In this episode, we interview Wendy Liu, also known as WithWendy! We chat with her about DIY-ing designer clothes, thrifting fabrics, making mistakes, and producing amazing sewing videos on YouTube.
The transcript for this episode is on this page at the end of the show notes.
Find Wendy Online!
- YouTube: @withwendy
- Website: withwendy.com
- Instagram: @withwendy
- TikTok: @iamwithwendy
- Facebook: @iamwithwendy
WithWendy Videos Mentioned in the Episode:
- Wendy’s Barbie Dress Video (The one where she discusses the history of gingham!)
Other Mentions:
Transcript:
Caroline: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.
Helen: Hello, and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.
Caroline: And I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.
Helen: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew, and it’s basically all we want to talk about.
Caroline: Today, we’re interviewing Wendy Liu, also known as With Wendy. We chat with her about draping, DIY-ing designer clothes, thrifting fabrics, and making sewing videos on YouTube.
Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.
Hello, Wendy. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.
Wendy: Hello, thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited. I don’t get to talk to fellow sewing peeps that often, so whenever I do, I’m like, oh, boy, we can be nerdy now.
Helen: Oh, I know. That’s, like, half the reason we started this podcast, to be honest. For those of you out there who don’t know Wendy, Wendy, maybe you can give us a little introduction?
Wendy: Yes, for sure. So, hi, everyone. My name is Wendy. I sew on YouTube, and I go under the name of With Wendy. And basically, I just make my own clothes, sometimes from scratch, sometimes thrift flip. And it wasn’t intentional that it became, like, a log of my sewing growth, but definitely from the 10 years that I’ve been doing it, you can see drastic improvement in my sewing ability, and now it’s, kind of, like, a testimony to what you can achieve if you just, like, keep spending time with your sewing machine.
But yeah, all the clothes I make tends to be for me to wear. I just, but I love all sorts of fashion, so it’s, like, jackets, dresses, shirts, like, lots of inspiration from fashion news and things that I see currently, and then, once in a while, it’s just, like, for me something that I love to make type of project.
Caroline: Awesome. And where are you from?
Wendy: Originally, I was, technically I was born in Kingston, but I moved when I was a baby, so I really don’t have any recollection of that life anyways. I grew up in Calgary, and yeah, I just had a chill upbringing with my family. My mom is the one in our family who knew how to sew. She learned from her mother in China, and she brought those skills over to Canada. I think for various on and off periods she would use it for odd jobs, and then, she taught me how to sew.
And for university, I moved away from Calgary. And ever since then, after graduating, I’ve been in Toronto ‘cause I think I just am a big city person in my heart. So I was always like, oh, my gosh, I want to go live where it’s busy and there’s lots happening. And Toronto is great ‘cause there’s a real fashion district compared to Calgary, which always excites me when I go visit and just like, look at fabric.
Caroline: Yeah. There’s some great fabric stores in Toronto.
Wendy: Mhm.
Caroline: Tell us a little bit more about your journey, like, learning to sew in the early days and what was your first project and how did that all go down?
Wendy: Honestly, some people really describe, like, that the sound of a sewing machine is very nostalgic for them because it reminds them of, like, quality time spent with a grandmother or something like that, and I definitely have a bit of that going on, too. Like, I just feel like I can see in my mind me playing with my dolls on the ground in my mom’s sewing room while she’s making various repairs or, like, making new clothes for me.
She’s that person who’s always making, like, new curtains for the house, a new cosy for the kettle, like, whatever she thought up she would just try to put it together, and I would say she’s pretty, she has a good knack with the machine for sure. So then with my dolls, she would show me how to make little outfits for them. We’d make, like, backpacks and tube tops and various dresses, like, whatever we could think of.
So definitely, she is the one who made me comfortable with the sewing machine. Like, I never felt like, wow, this is some scary foreign tool. I was just like, oh, you push the pedal, the fabric moves forward. Like it, it felt intuitive to me, thanks to her. And then, oh man, but sewing really was, like, a very dormant skill. It’s not that I loved it. I just was like, oh, I know how.
I took home ec so that I could get an easy mark in the fashion portion. And there was, like, a mom at our church who taught me how to quilt, and she helped me make my very first quilt. So then that was, like, a bit more time spent with machine, but truly, it wasn’t until I got to University that I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, people are having so much fun making YouTube videos. I want to do that, too. Is there any skill that I have that is worth sharing with people because back then YouTube was so tutorial based. It was not as broad of topics as it is now. And I was just like, I guess I can sew.
And the first sewing video I made is so bad. It’s not even on my YouTube channel anymore because the technique and skill level in it is truly atrocious. I was like, I can’t share this with the internet anymore. It needs to come down. But through my, just, desire to have a YouTube channel and be willing to keep going down this road of sewing. Honestly, like, it’s like I took those little seeds that started from when I grew up. But after that it was, like, internet and brute force to turn it into, like, more and more sewing expertise like the way it is now.
And in the beginning, I love teaching. I’ve always been a person who thought, like, when I grow up, I’ll be a teacher. And then one day I realised, like, oh, if you’re good at anything, you can be a teacher. You don’t have to be, like, literally a certified teacher. And so teaching sewing was fun. I didn’t always know what I was doing, but it was this weird feedback loop where, like, the more I sewed, the more I learned, the better I got, the more confidence I had. And it just, kind of, like, kept rolling like that.
Caroline: Yeah. That’s awesome. And it’s so cool that you’ve been making videos for so long ‘cause you can really go back and see the evolution of your personal style and of your videos and the different types of content that you created. So we definitely wanna get into talking about your YouTube channel.
But before then, can you give our listeners a sense of what your personal style is? Because you do make a lot of clothes for yourself, for your videos. So what, what are they gonna get when they go to your YouTube channel?
Wendy: I would say my style is always playful. There’s an element to which the things I saw for YouTube might not even always 100% align with how I dress from day to day And it’s because, because I’m creating content I have to make something that’s at least interesting for people to watch, and so the YouTube style is definitely more amped up in its playfulness. It’s sometimes sporty, sometimes cutesy. I tried to have it be, like, fun and expressive but also very practical. I hate making things that I’m only going to wear once.
And on a personal level though, I do think I dress just, like, a lot more comfortably. But I do love dressing up for different situations and that feeling of being a chameleon. I love, like, trying to be glam one day and then trying to be sporty the next day. So, my personal style is, like, all over the place. But on my YouTube channel, I think fundamentally all the things I make are to, like, spark some kind of joy in the textile, in the silhouette, and in the colours.
Caroline: That makes a lot of sense. Yeah.
Helen: It definitely comes across. Like, there’s so many fun things on your YouTube channel, and you experiment so much, which I love. Like, you’re not afraid to try a textile you haven’t tried before.
Wendy: Oh, I am. I am afraid. I’m very, I’m very afraid
Helen: I mean, you’re afraid, but you still do it, and that’s so great. And, like, you were talking about being a teacher and you really do, you get that across when you’re doing your videos. You’re not, like, exactly telling people how to do XYZ, but you’re teaching people about fashion, and you’re teaching people about textile waste, and you’re teaching people about inspiration, and you’re encouraging them to just, like, try things, and there’s so much creative energy and joy that comes across in your videos. So yeah, we love to see it. It’s so great.
Caroline: Let’s talk a little bit more about this process and, and the fact that you’re, kind of, not afraid to…
Helen: She is afraid.
Caroline: …um, or maybe you are afraid, but you’re still.
Wendy: I’m afraid. I’m afraid.
Caroline: Okay, you are afraid, but you’re still sharing, like, the journey with you-, with your audience, you’re showing the process, a lot of the time, you’re showing the designing and the fitting, and obviously, the sewing process, including fixing mistakes, changing direction. It’s so relatable. So why do you feel it’s important to show that whole process, like, including the mishaps, including the mistakes?
Wendy: So this is the, definitely the biggest change that’s happened on my channel is I used to be so uncomfortable with showing the reality of sewing. I think it’s ‘cause I knew sewing of, out of many many hobbies that you could choose from is on the more intimidating side.
Like, you got to own a whole machine Then, you got to buy all this fabric. Then, you got to know how to use the machine to slap the fabric together. Like, when I think about people who are like, I’m gonna try crochet, and they buy one needle and one yarn. And then I’m like, yeah, sewing is terrifying in comparison to this.
So I had this pressure to make sewing seem a bit more easy. And so I was like, we got to make the videos really clean, really easy to follow. Don’t show them any of the ways they could accidentally run off track. Just be like, step A, step B, step C. And then, I think just over time, I realised I didn’t have the expertise. Like, I didn’t go to fashion school or anything, so I was like, I didn’t have the expertise to be presenting it in such a clean and, like, very godmother-like level.
I was, like, I think it will just be more true to myself and more relatable to others who watch if I show them like, yeah, these are the steps I’m trying to follow, but, but sewing is inherently full of surprises, and I thought about it, and I was like, you know, I I haven’t gone to fashion school. The vast majority of people on this planet have not gone to fashion school, but I’m down to have us all figure it out together.
So that thought process, I think, has made me more comfortable with showing downsides and then, also seeing people, like, laugh with me and enjoy the struggle I was like, oh, okay, at least we’re all getting something out of reality of sewing.
Helen: It is the reality. I mean, people get surprised sometimes when I tell them that I make mistakes, and I have to unpick things. They’re like, really? Like, of course! That is just part of sewing. It happens to all of us, all the time. So I love that you show those things. And we were wondering, how do you keep a resilient and positive attitude when you do encounter those things that don’t go according to plan?
Wendy: I was not always positive. Um, I think, like, every time I get scared of doing something new I, kind of, just tell myself, like, the time and the money I put into the raw materials is probably still much less than paying for a lesson. Maybe it’s a weird way to think of it, but in the beginning, for example, like, I would only sew with super affordable sale fabrics because it terrified me to make something horrible out of expensive fabric. And as I got more confident, I was like, okay, maybe today we’re gonna buy silk. Ah!
But and, like, I just would, kind of, talk myself out of the fear by being like, you know, if you really mess it up, that’s okay. Like, the silk costs however much per yard, and that’s still cheaper than, like, I don’t know, going to fashion school or something. I just, I don’t know if this is a weird way to think of it, but somehow that would keep me going.
It’s, like, I do have this general attitude in life as a whole which is, like, I’m not a finished product. I’m a work in progress, and so, like, it’s okay for my sewing to reflect that I’m a work in progress. You know, maybe when I’m an old granny, I will make, like, my final grand creation or something. But, like, until then, I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on myself because I want to, like, keep learning and keep being open to facing things that I don’t know and, like, learning via mistakes. As terrifying as it is.
Caroline: I actually love this idea of, like, even if you make a mistake, it’s cheaper than going to fashion school. I feel like you’re, like, “girl math-ing” your way into buying expensive fabric. You’re like, it’s basically free because I don’t have to go to fashion school.
Wendy: And I bought it last year, so right now it’s free.
Caroline: It’s free.
Helen: It’s free. The money is spent. Well and rarely are things completely gone, like, I mean, I, sometimes I finish a garment and I’m like, oh girl, this did not, this did not work at all, and then, I put it in the bin for potential refashioning later, whether that happens or not is another story, but oftentimes, mistakes are just little bumps in the road, and you can fix them, and that’s what’s so great about sewing.
Wendy: Yeah. This is why I think I continue to be so terrified to get into knitting. It’s because I think I only know how to problem solve in this sewing world. And knitting, where, like, you are assembling the garment row by row, I’m just like, wait, but how do you fix mistakes?
Caroline: Heartbreak. It’s…
Wendy: Heartbreak is how.
Helen: No, the first time I knit something and I found a mistake in, like, a row, like, 10 rows down, I panicked. But then I took it to my friend who’s a master knitter, and he was like, oh you just drop down, fix it, and then go up the column. And I was like, I didn’t even know that was possible. Like, that you can do it. It’s crazy.
Wendy: Gosh, maybe I should re-face my fear of knitting.
Caroline: I’m with you. It’s similar to sewing, but it’s also so different. And it feels like, you know, you’re learning, like, a whole new skill and making mistakes is scary again.
Helen: Yeah. Yeah. So true.
Wendy: I think maybe I’m just already too stressed out about sewing. I don’t need another.
Caroline: Yeah. Do you have any advice for our listeners for getting a good fit on a garment?
Wendy: I mean, this is why the better you get at sewing… does not correlate to you making less mistakes. It’s because, like, the better you get, the faster you work. And then the faster you work, the closer you fly to the sun. And so, like, my advice is always, like, you should slow down. You should make a mock-up before you make the final.
But just with, I feel so, like, this is just words in the wind on a good day because anyone who is, like, powering through their sewing just wants to get it right the first time. And they’re probably sewing because they have a deadline. So I’ll say it, but I understand if people don’t follow it, which is slow down and make a mock-up, but we all wanna get things done fast.
Helen: That’s true. And there’s a lot of great stuff in your videos about how to pinch things here and there, take it in a little at the seam, how to alter things. So I think there’s a lot of creating and changing on the fly, which is also great for getting a good fit.
Wendy: Yes, that’s for sure, but that’s part of slowing down to me because, like, whenever I’m in a rush, then I don’t even have time to keep trying on the garment over and over and keep, like, pinching and adjusting as I go. I’m just like, okay. Well, I’ll just go through steps 1 through 10, and then, I’ll try it on. And then I’m like, oh I should have tried it on a bit earlier.
Helen: Yeah. Yeah. Would’ve been great if I hadn’t already flat felled this seam, but whatever.
Wendy: Yes.
Helen: Well, you’ve been making YouTube videos for a long time, as we’ve already mentioned. Caroline and I actually went back as far as we could…
Wendy: No!
Helen: …um, to the early days, ‘cause…
Wendy: Why would you do that?
Helen: …we had to see, and it was so, oh, my gosh, it was so great. It was so, like, early days of YouTube style, and you were just adorable. Like, I loved it. I loved every second of it.
Wendy: Thanks, guys. I don’t even go back there. I’m like, it, it exists, but I don’t make eye contact.
Caroline: Yeah, we don’t go back to our really old episodes either.
Helen: Fair. But one of the things we were wondering is if you could tell us how your content has, kind of, evolved and changed over the years.
Wendy: Well, at the very starter level, I feel like my ability to just speak to a camera has certainly improved a lot. Like, in the beginning, I felt so terrified. I think when I look at it, I see a lot of personal growth of, like, I’ve become more confident with the camera. I’ve become more stylistically informed.
Oh, my gosh, like, when I started in university, like, my number one true north star of my fashion was just comfort. It was just, like, hoodies, sweatpants, and, like, no hate on hoodies and sweatpants, but it’s just really not a, like, broad range of fashion shapes and silhouettes. And so I see, like, skills being refined.
I think from the outside perspective, they’ll see that things went from being much more stiff and step ABC tutorial to being a, what I call now, like, a sewing adventure. It’s, like, we start at point A, we have an idea of where we want to be at the end, and we just, kind of, like, meander our way there. I share the struggles.
I honestly don’t even think I share, like, 50% of the actual struggles, because some struggles are so slow. Like, who wants to watch me seam rip, like, two metres of fabric? But yeah, I’m much more transparent and celebratory of that process, even though it pains me, even though it terrifies me. I just like that that’s out there now, so that anyone who wants to sew doesn’t feel like, am I just dumb for, like, making mistakes? It’s like, no, no, no, like, we’re all, going through that.
Caroline: Yeah. No, it is. And again, like, we’re gonna keep saying, you’re so relatable, and I think that’s why people love watching your channel is that we can, sort of, follow you on that journey and make mistakes alongside you and feel like it is okay to make mistakes. I also wonder, ‘cause you’ve been doing this for a little while, if you have, like, a favourite project that you’ve made for your channel or something that’s really resonated with your audience, um, that’s been really, really popular that you want to call out.
Wendy: Yes, this is something I never set out to have as a thing, but essentially every winter I turn a blanket that I find into some, kind of, like, jacket or garment. So I’ve now dubbed it, like, our annual blanket thrift flip. And, truly, I’m proud of every single one of them. I had this one, like, satin quilted one that I turned into a big, puffy wrap coat.
Recently, I had this, like, yellow quilted fabric that had these really pretty flowers on it. I made it into a matching coat for myself and my toddler. There was one year I found this, like, IKEA throw blanket, and I turned it into a Chanel-style, like, jacket and skirt combo. And I don’t know what it is, but I do love thrifting in the blanket section.
I, maybe, it’s just ‘cause it’s, like, basically shopping for fabric. It’s, like, a large, untouched material And yeah, well, I mean definitely a lot of that is informed by the fact that I am Canadian. It’s cold, so I love a cosy sewing project.
Helen: Yeah, you also made a jacket out of a sleeping bag, which I loved.
Wendy: Yes! Oh, my gosh.
Helen: It was so cute!
Wendy: How could I forget? Yes, that one is too warm. I will say that now. I literally have to wait until the weather report says, like, it’s a polar vortex, and I’m like, the day has come. I can wear my sleeping bag jacket because otherwise, I, like, true, I sweat buckets inside it. I’m shocked how hot that jacket is
Helen: Oh, my gosh.
Caroline: That is so funny.
Helen: It must have been hard to sew, too, because that’s bulky.
Wendy: Yeah.
Helen: Like, how did you even manage to sew those sleeves?
Wendy: Many, many needles were slain in the process, just littering the roadside.
Helen: Oh, my gosh.
Wendy: Yeah, I basically got to the point where I was like, been going well, that means any minute now the needle’s going to break again.
Helen: Yeah, you can feel it coming.
Wendy: You’re like, my machine is under stress. It’s gonna happen.
Helen: That’s the flying too close to the sun thing, right?
Wendy: Yeah. Yes. Yes.
Helen: Yeah. I love that Chanel jacket skirt combo, too, because I literally have that blanket in my house, and I’m looking at it in a whole new light. I need to go cut it up.
Wendy: I didn’t even know it was IKEA ‘cause I found it at the thrift store. And then after I finished, I posted it, and people were like, oh, my gosh, I have this IKEA blanket. And I was like, IKEA what? What did you say?
Helen: This isn’t, like, a high end designer blanket? No, we do love your thrift flips, and we’re going to talk about them a little bit later in the episode. But, we also wanted to know if you could walk us through a bit of the video making process for you. Like, how long does it take to prep and film and edit these videos that you make?
Wendy: I feel like it’s roughly two to three weeks. Like, I think back when I was doing this all by myself, and I was single, and I had no kid, I would just, like, pump them out so hard, but nowadays, especially with, like, more things in life to juggle, it’s roughly at two to three weeks, and that’s also only possible because I have a team of people helping me with filming and with editing it. Some YouTubers are quite formulaic, like, it’s, like, day one, we shoot, day two, like, we do wrap-up, day three…
I, I unfortunately have not ever reached that level of formulaic work schedule. Every day I would just wake up and look at my projects and be like, okay, what needs to be done today? And I just do my best to get done what I need to do today.
Helen: Yeah, that’s fair. And, like, that’s also part of sewing ‘cause you never know how far you’re going to make it in the process or what’s going to happen any given day.
Wendy: Oh. Oh, yeah. I definitely still have sewing optimism, where I’m like, and then I’ll whip up the top half in the morning, and in the afternoon, I’ll whip up the bottom half, and then in the evening, I’m gonna sew them together, and it’s like, evening, and I’m like, I’m done one strap.
Helen: You mentioned your team, and sometimes, we can see them in the background of your videos. And I was wondering if you’ve got folks, like, full-time hanging out at your house, working with you or what’s going on.
Wendy: No, I wish I made enough to give that, like, job and income to another person, but I don’t. I think because of my setup with, like, having a kid and having a family, I am never quite sure how full-on I want to be with YouTube, and so I always do it, kind of, like, to the degree that I find myself able, and then, beyond that, I, I am, like, a fiscally, like, cautious person.
So I’ve only ever brought on team members that I knew I could sustain. I have, like, an assistant who helps me part-time. I have two video editors who helped me part-time. And then, the newest person that I’ve added to my team helps me with my social media.
Caroline: Nice.
Wendy: One of them are full-time, and not one of them are locked in at my studio with me, suffering with me. And yeah, I’m happy with the way it is now, but I am always intrigued, like, what other setups could be possible or, like, what this could look like in the future. I think I just, like, do what makes sense right now and try to keep an open mind for what’s, what’s in the future.
Caroline: Yeah, I mean, that makes a lot of sense. And I do wonder because when I think about making videos about sewing, I personally don’t know if I could do it. ‘Cause it’s, like, one thing to sew a project, but it’s a whole other thing to be documenting…
Wendy: Yes!
Caroline: …your project along the way. And you’ve been making DIY content for a while. So I wonder if you have any, like, insider tips or tricks that you’ve learned over the years of, like, how you, sort of, make that work of, like, sewing something, but then, also documenting it and putting it out there.
Wendy: Uh, yeah, I would love to learn any tips and tricks anyone else has out there. Um, I think like, I’m reflecting on where my YouTube channel started, which was, I was at university and during the breaks, when I flew back to Calgary to spend time with my family, I would just, like, film a whole bunch of stuff with my mom’s machine, and then, bring the footage with me back to Western – that’s where I went to school.
And then I’d edit it in between classes and whatnot that I had going on at school. And that was obviously hard to sustain a YouTube channel on because I’m not even physically with a sewing machine. And when I compare that to the way it is now, I would say the biggest tip would be, like, figuring out the tools or the setup that have it so that, like, a camera is just, like, ready to go.
Because the reality is you get carried away in the sewing process, and then, you forget to film, and it’s almost like you have to make filming as easy as possible. Like, all my cameras, they only have one setting, and they just, they literally sit on that one setting the whole time so that there’s as little as possible for me to fiddle with and get going on filming a shot. But I mean, practice helps, too, but I heavily, heavily relate to whenever I see those TikToks or reels that are like, I’m going to film every step. And it’s like, oh, whoops. Sorry.
Helen: Nevermind, it’s just the very beginning and the very end.
Wendy: Yeah. Like, well, here’s what I made. Sorry I didn’t show you how it’s done.
Helen: Oh, that is a great tip though. I’m still in the phase of just, like, I have one tripod, and I just move it around with my camera everywhere around my studio, and yeah, it sucks. I should really get more cameras.
Wendy: Yeah, I had one setup at one point, I have not recreated the setup in a long time, but at one point I had one where a camera was always sitting above my head, pointed straight down at the desk, and often, I’m like, that was one of the best setups that I ever had, but like, my current desk doesn’t have, like, a bar or anything, and so I have not… I’ve forgotten about this one, but that’s one of my faves.
Helen: Hang it from the ceiling.
Wendy: So I used to have a loft bed, like, you climb up to the bunk bed and then, below it you can fit a desk. And I would have a camera suspended via its own strap from the bottom of the bed. And so after I pressed record, I would have to sit still for a moment for the camera to stop swinging. And then, I would start.
Helen: Oh, my gosh.
Wendy: So, yeah, good times.
Helen: Oh, yeah, 2010 was such a vibe. Well, everything is evolving at a very, very fast pace these days, especially social media, and it can be, kind of, exhausting. So we were wondering how you feel about keeping things fresh and how you’ve continued to thrive as a creator over the years. And how do you feel about TikTok?
Wendy: And… how do you feel about TikTok? Um, yeah, it honestly is so overwhelming the more you look at it. So I will start by saying there’s a degree to which, like, you do have to just be comfortable with your own lane. You can’t just be everything to everyone all at once. As much as, like, I’m a people pleaser, and so I want so badly to be like, I’m everywhere, I’m doing it all, but it’s, like, it’s not possible.
And so there is a degree to which making content forces you to be quite a, like, self-reflective person because you have to really decide, like, who am I, what do I value, what is important to me, and what is not important to me. And then after, kind of, creating a solid base in that area, then I just try to pay attention to see what’s happening.
I’ll try to follow different accounts that I feel like, I don’t know, have a finger on the pulse or whatever, but just figure out ways to do it that make sense for me. It’s hard, though. I think content creation is getting more and more accessible, which is so exciting, but it’s also such a volume that it’s, it’s terrifying, too.
I, I’m so curious how this will evolve over the years, and, like, especially now with a kid, I’m like, oh, what’s it gonna look like in her generation? I feel okay about TikTok, but I will say when I describe it, I, more often than not, compare it to a black hole. So that might not be like, I think that reflects, like, whether I view it positively or negatively as a whole.
Helen: I mean, no, we can’t say for sure. No, I mean, again, that’s all very relatable and who knows where this journey is going to take us, but kudos to you. You’re doing a great job. And I love the longer format on YouTube, especially for things like sewing, because it does give us the opportunity to really see the process and appreciate how much time and effort it does take. And like we were saying earlier, just to show people the reality of it so that, not to discourage them, but to actually encourage them to tackle it and know that it’s okay if it takes them a long time, too.
Wendy: Yeah, me too. I love the long form on YouTube. I think that really is my, like, the way my brain works. And so it’s what I prefer to do. And you’ve seen those, I don’t know if you guys have seen those jokes where it’s like, imagine if James Cameron was a YouTuber and it’s, like, at the end of Titanic, and he’s, like, subscribe!
It’s, like, and every, every format has its own way that it works, and, I think I just love longform. I’m trying to say, like, I want to celebrate the way each of these formats work, and it pains me to feel like one is better than the other, or whatever. I love my long form. This is why I asked someone to do my social media for me because I was like, I only have so much brain space. Please help me.
Helen: Yeah, well, that’s fair. Well, and you have all this video footage, so they’ve got lots to work with.
Wendy: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Helen: Yeah. If you remember to hit record, then you’ll be good. Alright. We’re going to take a quick break, and we’ll be right back.
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Caroline: And we’re back. Okay, Wendy, there is a specific project I’d like to talk to you about.
Wendy: I wonder what it could be.
Caroline: Because, I don’t know if you know this, but I am working on making my own wedding dress, and I saw that you made yours. Did you notice how my voice went up there? I’m making my own…
Wendy: …wedding dress!
Caroline: …and I saw that you made your own, too. So I was wondering if we could chat about it a little bit.
Wendy: I’m having that same feeling where, like, after I gave birth, I was like, I want to tell people who are expecting what to expect, but there’s a degree to which, like, you can’t tell them everything ‘cause you don’t want to, like, freak them out unnecessarily.
Helen: Oh, no.
Caroline: Well, I’m, I’m pretty deep in the process. There is no turning back at this point because it’s too late to buy a dress, so I’m in it. But yeah, I just want to know a little bit more about how that process was for you.
Wendy: Okay, there was a lot of internal turmoil in the beginning because part of me was, like, this is my one chance to purchase an item that will be specifically tailored to me, like, probably one of the nicest garments that I’ve ever gotten to wear so far in my life. And so there was a degree where I was so excited to, kind of, like, revel in and celebrate the craftsmanship of someone else.
But then I was like, well, I have a YouTube channel where I make clothes, so it also would make a lot of sense for you to make your own wedding dress. So in the end I chose to make my own, and I don’t have any regrets, so I hope that gives you some peace. But…
Helen: But…
Wendy: …but, bu, afterwards, I was like, I am never doing that again.
Helen: Hopefully, you won’t have to.
Wendy: I know. I was like, if for some unforeseen reason I ever have to go through a wedding ceremony again, I’m for sure going to revel in and celebrate the craftsmanship of another. Okay, but I say that, I said that then. However, I’m now a few years into it in, like, a new dilemma where now I’ve seen my sewing skills have increased so much that now I’m almost like, oh if I made this wedding dress now, it would look so much better than back when I made it back then. So then there’s now, like, a new temptation that’s, like, I guess if given the opportunity, I would make a dress. I don’t know. It’s, um, hopefully, I never have to, like, come to making this decision.
But, yeah, making a wedding dress, it was hard work. I would say it’s the hardest I’ve ever had to self-motivate to finish a project, and like, I was asking my partner, what, like, I have some friends who recently have decided to become content creators, and they’re like, oh Wendy, like, we’d love some advice. And I was like, oh, I wonder what my partner has to say about this because he has been watching me from his perspective, and he might see it very differently than me. And he was like, oh, his take is 50% of being a content creator is being very self-motivated.
And I was like, oh, I never thought about that as being such a big piece of what I do. But I, but I will say, like, on top of that, sewing my own wedding dress was the most self-motivated I’ve ever had to be. I had, like, friends messaging me from, like, a nearby restaurant being like, oh, my gosh. Like, the weather’s so great. Come, we’re out on this patio. And I’m like, I can’t. I have to cut and layer, like, 20 layers of tulle circle skirt. I was just like, why am I doing this?
Caroline: I totally feel you because I’m, it’s the summer right now, and I’m working on my dress, and it’s so beautiful outside, and I’m kicking myself for not making my dress when it was dreary and rainy, but I’m a procrastinator so…
Wendy: I know, I know. It’s, it’s so hard. And, like, my partner, too, was like, if you’re still working on this dress the night before our wedding, like, I don’t know. He, like, said it, like, jokingly, but he was trying to be serious about the threat. He’s like, we’re not getting married. And I was like, okay. And the night before the wedding, me and my mom are like, we’re not getting married. We’re like, ah ha ha ha. There’s, like, two witches like brewing in the sewing room.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Okay, so you were working on this dress the night before the wedding.
Wendy: Yeah. Okay. Not the night before it, but the second, the second night before.
Caroline: Okay. Oh, my gosh.
Wendy: Yes, because the night before, I was already, we got married at my in-laws’ house, in, like, their backyard. So the night before I had taken my hands off the table, and we were just chilling. But…
Helen: Oh, my gosh. That is stressful though, like, Caroline, please tell me that’s not gonna be you.
Caroline: I know that’s, like, pretty much Helen is that person for me who’s like, you’re not going to make this the night before the wedding, right? And…
Helen: Yeah. I will not marry you, Caroline.
Wendy: I refuse.
Helen: I love this idea of, like, do I really want to marry somebody who’s working on their dress the night before the wedding?
Wendy: Yeah, I’m like, why is this a deal breaker? What, what’s the problem?
Caroline: And obviously he’s still married to you, so you’re good.
Wendy: Yay!
Caroline: Okay, back to the dress though. Did you make toiles to test out your design before you worked on the final garment?
Wendy: No. I was, I was on crazy mode. It was, like, no test garments. I, just, the choices that were made, I question a lot of them, but, yeah, no test. I, like, literally one day was, like, shoot, I gotta make this top. So I had, like, a satin halter top that had, that was backless, and it had princess seams.
And had I done princess seams before? No. Um, had I worked with that weight of satin before? No. Have I ever made a slim fit bodice before? I don’t think so. And so I made it and I was like, this looks bad. My boobs look really bad. It’s bad. And then my mom shows up a few days before the wedding, and she could tell that I was already losing steam. I was reaching a point of like, it’s, it’s fine. I’ll just accept it the way it is.
And she’s like, oh my gosh, Wendy, like, okay, we’re going to give this another crack. She, like, sits there, like, seam ripping the satin, and helping me to reshape it. I don’t even know when’s the last time she did princess seams, but she, at least, had some stamina. Whereas, I was like, it’s fine. I’m just going to go lie on the ground.
Caroline: Just wrap some tulle around yourself, and you’re good.
Wendy: It’s fine. So yeah, I highly, highly, recommend to anyone who’s listening to this, please make a test garment, even though it’s not fun. And please try to get it done during not nice weather.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: Yeah. Even if you’re the kind of sewist who doesn’t like to make muslins, now is the time.
Caroline: Now’s the time.
Helen: Yeah.
Caroline: You’ve mentioned tulle. You’ve mentioned heavy satin. You’ve mentioned halter. But can you just describe your wedding dress for our listeners? And we’ll also post a pic in the show notes, obviously, but let them know what it looks like.
Wendy: Honestly, it’s a very simple silhouette and actually, what I ended up doing was first I went to go try on a super similar silhouette at a store so that I could be like, oh, okay. I’m happy with the way this looks on me. Because there’s a degree to which people, you know like the whole trying on the dress process people, kind of, discover, like, oh I didn’t realise that I liked the silhouette on me and things like that.
So I’m, like, I’m glad I at least experimented with trying on the, the perhaps finished product, and I highly recommend that to others if you, if you’re gonna make your own dress. Like, maybe go try a similar one first to be like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This, if I get here, I’ll be happy. Yeah, it was, like, a a-line tulle, like, not quite ballgown, like, uh, yeah, somewhere between a-line and ballgown. Or was it princess? Oh, no. I’ve lost all track of skirt silhouettes.
Caroline: It’s, like, a poofy skirt.
Wendy: Yeah, not ballgown, but not like bell, but like more of an A shape for sure. And then it had, like, a satin halter top with princess seams. It was backless, so I had a lot of, like, anti, gravity, kind of, I don’t know, challenges, like the waist, for example, would have to fit me just right or else way too much of the dress’s weight would be hanging on my shoulders and then you would see, like, I don’t know, like, the straps pinching my shoulders and stuff, which is not cute.
So, I’m glad I went with a more classic silhouette. And design, but I have mixed feelings when I look back on the dress sometimes I’m like, I’m so proud of myself that I did that, and other times I’m like, oh, but it hurts that now I am truly, like, miles ahead in skill level compared to back then. But it’s okay. It’s a time capsule of me and where I was at.
Helen: Yeah, and it honestly looks stunning. Like, none of that struggle is coming across.
Wendy: Aw, thanks, you guys. Yeah, this is the, this is the issue with, like, making your own clothes, is you become the one who’s hyper aware of every little stitch.
Helen: Yes. Yeah. Did you have trouble not pointing things out to people on the big day when they would compliment you on the dress? Be like, oh, but look, there’s, like, threads over here and I could have…
Wendy: No. I was able to bite my tongue for that.
Helen: Oh, that’s good.
Wendy: Yeah.
Caroline: You had enough other things going on, I guess.
Wendy: That’s true. Yeah. That’s, this is what, I, like, yeah, I mentioned this at the beginning. But yeah, like, when you make your own wedding dress, it’s super exciting, and it is quite an accomplishment. But then somehow in the grand scheme of the whole wedding, there’s a bit of relief in discovering that it was not, like, the, for some reason, like, the one pillar holding up the whole wedding or something. You were relieved to discover there were many more exciting things going on.
Helen: There’s a whole ceremony. Did you know that?
Wendy: And this person I married. Yeah.
Caroline: Okay, so one more question about the dress. I wonder how it felt to take on such a huge project like this, and also then document it for YouTube.
Wendy: Uh, I, uh, it’s so, I find this stuff difficult. I think I’m, like, relatively, kind of, like, a, I don’t know how else to put it. I feel like I’m, kind of, like, a thin-skinned person where, like, the comments that other people make I’ll try to be like, everyone’s entitled to their own thoughts, but to a degree, it affects me, and it makes me scared to read a potential comment that is, like, negative or I, I definitely feel like my audience can, like, read this vibe from me because everyone is almost always so nice.
So I’m like, thank you. Thank you guys for treating me with, with gentleness. I really appreciate it, and so yeah, like, there’s a degree to which people will already have their own, kind of, judgments about, like, even if you bought your wedding dress alone people would have their own comments on, like, whether they like the dress or didn’t like the dress, and so that’s already in the mix, and then, on top of that, like, fearing that they’ll be like, oh, she made her own dress, and it doesn’t even look good.
But, of course, that’s, like, a very antagonistic way to think about it. And I think the real life outcome was I felt super accomplished. I felt happy to share it. There was one day I was in my building going up in the elevator and then, someone was like, oh, are you Wendy? And I was like, whoa, like, yeah.
And then she was like, I made my own wedding dress because I watched your video of you making your own wedding dress, and that was mind-blowing to me that, like, my journey was not horrific enough that other people wanted to go down that road, too. And so, like, what I’m saying is, as you approach it, I found I was quite scared, but then, as you exit it, it’s like, I’m proud of myself. I did that.
Caroline: And the end result was absolutely gorgeous. You looked amazing.
Wendy: Thanks, guys!
Caroline: The dress turned out awesome. I hope my dress looks as amazing as yours did.
Wendy: It’s going to be so great. I’m, I’m, I’m super looking forward to it. It’s, like, the freedom of creativity to do it yourself means it feels like a very true expression of self.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: Definitely. Yeah. And I know, Caroline, you were feeling similarly about whether or not to buy versus make, but then you’re like, but I have a sewing podcast and a fabric store. Like, I have to make my dress.
Wendy: I must.
Caroline: Yeah, yeah, there is that, that pressure is real. It really is. Even if it’s not, like, rooted in actual reality where, like, no one’s going to come up to me and be like, why didn’t you make your wedding dress?
Wendy: How dare you?
Caroline: But at the back of your mind, you’re like, well, people are probably thinking it though, you know? So…
Wendy: Like, there’s that fear of looking back and having regret of like, ah…
Caroline: So no regrets, and I swear I’m almost done. It is August, so I’m, like, six weeks away from the wedding. It’s not the night before.
Wendy: I’m super, yeah, I’m super excited for you because “almost done” were not words in my vocab when I was roughly a month away from my wedding.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Well, thank you so much for sharing. I think, selfishly, I loved hearing all about that process, but let’s talk about some of the other content that you make for your YouTube channel. One of the things we’ve loved seeing is how you make your own versions of designer garments. So we wanted to just ask a little bit about that. Have you always been interested in high fashion?
Wendy: No, I would say, I’m such a comfort person at my core, and I didn’t grow up with any interest in high fashion or luxury goods. Like, honestly, so much of what I know about it has just come from more recently being a person who likes to read up about fashion history and learn more about the business of fashion.
But it probably came about because I do love to examine how things are made, and this might be like the more engineering side of me. So when I went to Western I studied engineering, and I studied business, and I think this engineering side of me is fascinated by, like, taking clothes and flipping it inside out and being like, oh, that’s a really interesting pocket. What order of operations did they use to get to this so that, like, the seams are invisible? Or things like that.
And once I became a person who was more interested in how garments are made, I think, kind of, like, veering towards high fashion became inevitable because between, like, fast fashion and a garment that took a really long time to make, you can see the varying levels of effort, and you just start noticing the details that make something look nice versus the details that make something look sloppy, and I think that is, the route that I came about it. I would not say I’m, like, by any means, like, a high fashion expert or snob, I just… If something looks nice, I’m like, huh, what’s going into it that makes it look nice?
Caroline: Mhm. And what does that process look like for you when you are reverse engineering these designer clothes? Are you actually going into a store and, like, trying something on or looking at the construction?
Wendy: Yes, I used to, I’m a pro level window shopper. Like, I’m the person who can walk through a whole mall without pulling out my wallet. And all I’m doing is, like, flipping things and looking inside out.
I think during, like, my teenage and, or maybe university years, if I went to the mall with friends, I would, they’d be trying clothes on, and I’d be, like, poking at the clothes and, like, flipping them while they’re on the rack and then, the salesperson’s like, oh, would you like to try that on? And I’m like, no, I’m good.
Um, and then the other thing I think that’s more practical is that when I approach my own projects, I try to write out all the steps before I start. And in that process, I discover those moments where it’s like, oh, next I’m going to do this, and then, I sit there and I’m like, wait, how’s that possible?
And I’ll find that I write the steps, but then, I’ll, like, reorder them so that it makes sense. And it’s, kind of, like, I feel like I’m coming at it from a lot of directions, like, what’s the end goal, where am I starting, and just, like, trying to figure out, oh, I have to do this first before I do this.
I will say, like, an example of my skill level in increasing this area is starting out, I absolutely would not touch lining with a 10 foot pole. I was just so terrified by the prospect of having, like, two layers of fabric to worry about instead of just one. But then, now that I’ve gotten more into lining I, kind of, get it a lot more.
And so now I find myself watching fancy videos of people showing how they do, like, fancy pockets, or, like, these, like, zipper closures with a flap of fabric hiding it, or, like, how people sew flies, and I’m just like, okay, this is a whole new level of, like, order of operations that is very interesting to me.
Helen: It is so fun watching you go through this process in part because you are just, sort of, following your heart, and you’re figuring out your own steps and your own process, and you’re sharing all of that with us. And one of the things I’ve noticed is that you don’t use a lot of patterns.
Wendy: Yeah.
Helen: So can you tell us a little bit about your experience using patterns or maybe your desire to not use patterns?
Wendy: I want to say I’m not anti-pattern. Actually, I would say I’m pro-pattern. And growing up, I really liked sewing from patterns but there’s this weird dynamic on YouTube where I’m making something that’s accessible to everyone on the internet. But the pattern might not be. And so, because I was trying to make videos that could suit a wider range of audience, I would show people like, oh, you could roughly estimate the size of this piece from an existing shirt that you own. Because then I’m talking about something that they might actually have.
Lately, because my sewing has gotten more technical and more like the fit has specific, I find I’ve come back towards patterns. I discovered this tool, the creator of this tool emailed me about it a few years ago called Lutterloh, and it’s, like, a sewing kit that uses the golden rule to measure your bust and your hips and from there extrapolate, like, a whole giant catalogue of patterns.
Helen: Oh!
Wendy: Um, yeah, and I, I love this tool. I wish I could, like, give it to all of my followers for free ‘cause it’s been so helpful to me, but I am a pattern person at heart. I think it’s just easier when I think in 2D.
Helen: Yeah. No, and you do make patterns. I love watching you rub off ready to wear and show people how to copy things in their own closet. I think that’s so fun, and it is a lot more accessible to folks. So it totally makes sense that you, that you go that route. But it’s, it’s really fun watching you extrapolate pattern pieces from just looking at a picture on the internet. And I especially love when you take suggestions from your followers. People are like, make this dress. And then you’re like, okay, I’ll try.
Wendy: Yeah. I love taking their input ‘cause it’s, kind of, gets me out of my own head for a moment. We’re, like, the internet can really, like, give you tunnel vision sometimes where the algorithm just keeps showing you the stuff that you seem to be interested in. So I love hearing from my audience and seeing what they’re doing.
Helen: Is there a particular designer piece that you dream of making that you haven’t had a chance to make yet?
Wendy: I do think, I don’t think of it as much as, like, specific designer pieces, but more so, like, what parts of the fabric store have I not really touched. Yeah, because I love going to the fabric store and looking around at the different sections. And I think one section that comes to mind that I always like to look at, but I don’t think I’ve ever purchased in, is the tweed section.
Oh, my gosh. I love how tweeds look, but I just, I don’t, I don’t know what it is. It doesn’t feel super practical for day-to-day life that we have in Canada. But I would love to find the right tweed to make something there. I would love to make, like, a really nice wool pea coat. That’s, like, something very intimidating to me.
Between the tweed and the wool you can see, like, suiting is, kind of, like, the scary territory for me. And I also am interested in, like, all the construction that goes into strapless dresses. So yeah, I would say anything that involves sewing with a material or technique that I haven’t tried before, those are the things that I’m, like, working up the courage towards.
Helen: I love that plan. It’s so fun to think about the areas of the sewing store that you never get to buy from. Like, I’m thinking of, like, faux fur and sequins and fun things like that. Yeah.
Wendy: Yeah, yeah, I have tackled faux fur and sequins.
Helen: Oh, nice.
Wendy: Tweed. Tweed is there.
Helen: And do you still have tiny little bits of sequins and fur everywhere all over your studio?
Wendy: It has been long enough that that’s not the case. I have my cat fur.
Helen: Right.
Wendy: And I mean, we’ve lived in this house for just over a year. And so I don’t think I’ve been here long enough to pull out the crazy fabrics yet.
Caroline: Okay, well, speaking of crazy fabrics, you also, kind of, treat the thrift store as a fabric store in some ways ‘cause you do some really awesome thrift flips, and we just love them so much. They’re so elegant. So we wanted to ask you how you elevate thrifted fabrics and secondhand garments.
Wendy: Okay, first of all, that’s, that’s very nice, so thank you. I definitely feel a lot of apprehension on the inside when I’m doing my thrift flips. Yeah, I think I, because I learned how to sew from my mom, it was all very oriented towards starting with a raw piece of fabric. And actually, weirdly enough, thrift flips really intimidated me because I don’t know what it is.
I think my brain just didn’t work that way, but as I got into it I realised, oh, my gosh. This is amazing because if you find the right item someone else has already done, like, 50% of the work. They’ve already finished your shoulder seams and whatever. So I’m a huge fan of thrift flipping now and making it look nice.
I would say the difference between early thrift flips and now is I’m much, much better. This is going to sound so technical and specific, but I would say I’m much, much better at finishing the hems nicely. Like, if you can’t tell where the sewing machine messed with it, that’s, kind of, the ideal outcome so it’s like finishing the hem so that it looks as much like the other hems that already exist or just, like, trying to do it in as clean of a way as possible.
And I also think, whenever I finish the projects, because I am making it for content, I take a lot of pride in trying to find a nice background or situation to take, kind of, like, the modelling photos, and sometimes I don’t even believe in a thrift flip until I get to the point where I’m taking the finished photos And I’m like, oh, okay. Yeah. Oh, all right. Okay, this looks okay.
So yeah, I love that part and a lot of my viewers comment too that something that they love about my channel and my content is, like, the effort that I put into selling the finished garment.
Helen: Mhm.
Caroline: That attention to detail is so key. I think when you’re upcycling or thrift flipping ‘cause I feel like we’ve all been to a thrift store and, like, looked at something and been like, ooh, somebody hemmed that. Like, you can tell, you know, like, if you see the, like, thread doesn’t match or it’s, like, a little crooked and you, sort of, see that, like, maker’s mark almost on the thrifted garment.
So having that, taking that time to match the thread or to really measure things out and make sure that you’re just paying attention to those little details, I think that can go a long way in having those thrift flips turn out to be elegant and looking like, you know, real finished garments.
Wendy: Mhm. Yeah, totally.
Caroline: What do you look for when you go to a thrift store? Like, do you have a certain section that you go to or do you just, kind of, like, follow your heart and pick out the fabrics you like?
Wendy: I usually go in with a plan so that I don’t get overwhelmed by all the stuff. Like I mentioned, I love to look in the blanket section, so much so that I’m pretty sure the latest blanket that I thrift flipped, I found in the middle of summer, and my, like, husband saw me walking towards the cashier holding, like, a gigantic quilted blanket, and he was like, oh, my gosh. Like, you’re gonna carry that home? It’s so hot outside.
And so, I love to look there, and then, beyond that, I find I am a person who just purely gravitates towards colours, patterns, and textures. It’s, like, it has to have the right or exciting thing going on in one of those three for me to even get to the point where I touch it and pull it out to see what is this object. I like to look in all the sections.
Maybe the one I look in the least, I would say, would be, like, athletic wear because I don’t own a coverstitch machine. I don’t know what it is. It scares me. But yeah, like, men’s shirts, that’s, like, a very classic thrift flip department. I love to look at all the women’s clothes. I look everywhere. But if I want to be focused, I’ll go in with a plan like, today I want to find a long sweater that I can turn into a cropped cardigan with a matching tank top. And then that way, like, I’ll, at least, start there. And then, if I’m in the mood, I might expand to other sections and see what’s there.
Caroline: Awesome. Those are great tips. Thanks for sharing. Okay, we want to talk a little bit about draping.
Wendy: Oh, boy.
Caroline: Um, switching gears here because we know that you do this from time to time, and we actually don’t get a chance to talk about draping very much on the pod.
Wendy: That’s true.
Caroline: Yeah, so when you’re planning to make a garment, how do you decide whether you’re going to use, like, a flat pattern making technique or whether you’re going to drape on a mannequin?
Wendy: Vast majority of time, speaking for myself, it is flat pattern. And I think that’s just ‘cause that’s the way my brain works. Draping? I feel compelled to give my history with draping, which is, oh, my gosh. I don’t ever want to come off as a draping expert because this is the real story. I was going to be on a reality TV show conte-, sewing contest. And I was, like, so scared at first when they were like, do you want to be on a reality TV show as a contestant for sewing? I was like, so fun.
And then as the day approached, I was like, I’m, why did I agree to this? I’m so stressed out, and then, on top of that, like, all week I had been battling, like, a horrible stomach flu. So I was like, I don’t want to be miked. I don’t want to have to go to the bathroom while I’m miked. Like, please spare me this agony.
So I was so scared. And so, like, I started cramming as some sort of coping mechanism. And I literally just, like, went on YouTube. I found someone named Nick Verreos, who, I think he used to be a Project Runway contestant, and he had videos on how to drape. I literally watched him and was just like, in case I need to do this on the show, I’m just going to glue my eyeballs to the screen to absorb this.
And so that, that is my intro to draping. And I did use it, like, within a few days on the show. And I was like, oh, my gosh, the fact that I’m sitting here trying to do this thing that I only watched someone else do, and I’ve never done before myself is maniacal. Um, but
Helen: I bet the producers were just like, yes!
Wendy: Well, they saw, they saw how stressed I was as a whole, and I think they were already thriving off of that.
Helen: Oh, my gosh.
Wendy: But yeah, like, if you’re new to sewing, I think, my personal take is that flat pattern is a much more approachable way to go about sewing a garment if you’re brand new. And it’s because there’s an element to which it looks, it’s, like, more ready to show you as a picture what is happening.
Whereas with draping, it’s harder to encapsulate in a visual textbook manner what the heck to do when you’re draping because the whole point of draping is to, like, let the fabric interact with the form and gravity, and so, like, depending on what fabric you’re using, the way it’s going to fall down is different.
And then, I also think a flat pattern is easier for beginners because you can figure out ways to, like, cut your fabric really economically so it’s not as costly to make a garment. Whereas with draping, it’s like you just start with a giant rectangle and then, kind of, like, snip and whittle away to get to the form that you want. So there is, I find, a bit more waste when it comes to draping.
Caroline: Yeah, it’s like the fabric is, kind of, your paper, right?
Wendy: Yeah, you’re just like, you pin it, and then, you let it fall, and then, you pin it in another spot, let it fall, and so in some ways it’s more intuitive. It’s like you’re listening to the fabric, and you get to really see how it’s going to interact with gravity. And then the downside is, like, it’s so much harder to learn and explain how to do this, because it’s just not, something that’s easy to capture, like, a textbook, I find.
Helen: Yeah. It’s the kind of thing you have to do in order to really experience and learn how to do it, which is intimidating for folks who like to do a bunch of reading or whatnot before they even dive in. But it sounds like the kind of thing, you just gotta put your hands on it and try.
Wendy: Yeah, and you need fancier tools. You, like, you need a dress form. I know people can make their own dress forms, of course, but that still takes a lot of time and effort. But you need a dress form that matches the body you’re trying to make the clothes for. Loads of pins and unpinning. I think, like, as I start to make, if there comes a time where I’m making more, like, fancy dresses or stuff like that, I can see myself getting more into draping.
Caroline: Yeah. It’s so funny that you mentioned reality TV because I feel like on, like, Project Runway or Drag Race or, like, anywhere where you see people sewing, like, on a deadline so much of it is, like, they’re, like, pinning fabric to a dress form…
Wendy: Yes!
Caroline: …and, like, draping seems to be, like, so popular in these shows. But then, in reality, there is that barrier to entry. You need that, that dress form. And then also it’s just, like, not that easy to do. That’s not really what most sewists do, I think. But it is really fun. I remember doing draping in school, and I’ve always wanted to come back to it because it’s just that tactile satisfaction versus, like, drafting on paper feels just like you don’t really get to see the full garment right away.
Wendy: Yeah. Yeah. You have to wait ‘til you get to a certain point and then you can see like, oh, how does it hang on my body?
Helen: Yeah, but I have noticed in your videos that you do use your dress form a lot just for fitting and visualising the end goal and figuring out, you know, where you’re going to take things in or manipulate things a bit. So it’s, sort of, like draping light.
Wendy: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love my dress form. I feel like I use her far more for other things than for draping. Like when I’m pinning on sleeves, I like to do it with the dress form. ‘Cause then it’s like she’s holding up the garment for me while I pin. And I guess also because I’m often making up a design, she helps me think about, like, is it gonna look good? Or if I’m too lazy to try on an item, like, she can, kind of, stand in for me. Or if something’s not at the point where it can be tried on, but it could be pinned onto something, then, yeah,
Caroline: So what’s her name?
Helen: Yeah, I was gonna ask the same.
Wendy: I’m so uncreative. I’m pretty sure her name is, I just still refer to her as my Judy.
Helen: That’s cute.
Caroline: Thank you, Judy.
Helen: Yeah.
Wendy: Thank you, Judy, for all your service.
Helen: Well, at the top of the show, you mentioned that you have a little toddler, and we would love to know a little bit about what life is like sewing with a toddler around and creating content because I know we have a lot of listeners out there with kids so they can relate.
Wendy: Yes, I was so curious about this before having a child, as well, because literally before having a kid, it’s not that this was healthy, but with me and my content, I would just work, work, work, work, work until borderline, like, collapsing level of exhaustion. I think I honestly saved enough energy to cook dinner and then, just, like, sit on the couch with my partner for the whole evening and go to bed.
And then, once I had a kid, I was like, no, no. That bad. No. Cannot do that. Must save energy for this boundless energy child. And so there’s this weird degree now of, like, you can’t sew until you’re, like, totally beat or anything. In some ways, it’s been nice to sew but end on, like, a positive note instead of end on, like, a I can’t go on anymore. I’m just gonna go to sleep and come back to this project tomorrow.
I mean I sew, when it was early days and she, it was just, like, me and my mat leave, I would sew while she was napping. And then, sometimes I could sew while she was awake, too, like, she would watch me. One time I brought her up to my table in her high chair and she was, like, so enthralled with what was happening, which was super cute. And lately, she’s, actually been so much more interested in what I do because she’ll come in and see the machine.
She loves telling me to turn on the machine, turn off the machine, and, like, the, the, like, guide light, like, flickers on and off for her, and she, that excites her. And then, recently, she really wanted to see me use my overlock. So then I pulled out a scrap fabric, and we made a little bag together that she took and turned into a sleep sack for one of her dolls. Yeah, so it’s, like, very interesting to see the interest she takes and, of course, I have friends who will send me Reels that are, like, my three-year old using the sewing machine.
I’m like, okay guys, I know. I know. This is what you want from me. I see it. I don’t want to pressure her in that direction, but if she’s interested in learning how to use the machine, like, I’m more than happy to show her. I will say, like, from a content creation or, like, sewing full-time perspective, like, it just was even though I say, like, I could sew while she’s napping, or maybe while she’s awake, the reality is, like, once she started daycare, it was much more feasible to really, like, get invested in a project. So until the daycare started, it was very, touch and go. I didn’t have any deadlines. I would just be like, oh, I’d sew if I feel like it, type of thing.
Helen: Yeah, well, and the energy thing you were talking about, I imagine is a big challenge, just trying to conserve some energy for that creative process, which takes a lot out of you. So, yeah, I’m glad to hear that you’ve got daycare now and that you have a bit more time.
Wendy: Yes. I love daycare.
Helen: Yay for daycare. And what about sewing for your little one? Have you made projects for her?
Wendy: Yeah, I will say making clothes for little kids is motivating because everything’s tiny and cute. So first I made her, like, a little bonnet, the type that it’s, like, a little knit bonnet that ties under the chin ‘cause then, oh, my gosh, I don’t know what it is. But, like, when there’s a newborn, suddenly, like, a flood of little newborn hats show up.
But none of them have a chin strap, so, like, none of them stay on very well. And so I was like, oh, I’m gonna make her a cute little bonnet, to keep her head warm. And then when I made this one picnic dress out of a white bedsheet that had, like, little blue flowers, I made a matching one for her. This was for her first birthday.
And then, last winter I made us matching jackets from a quilted blanket. I do think, I thought I would have made a lot more things for her by now, but yeah, as it stands, I think I’ve made three and then, a part of it I think is just, like, I get so much clothes for her secondhand that it’s not anywhere near sewing out of necessity.
It’s more, like, sewing because you want to, because something’s cute. And so I have been making plans to start live streaming where I just sew little dresses and stuff for her because that way it’s exciting to me because I can feasibly finish within a live stream since every single stitch is so much shorter on a small garment.
Helen: Yeah.
Wendy: And then, also, like, I like how I can, like, spend crafting time with my viewers, but then, also, it’s motivating enough that, like ,I’ll get to do something that I’ve wanted to do, but it’s often hard to find the time to do.
Helen: Yeah. And I feel like just fitting all of the pieces into the camera frame is easier.
Wendy: Yeah. True. Yeah. I’ll be like, I’m gonna sew from point A to point B, and you can clearly see both of those points because they’re, like, 10 centimetres apart.
Helen: Oh, my gosh. Well, I love that you put her in some of your videos because, golly, she is so cute. I can’t even believe it. She’s so cute.
Wendy: Aww. She is so cute. Lately I’ve been feeling like, I had a mental, kind of, like, end point in my mind of like, I’ll show her if she’s like a little baby, but there is a point where I’m like, as she becomes her own personhood, I want to, kind of, like, remove her from that so that she can feel like she grew up without feeling like her, her face was on the internet or whatever.
Helen: That’s fair.
Wendy: So, yeah, now we’re in this phase now where I’m a lot more measured about sharing her ‘cause I don’t, I don’t know. I have no idea what it will be like for her generation to grow up being so on the internet because for us we all, kind of, like, got to choose when we started posting pictures or whatever and even though we got to choose, there’s still plenty of cringe created, and so…
Helen: Yeah. It’s true.
Wendy: I’m just like, oh, man. Like, the world that they’re going to inhabit is so strange.
Caroline: Yeah. Mhm.
Helen: Yeah. It is, going to be different. And of course, you’re going to make the decision that’s right for you and your family. And it sounds like you’re thinking very conscientiously about that, so that’s awesome.
Wendy: It is hard. I don’t judge any other parents and how they, how they go about it because it’s, like, their own kid and their own family. And so, yeah, these are just the things you’ve got to think about once you, I don’t know, take this step.
Helen: Well, it’s really encouraging to see you starting a family and maintaining your channel and maintaining your creativity and all that good stuff. So we’re all just very excited to see what’s next for you.
Wendy: Yeah, I’m excited, too. I think, like, YouTube, the digital world, there has definitely been a lot of changes over the year, and they’re very subtle, but they’re very interesting to think about, and I’ve seen how different types of content that I used to make doesn’t work as well now, but then there’s, like, new types of content that I could make that people seem to gravitate towards.
So I would say right now I feel like I’m in more of an experimentive period where I just, like, try new things and see how people feel about it. I’ve been trying to dive a lot more into doing some fashion research so that I can approach different topics with, like, a little bit more knowledge on the background or, like, how things came to be. I recently made a video talking all about gingham and people seem to really be interested in that.
Helen: Yeah, that was so great with the Barbie movie. I really liked that video.
Wendy: Yeah. Yeah. Gingham the the power it has over. I mean, I guess it’s, kind of, like, who, who doesn’t like gingham? And, uh, I also, I think, like, inherently as part of parenting and content creation, I think a lot about, like, if we were to have a second kid, what would it look like to still exist as, like, someone who sews and, and makes their own clothes on the internet. And yeah, these days I feel like I deal with a lot more adult challenges or balances. And so…
Helen: You’re all grown.
Wendy: Yeah, I do joke, like, so, this year I became a Bernina ambassador…
Helen: Ooh. Congrats.
Wendy: with… Yeah. Yeah. It was very, very exciting, and they invited us to their office for a retreat to get really familiar with their assortment of machines and also to meet the other Canadian ambassadors. And quite a few of them were retired and, like, quilting and sewing and, like, super excited about their projects, and honestly, hanging out with them made me feel, like, my real renaissance is when I’m, like, an empty nester, and I can just sew whenever I want, so there’s a degree to which I’m like, okay. Like, there’s still, I have no idea what’s coming up in the next few years?
I know I love sewing and I want to keep doing it and sharing that that growth, but then, I’m also like, oh, but I have this exciting thing to look forward to where, like, I really hope I’m, like, a little old granny and still having fun sewing on the internet.
Caroline: That’s so lovely. And it’s so true. We hear from a lot of listeners who tell us that they didn’t sew for many years and then came back to it and fell back in love with it. So it’ll always be there for you at whatever stage you want to jump back deep into it if you want.
Wendy: Yes.
Helen: Sewing definitely comes in seasons. We talk about that a lot on the show, and it’s totally okay to focus on having a family. I mean, come on. That’s, like, a big deal. So take your time and enjoy it. And yeah, it is always going to be there for you. So we’re just excited to see where it takes you next as we’ve touched on so much this episode, like, you channel is so relatable, and watching you navigate having a kid and maintaining your channel is part of that, and it’s really a joy to watch. So keep it up.
Wendy: Thanks, you guys.
Helen: A little pep talk for the day.
Wendy: I really appreciate it.
Caroline: Well, thank you so much for joining us. It was so fun to catch up with you and talk about your YouTube. Can you tell our listeners where they can find you online and all the places?
Wendy: Yes, for sure. So on YouTube, just look up With Wendy, and you’ll see all the wild and crazy things that I have created. Many of them are not wild and crazy. I promise there’s lots of cute everyday stuff you can enjoy, too. I’m also on Instagram under @WithWendy. I am more recently on TikTok, too, which is @IAmWithWendy.
But yeah, if you follow on YouTube, follow on Instagram, you’ll definitely be in the know of the new things I’m making. And really everything I’m doing is just hoping to inspire people to make their own clothes or, like, explore the way what they wear relates to their own self-expression and who they are and, just shedding the norms of, like, how you’re supposed to dress and just, like, having fun with clothes
Caroline: Oh, that’s so awesome. We’re such big fans of yours. I know our listeners are going to be so pumped to hear from you today. So thank you so much for taking the time and we’ll include all those links in the show notes, of course, listeners, so you can go explore. But thanks so much, Wendy.
Wendy: Thank you guys. It’s so nice. I really appreciated that I got to just talk sewing for a little bit.
Helen: Yes, the best topic.
Caroline: All right. Bye.
Wendy: Bye.
Caroline: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.
Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.
Caroline: You can head to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at hello@LoveToSewPodcast.com
Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the PodCabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.
Caroline: Buh-bye.
Helen: Bye.
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