Seamwork Radio: Sewing and Creativity

Do you often find you sew accompanied by an uninvited guest: your inner critic? That little voice that questions your skills, doubts your decisions, and convinces you that your creative work is not good enough?

If so, Sarai and Haley have some tips to banish your inner critic—or at least learn to tolerate its presence.

We’re taking a break from the podcast for the holidays, so we’re re-airing some of our favorite episodes. This episode is one of our faves because we show you how to recognize, manage, and even quiet that pesky inner critic when you sit down to sew.

In this re-run of one of our favorite episodes, Sarai and Haley help you figure out if you're an ambitious or cautious learner (or somewhere in between). They also share the benefits and pitfalls are for each, and how to learn from each of these learning styles.

For our 10th birthday, we're re-airing some of our favorite episodes of Seamwork Radio. In this episode, Sarai talks with Ashley.

As Ashley grew up, her innocence and relationship with her mom eroded. But somehow, sewing provided that thin thread of connection that never went away.

In this special podcast epiosde, Haley turns the mic on Sarai, and asked our founder questions about the first 10 years of Seamwork.

She'll share how it all started, how it’s going, and lessons she's learned that you can apply to your own creative life.

Fabric shopping should be an exciting and inspiring experience—but it can quickly become overwhelming.

The endless options and aisles of tempting bolts of fabric make it easy to lose sight of what you actually need.

Sarai and Haley share practical tips for navigating fabric stores with intention so you can select fabrics you’re excited to sew—and actually use.

It can also be hard to find the motivation to sew when you have lots of other commitments—and when the daytime hours are short.

Stay productive and creative with these simple, effective ideas for sewing when you're low on time and energy.

Sewing often has you thinking a few steps ahead—about what's next in your life, the upcoming season, and what you'll need to be ready for it.

In this podcast episode, Sarai and Haley explore how to embrace seasonal changes through sewing. They share five ways to plan for the upcoming season while also staying present and honoring the season you're in right now.

In a world of fast everything, sewing can be your sanctuary.

Imagine spending a little extra time on your favorite projects, feeling less rushed, and discovering a renewed love for sewing. In the latest podcast, Sarai shares tips on embracing slow sewing. She explores 10 simple, approachable tips to help you slow down

This topic frequently comes up in our community, as many of us are looking for ways to slow down and truly enjoy the process, so this episode gently reminds us that sewing can be more than just the clothes we create; it can also be about the journey of making them.

There are a few important factors to consider before you choose fabrics for those big events and special occasions in our lives.

Whether it's a wedding, a fancy party, or the upcoming holidays that make you want to feel your best, the fabric you choose can really make or break your outfit. While it's tempting to go straight for that luxurious silk or stunning velvet, it can also get really expensive and might not fit the environment.

In this podcast episode, Sarai shares 5 questions you can ask yourself to make sure you're picking the right fabric for your special occasion garment.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series called "Sewing With All 5 Senses."

We continue to delve into our sensory-driven nature. Sewing inherently engages our sense of sight and touch, but by finding ways to activate all five senses, it can evolve into an even deeper and more transformative form of self-care.

Last week, we talked about how to intentionally enhance your sense of sight and touch. Today, we’ll talk about the other three senses: sound, smell, and taste. We'll cover what elements play into these senses, and give you tips for how to embrace what feels good.

This is part 1 of a 2-part series called "Sewing With All 5 Senses."

We are such sensory-seeking creatures, and in very direct ways, sewing feeds our sense of sight and touch. But if you can find ways to stimulate all of your senses when you’re sewing, it can become an even more radical form of self-care than it already is.

Today, Sarai and Haley talk about how to intentionally enhance your sense of sight and touch, which are the two senses we experience the strongest when we’re sewing. They cover what elements play into our sense of sight and touch, and give you tips for how to embrace what feels good.

Altering thrifted or store-bought clothes is easier than you think! Allie from Allie Upcycles, an expert in size-inclusive thrift flips, is here to share her top 10 favorite tips for altering your clothes with ease.

Whether you're adding a zipper, adjusting a hem, or creating a whole new look, these practical tips will help you breathe new life into your wardrobe. Ready to make your clothes work for you?

If you've ever felt intimidated by sewing with knits, you're not alone! 

The stretchy nature of knit fabric can make them appear tricky to wrangle through your machine. But don’t worry—Whitney from TomKat Stitchery is here to help.

Whitney sat down with Sarai and shared her top 10 tips to help you conquer knits with confidence. 

Cornelius Quiring is one of the most creative and helpful sewing content creators on social media right now. When he was 3, he was in an accident that halted the growth of the muscles on half of his body. 

As a teen, he learned to create adaptive clothing that fit, but didn't hide, his body's unique shape. Now, his goal is to teach you all about patternmaking and clothing construction. And he also aims to entertain you, so you have fun while you learn.

In this episode, he shares 5 tips for learning how to make your own patterns.

Lingerie expert Sophie Hines is the special guest on this week's epiosde. She shares 10 tips for buying and sewing lingerie fabrics. If you've ever been curious about sewing your own bras, underwear, or loungewear, you don't want to miss this episode!

Finding time to sew in a world filled with endless demands can feel like an uphill battle. Between work, family, household chores, and countless distractions, it often seems that sewing time is the first to go. 

But here's the truth: if sewing brings you joy, calm, and fulfillment, you need to carve out space for it in your life. 

In this episode, Sarai shares 5 strategies to help you find more time to sew.

April Yang is a DIY, thrift-flipping enthusiast, and she has ideas to help you start your first upcycled project. In this interview, the founder of Coolirpa shares expert tips for thrift shopping, preparing your designs, and making sewing sustainable and fun.

When two podcasters with the same passion for sewing and making things get together, you know it will be a meaningful conversation.

Sarai was recently a guest on the In Kinshop podcast, hosted by Tina VanDenburg. In this episode, Sarai and Tina talk about finding balance and intentionality in sewing, making, and life. And, of course, about the importance of taking time to walk your dog.

Tilly from Tilly and the Buttons is here to talk about sewing for kids! She's sharing her top 10 tips for sewing for kids. And even if you don't do a lot of sewing for kids, you're going to find a lot in here that can apply to your own sewing as well, even for yourself or for other adults.

 Last week on the podcast, we learned how a Seamwork pattern is made, from design to the final photo shoot. Today, we have some common fitting myths to dispel.

Robin, our professional patternmaker, is a special guest on this episode. Robin's been patternmaking with us at Seamwork for more than 7 years. Prior to that, she worked in the ready-to-wear apparel industry as a pattern maker with companies like Patagonia, Ugg, and Hanna Anderson.

And today, she's here to bust 5 common fitting myths.

Curious about what goes on behind the scenes in the world of patternmaking? You're in for a treat!

We have a special guest. It’s Robin, our talented patternmaker! 

Robin shares her insider secrets and takes us on a journey through the entire process of creating a Seamwork pattern.

From the initial sketch to the final photo shoot, Robin reveals the steps involved in bringing a pattern to life. 

Most of us have fabric stashes that seem to get bigger and bigger. In this episode, Sarai shares 5 tips to sew from your stash to help you keep the yardage in your home to a helpful minimum.

Today, you'll get tons of tips for organizing your new sewing space, so you can set it all up and start sewing!

We’re on the final week of Space Camp where we’re all refreshing our sewing spaces to create a comfortable, organized, and inspiring place to create when you’re at home—no matter how big or how small your space might be.

We’re on the third week of Space Camp where we’ll all refresh our sewing spaces to create a comfortable, organized, and inspiring place to create when you’re at home—no matter how big or how small your space might be.

Today, you'll decide what to keep, donate, and trash. 

We’re on the second week of Space Camp where we’ll all refresh our sewing spaces to create a comfortable, organized, and inspiring place to create when you’re at home—no matter how big or how small your space might be.

Last year, we held a really popular summer sewing camp in conjunction with the Seamwork Radio Podcast episodes. We're re-airing the "Space Camp" portion this year to give you a chance to organize and set up your dream sewing space.

Sarai and Haley will be your camp leaders, and in the next 4 episodes, they'll share ideas and exercises to help you upgrade your space.

Let's talk about five apps that you may not have used before that can really level up your sewing. We're going to cover apps you can use to get creative while you plan your sewing, apps that help you stay organized, and even my favorite app for helping you sketch your projects. 

Let's talk about my five tips to help you choose the right fabric for your sewing project. We're going to cover why choosing the right fabric can be so hard for so many people, what to specifically look for when buying fabric for a project, and how to dramatically improve your fabric shopping skills in a short amount of time.

Today, we're talking about five books on creativity that have totally transformed the way I think, and even in some cases, really have changed my whole life. So we're going to cover one book that helped me create rituals that I've been practicing for years, one that helped me understand how to get into a creative mode more easily, and one that's a really practical workbook for building more creative time into your life, so you don't want to miss these. 

You set a sewing queue with the best of intentions, but sometimes you can still find yourself stuck. Or, sometimes, you turn into a magpie and constantly get distracted by sewing projects.

But there are some tricks to staying excited about your sewing queue.

In this week’s podcast episode, you’ll learn how to choose your next project and get tips you can rely on to keep your queue interesting. 

Dressing comfortably in the sun-soaked days of summer is a challenge, but choosing the right fabric can make all the difference.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley share their 5 favorite fabrics to sew and wear in the summer. They’ll tell you why each fabric is great for summer and give you a list of garments that work well with each fiber.

Editing is one of the most underappreciated aspects of any creative journey. This includes picking out a new sewing project. With so many choices, the process can feel overwhelming. So, how can you simplify it? Ask a designer!

In this episode, Sarai and Haley discuss why editing is vital to any good design process and share an easy three-step process they like to use when creating their sewing plans for the season. 

Is your social media algorithm showing you the same thing over and over again?

We use social media and Pinterest for mindless entertainment, but it can be easy to go down a scroll-hole. If that's the only input your brain is receiving for inspiration, you can get stuck.

In this week’s episode, Haley and Sarai chat about how social media algorithms are creating cultural uniformity and how you can find ways to discover your own unique taste when there is this culture of sameness.

Clothing is a really strong repository of memory. Creating your own wedding dress is the perfect opportunity to flex your sewing skills and create a true heirloom piece. 

In this episode, Sarai and Haley discuss the benefits and drawbacks of sewing your own wedding attire. They also share their expert tips for reducing stress and ensuring your wedding outfit turns out just as you envisioned it.

Are you new to zero-waste sewing? Are you thinking about trying a zero-waste pattern for the first time Or are you wondering if Seamwork will ever release a zero-waste pattern?

This week’s podcast answers all those questions.

Sarai and Haley discuss the benefits and limitations of zero-waste sewing and give eight simple steps for exploring this niche. 

In this episode we discuss how sewing teaches you to want less. So we're going to cover our own relationships with consumption, how that's changed throughout our sewing journeys, and then eight ways that you can lean on sewing to help you consume less.

Show Notes:

• Making Time: Sarai's personal substack all about creativity and managing her energy around it.
• How to Use the Rule of Three Outfits: A past Seamwork Radio episode dedicated to helping you plan and develop a curated wardrobe.
• Design Your Wardrobe: Our popular course helps you plan the sewing projects you'll love to wear.
• Style Workshop: This hands-on workshop helps you define your core style. It's FREE for Seamwork members and just $10 if you aren't a member.
• Podcast listeners get half off an unlimited Seamwork membership when you use this link, plus you get to keep that price as long as you’re a member!
• Tell us your idea for the next icebreakers for makers!

Outfit formulas help you get dressed easily and confidently each morning. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share five outfit formulas you can wear this spring. They cover what an outfit formula is, what makes a good outfit formula, and then five ideas you could incorporate into your own spring wardrobe. 

When you’re getting dressed in the morning, your goal is to wear clothes, not for your clothes to wear you. And if you love vintage fashion, sometimes it can be challenging not to feel like you’re walking off a movie set or cosplaying as a character from another era.

But we love vintage fashion.

So, how can you incorporate vintage into a modern wardrobe? Here are 7 tips.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how to sew a wardrobe you'll still love in ten years. They cover what makes a garment long lasting—both stylewise and physically—how to choose styles that you'll love to wear for years, and practical tips for making garments that stand the test of time. 

Feel like you’re in a style rut? In this episode, Sarai and Haley show you how to update your wardrobe when your lifestyle, job, body, or sense of style changes.

They cover the signs you might be in a transition, give you some tools for examining that transition, and some actions you can take to evolve your style alongside your life. 

Use this fashion industry trick to define your core style. Sarai and Haley talk about Style Signatures, including what they are, how they can help you better define your personal style, how to come up with your own style signatures, and then how to deploy them in your wardrobe. 

In today’s podcast episode, Sarai and Haley share five lessons they’ve learned from Design Your Wardrobe, and all of these lessons point to one thing: learning how to think like a designer and edit your wardrobe is an invaluable tool for your sewing.

When a new season arises, you can feel the urge to reinvent yourself and refresh everything in your closet. But there’s a simpler way—just refresh the colors you wear!

In this episode, Sarai and Haley provide a 5-step process for defining your colors and putting together a spring color palette.

Here's something you might not know about yourself: You're an editor.

When you sew your own clothes, you're always making editorial decisions, from pairing fabric to a pattern to styling a final outfit.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley cover why editing is so important in design, how to set constraints to make editing easier, and ideas for making tough choices a little bit easier. 

If you’ve ever logged into Pinterest and stared wide-eyed at the never ending scroll of inspiration, you’ve likely run into one of two problems. Too much inspiration or none at all.

In this episode, get 5 tips for finding exactly what you want on Pinterest. With these tips, you can build mood boards that truly help you with your sewing plans.

Trends are one of the most powerful forces that drive fashion. But they’re a little tricky.

On one hand, trends can be really fun to play with. They bring something new into your wardrobe. But on the other hand, you don't want a closet full of really trendy things that don't really feel like you. 

Sarai and Haley cover eight trends for spring 2024 and some ways you can incorporate them into your sewing. 

Having a real sense of your creative purpose can act as a North Star that guides you in your hobbies—or any creative part of your life.

But your purpose can shift as you grow and learn different things about yourself. Uncovering what matters to you is something you have to do repeatedly.

Here are 4 exercises to help you discover how you're changing and how your purpose might be changing, too. 

Did you get into sewing to help reduce textile waste? A lot of people do. And it's great to go to a fabric store and get that new, beautiful fabric. But sometimes it's nice to find an alternative and really flex your creativity in a new way and help to keep that waste down. 

In this episode, get give tips for using thrift shop finds to create your next sewing project.

Has your creativity ever felt a little low? Today, Sarai and Haley share ten things to do when you're just not feeling very creative. 

They cover things you can do to come up with new ideas that get you excited again, things you can do to prepare for when creativity does strike, and things you can do to get your hands moving. 

In this week’s episode, Sarai and Haley share 5 ideas to help you sew for cold weather. They cover how to make your winter sewing extra warm and cozy, and share practical tips and fabric ideas for a toasty, wearable winter wardrobe.

Listen to a recording of the patternmaker panel with 6 amazingly talented patternmakers here in Portland, moderated by Sarai. They chat about all the secrets your patternmaker wants you to know, the differences between ready-to-wear and sewing, and their favorite parts about making patterns.

In October, we hosted our very first in-person event at Seamwork HQ. Nearly 100 Seamworkers gathered for Stitchfest, and we all spent the day together later. There was a panel of local patternmakers, a sample sale, and a live recording of the Seamwork Radio podcast.

In the live recording, Sarai and our patternmaker, Robin, answer the 7 most common sewing questions we get asked here at Seamwork.

In October, we hosted our very first in-person event at Seamwork HQ. Nearly 100 Seamworkers gathered for Stitchfest, and we all spent the day together later. There was a panel of local patternmakers, a sample sale, and a live recording of the Seamwork Radio podcast.

In the live recording, Sarai and our patternmaker, Robin, answer the 7 most common sewing questions we get asked here at Seamwork.

This week, Sarai and Haley share their favorite things to make, and tips for making your handmade gifts feel extra special.

If you’re going to sew gifts over the holidays, listen to their comprehensive list of more than 50 project ideas.

We all make mistakes when we sew. It’s normal.

Almost every project you sew might have a few sewing bloopers, but the silly little mistakes you often make are pretty easily avoidable.

In this week’s episode, Sarai and Haley talk about some of the most common sewing bloopers and how to avoid them. 

Sewing and buying fabric are two different hobbies, and they're both equally enjoyable.

But it's important to marry the two hobbies so that your fabric buying habits and your sewing habits match up and you actually use all that fabric you're buying.

Today, Sarai and Haley are talking about your fabric stash. They’ll share five ideas to help you manage your stash. 

Do you ever wish your home sewing projects looked as polished as the clothes you buy in the store? Today, Sarai and Haley are discussing ways to make your projects more polished. They cover five different tips to help you get a professional-looking finish. 

Your sewing machine is one of the most important sewing tools you own, and it's likely one of the biggest investments you've made in your sewing.

But a lot of times when you buy one, you're just handed it, and you're expected to know what to do with it.

Just like a car, it does need regular care and maintenance. In today’s episode, Sarai and Haley share five tips to care for your sewing machine.

Sarai and Haley are hosting a quick-tip series on the podcast. For the next few weeks, they’re sharing quick episodes full of tips to answer your most burning sewing questions.

And today they’re talking about scrap busting, with five ideas to help you bust your scraps. 

Today on the podcast, Sarai and Haley are talking about how to overcome your fears around sewing—just in time for Halloween.

They cover the two types of fears you might have about sewing, how to decide which one you're facing, and a three-step process for overcoming any sewing fear. 

In this episode of the podcast, Sarai and Haley talk about a five-step process for tackling all your unfinished sewing projects.

They cover why UFOs feel like such a burden, what common barriers stop you from finishing a project, and the steps you can follow to have fewer unfinished projects taking up space both mentally and physically. 

In this week’s podcast episode, Sarai and Haley share ten hobbies besides sewing that you can incorporate into your creative practice.

They’ll cover how these sewing related hobbies can be a source of inspiration for your sewing, what their ten favorites hobbies are, and how each of them can enhance your future sewing projects in different ways. 

Sarai and Haley share five tips for keeping your closet organized with minimum fuss. They cover how a seasonal closet can be a key to a more organized wardrobe, some easy storage tips, and how to edit your wardrobe year-round, even if you're feeling really lazy about it.

This week, Sarai and Haley share the ten things they wish that they'd known as beginners—the most valuable lessons from their decades of sewing. Hopefully these lessons will be helpful to you, too, no matter where you are in your sewing journey. 

In this episode, Sarai and Haley cover some reasons you might experience burnout when it comes to sewing, how to head it off, and tips for maintaining a healthy relationship with your sewing practice.

Last week, Sarai and Haley chatted about how you can incorporate trends into your wardrobe while still feeling like yourself and making clothes you can wear for a long time. Today, they're talking about specific trends for fall and winter 2023, and how you can bring them into your sewing plans.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley chat about trends. They show you how you can incorporate trends into your wardrobe while still feeling like yourself and making clothesyou can wear for a long time.

They use designers and the design world as a lens so you can create a more focused wardrobe that really feels like you.

It’s the final week of Design Your Wardrobe! Sarai and Haley are doing DYW right now, too, and they’re sharing their experiences (and tons of tips) with each module in the course.

This week, they’re sharing the checklists they made that all of their plans must meet, some details about the outfits they put together, and some of the patterns they plan to make. 

In this special series, Sarai and Haley are going to show you exactly how they use Design Your Wardrobe to plan their sewing. They'll work through each step in the course, sharing their plans and tips along the way.

In this episode, they share the color palettes they put together this season along with what they found in their fabric stash and closet.

In this special series, Sarai and Haley are going to show you exactly how they use Design Your Wardrobe to plan their sewing. They'll work through each step in the course, sharing their plans and tips along the way.

In this episode, they share their tips for setting a goal and making a mood board.

In this special series, Sarai and Haley are going to show you exactly how they use Design Your Wardrobe to plan their sewing. They'll work through each step in the course, sharing their plans and tips along the way.

In this first episode, they share their tips and processes for gathering inspiration and avoiding inspiration overwhelm.

It's the last week of Summer Sewing Camp and the final week of the Style Workshop! In these final exercises, you’ll gather all the words you’ve come up with throughout the Style Workshop and distill them into 3-5 words to describe your core style.

Is there a subtle difference between the clothes you LOVE to wear and the ones you actually wear? In today's episode, Sarai and Haley share even more exercises from the new Style Workshop, to help you define your core style.

In part two of your exclusive look at the new Style Workshop, you'll learn about the first tool you need to define your core style: Investigate. In this episode, Sarai and Haley discuss why investigating your identity in four key areas: history, values, culture, and body, is such an important part of this workshop.

It’s the first part of Style Camp! Over the next 4 weeks, you’re going to get an exclusive look at our new Style Workshop.

Haley and Sarai will share exercises from the workshop and talk about why this course is so powerful for helping you with one of the hardest parts of sewing your own clothes — knowing what to make!

In the final part of Space Camp, Sarai and Haley help you organize everything in your sewing space. They'll share how they organize fabric and give you tips for maintaining an organized, clean space.

We're refreshing our sewing spaces! Are you using all of the stuff in your sewing room? In part 3 of this series, Sarai and Haley help you audit your sewing space and decide what to keep, donate, and trash. 

Need to refresh your sewing space? In part 2 of this series, Sarai and Haley help you set a strategy for your budget and the time you have to refresh your space. They'll also share tips for managing your tools and storage methods.

Sarai and Haley are your camp leaders for Seamwork Radio Summer Sewing Camp 2023! Follow along with this series to upgrade your sewing space and define your core style.

In this episode, you'll explore your sewing space to note what you want to change and what you want to keep.

Be sure to download the free Sewing Camp Toolkit (the link is in the episode).

Have you been curious about participating in a sewing community, but you aren't sure where to start? In this episode, Sarai and Haley discuss three pillars of community building: listen, appreciate, and share, along with tips for how to break the ice and make new connections with people who love to sew as much as you do.

Do you often feel like you’re rushing through life, just trying to get as much of your to-do list done as possible each day?

In today’s podcast, Sarai and Haley explore the moments to look for in your sewing that will help you to slow down and develop pride in your skills. They also share some specific projects to can help.

Having a bunch of choices gives you the illusion of liberty—look at all your options! However, when you have many options, have you ever felt really restricted instead of free to decide? It’s the paradox of choice.

In this episode of the podcast, Sarai and Haley explore why having more options can lead to less action, what causes indecision in sewing, and tips for making choices a lot easier and clearer for yourself.

When you look at a project you’ve finished, what stands out more, the mistakes or the successes?

If you’re so busy looking at the flaws that you can’t feel truly satisfied with what you created, Sarai and Haley have 8 tips that will help you reframe your failures.

Do you remember when you were brand new to sewing? There’s power in being a beginner. Beginners are alive to all the opportunities in front of them. They see things with fresh eyes. They see creative possibilities, whereas an expert might take a more pragmatic view. In this episode, Sarai and Haley explore the benefits of being a beginner, and how to tap into that mindset if you could use a little sparkle in your sewing.

Everyone makes these sorts of mistakes, even those who have been sewing for decades. But the big difference between people who stick with sewing and find joy in it and those who get frustrated and give up isn’t about the mistakes – it’s about how you treat yourself when they happen.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 9 ways you can find self-compassion in sewing. 

Is your sewing starting to feel like a chore? Sarai and Haley share 6 totally approachable tips for what to do when your sewing (or any other creative hobby) starts to feel like work. 

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about why you should sew challenging projects, what to do if you need help getting started, and how to motivate yourself to finish.

Your favorite sewing teachers chat about imposter syndrome, RuPal, the hardest parts of their jobs, and where Seamwork is going in five years.

Creativity isn't efficient, but is that a bad thing? Sarai and Haley explore three reasons why creativity is not efficient and share tips for ways you can lean into those creative moments rather than taking the quick and easy route.

You might have learned to sew from grandparents or parents, but some of us didn't have sewing elders. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share invaluable lessons and reflections from Seamworkers who have been sewing for more than 20 years.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley cover some of the benefits of setting up a ritual for your sewing. Then they show you how to create a creative ritual that fits your mood and attention each time you sew. 

Making stuff is brings up issues around confidence because it’s a constant process of learning, and learning will always challenge you. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 5 moments in your sewing practice that will boost your self-confidence.

73% of you said that your sewing space stops you from sewing. In this episode, Sarai and Haley help you figure out the issues that bother you the most about your sewing space, Then they share concrete ideas to fix each of those issues. 

What do you do when you make a sewing mistake? Curse? Throw your garment across the room? Give up on your project? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 3 tips to help you let go of your mistakes. 

Making sewing plans is a great way to keep you motivated, but sometimes you need to break the rules. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share the reasons why you might want to break your plans along with tips to help you ditch them.

Ever feel like you don't have time to sew? Sarai and Haley talk about some of the blocks that we commonly encounter when we want to sew, but we can't. And then six strategies that might help you to remove those blocks.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley share practical things that you can do to use sewing to slow down and de-stress, including 5 tips to ditch your productivity-focused mindset, even if it's just for a little while, to relax and enjoy your sewing time.

Wondering how you can sew more sustainably? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share four main ways to consider your environmental impact when sewing, including a bunch of actionable tips from the community.

Want to sew a capsule wardrobe? If you need help narrowing down your choices, Sarai and Haley will show you how to turn all the inspiration you’ve gathered for your wardrobe into a final plan that really fits your life right now.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley discuss how a beginner mindset can help you become an advanced sewist. They'll explore niche sewing and how exploring all the unexpected corners of the sewing world can empower you.

This re-run episode is packed with tips for finding the best fit for your clothes. You'll learn how to treat your measurements like data, diagnose a good fit, and track your fitting adjustments so you can make them quickly and easily. When it comes to fit, every body is different—it's normal to be different!

In this re-run episode from our Sewing by Design series, Sarai and Haley walk you through the steps of our super popular Design Your Wardrobe program. You'll learn a bunch of tips for sewing a wardrobe full of clothes you love.

In this re-run episode, Sarai and Haley explore the second step in the Sewing by Design process: Build Your Practice. They'll share 4 ways to build a sewing practice you really love.

You wouldn't start building a house by buying paint and picking out cabinet hardware. You'd start by creating a strong foundation. In this re-run episode, Sarai and Haley explore the first step in the Sewing by Design process: Lay Your Foundation.

Your sewing practice is like a house. Once you’ve built it and moved in, you can decorate it how you’d like, get into comfy clothes, and unwind in your own personalized creative space. Sarai and Haley explain this metaphor in this re-run episode.

When do you have enough? Making things brings you joy, and you can’t always measure it by the number of clothes in your closet. So how can you sew without overflowing your closet? Sarai and Haley share 10 questions you can ask yourself.

What's missing from your wardrobe? If you know there are gaps in your wardrobe, but you don't know exactly what those gaps are, Sarai and Haley share two exercises to help you identify them and fill them with clothes you love to wear.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley share tips for making the most of your favorite sewing patterns, with pattern hacks, extra notions to add flair, and fun ways to transform your tried and true patterns into the dynamic wardrobe of your dreams.

Do you ever ask yourself, should I buy it or should I make it? In this episode, Sarai and Haley cover six questions to ask yourself when you're deciding whether you want to take the time to sew something for yourself or simply buy a readymade version.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley share ten tips for finding super cheap fabric. Whether you're a bargain hunter or someone who is looking for creative alternatives to muslin, these tips will help you save money on fabric for your sewing projects.

In this special Halloween-themed episode, Sarai and Haley share 5 of the most common sewing monsters and give you plenty of tips for taming them and conquering your sewing fears.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley help you stay focused. They cover how to decide what you'll actually sew and wear, how to cultivate your personal style, and share concrete strategies that you can use to make clothes you'll love.

If you buy too much fabric, have yards of unused fabric getting dusty in your stash, or you aren’t sure if you’re buying the right fabric for your projects, here are 6 fabric shopping rules to help you only buy fabric you'll actually sew.

Why do you sew? We each have our own reasons, but there are some common threads. In this episode, Sarai and Haley ask the Seamwork community why they sew. They'll share 5 of the most common (and inspiring) reasons to sew your own clothes.

Buying your first machine can be puzzling, and upgrading to a new machine can be overwhelming. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 10 tips for buying a sewing machine that fits your budget.

Sewing can change your life in unexpected ways, but it’s a complex skill to learn. How can you teach someone else how to sew? This topic was inspired by a new course taught by Sarai and Haley, called Learn to Sew Clothing for Absolute Beginners.

After reviewing the 10 most essential sewing tools last week, Sarai and Haley share 10 nice-to-have tools. These tools are by no means necessary, but they will save you time and effort—plus they’re fun to collect!

When it comes to sewing tools, are you a specialist or a generalist? Sarai and Haley share the 20 most essential sewing tools in this two-episode series. In part one, they discuss the 10 most essential tools to have.

If you've ever looked up a quilting tutorial on YouTube, you've probably seen Jenny Doan. In this episode, she shares her story of growing Missouri Star Quilt Co, why she thinks quilting is such a powerful activity, and tips for anyone interested in learning to quilt.

Do you have too many ideas for sewing projects and not enough time to make them all? Here are 4 steps to help you bring an idea for a sewing project out of the idea stage and turn it into a finished garment.

Do you want to buy less clothes? Break the fast fashion cycle? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 7 simple tips to be more intentional about what clothing you add to your wardrobe, so you can feel good about everything you own.

Wondering how to store all of your fabric in a way that's accessible and inspiring? Sarai and Haley share what works best for them, what doesn't, and three approaches to storing fabric, so you can find what works best for you.

Sarai and Haley explore why a messy space is such a block, and what makes clean-up hard for us, and they share Haley’s surefire, seven-step process for cleaning up your space in only 15 minutes.

We're celebrating the 100th episode of Seamwork Radio with a Q&A with Sarai and Haley! They answer your questions about their jobs, personal life, and the podcast.

We often get asked how to help clothes look less "homemade," but what's the stigma behind homemade? In this episode, we explore that and share some tips for making your clothes look polished.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about their favorite go-to fabrics for sewing clothes, what makes them so versatile and useful, and their favorite manufacturers and shops to go to when they need them.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how to tell if you are burned out or bored. They share the symptoms of burnout and how to recognize them, why it’s so easy to confuse burnout and boredom, and three questions you can ask yourself to use sewing and creative activities to move past both.

Being a beginner is as fun as it is intimidating. Not all beginners have the same amount of knowledge or the same amount of confidence. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share three levels of beginners, how to identify where you currently fall, and how to pick patterns that help you grow your skillset.

Sarai and Haley talk about why it’s hard to pick the best projects that challenge you without frustrating you, how to identify the skills you need, and our favorite method for learning new skills, project by project.

If you love to sew, you probably love a helpful shortcut. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share a long list of shortcuts to help save you time and headspace while you sew clothes.

Wondering what kinds of sewing books are best for learning how to sew? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share a framework for building a sewing library, including three types of sewing books you should have.

You might have sewing goals in mind, but it’s easy to get distracted. If you are struggling to set and keep goals, Sarai and Haley share a bunch of ideas to help you uncover your most important sewing goal right now. They also talk about balancing having fun with your sewing while still working towards a larger goal. 

When you’re feeling crunched for time, it’s hard to make space for sewing. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 14 different activities for when you're short on time but feel like doing something sewing-related.

Feeling stressed out? In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about why it’s hard to sew when you’re stressed and share super practical tips for using sewing as a way to remove stress and not add to it.

Some of your future sewing projects will fail, so what can you do when you make a mistake? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 3 simple steps to help you get past a mistake or failure.

Sewing is such an involved hobby, and with all the possibilities for mistakes, sometimes you can take it a little too seriously. That can kind of suck some of the joy out of sewing. Here are creative ways to make sewing more playful.

This episode talks about the four main reasons you might not want to wear something you've made, how to plan to make things you'll get more use out of, and a quick exercise you can do at home to help you brainstorm ideas for future projects.

What if you could bring your projects with you wherever you go? When Alexis Bailey asked this question, she had an idea. Now she's the owner of Fibr & Cloth, selling supplies and kits for hand sewing and a growing collection of zero-waste patterns.

Are there fabrics that are gathering dust in your stash? If you can already picture a few unused cuts of fabric, and you’re cringing, this episode shares 12 tips to help you use more of the fabric that you buy and buy fabric that you will most definitely use.

Sewing shines a bright spotlight on any changes your body might be going through. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 9 tips for sewing through body changes, big and small.

Do you criticize your sewing projects more than you would someone else's? Our inner critics can be loud and diminish the joy that sewing brings us, so Sarai and Haley share some ideas to help quiet yours.

Before fast fashion lowered the cost of ready-to-wear clothing, sewing was an economical solution to expensive clothing. But in a time where cheap clothing is just a click away, that isn't necessarily the case. In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about the types of sewists that really do save the most money, plus give a ton of tips that anyone can use to cut your sewing costs.

Sarai and Haley talk with Jen about how she wove data and narrative together for her book This Long thread, to create a collection of stories, interviews, and essays that reflect the everyday crafts of BIPOC in a way that honors individuality.

What is "choose your adventure" for sewing? In simple terms, it's niche sewing. Sarai and Haley discuss how a beginner mindset can help you become more advanced, how to go about tackling a skill you've always wanted to learn, and how to combine different resources in order to become your own teacher.

In part five of the Sewing by Design series, Sarai and Haley talk about finding your fit. Creating clothing that fits is such a motivating factor for why so many people sew. But learning about fit and applying those lessons to your own sewing practice can be intimidating. Sarai and Haley cover why fitting is a challenge for most people, then provide a simple framework for approaching fit. They discuss how to diagnose your fit in a systematic way, the two types of adjustments you need to learn, and how tracking and finding your fit can make the whole process so much easier.

Have you ever wanted to tap into your inner designer? In this episode of Seamwork Radio, Sarai and Haley continue their conversation about the Sewing by Design framework and chat about how building a wardrobe with intention and purpose can transform your sewing practice. Sarai shares tips based on our Design Your Wardrobe program to help you tap into your inner designer.

What's the secret to building (and keeping) your sewing momentum? Falling in love with sewing. In this episode, Sarai and Haley continue their conversation about the Sewing by Design framework and discuss how to build a sewing practice that you love. So that you can design an experience that's tailor-made for you.

In part two of the Sewing by Design series Sarai and Haley discuss the first phase of the Sewing by Design framework, Laying Your Foundation. Sewing is ultimately a collection of component skills and by identifying the most vital techniques you can ultimately simplify the learning process. This episode covers the 8 skills needed to get your sewing journey off on the right foot.

Learning how to sew can be hard! Especially when you lack a mentor to guide you on your journey. In this episode Sarai and Haley introduce the Sewing by Design framework and how it can be your roadmap for cultivating your sewing practice regardless of your skill level.

In one of our favorite episodes from the podcast archives, learn how Jenny overcame childhood bullying and discovered her voice in the sewing community, founding Cashmerette patterns and changing the course of indie sewing history.

There are a lot of stereotypes surrounding father-daughter relationships. Once Michael knew he was having a daughter, he was determined to make sure she knew how and provided a way to help express herself, and one way he does that is through sewing.

One of our favorite episodes from the Seamwork Radio archives is an interview with Jennifer Wiese, founder of Workroom Social. In this episode, she tells the story of putting on a major sewing event and the unexpected benefits of being open to mistakes.

One of our favorite episodes from the Seamwork Radio archives is from 2016 with Heather from Closet Core Patterns. In this episode, she talks about something that's hard to talk about: money.

Mimi G is loved in the sewing world. So when Mimi introduced the sewing world to her then beau, now husband, Norris Danta Ford in 2015 it was easy to be enchanted by the creative energy and connection they shared. Listen to their love story!

What is niche sewing and how can it supercharge your skills and creativity? In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how niche sewing can help you to continuously grow and rediscover the joys of sewing.

We invited Caroline and Helen from the Love to Sew Podcast to join us for this episode. If you're looking for some new podcasts to listen to, whether sewing or craft related, narrative storytelling, or (how could we leave it out?) true crime, you'll find something new to try on today's show!

Alexia Abegg is a multi-faceted creator. She works in ceramics, textiles, block printing, and designs fabric for Ruby Star Society. In this episode, you'll learn why you need to give yourself permission to have all the hobbies!

Do you feel pressure to make gifts this time of year? In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how the holiday season creates a perfect storm for crafting-stress, plus some tips for removing pressure while still making gifts with love.

The decade project is Sarai's challenge to sew 5 garments to wear for the next 10 years. It's taught her 5 key things about designing clothing for longevity, and they're all things you can apply to your own sewing.

These are 2 different approaches to learning—the ambitious learner and the cautious learner. On today's episode of the podcast, we talk about how to identify which type you are, what the benefits and pitfalls are, and how to learn from the other.

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how you can build up your sewing skills intentionally while making things you still love.

Caroline didn't set out to open one of the most successful online fabric shops in the sewing community, but she always knew sewing would be a part of her journey. In this episode, she shares how Blackbird Fabrics came to be.

In this episode, we round up some of our favorite fitting resources with options for every experience level and approach. We’ll talk about books, where to find fit resources online, and our brand new fitting class and free downloadable fit journal.

When you sew clothes that fit, you feel empowered. In this week's podcast, we discuss some of the core principles of fitting, and how you can get started on your own fitting journey.

Have you ever found yourself working on the fit of a garment and not knowing when to stop? Or felt confused about what actually constitutes a fitting issue? Or maybe even found yourself obsessing over how something your making fits? In this episode, we talk about developing a healthier mindset around fitting while still working to develop the skills and outcomes you're looking for when you sew.

Why is cosplay so entrancing? Why do people want to spend a bunch of time and money to transform themselves into someone else? Hear from six cosplayers who show us how clothing connects us to each other, because we're all welcome in this craft.

In practice, minimalism can feel restrictive and even joyless, especially for a creator. So is there a middle path with minimalism? Can you be a semi-minimalist?

This week on the podcast, Haley and I are sharing some of our own little tricks for making time for the things we enjoy, namely sewing and making. We talk about: Figuring out how much time you want to spend on creativity, Determining which activities bring you joy and which don't, How to make sewing feel more like playtime.

An obsession with goals, productivity, and checking things off can be really unhealthy. In this week's episode of the podcast, we explore how the Cult of Efficiency came to dominate our cultures and share 5 tips to help.

In this episode, Sarai speaks to Nia Kelley. At just 36, Nia suffered a stroke that would damage about a third of her brain, making basic tasks like speech and reading difficult. The road to recovery was long. But on that journey, Nia discovered new sources of creativity and hard-won lessons about ambition and just what she is truly capable of.

After packing up and moving to a new house, Sarai decided to create a queue of 5 projects that she believes she’ll wear for at least 10 years. She’s calling it The Decade Project. In this episode, she and Haley talk about this project and how you can create your own personal sewing challenge.

Have you ever wished that you could just SEW, without all the hassle of printing and assembling paper patterns? Today, Fuyo from Projectors for Sewing tells us how.

The last year and a half have been transformative for many of us. In this episode, we explore how the pandemic shaped our thoughts about making, and the lessons we've learned about the importance of craft in our lives.

Are there sewing tools you wish you'd bought sooner than you did? In this episode, we discuss the six sewing tools and notions that we love so much, we wish we'd always had them in our lives.

Do you ever look at your closet and wonder, how much of this stuff do I really need? In today's episode, we share some approaches to this question, and ideas we've used (or want to use) to eliminate clutter and maintain a reasonable wardrobe.

In the last episode, we explored the reasons that we sew in order to uncover our individual sewing "why." Today, we discuss how to use that "why" to make decisions with purpose and intention.

What is the real reason you sew? By understanding the "why" behind your sewing practice, you can find new ways to stay motivated, understand your sewing, and make meaningful choices about how you spend your time.

We're looking inward this week and sharing a bit about what it's like working at Seamwork. Sarai and Haley share our values and philosophy and why we're pursuing B Corp certification this year.

If you love fabric, you might be familiar with both Cotton + Steel and Ruby Star society. In this episode, Haley sits down with all five founding designers to talk about their creative journey, their close friendship, and what designing fabric means to them.

What exactly is organic fabric? And why should you buy it? We're joined by Arleen, Director of Operations for Birch Fabric to talk about the how and why of organics, and why they focus their business on organic cotton.

Ever thought about turning the hobby you love into a business? Today, we're joined by Abby Glassenberg of Craft Industry Alliance, who shares her wisdom after working with over a thousand craft businesses of all sizes.

How do you know if a piece of clothing is high quality? And how do you build quality into the clothing that you make? In this episode, we discuss the three areas to look for quality in clothing, and what "high quality" really means for us.

This month, we had an amazing article about making your own non-disposable bathroom products. Today, we'll talk through those DIY ideas to help us all reduce waste in the home while using the scraps we already have.

This month, we're talking about making clothes last. In this episode, learn 10 different ways you can mend, adapt, or wear your clothes when they've gotten a little past their prime.

Today's episode was inspired by a video on our YouTube channel called "3 Tips to Make Paper Patterns Last". We'll share the 3 tips from that video, and also adding a few more ideas to keep your paper patterns around longer.

In last week's episode, we talked about prioritizing your projects. This week, we're quickly digging into one specific technique that will help you to plan and develop an idea, and make sure it fits your wardrobe.

This week, we address a question in the Seamwork community about how to prioritize projects and prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed. We share Seamwork members' tips, and our own experiences to give you a few ideas to try.

Do you ever feel a bit "meh" about sewing? We'll explore how you can tackle the creative doldrums by asking yourself a few key questions, and figuring out the right approach for you to find your way back to a hobby you love.

The Burrells are a tight-knit family that sews together. Patricia, Sierra, and Sone-Seerè each know how to sew, but it wasn't something that they did together—until recently. These three women tell the story of how they share this creative spark.

Creativity makes us feel vulnerable. Sometimes we have hidden fears around our own shortcomings, our self-image, or what other people might think. We'll talk about what some of the common fears around sewing are, and how we deal with them.

Not many of us spend a lot of time patting ourselves on the back. Let's change that! In this episode, we'll share some concrete ideas that we've found helpful to celebrate progress and stay motivated.

What do you do when sewing frustrates you? How do you handle stress, failure, and the occasional hit to your self-esteem that comes with creating? In this episode, we'll share a tool that can help you be kinder to yourself and stay motivated to make.

Ann Lowe moved to New York with big dreams. She wanted to become a great American designer, no small feat for a Black woman from Alabama in 1928. But she held fast to her dream, taking enormous risks and facing down catastrophe to realize her talent.

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.

Have you heard the term “deadstock” applied to fabric? What does that mean? Inspired by a thread in our community, we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of deadstock, vintage, and secondhand fabric. And we’ll share some favorite places to find it.

We’ve all been spending a lot more time at home in 2020, and that’s led many of us to think more about our spaces. Whether you have a tiny corner or a luxurious craft room, we’ll share 8 tips to help you organize and update your space without buying things you don’t need.

Decluttering handmade clothing is HARD. We all get attached to things we’ve made with our own two hands. In this episode. Haley helps us out with five questions you can ask yourself and three practical tips to help you move your handmade clothes to the donation pile when it’s time.

This is the story of a designer who really knows herself and her craft. She left a decade-long career in the fashion scenes of Los Angeles and NYC to open up a textiles studio in the Catskills of upstate New York, where she rebuilds textiles with magic, ritual, and a deep connection to nature.

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.

In this episode, we’ll hear stories from the Seamwork team about how past and future generations of sewists have impacted our sewing stories.

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up

Folkwear has been creating patterns for nearly 50 years. Despite four changes in ownership and two recessions, this women-owned business is still making patterns today.

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up

In this episode, we’ll hear stories about sharing, and how we share our craft with our loved ones. We asked you about a time that you sewed for someone else. Did it go as planned? Did they love it? How did they react?

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.

Maggie Crisler stands 6’1” tall, is plus-sized, and feels like her accent isn’t quite Southern enough for her small Alabama town, but it’s too Southern for the rest of the world. After a tumor on her pituitary gland caused her to rapidly gain over 90 pounds in one year, she thought she was locked out of clothing that fits. And she quit sewing. Why should she bother making clothing if her body might be totally different in a few months?

“I didn’t know what was gonna happen, and I still honestly don’t know what’s gonna happen with my health and my body. I don’t know if once we get all of the stuff sorted, if I’m going to drop 30 pounds or if I’m going to stay the same size or what. “

Maggie is a force. She plays a bright red vintage organ in a rock ‘n roll band, quilts, has long, wavy red hair, sews her clothes by hand, and has a cool job at Alabama Chanin. When you talk to her, she exudes confidence. She’s matter of fact. She has a kind tone in her voice, she’s a great storyteller, and you can’t help but want to just hang out and chat all day. But she’s spent much of her life feeling like she doesn’t fit in.

Born and raised in Alabama, and growing up in a creative household, sewing has always been a part of Maggie’s life. Her relationship with this craft has changed as much as her body. After a two-year hiatus from sewing, Maggie is back with some lifelong lessons she’s learned about making, sustainability, self-image, and the power of a well-fitting garment.

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.

In this episode, we’ll hear stories about how sewing connects us. We asked you the question, when has sewing helped you form unexpected connections?

Adrienne finds a sense of connection through the online community but also with previous generations of sewers and makers in her own family.

Megan finds a sewing pattern in her grandmother’s sewing stash with a special note.

We also talk about building our own communities. Carmela Zabala, one of the founders of Sew Tampa Bay, shares some tips for cultivating your very own sewing meet-up.

Don’t forget to share your stories with us! Next month (October 2020), we’re looking for stories about sharing handmade gifts. You can share your story at http://www.seamwork.com/go/answer.

• Building a Local Sewing Community
• Sewing Heals: An interview with Tabitha Sewer
• Sewing Heals T-shirt
• Smart Closet
• Read the latest issue of Seamwork

Check out the latest patterns the Milo cardigan and the Sawyer skirt.

It’s unlikely that you’ve met a father and daughter with a bond like that of Michael and Ava. Ava is 9 years old, and absolutely loves her dad, Michael. Not only does she feel comfortable discussing her life with him and letting him in on what’s bothering her as she grows up, but they collaborate together on custom-sewn outfits just for her. Years ago, Michael made the decision to be there for his daughter. Sometimes that’s meant listening to her when she faces a problem at school, and other times it’s meant learning to do her hair or paint her nails. And it’s also meant using his creativity to learn to sew for her. As a single Black father who works every day to empower his daughter to become the person she’s meant to be, he’s breaking stereotypes. As a male in a traditionally female-dominated hobby space, he’s used his creativity to empower others to be vulnerable, empathetic, and share what they create with pride.

"One of my biggest goals was for her to be able to express herself. That was a struggle for me when I was growing up. It wasn't even that it wasn't encouraged. I just wasn't given the opportunity. And I didn't want her to have that same experience. So, you know, just initially sitting down and having conversations with her, asking her how she's doing, giving her the opportunity to say how things are actually impacting her."

"So with my upbringing I have always felt close to women like. So it's just like a natural transition for me to be close with her, to be able to listen to her and, you know, I understand some of her emotions, some of it, you know, I have no clue what, you know, some of the feelings are. But, yeah, I think it's just being emotionally available to her."

"It was pretty much anything creative, so I would um, take like the alphabet, I used to make this for my mom. When I was younger, I would take the whole alphabet and assign a word to describe her. So she would post that on her walls. Or if it was when I was younger, I used to go to the Boys and Girls Club on Saturdays and take like an art class. So painting, drawing, writing. When I got older, I started doing like party planning, having, you know, gatherings for birthdays where I could create invitations and centerpieces."

Find Michael on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/daddydressedmebymg/ Read an article by Michael in the July issue of Seamwork at: https://www.seamwork.com/issues/2020/07/the-power-of-expression

As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.

In this episode, we’ll hear stories about sewing projects gone awry, and how failures can become opportunities.

Marjorie thought she had ruined the dress she was sewing to wear to her son's wedding when she burned a hole in it. After literally throwing the dress in the trash, she decided to turn the flaw into a feature and added hand embellishment to cover the burn.

Tiffanie wanted to give up on a ruffled dress for a student showcase, but when she finally finished the dress, she felt proud of how she executed her vision. Tiffanie says the when you are frustrated, take a break from the project to get some perspective.

Munirah was frustrated when a bra project just didn’t fit the way she wanted it to. She was ready to just move on to the next project, but after an epiphany one night, she was able to salvage the project.

Maressa was ready to give up on a knitting project after repeatedly ripping out a sleeve she could get quite right. After deciding to pivot and make the sweater sleeveless, she created one of her most loved and worn knitting projects of all time.

Don’t forget to share your stories with us! Next month (September 2020), we’re looking for stories about unexpected connections made through sewing. You can share your story at http://www.seamwork.com/go/answer.

Related links from this episode:

How to Develop Creative Grit

Follow Tiffanie on Instagram @cheri_amor24

Follow Munirah on Instagram @making_moon

Follow Maressa on Instagram @maressamade

Failure is the Birthplace of Creative Opportunity

Find the Abolitionist Sewing Circle by visiting:

@homegirlbox

@_madisonstar

The Natural Colors Cookbook by Maggie Pate

Read the latest issue of Seamwork.

Check out the latest patterns: the Beckett overalls and Samson top.

Ashley grew up in British Columbia, Canada and had a freewheeling, happy childhood. Her mother was confident, creative, and charismatic. Everyone seemed to adore her, especially Ashley. She was full of energy and seemed able to do anything.

But as Ashley got older, a different picture emerged. She learned that her mom had a secret, and over time it would destroy their relationship – and her mom’s life.

But somehow, for some reason, the experience of sewing with her mom remained one of the few bright spots.

“I just feel like, you know, that was sort of one of the one of the activities that we shared where she wasn't she wasn't so critical. She wasn't hard on me. She was competitive with me. You know, she coached me. She gave me some space. She gave me, like, access to her tools.”

“I'm pretty sure my mom made the shirt she's wearing, plus the sweater my toddler brother was wearing, and she definitely made the pink corduroy overalls I'm wearing, plus the booties. I used to ask her about those overalls all the time. For some reason I was delighted by the buttons, which were little kitties.”

“You can see the wall hanging in the background that my mom made. I feel like that could probably sell for a lot of money at some hipster craft fair these days!”

“You can just see the fur tops of my brother's mocassins - she definitely would have made those.”

“She was so tall, look how high I have to reach her hands! She liked to dress strikingly - bold colours and designs that accentuated her features. I remember she had to wear a stick-on bra with that dress because it was open in the back with verticle panels from collar to waistline, and we laughed about that; she was always showing me how to be classy - bra straps should never be visible for example.”

“She knit a special blanket for each of her babies during her pregnancies, and for mine she said she just knew intuitively that she was having a girl, so she chose the peach colour. I actually remember her finishing my baby brother's blanket in the hospital bed just hours after delivering him. She was a tough lady.”

If you are interested in helping address drug use in a compassionate way, Ashley has provided some wonderful links to help you get involved.

Welcome to Season 3 of Seamwork Radio! After a long hiatus, we're back with a brand new season of stories.

We'll bring you a new full-length story on the first of the month this fall, along with a mini-episode on the 15th. You'll hear stories from the lives of people like you, and how sewing has impacted them.

We're so happy to be back! Enjoy the first episode with Ashley, and look for our mini-episode in mid-August 2020.

In 1999, Kristine Vejar took her first trip to India. There, she met the Rabari, a small community that changed her perspective and direction for the future. In this story told by contributor Jessica Yen, Kristine shares what she learned, and how that informed the direction of her growing business, A Verb for Keeping Warm.

Related links from this episode:

• A Verb for Keeping Warm, Kristine’s multi-faceted business.
• The Modern Natural Dyer, Kristine’s book

In 2008, sewing blogger Melissa Fehr revealed something on her blog: she’d been diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. Soon, she’d need a complete bone marrow transplant. In this episode, Melissa shares how her relationship with her body changed before and after this life-changing experience – and how this relationship eventually led her to designing her own patterns.

Related links from this episode:

• Fehr Trade, Melissa’s blog and patterns
• Be The Match, the US National Marrow Donation Program
• British Bone Marrow Registry

In September 2015, Marie wrote a post on her sewing blog called “Loving a Person, Not Their Gender.” In that post, she talked about the experience of having her partner come out as transgender. In today’s story, we talk to Marie and her girlfriend Charlotte about that experience, and what came after.

Editor’s note: At the end of this episode, the name of Marie’s blog is misidentified as Diary of a Sewing Fanatic, another lovely sewing blog. Marie’s blog is called A Stitching Odyssey. We apologize for the error.

Related links from this episode:

• Loving a Person, Not Their Gender, Marie’s blog post from September 2015.
• A Stitching Odyssey, Marie’s blog
• Marie on twitter
• Marie on Instagram
• Charlotte on Instagram

Have you ever wished for a way to just punch in your measurements somewhere and get a pattern that’s drafted just for you? That’s the idea behind makemypattern.com, a menswear-focused website created by Belgian sewist Joost De Cock. Joost went from only sewing a few curtains and pillows to making his own wardrobe to creating this incredible online service in the span of just a few years. In this episode, we talk about his learning process and resources he recommends to improve your own sewing.

Related links from this episode:

• Make My Pattern, Joost’s pattern site
• All Things Joost
• Joost on twitter

Felicia Semple is the creator of The Craft Sessions, an incredible sewing retreat she created to help teach women to find joy and meaning – not perfection – in the practice of craft. In this episode, I talk to Felicia about her path to creating the sewing retreat she dreamed of, and how the "head stuff" around sewing and creating has affected her life.

Related links from this episode:

• The Craft Sessions, Felicia’s blog
• The Craft Sessions Retreat, where you can learn more about attending the event
• The Craft Sessions Manifesto offers an overview of Felicia’s philosophy

Talking publicly about money is a little bit taboo for most of us. And yet, it motivates and influences much of what we do with our lives, how we spend our time, and how we cope with feelings.

In today’s episode, designer Heather Lewenza of Closet Case Files opens up about how money and spending have shaped her life and career, and led her to the world of home sewing. From working in an auto factory to designing shopping centers to running her own business, see how Heather’s relationship with money has transformed her thinking over time.

Related links from this episode:

• Closet Case Files, Heather’s company
• The Bombshell Swimsuit
• The Ginger Jeans
• The Clare Coat
• The Morgan Jeans

Jacqui Palhegyi is the blogger behind Birds of a Thread, a sewing and ethical fashion blog. She’s always been passionate about issues of social justice. But it was on a trip to Egypt with her husband that an encounter forever shifted the way she thought about how her clothing was made – and what she could do about it.

Related links from this episode:

• Birds of a Thread, Jacqui’s blog
• The Colette Violet blouse

Jennifer Wiese had a dream. The founder of Brooklyn sewing studio Workroom Social wanted to create a weekend-long sewing event that brought a spirit of play and fun to sewing. In 2015, she hosted Camp Workroom Social, an overnight sewing camp for adults. She talks about why being present and open to imperfection is always better than fretting over mistakes – in sewing and in life.

Related links from this episode:

• Workroom Social
• Camp Workroom Social

Gretchen Jones is the controversial winner of season 8 of Project Runway. Her singular style won the show, but her bold and ambitious personality led her to be cast as the season’s villain. In this interview with contributor Heather Lewenza, Gretchen talks about what led her to put herself out there on television, what life was like after sudden fame, and how she’s discovered her true career path through it all.

Just a note, this recording does have several words that you may not find appropriate for young listeners.

Related links from this episode:

• Follow Gretchen on Instagram
• Follow Gretchen on Pinterest
• A Closet Tour with Gretchen Jones by Heather Lewenza, in this month’s issue of Seamwork Magazine
• Project Runway Season 8
• The Neutral Territory, an experiment in dressing within a focused palette
• Heather Lewenza of Closet Case Files, our intrepid reporter!

Many of us are familiar with writer’s block, that creative emptiness that hits you when you have all the freedom in the world and a blank page. But what about the opposite: when you face tough times and a lack of freedom, but discover in that an unstoppable will to create?

Creating something from nothing is Leah Price’s passion. After spending ten years in what she describes as almost complete isolation, caring for her two children with special needs, Leah discovered a deep and abiding creative energy in repurposing what is unloved and wasted.

Related links from this episode:

• Other Boxes, Leah’s blog
• Our Social Fabric, the textile recycling initiative in Vancouver, where Leah is a board member.
• Our article on Our Social Fabric in Seamwork Magazine.
• Copying Complex Garments, an article by Blossom Jenab in Threads Magazine

Morgan Meredith is the designer and creator of Thread Theory, a menswear sewing pattern line. From the time she was little, Morgan knew she wanted a life that she could control. But when her husband decided to join the military, she thought those dreams might be shattered.

Listen to Morgan’s story of dramatic changes and rediscovering what really makes her happy.

Links from this episode:

• Thread Theory, Morgan’s sewing pattern line

Sadie Roberts and her partner started their label, Tradlands, without a lot of money or experience. They produce menswear-inspired shirting for women, and they believe strongly in what they make and how they serve their customers. But starting a US-made fashion label isn’t easy.

In this episode, Sadie shares how she got through some harrowing moments, why she didn’t quit, and what she’d recommend to other aspiring designers.

"I’m really comfortable saying, we had no idea what we were doing." – Sadie Roberts

Links from this episode:

• Tradlands, Sadie and Jeremy’s label

Sadie wanted to let you know that if you have any questions about starting a small fashion label, she would be happy to help. You can find her email address at the end of the episode

Growing up in Oklahoma, Matthew always had the sense that he wasn’t “normal.” As he grew up, he began to ask questions. What’s wrong with being interested in “feminine” things? And what does it say about how we view women?

Links from this episode:

• The Thorn and Thread, Matthew’s blog

Matthew also recommends:

• Male Pattern Boldness
• TaylorTailor

Charlie Wensley learned the hard way that trying to fit a pre-existing mold can have devastating effects. Charlie is the blogger behind nobleanddaughter.com. But before she rediscovered her love of making clothes, she struggled to meet her own expectations about the kind of person she thought she was supposed to be. This culminated in a battle with post-natal depression that left her questioning who she was.

Links from this episode:

• Noble & Daughter, Charlie’s blog
• The Great British Sewing Bee
• Tilly & The Buttons

Jenny Rushmore is the blogger behind Cashmerette and a founder of The Curvy Sewing Collective. She’s a woman who exudes warmth and confidence in everything she does. But it wasn’t always this way. Learn how Jenny overcame childhood bullying and found her voice in the sewing community.

Links from this episode:

• Cashmerette, Jenny’s sewing blog
• The Curvy Sewing Collective
• The Ginger jeans pattern from Closet Case Files
• The Moneta dress pattern from Colette
• Blogs Jenny mentions: Idle Fancy, Oonaballoona, Yoshimi the Flying Squirrel, Very Purple Person
• It Gets Better project to help LGBT youth