Today’s episode explores the idea that sewing, and the actions we take and choices we make whilst engaging in sewing, is full of social and political context. And why that’s a GOOD THING. 



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(image by Mika Baumeister via Unsplash)



Read the full explanation of the source of ‘the personal is political’ on Britannica. 

#107: Sewing is Political

Hello! Welcome to Check Your Thread, a podcast about sewing more sustainably. Each episode we enjoy nerding out about sewing, whilst picking up ideas and useful tips for how to reduce our impact on the environment. My aim is always to approach topics with a sense of curiosity and fun, and hope to leave our listeners feeling inspired by the end of each episode. 

Examples of topics that we cover include sourcing second hand textiles, zero waste sewing patterns, mending, upcycling, scrap-busting and alternative and surprising sources for fabric. If there are any topics you’d like CYT to cover, anyone you’d like me to get on the podcast to chat to or you’d just like to say hi, please email me at zoe@checkyourthread.com or message me via Instagram @checkyourthread.

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Are you interested in mending your clothes but you’re just not sure where to begin? For this episode, we’re taking a different approach to the topic of mending in that this episode is for complete beginners, no prior knowledge of sewing is needed or assumed AT ALL. But for the regular listeners who already engage in sewing and mending, this episode is kind of for you too. It’s an excellent resource to forward on to people in your life who are interested in keeping their clothes in use for longer, and who you feel might be open to learning how to do it for themselves.This episode is one part pep talk, one part practical guide. You’ll be left feeling empowered to start repairing your own clothes. 



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The climate action NGO WRAP has published studies on the impact on keeping our clothes in use for longer. 



The items I think you need for a basic but very effective mending kit:



So you’ll need:




Hand sewing needles: try to find a pack that includes needles that range in thickness. Different thicknesses of needle will be suitable for different thicknesses of fabric.



Sewing thread: go for reels polyester or 100% cotton thread made by a known brand like Guterman, Meltler or Coats/Moon. Cheap, or very old, sewing threads are liable to break. If you bought a sewing kit that includes some thread, treat yourself to some stronger, higher quality stuff anyway. It’s a good idea to keep a small range of common colours in your kit (black, white, navy, red, grey and cream perhaps) which should cover the majority of your projects, and add other colours to your collection as you require them.



Small, sharp scissors or thread snips: a basic, shop-bought sewing kit may or may not include these but they are definitely necessary. Cheap thread snips are available in most haberdasheries, but sharp nail scissors will also do.



Pins: a pack/tub of sharp pins is very helpful to keep things in place during your repair or alteration. Only an octopus could successfully complete every project without some pins. Pins that come with little plastic shapes or spheres attached to the end are easier to pick up. 



Safety pins: a few safety pins in a range of sizes will likely come in very handy. They can be used instead of pins for some projects to keep things in place, and you will be less likely to get stabbed whilst using them. Safety pins are also invaluable for threading elastic through a channel. 



Seam ripper (AKA stitch ripper/quick unpick): these sharp metal hooks with plastic or wooden handles are useful for removing stitches carefully. Using scissors or snips to do so is more likely to result in holes in the fabric. 




Additional items and materials to allow you to make patches and expand your repertoire of repairs:




Tape measure: This is for working out how big you need to cut a patch. Fancier, retractable tape measurements are available if you wish, but the basic kind that you sometimes win in Christmas crackers is also fine! 



Tailors chalk or fabric marking pen/pencil: This is for drawing out the size and shape of the patch you require before cutting it out. There is a wide range of fabric marking tools available. From the basic triangle shaped tailor’s chalks, to chalk wheels that dispense chalk dust, to marker pens with ink that disappears when you iron it. They all do a similar job, so buy whichever appeals to you and see if you like using it. 



Fabric scissors: they are going to make cutting fabric to create patches a joy. Using other types of scissors such as paper scissors or kitchen scissors is an option of course, but using blunt or unsuitable scissors for the task will be frustrating and may damage the fabric. So use non-fabric scissors at your own risk.



Fabric scraps: As you can imagine, these are to make the actual patches. You’ll need a variety of types of fabric, basically try to gather a selection that represent the types of fabrics you’d find in your wardr

#134: You Can Mend Clothes

Mending your clothes to keep them in use for longer is a vital part of sewing and living more sustainably. But how can we amplify the positive impact of mending our clothes? Answer: By mending them in public! By mending in public, not only are you reducing the annual carbon and water footprint of your clothing, but you’re helping to normalise these actions for other people! On the 20th April 2024 hundreds of mending in public events took place around the globe, the endeavour having been initiated by the Fashion Revolution movement in collaboration with the Street Stitching movement. I attended an event hosted by Diana Uprichard, owner of Dolly Clothing in Lewes, East Sussex, and I got to see first hand the positivity and power of mending in public. In this episode, you’ll hear from five different people I spoke to at the event, each with their own unique angle on why it’s so meaningful. 



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Check out the Seated Makes Challenge on IG #seatedmakeschallenge2024.



Mending in Public day was organised by Fashion Revolution in collaboration with the Street Stitching movement. 



Diana Uprichard is the owner of Dolly Clothing in Lewes, East Sussex UK. They can also be found on Instagram (@dolly_clothing). 





Melissa with her grey cardigan with its ongoing repairs:





Attendee Sarah Elwick (@sarahelwick) on the left with Mica Janiv (@micajaniv), sustainable business consultant. 

#133: Mending in Public

Dedicating an entire season to acts of mending is a bold move. As you may know, the most recent round of the Winter of Care and Repair challenge just wrapped up. In this episode the challenge’s creator, Jeanna Wigger, and I catch up to review the experience, both as individual participants and as members of this vibrant and inspiring global community of menders. So whether you’re in the southern hemisphere with Winter just round the corner, or you’re in the northern hemisphere and the next round is some way off, you’ll find out what benefits it could bring you, should you decide to participate. 



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You can follow Jeanna on Instagram @thepeoplesmending.



Listen to my previous conversation with Jeanna about the challenge:




Ep. #115: Winter of Care and Repair with Jeanna Wigger




Other mending-related episodes you might enjoy include the three-part mini-series about Make Do and Mend:




Ep. #28: Make Do and Mend



Ep. #29: Lessons from the 1940s



Ep. #30: Tips and Takeaways from Make Do and Mend




Plus these solo episodes:




Ep. #47: Introduction to Patching



Ep. #68: Visible Vs Invisible Mending




Jeanna tested out multiple methods of lightweight sock repair and reviewed the results. 





Image source: Jeanna Wigger



Examples of Jeanna’s mending, all of which fit within her definition of a mend that is hidden in plain sight, designed to look like it's "supposed to be there.":

#132: A season of mending with Jeanna Wigger

Do you want to create well fitting clothes, but you’re put off by having to make lots of changes to your pattern plus multiple toiles to test the fit? My guest, Elisalex Jewell, is an anythor and one of the founders of sewing pattern brand By Hand London. Elisalex tells us why self drafting using your own body measurements might be for you. 



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Elisalex Jewell is the co-founder of sewing pattern brand By Hand London. You can also follow her on Instagram (@elisalex).



Elisalex´s mum is Orsola de Castro (@orsoladecastro), the co-founder and creative director of Fashion Revolution, a not-for-profit activism movement which works towards a sustainable fashion industry



Elisalex has written a book with self-drafting tutorials and hacks called ‘Made to Measure: An Easy Guide to Drafting and Sewing a Custom Wardrobe’. 





Elisalex prefers dot and cross paper for pattern drafting. UK-based people can order it from William Gee and from Morplan, among others. 



Elisalex recommends DIY Daisy´s book, ‘Sew It Yourself’. You can listen to my conversation with Daisy:




Ep. #46: DIY Drafting and Inclusive Sewing with Daisy Braid




Rosie Martin has the blog ‘DIY Couture’ and wrote the book ‘No Patterns Needed: DIY Couture from Simple Shapes’. 



Elisalex featured on Episode 30 of The New Craft House Podcast. 



By Hand London’s circle skirt calculator is the original draft-it-yourself pattern!



Find all of By Hand London’s Draft It Yourself products on their website, including the Lucy dress (pictured below):

#131: Self-Drafting for Fitting Success with Elisalex Jewell

How can you attend a large sewing event more sustainably? Is it possible to avoid getting overwhelmed, to avoid regrettable impulse purchases and to actually enjoy yourself? I take my pal and previous-guest Kim Witten to her first major sewing event, The Stitch Festival in London. We gather advice on how to make the most of these events whilst getting inspired, making considered purchases and connecting with the wonderful sewing community. 



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Show notes:



**Click here to find the How to Sew Clothes from Fabric Scraps downloadable PDF**





Kim and I went to The Stitch Festival in London in March 2024. 



Kim Witten is a Transformational Coach and Research Consultant. 



Listen to Kim in previous episodes:




Ep. #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim Witten



Ep. #91: Self Knowledge for Sewing Success with Kim Witten



Ep. #92: Self Coaching for Sewing Success with Kim Witten




Kim enjoyed the printed jerseys on the Dots ‘n’ Stripes stand.



Zoe and Kim spoke to Charlotte (IG @lottejamiesoncrafts) on the Emporia Patterns stand. Emporia recently released two new patterns: Tony Shirt and Zoe Dress patterns.





Vicki Reid’s new fabric designs and buttons were produced in collaboration with Pigeon Wishes and can be found on her website What Vicki Made, along with her woven labels.  





Sharon from Maven Patterns gave excellent advice about taking photos of things you like before committing to buying them. Listen to Sharon’s husband Richard on the podcast:




Ep. #109: More Sustainable Thread Options with Richard from James Tailoring



Ep. #114: More Sustainable Haberdashery with Richard Mendham




Fauve (IG @sew_fauve) and Asmaa (IG @sewgical_endeavours) from GBSB 2024 are collaborating as Imperfectly Perfect (IG @imperfectlyperfectbyfna) to run sewing classes in South Wales.





My lovely colleague Claire was working on the Fabric Godmother stand wearing a dress made using the Vali Dress & Top pattern from Pattern Fantastique.



We bumped into previous-guest Tony Rea (IG @tonyr.maker). Listen to the episode:




 Ep. #124: Fearless Sewing with Tony Rea






Kim plans to use her olive green denim to make the Cosecha Pants pattern by Sew Liberated.

#107: Sewing is Political

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