkling at the seams.

So to keep it in place, you can make strap holders in your double gauze garment. They’re just like thread loops and snaps that attach and help you to, like, keep a camisole or slip in place. Itch to Stitch has a tutorial for how to make them, and bonus you can wear your cami or slip with other sheer garments. So it’s more versatile.

Helen: Yes, totally. Leslie asks, “Do you have any tips to elevate and have double gauze not look like pajamas?”

Caroline: Yeah! So a really unusual print can elevate double gauze. This is why so many people love the Nani Iro double gauzes. I think a shift dress in a watercolour print would look almost fancy, even though it would feel as comfortable as pajamas.

Helen: And bolder styles can elevate double gauze. Past guest Samantha @PurpleSewingCloud online made an ice dyed Saguaro Set that is just gorgeous. This is a casual set, but it’s elevated because it’s so stylish. Like, the super wide sleeves crop top matching wide, like, pants feel really intentional rather than feeling pajama-ish, and that pattern is from Friday Pattern Co.

Caroline: And you can mix double gauze with more structured garments. Like a crinkly white blouse would look elevated if you wear it with tailored pants. And a blazer or a long tank dress could get dressed up with a leather jacket and nice shoes.

Helen: Ooh. I like it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Well, double gauze is I think a great fabric for warmer weather that’s coming for us soon, fingers crossed, in the Northern Hemisphere here. It’s getting warmer every day and I’m feeling all springy just talking about it. You know what they say? Double the gauze, double the fun.

Caroline: No one says that, Helen.

Helen: I mean, they should. They should. Blackbird Fabrics can use that. I will allow it.

Caroline: Thank you. I’m gonna email my marketing team right now.

Helen: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. You can find Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: Go 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: If you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For just $5 a month, you get a full length bonus episode and weekly behind the scenes pictures. For $10 a month you get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for you. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

Caroline: Thank you to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you all for listening. We will talk to you next week.

Helen: Buh-bye.

Caroline: Bye.

Helen: Double your pleasure. Double your fun. That’s a statement of the great mint. Double gauze. Yeah. Can we use that? Is that allowed?

Caroline: Yeah, I have no idea.

Helen: We’re gonna get sued…

Caroline: Oh, no.

Helen: …by Doublemint.

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YOU can quilt! In this episode, Helen shares a bunch of reasons to love quilting, walks quilting newbie Caroline through the steps of the quilting process, and recommends projects for beginner quilters. If you’re quilt-curious, this episode may just make you a quilter!  Plus, we answer a listener question about the minimum of tools you’ll need to quilt if you’re a garment sewist.

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

Helen’s New Quilt Company, Cedar Quilt Co.!

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Quilts Mentioned:

Resources:

Patterns:

Quilting Cotton Fabrics:

Tools:

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 Quilt. I mean 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.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes, and blankets, and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Caroline: We’re gonna talk about all there is to love about quilting and walk you through the process.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: Hello!

Helen: How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. How are you?

Helen: Oh, I’m so good. I could not be more excited for today, as you can imagine.

Caroline: Oh, I know, Helen. I can imagine. I don’t have to imagine, actually. I can see you, and I know you’re excited.

Helen: I’m beaming. I’m so excited. Yes, as some of you may know, I recently launched a quilt pattern company called Cedar Quilt Co. And it has been a blast so far sharing my love of quilting with others and encouraging people to try quilting who haven’t before.

And we actually launched a great free introduction pattern called the Playful Placemats. And it’s perfect for anyone who’s new to quilting because it covers all the steps from start to finish. Nothing is left unexplained. It’s a great beginner project, nice and small and doable.

And by the time this episode comes out, I’m hoping to have our first paid quilt pattern in our online shop, too. And this one comes in many sizes from wall hanging to bed size. So you can head on over to my website or my Insta to take a look at our first design. I’m at CedarQuiltCo.com or @CedarQuiltCo on socials.

Caroline: Ooh. Okay. Does this pattern have a name?

Helen: Yes. This pattern is called Forest Flowers, and it is inspired by all of the wildflowers that pop up in the woods when I’m walking around with my dog. So beautiful in the spring, just little tiny flowers poking out from under the undergrowth…

Caroline: Ohh!!!

Helen: And they’re so beautiful. And this, yeah, this pattern is inspired by them, so, yay.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, speaking of design, I’m curious for your quilt pattern designs what can people expect to see as far as aesthetic goes?

Helen: Well, many of my designs are gonna be inspired by west coast nature, so, of course, the forest, like we mentioned, but also beaches and wildlife in my area. And I’m still very much exploring and finding my style, but I would say that my designs have a modern look with traditional design elements.

So I think my quilting style falls into modern traditionalism. And from what I understand, this is a re-imagining or remixing of traditional quilt blocks using a more modern aesthetic with bold colours and a lot of graphic impact. Quilt design groups are hard to nail down, I’m gonna be honest.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: And I feel like from my experience, witnessing people discussing this in the sewing community and the quilting community, that it is really tricky to, kind of, put yourself in a certain camp with your designs.

Some of my upcoming designs are more modern with lots of negative space and asymmetry, and then some are more traditional and block-based and use a lot of traditional quilting elements. And our first design, the placemats, is a more traditional style, and that’s intended to offer people a really fun gateway into quiltings, and then they can change up the look with the fabrics that they choose.

So, honestly, I’m just getting started, so who knows where this design journey is gonna take me?

Caroline: It’s so exciting to think about where you could be in a few years with this business.

Helen: Right?

Caroline: Because seeing you build Helen’s Closet and the amount of patterns that you have now, and how even your aesthetic has evolved since starting Helen’s Closet. I’m just really pumped to see where you go with Cedar Quilt Co., and I think it’s gonna be awesome.

Helen: Me, too! I’ve been designing for the past year. I have so many designs in the queue, the canon, or whatever you wanna call it. Obviously, not all of them are gonna make it to become patterns, but I probably have about a hundred designs, but I have three or four that I’m really excited to put out into the world in our collection right away. So those are the ones I’m working on, and then who knows where we’ll go from there. I’m sure it’s gonna evolve fast and furious.

Caroline: Oh, I’m sure it will, too. You’re always full of ideas, and yeah, I’m just excited to see what comes next.

Helen: Yeah! Thank you so much. And thank you to the community, too. Like, the response has been so great, and I’m just so grateful for you all.

Caroline: Aw, well, congratulations.

Helen: Thank you.

Caroline: Another baby out in the world.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Okay, so today we wanna dive deeper into the world of quilting with you all and encourage you, our listeners, to give it a try if you’re interested. So I’m gonna be asking Helen a lot of questions today because I am not a quilter myself, but I’m super excited to learn, and I would love to try making some quilted home decor items. Maybe a wall hanging or a blanket or maybe some placements.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: So I’m really excited to learn more about all of this.

Helen: Oh, there’s so much you can do. I love the different home decor items, especially wall hangings. Like, if you’re not into quilts on your bed, that’s okay. There are lots of uses for quilted things in your home that don’t involve your bed. So, yeah, it’s a really fun place to explore. But before we get into the episode, we have a listener question.

Caroline: Janet says, “I’m so excited about Helen’s new quilt pattern company, and I can’t wait to try quilting too. One thing I’m not sure about is whether I need any new tools to do it, or if my existing garment sewing tools are sufficient. Do I need a special sewing machine? What thread and needles do I use? Are there any other different tools that I might not even know about? Thanks!”

Helen: Hi, Janet. These are great questions and if you already garment sew, chances are you have a lot of the tools that quilters use. There are certainly some specialty tools that you can add on as you go, but many of them are just not necessary to get started. So you’re probably gonna be able to get going right away.

You will want a rotary cutter, cutting mat, and large ruler. I like a six inch by 24 inch ruler to start, and that comes in really handy for garment sewing. You may already have one. There are so many quilting rulers, pretty much every size and shape you could imagine, so just get one or two to start.

If you cut with scissors for garment sewing, now might be the time to invest in the rotary system. You can quilt with scissors, but it takes a lot longer because you’ll have to mark out all of your cut lines. And your cuts might be less accurate in the long run.

Caroline: And you can use your home sewing machine, so no special machine is needed. If you wanna do the quilting part on your home machine, as in the stitching on top of the finished quilt, you may wanna get a larger machine for larger quilts, but for just getting started, your sewing machine is just fine, right, Helen?

Helen: Yes. I’m sure your sewing machine is just fine. You can definitely give quilting a go. And all-purpose poly thread is also just fine. Some quilters prefer cotton. I use poly ‘cause I have so much of it already in my studio. And size 80 needles will work for most piecing, as in, you know, sewing the patchwork together. And then you can go heavier weight, like 90, for quilting through all those layers when you’re doing the final stitching on your project.

Caroline: Yeah. And other than that, you have everything you need: snips, pins, marking tools. Ooh. And also quilt basting pins are a thing. And I have used these before. They’re kind of curved, right? So that when you pin your quilt, they’re not pulling up the fabric and, like, skewing the fabric. So these are nice because they don’t poke you as you work as well, and they also don’t fall out when you roll or fold the quilt up, which you’re gonna need to do for bigger pieces.

Helen: Yeah. And these are basically safety pins. Having a curve in them is really nice, like you said. But if you have a bunch of safety pins at home, you can use those, too.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And there are lots of unique quilting tools out there for lots of different types of quilting, lots of different steps in the process. We’re not gonna get into them all today, but in general, you can get by with very little specialty tools for quilting. So you can totally just dive right in.

Caroline: Love that.

Helen: Okay. Speaking of diving, before we dive into this episode in full, we wanted to mention that we do have a previous episode all about quilting with past guest by Bhiravi Rathinasabapathi from Strawberry Creek Quilts. And we loved our conversation with her about her experience getting into quilting and running a quilted goods and pattern business, so go and check out that episode if you’re enjoying this topic. That’s Episode 195.

Caroline: Yes! And on today’s episode, Helen is going to share some of the many things she has learned in her foray into quilting, and hopefully inspire us to give quilting a try.

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: That’s the goal.

Helen: That’s the plan. But before we get to that, Caroline, I wanna know, have you ever quilted?

Caroline: Does a quilted coat count?

Helen: I mean, totally. Yeah. It’s got quilted stitching on it.

Caroline: No, I’m kidding. I have pieced, but I have never quite finished an actual quilt. Like I’ve quilted fabric that hasn’t been pieced, and I’ve pieced fabric that hasn’t been quilted. Except, like, really small items, like I made a dog bed for Pepper that had a quilted top, but, like, nothing crazy.

I think the reason why I’ve never made it to the finish line is because I lose a little bit of steam. I’ve definitely enjoyed piecing. I’ve done two large quilt tops, one of which I’ve given away. The other one is gathering dust in my sewing room, but I’ve, kind of, stopped when it was time to pin and baste and actually quilt the blanket because it just feels really daunting.

So I, kind of, think now after talking to you about quilting more, that if I ever a bed-size quilt again, or maybe if I ever decide to finish the one that I started, I think I’m gonna send it to someone for that quilting part because yeah, that sounds like it would be a worthwhile investment ‘cause I don’t have a long arm machine. And I’m sure we’ll probably talk about that later in the episode, but I think I should probably start small. So I’m really excited to try your new placement pattern.

Helen: Yes. I learned from experience starting with that bed-size quilt for my first project. It’s so nice to be able to get from start to finish faster so you have that feeling of accomplishment. And we give that advice to people all the time with garments, too, you know? Like, don’t start with jeans, you wanna start with a top so that you can actually finish it and have that, like, win.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah. It’s so important. I’m really excited for you to try quilting. I know I’ve been, like, pushing it hard on you. Pretty hard.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. I’m taking it though. I’m excited.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Okay. Tell me more about your journey with quilting and, kind of, where you’re at right now?

Helen: How did this happen?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Well, considering how excited I am about all of this, it may surprise you to learn that prior to maybe a couple years ago, I didn’t have a whole lot of interest in quilting. I admired quilts and enjoyed looking at them at quilt shows. Or whenever I saw one in somebody’s house, I could appreciate the effort and the beauty and the design and all those things. But I just always thought that the act of quilting wasn’t for me because I’m such a diehard garment sewist.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: And I think it was also in part due to the fact that the fabrics and colours that are traditionally used in quilting were just not really appealing to me. But of course, since becoming really involved in the sewing community online, I have seen so many amazing examples of quilting that do appeal to me more that do use those, like, bold, bright colours.

And about three years ago, I started to think maybe I should try quilting one day. Maybe I would enjoy it. I mean, I love sewing, and quilting is sewing, so I would probably love it. I should try it, right? And then I did, and here we are.

Caroline: And the rest is history. Okay. I think this is the perfect segue into our first topic in which Helen tries to convince us that we should try quilting.

Helen: Well, I’m gonna do my best here. This is the hard sell. No, I’m only joking. Obviously, quilting’s not for everyone. And we know that a ton of our listeners also out there already quilt. But we do want to share some of the fun things about quilting, particularly as it relates to garment sewing, which we know we all love.

So my first point is that when you quilt, you get quilts. Okay. Let me explain. I am at a point in my garment sewing journey where I have a lot of clothes, and obviously, this is related to me being a pattern designer and having a high sewing output, but I’m sure we have listeners out there who can relate to this. Maybe your closet is getting a little full, too.

This is not to say I never wanna sew clothes again. I definitely do and will continue with Helen’s Closet, but quilting has given me a great alternative that doesn’t produce more clothes. It produces quilts. And I mean, don’t ask me what’s gonna happen when all my beds are covered. I don’t know.

Caroline: I don’t know. I feel like you can fill a chest. You can get some underbed storage.

Helen: Oh, yes!

Caroline: Also, quilts make amazing gifts.

Helen: They do.

Caroline: So you got options.

Helen: I’m gonna cover every wall in my house in quilts.

Caroline: Perfect. The next thing to note is that quilting doesn’t involve fitting to your body. And this can be such a nice break from sewing garments, if you find fitting to be a challenge or to be something that you need to take breaks from, quilting could be a nice outlet for you.

Helen: Definitely. Quilting is done with cotton, uh, quilting cotton usually, to be exact.

Caroline: This is such a lovely fabric to work with. It’s stable, it’s easy to cut, it’s easy to press, and easy to sew. Most quilters don’t even pre-wash their fabric, so you can just buy it and sew it.

Helen: Yes. That’s exciting. It feels like you’re breaking the rules when you do that.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Not only that, but, like, it comes in, like, a million bajillion different colours and prints. There’s truly something for everybody.

Caroline: Okay. This is where I get tripped up sometimes though, Helen, because there are so many options and you’re mixing so many fabrics and, like, how do you even know that it’s gonna look good? How do you realise the vision that maybe you have in your head? Or if you don’t have a vision, how do you create a vision?

I think we’re gonna touch on this a little bit later in the episode, but I just wanna name that this part can be super overwhelming and is probably part of the reason why some people are, like, afraid to get into it, ‘cause there’s so many options out there.

Helen: Yes, it is so hard to choose. It’s definitely a stumbling block for a lot of folks, and that’s why in the quilting world, there are a lot of fun kits for quilts where you get all the materials that you need from the fabric store, and it’s all, like, cut already. Not all, like, cut to the little pieces, but the yardage that you need is cut already.

Or bundles is really popular in the quilting world. So designers will come out with their line of fabric, and then, they’ll cut up half yards or fat quarters, which are different sizes of fabric, and bundle it all together. So you’re buying this grouping of fabrics that already is fully coordinated. It has solids in it, it has prints in it, and they all work together beautifully. And then you often just need to choose a background or backing or binding, things like that.

Or you can just make the cover quilt. A lot of people just love the design that the designer came up with, the colours they chose, and they’ll just buy those fabrics. Often designers will have those listed in the pattern because it’s popular for people to just make the cover quilt. So exactly the fabrics that we used, we’ll put that in the pattern, and then, you can just create that exact look.

Caroline: I’ve never heard that term before the cover quilt.

Helen: The cover quilt.

Caroline: That makes a lot of sense. It’s the quilt that’s on the cover of the pattern.

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: Got it.

Helen: Yeah. And many people will also provide other colour suggestions in their patterns.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: Or in blog posts and things like that. So you can go on their website and you can find alternative colour mockups. It’s a great way to, like, remarket patterns seasonally. You could be like, here’s what this design looks like with more, like, holiday-themed fabrics or with more summer-themed fabrics. And just show people how it changes because the colours you choose really can completely transform…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …the look, it is absolutely amazing. It’s one of my most favourite things about quilt design, but as you said, it also can be incredibly overwhelming.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Helen: I think quilting, also, part of the aesthetic is just putting a whole lot of fun colours and prints together. And that is so much fun to do because as you’re working on it, you have all of these beautiful or cute or, you know, lovely fabrics that you’re looking at and working with, and you get to appreciate as you’re sewing. And in the end it probably is gonna look like a lot of different colours and prints. That’s what I did with my first bed-size quilt. And that can be a lot aesthetically.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: But that’s, kind of, part of the joy of it, is just jumbling all that together, and surprisingly, it works. You know, you can have totally different colours, totally different prints, and somehow because quilting has this, like, jumbled together, beautiful hodgepodge effect, it just looks right.

Caroline: And the cool thing, I think, with quilting fabrics is that because there are so many options, basically, anything that you can imagine, you can realise. Like…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …there’s always going to be the colour that you want or the print that you want. There’s just so many options out there, so it’s really cool. Like, the world is your oyster, the possibilities are endless, blah, blah, blah.

Helen: Oh, definitely. And one thing I’ve learned is that there are several fabric companies that make solid coloured quilting cottons, and they all have their own colours. They’re kinda like Pantone colours almost. You can even get colour cards. So you can have a little swatch book of all the colours from a certain company, so it’s easier for you to actually choose when it comes time to make your quilt.

So, for example, there’s Art Gallery Pure Solids, there’s Moda Bella Solids, and then there’s Kona Cotton Solids, and there’s lots of other companies, as well, that have solid lines. And quilters often have a personal favourite company and even a personal favourite colour.

Caroline: Okay. You’re speaking my language. I love a swatch book.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: You should see my swatch library.

Helen: I can imagine.

Caroline: But, okay, what is your favourite? Do you have a favourite yet?

Helen: Well, I have tried working with all three of those companies, and I really enjoyed working with Art Gallery, so that’s the company I’ve decided to, kind of, go with for now. Their fabrics have this beautiful, like, lustre to them that’s just, mwah, so good.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. Chef’s kiss.

Helen: Yeah. And my favourite colour currently is Evergreen. That’s colour PE-517, if you’re curious.

Caroline: Well, that’s predictable, Helen.

Helen: I know. How perfect, right?

Caroline: How perfect for you! Can you get the different lines at most quilt shops, or have you found that a quilt shop will carry just one of the solid lines?

Helen; That’s a good question. I feel like I haven’t shopped around enough to answer that…

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: …accurately.

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: But the, the shop that I have been shopping with carries Art Gallery fabrics, and I don’t think they carry the other lines. I mean, it would be a lot to carry multiple different companies’ entire collections.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: So I imagine for smaller shops, they probably do pick one and stick with it.

Caroline: Ooh. Ooh. I have another question.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Do you primarily shop for your quilting fabrics online or in person?

Helen: Now that I have this colour card and I can actually, like, look at my desk at all the colours I’ve been buying online for my solids. And then for prints, I find it’s easier to shop in person because it’s so much easier to, like, tell what it’s actually gonna feel like and look like. So I’m using mostly solids for my designs, and then I’ll sometimes put a print on the back. So it’s fun to take the quilt top to Fabricland or to my local sewing shop, The Spool, and have a look at their selection and, like, find something that pairs really well.

Caroline: And like I said, there are so many companies out there making quilting fabrics. And one company in the quilting space that we currently love is Fableism Supply Co. Their fabrics have a line of yarn dyed wovens coming out this spring called Monarch Grove, and it’s super stunning. The soft coloured yarns are woven into beautiful geometric designs. They’re great for quilts but also could be used for garments. So I love that dual purpose.

Helen: Yes! I’m in love with this collection. I wanted to buy all of them.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: And you can do that if you wanna buy a full bundle of a release…

Caroline: Ohh!

Helen: …which is, yeah, pretty cool.

Caroline: And is that all, like, quarter yards and you get a bundle of like, everything?

Helen: Often… Yeah. Often, it will be half, or I think even full yard sometimes. And then, yeah, there’ll be smaller bundles of, like, fat quarters or full bundles of fat quarters. Yeha. There’s lots of different options.

Caroline: Excuse me, Helen. New term. What is a fat quarter?

Helen: A fat quarter is when you take a half yard of fabric, so if you were to cut half a yard off a bolt. And then instead of cutting that into two quarter yard strips, you cut it in half along the fold line, so you get two quarter yard chunks.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And so they’re fat quarters.

Caroline: Yeah. You’re getting, like, squares instead of long rectangles.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. You’re getting, like, fat rectangles. And so a fat quarter size is 18 inches by 22 inches, and that can vary a little bit depending on who’s cutting it, so…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: …don’t count on it being exactly that size. But yeah, it’s a great size ‘cause you can cut more pieces out of that larger piece than a skinny piece.

Caroline: We don’t really do fat quarters in garment sewing or garment fabric cutting. But no, maybe we should. It’s a really cool concept.

Helen: It is cool. Yeah, for patchwork garments and things like that, that would be cool.

Yeah. Quilting cotton even comes pre-cut smaller than fat quarters. You can get those fat quarter bundles. You can also get strips and squares in many different sizes that are already cut out, so you can just get right into the quilting. There are patterns that are designed for specific precuts, so it makes it really easy to get started.

So for example, if you buy a roll of strips, which is called a jelly roll, you can get a pattern that’s designed for a jelly roll, and it will use one jelly roll or two jelly rolls. And you just get those bundles. And then, you get the pattern. And then, you’re just good to go. You can get right into the quilting.

Pre-cuts usually come in those bundles, so the colours and prints are all beautifully matched and coordinated already, so it’s a great choice if you’re finding, yeah, the decision process of colours and prints overwhelming.

Caroline: Amazing. Quilting can also be a great scrap buster, and this is especially true for smaller home decor items. Cotton and linen scraps are great for quilting and you can use up tiny little pieces for patchwork and larger pieces for backing and binding.

Helen: Totally. And improv quilting is when you just go with the flow and sew fabric together into interesting patchwork pieces. There are lots of different styles and approaches to improv quilting, and this is an excellent way to work through the scrap bin in a more, kind of, creative, free-flowing process.

Caroline: I have this dream of making, like, a giant improv quilt out of scraps at Blackbird and, like, hanging it in the warehouse.

Helen: Oh.

Caroline: Like, maybe having everybody on the team, like, whenever they feel like making a block. I’ll just give them, like, a size parameter, and then, we’ll, like, put them all together one day and make, like, a giant Blackbird quilt.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I love that idea. That is so, I mean, brilliant. I can picture it. Are we talking giant, like 40 feet by 40 feet?

Caroline: I don’t know. I feel like I could probably not find someone to long arm that, but maybe it would not be quilted. Maybe it would just be pieced. I haven’t thought this through clearly, Helen. It’s a dream.

Helen: It sounds so cool. I love this idea.

Caroline: Okay, I’ll workshop it. I’ll workshop it.

Helen: Appliqué quilting is also great for scraps, too. You can, kind of, paint designs with different fabrics by cutting out shapes and then appliquéing them on, so stitching along the edge of the fabrics and the shapes. And this way you can pretty much do anything. I mean, truly the world is your oyster with appliqué. Very, very cool. I have not personally dabbled much yet, but you know, I will be.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. Okay. So something to note is that quilting can be expensive, but quilting actually comes from a pretty frugal place. In the past, people created blankets and other textiles using smaller pieces and scraps because a new blanket was really expensive, and they were often made from reclaimed or upcycled materials, which still persists in quilting today. You can absolutely quilt on a budget and make really unique and gorgeous creations, especially if you’re a garment sewer and you have lots of cotton scraps.

Helen: Oh!

Caroline: ‘Cause I feel like that’s just…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …that’s just quilting gold.

Helen: It is. It’s quilting gold. With all that said, if you’re using new materials, quilting can be quite pricey. Ask me how I know. This is especially true if you’re making large projects like bed-size quilts. You need a lot of fabric. It’s honestly, kind of, shocking coming from the garment sewing world where you know you need two or three metres to make something.

If you’re making a bed size quilt, you could need, you know, six to eight metres for the front and then, like, eight or nine metres for the backing. Like, it just really starts to add up. There’s the fabric on the top, there’s the batting, the backing, the binding. And at the end of it, you might even choose to have a professional long arm-er quilt your finished creation. And that can really be an expense, as well.

It’s an investment piece that you’ll cherish forever, hopefully. And it, I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but it’s something to consider before you embark on your quilting project is what is your budget for the project and how are you gonna achieve what you want within that budget?

Caroline: A good thing to know, getting into it, and I think, similarly to garment sewing, some folks get into it and they’re like, I’m doing this to save money. And it’s, like, kind of, hard to make clothes on a budget ‘cause you need so many materials. And your time is worth money, as well. So yeah, but it is an investment, and it’s a craft, and it’s something that is a creative outlet, and I don’t know, I think it’s worth it. And you can do it on a budget if you want to.

Helen: Yes, you totally can. I’ve seen some absolutely incredible examples of upcycled quilts in the community, and that is just, yeah, so fun and inspiring.

Caroline: Okay, so here’s a cool thing. There’s no pattern in quilting. And that means no printing, no taping together, no cutting out your size, no copy shop prints. That sounds so nice, Helen.

Helen: It really is. You don’t need a pattern to quilt, but I will say that some patterns do have, like, a printable template or a shape that you use to achieve the design, but these are often really small, like one or two pages. You might have to occasionally get out your tape…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: …for, like, one piece of tape, but it is nowhere near the undertaking that it is to print out a garment sewing pattern, so I think that’s pretty cool.

Caroline: And there’s also paper piecing, which involves actually sewing onto paper, so you need to print for that, too. It’s super cool. We’re gonna link some foundation paper piecing, or FPP, patterns in the show notes.

Helen: Yes. And there’s EPP, too, English paper piecing. Again, haven’t personally dabbled in either of those, but I am super inspired by it, and I will be giving it a try.

Caroline: I know you will, Helen.

Helen: The next point I wanna make is that quilting uses small pieces, and this can be a real respite from wrangling larger garment pieces through your machine, trying to get, like, down the inseam of a pair of pants or sewing in a sleeve, um, or gathered tiers on a dress. You can just use these tiny little pieces at your ironing board and you can just, sort of, magically put them through straight lines. It’s, it’s pretty relaxing.

Caroline: The, the fact that there are no gathers in quilting is a selling point on its own. Oh, my gosh. Oh, but it’s true. There is something really nice about just working with a few small squares or triangles. You can even arrange them next to your machine. And many quilters have wool pressing mats near their machine too, so they can do it all in one place.

Helen: Yes, exactly. Quilting also involves a lot of repeated processes, and I think this is a benefit and a drawback at times. You do a lot of things over and over and over again in quilting. So for example, you’ll need to cut out, say, 50 squares of fabric or trim down all of your blocks to the final size. And these tasks can sometimes feel a bit tedious, but they can also feel really meditative and relaxing. And a lot of quilters will enjoy some of the steps in the process more than others and really relish in certain repeated processes and not relish in others. I think that’s normal.

Caroline: Yeah, I imagine it also makes it easy to break up the steps too, right?

Helen: Oh, totally. You can just focus on one thing at a time. It’s easy to break up the project into different steps and work on it over a few days or weeks or even years.

Caroline: In my case, that’s true.

Helen: Okay. Quilts make great gifts or pieces to mark special occasions. We’ve mentioned this already. This is something about the quilting community that I really love. People are so generous. Quilters often love having a reason to make a quilt, such as, like, a new baby or a wedding gift.

It’s a really special present. That can mean a lot to people, especially as time goes on, things that will be cherished over time. Yeah. I just think it’s amazing that people put that much time and effort into something and then give it away.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s so lovely, and it’s such a personal way to give a gift, and I’ve also seen people make quilts for holidays or seasons. It’s fun to swap out your home textiles for different times of year. So if you’re looking for a way to, kind of, diversify your quilting, make one for the holidays.

Helen: Yeah. I think this is really fun that people will make Valentine’s quilts or Halloween quilts or Easter quilts and just get them out for, like, one weekend or even one day of the year…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …which is amazing. But I mean, any excuse to get creative, whatever inspires you to get to your machine and wanna make something, I think that’s awesome.

Okay. The last point I wanna make in favour of quilting is that quilting builds community. There’s such a deep-rooted tradition in quilting of groups of people, primarily women getting together to quilt, either on their own projects or all working on stitching a bigger project together. And it’s so amazing that these groups and guilds exist all over.

And quilting can really bring people together. And I feel like I’ve only kind of seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the quilting community. I’m just delving in, and I can already tell it’s such an amazing space to be in, and I’m just really excited about that. You know we love the garment sewing community, and the quilting community seems equally awesome.

Caroline: Oh, that’s so great. Let’s switch gears a bit here and go over the steps in the quilting process. And the first one is to choose a project and fabrics. There are so many patterns out there to choose from, and there are loads of free designs, as well. There are traditional blocks that you can make and use to create beautiful quilts.

In fact, one really fun thing to do as a beginner is to make a sampler quilt, and this is made up of a bunch of different blocks so you can experiment and learn new skills. And you can use the same or complimentary fabrics to tie it all together. I love this idea.

Helen: Yes. I’m working on one right now actually, because I’ve been experimenting with some of the designs I’ve been coming up with by doing small versions of them or just doing one block, and I’m using all the same colours so that at the end I can make a beautiful sampler quilt that’s made up of all my design experiments, which I think is really cool.

Caroline: That is so cool.

Helen: As for fabric, you can use scraps, as we mentioned. You can choose your own fabrics off the bolt. I talked about earlier the cover quilt fabrics, you can use those, the ones the designer used. You can buy those kits that just give you everything you need. Lots of quilting fabric stores sell kits for specific patterns. They’ll often collaborate with designers during the launch of patterns to have kits available for those patterns. But you can buy precut, as we mentioned. You can buy a pattern that’s designed for precuts and then, get a precut bundle and just be good to go. So you’ve got lots of options.

If you wanna play with colours for your quilt, there’s a really cool website called “quilt ink” that I’ve been having a lot of fun on. So designers upload their quilts to quilt ink, and then, people can easily colour them in and try different fabric arrangements. And it even has all of the, like, colour collections from the major fabric companies listed on there, so you’re using not just, like, a colour picker like you would in Canva or something like that. You’re, you’re actually choosing from the available fabric colours.

Obviously, it’s on your screen, so the colour’s not a hundred percent perfect, but it gets you going in the right direction. And it’s just a click of a button. So you’re like, I want all of the blue fabrics in this print to be yellow. And you just click, and you can just change the design. And then once you have it done, you can save it. And that gets displayed on that designer’s wall for that pattern so other people can see the design that you came up with. It’s, like, a really cool community, really cool app. I’m just so excited about it.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Okay. That is so cool. And I feel like that would be so fun to play around with when you’re feeling like you don’t know what direction to go in for your next quilt. And you wanna just, like, see if the colours you have in mind are gonna work together. I love this so much. So cool. Oh, my gosh.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I’m gonna check it out.

Helen: It’s really cool. I’m gonna get my patterns up there. Hopefully, by the time this episode comes up, they’ll already be up there.

Caroline: Amazing.

Helen: Then, people can play around with my designs, too. Yeah. Very neat.

Caroline: Oh! Okay. So next up is cutting. Once you get your materials and a pattern or a plan for your design, it’s time to do the cutting.

Helen: Yes, and as I mentioned, the first project I made was a beds sized quilt. It was the Nova Star Quilt from Then Came June. And I was shocked by how long it took to cut out all the pieces. I’m used to garment cutting, which can take a while. You know, it can take an hour or longer to cut out a garment project sometimes, but it was probably about three or four hours of hard work cutting out all the pieces for this.

Now, I’m not trying to scare you because that was a complex and intricate quilt with a ton of different fabrics and colours and small little pieces, and it was bed-sized, and I have since made much easier quilts that didn’t take nearly that long to cut out. But the cutting times can sometimes be quite extensive, and it can sometimes be super fast, so it really varies.

Caroline: Okay. And I imagine it scales based on the size of the quilt, right? So for a baby quilt, it’s gonna be a lot faster than a king size-bed quilt.

Helen: Totally. And quilting involves mainly straight cuts, so it’s pretty satisfying to cut out quilt projects. You’re gonna cut long strips off of your yardage and then, sub-cut them into smaller shapes.

And there can also be curves in quilting. And in this case, you often have one of those printable templates I mentioned earlier, so that you can cut the proper curve. It feels so good when your pieces are all cut and stacked and ready to go. Like, so satisfying, all of the little, like, piles of shapes.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. I also wanna add that if you’re spending a lot of time cutting for a project and maybe it’s hard on your hands or something, there are some really cool ergonomic tools out there. There’s even ergonomic rotary cutters. We use some of those at Blackbird where you’re gripping it completely differently than a traditional rotary cutter. And you can get handles that, sort of, stick onto your quilting ruler so that you’re holding that in a more ergonomic way, so you’ve got options. Don’t be intimidated by the fact that it’s gonna be really repetitive.

Helen: Exactly. That’s a great point. I really need to get one of those ergonomic cutters ‘cause they, yeah, instead of your wrist being, like, lengthwise. It’s, like, crosswise.

Caroline: It’s, like, a fist.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: It’s kind of weird at first to get used to, but it is much better on your wrist and your body. And I’ll send you a link if you’re interested.

Helen: Oh, yes, please.

Caroline: Maybe we’ll link it up in the show notes, too, for everybody else.

Helen: No, just for me. Only me.

Caroline: So the next step is sewing those pieces together, right?

Helen: Yes. Next, you’re gonna make, like, the sub-units that make up your quilt, which often include things like half square triangles, flying geese, curves, strip piecing, nine patch or four patch. There are so many shapes and, kind of, smaller blocks that you make.

And then there are so many ways to put those together into larger designs and to increase the efficiency to make multiple units at once. So you’re not just making one half square triangle. You could make four at a time or eight at a time, even 32 at a time. I saw a reel about that recently. I wanna try that. Um, you can make flying geese four at a time.

And this probably all sounds, like, you know, a foreign language to people who are not familiar with quilting, but you will learn all of these terms when you get into it. And there’s not too many things to know. It will all become pretty familiar, but the efficiency hacks are one of my favourite things in quilting. My mind was blown when I made four half square triangles at once. I was like, what?

Caroline: Whoa!

Helen: This is so cool. It feels like magic.

Caroline: Okay. I feel like I need to see this visually, like, in a video or something, so…

Helen: Definitely.

Caroline: I’m gonna go Google that after.

Helen: Um…

Caroline: But, okay…

Helen: …I, the Playful Placemats uses the eight at a time, half square triangle methods, so you will learn.

Caroline: Okay. Well, I’m gonna get on that. I have a question though. Does seam allowance on quilts vary like it does in garment sewing, or is the seam allowance always the same?

Helen: The seam allowance in quilting is typically a quarter inch. And on some patterns it’s important to have it be a scant quarter inch because if you sew it exactly a quarter inch, and then as we know in garment sewing, some of the seam is taken up just by, like, the loft of the fabric and the seam, kind of, folding over and just, like, scooching up that extra little bit of seam allowance.

So often quilt patterns will tell you to use a scant quarter inch, which is barely less than a quarter inch so that you’re not losing that take up in your seams. And that can be important when you’re sewing a lot of little pieces together because over the course of all of those little seams, you’re gonna lose a little, like, it’s just gonna add up and up and up and compound…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: Over all the seams… And then by the time you’re done, you’re block, it’s, you know, a quarter inch shorter than it needs to be, but a lot of beginner quilts will just say, use a quarter inch seam, and that will be just fine, so…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, quarter inch.

Caroline: Very cool. Okay. And you mentioned strip piecing before, and I’ve never heard that term before. Can you explain that to me?

Helen: Yeah. Strip piecing is cool. It’s when you sew larger strips of fabric together and then you cut them up after to create many units. So let’s say you need a unit that’s two different coloured squares sewn together, and you need 20 of those little pairings of squares. You could cut 40 squares and sew them together one by one.

Or you could cut two long strips of fabric, sew those strips together, lengthwise, and then cut them up into those 20 units that you need. It’s so much faster and more accurate. So that can be, yeah, just really, again, really fun and, kind of, mind blowing when you do it.

Caroline: Okay. Yeah. It sounds like it would eliminate some of that trimming that you’re gonna have to do…

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: …which I think we’re gonna talk about in a minute.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: But the garment sewer in me is wanting to ask, what about your seams unravelling? Because I know if I ever cut, let’s say a hem or something shorter, and then where that stitch line where I would’ve backstitched it’s, like, gone.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So the seam could unravel but also, wait, hold on. I have a follow up question after, but answer this one first.

Helen: Okay. Yes. This is a really great question. I also felt, like, really uncomfortable when I was quilting over the first few times ‘cause I’m like, but the backstitching. I miss the backstitching.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Like, reassurance that it’s gonna be secure. But I mean, just like in garment sewing, if you know that your seam is gonna be sewn into another seam, you don’t have to back stitch. But there’s always the chance that it will unravel when you take it to the pressing mat and you’re moving it around your studio and pinning it in place and all that stuff, it could start to come undone. So backstitching I think is always a nice thing to just do in garment sewing.

But in quilting it would just take forever to backstitch at the end of every little thing. And it adds bulk to your project, as well, which you really don’t want because you already are dealing with a lot of bulk, a lot of intersecting seams, so you don’t want extra thread in there, too. So yeah, to save time and reduce bulk, we don’t backstitch in quilting and it’s okay. I have not found it to be an issue when you go and, like, cut up your seam and you just have loosey-goosey short little threads in there.

You wanna be gentle with your pieces and chances are you’re immediately sewing them together into a block or something else, so the chances of it actually unravelling are pretty slim. You can also shorten your stitch length when you’re piecing. I like doing that for curves, especially, because it gets a little bit more of a smoother line, and that makes your stitching even more secure. So that’s something that you can do if you’re feeling nervous about it.

Caroline: Okay, you just answered all of my questions ‘cause I was goi-, I was having a panic attack, thinking about the fact that there’s no backstitching in quilting. And I was like, I, I don’t get it, but I get it now. I understand.

Helen: I should’ve…

Caroline: You just have to be a little gentler. And I like the idea of a shorter seam allowance. I feel like that would make me feel comforted.

Helen: Shorter stitch length, not seam allowance.

Caroline: Yeah. Oh, sorry. Shorter stitch length. Yes.

Helen: Yeah, it, it can be, kind of, freeing once you get the hang of it and you get over that hurdle of feeling like you’re breaking the rules.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So what about pressing? Because it seems like there’s a lot of pressing in quilting.

Helen: Yes, there is. And you learn to love it if you don’t already love it. I’m a big fan of pressing, so I was…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: …I was excited. But after each zone, many quilters will finger press the seam open, or to one side, often the darker side of the fabric. And this helps to make it faster when you get to your iron, ‘cause you don’t wanna be at your ironing board with, like, these tiny little pieces trying to fiddle to get these tiny little seams open under the hot iron by your fingers.

So finger pressing them allows you to get those pieces ready. And then you go to the ironing board and you’re just like, press, press, press, press. And everything’s, like, all ready to be pressed. So that’s a step that I’ve really been embracing. I’m enjoying finger pressing.

It also allows you to get many pieces sewn together at once at the machine before you take your final unit or block to the ironing board so you can sew a whole bunch of pieces together at the machine, just using finger pressing and then you’re just taking your final block to the ironing board at the end for the final press. So there’s definitely ways to be more efficient.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. And pressing each seam flat is important in quilting because there are a lot of seams, right? And a lot of bulk, and you want everything to be nice and square. So wrinkly or un-pressed blocks can kind of throw everything off, right?

Helen: Yeah, exactly. You do really wanna focus on getting everything as flat as possible. Flat, flat, flat.

Caroline: Okay. Got it.

Helen: Okay. Let’s talk about trimming. You mentioned that this step also took me by surprise when I started quilting. Basically, after you sew any unit or block in quilting, you wanna take a moment to ensure that your finished unit is the correct size that it’s supposed to be. The pattern will say, these units need to be this size.

You’re gonna take your ruler and double check that, and then you’re gonna trim it to size if necessary and square it up. So things like half square triangles and flying geese are often made oversized so that you can trim them down at the end and have them be perfectly square and neat when you’re finished, rather than trying to make them the exact size you need and ending up with, kind of, wonky units.

I tried to skip this on my first quilt, and oh, my. It really made putting things together at the end a lot harder because my finished blocks were slightly different sizes. They were a little wonky. I hadn’t bothered to trim all my flying geese, so I had lots of little, like, what they call dog ears, which are those little, like, points that, kind of, stick out after you sew the seam from, like, pressing it open. You’ll have these, like, little corners that stick out. You want to trim those off to reduce bulk. It just made it harder, and I’ve learned in quilting that all of these little steps are important because it makes the end result and the subsequent steps easier.

Caroline: Yeah, I bet. Because wouldn’t it compound as you go? Like, if your smaller units are slightly off, then your block is gonna be more off, and then, your finished quilt is gonna be way off, and then it’s just gonna be, like, baahh.

Helen: Exactly. And you don’t want that because you’re putting so much effort into this, right?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You want it to turn out in the end. So trimming is not my favourite step, and I know it’s not a lot of quilter’s favourite step, it’s a bit tedious, but it is necessary and important to the process. And there’s a satisfaction there, for sure, um, with squaring things up and making them perfect. And it does take time. My hands get tired, but at the end of it, I feel satisfied that it’s complete.

There are also specialty rulers and swivel mats and things like that that can make the process a lot easier, and I’ve invested in some of those, and that’s been fun to, kind of, figure out ways to make it a more enjoyable part of the process.

Caroline: Oh, I don’t know. I feel like it would be so satisfying to trim everything down and have it be perfect, and then you can have your little stack of perfect blocks before you attach them together.

Helen: Oh, it really is. Until you need to do it 130 times.

Caroline: Okay, so you’re saying the novelty’s gonna wear off. Okay.

Helen: Maybe. Maybe. I mean I won’t speak for you.

Caroline: Okay. So next up is assembly. I know this one. This is when the blocks become the full quilt.

Helen: Yes! This is often the fun part. You get to see the quilt come to life as you sew your blocks or units or strips together. This is also when the quilt goes from being a small, little fun piece that you’re working on to a larger, sometimes much larger beast of a project.

It can become a bit challenging to move it around, to get it through the machine, to have it on your ironing board, et cetera. So that’s something that you’ll learn to work with as well. Quilting is tiny, but it’s also huge.

Caroline: Yeah, and I mean, you’re taking all these smaller pieces and creating this much larger piece, and how do you even know how to assemble it?

Helen: Well, the pattern will tell you. If it’s a pattern that has blocks made of multiple different colours or patterns, you often get to decide what order to place them in. So you can lay them out on your floor. Or some designers have quilt design walls where they stick the blocks onto, like, a big sheet of flannel or batting that’s pinned to the wall, and they just stick right on there. And you can choose your layout, you can move them around and decide where each piece is gonna go before you get to actually sewing the rows together and then assembling the rest of your quilt.

And then some patterns will have very specific ways that you need to assemble the pattern to create the look of the design. So there’s a huge range in assembly of quilts, but it is really fun when you’re working with one that’s more randomised because you get to choose where everything goes.

Caroline: Hmm. Okay, that makes sense. So now the quilt top is done, and it’s time to choose a backing, right?

Helen: Yes. And if your project is wider than 42 inches, which is typical for quilting cotton, you’ll need to assemble your backing or purchase fabric that’s, it’s extra wide for your backing. And sometimes backing will have seams because you’ve assembled multiple strips of fabric. And don’t worry about that. They won’t even be noticeable once you, like, do all your quilting and everything. And could you use scraps or, like, leftovers for the backing?

Yes. And this is a great way to use up all the material that you have leftover from the top and save money. Like I was saying earlier, a bed-size quilt can require, you know, eight or nine yards of 42 inch wide fabric. That’s a lot of fabric. That’s a pretty big expense. So if you’re able to piece together the leftovers from the top that you were working on, or even from past projects, you can really save money. There’s really no reason why your top and your back can’t be patchwork.

Caroline: Mm.

Helen: It’s often that the backing is solid, but it can be patchwork, too. It’ll be a little bulkier, maybe, would be the only downside, but it’s a beautiful way to use up those leftovers.

Caroline: I’ve seen some really creative quilt backs where someone will use, like, maybe full yardage for, like, part of it, and then the other part is filled in with quilted scraps or something like that.

Helen: Exactly.

Caroline: I think you can get really creative.

Helen: Like, just a strip, and that can just be, yeah, the leftovers from the top, which I think is so cool.

Caroline: Okay. What’s next?

Helen: Okay, next up, you’re gonna be doing the sandwiching and prepping for quilting. Caroline, this is the step that you always get lost at. We always lose you here. Remember when I said that your assembled quilt top is gonna be a beast? Well, it’s about to get even beast-ier because next up you’re gonna need to sandwich the top, the batting, and the backing altogether and baste it, as in tack it together so you’re ready for quilting.

You can use quilt basting pins that we mentioned earlier, those little safety pins, to hold the layers together. Or you can use something called spray baste, which is essentially spray glue for your project. I’m a big fan of spray baste, by the way. It’s so fun. And then you don’t have any pins getting in the way of your quilting.

Caroline: How, okay, wait, but how do you make sure that the glue doesn’t, like, get on everything?

Helen: I lay out some newspaper around the area where I’m spray basting so that…

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: And then I wear an apron.

Caroline: Ah.

Helen: But good point ‘cause it can, I mean, it’s spray glue so it goes in the air and it can, kind of, like, you know, get on stuff, so you do wanna be careful.

Caroline: Okay. And with this sandwiching and prepping and, kind of, basting step. I often see people doing this on the floor. Actually, I’ve done it on the floor, and it, kind of, hurts my back. So like what’s up with that?

Helen: Yeah. This part is honestly awkward. You need to get everything as smooth as possible, so you, kind of, need a pretty big surface. I use my work table, which I’m very lucky to have. Some people do it on the wall, actually hanging it up on the wall and doing it on there.

But the floor is a really common place because it’s often the largest flattest surface that you are gonna have available to you. So you’ll see people crawling around on the floor and doing this and yeah, it sucks. It’s not fun.

Caroline: And, like, do you think that this step would be really difficult to do in a small space, or even, shall I say, a tiny space? And have you seen any, like, hacks out there for being able to put together a quilt in a small space.

Helen: You can do it on a smaller surface, like a smaller table. You just need to, kind of, do your basting in sections. So get it as, like, aligned and straight and flat as you can. Like, imagine you’re doing it on an ironing board. The way you would iron yardage, you, kind of, iron, you know, this 12 inch section, and then, you slide it back and you iron the next 12 inch section.

Caroline: Right.

Helen: You slide it back. It would be like that, but with basting, so you’d be basting each section. It can be, kind of, difficult to get everything flat when you’re doing one section at a time. It’s easier to, kind of, lay it all flat flat first, but it’s definitely possible, and I know that people do that.

Caroline: Right. Okay. And, like, how do you motivate yourself to do this step? I’m asking for a friend.

Helen: I think you get excited. And you get through this step by just being really pumped about it finally being ready for quilting.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: Like, this is the step after you finish your top, right? So you finish your top, that’s a huge accomplishment. You’re super excited. It’s done. It’s finally ready to become its final thing to fulfill its quilting destiny. You know, you want to just, like, see that through. So I think you have to ride that excitement high. Resist folding it up and putting it in your closet because… Yeah, that’s hard. That’s hard. It’s hard to get back into the project if you put it away.

Caroline: I feel like we need some dramatic music, and you being like,

Helen: Yay! Oh, totally. Also, having your quilt long armed takes this step out of it because basically you send them, or bring them, your quilt top and the backing that’s all prepped. They will often supply the batting, or you can bring your own, and then, they do this step for you. They load it up onto the long arm machine, which involves actually, like, making it flat and everything, getting it ready, so you don’t have to do that step. So there you go. There’s your solution.

Caroline: Okay, check. Perfect. But speaking of long arming, can we talk about the quilting part? Not the hobby quilting, but the actual quilting on the final piece, which is, like, the top stitching?

Helen: Yes. That’s an important distinction and a confusing one, for sure, because when we say quilting, that can encompass the whole act of quilting. Or quilting within quilting is the stitching of the final project. So you can do home machine quilting and keep it simple by sewing straight lines. Wavy lines are also fun, or stitching in the ditch of your patchwork seams is a fun way to do it.

You can also do free motion quilting on your home machine using a free motion foot. And to do this, you disengage your feed dogs, and then, you can slide your project around in any direction and essentially just doodle with your stitching. People do all sorts of amazing patterns. It takes practice to get good at this, of course, but making a repeating pattern is a good way to try it. Or you can just free form it and literally just, kind of, draw and doodle.

Caroline: That sounds really cool.

Helen: Yeah, it’s super fun. I haven’t gotten a free motion foot yet, but again, it’s on my list. I have so many things on my list.

Caroline: Okay. Tell me more about long arming. Yeah, so there are large, long arm quilting machines, and they’re called long arm quilting machines because they have a long arm that can reach out and over the bulk of your quilting project and actually sew a lot easier than you can on your domestic machine, which has a really short arm.

So they’re like a flat bed machine, like a CNC router or something like that. Like, they’re pretty heavy duty big machines. They do come in various sizes, but they are large. They take up a lot of space. The quilt gets loaded onto the machine and then stitched.

And long armers will take your project, quilt it for you. They’re professional, so you have a lot of expertise there, which is really nice. And they can use computerised designs called “pantographs” or they can do custom free motion quilting work. And I think long arms are so cool because you, kind of, drive them almost like a car. Like…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: …they have these handles. They’re not quite like regular sewing machines where you’re pushing the fabric around. You’re holding onto the machine, and you’re, like, guiding it around and you’re driving it like a car and you’re stitching at the same time. And it takes an incredible amount of skill to be able to do beautiful free motion quilting work. So props to the long armers out there. It’s something that I would love to try one day. Get my hands on a long arm, have a, a professional long armer, show me the ropes. That would be so cool.

Caroline: They should do, like, well this probably exists, I just am not familiar here, but like, you should be able to, like, rent a long arm, like, rent time on a long arm.

Helen: You can, yeah. There’s…

Caroline: Really?

Helen: I think at the Pfaff store in Vancouver you can rent a long arm and, and, like, rent it for an afternoon and quilt your top.

Caroline: Cool.

Helen: Yeah it, it is really cool. I definitely need to do that ‘cause I wanna give it a try. Of course, I’ve thought about buying a long arm machine, but I don’t wanna get one until I try it ‘cause that would be foolish.

Caroline: And they must be, like, pretty huge investments, right? Like, not something that just your average sewist can just get.

Helen: No, we are not talking about domestic sewing machine prices here.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: We’re talking thousands, tens of thousands.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Big, big investment.

Helen: They can be really expensive. There’s a range of course, like I said. But yeah, it is an investment, and people make whole careers out of it. Like, there are professional long armers. That’s what they do. They long arm quilts for people and I think, I think that’s really a neat, neat career. Very cool.

Caroline: It really is. Yeah. Okay. And we can’t forget about hand quilting. This is a really beautiful option. It takes longer, but it’s totally worth it. This actually really appeals to me. I’d love to do something like a little blanket that’s hand quilted and yeah, just see if I like it.

Helen: Oh, it’s really fun. Or you can do elements. Like, just the binding, you can hand bind, which is really meditative.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: It’s nice ‘cause you’re cozying. Probably on a couch or something, and you’ve already got your finished blanket on top of you. You’re enjoying it.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: It’s fulfilling its…

Caroline: Reality tv in the background.

Helen: … quilt destiny. Exactly. And you’re stitching away. People often use thicker thread for hand quilting, so it really stands out, and it has that beautiful handmade quality to the finished product. It’s just stunning.

Caroline: So cool. Okay. You just mentioned binding, so tell me more about that.

Helen: Okay. This is the final step and it’s to trim your quilt to size and bind it. Garment sewists will have no trouble with the step, honestly. We’re used to binding.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: Um, quilt binding is usually done on the cross grain, not the bias, so I find it’s even easier. We’re talking, like, really stable strips of fabric that are being sewn onto straight lines. I mean, it’s a lot easier than binding a neckline or an armscye.

Caroline: Mm. So you’re saying when you handle it, it’s not gonna stretch out and get all weird and wonky?

Helen: Exactly. And quilters even use glue to hold their binding in place, like washable school glue. It’s so genius.

Caroline: Oh, okay. That is so cool.

Helen: Yeah, it’s a long strip of binding when you’re doing a bed-size quilt. So it can feel like…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …it takes a while, but honestly, yeah, I think for garment sewists, this will be the easy part.

Caroline: Cool. Okay. That is quite the process. It sounds like it takes a really long time to get from start to finish on a quilt. Is that true?

Helen: Yes, that is true. On a whole, quilting, I think, is slower than garment sewing. If we’re talking about the finished product in hand, it’s definitely slower. But one thing that I’ve noticed about quilting is that you get more points throughout the process where you get, like, a little, like, completion high.

You feel a real sense of accomplishment when you finish making all the units you need for your blocks. And then again, when you assemble each of your blocks. And then again, when you assemble the quilt top. And then again, when the stitching is done. And again, with the binding. I mean, you get the idea.

Obviously, this happens with garment sewing, too. I’ve experienced this many times with garment sewing, but there’s something maybe a little bit more exciting about a completed quilt block versus, like, a half finished pair of pants.

And I think it’s because it feels complete on its own. Like, a, a finished quilt block feels done even if it isn’t in the quilt yet. Does that make sense?

Caroline: Oh, yeah. And I also love that with quilting you can, kind of, display your in progress work, sort of, like what we talked about with the design wall earlier. But you don’t have to be finished all your blocks to start putting things on the wall. I personally love seeing your studio because often we’re seeing each other through a screen, and I have your studio in the background, and you always have different blocks displayed on the wall, and they’re like art. I mean, it’s, can always be changing and progressing, and it’s a great way to be reminded of where you are at in the process and stay inspired to keep up with your project.

Helen: Oh, a hundred percent. I love displaying the blocks as they come together, and I’ll tell you an embarrassing secret.

Caroline: Please do.

Helen: I love when I complete a block and I take a picture of it on my phone. And then, I have an album on my phone where I keep all the pictures of the block so that when I’m lying in bed I can look at them.

Caroline: Oh! I mean, that’s not embarrassing. I feel like that’s relatable.

Helen: Oh, I’m really, like, just so proud of myself, and I just wanna look at them all the time. And I bring Sam into the studio. I’m like, every time I finish a block, I’m like, come see, come see, come see. You have to see this block I just made. Not quite the same when I’m like, come this sleeve I just inserted.

Caroline: Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Okay, so how long does it take to make a quilt, Helen? Like, tell it to me straight.

Helen: Caroline, it’s impossible to answer this question. No, I’m sorry. There are so many variables. I’m, the main ones, of course, being the size of the quilt and the complexity of the design. When I started quilting, I thought to myself like, how do people do this so quickly? It seemed like a lot of the folks that I was following on Instagram were making quilts so fast, like an alarming rate. And it was taking me, like, a full year to make this bed size quilt.

But now I can understand the speed a little bit more because I’ve gotten faster at it, with practice. I’ve tried easier and smaller projects that are less complex in design, but I mean, of course also social media makes everything seem quick and easy and, like, no big deal, so that doesn’t help.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. Speaking of smaller and easier projects, can we just quickly talk about good beginner projects? Like, what should people look for when they’re just starting out?

Helen: Well, it won’t surprise nobody that I’m gonna say start small. Use squares or rectangles. Those are the easiest shapes to work with when you’re just starting. You can use precut to speed things up if you’re not really into the idea of cutting. And you can use scraps to take the pressure off ‘cause you’re just using leftovers, and you’re just playing around and having fun. And just know that your first quilt is gonna be a little wonky.

It’s just like your first garment, right? You have to give yourself grace. It’s probably not gonna be perfectly square, but if you have sewing skills already, I think you can definitely be successful with your first quilting project. It’s not gonna be that hard if you’re a garment sewist. II totally believe in you.

I would recommend, of course, our first pattern, the freebie for our newsletter subscribers, the Playful Placemats. I really designed this with beginners in mind, and I think it’s the perfect first project. It’s not boring. It’s really fun, and you get something useful at the end. And I know I said use squares or rectangles, and this project is all half square triangles, but that’s because I know you can do it.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I know you can do it. You got this.

Caroline: Yeah. And it’s skill building, and also, it’s, like, really fun and interesting to look at.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And see all the different combinations.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I am so excited to try the Playful Placemats pattern. I like that it’s not too simple, and there are triangles, or as you call them, half square triangles, too.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: As you call them, as the quilting world calls.

Helen: Whatever you call those.

Caroline: Yeah, whatever you call those things. It’s so fun to see the different combinations, and you have a whole bunch of different ideas of combinations that you provide, right?

Helen: Oh, yes!

Caroline: So that’s not something you have to just come up with yourself.

Helen: Twenty-four. 24 options.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. And it’s a free pattern, y’all. Come on.

Helen: Come on.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. And we wanna encourage you to incorporate patchwork and quilting into your garment sewing too. To remind you, patchwork is piecing together the fabric and quilting is the stitching. The Wildwood Jacket and Vest pattern is a great quilted pattern that you can try as well, and that is from Helen’s Closet.

Helen: Thank you. Yeah, that is a great pattern for learning a bit more about quilting, if you’re primarily interested in garment sewing. And you can make patchwork a part of pretty much any project. I’ve seen a lot of people incorporating patchwork into their sewing projects lately because quilted garments are, kind of, having a moment in the fashion world.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: So that’s been really fun. Think of it like building the fabric you need to make the garment. And this is, again, just an excellent way to use up your scraps.

Caroline: Yes, it is. And we have an episode all about sewing quilted garments. That is episode 217, if you wanna check it out. So, okay, Helen, I wanna know what’s next for you on your quilting journey and for Cedar Quilt Co. Fill me in.

Helen: Oh, I’m so excited. We’ve got patterns coming out. I’m hoping to put one out every month or two. Don’t hold me to it, but that’s my hope. So over the next few summer months, it’s gonna be a really fun time. We’re gonna have a few designs popping up.

And personally, I mentioned so many things in this episode that I wanna try, but I think at the tippy top of the list is foundation paper piecing. It’s so freaking cool. And I really wanna make, there’s a company called Pride and Joy Quilting, they have this really cute foundation paper piecing pattern that is a sewing machine. And it just makes a beautiful, like, wall hanging for your sewing room. So I think I’m gonna start with that pattern, and I’ll share that on my socials as I go.

But I wanna know, Caroline, have I convinced you? I think I know the answer.

Caroline: Absolutely. Okay. I will admit, I was already convinced because I’ve watched your journey over the past few years, and it’s been so inspiring. So after I finish my wedding dress, I’m gonna have some fun with quilting. And I know I should probably start small as per your advice, but I am already dreaming about, like, a big bed-size quilt.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: So we’ll see what happens.

Helne: I can totally picture, like, you making a beautiful linen, like, combination of, like, earthy-toned linens or hand woven fabrics for your bedroom. That would be so beautiful.

Caroline: Yes! Okay. That brings us to the end of this quilty exploration. We hope that you found this episode educational and inspirational. And if you love quilting as much as Helen does, go follow along with @CedarQuiltCo. I don’t know. Helen, should we rename this podcast Love to Quilt? What do you think?

Helen: I don’t think that’s necessary yet. Uh, second podcast.

Caroline: Spinoff.

Helen: Spinoff. Yeah. I would also just love to see your quilting projects. Doesn’t have to be something you’re currently working on. Just something that you’ve made that involves quilting. We would love to see that. Share it with us on social media this week. Tag us so we could admire your work and share it with the broader Love to Sew community. That would be so fun.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and CedarQuiltCo.com. You can find Caroline BlackbirdFabrics.com. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: Go 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 voicemail message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Give us a shout. Tell Helen how much you love her new patterns. And send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: And if you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For $5 a month, you get a full length bonus episode and weekly behind the scenes pics. For $10 a month you get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for you. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

Caroline: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you all for listening. We will talk to you next week.

Helen: Buh-bye.

Caroline: Bye.

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Welcome to the future of sewing! We share stories from kid and teen sewists – creative, kind, enthusiastic young people who are getting ready to take on the world. We also share resources to help the kids in your life learn to sew! Plus, we answer a listener question about telling pattern pieces apart and making construction steps easier to follow.

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

From the Listener Question Section:

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

Helen and Caroline as Teens Who Sewed:

Helen’s first me-made pants / The first top Helen designed herself: a one-shoulder crop top!

Helen with her beloved sewing teacher, Ms. Orchard/Helen’s grad dress, which she designed and sewed herself!

Caroline with one of her upcycled jeans bags!

Caroline in a white tank she made without a pattern

Caroline’s working on her final project in high school; making an outfit inspired by art!

The Kids and Teens Featured in this Episode:

A post shared by Retro Girl Creations (@retro_girl_creations)

A post shared by Genesis Hall | Quilter & Sewist • 13 Years Old (@gennyfromthequiltblock)

A post shared by Mallory | Slow Sewing & Making (@mallory_made_creations)

A post shared by Sophie Ren (@thesewingsophie)

Resources for Kids to Learn to Sew:

Sewing Patterns: 

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.

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 our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Helen: Join us for today’s topic: Kids and Teens Who Sew.

Caroline: Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline. How are you today? I’m great. It’s April when this episode comes out, one of my favourite months of the year. It’s gardening season. It’s spring. It’s lovely. I can’t get enough of it.

Caroline: It’s your birthday.

Helen: It’s my birthday month. Yes. 17th.

Caroline: Oh, I, April is a great month. I just feel so good to be on the other side of this winter and enjoying the spring weather…

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: …and all the things that are blooming and the sunshine and things are looking up. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, it’s very inspiring. It just fills me with excitement and joy when…

Caroline: Me, too.

Helen: …it’s spring, and speaking of being inspiring, I have to say, getting all of this listener feedback from our kids and teens who sew has been so amazing and so inspiring. It’s incredible.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I was all over the place when I was reviewing this prep. I was in tears. I was laughing. I was having such a good time learning about these kids and teens and their journeys with sewing, and I know our listeners are gonna love this episode.

Helen: Yes, absolutely. We have a related listener question from Maxine.

Maxine: Hello, my name is Maxine. I started learning sewing when I was in he-, home economics class, and I really loved it, but the only problem now, I always had a problem with trying to put the pieces together. What goes with what? A, B, C. So can you please gimme some pointers on how do you put the pattern together for the clothing? Bye-bye.

Caroline: Hi, Maxine. Thank you so much for calling us. I really hope you get back into sewing because if you loved it then, I feel confident you’re gonna love it now. And there are so many resources out there online, in books, in magazines, and in person classes. So now is a great time to get back into sewing.

Helen: And pattern pieces can definitely be confusing. And I’m guessing that you’re talking about patterns from the Big 4 companies because you mentioned A, B, and C, and that’s usually how they label their pieces. The big four companies are Butterick, McCalls, Simplicity, and Vogue.

And if you have patterns that don’t have the names of the pieces written on them, you can write them out yourself. That can be super helpful. So in the pattern instruction booklet, there should be some sort of key or legend telling you what each piece is.

So piece A, it might be the front, and you can write that on the piece. And piece D might be the sleeve, write that on it. And so on. That’ll be your first step in sort of demystifying what all the pieces are.

Caroline: And then when you cut your pieces out of fabric, it can be useful to keep the paper pieces together with the fabric pieces. So, like, make a bunch of piles around your room, the sleeves and the sleeve pattern pieces in one pile, the front and the front pattern piece another pile. You can even use pins to keep the pattern attached to the fabric piece.

Another option is to use small pieces of masking tape or painters tape to label each fabric piece. Just make sure to test it out on a scrap of fabric to make sure it doesn’t change the fabric or leave a residue when you peel it off.

The longer you work with pattern pieces, the easier it’s gonna get to recognize them just from their shapes. But for now, just make it easier on yourself and label them or keep them together with their paper pattern piece.

Helen: Absolutely. And if you’re shopping for new patterns, I would recommend, shockingly, choosing an indie pattern from a company that has a reputation for good instructions or maybe a pattern from Simplicity. Of all the Big 4, Simplicity has the reputation for making the most complete instructions.

A pattern from Butterick or Vogue will have sparser instructions, and they tend to assume that you have a certain level of sewing knowledge, so they don’t explain the basics, and that can be really challenging for a beginner.

Some indie pattern companies with a good reputation for their instructions are companies like Seamwork, Tilly and the Buttons, Dear and Doe, and I mean, not to toot my own horn, but Helen’s Closet. Toot toot. And it’s also nice if a pattern company has something like a sew along on their blog or a YouTube channel where they walk through the tricky steps in the pattern.

Or you can find YouTubers like Saremy from Sew Sew Live who does full sew alongs for patterns and just choose a pattern from their selection that they teach on their YouTube. It’s like sewing with a teacher because you have somebody there to actually show you the ropes, so that can be immensely helpful.

Caroline: Yeah, and pattern instructions can be overwhelming when you look at the whole thing at once. So when you start working through the pattern, just take it one step at a time. Don’t even think about the next step. Just get through them one at a time.

Helen: And with all that said, if you don’t wanna go by the pattern instructions, there is a general order of construction that most patterns follow. Alexandra Morgan and Evelyn Wood, both past guests, they have videos about this order on their YouTube channels that we will link up for you in the show notes.

You can also find some good information out there by Googling order of construction for sewing. The actual steps are a bit too lengthly to go through here, but I assure you that there are lots of posts out there that will help you figure it out if you just wanna know generally how clothes are put together.

Caroline: Yeah. And finally, I wanna mention that a simple garment is gonna have the simplest instructions. And if you’re getting back into sewing after a long break, you’re probably gonna want an easy win. I mean, I still want an easy win, and I’ve been sewing for years and years.

Helen: Yeah!

Caroline: So consider choosing something that has an easy fit – no zippers or complicated details for your first to make. Most patterns are gonna tell you which difficulty level they are, so that’s a helpful way to weed out the stuff that’s gonna be complicated.

Helen: And, I mean, we’re so excited for you to get back into sewing, Maxine. Like, come on in. The water is fine. I, too, was really into sewing in home ec and then took a hiatus and didn’t get back into it until I was later on in my twenties as an adult. And there’s never, like, a bad time to get back into sewing, so do it.

Caroline: Okay. We are so excited for this week’s episode. Welcome to the Future of Sewing, y’all. Today we’re sharing voicemails and letters from kids and teens who sew. And these kids are talented. They’re hardworking. They’re creative. And towards the end of the episode, we’re gonna share a few ideas and resources to get the kids in your life sewing, but just get ready to be inspired.

Helen: Yes! And before we get into these amazing stories, we wanted to talk briefly about what we were like as kids and teens who sewed.

Caroline: Yeah, we do. Helen, tell me about your sewing beginnings.

Helen: Well, I started sewing at a very young age. In fact, so young, I don’t remember a time that I didn’t know how to sew. My mom sewed and taught me, and I remember her having her machine and ironing board set up in various places around the house.

And her machine belonged to her mother. It was one of those beautiful old Singer featherweight machines, one of those black and gold ones with all the pretty decorative lines on it. And I, I, of course, was just, like, enthralled by this machine. I thought it was the coolest, most beautiful thing. So that probably helped me to get into sewing.

And I also got to take a kid’s sewing class one summer. My mom signed me up for that. Definitely something to look out for if you have kids who are interested in sewing. It was a lot of fun, and it’s nice to be able to learn in an environment with other people your own age. So that was really great.

And then I made clothes for myself, just cutting out shapes and trying them together. I also remember using a couple of, like, McCall’s patterns as a teenager, but I generally preferred to refashion and cut, create my own looks rather than using patterns, maybe a little ironic at this point. But I think that part of that was just being, like, deeply uninspired by the cover samples and artwork on the Big 4 patterns. Like…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …just not interested based on what they were selling on the cover. But in high school, I had a great home ec teacher, Ms. Orchard, and I spent nearly all of my free time in her classroom, and she really encouraged me to be creative with my sewing and to use patterns because that way you can get really good results. And she’s a big part of why I ended up here as a pattern designer.

But I think, in general, the biggest thing I remember about being a kid and a teenager who sewed was just how fearless I was. Like, I would get an idea in my head, and then I would just find some fabric in my mom’s bin or the discarded fabric cupboard at the school and just go for it and just try to make it happen.

And that kind of creative practice is so rewarding, and it’s harder to do as an adult I have found because I have all of this knowledge about what can go wrong. And as a kid and a teen, I was just like, yeah, let’s do it. Like, if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. I don’t care. I’ll just do something else.

Caroline: My mom had a fabric bin, too, when I was a kid and I remember it was, like, so huge that it must have been, like, an old appliance box or something. And I used to, like, crawl into it and just, like, dig around for fabric and just be inspired by whatever was in there and just come up with an idea on the spot. Like, it’s true. That just doesn’t happen anymore.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. But how did you learn to sew? What’s your kid sewing experience?

Caroline: I think I was around nine when I started sewing, and I remember being pretty fearless. Like, I forced my mom to teach me how to use her sewing machine, and then I just, went for it. I didn’t even think to use a pattern. I would just cut into fabric and sew it together.

I would upcycle pants into bags. That was, like, my big thing when I started sewing, and I’ve talked about this on the show before, but I used to charge for it, and they were, like, not nice bags. They were really poorly finished, but, like, my friends would give me their old jeans, and I’d upcycle them into bags, and I had such a good time doing that.

And, yeah, I used to make clothes for myself by just, like, tracing a vague shape and hoping it would come together. Like, I had no idea about, like, armholes or how sleeves should look. And I just made it work. I think I was around 13 or 14 when I really, like, peaked in, like, making my own clothing.

And I actually have this, like, vivid memory. I was a camp counsellor when I was 14, and I remember making an outfit for summer camp the night before I wore it. And I was laughing when I thought about this because I’m like, some things never change.

Helen: Yeah!

Caroline: Like, I still make outfits the night before I wanna wear them. But the inspiration was there, and I just went for it. And I remember wearing it the next day and being so proud, even though it looked soo bad.

Somewhere along the lines, my parents bought me a serger, and that really upped my game. And then I went to school for fashion design when I was 18. That was back in 2006. So that took me through my teenage years, and the rest is history.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, you must have just known that you were destined for fashion school at that point, after all that sewing

Caroline: Yeah, and I think my parents saw it, too, and really encouraged me to pursue that ‘cause I think they saw, like, how much it lit me up…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …when I was in my teen years. It was really such a great creative outlet for me. So yeah, I’m really happy with that path and

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: … and have really fond memories of sewing as a teenager.

Helen: Yeah, me, too. Me, too. I mean so many t-shirts got hacked up and…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …misshapen, but I wore them with pride. It was a fun time.

Caroline: So that’s our stories. I think we need to move on to these cool kids and teens.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: And we’re gonna kick it off with a voicemail from Suvi.

Suvi: Hi, my name’s Suvi. I’m eight years old. And I like to sew because I wanna get better so I can sew a massive stuffy. And I like to sew stuffies mainly. I like to sew though because it’s so fun to squish it and feel like, I made this. I didn’t buy it. It feels so good. My sewing goal is to make a really big stuffy, like, massive. And a funny story is once, then I thought that my sewing kit was a donut. I actually, sort of, bit it.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I love that you accidentally bit your sewing kit. Sounds a little dangerous, depending on what might have been in there, but that is amazing. What a great story.

Caroline: Yeah. It really is. Your kind of sewing is so special because you bring creatures to life, and you get to use your sewing skills and make soft little friends at the same time. I do wanna know more about this donut sewing kit. I’d love to see a picture or something. It sounds very delicious and fun.

Helen: Yes. And we wanna wish you luck making your giant massive stuffy. I’m sure it will be a masterpiece.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I, too, was a huge stuffy fan as a kid. Definitely understand the importance of stuffies, precious things.

Caroline: I don’t know, Helen. I think you’re still a stuffy fan ‘cause I’ve…

Helen: That’s true.

Caroline: …witnessed you buy stuffies at craft markets.

Helen: I love a good stuffy. I’m a sucker.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It’s true.

Caroline: We all love a good stuffy. Alright, next up we have a voicemail from a teen named Aoife.

Aoife: Hey, I’m Aoife. I’m 14, and I learned to sew when I was about 12. I taught myself. I wanted Halloween costumes for my American girl dolls, so I went to the dollar store and got some Halloween capes. And then, I partially hand sewed and hot glued them together, and then it just really took off from there. And then, that following Christmas, I got my very first sewing machine.

Now, two years later, I love sewing everything, but I especially love making clothing. I make it all the time now for myself, for my friends. I sell it online, and it’s just the best and most rewarding feeling ever knowing that you made something that nobody else has and that you can make absolutely anything you want. My goal is to be a famous New York-based fashion designer making looks for runways worldwide and designing looks for celebrities and, you know, just doing what I love for a living.

A funny sewing story I have, or somewhat funny, I was on the costume team for my school musical, which was The Little Shop of Horrors. So I had to make the trio dresses, but I wasn’t given the supplies until about, about a week and a half before I had to have them done by for the first dress rehearsal. And then I got sick, so that cut off a lot of the sewing time, and I basically made all three dresses in the straight sewing 24 hours. I just, like, took the whole weekend, and I just sewed nonstop. Thank you!

Helen: Caroline, you and Aoife are kindred spirits.

Caroline: Yeah. A last minute sew.

Helen: I can also relate to making clothes for my dolls and stuffed animals, as well. I mean, we talked about my love of stuffies. Don’t even get me started on my love of dressing up stuffies. That is such a fun place to start a sewing journey.

And by the way, we have some fun stories from adults in our How I Learned To Sew episode. And there are quite a few that are about childhood, and I think it’s so amazing that you sew clothes for yourself and for your friends, and that you even sell them. You’re also, like, a budding business owner. That is incredible. Just so cool.

Caroline: Yeah. You are well on your way to your goal of becoming a fashion designer, and I just can’t believe you only had one weekend to make all three of those dresses because I have been in sticky situations like that before, as I have mentioned on the show, but you pulled it off, and you sound so calm talking about it. But thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. We’re totally rooting for you.

Helen: Oh, yeah. We’ll be seeing your work on the red carpet. I have no doubt.

Caroline: Okay. Our next one is a letter: “Hi! I am Clara, I am sixteen years old, and I love to sew and do other manual crafts! I started sewing when I was nine. This all started with a project I did at school with some friends. We ‘tried’ to sew a dress. A year later, I moved from Toronto to Montreal and one day I decided to go see this big fabric store near my house. When we went to the fabric store, I learned that they also had sewing classes, and I started taking classes every week. Since then I have been taking classes, and I think it was the best decision. Sewing is now part of my life, it’s my passion!

“For me, it’s so rewarding to be able to see the progress I made over the last seven years. At the beginning, I made little drawstring pouches and now I sew my own bras, coats, and most of my clothes.

“When I was 11, I also started a blog to share things I made (in French and in English). And to this day, I still post on my blog and on Instagram about different projects I made. I really love the sewing community. It’s a very nice community, but I, I’m always trying to find other teens who also like sewing as much as I do. I’m really happy you’re making this episode.”

Helen: Hi, Clara. Thank you so much for writing in. It’s fantastic that you have been sewing for seven years already, and I’m so glad you took those classes. As I said, it’s really helpful to have an instructor and a set time to work on things on a regular basis and all that good stuff, and you’re already sewing at such a high level. And the great thing about sewing is that there’s always new things to learn. You’re gonna be a sewing master by the time you’re our age.

And I really hope you enjoy listening to the kids and teens we feature on this episode, and hopefully, you can connect with them later on. And I also wanna say that I had a look through your blog and wow. Like, it is so amazing. Knitting, sewing, dying, punch needle, and just documenting your makes like that is so impressive. I know how much work that is and it’s such a cool way to journal your progress, and you’re gonna be able to look back on that. Just bravo on, on taking the time to do that.

Caroline: It’s awesome. Yeah, it is such a great blog. I also browsed it, and I was so, so impressed by all of the different makes and things that you were sharing, so thank you for sharing.

Helen: Yeah. We’ll link it up in our show notes.

By the way, if you wanna follow, if Aoife’s amazing design journey, you can do so @Retro_Girl_Creations on Insta, and we’re gonna link up some of these awesome teens who sew in our show notes for you.

Caroline: And now we have a letter from Veda who is @VedaCienFuegos on Instagram:

Helen: “My name is Veda and I recently turned 13. I love to sew historical and vintage reproduction garb, mostly museum replicas and clothing from vintage patterns. I fell in love with sewing because of how versatile the skill is. The thought of making anything I want, wearing it, and using it to save from fast fashion is really special to me.

“I like to use sewing techniques that were used in the time period of the garment that I’m creating. So sometimes I hand sew, sometimes I use a treadle machine, and for more modern pieces, I will use a modern machine. I have been sewing consistently since I was about 9 or 10 years old. I learned from my grandmothers, from books, and YouTube! Although I had some help along the way, I am pretty self-taught with the more advanced skills. My big goal in sewing is to make a full 1880’s bustle gown from the bustle cage up, which means learning new crafts along the way!

“A funny story I have is when I was sewing some 1950’s trousers, I was so proud of myself for finally making pants because I had never made any before. I tried them on, and they were sewn backwards! I fixed them (enough), and now they’re my favourite pants ever.”

Caroline: Hi, Veda. Okay. You could teach us a thing or two because neither of us have ever used a treadle machine before. And these pictures you sent us are amazing. One of them is of Veda in a complete regency outfit. You look like you’re right out of a Jane Austin movie. And there are a couple more pictures of a Victorian bodice with pleats in the front and lots of nice piping at the seams. None of this is easy to do. You’ve learned so much in just a few years. And the sky is the limit for you.

By the way, your trousers mistake has a great lesson in it: sewing is almost always fixable. Even your worst makes can become your favourites ever. Thank you so much for writing to us.

Helen: Yes, thank you, Veda. Alright. Next up we have a voicemail from Genesis.

Genesis: I’m Genesis. I am a 13 year old sewist and quilter. I sew because it allows me to be creative and make things for myself and others. I am able to use beautiful fabrics and amazing patterns to create something truly extravagant. There are no limits and so many different techniques and aspects of sewing.

Within the different areas of sewing, there are also different elements of accomplishing a finished project. I love to learn all the different ways of sewing by being able to change it and using the colours and patterns I love. I enjoy sewing a little of everything, but my go-to is quilting.

I enjoy making quilts, quilted garments, and quilted bags. For about one and a half years, I took sewing and quilting classes. I instantly fell in love and have greatly improved. I was only 10 when I started taking classes. Recently, I broadened my skills by taking a foundation paper piecing and smocking class. Soon I will be taking an English paper piecing class at QuiltCon in February, where I will also have a quilt featured in the show.

My sewing goals for this year are to finish any unfinished projects and learn more extensively in making garments and quilted bags. I would also like to learn free motion quilting. I am 13 years old and have been sewing for two years. This year I’ve been chosen as an Aurifil Artisan and have enjoyed sharpening and testing my skills.

Thank you so much for this opportunity to be able to share how much fun it is to be a teen and sewist and a next generation quilter.

Helen: Caroline. It’s a quilter. It’s a quilter. It’s a quilter.

Caroline: I was gonna say, I feel like you and Genesis are, like, kindred spirits.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I was so thrilled by this voicemail and so jealous that you got to go to QuiltCon, that you had a make in the actual show, that you got to take an English paper piecing class at QuiltCon. I am overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, Helen.

Helen: I’m sorry. I’m just very excited. I mean, hello, Genesis. First of all, thank you so much for your voicemail. We saw a few of your makes on your Insta, and they are amazing. You have such a wonderful sense of colour, and I really relate to the reason why you love sewing so much.

I mean, being able to put your creativity into your makes is so powerful. Making stuff for yourself and making stuff for your loved ones, as you said. And I love the design part as much as I love the actual sewing part. And I hope you really had a great time at QuiltCon. I’m sure it was amazing.

Caroline: We’re just a little jealous.

Helen: Just a little jealous. Got a little FOMO over here.

Caroline: And Genesis is @GennyFromTheQuiltBlock on Instagram. Great name, by the way.

Helen: Very clever.

Caroline: And that’s Genny with a “G.”

Helen: Yes. Yes. We’re so excited about all your sewing goals. And if you ever need help with the garment sewing part of things, we are here for you.

Caroline: Always. Okay. Our next letter is from Mallory, and that’s @Mallory_Made_Creations on Instagram.

Helen: “My sewing journey started when I was pretty young. I grew up watching my aunt sew and knew from a young age that I wanted to learn to sew as well. I also knew that my grandmothers and great-grandmother were avid fibre artists.

“I knew from then on that I would learn to do this as well. When I was around 11 years old, my aunt started teaching me to sew. I started by helping her and then moved on to simple projects such as bags, zippered pouches, and hair accessories. But soon felt that I’d grown out of those. I wanted to be challenged. So about a year before the pandemic hit, I purchased the Closet Core Patterns garment making course and fell in love with making my own clothes.

“Two years before my high school graduation, I started researching potential patterns that I could use as a base for a dress. A year and a half before grad, I fell ill and got diagnosed with a chronic illness. This continues to be one of the hardest things I have ever faced, but sewing has remained a bright light for me. Some days I only had the strength and energy to sew a few hand stitches in bed, but I was hopeful that one day I could make it down the stairs again to sew. During my Grade 12 year I made 2 muslins and used the Sicily Slip Dress pattern by Sewing Masin as my grad dress base. From there I altered the pattern and hacked it to fit my vision. I wore it to my grad and was immensely proud of it, and every time someone said, ‘Ooh, I love your dress’ I said the famous line all sewists know so well – ‘thanks I made it!’

“Now I’m 18 years old and although I’m learning to manage my chronic illness, sewing is one thing in my life that has remained a constant and mainstay in my life.

“I have connected with many sewists through Instagram and in my local sewing community, which has helped immensely with the isolation and loneliness that I experience on a day-to-day basis. As well as sustainability and mindfulness, sewing has taught me the importance of finding an outlet that brings joy, and that it is truly the smallest things in life that make an impact. I continue to sew and implement different fibre art practices in my life whenever I can, and share those passions with other people in my life.”

Caroline: Hi, Mallory. Can I just start by saying that I love your style? It feels cool and modern, while showing how glorious natural fibres and jewel tones can be.

I’m so glad that sewing has been a bright light for you in hard times. It has been for us, too, and actually, we’ve gotten quite a few letters from sewists who have told us that sewing is something that’s gotten them through the worst times in their lives. Isn’t it amazing that sewing is so therapeutic and you get something nice to wear in the end?

Plus, as you mentioned, it can connect you to the most wonderful people. That is definitely one of the best parts. And we can’t forget to say this. Congratulations on your graduation! It must have felt amazing to celebrate in the dress that you made.

Helen: Oh, I can only imagine. I also love your style. I love your photography style in particular, like, all of your photos in this beautiful natural light with this, like, moody, darker background really makes the clothes pop.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Just mwah beautiful.

Caroline: And I spot some Blackbird Fabrics in there.

Helen: Oh, yes.

Caroline: Thanks, Mallory.

Helen: I love it.

Caroline: Absolutely gorge.

Our next letter is from Erin about her daughter: “My daughter is 7.5 and has been sewing for just under 2 years. She finished her first quilt this summer and just entered the National Quilt Museum student block contest. I taught her to sew during COVID with my own limited abilities. We’ve both since taken classes and made garments and quilts. Her favourite thing is to design outfits on her dress form for herself and her sister. She’s sewn her own first day of school dresses for first and second grade and her own Halloween costumes the last few years. She’s looking to do a new quilt in the New Year!”

Helen: Wow. I mean, sewn your own first day of school dresses for first and second grade.

Caroline: Yeah. That is, that’s wild.

Helen: So impressive. Like, totally the kind of thing I wished I could do when I was that age. Amazing. Also, so cool that your daughter entered her work into a contest. Actually, a few of the kids and teens who contributed to this episode have done the same thing, and it seems like it would be a really great motivator to finish a project and the pride of having submitted something is really special, especially for a kid, and hopefully getting some feedback on the thing you made, too. Really cool way to get inspired.

Caroline: Yeah, and it’s amazing that you taught her all you know, and then you took classes together. This is such a wonderful activity to share. For all our listeners who are wondering how to do this with the kids in their lives, we’ll share some resources later that might help you out. But we’re wishing you and your daughter the best of luck with her next quilt. Thank you so much for writing to us.

Helen: Yes. Thank you.

Okay, next up we have a letter from Sophia who’s @TheSewingSophie on Instagram:

“Kia Ora! I’m Sophia, and I’m 13. I sew, stitch, and make lots of things, and I also sell stuff on Instagram. I love to sew, and I’ve been sewing hard out since the the first lockdown in March of 2020. Before the pandemic, I sewed a fair amount, sewing little headbands and so on. My sewing really started when I was about eight. The first time I sewed was in playschool, when I was four. The beginning to my sewing life was really thanks to my mum, getting me fabric, thread, letting me use her scissors…”

Ooh. Thanks, mom.

“…and teaching me how to sew. Now a couple years later she has given me her old sewing machine.

“I love sewing because I can watch pieces of fabric come to life. I can make cool, colourful, and dorky outfits that fit me well, and I can just engulf myself in a world of fabric.

“My favourite things to make are small quick things, and also really dorky patchwork shorts, berets, hats, and cushions.

“Even though I’m a major feminist, I’ve always been OBSESSED with the style and clothing of the Victorian era, so one of my main goals is to make an awesome poofy dress like the ones from that era, I’ve also been considering getting a corset, but they are extremely expensive when made to fit your body and not damage it, so I would like to make my own fake corset, as seen on Instagram, etc; the kind made of old t-shirts that don’t actually cinch the waist, they just, kind of, look like a corset.

“This year I’ve made quite a lot of things, including 6 pairs of Tio Trousers by Below the Kowhai, as well as at least 6 pairs of Tio Trouser shorts. I’ve made a number of scrunchies, badges, and masks, too. As well as that, I made my school formal dress, mask, handbag (using a Little Cat Friends Bag by Below the Kowhai, minus the cat features), and a purse. I’ve made lots of handbags, berets, period product holders, scrunchies, badges, and a lot more to sell. I’ve also explored with vintage patterns, blazers, and dresses, too.”

Caroline: Oh, so cool. Okay. Hi, Sophia. By the way, to our listeners, we wanna mention that Sophia sent us this letter at the end of 2022. So she was talking about a full year of sewing at that point. And, like, you mean, it’s not reasonable to make six pairs of trousers, six pairs of shorts, a formal dress, a handbag, and a bunch of other stuff in three months.

Yeah. You are so amazing, Sophia. It’s really cool that you make fun clothes and accessories, and we love a dorky patchwork garment around here. You are a girl after our own heart. And historical sewing seems like a good challenge to tackle. We know you can do it. We are major feminists, too. And the cool thing about making historical garments is that you can learn about history and enjoy the good parts without redoing the bad parts.

And we’re so excited that the future of sewing is in the hands of kids like you.

Helen: Definitely, and thanks also for turning us onto this pattern company Below the Kowhai. They have some really nice stuff, especially kids and tweens clothes…

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: …so we’ll link that up in the show notes.

Caroline: Which is something we’ve been asked about on the pod before.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: Yeah.

Okay. Our final kid sewist is Megan, and here is her voicemail.

Megan: Hi, my name’s Megan. I’m seven years old, and I live in Sunderland. I like sewing because you can use your imagination and make anything. I’ve made lots of Christmas decorations to put on my Christmas tree, and I’ve also made a cuddly toy cat, and I’ve also made some clothes for my toy Bingo, the Bear, and I love sewing. Bye!

Helen: Hi, Megan. I completely agree with you. The best thing about sewing is that you can use your imagination. Isn’t it just amazing that a pile of flat fabric and thread becomes a piece of three dimensional clothing or even a stuffed animal? It is like magic, and I’m so glad that you made Bingo the Bear some clothes.

Love the sound of that. So nice to be able to dress up your toys in different styles. And I wonder if your cuddly toy cat and Bingo are friends. Maybe you could host, like, a little clothing swap for them one day or a fashion show.

Caroline: What a great idea.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: Oh. Well thank you so much to all of the kids and teens who called or wrote in to be part of this episode. We are completely blown away by your work. And for our listeners out there who are wondering how they can help the kids in their lives learn to sew, we have a few suggestions for you. I know I’m gonna be referring to this in a few years, for my niece and nephew to try to get them into sewing.

Helen: I was gonna say, Caroline, are you making an announcement right now?

Caroline: No!

Helen: For the nieces and nephews. The nieces and nephews.

Okay. Sewing classes, as we’ve mentioned, are a great way for anyone to learn how to sew, a kid or an adult. You can Google sewing classes near you. Sometimes there are sewing classes specifically for kids, and these are great, not only because the teaching style and the pace is made for kids, but also because the students can meet other kids who are learning to sew. You can check your small, local sewing businesses as well as larger box stores to see what might be available.

For listeners in BC, we know that The Make House in Victoria has sewing classes just for kids and teens, as well as my local sewing shop here in Courtenay, BC, the Spool Sewing Studio. They run classes for kids, as well. It’s fantastic. And Needlework in Hamilton, Ontario also has kids classes, so some Canadian options for you.

Caroline: And if there are no classes just for kids and teens near you, you have a couple of options. If your kid’s old enough or mature enough, they might be able to join an adult class. Just ask the teacher. And the teacher might even let you hang out if you wanna make sure your kid doesn’t get overwhelmed. Or if you wanna refresh your sewing skills, you can even take the class together.

Helen: Ooh. I love that idea.

And don’t forget school programs. If there’s any sewing classes available, take advantage, if they have them at the local schools. And you can also check out community centres, libraries, and summer camps for sewing programs. They’re definitely out there.

Caroline: And online classes are also an option. There are online classes for kids at places like Udemy or Outschool. Or there are classes made for adults that could work for tweens and older. We’ve heard good things about the online classes from Closet Core and Tilly and the Buttons.

Helen: Clubs are another great way to get sewing. Schools with theatre programs often have costume departments that students can join. Sometimes they’ll even teach you how to sew. Sometimes they’ll even ask you to make three dresses in 24 hours. It’s really fun. You’ll love it. You’re gonna nail it.

Caroline: Yeah. Scouts and 4-H clubs have sewing badges and projects, and you can contact your local groups to see if there’s any sewing going on.

Helen: And your kid could even start their own club if they know of a teacher who likes to sew. They could ask if that teacher would consider running a sewing club at school or community centre. If the teacher wants to teach sewing, there are lots of kid-friendly sewing activities and even curricula online. Or if someone just wants to supervise and keep the room open while the kids and teens sew, could be more like a sewing circle where the members just chat while they work on stuff. That’s, kind of, my favourite type of sewing club…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …a chatty one.

Caroline: And you could start an informal club, organise a sewing day with your kid and their friends who are interested. Teach them the basics of sewing and make a simple project. Maybe the kids will catch the sewing bug, and you’ll make it a regular thing. But even if they don’t, it’s still a fun activity to do for the day.

Helen: Totally. And listener Michelle wrote in to tell us about the sewing-themed activity book that she made for kids ages five to seven. We’re gonna link it in the show notes. This is a PDF printable booklet with matching, maths, word searches, colouring and sewing practice sheets so that kids can use them on the sewing machine.

And she wrote to us to say: “Growing up I knew my mother sewed. However, it never occurred to me (or her) that as a kid sewing could also be for me. It was simply something adults did, and it wasn’t fun. I started sewing as an adult and our relationship grew immensely with our new shared hobby. I will always cherish the last few years I had with her, talking for hours about sewing. But I wish I had started sewing earlier, I missed out on years of bonding over a shared hobby. I created this activity book as a way to introduce kids into sewing. To let them know that it can be a hobby for them, as well. To pique their interest, start a conversation, or simply to teach them a few sewing words.”

Caroline: This is such a fun idea. We’re gonna link the activity book in our show notes and Michelle has actually shared a discount code for Love to Sew listeners so you can enter LoveToSew50 for 50% off. Thank you so much, Michelle. Again, I gotta get my hands on this for my niece and nephew.

Helen: Yeah! That sounds great. And I just love this idea of encouraging other people to learn to sew because you wish you had learned earlier and passing that on. I think that’s wonderful.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Alright. We have one more resource that could be helpful, and that is Sew a Softie. This is a blog full of resources for teaching kids how to sew soft toys. It’s run by Trixi Symonds, the author of three books on the subject. Will link those up in the show notes as well. Trixie’s methods are kid-friendly. For example, she uses felt so there’s no need to worry about unravelling.

And a softie is a great first project for kids. We all know how motivating it is to make something you really wanna make rather than something generic like a pillowcase. And Trixi even has a guide to sewing with kids on her website that can be helpful if you want some tips for making learning to sew more fun. Thank you, Trixi.

Caroline: Okay, important question, Helen is a softy and a stuffy the same thing?

Helen: I thought so.

Caroline: What about a plushy?

Helen: I think so. Maybe there’s a distinct difference.

Caroline: Kids, let us know. Softy, stuffy, plushy. Yeah. Oh, this was such a fun episode to make. I feel so grateful for our sewing community, including all the kids out there who sew. You are all amazing.

Helen: Yes. Keep it up. And I’m especially taken by the fact that so many of the kids and teens who wrote into us said a similar thing in their message, which was that their favourite thing about sewing is that you can make anything. You can make anything. You can just make anything you want, and that is incredible. So we’ll take that with us today.

Caroline: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and…

Helen: CedarQuiltCo.com. Yeah!

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

Helen: Go to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. All of these amazing projects that these people have worked on. 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].

Caroline: If you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For $5 a month, you get a full length bonus episode and weekly behind the scenes pictures. For $10 a month you get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content for you. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

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

Caroline & Helen: Bye.

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Garment guts are the hidden parts of the garment that give it shape, structure, and functionality. In this episode, we talk about boning, padding, underskirts, horsehair braid, waist stays, pad stitching, and more! We also answer listener questions about fabric labeling, wringing out fabric, and when to buy a serger.

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

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

From the Listener Questions Section:

Helen and Caroline’s Makes with Special Garment Guts:

Resources:

A post shared by Mara (@prancingonpins)

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin)

Online Sources for Corset/Bustier Supplies:

Sewing Patterns:

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.

Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Caroline: Join us for today’s topic: Garment Guts.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline. How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. How are you?

Helen: Good. Feeling goofy as always, you know?

Caroline: Yeah. I think I’ve had too much coffee today.

Helen: That’s me every day.

Caroline: It’s so sunny, too, outside. Like, the sun is just streaming into this room…

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: …and it’s absolutely wonderful.

Helen: If I get any extra time today, I’m gonna go dig in my garden. Just gonna…

Caroline: Ooh!

Helen: …dig and dig and dig until I’m covered in dirt.

Caroline: That sounds amazing. I love that. I dunno how to segue from that.

Helen: What is a garment guts? This topic title makes me think of greasy grimy gopher guts…

Caroline: Ooh!

Helen: …which is, like, from a, remember, like, a campfire song that kids sing at camp?

Caroline: Not familiar.

Helen: Oh, great. We’ll link it in the show notes for anyone who’s interested.

Caroline: Perfect. I’ll go check that out.

Helen: Okay. Before we get into today’s topic, which is very intriguing, we have a couple of listener questions to start with, and we actually have some voicemails from y’all. So we’re gonna start with a voicemail from Jackie.

Jackie: Hi, Helen. Hi, Caroline. This is Jackie. I live in Palo Alto, California, and I’m calling about silk. I know you have an episode on silk, but I had two quick questions. So I recently picked up some upholstery fabric that has a little bit of silk in it. So my first question is how much silk is needed to consider something a silk blend or a linen blend? So this one is 63% cotton, 19% viscose, 12% silk, 6% flax. And would that mean it’s a silk blend or a linen blend, or is it just a cotton blend? I would love to know what they do in the industry and how they classify things.

My second question is I, knowing it was silk, I hand washed it. And then drying it, it was really wet, so I ringed it dry, like, in my hands, and then I laid out some towels and rolled it up in the towels to get as much moisture out as possible, and then I just hung it to dry. But I was curious with the ringing something to dry, does that mess up the weave? And is that recommended for something like silk? Fabric is pretty sturdy, but I was curious about the ringing aspect and if that will hurt the weave and, kind of, get things off grain and if that should be something to look out for.

Thanks so much for listening and thanks for all you do. I love the podcast. Bye.

Caroline: Thank you so much for calling us, Jackie. These are both really great questions. And I think the way that we talk about fabric, like, in the sewing world and in the fabric industry is maybe a little different than what the legal guidelines are that sellers have to follow.

So if you were to say a linen blend fabric, that would tell me that the primary fabric in the fabric is linen. But there are some guidelines that sellers have to follow. So at Blackbird, we would follow the guidelines from the Canadian government, but the US guidelines are similar. If you’re curious, we can link those up in the show notes.

You have to have accurate information about what makes up the fabric on the bolt and on the listing page. We also include this info on a tag attached to the cut pieces we send to customers. And on this label, the fibres in the blend have to be listed along with their percentage by weight in order of predominance.

So the highest percentage is listed first, the second, highest second, et cetera. And if a fibre makes up under 5% of the fabric, by way, it doesn’t have to be listed. Of course, when sewists are talking in an informational way, in person or online, they don’t have to follow these rules. It’s, kind of, the wild west out there when we talk about fabrics.

But it sounds like the fabric that you bought was following these guidelines because you know all of the content that’s involved.

Helen: But is it a silk blend or a linen blend?

Caroline: I would say. Like, I probably wouldn’t, if I were just talking about it conversationally, I wouldn’t list every single fibre. If you wanted to, sort of, simplify it, if I’m remembering the content correctly, it was primarily linen and cotton. So I would probably say a linen-cotton blend. I wouldn’t say a silk blend, if the silk is only, like, 10% of the fibre content, conversationally.

Helen: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And then to your second question, we would say, yes, ringing after hand washing can change a fabric. It depends on the fabric, of course, but in general, if it’s too delicate to machine wash, it’s too delicate to ring. Ringing can stretch the fibres and throw off the grain of the fabric.

The best way to get extra water out of fabric is to squish it and press it. You can press it against the side of the sink or bottom of the tub. You can squeeze it between your hands and try not to stretch or pull the fabric when you’re doing this. And of course, that’s not gonna get enough water out of your fabric to be able to hang it to dry quite yet, and that’s where the towel part comes in that you talked about.

If you have a lot of fabric or a fabric that holds a lot of water, you might need several towels. But usually, you’ll lay the fabric over the towels, roll it into a burrito, and then stand or press on the burrito. If the towels get totally soaked, you do it again with the dry towels. Usually, one round is enough to get it to a point where you can hang it to dry.

But with all that said, based on the fibre content of the fabric you talked about, I think you’ll be fine to wash it on a gentle cycle in the machine and air dry. But it does depend a bit on the weave. If there’s only a little silk and a lot of washing friendly fibres, I would guess that machine washing would work. But of course, you know, we say do a test swatch.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Be careful. Yeah. But yeah, it’s a great question about the ringing. It’s so tempting ‘cause that’s the easiest way to get water out of anything, and it does put a lot of torque on the fabric

Caroline: Yeah. Generally speaking, I don’t really recommend ringing any type of fabric. It’s just not a good risk to take because you just never know. Fabric when wet is often just, like, more vulnerable.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Okay, here’s our next listener question.

Braniyah: Hi, Helen and Caroline. My name is Parnian, and I’m calling from Vancouver. I’m a huge fan of the show, and both of you. I actually started sewing after taking a course at Blackbird Fabrics on a whim after a few drinks. Uh, my question is, when do you guys think is the right time to buy a serger? I’ve been sewing on and off for about three years now and have some, some whirlwind fabric projects. And because I’m not as good at sewing and just generally lazy, I mostly finish my seams with a zigzag stitch. But the seams then start to fray and, and they just don’t look very good after one wash, or even just a couple of washes. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you. Bye.

Helen: Hi, Braniyah. Thank you so much for your question. We love that you learned to sew at Blackbird. That really warms our hearts.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Especially for you Caroline, I’m sure. You got to be a part of that. Amazing. I love it. Honestly, we love our sergers. Caroline and I are big serger fans. If you can afford it, I think any time is a great time to buy a serger, even for beginners if you’re interested in sergering, obviously. It saves time because instead of sewing a seam, trimming a seam, and then finishing a seam. It can do it all in one step, especially if you’re sewing knits. You can just go right to the seger and skip the sewing machine for a lot of the steps, which is really fun.

If you have kids and do a lot of kid sewing, that can really speed up the process. If you don’t have the funds or space for a serger right now, you can learn a couple of seam finishes, so your clothes will last longer, and you can get things finished. And we have a whole episode about seam finishes that will link up in the show notes.

I would say the most versatile seam finish is zigzagging over the edge of the seam allowance, but it’s maybe not the most beautiful seam finish. There are other options like French seams or bias bound seams that you can use for a prettier finish if you’re interested in beautiful garment guts.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: But yeah, I love my serger. Caroline, what do you think?

Caroline: Yeah, I think, I mean, we’ve talked a few times on the show about how you don’t need a serger to have a nice finish on your clothes. And that’s true, but I also think it can be pretty life-changing.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: If you have the means to get one, it really does, kind of, up your sewing game. It gives you an opportunity to sew more with knits and have more secure seams with your knit garments, and then it just creates a really nice finish. I’m not a French seam girlie. I’m not, like, a bound bias binding on the seam person.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So I just love my serger. It’s fast, it’s easy to use. Threading it is not that intimidating. You just gotta try it a few times…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …and follow the instructions and…

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: recommend if you are able to, do it.

Helen: Yeah, and I think that sometimes one of the things that holds people back from getting a serger is, like, this idea that you need to be a certain level of sewist to be allowed to have a serger, which is absolutely not the case. If you’re a beginner and you want a serger, you get a serger like…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …you go for it. It’s gonna make a difference in your sewing practice, and you are totally allowed to have one, even as a beginner.

Caroline: Yeah, we give you permission, so now you’re allowed. Well, that was pretty apropo because we’re gonna be talking about garment guts in this episode.

Helen: Yeah. So what do we mean exactly by garment guts? Well these are, like, the hidden parts of a garment that can give it shape, structure, and functionality. Some are there to give it volume, like crinoline under skirts.

Caroline: Some can help to hold the garment up, like an inner corset or waist stays.

Helen: And some give structure to drapey fabrics, like interfacing.

Caroline: Garment guts are attached to a garment. Some of the things we talk about in this episode can also be made or bought separately, like bustiers or petticoats.

Helen: And making these elements a part of your garment has some advantages. You can make an internal bustier in the shape of your garment. You don’t have to worry about your bra peeking out because it’s actually an inner layer that’s attached. And if you’re making a strapless dress, an internal corset or bustier can both hold up the bodice and support the weight of the skirt and make you more comfortable overall.

Caroline: And if you make an integrated under skirt rather than a separate petticoat, you won’t need an extra waistband. So there’s less bulk, and you can also make it just the right length for your skirt.

Helen: On the other hand, if you have separate undergarments, you can wear them under a bunch of different clothes. So it’s definitely more practical and less work than making internal support systems for every single one of your me-made garments. And that’s probably why it’s mostly seen in formal dresses.

Caroline: Yeah, and whether or not you integrate these elements into your garment, remember to pay attention to how your undergarments change your silhouette. So measure your bust and waist after you put on your bra or bustier layer. Choose your garment size based on those measurements.

This is why when you go wedding dress shopping, ask me how I know, they always tell you to wear a bra and any, kind of, like, shapewear that you intend to wear on your wedding day, or at least something similar because it really does change the shape of your body. So to make sure that you’re getting the right fit, you wanna be making sure that you’re wearing those underlayers.

Helen: Yeah, and this can go for measuring yourself even to make a t-shirt in your sewing room…

Caroline: So true.

Helen: …you know, wear the bra or no bra that you plan to wear it with, that t-shirt.

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: And as you can probably tell, we are gonna be talking a lot about formal wear in this episode, and that’s natural because adding volume, structure, and support to garments takes a lot of work. And most people don’t wanna spend all that time on something they’re gonna wear to the grocery store. But you can definitely add great guts to your everyday garments, too. So we’re gonna be sprinkling in examples, such as…

Caroline: Interfacing a semi-casual blazer properly will give it the structure it.

Helen: And you could add boning across the upper edge of a square neck top to keep it from collapsing in the middle.

Caroline: Horsehair braid can make the flouncy hem of a sundress extra bouncy.

Helen: And even if you can’t see them from the outside, garment guts can transform the whole look of a garment. If you’ve ever seen a red carpet look, hello, the Oscars, and wondered, how did they do that? The answer is probably the right guts.

Caroline: I am loving this episode because I’m gonna be making my wedding dress this year.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And it’s really getting my wheels turning, even though I do wanna keep it pretty simple. That’s my style. I still think that, like, a well thought out garment gut, in this situation, will just make me feel a little bit more secure on the day, and it’ll make the garment feel really special and tailored to me. So I’m excited to learn more about this alongside you, Helen, and then…

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: …hopefully, apply it to my wedding dress sewing journey.

Helen: Same. I mean, to be completely honest, we’re both a little out of our depth here. Obviously, Lisa has helped us with the research for this episode, and we understand the concept of a lot of these things, but Caroline and I don’t have a ton of personal experience doing a lot of these techniques, so it’s really exciting to hear about them. It’s definitely inspiring. I would love to make a formal wear gown one day and incorporate some of these ideas.

Caroline: Okay, let’s kick it off with netting, tulle, crinoline, and organza. These can be used to add volume to your garments. Tulle and netting can be soft and drapery or super stiff with a lot of body. They don’t need to be finished or hemmed, which is nice.

Helen: Organza is another fabric that’s great for adding volume. It does need to be finished and hemmed though ‘cause it can fray, and it’s typically softer against the skin than tulle, netting, and crinoline.

Caroline: Crinoline is a plain weave fabric made specifically to add volume to underskirts. It does need to be finished and hemmed. It’s stiffer than any of the other options, and it doesn’t look as pretty. So it’s not really the kind of thing you wanna let peek out.

Helen: Yeah. And if the fabric you’re using is rough or scratchy, it’s a good idea to consider a lining layer for against your skin. You’ll definitely thank us later.

Caroline: Underskirts or petticoats are one way to add volume to a dress or skirt, and there are a few different methods you can use to get different silhouettes.

Helen: A classic underskirt that makes an a-line shape starts with a single layer of soft fabric going from the waist to the first tier, and then at that first tier, there are two layers of stiff fabric. The next tier has two layers attached to each of the first tier layers, making it four layers and the increasing layers build volume as the skirt goes towards the floor.

Charlie of This Blog Is Not For You has a tutorial for making a petticoat that includes an illustration for how a classic petticoat is constructed. So we’ll make sure to link that up in the show notes. I love this concept of, sort of, doubling every tier and just adding and adding and adding. I wanna do this on a tiered dress.

Caroline: Yes! You can get so much volume. Another option is to simply sew a tiered skirt. Dixie DIY used cotton crinoline to make petticoats that have a lot of volume without a lot of layers.

Helen: An under skirt with a few layers of fabric gathered at the waist will give more of a bell or a dirndl silhouette because all of that volume is actually up at your waist instead of tiered down below.

Caroline: And you can draft your own under skirt to go with the shape of your dress. So for example, you can give a mermaid dress more oomph by making a long underskirt from lining fabric and then sewing a tier of stiff fabric to the lower edge.

Helen: Ooh. Caroline, are you going mermaid? Is that happening?

Caroline: No…

Helen: No…

Caroline: It’s not really my jam. I’m not a mermaid.

Helen: How do you dance in a mermaid dress?

Caroline: Exactly.

Helen: You can, you have to do, like, Elaine Benes dance and just kick your legs out at the knees.

Caroline: I definitely need to be able to dance at my wedding, so…

Helen: Yeah. If you wanna make your petticoat a part of your dress, you’ll need to know when to add it in in the construction. So you’ll have a separate lining layer under your underskirt. It’s like an underskirt inception. You can baste the top edge of your underskirt to the top edge of your outer skirt and treat them as one layer when you’re constructing your final dress. And you’ll sew in the lining layer later.

Caroline: And if your underskirt is the lining layer, sew it in after the outer dress is constructed, and then you can hide the seam allowances and make everything on the inside look really neat.

Helen: Yes, and you can hand sew it in so there’s, like, no visible stitching at all.

Hemming or trimming your underskirt should be your last construction step, even after hemming your outer skirt. Make sure to only mark the hem of your outer skirt after everything else in your garment is done, and that way you’ll know exactly where the hem falls with the underskirt on. You can trim or hem your underskirt so that it’s an inch or two shorter than your outer skirt, or you can have it the same length, so it, kind of, peaks out for a cute look.

Caroline: Yeah, and the same material you use to add volume to a skirt can be used to add volume to sleeves. You can underline a puffy sleeve to help it stand up. Organza is a great choice for this kind of underlining.

Helen: And you can even add a separate piece to the sleeve cap that will help a sleeve puff stand up. Isabella from Bella Loves Patterns has a piece like this for her Vita blouse. It’s made of an oval shape. It’s synthetic organza that’s folded in half and then gathered and sewn into the sleeve cap. She has a very detailed tutorial for how to add this.

And you could add something like this to an existing top with a poof sleeve if you, kind of, finished a project and the volume is not what you were expecting ‘cause maybe the fabric choice wasn’t right. You can get more volume by adding this little piece into the shoulder and voilà, boom.

Caroline: Shoulders!

Helen: Boom!

Caroline: Horse hair braid is a notion that you can use to add volume and bounce to your hems. It was originally made with actual horse hair. Now, it’s usually synthetic. It’s a stiff but flexible netting that’s sold in strips. And if you sew it into your hem, it’s gonna give the hem body and the skirt volume, even without underlayers.

Helen: A couple of things to know about using horsehair braid, though it usually comes with loose thread woven into one end. If you have a curved hem, pulling on the thread will help you to ease it into those curves. And it’s a good idea to enclose the cut edges of the braid with a bit of binding. Otherwise, the braid could scratch you or unravel. ‘

Caroline: And sewing in horsehair braid isn’t much more difficult than sewing a regular hem. Megan Nielsen has a tutorial for it, and we’re gonna link that up in the show notes for ya.

Helen: I’ve used horse hair braid once before in a project, and it was actually in the collar of the Closet Core Clare Coat…

Caroline: Ooh.

Helen: …which has quite a standing collar, and it’s made of wool, and you don’t want it to collapse. So I put horsehair braid in there, and that worked a treat, and it was really fun to get to use it ‘cause it’s, like, this specialty notion, and I got to go to the fabric store and buy this thing I’d never got to buy before and then use it. It was just great. I had a, I had a blast.

Caroline: I love that. Yeah. That is a really cool coat with a lot of structure. Yeah. We’ll have to share some pictures of yours in the show notes.

Helen: Yeah. Padding is another tool that you can use to create shape in your garments. We probably think of shoulder pads when we think of padding, and that may seem a little outdated, but really it isn’t. Today’s blazers may not have the over the top shoulders of the eighties power suits that we think of, but you better believe there’s still some padding in there to give it soft structure.

If you shop ready to wear blazers, you just feel around and you can feel it in there. If you’re making a blazer or jacket that doesn’t call for shoulder pads, you may wanna try some out to see how it looks. Closet Core has a free pattern for shoulder pads and sleeve heads if you want to make your own. Sleeve heads are pieces that are attached to, you guessed it, the heads of the sleeves to keep the sleeve cap from wrinkling under the shoulder pad.

But yeah, there’s a lot of, a lot you can do with shoulder pads and especially if you don’t have very strong shoulders and you’re looking for a stronger silhouette in your shoulders, shoulder pads can get you there.

Caroline: Another type of padding that’s good to know about is sew-in bra cups, they can give light support and create a smooth silhouette, and you can buy them already made or make your own from cut and sew bra foam.

Helen: Yeah. And a great hack for any close-fitting knit pattern is to add a shelf bra with foam cups. It can be more comfortable than wearing an underwire bra, and the foam provides some shape and creates a buffer between your boobs and the world. Christine Haynes has a tutorial for how to add a shelf bra to the Dune Tank that would be good reference for adding a shelf bra to any top or tank top.

And on the Helen’s Closet blog we have a tutorial for adding foam cups to the Sandpiper Swimsuit that will show you how to do that part as well. It’s actually pretty straightforward, so yeah, incorporating that foam structure into your garments is a fun way to maybe get around not wearing a bra, maybe get around wearing a bra.

Caroline: You can sew foam cups into close-fitting woven garments as well. Basically, you take your cups, place them where you want in your bodice, and then tack them to the lining at several points you wanna tack rather than sew them, because the cups will have more give than the woven fabric, and you want them to be able to stretch a little bit.

Another option is to do a stretchy stitch, like a catch stitch. On A Beautiful Mess, they have a tutorial for putting cups into your woven garments that’s pretty helpful. They even have an example using an old bra that they cut into. That would actually be a great way to upcycle a bra where the band is all stretched out, but the cups in underwire are still fine.

Helen: Ooh, good point. Okay. When I initially read this part of the outline for this episode, I was imagining cups sewn onto, like, a boxy top. I was like, why would you want that? They would just be dangling in front of your body. But of course, we’re talking about more fitted garments in this case.

Caroline: Yeah, and I think if your bodice is lined, you could even have the cups like in between the layers so that you don’t have the, like, foam right against your skin, and you feel like it’ll probably look a little bit more finished that way, especially if you’re making a more formal garment that you want to be, like, really fancy and special.

Helen: That’s true. You can actually hide it away in there. But speaking of which, we are about to talk about bras and corsets and bustiers.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And Dior was famous in the mid-20th century for their foundation layers. There’s a great article in Threads where Kenneth D. King shows the insides of a few Dior garments from that era. They had entire corselets made from cotton bobinette mesh, boning, underwires, and padding. And in this article, you can see the interior of a lot of these dresses, and this beautiful exposed cup situation that’s happening, and it actually just looks really cool. It’s almost, like, a fashion skeleton.

Caroline: Yes. So cool. Inner bustiers do a few things. They provide support for your garment. Some garments hang from the shoulders and their weight is supported by the shoulder seams or straps. With a smaller bustier, the support is spread over the ribcage and waist, and this means you can lose the fabric at the shoulders altogether and go strapless or have small decorative straps. The bustier can also support the weight of a skirt, even a pretty heavy one.

Helen: Secondly, bustiers provide support for your bust, and this one is pretty obvious. And lastly, they provide shape. Obviously, our bodies are squishy, and adding a bustier can firm it up so that you can fit a garment with very little ease.

Caroline: And we have a few resources to recommend to you related to inner corsets and bustiers. Listener Mara, @PrancingOnPins on Instagram, made her own wedding gown and used the Orange Lingerie Esplanade Bra as her internal bustier. Her final bodice has five layers: foam cups, silk habotai lining, two layers of bra tulle, and appliqué lace. Her gown looks amazing, y’all. And we will add a picture into the show notes so that you can go see.

I think the Esplanade pattern is a good choice for home sewists that want to make an internal bustier, and I can’t say enough how absolutely gorgeous this gown turned out.

Helen: Stunning. So beautiful.

Caroline: Amazing job, Mara. Goals. Goals.

Helen: There’s a thread on the Pattern Review forums called “Sew-Along: Strapless Bodice with Boning, Padding and Inner Closure” where professional dressmaker Catina shows her method for fitting a muslin, making the internal support layers, and then attaching them to the dress layers. You have to sign up for the free membership to Pattern Review to read it, but it’s definitely worth taking those extra steps because it’s so thorough.

Caroline: And there are a couple of books that cover this topic that you may wanna check out. Birth of a Bustier by Kenneth D. King is all about creating internal support for your garments. He covers both bustier construction, which ends at the waist, and corselet construction, which goes down over the hips. And he also talks about high faced waistbands, which are another option for support. You can get the PDF of this book on his website as well.

Helen: Ooh, nice. Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje, past guest, isn’t only for brides. It’s good for anyone who wants to learn how to make couture formal wear. It includes information on fitting a muslin and creating those internal support layers. Ooh, Caroline, this one might be good for you.

Caroline: Yeah, I was just thinking I need to see if my library has this book.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: That is, that sounds awesome.

We’ve already mentioned boning, but let’s get into it a little bit more. Boning is thin, rigid strips that add stability to garments. Plastic boning is flexible and lightweight. There’s fabric covered boning, which you can sew down without having to create your own channels. And there’s boning without covers if you wanna make your own channels. There’s also sew-through boning. Rigilene is a well-reviewed brand of plastic boning. We’ve even seen DIYers use plastic zip ties for boning.

If you cut your own boning, you might want to round off the edges by filing them down so that there are no sharp edges to poke you or push through the fabric. And there are also caps that you can buy to cap off the ends of the bones.

Helen: Yeah, I put boning once into the side of a swimsuit I was making, and I didn’t realise that you should add those caps. And it definitely, like, ripped a hole in the fabric and stabbed me in the side all day…

Caroline: Ouch!

Helen: …and then I had to mend it and put the caps on after. Lesson learned.

There’s also spiral steel boning. It’s flexible and lightweight, but super strong. Susan Khalje recommends this spiral steel boning. It’s less likely to buckle than plastic boning, and it’s used by a lot of professional corset makers. You can buy spiral steel boning in lengths that you need, and these will come with caps on the ends.

You can also buy it in a long length and cut it yourself, and then you’ll need to buy the caps separately and crimp them on. It all depends on how handy you wanna get with your wire cutters and pliers. I mean, this is really sounding like quite the adventure…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …making a corset. You get to use all these different tools. I’m into it. I’m intrigued.

Caroline: That’s the thing too, right? If you’re spending so much time making a really special garment that includes this kind of a foundation, like boning, like why not go all out and grab those wire cutters and pliers and really make it your own?

Helen: There’s also something called spring steel boning, which is lightweight and flexible, but not as flexible and lightweight as the spiral steel. So maybe a little research needed if you wanna explore which boning to use.

Caroline: And reed boning is made of reed plants. It’s mostly used by historical sewists because it’s a material that was actually used hundreds of years ago as an alternative to whale bone. Fun fact. Did you know that the whale bone in historical corsets was actually baleen? That’s the stuff in a whale’s mouth that filters in the food. They’re not really bones or teeth. It’s made out of the same stuff as your fingernails: keratin.

Helen: Yeah. That’s so crazy. Like, if you feel, like, your fingernails, you can get a sense for how the structure of boning, like, that is sort of what it feels like.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: It’s, like, this flexible, pliable, plastic-y feeling. I didn’t know that. I thought it was actual whale bones.

Caroline: Yeah, me too.

Helen: I will admit it.

Caroline: Cool, cool, cool.

Helen: Cool, cool, cool. We’re on the same page.

Okay. We mostly think of boning as being used in corsets and bustiers, but you can also use bones in your body. No, I’m just kidding. You can also use boning in collar stands, side seams, across the front of a square neck top, we mentioned that earlier, and in many other places where you might wanna add a little structure.

As I said, I added some boning to the side seam of a Reno Swimsuit that I made because you know, there’s that point, on my side at least, and I’m sure many people can relate where, like, your boob meets your back, and it creates, like, a dent and…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: I think fabric just gets sucked in there.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Like, bra fabric and stuff. So this swimsuit, I was having that issue where it just was collapsing into this, like, tighter spot, and so I added the boning so it, kind of, spread it out over the side, and it worked a treat. It was awesome.

Caroline: I love that. Yeah. I have not worked with a ton of boning, but a lot of these things that we talk about in, on the show, like, are things that I’ve done in school. I definitely had to make a corset in school and do the whole…

Helen: Oh, really?

Caroline: …boning and trimming and casing and all that stuff, and it’s really fun and really satisfying ‘cause you just get this structured thing that, kind of, stands on its own, and it just feels really, I don’t know, kind of, badass.

Helen: Yeah. That is cool. Yeah. And corsets often, like, lace up the back, or you can put little, like, hooks and eyes and things like that. And last week we were talking about sewing for a changing body. And while they’re stiff garments, they actually are, kind of, flexible because they have those flexible closures, so it’s not necessarily something that you need to worry about not fitting you in a year or whatever. Like, it might be something that could last you longer. So it’s, kind of, a cool project.

Caroline: Yeah. And if we’re talking about that listener who asked the question about what are some advanced projects that they can take on?

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: I feel like tackling a corset, that feels pretty advanced to me.

Helen: Pretty amazing. There are some of those corsets that will go, like, not just to the waist, but all the way over the hips. Those are crazy looking.

Caroline: Oh, yeah! Yeah. Yeah.

Helen: Very cool.

Caroline: So if you get boning that’s not covered with fabric, you’re gonna need to sew the casings yourself. For a quarter inch boning, you should make your casing three-eighths of an inch. And use a tightly woven fabric. Susan Khalje likes silk organza. We’ve seen couture bodices where the boning channels are made from grosgrain or petersham ribbon sewn over the inner layers. And you can use a different fibre for your casing than for your other layers. Just make sure to pre-wash your fabric before you use it to make the casing.

Helen: And you don’t necessarily need to make separate casings. If you have two or more layers of fabric, you can sew rows of stitches to make channels for the boning.

Caroline: And you can find boning and related supplies online at Farthingales in Canada, or CorsetMakingSupplies.com in the US.

Helen: Okay, next thing we’re gonna talk about is waist stays. I feel like that’s a difficult thing to say quickly. Waist, waist stays.

Caroline: Waist stays, waist stays, waist stays.

Helen: This is another couture technique that provides support to your garment and keeps it in place. Waist stays basically are, like, a firm inner waistband. They’re usually made of grosgrain or petersham ribbon because they’re strong, they don’t stretch at all, and they keep the bulk super low.

Waist stays are sewn in at several points across the inner layer of a dress, and you can tack them to the seam allowances at the side seams and on darts or princess seams. And if you have boning, you can tack it to the boning casing.

Caroline: The waist stays meant to pull in the fabric at the waist and stabilise it. It’s fitted to the body, not the garment, and that’s why it, kind of, stays separate. Instead of being sewn in a seam at the back, the waist stay connects with hooks and eyes.

I’ve actually sewn a waist stay into one of my favourite dresses that I’ve definitely mentioned on the show, the dress that I made to wear to my sister’s wedding. And I think it’s great for those dresses that don’t necessarily fit super snug in the waist, but you want the waist to stay in the right place.

Helen: Mm-hmm.

Caroline: So in that particular case, it wasn’t tight, tight to my waist, but the skirt of the dress, almost, like, misshaped the waist seam, because it was so drapey. So it almost, like, made it fall a little bit lower than my waist, and I wanted it to sit right up my waist and get, like, a little bit of almost, like, blousing in the top so it didn’t just hang straight down. And that achieved that fit for me because it allowed me to have the waistline sit exactly where my waist was.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And then the skirt draped really beautifully down from my waist, and I got a really nice, kind of, blouse-y effect with the bodice of the dress. Um, so it worked really well, and it was very fun to do. And techniques like this just make you feel like a sewing superstar.

Helen: Yeah. Sewing wizard for sure.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Yeah. And I feel like waist stays is a nice simple one that you can definitely add to a dress pretty easily…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …and it will totally make you feel like a badass. If your dress is more fitted at the waist, it also has the added benefit of taking the pressure off your zipper so it’s not pulling right on that zipper at the midpoint at the back because the waist stay is holding that tension.

Caroline: It’s so true ‘cause there, that is a real spot of tension where when you’re moving around, moving your arms and shoulders, bending, twisting, you might see, like, the zipper almost, like, pull apart a little bit in that area.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So a waist stay is gonna just give it that extra security. Yeah, that’s a great point.

Helen: Okay. You can also add silicone to your makes to help them grip your skin and stay up. You may have seen this along the top edge of some strapless garments. Bra straps sometimes have this or like, what am I thinking of, those tights that only go up to your thighs. I don’t know what those are called, but they often have, like, a silicone strip at the top so they stay up.

You can actually use a hundred percent silicone caulk from the home improvement store to make your own, the kind that, like, construction workers use.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: Yeah. A Thread’s reader named Jodi made silicone ribbon for her daughter’s strapless homecoming dress. You just take a small bottle of that silicone caulk and squeeze out a bead across the ribbon. Then, wet your finger and smooth that bead down, let it dry, and it will be nice and flat and ready to use, and you can even sew over it.

Caroline: I love, like, a unconventional tool or supply in the sewing room.

Helen: Right?

Caroline: Just grab that caulk from your garage.

Helen: I feel like the hardware store is full of stuff that you can use in sewing.

Caroline: Yeah. Interfacing is a kind of garment gut that we’re all familiar with. We’re not gonna cover everything about interfacing because we already have a whole episode about it, but we definitely recommend listening to that one if you’re feeling lost about interfacing options and techniques. This time we wanna cover a couple of extra interfacing techniques.

Helen: Yes. Tailored jackets have unique kinds of interfacing. The classic kinds are canvas and felt. To shape the canvas, tailors use a technique called pad stitching, and this can give a curve to the canvas over the chest or make, like, a lapel fold go just the right place every time. It’s really cool to see just how much can be achieved with this pad stitching technique.

Our former guest, Emilia Bergoglio, has a few tutorials on their Patreon that may be worth checking out. And Julia Bobbin on Instagram also shares her process for making tailored blazers complete with absolutely gorgeous demonstrations of pad stitching. So cool.

Caroline: Yeah, I love following Julia. She makes some really chic, almost, like, couture style garments.

Helen: Definitely.

Caroline: …that are so fun to see. The big resources for this kind of interfacing seem to be Classic Tailoring Techniques for Menswear: A Construction Guide by Roberto Cabrera and Denis Antoine and Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Women’s Wear by Roberto Cabrera and Patricia Flaherty Myers. So we’ll link up those books in the show notes if you wanna build your sewing library. Or maybe just go to the library and take them out.

Helen: And we wanna give a shout-out to spot interfacing. If you need a little bit more structure in a certain part of your garments, you can add interfacing even if the pattern doesn’t require it.

So for example, if you’re using a drapey fabric, but you want your gathered sleeve cap to stand up, you could fuse interfacing to just the sleeve cap. This is a technique that Susan Khalje used in her Threads article “How to Support a Dramatic Sleeve Cap.” And in fact, she used two layers of spot interfacing, plus an organza underlining.

She didn’t use two layers of interfacing that were the same size though. She used one layer that was roughly the same shape as the sleeve cap, and then placed another oval of interfacing towards the top of the sleeve cap. Layering the smaller and larger shapes can keep the interfaced part from becoming too blocky. And you wanna have a smooth transition from the firm fabric back to the drapey fabric.

Sometimes you have to be careful with interfacing. If you add it, it can change the appearance of the fabric. So doing some tests, if you’re gonna do spot interfacing is a good idea.

Caroline: I love these tips. I really wanna have a dramatic sleeve on my wedding dress, so I wonder if I’m gonna need to add some kind of stiffness with an interfacing or…

Helen: Yeah. The organza underlining seems like a really great way to get that fabric to have more volume and a great way to make it feel super fancy ‘cause there’s organza in it, which is the fanciest fabric…

Caroline: Organza! Eleganza.!

Helen: Extravaganza!

Caroline: Oh, we covered so much in this episode that we’ve never touched on before, and now I’m feeling pretty gutsy. Maybe enough to make some amazing garment guts. How about you, Helen?

Helen: Yes, I am. I’m adding a corset to my list of future makes. I would like to try that.

Caroline: Fabulous.

Helen: Fabulous.

That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com. And we’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

Caroline: Go 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. We love getting your voicemails. You can call us at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at [email protected].

Helen: If you love Love To Sew and want more, you can sign up for our Patreon. For $5 a month, you get a full length bonus episode and weekly behind the scenes pics. For $10 a month you get all that plus a mini episode focused on sewing techniques and 15% off codes for Helen’s Closet and Blackbird Fabrics. Patreon is the best way to support us so that we can keep making quality sewing content. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew for more info.

Caroline: And you better believe I will be updating everyone on my sewing wedding dress journey on Patreon.

Helen: Oh, yes. Monthly updates for sure.

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

Helen: Buh-bye.

Caroline: Buh-buh-buh-boning.

Helen: Buh-buh-buh-boning.

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Bodies change – it’s a fact of life! In this episode, we share strategies for how to sew for yourself when your body is changing – from making new garments that will fit over several sizes to altering and refashioning old me-mades. This episode is packed with info! Plus, we answer a listener question about where to find challenging sewing patterns.

The transcript for this episode is coming soon!

Helen’s New Quilt Pattern Company:

A post shared by Helen (@cedarquiltco)

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

From our Listener Question Section:

Resources:

Sewing Patterns:

Tools:

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.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew our own clothes and want to encourage you on your sewing journey, too.

Helen: Join us for today’s topic: Sewing for a Changing Body.

Caroline: Helen, are we gonna have to change our intro?

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

Caroline: Ah! Oh, my gosh! Congratulations!

Helen: Thank you! Yes! It may be old news at this point because we mentioned it about a week ago on all our social media channels, but in case you missed it, I am launching a line of quilt patterns under the brand name Cedar Quilt Co.

And you can follow along with me on social media tomorrow, when this episode comes out tomorrow, we are launching our free pattern for our newsletter subscribers, and that’s gonna be a really great introductory pattern for beginner quilters or people who have never quilted before, so I’m so excited to share that. I definitely wanna bring some of our garment sewing listeners into the quilting world with me and have fun.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I’m so excited for you. I know you’ve been working on this for a really long time.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So it must feel so good to have it out in the world.

Helen: It really does. I’ve been just, like, itching to share more. I’ve been designing quilts and making quilts and, kind of, keeping it all under wraps and, like, lurking in the quilting community.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: And I knew that I wanted to keep it a little bit as a surprise and just announce it when I felt ready to announce it. And I’m ready now. So here we are.

Caroline: Ready? Check. Announce? Check.

Helen: Yeah. And we have some, like, exciting patterns, like, already lined up, so it’s just gonna be really fun over the next few months to share more.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I can’t wait. Okay. I wanna know the significance behind the name.

Helen: Ooh, good question. Well, I live in the Pacific Northwest on Vancouver Island, as many of you know, and there are a lot of cedar trees. In fact, on my property where I live, we have 16 full size trees, and by full size I mean, like, 50 to 80 feet, and they’re a mix of Douglas fir and cedar. So outside all of our windows, you can see cedar trees. It’s just a big part of our daily life looking at the trees and the wind hits them. It’s so beautiful.

And the woods behind our house is also full of cedar trees, and we walk there every day. And yeah, I mean, I just love the smell. I love the look of them, and it was very inspiring to me thinking about how I could tie in the west coast nature and landscape into my quilt pattern design. So you’ll notice that a lot of them are inspired by nature, so I really like the idea of having a natural element in the brand name. And then also I think it’s really cool that there’s a tie-in where, like, people make cedar chest to keep their keepsakes in…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: …so that moths don’t eat them. And often those keepsakes include things like quilts. So I like that tie in as well, where it’s, like, something special that you put a lot of effort into and that you keep safe.

Caroline: Aw…

Helen: And that often involves, yeah, cedar as well. So there you go.

Caroline: I love names with, like, a double meaning like that.

Helen: Yeah. Me, too. It feels like the right name. And then I put “Co.” on the end ‘cause it sounded cool.

Caroline: Yeah. Obviously.

Helen: For no other reason.

Caroline: Oh, it feels so fitting too because I feel like since you’ve moved to the Island, you’ve connected a lot more with nature.

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: Like you and Sam spend so much time outside, and you go on long walks with Emma, and it feels like it’s a big part of your identity now. So to have it tie in with this project that you’ve been so passionate about, like, it just feels really fitting.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. I feel the same way. And it’s gonna be so fun to share. Yeah. Our designs, a lot of which have those natural elements, not only just the forest, but also the flora and fauna and the beach, of course.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: You know, I love the beach.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: The water.

Caroline: Love the beach.

Helen: Yeah. The rain, I mean all that, all that west coast goodness.

Caroline: Oh, so wonderful. Well, congratulations again.

Helen: Thank you!

Caroline: Everybody go follow Cedar Quilt Co., and check out the patterns.

Helen: Yeah, and I don’t want anyone to panic. I’m still gonna make garment patterns. I love garments. That has not stopped. We have so much exciting stuff coming down the pipeline for Helen’s Closet this year, too. So I’m just gonna be doing both, and I will be sharing about that here on the podcast if you’re interested in hearing how that goes.

Caroline: Absolutely.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I know I am.

Helen: It’s gonna be an interesting year.

Caroline: Okay. Should we kick this episode off with a question?

Helen: Yes! I love this question. Beth from Kentucky wrote, “I’ve seen so many ‘easy to sew’ patterns and ‘easy’ and ‘intermediate’ patterns – I’m curious: what is advanced? What is the most difficult pattern you’ve attempted? What techniques are the most difficult to master? I’d love a few examples of pretty advanced patterns as a reference and… Maybe a challenge!”

Caroline: Ooh, thanks so much for your question, Beth. I think one reason why there are not as many patterns labelled advanced is because even an advanced sewist can do a beginner pattern, but it doesn’t usually go the other way. So beginner and intermediate patterns naturally have more potential customers, there’re just more of them out there.

I also think that some patterns that are labelled intermediate can become advanced by choosing a tricky fabric. The same pattern made in cotton lawn and silk charmeuse is going to be a totally different difficulty level.

Helen: Yes! And pattern makers like myself also want to be encouraging when they’re labelling the skill level of their patterns. Intermediate sewists who like a challenge can probably get great results from an advanced pattern. Or even beginner sewists who are totally new to sewing can often sew intermediate patterns. It’s a series of steps, so we want to believe that you can do it and encourage you that you can do it. And we wanna list the lowest level who could succeed at the pattern so that sewists know that they can do it. So yeah, oftentimes things I think are under labelled maybe a little bit.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Helen: That’s why there’s so many advanced beginner patterns ‘cause us pattern designers never wanna put that intermediate label on things, scare people away.

Caroline: Advanced beginner. I love it.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: But with that said, there are advanced patterns out there. So a tailored blazer is one of the garments I think of when I think advanced. There are a lot of fiddly techniques involved, like welt pockets, vents, and collars. Plus, tailoring a blazer to fit beautifully involves small adjustments across several seams. We recommend the Jasika Blazer by Closet Core. This one is labelled as “Advanced.”

Helen: Ooh, yes! And they have, like, a great video tutorial series, too, if you wanna follow along and get extra tips as you go.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: One pattern company that’s been going around social media lately is Roberts Wood Design Studio. They have the Elysia Dress, and it’s a patchwork dress that looks like lots of little bows. The curved seams and patchwork really up the difficulty level, but it becomes truly advanced when you make it with sheer fabric like voile or organza. We love the look of the Flower Patchwork Dress, too. Lots of, like, quilty inspiration in these patterns, I think.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. And I love that they shoot them, like, against a window so you can see the light coming through, and you can really see all of the details of the patchwork.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: It’s so beautiful and intricate.

Helen: So cool.

Caroline: I also think making your own underwire bras is totally a level up. The Willowdale Bra by Cashmerette is a good one, especially in lace. Gowns that have an internal structure, like a bustier underneath the outer layer, definitely qualify as advanced. In fact, gowns, in general, are pretty advanced. Even if they’re simple looking, they often require fabrics that are tricky to handle.

Helen: Yeah, that’s true. Fabrics that you don’t get to work with on a regular basis…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …which is also really fun. Of the big 4, Vogue is known for their advanced patterns. They have more minimal instructions, unexpected shapes, and lots of details. On their website, you can actually refine the pattern search by the difficulty level, so you can actually just look at the advanced ones. And for their winter releases, we’re seeing, like, tailored blazers and coats, gowns, tops with unusual collars and necklines, but there’s definitely lots to explore there for sure.

Caroline: Yes! Okay. Can you think of any advanced patterns or difficult patterns that you’ve attempted, Helen?

Helen: I wish I had a good answer for this. You know, Caroline and I don’t really sew super advanced patterns a lot. We love a quick sew. I love super wearable stuff on the day-to-day. Like, I want clothes that I’m just gonna wanna put on in the morning and wear throughout my day. So I don’t sew a lot of more advanced projects, but probably the Kelly Anorak was one of my most difficult patterns.

Caroline: Oh, yeah.

Helen: Especially at the time, I hadn’t been sewing for very long, so that felt like a real challenge. And then the first time I sewed jeans also felt like, wow, like this is, this is definitely outside my comfort zone.

Caroline: Yeah. And it’s not even that, like, jeans are necessarily advanced. Like, you’re learning all these new techniques, right?

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Like, attaching hardware, a front fly, and I, I think, like, advanced pattern to some people might feel easy and vice versa. Like, a pattern that’s intermediate might feel really hard for some people, so…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …it’s all about, like, your own experience level, too.

Helen: Totally. How about you?

Caroline: Okay, so I was thinking about previous patterns I made. Way back, like, maybe 10 years ago, I made the Sewaholic Robson Coat, which is, like, a trench coat pattern. It has, you know, like, the trench collar and the storm flaps and whatever you call that flap in the back and all the tabs and things. And I think I even drafted a vent at the back to add, and it’s all finished with binding on the inside. And I did, like, my own binding, and I went back and looked at the difficulty level of that one, like, how it was rated on the website, and it is advanced.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: So I would put that one on the list. I remember it took a long time, and it was challenging at the time.

And then I would say underwire bras, like, I’ve done underwire brass many times. Especially at the beginning when I first started making them, they felt quite advanced. I also made the Sophie Swimsuit by Closet Core, which has underwires and padding and all sorts of things that felt complicated.

And then I do love making, like, a dress to wear to a special occasion. And most recently, the Closet Core Pauline Dress that I made for my best friend’s wedding. I was the maid of honour. It was pretty complicated. I, you probably remember, Helen, me cursing the pattern ‘cause I was like, why are there so many darts?! These are unnecessary.

Helen: Because it’s beautiful.

Caroline: But yeah, that one is also labelled as advanced. And if you are looking for a beautiful dress that has some fun techniques and interesting style lines, which I think is what Closet Core is known for, is there are interesting design choices and…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …they like to make a challenging pattern.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: The Pauline Dress, I would totally recommend it. I absolutely love that dress. I have two of them ‘cause I made a wearable muslin, and then, I made the final one out of, like, a satiny fabric, which was definitely more difficult to sew.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So those would be the ones that come to mind for me. In school, I’ve made blazers. Those were hard.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I’d love to make another blazer sometimes.

Helen: And I mean, advanced can be definitely just in relation to your current skill level.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: So depending on where you’re at, you don’t need to jump all the way to an advanced pattern. Just if you wanna level up, you know, try a zipper fly, try a button placket.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Try things that you haven’t done before or use fabrics you haven’t used before and all of that stuff is gonna make you a more advanced sewist. I think it’s a funny name for a category because I don’t think there are a lot of people who consider themselves experts…

Caroline: Yeah!

Helen: …or advanced, you know? So it’s, kind of, hard for us to put ourselves in that category I think sometimes, even though I…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …I’m sure a ton of our listeners are advanced experts in sewing. Like, come on, we’re great at this.

Caroline: Absolutely. It’s, like, so easy to undersell yourself, right?

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I don’t wanna name myself advanced ‘cause then people are gonna expect too much from me. Intermediate is safer.

Helen: Yeah. Novice. Novice.

Caroline: Novice. Confident. Beginner. Oh, it’s so true though, challenging yourself can be so rewarding. You learn new skills, you can overcome difficulties, and you get that super shocked look when people find out you made what you’re wearing. So let us know what you end up making, Beth. We can’t wait to hear.

Helen: Yeah. I wanna make these Roberts Wood Design Studio patterns now. This is so cool.

Caroline: Yes! I know. It’s such a nice marriage of, like, quilting, or piecing, and…

Helen: Piecing, yeah.

Caroline: …garment sewing. And I think it would be such a fun scrap busting project…

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: …to use a bunch of scraps to make a patchwork dress.

Okay. Should we get to today’s topic, Helen?

Helen: Yes. Today’s topic is all about how to sew clothes for yourself if your body is changing. And this can happen for all sorts of reasons. If you have a body, it’s gonna go through changes. So this episode could be helpful to you if maybe your body has changed and your clothes don’t fit anymore.

Caroline: And maybe if you expect your body to change over an upcoming period of time.

Helen: Or for example, your size fluctuates throughout the month or the year, such as over the course of a menstrual cycle or due to other health circumstances.

Caroline: And we’re not gonna talk specifically about maternity sewing in this episode. You can check out episode 80 if you wanna hear more on that topic. But with that said, ideas from this episode could totally work for you if you’re pregnant or post-pregnancy, and you don’t wanna make maternity specific clothes.

Helen: Yes, definitely. But before we get to the practical stuff, as in how to actually sew for a changing body, we have something to say.

Caroline: Yes, we do.

Helen: Everyone deserves to have clothing that fits and makes them feel good.

Caroline: Yes! One of the reasons it can be difficult to go through body changes is that some people feel like they can comment on it, and it’s so rude to bring up other people’s bodies and make assumptions about why changes have happened. Bodies are so complex, and you can never know why someone’s weight is changing. It’s no one’s business but your own. So do not feel bad about shutting down comments from others. This is a pet peeve of mine, and…

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: …it’s hard to say something, but if you can muster the confidence, put that person in their place.

Helen: Yes, exactly. And sometimes the judgments are coming from inside the house.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: We can be our own worst critics. So of course, we wanna reiterate as always on the show, be kind to yourself. Try your best to steer clear of that negative self-talk or feelings of guilt when things don’t fit anymore. You are your amazing beautiful self at any size, at any shape, and clothes are there to support and enhance your beauty.

So if a garment is making you feel icky, you can certainly try to refashion it, alter it, make it fit. We’re gonna talk about that today. But if all that fails, you’re absolutely allowed to make new things. You’re absolutely allowed to move on from those garments. You deserve to have clothes that fit and clothes that you love at every size.

Caroline: A hundred percent. For the rest of this episode, we’re gonna discuss strategies for making clothes that will look great over multiple sizes and altering clothes you already have to fit your current size. Our first strategy is pretty simple. You wanna choose garment types that can change with you.

Helen: Yeah, and there are some obvious choices here like boxier fit garments, loose dresses, boxy tops, elastic waist pants. The more closely fitted a garment is to the body, the more it will need to be altered as your body changes, whereas you can look fabulous in a spaghetti strap swing dress on several sizes.

Caroline: Yes. Can I call out the Orchard Dress because I absolutely love it? And it’s a free pattern!

Helen: Free pattern! I know. I love it when you just wear things for years and years and years because they always work even though you’re a different size. It’s just, kind of, like, magic.

Caroline: Or, like, one summer nonstop until it’s threadbare. Sorry. It’s definitely not me.

Helen: You need to make an Orchard every summer, just, like, every June. Mark the calendar.

Caroline: Okay, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re stuck with shapeless garments if that isn’t your style. You can cinch tops and dresses at the waist by adding an elastic casing or some rows of shirring or throw on a belt.

Helen: Throw on a belt. Yeah. If the elastic waist in your garment gets too tight or too loose, you can adjust it by taking it in or letting it out. Speaking of the elastic, in this case, as the time goes on, so you can either add a bit of extra length in the elastic when you first make it, so there’s some wiggle room in there, or you can actually just attach a small piece of elastic later on, or put a whole new piece of elastic in there.

Casings are gonna be a little bit more adjustable, a lot a bit more adjustable than shirring. Because shirring is just a lot of stitches, so it’s definitely not gonna be something you’re gonna wanna unpick. Whereas with a casing, it can be pretty easy to get that elastic out and replace it. If you think you might want to do this, skip that waistband top stitching, because you’re not gonna wanna unpick that either. It’s doable, but it’s annoying.

An alternative is to sew some vertical lines of stitching at, like, centre front, centre back and side seams, or even more of them if you want. Like, just space them a little bit….

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: …around your body, kinda like belt loops. And that will stop the elastic inside from twisting, but it’s easier to unpick when you need to.

Caroline: Yeah. And don’t forget about drawstrings. They can be sporty if you choose a thick drawstring with a cord stop. Or they can be quite pretty in self fabric tied into a bow. It doesn’t have to be, like, an athletic or athleisure look, and that’s gonna help you with the adjustability of a garment. So even if an elastic becomes loose on you, if you have a drawstring, you can tighten it up.

Helen: That’s true. Yeah. Wrap dresses and tops have built-in adjustability. Make sure to make them with ties instead of buttons so that you have those extra inches to play with.

Caroline: And knit garments are great, too. Knit fabrics can give you a close fit if that’s what you want. And the stretch is gonna accommodate a range of measurements. There’s the classic choices of leggings, joggers, sweatpants, tees, and sweatshirts. But you’re not limited to athleisure or loungewear. There are some great knit patterns out there with a more dressed up or even professional look.

Helen: Yeah. For example, Christine Johnson has several classic trouser patterns that are designed for stable knits like ponte or double knit. Stable knits are a great choice if you’re making bottoms ‘cause they’re a little bit heavier. We also recommend getting a fabric with lycra blended into it. This will keep your pants from bagging out at the butt and the knee.

We love the look of Itch to Stitch’s Coimbra Wrap Top. Knits and wrap tops are both friendly to changing bodies, and when you put them together, it’s, like, the best of both worlds. This top also has a pointed collar, which makes it look even more polished. It’s pretty cute. It feels, kind of, I don’t know, like, nineties, maybe?

Helen: Yeah, but in a cute way. Like, you can imagine a blazer over this…

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: Yeah. You’re, you’re in office wear territory.

Caroline: Absolutely.

Helen: Deer + Doe has several dressy options for knits. We love the look of the Orage Dress. Did I say that right, Caroline?

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Resident French expert . This is the one with the mock neck option, and it has this, like, sexy keyhole detail across the chest that’s really cool. They also have the Sirocco Jumpsuit, which is such a cool wrap top and pleated trousers combination. Definitely looks elevated, elegant, fancy, even. But imagine how comfortable you would be.

Caroline: I love a knit jumpsuit that doesn’t look like a knit jumpsuit.

Helen: Yeah. Yeah. That, that’s not giving you diaper realness.

Caroline: Yeah. And if you don’t like knits, you can try stretch wovens. They’re not gonna provide as much stretch as knits, but they’re gonna accommodate smaller changes in your body and they, kind of, mould to your shape. Make sure to choose a pattern designed for either stretch wovens or non-stretch wovens. And patterns designed for knits are not gonna have enough ease, so that won’t work for a stretch woven.

Helen: Yeah, and if you’re using a pattern that’s designed for stretch woven fabrics, you don’t have to think as hard about choosing your size. You just wanna choose based on your measurements, and you’re good to go. Whereas if you’re using a pattern that’s designed for regular wovens, you might want to size down.

Seamwork recommends checking the pattern’s ease. If it has three inches or less of ease, then you can choose the size based on your measurements. And if it has more than that, you’re probably gonna wanna size down so that it doesn’t look loosey-goosey.

This is, like, our Yanta Overalls is a good example because it’s designed for regular wovens, and it has a lot of ease in it. They’re, like, relaxed fit, but you can make it out of stretch denim or stretch corduroy. But I do recommend sizing down because, yeah, with that stretch in the fabric, you want something a little bit tighter, and you can move in it, so it works really well.

Caroline: Yeah, and don’t forget to find the direction of greatest stretch before you put down your pattern pieces and cut out. You want that to go across the body or perpendicular to the grainline. I almost forgot the word grainline. What’s wrong with me?

Helen: You got there. You got there. And also use stitches that stretch with the fabric, like a shallow zigzag or triple stitch. The triple stitch looks especially nice on hems, and to finish your seams, you can serge or use a zigzag.

Caroline: Okay, so here’s another tip. Patterns that are simply constructed are easier to alter. Mind blowing.

Helen: Yeah. So for example, like, a knit tee can be taken in by simply sewing up the side seam, even pivoting into the underarm if necessary, and sewing down the sleeve. In contrast, a woven top with lots of panels like princess seams or different panels on the front may need to be taken in at several different points to look right. You can’t just cinch it in at the side seam. It’s still doable, but it’s just harder.

Caroline: Yeah, and with that said, it is totally possible to alter garments with great details and cool seam lines if your body’s changing. It’s just gonna mean a little more work when you do.

Helen: And another type of garment to consider is outerwear that’s worn open at the front or closed with, like, a tie belt, quilted, jackets and vests, oversized coats, coatigans. Cardigans will work great for several sizes. And in lighter weights, they make great layering pieces as well.

Caroline: I love an oversized quilted jacket. Just saying.

Helen: Me, too.

Caroline: Our next strategy is to customise your seam allowance. So if your weight tends to fluctuate, you can add more seam allowance to your pattern pieces. And this is gonna allow you to let things out as you change size. Just make sure to check how much seam allowance is already on your pattern so you have a clear idea of how much to add.

Helen: Yeah, you can redraw your seam allowance on your paper patterns or on your traced pieces. The classic way to do this is to use a long, clear grid ruler, like the ones that us quilters use, and the grid makes it really easy to see how much you’re adding.

For straight lines, it’s super easy ‘cause you can lay the ruler over the cut line of the pattern and just line it up so you’re adding an even amount of seam allowance. Run your pencil along the edge.

But for curves, it can be a bit trickier, but not too bad. You just line up your ruler so it’s perpendicular to the cut line and mark a small dash, and then, move over an inch or so down the curve, realign your ruler, and then mark another dash, and just keep going along that curve. And when you’re finished, you’re gonna have this dashed or dotted line that you can connect into a nice, smooth curve and you can freehand that curve or use a French curve or flexible ruler to draw it.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. This technique is really magical. I remember, like, learning it in school and I was like, it works so well, and it looks really fun to do…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …when you’re, like, just, sort of, like, running the ruler along, dash, dash, dash, and then, it makes a line, and it’s like magic.

Helen: Yeah, it feels good.

Caroline: Yeah, if you wanna feel like a pattern drafter, just adjust your seam allowance.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And there are tools that you can use to add seam allowance as well outside of just a ruler and a pencil. So a pattern marking ruler, which is also called a pattern master, or a pattern maker, is a clear ruler that has lines marking out different seam allowance. And it also has 45 and 90 degree marks and a curved edge. It’s pretty handy.

Helen: There’s also adjustable tracing wheels. This has two wheels that can be adjusted to different widths. So you roll it along the cut line of your pattern, and it will make a little perforated line at the new cut line at the same time, and you, then, you can darken that line with a pencil if you want to after. Or you can use dressmaker’s carbon paper and roll the lines right onto your fabric as you’re doing this.

Caroline: And here’s a cool trick to make your own seam allowance adding tool. If you take two sharp pencils and tape them together, the distance between the marks will be about a quarter inch. Three pencils make half inch. And traditional pencils with flat sides work better than brown pencils for this. You can also add extra stuff like cardboard, flat dowels, or fabric to space the pencils at the distance you want. That’s pretty cool.

Helen: Ooh, I love that.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Then you can just draw along the edge. So cool.