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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.

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

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

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

Helen: Join us for today’s topic: Kids and Teens Who Sew.

Caroline: Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline. How are you today? I’m great. It’s April when this episode comes out, one of my favourite months of the year. It’s gardening season. It’s spring. It’s lovely. I can’t get enough of it.

Caroline: It’s your birthday.

Helen: It’s my birthday month. Yes. 17th.

Caroline: Oh, I, April is a great month. I just feel so good to be on the other side of this winter and enjoying the spring weather…

Helen: Yes!

Caroline: …and all the things that are blooming and the sunshine and things are looking up. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, it’s very inspiring. It just fills me with excitement and joy when…

Caroline: Me, too.

Helen: …it’s spring, and speaking of being inspiring, I have to say, getting all of this listener feedback from our kids and teens who sew has been so amazing and so inspiring. It’s incredible.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I was all over the place when I was reviewing this prep. I was in tears. I was laughing. I was having such a good time learning about these kids and teens and their journeys with sewing, and I know our listeners are gonna love this episode.

Helen: Yes, absolutely. We have a related listener question from Maxine.

Maxine: Hello, my name is Maxine. I started learning sewing when I was in he-, home economics class, and I really loved it, but the only problem now, I always had a problem with trying to put the pieces together. What goes with what? A, B, C. So can you please gimme some pointers on how do you put the pattern together for the clothing? Bye-bye.

Caroline: Hi, Maxine. Thank you so much for calling us. I really hope you get back into sewing because if you loved it then, I feel confident you’re gonna love it now. And there are so many resources out there online, in books, in magazines, and in person classes. So now is a great time to get back into sewing.

Helen: And pattern pieces can definitely be confusing. And I’m guessing that you’re talking about patterns from the Big 4 companies because you mentioned A, B, and C, and that’s usually how they label their pieces. The big four companies are Butterick, McCalls, Simplicity, and Vogue.

And if you have patterns that don’t have the names of the pieces written on them, you can write them out yourself. That can be super helpful. So in the pattern instruction booklet, there should be some sort of key or legend telling you what each piece is.

So piece A, it might be the front, and you can write that on the piece. And piece D might be the sleeve, write that on it. And so on. That’ll be your first step in sort of demystifying what all the pieces are.

Caroline: And then when you cut your pieces out of fabric, it can be useful to keep the paper pieces together with the fabric pieces. So, like, make a bunch of piles around your room, the sleeves and the sleeve pattern pieces in one pile, the front and the front pattern piece another pile. You can even use pins to keep the pattern attached to the fabric piece.

Another option is to use small pieces of masking tape or painters tape to label each fabric piece. Just make sure to test it out on a scrap of fabric to make sure it doesn’t change the fabric or leave a residue when you peel it off.

The longer you work with pattern pieces, the easier it’s gonna get to recognize them just from their shapes. But for now, just make it easier on yourself and label them or keep them together with their paper pattern piece.

Helen: Absolutely. And if you’re shopping for new patterns, I would recommend, shockingly, choosing an indie pattern from a company that has a reputation for good instructions or maybe a pattern from Simplicity. Of all the Big 4, Simplicity has the reputation for making the most complete instructions.

A pattern from Butterick or Vogue will have sparser instructions, and they tend to assume that you have a certain level of sewing knowledge, so they don’t explain the basics, and that can be really challenging for a beginner.

Some indie pattern companies with a good reputation for their instructions are companies like Seamwork, Tilly and the Buttons, Dear and Doe, and I mean, not to toot my own horn, but Helen’s Closet. Toot toot. And it’s also nice if a pattern company has something like a sew along on their blog or a YouTube channel where they walk through the tricky steps in the pattern.

Or you can find YouTubers like Saremy from Sew Sew Live who does full sew alongs for patterns and just choose a pattern from their selection that they teach on their YouTube. It’s like sewing with a teacher because you have somebody there to actually show you the ropes, so that can be immensely helpful.

Caroline: Yeah, and pattern instructions can be overwhelming when you look at the whole thing at once. So when you start working through the pattern, just take it one step at a time. Don’t even think about the next step. Just get through them one at a time.

Helen: And with all that said, if you don’t wanna go by the pattern instructions, there is a general order of construction that most patterns follow. Alexandra Morgan and Evelyn Wood, both past guests, they have videos about this order on their YouTube channels that we will link up for you in the show notes.

You can also find some good information out there by Googling order of construction for sewing. The actual steps are a bit too lengthly to go through here, but I assure you that there are lots of posts out there that will help you figure it out if you just wanna know generally how clothes are put together.

Caroline: Yeah. And finally, I wanna mention that a simple garment is gonna have the simplest instructions. And if you’re getting back into sewing after a long break, you’re probably gonna want an easy win. I mean, I still want an easy win, and I’ve been sewing for years and years.

Helen: Yeah!

Caroline: So consider choosing something that has an easy fit – no zippers or complicated details for your first to make. Most patterns are gonna tell you which difficulty level they are, so that’s a helpful way to weed out the stuff that’s gonna be complicated.

Helen: And, I mean, we’re so excited for you to get back into sewing, Maxine. Like, come on in. The water is fine. I, too, was really into sewing in home ec and then took a hiatus and didn’t get back into it until I was later on in my twenties as an adult. And there’s never, like, a bad time to get back into sewing, so do it.

Caroline: Okay. We are so excited for this week’s episode. Welcome to the Future of Sewing, y’all. Today we’re sharing voicemails and letters from kids and teens who sew. And these kids are talented. They’re hardworking. They’re creative. And towards the end of the episode, we’re gonna share a few ideas and resources to get the kids in your life sewing, but just get ready to be inspired.

Helen: Yes! And before we get into these amazing stories, we wanted to talk briefly about what we were like as kids and teens who sewed.

Caroline: Yeah, we do. Helen, tell me about your sewing beginnings.

Helen: Well, I started sewing at a very young age. In fact, so young, I don’t remember a time that I didn’t know how to sew. My mom sewed and taught me, and I remember her having her machine and ironing board set up in various places around the house.

And her machine belonged to her mother. It was one of those beautiful old Singer featherweight machines, one of those black and gold ones with all the pretty decorative lines on it. And I, I, of course, was just, like, enthralled by this machine. I thought it was the coolest, most beautiful thing. So that probably helped me to get into sewing.

And I also got to take a kid’s sewing class one summer. My mom signed me up for that. Definitely something to look out for if you have kids who are interested in sewing. It was a lot of fun, and it’s nice to be able to learn in an environment with other people your own age. So that was really great.

And then I made clothes for myself, just cutting out shapes and trying them together. I also remember using a couple of, like, McCall’s patterns as a teenager, but I generally preferred to refashion and cut, create my own looks rather than using patterns, maybe a little ironic at this point. But I think that part of that was just being, like, deeply uninspired by the cover samples and artwork on the Big 4 patterns. Like…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …just not interested based on what they were selling on the cover. But in high school, I had a great home ec teacher, Ms. Orchard, and I spent nearly all of my free time in her classroom, and she really encouraged me to be creative with my sewing and to use patterns because that way you can get really good results. And she’s a big part of why I ended up here as a pattern designer.

But I think, in general, the biggest thing I remember about being a kid and a teenager who sewed was just how fearless I was. Like, I would get an idea in my head, and then I would just find some fabric in my mom’s bin or the discarded fabric cupboard at the school and just go for it and just try to make it happen.

And that kind of creative practice is so rewarding, and it’s harder to do as an adult I have found because I have all of this knowledge about what can go wrong. And as a kid and a teen, I was just like, yeah, let’s do it. Like, if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. I don’t care. I’ll just do something else.

Caroline: My mom had a fabric bin, too, when I was a kid and I remember it was, like, so huge that it must have been, like, an old appliance box or something. And I used to, like, crawl into it and just, like, dig around for fabric and just be inspired by whatever was in there and just come up with an idea on the spot. Like, it’s true. That just doesn’t happen anymore.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. But how did you learn to sew? What’s your kid sewing experience?

Caroline: I think I was around nine when I started sewing, and I remember being pretty fearless. Like, I forced my mom to teach me how to use her sewing machine, and then I just, went for it. I didn’t even think to use a pattern. I would just cut into fabric and sew it together.

I would upcycle pants into bags. That was, like, my big thing when I started sewing, and I’ve talked about this on the show before, but I used to charge for it, and they were, like, not nice bags. They were really poorly finished, but, like, my friends would give me their old jeans, and I’d upcycle them into bags, and I had such a good time doing that.

And, yeah, I used to make clothes for myself by just, like, tracing a vague shape and hoping it would come together. Like, I had no idea about, like, armholes or how sleeves should look. And I just made it work. I think I was around 13 or 14 when I really, like, peaked in, like, making my own clothing.

And I actually have this, like, vivid memory. I was a camp counsellor when I was 14, and I remember making an outfit for summer camp the night before I wore it. And I was laughing when I thought about this because I’m like, some things never change.

Helen: Yeah!

Caroline: Like, I still make outfits the night before I wanna wear them. But the inspiration was there, and I just went for it. And I remember wearing it the next day and being so proud, even though it looked soo bad.

Somewhere along the lines, my parents bought me a serger, and that really upped my game. And then I went to school for fashion design when I was 18. That was back in 2006. So that took me through my teenage years, and the rest is history.

Helen: Yeah, I mean, you must have just known that you were destined for fashion school at that point, after all that sewing

Caroline: Yeah, and I think my parents saw it, too, and really encouraged me to pursue that ‘cause I think they saw, like, how much it lit me up…

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: …when I was in my teen years. It was really such a great creative outlet for me. So yeah, I’m really happy with that path and

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: … and have really fond memories of sewing as a teenager.

Helen: Yeah, me, too. Me, too. I mean so many t-shirts got hacked up and…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …misshapen, but I wore them with pride. It was a fun time.

Caroline: So that’s our stories. I think we need to move on to these cool kids and teens.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: And we’re gonna kick it off with a voicemail from Suvi.

Suvi: Hi, my name’s Suvi. I’m eight years old. And I like to sew because I wanna get better so I can sew a massive stuffy. And I like to sew stuffies mainly. I like to sew though because it’s so fun to squish it and feel like, I made this. I didn’t buy it. It feels so good. My sewing goal is to make a really big stuffy, like, massive. And a funny story is once, then I thought that my sewing kit was a donut. I actually, sort of, bit it.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I love that you accidentally bit your sewing kit. Sounds a little dangerous, depending on what might have been in there, but that is amazing. What a great story.

Caroline: Yeah. It really is. Your kind of sewing is so special because you bring creatures to life, and you get to use your sewing skills and make soft little friends at the same time. I do wanna know more about this donut sewing kit. I’d love to see a picture or something. It sounds very delicious and fun.

Helen: Yes. And we wanna wish you luck making your giant massive stuffy. I’m sure it will be a masterpiece.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: I, too, was a huge stuffy fan as a kid. Definitely understand the importance of stuffies, precious things.

Caroline: I don’t know, Helen. I think you’re still a stuffy fan ‘cause I’ve…

Helen: That’s true.

Caroline: …witnessed you buy stuffies at craft markets.

Helen: I love a good stuffy. I’m a sucker.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It’s true.

Caroline: We all love a good stuffy. Alright, next up we have a voicemail from a teen named Aoife.

Aoife: Hey, I’m Aoife. I’m 14, and I learned to sew when I was about 12. I taught myself. I wanted Halloween costumes for my American girl dolls, so I went to the dollar store and got some Halloween capes. And then, I partially hand sewed and hot glued them together, and then it just really took off from there. And then, that following Christmas, I got my very first sewing machine.

Now, two years later, I love sewing everything, but I especially love making clothing. I make it all the time now for myself, for my friends. I sell it online, and it’s just the best and most rewarding feeling ever knowing that you made something that nobody else has and that you can make absolutely anything you want. My goal is to be a famous New York-based fashion designer making looks for runways worldwide and designing looks for celebrities and, you know, just doing what I love for a living.

A funny sewing story I have, or somewhat funny, I was on the costume team for my school musical, which was The Little Shop of Horrors. So I had to make the trio dresses, but I wasn’t given the supplies until about, about a week and a half before I had to have them done by for the first dress rehearsal. And then I got sick, so that cut off a lot of the sewing time, and I basically made all three dresses in the straight sewing 24 hours. I just, like, took the whole weekend, and I just sewed nonstop. Thank you!

Helen: Caroline, you and Aoife are kindred spirits.

Caroline: Yeah. A last minute sew.

Helen: I can also relate to making clothes for my dolls and stuffed animals, as well. I mean, we talked about my love of stuffies. Don’t even get me started on my love of dressing up stuffies. That is such a fun place to start a sewing journey.

And by the way, we have some fun stories from adults in our How I Learned To Sew episode. And there are quite a few that are about childhood, and I think it’s so amazing that you sew clothes for yourself and for your friends, and that you even sell them. You’re also, like, a budding business owner. That is incredible. Just so cool.

Caroline: Yeah. You are well on your way to your goal of becoming a fashion designer, and I just can’t believe you only had one weekend to make all three of those dresses because I have been in sticky situations like that before, as I have mentioned on the show, but you pulled it off, and you sound so calm talking about it. But thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. We’re totally rooting for you.

Helen: Oh, yeah. We’ll be seeing your work on the red carpet. I have no doubt.

Caroline: Okay. Our next one is a letter: “Hi! I am Clara, I am sixteen years old, and I love to sew and do other manual crafts! I started sewing when I was nine. This all started with a project I did at school with some friends. We ‘tried’ to sew a dress. A year later, I moved from Toronto to Montreal and one day I decided to go see this big fabric store near my house. When we went to the fabric store, I learned that they also had sewing classes, and I started taking classes every week. Since then I have been taking classes, and I think it was the best decision. Sewing is now part of my life, it’s my passion!

“For me, it’s so rewarding to be able to see the progress I made over the last seven years. At the beginning, I made little drawstring pouches and now I sew my own bras, coats, and most of my clothes.

“When I was 11, I also started a blog to share things I made (in French and in English). And to this day, I still post on my blog and on Instagram about different projects I made. I really love the sewing community. It’s a very nice community, but I, I’m always trying to find other teens who also like sewing as much as I do. I’m really happy you’re making this episode.”

Helen: Hi, Clara. Thank you so much for writing in. It’s fantastic that you have been sewing for seven years already, and I’m so glad you took those classes. As I said, it’s really helpful to have an instructor and a set time to work on things on a regular basis and all that good stuff, and you’re already sewing at such a high level. And the great thing about sewing is that there’s always new things to learn. You’re gonna be a sewing master by the time you’re our age.

And I really hope you enjoy listening to the kids and teens we feature on this episode, and hopefully, you can connect with them later on. And I also wanna say that I had a look through your blog and wow. Like, it is so amazing. Knitting, sewing, dying, punch needle, and just documenting your makes like that is so impressive. I know how much work that is and it’s such a cool way to journal your progress, and you’re gonna be able to look back on that. Just bravo on, on taking the time to do that.

Caroline: It’s awesome. Yeah, it is such a great blog. I also browsed it, and I was so, so impressed by all of the different makes and things that you were sharing, so thank you for sharing.

Helen: Yeah. We’ll link it up in our show notes.

By the way, if you wanna follow, if Aoife’s amazing design journey, you can do so @Retro_Girl_Creations on Insta, and we’re gonna link up some of these awesome teens who sew in our show notes for you.

Caroline: And now we have a letter from Veda who is @VedaCienFuegos on Instagram:

Helen: “My name is Veda and I recently turned 13. I love to sew historical and vintage reproduction garb, mostly museum replicas and clothing from vintage patterns. I fell in love with sewing because of how versatile the skill is. The thought of making anything I want, wearing it, and using it to save from fast fashion is really special to me.

“I like to use sewing techniques that were used in the time period of the garment that I’m creating. So sometimes I hand sew, sometimes I use a treadle machine, and for more modern pieces, I will use a modern machine. I have been sewing consistently since I was about 9 or 10 years old. I learned from my grandmothers, from books, and YouTube! Although I had some help along the way, I am pretty self-taught with the more advanced skills. My big goal in sewing is to make a full 1880’s bustle gown from the bustle cage up, which means learning new crafts along the way!

“A funny story I have is when I was sewing some 1950’s trousers, I was so proud of myself for finally making pants because I had never made any before. I tried them on, and they were sewn backwards! I fixed them (enough), and now they’re my favourite pants ever.”

Caroline: Hi, Veda. Okay. You could teach us a thing or two because neither of us have ever used a treadle machine before. And these pictures you sent us are amazing. One of them is of Veda in a complete regency outfit. You look like you’re right out of a Jane Austin movie. And there are a couple more pictures of a Victorian bodice with pleats in the front and lots of nice piping at the seams. None of this is easy to do. You’ve learned so much in just a few years. And the sky is the limit for you.

By the way, your trousers mistake has a great lesson in it: sewing is almost always fixable. Even your worst makes can become your favourites ever. Thank you so much for writing to us.

Helen: Yes, thank you, Veda. Alright. Next up we have a voicemail from Genesis.

Genesis: I’m Genesis. I am a 13 year old sewist and quilter. I sew because it allows me to be creative and make things for myself and others. I am able to use beautiful fabrics and amazing patterns to create something truly extravagant. There are no limits and so many different techniques and aspects of sewing.

Within the different areas of sewing, there are also different elements of accomplishing a finished project. I love to learn all the different ways of sewing by being able to change it and using the colours and patterns I love. I enjoy sewing a little of everything, but my go-to is quilting.

I enjoy making quilts, quilted garments, and quilted bags. For about one and a half years, I took sewing and quilting classes. I instantly fell in love and have greatly improved. I was only 10 when I started taking classes. Recently, I broadened my skills by taking a foundation paper piecing and smocking class. Soon I will be taking an English paper piecing class at QuiltCon in February, where I will also have a quilt featured in the show.

My sewing goals for this year are to finish any unfinished projects and learn more extensively in making garments and quilted bags. I would also like to learn free motion quilting. I am 13 years old and have been sewing for two years. This year I’ve been chosen as an Aurifil Artisan and have enjoyed sharpening and testing my skills.

Thank you so much for this opportunity to be able to share how much fun it is to be a teen and sewist and a next generation quilter.

Helen: Caroline. It’s a quilter. It’s a quilter. It’s a quilter.

Caroline: I was gonna say, I feel like you and Genesis are, like, kindred spirits.

Helen: Oh, my gosh. I was so thrilled by this voicemail and so jealous that you got to go to QuiltCon, that you had a make in the actual show, that you got to take an English paper piecing class at QuiltCon. I am overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, Helen.

Helen: I’m sorry. I’m just very excited. I mean, hello, Genesis. First of all, thank you so much for your voicemail. We saw a few of your makes on your Insta, and they are amazing. You have such a wonderful sense of colour, and I really relate to the reason why you love sewing so much.

I mean, being able to put your creativity into your makes is so powerful. Making stuff for yourself and making stuff for your loved ones, as you said. And I love the design part as much as I love the actual sewing part. And I hope you really had a great time at QuiltCon. I’m sure it was amazing.

Caroline: We’re just a little jealous.

Helen: Just a little jealous. Got a little FOMO over here.

Caroline: And Genesis is @GennyFromTheQuiltBlock on Instagram. Great name, by the way.

Helen: Very clever.

Caroline: And that’s Genny with a “G.”

Helen: Yes. Yes. We’re so excited about all your sewing goals. And if you ever need help with the garment sewing part of things, we are here for you.

Caroline: Always. Okay. Our next letter is from Mallory, and that’s @Mallory_Made_Creations on Instagram.

Helen: “My sewing journey started when I was pretty young. I grew up watching my aunt sew and knew from a young age that I wanted to learn to sew as well. I also knew that my grandmothers and great-grandmother were avid fibre artists.

“I knew from then on that I would learn to do this as well. When I was around 11 years old, my aunt started teaching me to sew. I started by helping her and then moved on to simple projects such as bags, zippered pouches, and hair accessories. But soon felt that I’d grown out of those. I wanted to be challenged. So about a year before the pandemic hit, I purchased the Closet Core Patterns garment making course and fell in love with making my own clothes.

“Two years before my high school graduation, I started researching potential patterns that I could use as a base for a dress. A year and a half before grad, I fell ill and got diagnosed with a chronic illness. This continues to be one of the hardest things I have ever faced, but sewing has remained a bright light for me. Some days I only had the strength and energy to sew a few hand stitches in bed, but I was hopeful that one day I could make it down the stairs again to sew. During my Grade 12 year I made 2 muslins and used the Sicily Slip Dress pattern by Sewing Masin as my grad dress base. From there I altered the pattern and hacked it to fit my vision. I wore it to my grad and was immensely proud of it, and every time someone said, ‘Ooh, I love your dress’ I said the famous line all sewists know so well – ‘thanks I made it!’

“Now I’m 18 years old and although I’m learning to manage my chronic illness, sewing is one thing in my life that has remained a constant and mainstay in my life.

“I have connected with many sewists through Instagram and in my local sewing community, which has helped immensely with the isolation and loneliness that I experience on a day-to-day basis. As well as sustainability and mindfulness, sewing has taught me the importance of finding an outlet that brings joy, and that it is truly the smallest things in life that make an impact. I continue to sew and implement different fibre art practices in my life whenever I can, and share those passions with other people in my life.”

Caroline: Hi, Mallory. Can I just start by saying that I love your style? It feels cool and modern, while showing how glorious natural fibres and jewel tones can be.

I’m so glad that sewing has been a bright light for you in hard times. It has been for us, too, and actually, we’ve gotten quite a few letters from sewists who have told us that sewing is something that’s gotten them through the worst times in their lives. Isn’t it amazing that sewing is so therapeutic and you get something nice to wear in the end?

Plus, as you mentioned, it can connect you to the most wonderful people. That is definitely one of the best parts. And we can’t forget to say this. Congratulations on your graduation! It must have felt amazing to celebrate in the dress that you made.

Helen: Oh, I can only imagine. I also love your style. I love your photography style in particular, like, all of your photos in this beautiful natural light with this, like, moody, darker background really makes the clothes pop.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Just mwah beautiful.

Caroline: And I spot some Blackbird Fabrics in there.

Helen: Oh, yes.

Caroline: Thanks, Mallory.

Helen: I love it.

Caroline: Absolutely gorge.

Our next letter is from Erin about her daughter: “My daughter is 7.5 and has been sewing for just under 2 years. She finished her first quilt this summer and just entered the National Quilt Museum student block contest. I taught her to sew during COVID with my own limited abilities. We’ve both since taken classes and made garments and quilts. Her favourite thing is to design outfits on her dress form for herself and her sister. She’s sewn her own first day of school dresses for first and second grade and her own Halloween costumes the last few years. She’s looking to do a new quilt in the New Year!”

Helen: Wow. I mean, sewn your own first day of school dresses for first and second grade.

Caroline: Yeah. That is, that’s wild.

Helen: So impressive. Like, totally the kind of thing I wished I could do when I was that age. Amazing. Also, so cool that your daughter entered her work into a contest. Actually, a few of the kids and teens who contributed to this episode have done the same thing, and it seems like it would be a really great motivator to finish a project and the pride of having submitted something is really special, especially for a kid, and hopefully getting some feedback on the thing you made, too. Really cool way to get inspired.

Caroline: Yeah, and it’s amazing that you taught her all you know, and then you took classes together. This is such a wonderful activity to share. For all our listeners who are wondering how to do this with the kids in their lives, we’ll share some resources later that might help you out. But we’re wishing you and your daughter the best of luck with her next quilt. Thank you so much for writing to us.

Helen: Yes. Thank you.

Okay, next up we have a letter from Sophia who’s @TheSewingSophie on Instagram:

“Kia Ora! I’m Sophia, and I’m 13. I sew, stitch, and make lots of things, and I also sell stuff on Instagram. I love to sew, and I’ve been sewing hard out since the the first lockdown in March of 2020. Before the pandemic, I sewed a fair amount, sewing little headbands and so on. My sewing really started when I was about eight. The first time I sewed was in playschool, when I was four. The beginning to my sewing life was really thanks to my mum, getting me fabric, thread, letting me use her scissors…”

Ooh. Thanks, mom.

“…and teaching me how to sew. Now a couple years later she has given me her old sewing machine.

“I love sewing because I can watch pieces of fabric come to life. I can make cool, colourful, and dorky outfits that fit me well, and I can just engulf myself in a world of fabric.

“My favourite things to make are small quick things, and also really dorky patchwork shorts, berets, hats, and cushions.

“Even though I’m a major feminist, I’ve always been OBSESSED with the style and clothing of the Victorian era, so one of my main goals is to make an awesome poofy dress like the ones from that era, I’ve also been considering getting a corset, but they are extremely expensive when made to fit your body and not damage it, so I would like to make my own fake corset, as seen on Instagram, etc; the kind made of old t-shirts that don’t actually cinch the waist, they just, kind of, look like a corset.

“This year I’ve made quite a lot of things, including 6 pairs of Tio Trousers by Below the Kowhai, as well as at least 6 pairs of Tio Trouser shorts. I’ve made a number of scrunchies, badges, and masks, too. As well as that, I made my school formal dress, mask, handbag (using a Little Cat Friends Bag by Below the Kowhai, minus the cat features), and a purse. I’ve made lots of handbags, berets, period product holders, scrunchies, badges, and a lot more to sell. I’ve also explored with vintage patterns, blazers, and dresses, too.”

Caroline: Oh, so cool. Okay. Hi, Sophia. By the way, to our listeners, we wanna mention that Sophia sent us this letter at the end of 2022. So she was talking about a full year of sewing at that point. And, like, you mean, it’s not reasonable to make six pairs of trousers, six pairs of shorts, a formal dress, a handbag, and a bunch of other stuff in three months.

Yeah. You are so amazing, Sophia. It’s really cool that you make fun clothes and accessories, and we love a dorky patchwork garment around here. You are a girl after our own heart. And historical sewing seems like a good challenge to tackle. We know you can do it. We are major feminists, too. And the cool thing about making historical garments is that you can learn about history and enjoy the good parts without redoing the bad parts.

And we’re so excited that the future of sewing is in the hands of kids like you.

Helen: Definitely, and thanks also for turning us onto this pattern company Below the Kowhai. They have some really nice stuff, especially kids and tweens clothes…

Caroline: Yes!

Helen: …so we’ll link that up in the show notes.

Caroline: Which is something we’ve been asked about on the pod before.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: Yeah.

Okay. Our final kid sewist is Megan, and here is her voicemail.

Megan: Hi, my name’s Megan. I’m seven years old, and I live in Sunderland. I like sewing because you can use your imagination and make anything. I’ve made lots of Christmas decorations to put on my Christmas tree, and I’ve also made a cuddly toy cat, and I’ve also made some clothes for my toy Bingo, the Bear, and I love sewing. Bye!

Helen: Hi, Megan. I completely agree with you. The best thing about sewing is that you can use your imagination. Isn’t it just amazing that a pile of flat fabric and thread becomes a piece of three dimensional clothing or even a stuffed animal? It is like magic, and I’m so glad that you made Bingo the Bear some clothes.

Love the sound of that. So nice to be able to dress up your toys in different styles. And I wonder if your cuddly toy cat and Bingo are friends. Maybe you could host, like, a little clothing swap for them one day or a fashion show.

Caroline: What a great idea.

Helen: Ooh.

Caroline: Oh. Well thank you so much to all of the kids and teens who called or wrote in to be part of this episode. We are completely blown away by your work. And for our listeners out there who are wondering how they can help the kids in their lives learn to sew, we have a few suggestions for you. I know I’m gonna be referring to this in a few years, for my niece and nephew to try to get them into sewing.

Helen: I was gonna say, Caroline, are you making an announcement right now?

Caroline: No!

Helen: For the nieces and nephews. The nieces and nephews.

Okay. Sewing classes, as we’ve mentioned, are a great way for anyone to learn how to sew, a kid or an adult. You can Google sewing classes near you. Sometimes there are sewing classes specifically for kids, and these are great, not only because the teaching style and the pace is made for kids, but also because the students can meet other kids who are learning to sew. You can check your small, local sewing businesses as well as larger box stores to see what might be available.

For listeners in BC, we know that The Make House in Victoria has sewing classes just for kids and teens, as well as my local sewing shop here in Courtenay, BC, the Spool Sewing Studio. They run classes for kids, as well. It’s fantastic. And Needlework in Hamilton, Ontario also has kids classes, so some Canadian options for you.

Caroline: And if there are no classes just for kids and teens near you, you have a couple of options. If your kid’s old enough or mature enough, they might be able to join an adult class. Just ask the teacher. And the teacher might even let you hang out if you wanna make sure your kid doesn’t get overwhelmed. Or if you wanna refresh your sewing skills, you can even take the class together.

Helen: Ooh. I love that idea.

And don’t forget school programs. If there’s any sewing classes available, take advantage, if they have them at the local schools. And you can also check out community centres, libraries, and summer camps for sewing programs. They’re definitely out there.

Caroline: And online classes are also an option. There are online classes for kids at places like Udemy or Outschool. Or there are classes made for adults that could work for tweens and older. We’ve heard good things about the online classes from Closet Core and Tilly and the Buttons.

Helen: Clubs are another great way to get sewing. Schools with theatre programs often have costume departments that students can join. Sometimes they’ll even teach you how to sew. Sometimes they’ll even ask you to make three dresses in 24 hours. It’s really fun. You’ll love it. You’re gonna nail it.

Caroline: Yeah. Scouts and 4-H clubs have sewing badges and projects, and you can contact your local groups to see if there’s any sewing going on.

Helen: And your kid could even start their own club if they know of a teacher who likes to sew. They could ask if that teacher would consider running a sewing club at school or community centre. If the teacher wants to teach sewing, there are lots of kid-friendly sewing activities and even curricula online. Or if someone just wants to supervise and keep the room open while the kids and teens sew, could be more like a sewing circle where the members just chat while they work on stuff. That’s, kind of, my favourite type of sewing club…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …a chatty one.

Caroline: And you could start an informal club, organise a sewing day with your kid and their friends who are interested. Teach them the basics of sewing and make a simple project. Maybe the kids will catch the sewing bug, and you’ll make it a regular thing. But even if they don’t, it’s still a fun activity to do for the day.

Helen: Totally. And listener Michelle wrote in to tell us about the sewing-themed activity book that she made for kids ages five to seven. We’re gonna link it in the show notes. This is a PDF printable booklet with matching, maths, word searches, colouring and sewing practice sheets so that kids can use them on the sewing machine.

And she wrote to us to say: “Growing up I knew my mother sewed. However, it never occurred to me (or her) that as a kid sewing could also be for me. It was simply something adults did, and it wasn’t fun. I started sewing as an adult and our relationship grew immensely with our new shared hobby. I will always cherish the last few years I had with her, talking for hours about sewing. But I wish I had started sewing earlier, I missed out on years of bonding over a shared hobby. I created this activity book as a way to introduce kids into sewing. To let them know that it can be a hobby for them, as well. To pique their interest, start a conversation, or simply to teach them a few sewing words.”

Caroline: This is such a fun idea. We’re gonna link the activity book in our show notes and Michelle has actually shared a discount code for Love to Sew listeners so you can enter LoveToSew50 for 50% off. Thank you so much, Michelle. Again, I gotta get my hands on this for my niece and nephew.

Helen: Yeah! That sounds great. And I just love this idea of encouraging other people to learn to sew because you wish you had learned earlier and passing that on. I think that’s wonderful.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Alright. We have one more resource that could be helpful, and that is Sew a Softie. This is a blog full of resources for teaching kids how to sew soft toys. It’s run by Trixi Symonds, the author of three books on the subject. Will link those up in the show notes as well. Trixie’s methods are kid-friendly. For example, she uses felt so there’s no need to worry about unravelling.

And a softie is a great first project for kids. We all know how motivating it is to make something you really wanna make rather than something generic like a pillowcase. And Trixi even has a guide to sewing with kids on her website that can be helpful if you want some tips for making learning to sew more fun. Thank you, Trixi.

Caroline: Okay, important question, Helen is a softy and a stuffy the same thing?

Helen: I thought so.

Caroline: What about a plushy?

Helen: I think so. Maybe there’s a distinct difference.

Caroline: Kids, let us know. Softy, stuffy, plushy. Yeah. Oh, this was such a fun episode to make. I feel so grateful for our sewing community, including all the kids out there who sew. You are all amazing.

Helen: Yes. Keep it up. And I’m especially taken by the fact that so many of the kids and teens who wrote into us said a similar thing in their message, which was that their favourite thing about sewing is that you can make anything. You can make anything. You can just make anything you want, and that is incredible. So we’ll take that with us today.

Caroline: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Caroline at BlackbirdFabrics.com and Helen at HelensClosetPatterns.com and…

Helen: CedarQuiltCo.com. Yeah!

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

Helen: Go to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. All of these amazing projects that these people have worked on. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at hello@LoveToSewPodcast.com.

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

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

Caroline & Helen: Bye.

 

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