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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.

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: What I Wish I Knew When I Started Sewing.

Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you today?

Helen: I’m doing great. Thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. I love our recording from home days.

Helen: Me too. Especially since we don’t live in the same city anymore. It feels like I get to hang out with you which is so fun.

Caroline: Yeah, I know. We get to do a little video chat, and it’s almost like we’re in the same room.

Helen: Yeah, pretty much. I can imagine what it would be like.

Caroline: Me, too.

Helen: You’d probably give me a nice snack or something, which I don’t have, but…

Caroline: Not while recording though. In between.

Helen: Soft snacks only.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Well, I’m really excited about today’s topic, but let’s talk about some feedback first.

Helen: Yes. Today’s feedback comes from Judy in Madison, Alabama.

“I enjoyed your elastic episode. Here is an additional hint when you join elastic by butting the ends together. I zig zag each end to a small piece of fabric or non woven interfacing with the ends butted up to each other. I then trim the fabric piece to match the width of the elastic. I used to just zig zag the butted ends together, but I’ve had that method pull apart.”

Ah, this is such a great tip, essentially strengthening that place where you’re joining the elastic together, using a small piece of scrap fabric, and then you don’t have to overlap your elastic at all which can make it kind of bulky in that area. So hot tip, Judy. Thank you.

Caroline: Mhm, I love this tip. Next up we have a question from Chloe.

“Hello!! I was wondering. I am a teenage sewist, and I love sewing and designing clothes. I want to dedicate my life to sewing!!! But the problem is: I’m afraid to tell other classmates and other people that I love sewing, and that it’s my passion. The fear of them telling me that sewing is for grandmas or making fun of me. Every time some of my parents’ friends come over or we meet them in the street, I’m afraid that my parents will tell them that I love sewing, and I always tell them not to tell someone unless I don’t mind. What can or should I do??”

Oh my gosh, Chloe. I love this question. First of all, I just want to say, we think you are so cool. Sewing is a super power. And we also understand that being a teenager and being at school can be stressful. So first of all, you don’t have to tell anyone you sew if you don’t know. Just let that pressure go. You’re totally free to only tell a few close friends and that’s it.

Helen: Yes, but it seems like you want to be more open about sewing and you want to know how to get over your potential embarrassment around this sharing of this passion that you have. So, one thing you could do, especially with your peers, is emphasize the design part of what you love to do.

You could say, “I’m really into fashion, so I make my own designs”, or “I love designing clothes.” Other people, your age might understand that fashion design is cool, even if they don’t know how cool sewing is. Um, and another thing you can do is just act with confidence and the knowledge that sewing is cool. Even if you don’t feel like that’s true.

Like, if someone says, “You sew? That’s for grandmas.” You could say, “No, it’s not. I’m not a grandma, and I sew. Is every fashion designer a grandma?” Obviously not. Or you could say, “Yeah, grandmas are cool.” Or you could just ignore them. I mean, sewing is cool. That is a fact, especially when you’re in our circles, but if other kids can’t recognize it, that’s their problem.

So, you know, we wish you all the best, and we’re so glad that you love sewing. We do, too. Please dedicate your life to sewing. I think that would be amazing.

Caroline: Yeah. And thank you so much for writing in, Chloe.

Helen: Yes. Thank you.

Caroline: Okay. We have a really fun episode today. When we asked all of you listeners, what you wish you knew when you started sewing, we got an incredible number of responses, over 600. So obviously, we can’t share every response we got, but we want to just say that we appreciate every single one of them. Thank you so much for sharing your lessons with new sewists. They say experience is the best teacher, but another source might be the second best.

Helen: It’s true. We can all learn from each other’s experiences. Before we get into our listener responses, why don’t we share what we wish we had known when we started out? I know that’s probably a tough one to narrow down, but do you have one thing that you want to share, Caroline?

Caroline: I love that you specifically said one thing because mine is two parts.

Helen: Oh no! I didn’t even notice that.

Caroline: It was really hard originally. I had one and I was like, no, I have to say this other one too. They’re both, kind of, touchy-feely which is totally in line with, like, my vibe. But, um, yes. Okay. So my first thing that I wish I knew when I started sewing is that my body isn’t the problem.

When I started sewing, I was at the top of a lot of size ranges and sometimes sized out. And this was, like, 10 years ago when I started, kind of, getting into the indie sewing pattern world and sewing more for myself, and most indie sewing pattern designers didn’t go above, like, a 16 or 18 at the time.

And while I loved sewing and I was just discovering this, like, amazing world of making clothes to fit me, it was really disheartening to not fit into a lot of patterns. And at the time, I didn’t have the confidence that I had now. So it really, kind of, led to a lot of, like, shame and feeling like my body was not good enough.

And I think, like, over time, sewing taught me that that wasn’t the case, but also the sewing world has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Sizing has come a long way, but most pattern companies still don’t cater to all bodies. So this is, kind of, for anyone out there who has trouble finding patterns that fit them or that come in their size: your body is not the problem. I wish I could tell my 21 year old self that my body’s just fine the way it is and that just because not all companies cater to me, it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with me.

Helen: Oh, preach. Love it. Okay. What’s part two?

Caroline: Okay. Part two is I wish that I knew or recognized that how frequently I sew or what I sew or how I sew does not make me more or less of, like, a quote unquote good sewist. I used to compare myself a lot to others and, like, beat myself up for not sewing more often, not making more clothes, not trying, like, the new patterns or pushing myself to try, like, new techniques that everyone was, like, talking about on Instagram.

But however you want to sew is just right for you. And you’re no better or worse than someone who sews more or less or differently than you. And it’s okay to take a break from sewing. That doesn’t make you not a sewist. It’s going to be there when you pick it up again. So that’s my second.

Helen: That’s a really good one, too. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that feeling, like, do I still even sew? I haven’t sewn in months. Yes, you still sew. it’s fine.

Caroline: And I love yours, too, Helen, because it’s much more practical, and I can, so, relate to it. So tell everybody what your thing is that you wish you knew.

Helen: Okay. I was thinking back on my early days of getting really into sewing, and, like, one of the biggest, I wouldn’t, I don’t want to say, problems that I had, but one of my biggest hurdles was just that I was overwhelmed by the options. And so my piece of advice is to resist the urge to plan too far ahead.

When I discovered indie patterns, I had a list of things I wanted to sew that was so long, like, hundreds of things long, and there’s nothing wrong with, like, writing and sketching out ideas. But in my case, I was thinking of this list as, like, the plan. And I was buying fabric and patterns for every make and then feeling really stressed out about not completing them in a timely fashion or whether I would finish them in time for the season that I wanted to wear them in.

Or I would even, like, cut things out and then not sew them right away. Only to be disappointed when I was no longer that exact size, or I had some regrets and wished I could do something else with that fabric. So the thing with sewing as a journey and a process is that each project is going to shape you as a sewist. So try to leave space for that growth so that it can influence your next projects. And it’s a bit more fun and fluid that way.

So I still brainstorm ideas for my makes, and I get really excited, and I plan out some of my sewing, especially at times of year when the season is changing, and you get really pumped about what you might want to make for this upcoming season. But I let the list and the plans be a part of the making process, and I don’t try to hold myself to them.

And I try not to get all of the materials and supplies and everything all at once, to actually, like, solidify that plan as if it’s set in stone because I want to be flexible, and I want to have space to make room for those things that I’m excited about sewing and my brainstorming and my lists and plans at this point is more to just clear my mind of the possibilities so that I can actually focus on what’s on my table, what I’m really excited about doing next. Just make the next thing.

Caroline: Mm, I love this idea of, like, you, kind of, empty your brain of these ideas, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that that list is the plan, like, what you called it earlier. And I also think it’s so true that each project that you complete shapes you as a sewist, even if you don’t complete it, any project that you work on is going to shape you as a sewist and shape your future decision-making and techniques and maybe even your style. So it’s just such great advice, Helen.

Helen: Aw, thanks. Well, we have even more great advice from our amazing listeners, and we’ve grouped this advice into different sections as per usu with these kinds of episodes. So we’re going to start with a big one and that is encouragement.

Caroline: And we’re going to kick it off with Amelia who left us a voicemail.

Amelia: Hi, this is Amelia from Edmonton, and I wanted to provide some feedback around what I wish I knew when I started sewing. For me, sewing’s been such a great journey. I’ve loved every second of learning a new skill or task, but I wish someone had told me at the beginning to practice kindness on yourself. That it’s completion, not perfection that’s important. And that a finished garment is something to be enjoyed and loved. And nobody really notices those tiny imperfections other than you. So you need to let it go. So that’s it from me. Um, hope you guys have a great day, and I love the podcast. Thanks, again. Bye.

Caroline: Amelia. Thank you so much for this voicemail. When you’re starting out with a new skill, being kind to yourself can be hard to keep up. Maybe you’re not used to being new and making mistakes. And also, we fully agree that garments are meant to be loved and worn. Be proud of your makes. You work hard on them.

Helen: Yes. Beata from @beata.sews wrote, “You will get better with practice! Sewing is made up of a hundred little skills that will all improve the more you do them, and contribute to a better finished product. Things like how to pin, how to hold the fabric as you stitch, how to press up the hem, start off feeling slightly awkward but become second nature.”

Ah, so true. Thanks Beata. This is a great follow-up to what Emilia said. That learning curve can feel steep when you start, but if you keep going, you’re definitely going to see progress.

Caroline: Katie @millie_and_katie wrote, “Focus on learning a new skill or skills with each project, that way even if it doesn’t turn out how you want/expected it doesn’t feel like wasted time, just more practice so you’re ready to make something you’ll love!”

Thank you, Katie. If you don’t like something you made or even if you do like it, count up all the lessons you learned and all the ways you improved by making it. It makes it feel a lot more worth it.

Helen: True.

Lilli @_lillimade_ wrote, “Hi there, just quick as I’ve got the baby sleeping on me haha. I wish someone told me that there would be projects that go badly wrong, and IT DOESN’T MATTER. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad sewist. It’s just fabric, no one is perfect, and you are doing great just for having this amazing talent of being able to make things from nothing.”

Caroline: It’s so true. You have to cheer for yourself and recognize your hard work. Like Helen once said, “I bet I’m the only one on this bus who made their own clothes.”

Helen: I feel like the sewing industry has had such a boom lately. I don’t know if that would be true anymore.

Caroline: That’s true. That was a throwback.

All right, Lisa @artsylisa left us a voicemail.

Lisa: Hi, this is Lisa Beynon from Instagram, @artsylisa. And one thing that I wish I knew when I started sewing was that it is totally okay to make mistakes, and failure is actually growth. And also, just cut the fabric. It’s okay. Thanks guys. It’s so nice to be able to have a podcast to listen to, um, with something that you truly, truly enjoy and are passionate about.

So thank you both so much. Bye.

Helen: Aw, thanks, Lisa. Failure is growth, and I love your tip about just cutting the fabric. Just cut the fabric. There will always be more fabric, just, cut it.

Caroline: Yes, totally. Speaking of mistakes, Anna @sew.spanner wrote, “I actually wish I had been more bold and willing to make mistakes when I began sewing! Don’t feel too bad about the failures, they all add to the learning, and there is so much to learn to be a great sewer (I’m still getting there!). Try new techniques, choose more expensive fabrics… things may go wrong but they also might not!”

Helen: Aw, I love this perspective. Like, take a few risks, see how things go. They might be really, really, really good. And as a beginner, you totally deserve to have good quality tools and the best quality fabrics that you can purchase and make sure that you’re not selling yourself short when it comes to giving yourself the supplies and the tools that you need to do this hobby that you like.

Caroline: Yeah, totally.

Helen: Our former guest, Andie @sewprettyinpink wrote, “There is no right way. There is just your way.”

Caroline: Love that, Andie. Thank you.

Okay. Our next batch of responses is all about sewing techniques, and we’re going to kick it off with a voicemail from Breanna.

Breanna: Hello, I’m Breanna, and I’m from Utah, United States. And the thing that I would go back in time and tell my younger self is that finishing seams is not an option. It is mandatory. Thank you. Bye.

Helen: Speaking the truth, Breanna. I love this. I feel like there’s a story here which, you know, you can email us and tell us. But there are a couple of types of fabric where you can get away with leaving the seams unfinished. We have a whole episode on finishing seams if you’re interested, but the vast majority of fabrics do need it. It’s going to vastly improve the longevity of your garments. So definitely something that you want to work on when you’re getting into sewing and just figure out what’s the best way to do it for you.

Caroline: Yes, not optional.

Helen: Not optional.

Caroline: @missdaisysewing wrote in about this, too. They wrote, “How to finish seams on garments – most patterns don’t explain what to do with them so you just kinda skip them not knowing better. I finally found a sewing book that showed you what the seams should look like on the inside, and it was a total eye opener. Taking a little extra time gives a really professional finish and makes the clothes last much longer.”

Caroline: Yeah, this is one of those things that I think, as someone who’s an experienced sewist is, I, kind of, forget that a newie, a newbie, newie…

Helen: Newie.

Caroline: I kind of forget that a newbie might not know what a seam finish is supposed to look like, you know, and it might not be an obvious thing to go out and seek out. Um, so thank you so much, @missdaisysewing, for pointing that out and just keep in mind, if you don’t finish seams that you run the risk of your seam allowances fraying, and your garment falling apart. Like Helen said, it really adds to the longevity of a garment. And we have a whole episode about seam finishes that we’ll link in the show notes.

Helen: Yes. And speaking of seams, Ames from @seamripstress wrote, “Seam allowances! I just sewed every seam right at the width of my presser foot and wondered why nothing ever fit.”

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Thank you, Ames. Most patterns have a built-in seam allowance of five-eighths of an inch and a presser foot’s width is about quarter inch to a third of an inch. So if you add that difference up over several seams, you could be adding inches to the width of your garment. So seam allowances are very important.

Helen: Yes. And they can vary from pattern to pattern, and they can vary within the pattern. So keep your eyes peeled for that.

Caroline: Yes. Lynne @chadders1965 wrote in with a seam allowance tip. She wishes that she could go back and “learn how big a seam allowance is and mark my sewing machine up accordingly with washi tape writing on each piece the relevant measurement.”

Helen: Thank you, Lynne. This is a great idea. Your seam allowance will always be written in the booklet of your pattern, like we mentioned. Sometimes it will say five-eighths of an inch or otherwise noted or something like that. So look out for those steps where the seam allowance is different and then marking your seam allowance with washi tape will make it easier to sew in the right spot. So if you don’t have clear seam guides on your machine, you can just tape right onto the bed of your machine. And then it will just be easier to visualize that.

Corina from @awesomecash wrote, “I wish someone told me how important pressing was! I always ignored it when I first started, but it was such a GAME CHANGER.”

Caroline: Thank you. Corina. Pressing is actually such a big part of sewing because it helps you sew accurately, it sets the seams, and it keeps the seam allowances in the right place. We have, of course, a whole episode about pressing. So check that out if you want more info about pressing.

Helen: Woohoo.

Caroline: Alright, Melanie @sunshineandwhiskey75 wrote, ”Common sense I’m sure, but I never knew or even thought about ironing my paper pattern pieces. It was like a lightbulb went off and made sense why my edges did not match up or it did not fit properly.”

Helen: Ah, this is awesome. I don’t think that this is common sense because I feel like every time I’ve shared this tip on my Instagram, we get a lot of messages. People saying like, I didn’t know you could do that. Paper isn’t one of those things that you’re taught to iron, but Melanie is right.

You can get a much more accurate cut if you press the creases out of your pattern with a dry iron, so no steam, on, like, a low temperature. And if you have tape on your pieces, you want to make sure you’re not pressing on any tape. So try to press on the wrong side. Um, avoid ink, even if you can. But it does make such a big difference. You can do this with tissue as well, and it will mean that you don’t accidentally have crinkle lines that make your pattern piece a totally different shape.

Caroline: Yeah. It can really make a difference. Like, if you look at a piece pre- and post- ironing to the size of the piece, so it is a really good tip.

Helen: @happyskrappy wrote, “Make sure the pattern pieces are going in the same direction if your pattern has a specific direction or the front will be right side up and the back will be upside down!”

Caroline: Thank you, @happyskrappy. Yes. Some prints are directional, and this means that there is, like, a right side up and an upside down. And if you have a print like this, you want to pay attention to where you’re laying those pattern pieces so that you don’t cut them upside down, unless that’s what you want.

Helen: Of course. Yes. And if you accidentally do this and make it all the way to the end, I have been there. It’s fine. Like, I feel like it’s one of those things that people will point out. Someone will be like, oh, I like your blouse. And you’ll be like, the print’s upside down. They’ll be like, I didn’t notice. Like, unless it’s, like, a huge animal print or, like, and by, I mean, like an animal print, like, there’s a whole zebra on your shirt, and it’s upside down. Maybe people will notice, but it also might look kind of awesome. So, whatevs.

Caroline: Yeah, you can make it an intentional thing, too. I’ve done that where I accidentally cut one piece the opposite. So then I just continued doing that with alternating pieces so my whole garment was, kind of, like, uh, upside down and right side up mish-mash.

Helen: Fun.

Caroline: Jessica @@jessica.hurtubise wrote, “Shortcuts to make sewing projects move a bit quicker! For instance, using a rotary cutter instead of scissors when cutting out projects. Pre-ironing all my hems. Hemming in the round takes way longer if it’s not pre pressed! Doing all my ironing at once, like hems, bands and bias tape, interfacing. Oh! I’m also a fan of basting things in that may need easing! Like sleeves, collars, etc. If you just go for it and make a mistake easing, it’s a total pain in the butt to unpick. But if you baste those seams first, it’s super easy to pull out the stitching and adjust!”

Helen: Thank you, Jessica, for this not single tip. We asked for one thing, just one. It’s fine. I’m giving her a hard time cause she’s my quilting buddy.

Alright, listeners might want to check out our episode on speedy sewing for more of these shortcut ideas. Basting, which Jessica mentioned, it’s a long line of temporary stitches, and it’s really great for putting pieces together not at the machine. I mean, you can do it at the machine, but you can also just do it by hand.

So those finicky pieces where you find yourself getting really stressed out and you go to the machine and you try to wrangle everything together, try hand basting those things together first, and then going to the machine. It doesn’t actually take that much longer, and you’re going to have a much calmer experience. So, try it.

Caroline: Yeah. It’s great, too, because it really holds things in place. Instead of, like, when you’re working with pins, you’re sort of, like, like you said, wrangling the pieces you’re trying to figure out, you have to pull out the pins as you sew. You can just sew right over basting stitches if you need to. So just, like, holds everything in place in a more secure, like, way so you’re not having to go back and unpick, like Jess said.

Helen: I love this.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: Totally. Okay. MaryBeth from @mbeenolt wrote, ”Hand sewing is not that hard…”

Oh, here we go.

“Hand sewing is not that hard and can really give you a lot of extra control with garment finishes, like bias facing.”

Caroline: Thank you, MaryBeth. Yes, kind of, similar to what we were just saying, hand sewing is a great skill to have for a garment sewist. It is a great thing to give you more control over your project. You can put on a good show or podcast and relax into it, and you’ll get faster and faster the more you do it. So don’t be intimidated by hand sewing. Like Mary Beth said, it’s not that hard.

Helen: It’s not that hard.

Caroline: Okay. Kirsten @kirstencreates wrote, ” What a huge difference understitching makes! I had a lot of issues I thought were because of fit but were actually because I didn’t understitch my facings/linings.”

Helen: Oh, thank you. Kirsten. I love understitching. Understitching is when you stitch a lining or a facing to the seam allowance, close to the seam, so it helps keep those things like linings and facings from popping up and showing on the right side of the garment. If you picture, like, a neckline that’s finished with a facing, we don’t want the facing peeking out through the neckline. We want it to stay on the inside of the garment. It also keeps the shape of the garment as the pattern maker intended, like Kristen said. So it can really help if you’re having weird puckering, fitting issues. Understitching helps to make everything line nice and flat and stay on the inside.

Caroline: Yes, it does.

Helen: Rachel @rachelgailwells said, “Stitch length. I’ve taken apart some of my early garments and am puzzled and frustrated by the teeny tiny stitches which I’m sure kept me from using the seam ripper back then and getting better results.”

Caroline: Yes. That’s such a good point, Rachel. A good standard stitch length would be two to three millimeters. And when you’re using that standard stitch length, it even makes it easier to seam rip, like you mentioned, or if you’re working with, like, a sturdy fabric, sometimes you can even, like, rip your seams apart. Am I allowed to say that, Helen?

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Without using a seam ripper. Anything that’ll go a little bit faster. And when you do the, like, really short stitches, teeny tiny stitches, like Rachel said, it’s, like, impossible to unpick. So love this tip.

Helen: Yes. Another point in favor of basting stitches.

Caroline: Okay. So that wraps up our technique section, and next we’re going to move on to a topic that’s always hot in the sewing community which is fitting and sizing.

Helen: Yes. We’ll start with a voicemail here from Dana.

Dana: Hi, Caroline and Helen. This is Dana calling from Bellingham, Washington. And I love the question about, uh, if I could go back in time and tell my brand new newbie sewing self, um, a tip that would save little Dana a lot of tears and sadness. I think, I started sewing when I was a teenager, and I didn’t have any resources like we have now, like YouTube and podcasts to learn.

So first thing is, I would have said, find someone who can help you when you get stuck. Um, because that’s something that I didn’t have back then, but now I think we have a lot of really wonderful resources that you guys talk about a lot on your show, like, um, Instagram and social media groups and that kind of thing.

And then the second thing, if I could go back in time when I began sewing garments is, make sure that you are selling based on your measurements, not on your ready to wear size. Um, because I definitely would just say, oh, I’m a size this, and I would buy the pattern, and I would cut it out, and then I would get angry and not have it fit and have to throw it away. And I actually gave up sewing garments for a long time because it was so frustrating, and I didn’t know how to fix that.

So get somebody to help you with your measurements, um, practice, all that good self-talk and body positivity, that you’re sewing for the body that you have and not the body that you imagine. And that when clothes fit well, they are flattering, and it doesn’t matter what size the packet said. Um, if that feels different than what you might buy at the store. Um, but that’s, once I figured that part out, and once I found some more resources for myself, I’ve restarted sewing garments as an adult, and I just absolutely love it, um, now.

Thanks so much. Love your show. I’ve been listening since episode one. Um, and I’m glad to hear you back for the new season.

Helen: Thank you, Dana. Thanks for listening from episode one. Appreciate that. And we got so many responses along these lines, so make sure to measure yourself to find your size, even ready to wear sizes aren’t standardized. And of course, nobody has a standard body, whatever that would mean.

But it’s a good idea to measure yourself every time you’re going to sew something. Measure yourself regularly, make that a part of your sewing process, so you make sure that you’re actually sewing something that’s going to fit.

And we also love the tip about connecting with sewists who can help you out. And if you don’t know anybody who sews, you can go to online spaces like Instagram or sewing Facebook group, or maybe socialize in your local community. If there’s a sewing studio, you might be able to take a class or something or an online class and connect with other sewists there.

Caroline: Awesome. Okay. Next up, we have Kim @sewing_with_olive who wrote in about measurements, too. So she said, “I wish someone had told me how to properly measure my bust! For months I cut out the wrong size because I was using my bra band size instead of my actual bust measurement! It wasn’t until I used one of Helen’s patterns and had to measure my high bust and bust that I figured it out.”

Helen: Aw, thanks, Kim. Okay. So there are a few bust measurements that you can take. There’s your high bust which is measured right under your armpits and, kind of, goes over the top of your breasts, where it’s a bit flatter on the top of your chest. And then the full bust measurement is taken around the largest part of your bust, right at the apex of the bust. That might be where your nipples are, but it also might not be, and that’s totally fine.

And then there’s the under bust measurement which is taken underneath the breasts. And that’s typically what we think of as, like, the bra band measurement. Um, and if a pattern just has bust, waist, and hip measurements, the bust that they’re referring to is the full bust.

Uh, so this stuff can be very confusing when you’re starting out and there’s tons of adjustments you can do around busts, so experiment there, too, because making some of those adjustments can really help. And then you can apply those things to all the patterns that you make in the future.

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: Okay. Jennifer left us this voicemail.

Jennifer: Hi, Helen and Caroline. It’s Jennifer from Reno, Nevada. Well, I first started sewing when I was a kid, but I really got into it in my early teens. And of course, I’m still sewing, and I’m passed 60. Love to sew, love to quilt. And I gave up so many garments for about, oh god, 40 years, more maybe.

Because the one thing that nobody ever told me is that the big four patterns are not gonna fit you if you just go by your measurements. They’re going to be huge. They will not fit no matter what you do. So I have learned that if you’re going to use a big four pattern, you should probably tissue fit it. That one works well for me.

I’ve also learned that the indie patterns are awesome, and they fit much better. And it’s really good if you can find one where the designer has a body like yours and, kind of, fits you a lot better right out of the box. So that’s my, uh, that’s my two cents, and I hope a lot of young women will get into sewing. I teach sewing, sewing to kids and teens in Reno, and I love it, and they love it. And I think it’s such an awesome hobby. So I hope more get into it. And just realized that fit is number one. You got to learn about your body and how to fit it.

Alright, thanks, guys for all you do. You guys have been a lifesaver at difficult times in my life, and you guys have just been plain old fun the rest of the time. I always listen to your podcasts, and I am a Patreon subscriber, too, and I enjoy every one of them. Thank you so much. Bye.

Caroline: Thank you so much for calling in, Jennifer, and for supporting us on Patreon. That is so awesome. And it’s really cool that you teach sewing. We need more sewing teachers out there. So thank you for that, as well.

In regards to the big four, Simplicity, McCall’s, Butterick, and Vogue, they are known for having a lot of ease in them. I think it depends on which, sort of, subdivision of the big four. I think some of them have more ease than others, but like with anything, like you said, fitting is huge. So you have to learn how to fit to be able to be successful at sewing.

And tissue fitting is also a good idea, especially when you’re working with the big four which often come in with that, like lightweight tissue. If you want to learn more about tissue fitting, we have a whole episode about it. So check out our show notes for the link.

Helen: Yes. And this brings us back to size charts. Not only do you want to measure yourself and look at the size chart, but patterns will have finished garment measurement charts. So once you have your size chart measurement, you can look and see how big is this garment going to be.

And if there’s 10 inches of ease at the bust and you prefer four, and of course, this is going to come with time and the more garments you make, the more experience you have, but it’s going to give you an indication of whether you may or may not want to size up or down, depending on the fit that is implied by those finished garment measurements. So don’t forget to look at that chart, too.

Lynne who’s @old_sewl, and that’s sewl spelled S-E-W-L, love a good sewing pun wrote, “Toile, toile and toile again until you get the fit right! Don’t just assume that because it’s your measurements it’s going to fit well! And measure yourself before every project!”

Thank you for reiterating, Lynne.

Caroline: Yes. Making a toile is a great idea for your projects that are really fitted. A toile, which is also called a muslin, is a tester version of a pattern. And you can make adjustments to the toile and then transfer those to your pattern so that you can get a good fit on the final version. And if making a toile is too much for you as a beginner, you can choose simple, loose garments to make. And it’s also a great tip to measure yourself before every project. Sometimes our measurements change, and we don’t realize it.

Christine: Hi, Caroline and Helen. My name is Christine. I’m 53 and live in Chicago and have been sewing avidly for about 10 years. Long enough that I can’t remember exactly when I started. Um, I feel like I can, I’ve made every mistake you can make when sewing garments, and I’m sure there’s a lot more to come, but I think the thing that would have helped me the most back then was to know that, just like with clothing you buy at the stores, sewing patterns come in standard sizes, too.

I remember, in particular, working so hard on a dress, and it actually turned out really nicely for someone who just started sewing, but it didn’t fit me well at all because I am a human person who was not a standard size. And now it’s just second nature for me to automatically add two inches to the waistline of every pattern and grade between sizes to fit my shape. But I wish I would have been, uh, uh, known that beforehand cause I would have been a lot less frustrated.

If you want to see what I’m making, I’m on Instagram @xtineonline and have a great day and thanks for all you do. Buh-bye.

Caroline: Yeah, it’s so true, Christine. Thank you for pointing this out. I know we’ve talked about, you know, you’re gonna need to fit and, and there’s no standard size, but this is, kind of, a, a different way of saying it or a new way of looking at it. And that’s just that every pattern company is going to have their own quote unquote standard size that they’re designing for.

And keep in mind that, you know, it’s going to be very rare that you’re going to line up perfectly with that. So expect to make those changes and those adjustments. And if you’re looking for some resources for grading between sizes or maybe common fit adjustments, Cashmerette has some really great resources, and we’ll link them in the show notes.

Helen: Yes, I do think it’s such a beginner hurdle because you open up that packet and you’re like, great. Measure myself. Got the numbers. Look at the chart. Oh, I’m a 16 here and a 14 here and a 20 here. What am I supposed to do? And the answer is grade between sizes, and there’s lots of resources online about this. So like we said, we’ll link them in the show notes, but it’s totally normal. Most people have that experience. So you are not alone.

Alright, Kim @voorbijdekim wrote in to say, “Take your time. After all the preparations, like pattern tracing, cutting, pinning, I wanted to sew the garment as fast as possible just to finish it, but it’s not a good idea. Sloppy seams and hard to make fit adjustments afterwards. So sew, stop, look, try it on, adjust, try it on again, and continue.”

Caroline: Thank you, Kim. This is so true. It’s always a good idea to try on your garment several times while you’re sewing it so that you can make changes along the way. Just be careful not to stretch it out as you’re trying it on. That’s why we like to staystitch things like necklines and waistlines before we try things on. Um, but you will have a much higher chance of getting a good fit at the end if you take your time. And like Kim said, sew, stop, look, try it on, adjust, try it on again, continue.

Helen: I need this on a poster. Sew, stop, look.

Caroline: Or, like, a song that we can sing to ourselves.

Helen: Oh my goodness. Somebody out there mix us up a song, and it’s like, sew, stop, look.

Caroline: Former guest, Simone @intenselydistracted, wrote, ”Take notes! My sewing notebook has been a very important part of my routine, and I’m always grateful for those notes to go back to, especially if fitting is a challenge from the start. I have a highlight on my page showing how I layout my pages! I basically write the pattern, size, fabric, and any mods or notes as I work through the pattern. It’s helped me keep track especially as I’ve learned how I like things to fit.”

Helen: Thank you, Simone. Your notebook is so dreamy. We’ll link a picture in the show notes. But even if you just jot down your notes on your phone, it can help you out in the future or write it on the pattern if you keep your patterns all organized. And I do think this is such a great tip.

I recently started doing this for my gardening because I’ve been learning so much and, like, trying to keep track of all the plant names and where I put them in the garden and how they’re doing what they need. It can be a lot. So a notebook goes a long way to just help track that information.

Caroline: Mhm. If we could do an episode on like quote-unquote sewing regrets, I feel like this would be one of mine is not documenting my makes better along the way, even if I’m just, like, cutting something out that I’m going to sew later. Like, writing down any small adjustments I made or what’s, you know, what size I made or what my measurements were when I cut it out. That’s, like, such key information, if you’re going to come back to a pattern later on, right?

Helen: Yeah, definitely. You could even take pictures and put them in, like, an album on your phone and then write some notes on the, like…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …add a note to that picture, little things like that, but of course, Caroline, you can start now.

Caroline: I know.

Helen: It’s not too late.

Caroline: I do have a sewing notebook now where I take notes, like, at least my measurements and what size I made for every project, but I, kind of, wish I had some kind of album of, like, everything I’ve ever sewn. Wouldn’t that be great?

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: That’s like your blog for you.

Helen: But, but if you think about it, you know, you’ve been sewing for, like, maybe 10 years making your own clothes for yourself, longer than that, but, like, seriously for that long. And you probably have, like, 40 or 50 years of sewing ahead of you. So it’s still early days.

Caroline: That’s true. I can definitely start now. It’s never too late.

Helen: Okay. Helen @helou on Instagram wrote, “The patterns can be altered to fit you. Not vice versa.”

This totally ties back to yours, Caroline.

Caroline: Yeah, really. And this is super important because your body’s never wrong, but sometimes the pattern is. And a pattern can be changed to fit your body, so take advantage of that and be kind to yourself.

Helen: Yes. Okay. Our next section is all about tools and Jen left us a voicemail.

Jen: Hi there, my name’s Jen from South Carolina, and I work in a sewing machine dealership, so I get to sell sewing machines. And I really love my job, but in teaching people how to use their new machines, I often encounter that folks are afraid of their sewing machines. They don’t want to mess them up, and they’re afraid to actually use all of the features. And I don’t know, I’ve just never seen someone mess up a machine so badly it can’t be fixed. And I was wondering if you guys could maybe talk about that cause I think that’s really interesting. I don’t hear people talk about that very often. Love the podcast, and you guys are doing a really cool thing. Thanks. Bye.

Caroline: My first thought with this one, Jen, is, like, is that a challenge? Like, how many layers of denim do I need to attempt to get through my machine to really screw it up?

Helen: I’m going to turn my handwheel backwards over and over again. We’ll see what happens.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. No, but honestly, Jen, you have a really cool job, and you’re so right. Sewing machines are pretty hardy, and if you mess it up, you can get it fixed. So don’t be afraid, everyone, just go for it.

Helen: Yes. Especially with those new machines. I mean, there’s the temptation to baby them, and you don’t even want to try all the features, or you’re not sure. You’re being really delicate, but like Jen said, I mean, it’s unlikely that you’re going to hurt it to the point where it can’t be fixed, so…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: You got this.

Caroline: Totally. You got it.

Okay. Camielle @stillcamielle also wrote to us about machines, “Take the free lessons that come with your machine and learn how to use your machine for more than just one stitch. This is especially important if buying an overlocker, even if you’re more than a beginner sewer. Overlockers can be so great if you know how to use them properly and less heartache if you know how to fix threading issues.”

Helen: Yes. This is a great idea. If you could take a lesson, go for it. Even a couple of lessons can get you going with the basics. Maybe you can find a YouTube video or just read through that instruction manual from front to back and try the stitches. Grab a piece of scrap fabric. It’s a great way to just get in touch with your machine and learn the basics, um, and then some. I mean, try the little elephant stitch. It’s so cute.

Candie @alaskacandie wrote, “If you can’t afford a good machine then buy the best used machine you can find and afford. I sewed for way too many years on a junker that caused me so much heartache when I should’ve just gotten something better so much sooner than I did.”

Caroline: Thank you, Candie. There are a lot of quality second-hand machines out there that are waiting for you. And we would add, if you can, try out a machine before you buy it, whether it’s used or new, always a good idea to make sure it’s working correctly.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: Okay. Jacqueline @jacquelinecurtis47 wrote, “That using an unpicker doesn’t make you a bad sewist!”

Helen: Yes. Thank you, Jacqueline. It’s so true. Unpickers and seam rippers are there to be used. It is a tool. It is at your disposal. It’s actually a really great thing that most things that you do in sewing are reversible. You can hit the undo button, as it were. Not the case in some hobbies like woodworking. And sewists of all experience levels use seam rippers. I use mine all the time, so don’t feel bad if you need to take out some stitches.

Caroline: Okay. We have Bhiravi from @strawberrycreekquilts, and she wrote, ”What a huge difference a fresh rotary cutter blade makes! Turns out a sharp one will save your cutting mat, and your fabric!”

Helen: Yes. We just talked about this in our cutting episode. Sharp cutting tools make your life and your sewing so much better. For those who use scissors, you can get them sharpened, as well, so you can also have a nice sharp tool. What a difference! If I’m feeling, like, annoyed when I’m cutting something, switch the blade. I always just switch it, and everything is better. It’s like a rainbow.

Caroline: It’s like a weight lifts off your shoulders and also, kind of, off of your arm because you’re not having to press so hard.

Helen: Totally.

Okay. Alex @amassonlifestyle wrote, “Nobody told me the amazingness of the invisible zipper foot. And let me tell you, it. Is. Life changing.”

Caroline: Thank you, Alex. We would have to agree. And there are actually a few feet that we think are life changers, the zipper foot, the topstitch or edge stitch foot, and, like you mentioned, the invisible zipper foot. And add on a walking foot for sewing slinky or stretchy fabrics, and you are set.

Helen: Yes. The invisible zipper foot has, like, a little tunnel where the teeth go, and it pries it away from the zipper tape and lets you put your stitches, like, right in that ditch just perfectly. It is so nice.

Caroline: It really is.

Okay. Our next set of responses is all about fabric. Yay. And we got so many versions of this next comment. This one is from Erin @banalaiche, “You can’t use quilting cotton for every single pattern, no matter how pretty it is.” And another Erin @zimmer.made also wrote, “To step away from the quilting cotton lolol!”

Helen: Step away from the quilting cotton. No, I mean, quilting cottons come in so many cool prints, and we can totally understand why beginner sewists love them. They’re also nice stable fabric, so it’s actually not a terrible choice when you’re first getting into sewing because it is structured, and it does press really well, and it’s cotton so it’s nice to sew. But, however, caveat: they don’t drape well, and they can be a little bit too structured and scratchy for garments.

They just aren’t going to create clothes that are like the clothes that you’re used to buying from the store. There are some garments that could work well with quilting cottons, like maybe a button up shirt or a crisp gathered skirt, but most patterns just aren’t going to turn out quite right in a quilting cotton, unless you’re really wanting that, like, novelty print or that structure.

Caroline: That’s, like, a little reality check.

Helen: I mean, a lot of times it’s just hard to get your hands on something other than quilting cotton when you start depending on what your resources are. Um, but I mean, there’s this website. It’s called blackbirdfabrics.com. Check it out.

Caroline: Thank you, Helen.

Helen: Okay. Shona @shona_tan wrote, “Take note and adhere to the fabric suggestions on the patterns. Following the suggestions will MAKE the MAKE!”

I love that.

“I have had too many mistakes thinking a woven could be used for a pattern that suggested knit and vice versa.”

Caroline: Thank you, Shona. Yes, knits and wovens require different techniques to sew, and patterns are drafted specifically for one or the other. So especially when you’re starting out, it’s a good idea to go by the suggestions that the pattern makers give.

Helen: Yes. And you can look at the hashtags to see what other people are using, and you can email, too. A lot of the emails we get in our inbox are about what fabric to use. I think that’s probably the same for you, Caroline at Blackbird. Um, and that’s totally fine as well.

Caroline: Yeah, we love giving advice about that kind of thing. Okay, Louise @loopyloup wrote, “tThat it is important to buy good quality fabrics and to prewash them so that your gorgeous outfits can be worn more than once!”

Helen: Thank you, Louise. Pre-washing is important because you can expect your fabric to shrink a bit the first time you wash it. You don’t want to end up making a top that fits really well and then wash it and having it be way too small. So wash and dry your fabric according to the care instructions and how you intend to wash and dry your finished garment.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: Amber @amber.rose.sews wrote, “STOP…”

This is all caps. I don’t know how to approach this one.

“STOP BUYING RANDOM FABRIC FROM EBAY!”

Caroline: I love it.

Helen: “I still have lots of the cloth from those early days in a cupboard because it’s not really suitable for the kinds of things I want to make but I thought it was pretty at the time…”

Caroline: Thank you, Amber, for this PSA. When you’re starting to make clothes, you really need to be able to feel the fabrics that you’re going to work with. This is going to help you learn what kinds of fabrics you like. And when you feel a fabric, imagine it against your skin. Look at how it drapes off the bolts. Compare it to the fabrics that your favorite ready to wear clothes are made of. If you can’t get to an in-person fabric store, you can also order swatches. And once you have a better idea of what you like buying online, will get a lot easier.

I’ll also say that probably random fabric from eBay category means that there’s not a lot of information about that fabric. So you’re not really learning a lot when you’re buying that online. I think some fabric stores will make that experience easier for beginners by providing a lot more information, but, Amber, stop buying fabric from eBay!

Okay. Eugenia @ggseamstress wrote, “Buy fabric for and finish one project at a time. Buying fabric is faster than sewing.”

This is so true. It’s like two separate things.

Helen: Thank you, Eugenia, makes a lot of sense. Give yourself time to learn and figure out what fabrics you really like before you buy a whole lot. Otherwise, you can end up with a bunch of stuff that you won’t end up using. And this comes back to what I said at the beginning of the show which is just don’t plan too far ahead. Give yourself room to grow.

Caroline: Yup.

Helen: Okay. Now let’s move on to some responses about patterns. Anna @annamadeit wrote, “I would tell myself that you don’t have to start with something boring like a pillowcase or shorts that you’ll never wear. There are plenty of awesome patterns out there that are simple but gorgeous.”

Caroline: Thank you, Anna. You are absolutely right. Unless you really, really want a pillowcase or pajama shorts, you can forget about typical beginner patterns and just go for something simple that you love. Many patterns are rated by difficulties. So find one that says beginner and go for it.

And we have some recommendations in our Beginner Sewing and Beginner Q&A episodes as well. And we’ll link those up in the show notes for you.

Next up, Sari Ann @justsariann wrote, “Don’t start with the ‘Big Brand’ pattern companies. They don’t give you all the instructions (like when to finish a seam) and are better for when you have more experience. You will spend less time being sad because your seams have unraveled in the wash.”

Helen: Aw, thanks Sari Ann. It’s true that patterns by the big four pattern companies typically have less detailed instructions than indie patterns. Although, of course, there is a wide range out there with indie patterns, as well. Indie patterns do tend to have less ease than the big four which means a more accurate fit, like we were talking about before, and more instructions that come with the pattern, so they’re going to teach you how to do those beginner things like finishing seams and telling you when to press.

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: Mhm.

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: Mhm. Same. Makenzie @sew.persistent wrote, “To make what I like and what I know I will wear. The sewing community is amazing for learning about new patterns, but I’ve realized I don’t have to make every pattern the sewing community loves if it doesn’t suit my preferences or lifestyle.”

Caroline: This is so true, Makenzie, you learn so much about your personal style when you start making your own clothes. And if you want to define your style and don’t know where to start, you can sign up for our mailing list and we’ll send you our free Create Your Dream Wardrobe worksheet. And we also recommend Anuschka Rees by Anuschka Rees. Once you have a clear idea of your personal style, picking up patterns and fabrics that you love will become so much easier.

Helen: Yes. Okay. Our next section is the biggest one, and this is general advice. Surprise. It’s all those little nuggets of wisdom about the sewing process and mindset that stick with you for your whole sewing life. And you’ve just been dying to share it with somebody. And now’s your chance.

Caroline: Oh, so much good stuff in here. Okay. Georgina @georginamabey wrote, “The amount of time that you spend planning, measuring, printing, cutting, sticking, preparing etc before even touching the sewing machine! I used to think sewing was just literally sewing.”

Helen: Thank you, Georgina. Georgina’s my middle name, actually. Thank you, Georgina, for this reminder. There’s so much that goes into sewing that is not the actual sewing part, and you can space out all of these different things on different days or different times of the day, whatever works for you. Make sure you’re giving yourself enough time to do all of those pre-sewing steps because they’re a big part of the process.

Caroline: They are. Okay. This is related. Laura @hebewolff wrote, “I wish that someone had told me that you didn’t have to finish a garment in the same day you started it, and that people would add how long patterns actually took to make (included with the rest of the hashtags) when posting Instagram pics. Like, #hour6 or #5hours

It’s so easy to get caught up in thinking that things ‘should’ take a single sitting due to inexperience, enthusiasm, and the easy access to hundreds of pictures of the simple looking item and the happy wearers. Even easier to attempt it in one sitting and then beat yourself up with the perception of failure, rushing to finish in a perceived time window, and then ending up with a garment that either doesn’t fit/ isn’t finished well, and never trying again. There are generally skill levels on patterns, but time is nearly always totally overlooked.

Realistically, sewing can be really hard. Often trying to read flat diagrams and then translate to a 3D item. (For example, navigating multiple identical terminologies between patterns, trying to read and process illustrations and instructions) I always find something that catches me out and pushes me to understand. This is skill growth which is a direct benefit of the end product and accumulated (if we continue to try.)

However, time is finite and a guide for how long an item should take to make (by a beginner/medium/experienced sewist) would be so helpful to help manage enthusiasm and ground the ‘making’ into reality. Like, ‘How much time do I have today?’, ‘Which aspect of the item can I work on?’, etc. Experienced sewists would likely know this, but for beginners, even estimating how long cutting out a pattern takes is really hard.

In an age where it’s also so easy (as a perfectionistic person) to judge our own attempts to all the other images (when in fact others might have taken double the time and been much more enjoyable to make) I think it would remove a stress barrier to making to include the time.”

Caroline: This is a really interesting point, Laura, and thank you so much for your email. I think it’s like different people have different approaches to sewing and different brains in the how, like, they think about sewing. Cause for me, how long a project takes doesn’t necessarily help me decide whether or not I’m going to make it.

Cause I like sewing in, like, smaller chunks, but I could see how this could be so helpful for certain people and how they approach their making. And I, kind of, like the idea of people sharing how long it takes them to make a project if they can, or if they remember. Coming from wearing all ready to wear, it can be so easy to underestimate everything that goes into making something.

So having a more realistic idea of how long something takes would be a big help for beginners, especially. Obviously, we’re not beginners, but I, kind of, want to know how long it takes you to make something, Helen, like a Reynolds Top from cutting out to finish? How long would that take you?

Helen: I think the Reynolds top would take me about three hours. Because cutting takes so much longer than you think it does. It would probably take me an hour just to cut it and then you have to do some fusing, some interfacing, that takes time. And then the sewing part. Yeah. Maybe, like, an hour and a half to two hours to actually put it together. And that’s something that I have sewn a bunch of, so I wouldn’t need to look at the instructions while I’m doing that. And then if it was a more involved project, like a pair of jeans, I would think it would take me like between eight to 12 hours to sew that probably. How about you?

Caroline: Yeah, I’m pretty much in the same boat as you. I would consider myself, like, an advanced sewist or a moderately advanced sewist.

Helen: You’re an advanced sewist. You earned it. Just own it.

Caroline: But no, I would say it probably takes me, like, three hours to make a simple top. That’s something I feel like I can totally knock out in an evening of sewing, like, uninterrupted sewing. A pair of jeans, it’s harder to say because I feel like I do that in chunks and with jeans, like, I cannot be on a time crunch for that. So I’m not really paying attention to time. I like to take breaks to pause for snacks or get distracted by entertainment, like podcasts or TV shows on my laptop. So hard to say, but I would agree, like, maybe 12 hours total for a pair of jeans.

Helen: Yeah, it is going to be different for every person, and that’s totally fine. And I think that’s part of why it’s not been something that’s caught on as a, as a like, point to share necessarily about makes or particularly with patterns. I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting an expectation of time on my patterns because I don’t want people to, to feel like they should be doing it in a certain amount of time because there is no right answer, you know, um, even if that might give them a bit more of a realistic, appr-, like expectation. But maybe as a beginner, if you know that it’s going to take you five hours to make something, maybe that information would make you not try. And then if you had tried, you might love it, and it wouldn’t have mattered that it took you five hours, you know?

Caroline: Mhm. I think it’s, like, it also depends so much, not even just on skill level, but also, like, sewing style. Just from teaching classes, like, I remember, you know, people have the same skill level have completely different paces in sewing, like, depending on if you’re a perfectionist or if you’re, like, I’m more of a slap dash sewist. I like to get things done. So I think I move quicker than somebody who really, really maybe cares about every single little detail and will unpick something if it’s not perfect.

I also think, like, how many times you’ve used that technique or made that particular pattern will definitely factor in to how quickly you can sew it. So there’s, like, so many variables in there. I think it would be really hard to almost standardize how long things would take. But I do like the idea of just sharing that information in, like, a caption on Instagram or on your blog…

Helen: Totally. Yeah.

Caroline: …when you’re talking about it. I have seen some people have, like, stats at the bottom where they’re like, this is how much I spent on the fabric and the pattern, and here’s how long it took me to make this thing. Like, I like those stats but probably not for everyone.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. You got to do you in the end, but it’s a really interesting idea. And I appreciate the message of just understanding that it’s going to take a little bit longer than you think. I think that’s always a good approach when you’re heading into a project of any kind, any hobby, um, and just being willing to let yourself take the time that it takes.

Caroline: Yeah. Thank you so much, Laura. You really got us talking.

Okay. Next up we have a voicemail from Eva Allison.

Eva Allison: Hi, Helen and Caroline. This is Eva Allison from the DC Metro region. And I wanted to share what I wish I had found out when I first started sewing. First, I want to say I’m still pretty new to sewing and discovering this has really helped me on my journey, and that is to try to watch other people’s sewing process and not just look at their finished garments, whether that’s on YouTube or in classes or on Instagram stories, I think there’s so much value to watching people’s process because A. you just get to see the behind the scenes of how much work really goes into a garment and B. getting to see people’s, um, problem-solving skills or the fitting issues that they run into with a particular pattern are really, um, fun and interesting to see, and they give you ideas about how you can overcome some of those same issues in your own sewing. Love the podcast. Thanks so much. Bye-bye.

Helen: Thank you, Eva Allison. This is such a great tip. So many more sewists are able to share their process online now. And for the ones that aren’t, you can assume that there’s a lot of effort and mistake and fixes behind that finished make that’s getting displayed on social media.

So it’s good to remember that and great to spend some time on YouTube. It’s just really endless resources watching people sew. Saremy, past guest, from @sewsewlive does these, uh, sewing live streams where you can watch her sew, and ask her questions, and those are so much fun. So if you can join in on one of those, I encourage you to do so.

Caroline: Mhm. Yeah. Such a great way to see the process.

Helen: Oh, yeah. Janet from @7pinedesign wrote, “Your best friend is a good sewing technique book. Every library has them, as do better fabric shops. Sure, you can Youtube any question, but sometimes ‘you don’t know what you don’t know.’ For example, I see a lot of comments about seam finishing. How would you even know that you’re supposed to finish the seam? If you browse through a good sewing technique book, you’ll find what you’ve been missing!”

Caroline: Yes. Thank you, Janet. This is a really good idea. And a lot of people in the sewing community love the Vogue Sewing book, if you’re looking for a recommendation. But it’s so true that you don’t know what you don’t know. And when you’re a beginner, if you want to just, like, immerse yourself in sewing and, sort of, learn the basics, a book is usually a great place to look because it’ll have a lot of comprehensive information all in one place and, kind of, cover a lot of different topics depending on the sewing book. So a great way to, kind of, learn a lot in one place.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: Okay. Lisa @stitchtwotogether wrote, “Read the instructions and follow the rules so that when you’re more confident you know which ones you can break and which ones are important.”

Helen: Thank you, Lisa. It’s true that at the beginning, it’s a good idea to at least learn all of the sewing rules that you can or read the whole booklet and know what you’re getting into. Then. once you know all the information, you can use your judgment that you got from your experience to decide whether you want to be a rebel, which ones you want to do, and which ones you feel like you can skip.

Um, I know a lot of people like to read the sewing instruction booklets, like, outside of the sewing room. Maybe it’s something that you read, you know, when you’re in your bed and you’re, like, done for the day. And you’re just going to flip through the book and, like, see what’s coming so that you can get ready for your project tomorrow. It can be, kind of, fun to do that.

Caroline: Yeah. You used to do. Do you still do that?

Helen: No, I don’t do that anymore.

Caroline: Maybe cause it’s your job now.

Helen: I’m in that rebel camp for… Like, I skim, I flip through, and then I’m like, yeah, yeah, I got this. And it definitely gets me into trouble a lot.

Caroline: Oh yeah.

Helen: Lindsey @thestitchfitz wrote, “I wish someone would have told me that it’s really not that hard. You just have to be able to read instructions and give it a go. Also, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Nobody notices those little mistakes.”

Caroline: Thank you, Lindsey. We say it all the time on the podcast: just take it one step at a time, and you’ll be fine. If you’re stuck, you can look up a particular technique online, and you’ll probably find a good tutorial. And some pattern companies even make videos or posts or sew-alongs where they walk you through each step of a pattern. So, yeah, it’s true, Lindsey. It’s really not that hard.

Helen: No. And nobody notices those little mistakes. Three foot rule. You got to take a step back.

Caroline: Yes. Sarah left us a voicemail that we’re going to play.

Sarah: Hi, my name is Sarah, and I’m from Madison Heights, Michigan in the US. And I love your podcast, love all the tips and great things I learn every time I listen. Um, one thing I would tell a new sewist is don’t try to do complicated sewing late at night. As a mom of young kids, I find myself sewing after they go to bed, but time and again, I’ve tried to pick up the invisible zipper or the, um, do even a regular zipper or just complicated instructions and when I’m tired and I end up having to do them over and over again and being frustrated. So put that difficult sewing away until you are a little bit fresher and can have the focus for it. Thanks, ladies.

Helen: Thank you, Sarah. I feel like my piece of advice from this episode should have been, like, no zippers after 10:00 PM.

Caroline: You’ve definitely given that advice before. It’s a good one.

Helen: It’s a good one. No buttonholes, no zippers. No, I mean, ultimately you do you, of course. Um, but when your brain is done for the night, it’s probably a good idea to put the sewing down and return to it tomorrow, even though you really, really want to keep going.

Caroline: I can’t follow this rule. I’ve been known to do too many sewing all-nighters.

Helen: That’s good. You got your sew-jo going. You just got to run with it.

Caroline: Yeah. Okay. Gina @ginapetzer wrote, “Slow down and enjoy the process. Yes, having a finished garment to wear is a great feeling, but when you really take your time to do things slowly, properly, and take the extra steps to do fun, little bind offs on seams, et cetera, you will love the finished product even more. Also, be tenacious. Don’t give up. Step away when you’re frustrated, but step away with the intention of coming back when you have the energy.”

Helen: Thank you, Gina. There’s so much to love about wearing something you made, but there’s a lot to love about perfecting sewing techniques and learning something new and doing a job well. So you put all those things together, and I do think that it makes a big impact on the love for that final piece.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: Jessica from @themadcutters wrote, “That sewing lingerie isn’t as difficult as people think. (I got told by another sewer when I was learning that it’s not something you want to make and it requires a lot of special machines, etc.) so instead of trying it in my teens I didn’t get into it until years later because I truly believed it’s not something that is possible to make yourself.”

Caroline: Wow. Thank you, Jessica. It’s really great that you’ve finally started making lingerie. Helen and I love making lingerie, and it is totally doable. Like, our tote bag says you can make anything, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Helen: Yes, making lingerie is so much fun. Those little pieces, I mean, the lace, if you want lace, you can really do what you want with the personal style cause it’s hard to find lingerie that really feels like you sometimes in ready to wear. So being able to choose the colors and the styles and, uh, it can be so much fun, and it can be pretty quick, too.

Caroline: Yeah, and totally doable on just your regular sewing machine.

Helen: Absolutely. Kristen @sheseamsfun. She seams fun. S-E-A-M-S. Love it. Okay. They wrote, “I wish someone had given me a list of free resources – everywhere I look, there is something else to subscribe to, to buy, and I just can’t afford that.”

Caroline: It’s so true. Thank you, Kristen. Check out the show notes of Episode 160 of Love to Sew for a list of free resources. There are actually so many, and I’ve seen lots of roundups online as well, so they’re out there. And if you’re telling someone that they should start sewing or introducing someone to the world of sewing, it’s such a great idea to hook them up with some free resources, just lowers that barrier to entry, and maybe will get them into sewing quicker.

Helen: Yeah. Give them some fabric, too, while you’re at it. We know you’ve got it.

Caroline: You have enough. Okay. @bonnylittlebabes wrote, ““That knowing how to sew doesn’t mean you have to do hemming and alterations for friends and family!!!”

Woo. Amen to that.

Helen: Ah, the dreaded, will you sew this for me? I mean, we have a whole episode on that, by the way, it’s basically 45 minutes of how to say no and stories of being asked to sew ridiculous things, but for a lot of us, sewing is the time where we recharge and that can, kind of, disappear with the pressure of making something for someone else because let’s face it, it is a little bit of pressure or maybe a lot of pressure if you’re making something for another person or even hemming something for another person.

Um, it’s okay just to keep your sewing for yourself. It doesn’t make you selfish. We talked about that in that episode, too. No such thing as selfish sewing. You’re just enjoying the hobby the way that you want to. Then if you really want to say yes to making something for someone else, you can really mean that and feel good about that decision because you’ve thought about it, and it’s something that you want to do.

Caroline: Mhm. Or better yet, don’t say yes. Just make that decision on your own.

Helen: Oh, a secret surprise. Yeah.

Caroline: Then there’s really no pressure cause nobody’s expecting it.

Helen: That’s so true. You know, when I started sewing, I did, I got really into it, and I would say to people, like friends and family, like, oh, I’ll tell, I’ll make you one. Just thinking, like, it was again, like, I had this huge list, and I thought I was going to do it all.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: And I overcommitted. Like, I would tell people I would make them things. And then literally years later I would be like, so I need to apologize to you because three years ago, I told you I was going to make you Yanta Overalls and I never did. And then they would be like, it’s fine. I forgot all about it.

Caroline: Oh, I’ve totally been there, too. I still have anxiety over some of the things that I promised people I would make and then never mentioned again. So I think we’ve all experienced that.

Helen: Maybe you need to do…

Caroline: Like, a cleansing.

Helen: Yeah. You need to go back and apologize to all those people.

Caroline: I’m gonna send out some cards.

Helen: No, you don’t. They won’t remember. I promise.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Okay. Angie from @sewingceleriac wrote, “I wish I’d known earlier that there is a lovely supportive community of sewists on Instagram who you can ask for help, get inspiration from, and share your successes and failures with!”

Caroline: Yes. Thank you, Angie. We love the community on Instagram. And if any of you are hesitating, we encourage you to sign up and start using those hashtags cause it is a great way to connect with people.

Helen: Yes, and it can take some time, of course, to find your niche in the community. You may not have a lot of followers. You might not feel like you’re getting a lot of engagement on your posts when you’re sharing, but just let that build up over time. And the more that you reach out to people, compliment them on their makes, um, engage with people that you find inspiring in the community, the more people are going to engage with you back.

Caroline: Absolutely. And here is our last response for this episode. It’s from Sharon @mtbsharon, and they wrote, “That the greatest satisfaction comes from going slowly, being careful and precise, and not ‘cutting corners’! (ha ha). That way you avoid mistakes, avoid time wasted unpicking silly errors and you will have an end product that you can be proud of, inside and out!!! It is also worth buying the best quality fabric you can afford, as cheap fabric can have disappointing results and you are more likely to take less care knowing that errors are not as costly. I love making wedding dresses for all of the above reasons.”

Helen: Thank you, Sharon, a rushed sewing experience is just not as fun as a relaxed one. And it’s not about speed, it’s just about how you feel in the process. I often try to rush to the finish line even still.

Caroline: Me, too.

Helen: I have to remember this. Take this great advice from Sharon because it’s not about the finish line. It’s about the journey. I mean, I should have a podcast.

Caroline: Oh my gosh, Helen, so much great advice in this one little episode. We have such wise listeners.

Helen: We do. Thank you all so much for your responses. There’s many, many more on our prompt on Instagram. So we’ll link that up in the show notes if you want to go read more advice from other sewists. And we have some other beginner episodes and lots of resources, so check out the show notes at lovetosewpodcast.com.

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. We are 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. If you’d like to get in touch with us, send us an email at hello@lovetosewpodcast.com.

Caroline: 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 pics, including lots of pictures of Pepper and Emma and for that I think it’s worth it. For $10 a month, 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 this quality sewing content for you that we love to make. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew for more info.

Helen: And we have Love to Sew swag. You can visit our shop to get tees, pins, and tote bags with art by Josie Adams of Hey Miss Designs. Tell the world that you’re a stitch witch, that you can make anything, or that you are just a Love to Sew listener, a lovely listener. Go to lovetosewshop.com to get yours.

Caroline: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you for listening and sending in your advice. We love you, and we’ll see you next week.

Helen: Buh-bye.

Caroline: Bye.

Okay. Let’s move. Wait, let’s do it in sync. Let’s do it in sync.

Caroline & Helen: Now, let’s move on to responses…

Helen: No, no, we’re not doing that.

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