In this episode, we’re sharing stories from long-time sewists! The sewists featured in this episode have been sewing for over 40 years – but some have been sewing for over 60. Wow! They share their sewing memories, advice, and perspectives on changes in the sewing world.
The transcript for this episode is on this page at the end of the show notes.
Show Notes:
Previous episodes mentioned:
Photos from the contributors to this episode:
Aileen’s cornflower maternity overalls
Aileen’s heirloom sewing
Catherine’s gown
Resources:
Sewing Patterns:
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.
Hello and welcome to Love to Sew! I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.
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, and it’s all we’re going to talk about for the rest of time.
Helen: In this episode, we’re sharing stories from longtime sewists. The sewists featured in this episode have been sewing for over 40 years, but some have been sewing for even 60 or more! Wow! They share their sewing memories, advice, and perspectives on changes in the sewing world.
Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show. Hi,Helen.
Helen: Hi, Caroline.
Caroline: How are you?
Helen: I’m well, thanks. How are you?
Caroline: I’m good. This is a good episode.
Helen: I know.
Caroline: It’s so good. Some good listener, feedback, voicemails, emails. Oh, my gosh.
Helen: Yeah, this was really a treat. I’m so glad we decided to do this episode. It was lovely to hear from all of our longtime sewing listeners. lots of different perspectives, such amazing response. We’re so excited to share these wonderful stories with you. We laughed, we cried, we saw ourselves in 25 to 35 years still sewing, still podcasting, I mean, we’ll see.
Caroline: Maybe.
Helen: We wish we could share every single one of the wonderful responses we got, but this is not a five hour long podcast. Maybe we’ll do a part two. Let us know if you’re interested, but we do want to give a big thank you to all the longtime sewists who responded and shared their stories. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We loved hearing from you.
Caroline: Yeah. I loved reading through all of the responses, and I also loved reflecting on long time sewists who are in my life or who, are in my, like, ancestry, I guess, like my grandmother who sewed for her whole life and worked for a tailor. And I also loved thinking about how long I’ve been sewing for, which is approximately 25 years, maybe 20 to 25 years. I started when I was, like, 9, maybe 9 or 10, so…
Helen: I’m in the same boat. I think I’m just more in denial about how old I am.
Caroline: Yeah. I am 34.
Helen: It’s true. That adds up pretty quickly.
Caroline: It does, and it’s, it’s pretty wonderful to think about another 20 to 25 years of sewing again in my future.
Helen: Yes! Definitely. And I was thinking about how many articles of clothing these people have.
Caroline: Oh, yeah.
Helen: Or have had throughout their journey.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. And where are those articles of clothing now?
Helen: Ooh. That’s a good thought.
Caroline: Probably in thrift shops or handed down to family and friends. Let’s just think about it that way and not the possibility of…
Helen: Yeah.
Caroline: …only the good things.
Helen: Maybe in a box in the attic, you know, just waiting for someone to stumble upon it.
Caroline: That’s true, to be discovered.
Helen: Yeah.
Caroline: Yeah, I like that.
Helen: Not eaten by moths, it’s totally fine.
Caroline: No, definitely not.
Helen: But yeah, all the garments, all the style evolutions that many of these long time sewists have experienced, all the different decades. I love thinking about all of that stuff. And there’s some common threads, if you will, throughout these voicemails, too.
Caroline: For sure.
Helen: It was just really great to hear everyone’s perspective. So what do you say? Do you want to get right into it?
Caroline: Yeah, I think we need to. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. So our first message is from Annie, and it’s a voicemail.
Annie: Hi, Helen and Caroline. It’s Annie from Melbourne, Australia. And I’ve been sewing for 50 plus years, starting with making dolls clothes when I was little. And I think my top tip is to treasure the seam allowance. The number of times my body’s changed in those five decades is huge with having four kids.
And I always treasure the fact that you can undo the sides and take advantage of those few millimetres on each seam extra to add up to a few centimetres overall to make something last a bit longer. Or if you buy something from the op shop and there’s seam allowance you think, yes, I can make this fit me. Thanks for your show. I love it.
Caroline: Hi, Annie! This is the honest truth, and if you have an inkling that you might change sizes over time, which most of us do, you can even leave a wider seam allowance and finish it separately to make it easier on your future self. We talked about that in our sewing for a changing body episode, and then, all you have to do to let it out is to rip out the seam and sew it back up.
Helen: Oh, it’s so true, there’s been many times where I have grown out of a garment and wished that I had left more of a seam allowance or finished my seams separately because then it would be so easy, but instead I have this difficult task of adding fabric in some way, so thank you for this very helpful reminder, Annie.
Alright, next up we have a story from Karina: “I’ve been sewing for 45 years. I’m 55 now. My top lesson is to embrace unpicking. If it needs fixing, fix it. Once I learned that unpicking is part of the process, comments about my me-made clothes went from, did you make that? obviously looking homemade, to, where’d you buy that from? My clothes started to look well made, not homemade.
“Also, pressing every seam makes a huge difference. I love that the new technology in sewing machines makes sewing just that little bit easier. Every finished project is my latest favourite, but probably my most favourite make was the first time I made hubs a pair of jeans. He struggles to get jeans to fit off the rack, so I surprised him with a pair tailored made just for him. Warning, now he expects me to make all the pants.
“I can’t imagine my life without sewing. I love it so much and buying fabric is totally, although absolutely related, a separate hobby. I have fabric from last century still waiting to be used, and I’m still learning to use the fabric.
Caroline: Hi, Karina. It’s so true that unpicking is absolutely a part of the process, and you have to accept that it is part of the process. And for the vast, vast majority of seams and fabrics, unpicking and resewing isn’t a huge deal. Maybe unless there’s, like, a lightning stitch involved.
Helen: Stitch of doom. Stitch of doom.
Caroline: Stitch of doom. And no one should feel bad about having to do it. People who draw have erasers, people who sew have seam rippers. Mistakes are almost always fixable. Also, love the tip about pressing as you go. It really does have a huge impact on the way the finished garment looks.
Helen: Yes. Oh, my gosh. So true. And I was thinking as I was reading it about, you know, the phrase, like, I wear the pants in the relationship. What about “I make the pants in the relationship”?
Caroline: That’s powerful.
Helen: That’s powerful.
Caroline: I’m into it.
Helen: That’s powerful. Yeah.
Caroline: Okay, now we have a few stories from Lynn: “I’m 67 years old and have been sewing in some form for 60 years. I started sewing clothes for myself at around age 11. I’ve sewn everything from wedding dresses, two of them, to Barbie tents and everything in between. I had a custom dressmaking business and a drapery workroom when I was a stay-at-home mom.
“I’m now retired from my career in accounting services, but over the years I’ve taught adults and children to sew in extension classes for the local school board and community organisations. I also taught workshops as a MacPhee instructor for several years. I don’t do much on IG, but I’m active in three sewing guilds and Pattern Review.
“Sewing is my passion. I managed to keep sewing when I became a mom at 33. My son was very good at entertaining himself with special toys I kept in my attic sewing room. For safety, he started out in a playpen as there was a steep open staircase.
“We lived near an historic site, and they held a Fleece to Fabric Frolic. They showed the entire process of cloth creation. Michael was fascinated watching the sheep shearing, and it had a big impact. I don’t know how many times he brought me the little plastic sheep from his Fisher Price farm set for a haircut. I fake sheared that sheep with my thread snips. Such a nice memory.
“Years ago, sewing guru Donna Salyers designed a line of Fabulous Furs, fake fur coats in various styles that used every detail of a custom made coat in high quality fur. Details included satin linings, elasticated inner storm cuffs, inner ties, labels, and monograms. She sold both patterns and kits. I was obsessed and made a mink coat. I even went to my friend’s house to use her top of the line Pfaff to add my own label and monogram.
“My playgroup moms decided to go out for dinner, so I dressed up and wore my coat. They were all about 10 years younger than me and decided to go clubbing after dinner. In my fur, I stood out like a sore thumb and felt like a madame with my stable of girls. I went home early and left them to their own devices, never wore the coat again, and donated it. The bonus is, I used the fur remnants to make a Big Bad Wolf costume, the best Halloween costume ever. It included fur spats with leather claws.”
Helen: Oh! Oh, my gosh. That costume sounds amazing. You didn’t specify that it was for your son. So I’m just going to assume that it was for you.
Caroline: Yes!
Helen: And that faux fur coat story is too funny. I bet it looked absolutely amazing though. I sometimes have this experience. I don’t know about you, Caroline, you spend forever making something, you get really excited and then you wear it out to something with friends, and your outfit, like, doesn’t quite fit in with other people…
Caroline: Mhm.
Helen: …because it’s this handmade garment that, like, not that it looks handmade, but it’s extra, like, often I end up making things that are, like, kind of, out there, and when I’m in my own little sewing world in my sewing studio it seems totally normal, and then, I step outside in the real world and I’m like, oh, people are, like, staring at me. Like, you’re not quite ready for it. So I’m, kind of, sad to hear you got rid of the coat, but I understand. I, I can relate to that feeling.
Caroline: Totally. I also love the story of you shearing the toy sheep for your little one. I think it’s so cool when kids get involved in their parents sewing, and it’s just such a cute story because there was no fur, you were just faking it.
Helen: So cute. Alright, next up we have an email from Debra: “Hi everyone! I’m 63 years old, and I’ve been sewing since age 5, making handkerchiefs on a hand cranked Singer machine of my mother’s. My mother was a terrific sewer and knitter and worked in a sewing factory when she was young.
“Hundreds of women, all dressed up in pencil skirts and white blouses, hats and gloves, kitten heeled shoes, or even high heeled court shoes. They all caught the company bus to work. They organised days out and summer trips. All glamorous and elegant. As women married, they had to leave. The company felt that married women were not ideal as a workforce.
“My mother sewed for all of us beautiful handmade clothes, made soft furnishings, and recycled everything. My mother recently passed away, and I inherited her sewing boxes and button jars. It took me ages to eventually look through them. I find a sewer’s collection of sewing things a very personal gift for someone to inherit.
“The buttons usually had small snips of fabric still attached to the button. They were like a little story all of their own. Garments I could recall having seen my mom wear or garments she had made for me. Little trims of leftover lace from dresses she had made me.
“I have sewn almost all my life. My children wore my handmade clothes on and off. I continue to sew today, making clothes, curtains, and blinds for every home we have lived in When I think of how simple things were for sewers, it’s moved on miles and miles. Years ago, people learned from relatives, mothers, or aunts. Today’s sewers have so much at their fingertips from all over the world with YouTube or Instagram. It’s a wonderful thing.
“I think half the stuff we buy as sewers we don’t really need. I always say this to new sewers, even after all these years, I have bought things that I have used once and have never been in my hand again. My advice to new sewers is enjoy the process. Ask for help. You’ll be flooded with the gift of other sewers’ knowledge. No one ever died from a wonky seam or a visible invisible zipper. Only we see the mistakes we make. Love sewing. Enjoy it. It’s so rewarding.”
Caroline: Hi, Debra. That is amazing that you learned on a hand crank machine. It’s, kind of, like learning to drive with a stick shift. You’re starting on hard mode. And that sewing factory sounds kind of amazing, but it’s also so sad that married women couldn’t work there. I’m glad that’s not legal anymore.
Helen: Oh, my gosh. Me, too.
Caroline: I also love the, like, nobody ever died from a wonky seam. I say that at work a lot. Like, whenever we’re feeling, like, something is so important, I’m like, guys, it’s fabric. It’s not life or death.
Helen: Yeah. I know.
Caroline: Let’s all remember what we do here.
Helen: I have to do that, too. I’m like, it’s just sewing patterns. These are sewing patterns. It’s fine.
Caroline: Yeah, exactly.
Helen: Lots of great sewing advice and perspective in this email. Really appreciated everything you had to offer and really loved hearing about you going through your mom’s sewing stuff.
It is a really unique, precious gift to inherit someone’s sewing supplies, and I feel like only a fellow sewist would really appreciate going through that and seeing all those little details and, kind of, understanding the story behind how they got all these things or what happened here.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. I have to throw in that I ended up using some little bits and bobs from my grandma’s, like, stuff that my mom gave me, that was my grandma’s, when I was sewing my wedding dress. Because I was looking for, like, just the right size hook, and I had bought some but they were too big. And then I, like, went into my stash, and I found these, like, really lovely, dainty little hooks that used to be my grandma’s, and I got to use it on my wedding dress. Isn’t that awesome?
Helen: That’s so cute. Yeah, that’s a really, really great way to put some of those things to use, like, little details here and there. I could see putting, like, a little bit of lace or leftover. trimming on the inside of a garment just for a little sentimental nod. I don’t know. I’m getting all whimsical, but…
Caroline: I know. Oh, my gosh.
Helen: …that’s what this episode is for.
Caroline: Okay, let’s move on. We have a voicemail from Laurie.
Laurie: Hi, Helen and Caroline. My name is Laurie Hines, and I’m from Calgary, Canada. I’ve been sewing for 51 years, and my mom taught me how to sew when I was 13. My best tip is when teaching others to sew, just let them go for it. My favourite project is the Closet Core Sienna Maker’s Jacket out of brushed wool denim from Blackbird Fabric. I still sew on my 1980 Kenmore sewing machine.
A funny story that I have is one time I was sewing for my baby and somehow my bangs got caught up in the take up lever. It was very late at night, and I think I had to get my husband to help me unhook from the sewing machine. It was really crazy. Love your podcast and have a really good day. Bye-bye.
Helen: Hi, Laurie. I feel like we need to have a chat about what defines a funny story.
Caroline: Yeah. Yeah, that was scary.
Helen: That was scary. That belongs in our sewing horror stories episode. Like, ouch! I can just imagine with baby clothes, too, everything is so small that you end up, like…
Caroline: You’re, like, leaning.
Helen: …leaning in. Like, I can see how it happened. Yeah, I’m gonna, I need to wear a headband now every time.
Caroline: Honestly, yeah, I, I can’t. That’s crazy. That is wild. Yeah.
Helen: Yeah, I’m really glad you’re okay.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: I mean, we’re assuming you’re okay.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: And that you’re not still stuck to your sewing machine. But I also love how you said that you should just let new sewists go for it. That’s a really good way to keep that passion alive. Just jump in and see where it takes you.
Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Okay, next up we have an email from Louise: “I’m 40 plus years as a garment sewist. I hand stitched an apron at school and made a white seersucker sailor dress with 80s primary coloured dots for my Guide Needlework badge. Fortunately, no photos exist of me wearing it.
“My mom sewed wonderful things for me, including an Elizabeth I dress from red jacquard curtains and opened up wire coat hangers to support the skirt. And she taught me how to use a sewing machine. I love the lack of fear I used to have. As a teen, we did a lesson once a week and I made a circle skirt, which I finished quickly. So I went out and bought a denim jacket pattern to sew in class.
“I started sewing more during lockdown. A fear of trying new things and not being good enough had arrived. I now look back at fearless me at 15, taking on that denim jacket, and I try and just go for it. If I mess it up, it’s only fabric. There’s more fabric, and I’ve learned something.
“The greatest advance for me has been the rise of indie patterns. The styling on the images, the hand holding instructions, PDF downloads, the ability to interact with the designer on Instagram, the fit of garments, and the information given. I can’t believe the difference between now and the old Big 4 patterns.
“I don’t have a favourite make. Each make, where I learned a new technique, conquered a new fabric, matched stripes, or finished on time, becomes a new favourite. Recently, my Cameron Button Up became a favourite because it turned out exactly how I imagined it, and I learned how to make sleeve plackets.”
Helen: Oh, my gosh. Hi, Louise. Thank you so much. I’m so happy to hear you love your Cameron Button Up. And we love that you’re working on getting back your fearlessness. It’s so true. It’s that ignorance is bliss thing where when you don’t know how hard things are, you’re just like, yeah, I could do that.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: No problem. I can make a denim jacket, but it’s so good to take risks. You get to learn new things, and there’s always the possibility that you’re going to make something way cooler than you would have if you’d stayed in your comfort zone. So thank you for that reminder, and thanks for sharing your stories.
Caroline: Yeah, thanks for sharing, Louise.
Helen: Okay, now we have some stories from Louisa, not to be confused with Louise: “At 72, I’ve been sewing for over 60 years, got my first sewing machine when I was eight, and made clothes for Barbie like so many others did. Best lesson I’ve learned is to fit the body I have, not the one the pattern was drafted for. And don’t be afraid to make major fit changes and hacks.
“So many technology changes since I learned to sew way back in the dark ages, including rotary cutters, electronic machines, home sergers, fusible interfacing, pdfs, indie designers, improved pattern instructions, online tutorials and advice, and of course, internet sewing friends. I love being able to get a pattern right away, print it out at my size, and reprint it anytime I want. We will not speak about the time my cat destroyed a $30 Vogue tissue pattern. Nope.
“Not sure if it’s my favourite project because it’s impossible to choose just one, but my biggest challenge was sewing the Thread Theory Goldstream Peacoat for my husband with all the tailoring details. He loves it so much. I have always sewn to clothe my non-standard body, to have the styles and colours I want to wear, whether or not they are currently in fashion, and as a creative pastime.”
Caroline: Hi, Louisa. Okay, over 60 years of sewing, I feel like that’s the dream.
Helen: That’s the goal. Yeah.
Caroline: Live in the dream Louisa. Uh, but one of the things I love most about sewing garments is being able to fit them to my body. We’ve talked about this a lot on the show before. Trying on ready to wear clothes can really make you feel like something’s wrong with your body, but if you know how to sew, you realise that it’s the garment that needs fixing. So thank you for the reminder and also rest in peace to your $30 Vogue pattern. That must have been a dark day.
Helen: That was a dark day. Oh, my gosh, cats.
Caroline: Dang.
Helen: Dang, cats.
Caroline: Okay, next up we have a voicemail from Judy. Judy left us a lovely, long voicemail, so we’re just going to be playing, an excerpt or two from that.
Judy: Hi, Caroline and Helen. It’s Judy here over in York in the UK. Here are my notes on my sewing journey starting at the age of four. Having seen mum do some embroidery I wanted to join her. So she created a sampler for me, and she drew around some jam jars and she made me sew so neatly. I think that made me be a perfectionist from the age of four because everything has to be perfect. And I can actually remember getting my first sewing box at the age of eight, for Christmas. I’ve still got it, and I do still use it.
Now then, sewing machines. I think you can define a lot of my sewing journey through the sewing machine. So, I can remember how this love affair started, and it was when my dad bought my mother her first sewing machine. I remember going to the shop with myself and my brother, we all went, it was a day out, to buy the sewing machine and she bought a Jones straight stitcher and if I Memory serves me right, it was £30, and I think we’re looking at around 1967, 1968, about that time.
And I wanted my own sewing machine, and my dad said, no way! We’ve already bought one sewing machine, and I’m not wasting any money on a child’s sewing machine. You’re not going to be like your friends. So there I was, I think I was about six, I was propped up on a stool, propped the foot pedal up on another stool, and that was it. I got to sew on a proper sewing machine to make doll’s clothes.
And really from the time I started sewing at four, I could be kept happy with some thread and a needle, and it kept me quiet for hours. But it was when I started secondary school, so that’s senior school from about grade seven onwards, I started to see lots of different sewing machines, and I was fascinated that some of them had needles that went from side to side. Oh, and then the free arm. Ooh, revolutionary. And then they did buttonholes. My mum’s sewing machine had to put on this huge thing to do the buttonholes. And they had little templates that you slotted in.
Anyway, as my 18th birthday drew nearer and I was still sewing, my dad said, OK, I’ll buy you a sewing machine for your 18th. Now he’d got in mind a Bernina. I didn’t want a Bernina. I’d seen the Elna Lotus, the little portable machine. Oh, my gosh. I fell in love with it. Sure enough, 1979, Dad bought me the sewing machine. Well, him and Mum bought me the sewing machine for my 18th birthday. And Dad was really one of the biggest supporters of my love for sewing and encouraged me just to challenge myself in everything.
But he was the biggest tease ever. So after we bought this machine, I then bought and saved my pocket money and what money I had to buy the button sewing on foot, and it cost £34. Now the sewing machine itself in 1979 cost, I think it was, £201. That’s a lot of money even in these days. Anyhow, I buy this buttonhole foot, and he liked to recall this fact regularly through the rest of his life.
So he used to go down to the pub and say, we can offer button sewing on for £30 a button, if you bear in mind the cost of the machine and the cost of the foot. But he didn’t stop because the more I changed the sewing machine and still bought the button sewing on foot, which then had to be bought, but because I went to Bernina, it was the one foot, and I’m still using the same foot that I bought back in 1991 when I replaced the machine.
Anyhow, he kept going on about these things flippin’ buttons. Excuse me for using the word flippin’. He kept on about it, all the way through. And the cost of buttons got more and more expensive. But he didn’t always get things right. He was an engineer. He was actually, an electronic engineer. And when my mum and I were sewing for my wedding, he’d bought mum a Bernina 801 by this time.
And she was making this beautiful silk crepe de chine dress, and I was making my wedding dress out of chantilly lace. Well, Dad gets out the oil can, doesn’t he, when our backs are turned, and he decides to oil the sewing machines. He didn’t tell us, did he? Thankfully for me, Mum got to her machine first and said, oh, no. There’s oil on my dress. At which point I ran up to my machine to see a drop of oil going down the needle. Ahem, he learnt his lesson. That’s all we shall say.
But, technology moves on at such a rapid pace, such a pace that our bank balance certainly couldn’t keep up with it. But my life took a dramatic turn back in 2008, and I lost my husband very suddenly. And I came round to sell the house, so I had a bit of spare capital. And whilst on holiday with my daughter in Cornwall, waiting to a fabric shop for a little wander, and I was like a magpie. I could see these are lovely new shiny sewing machines. And I was magnetically drawn to them. But I was good, I didn’t buy then. I went away, and I looked, and I thought. I did some internet research, and a few weeks later, a brand new Bernina 770 arrived at the house.
I’ve run with the changes in technology and I’ve embraced it, using it effectively as I can. And in part, I do still use my Elna machine. And do I actually need this great big fancy sewing machine? Well, I’ve been fortunate enough, through a very sad circumstance, to be able to afford such a beautiful machine. I’m sitting here now and I would say, I’d much rather have David and the machine that I had the time he died. I don’t have the fancy one, if I could turn the clocks back. But it hasn’t like, it isn’t like that. And I have used the machine. It’s been the most fantastic crutch for me, to distract me and to help me put my life back together. This is just one aspect of how I’ve moved with the sewing journey.
Where do you start on patterns? And pattern, indie pattern designers. Thank you Helen. When I was sewing back in the 70s and 80s, we had the big 4, and people laughed at you if you were, if you were a sewer. I used to get laughed at in the, collecting the kids from school. People would go, look, there’s Judy. She’s the one that sews. Ha, ha, ha, ha. And they’re not saying that now, and they’re coming to me going, can you take my dress up? Can you take my dress in? And they do it. Sewing’s for everybody, folks. I hope you enjoy your sewing as much as I’ve enjoyed my life of sewing, and I’ve got so much more yet to learn.
Come on, folks. Goodbye, Helen and Caroline, and thank you so much for letting me have the opportunity to talk to you. Bye!
Helen: Hi, Judy. Thank you so much for sharing your stories. I thoroughly enjoyed your voicemail. It was so lovely to listen to. That machine oiling story is so funny. I’m glad it all turned out okay, but that is harrowing. Never let, like, a random person in your house oil your machine without telling you.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: I’m so glad to hear that sewing has gotten you through a rough time. I think almost all of us can relate to that.
And I also find it so weird that people used to laugh at people who sew. It’s a common thing that’s come up with a lot of this feedback we’ve gotten from older sewists is that back in the day it wasn’t cool to sew, and you almost didn’t want to, like, tell people you wanted to, kind of, hide the fact that you made your clothes versus being proud of that.
And I’m really happy to say that I think that has really changed because now, I don’t know, learning to sew, knowing how to sew, it’s like having a superpower. Like, people are so impressed by that. I’ve never had anyone be like, what? Ew, sewing? Gross.
Caroline: Yeah, it’s so true. That outlook has changed so much.
Helen: Yeah, thankfully.
Alright, next up we have a story from Julia: “I’ve been sewing for 48 years, but I’ve upgraded both my skills and my machines in recent years, tackling coats and jeans on my Juki sewing machine. My first solo project, age 14, was a snazzy scarlet sleeveless towelling beach robe bound with white bias binding. The only problem was that we didn’t live near the beach, nor go to the beach holidays, so I never wore it. I still have to remind myself of that lesson when I’m tempted by new patterns. Sew the things you will actually wear.
Caroline: This is great advice. Thank you so much, Julia, for writing in.
Helen: That is solid advice.
Caroline: Okay, on that note, we’re going to take a quick break.
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Helen: Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew or visit our show’s page in the Apple podcast app to become a paid subscriber. Thank you to all our listeners, patrons, and subscribers. You’re the best.
Caroline: And we are back, and we’re going to kick it off with an email from Catherine: “I will turn 60 in about two weeks. My mother taught me to sew probably when I was six or seven. Actually, she taught me all the crafts I know. She was the most patient person on the planet and also, one of the most, in the best way possible, perfectionist.
“She taught me to be patient with my crafts. If it wasn’t done right, others might not notice, but I would always know, and it was worth the effort to correct errors I had made and make it the best I could. If my mother hadn’t taken the time to teach me, and in turn, I’ve taught my daughter, I would not have the fantastic sewn and knitted wardrobe that I so enjoy.
“My all-time favourite project is this self-drafted, one-of-a-kind dress I made for myself. It consists of three parts bodice attached to a floor length lace skirt. A feather skirt lined in tulle and flower embellished chiffon is worn over the lace skirt. I hand sewed 1,500 feathers with beads onto the skirt. Needless to say, it’s quite heavy, but in a glorious way. It’s also quite a challenge to sit in a dining chair with all this volume.”
Helen: We have a photo of Catherine in the dress that she’s just described, and it is stunning. You can really tell how much work must have gone into this, I mean, 1,500 feathers.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh.
Helen: It’s truly giving red carpet gown. So we’re going to put that in our show notes so you can enjoy it, too. Thank you, Catherine.
Caroline: Yeah, my jaw was on the floor when I first saw this photo. Like, Catherine, what? Come on.
Helen: Amazing.
Caroline: Come on.
Helen: I mean it would take, like, 60 years to sew that dress.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh, right?
Helen: Alright, our next email is from Aileen: “I’m 54 years old, and I first got interested in sewing when I was around six. I was influenced by my grandmother who sewed and knit outfits for me, my sister and my cousins, and our dolls. My mother, on the other hand, hated to sew and was not very encouraging. Although, she did grudgingly show me how to sew a seam after she saw me struggling with two pieces of fabric that I was trying to sew into a doll dress, but after that, I was on my own.
“I remember picking apart the seams on my eighth grade graduation dress so that I could see exactly how a puffed sleeve was formed and then, clumsily sewing it back together again. In high school, I started making clothes for myself. My mom gave me her old sewing machine, and let me figure it out. I learned to sew from the pattern instructions.
“My edges were raw, seams unpressed. I still remember the things I made. A pair of pleated corduroy pants that mysteriously had different coloured legs. That was my lesson in how to sew napped fabrics. In college, I continued to sew, but only a few dresses for special occasions.
“My beloved grandmother died, and I was given her sewing machine, her fabrics, button box, all her sewing tools, knitting needles, and yarn stash. I didn’t sew much in early adulthood, but I did make myself the most voluminous cornflower blue maternity overalls, and I wore them constantly during pregnancy. I probably looked ridiculous, but I didn’t care.
“After that, I pivoted to sewing for my children, and when I decided to learn smocking, I went to a local fabric store which specialised in smocking, which was my first exposure to high quality fabrics. I started reading sewing magazines. Then, my mother-in-law gave me a smocking pleater for Christmas, and I was unstoppable. My daughters wore smocked dresses every day, and I even made a smocked wool coat and matching bonnet.
“At one point, I was allowed to borrow the silk christening gown that my great-grandmother made in 1900, so I could use it as a basis to design a gown for my youngest child. I did not dismantle it. I think this christening gown and the first communion dress that both my daughters wore are my favourite projects. Both of these use heirloom sewing techniques.
“I stopped sewing for a long time to focus on my career until a few years ago I became aware of the downside of fast fashion, and I got back into sewing which, really has felt like starting again as a beginner. Sewing for children is easier than sewing for adults and even with over 30 years of sewing experience I had no idea how to adjust a pattern to make a garment fit me.
“I have learned a lot from listening to your podcast and using other resources, and after a period of trial and error, I’m making clothes that fit and I’m not embarrassed to wear them out of the house. Writing all this has made me realise how important sewing has been throughout my life. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunities to create. It has taught me to approach problems with the mindset, how could I make something that will solve this?
“I think this is the most important lesson that sewing has taught me, and it translates into other areas of my life. And I have to say that while my mom didn’t encourage my sewing, she meant well. As an old school feminist trying to wrestle her way in a man’s world, she couldn’t help but see sewing as a step backwards. I’m glad that we now realise that sewing isn’t antithetical to feminism.”
Caroline: Hi, Aileen. Thank you for sharing these stories. I think it makes sense that if your mom felt pressure to sew that she rebelled against it. I can feel how much you love it in your email though, and you’ve made so many amazing things. Kind of makes me want to try smocking now. And I think it’s really cool that you’re learning to fit your body now and make clothes you love. Learning to fit made such a big difference in my personal garment sewing.
And we’ve definitely noticed a theme of lifelong learning in the responses we got for this episode. We talk sometimes about sewing levels, beginner to advanced, but the truth is sewing is such a wide ranging set of skills that you can be an expert in one area and a beginner in another. And that’s actually a great thing. There’s no reason to ever be bored.
I also love what you said about sewing helping you with problem solving because I think that’s also helped me a lot. Like, one thing I’ve learned with sewing is when something feels, like, unsolvable, if I sleep on it, I’ll usually wake up the next day and have a solution for whatever sewing problem I have.
And that’s translated into real life, too. Sometimes something just feels too overwhelming and I don’t know what to do and I just think, let me sleep on it. And the next day I usually have some, sort of, an idea of how I can problem solve that. So yeah, thank you so much.
Helen: Yeah. And Aileen shared some photos of the garments she mentioned in her stories, the, uh, cornflower blue maternity overalls, which are adorable by the way.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. So good.
Helen: And some of that gorgeous heirloom sewing, so we’ll pop that all in the show notes for y’all.
Caroline: Yes. Okay, next up is a message from Colleen: “Over the years, I’ve designed, drafted, and sewn thousands of competitive costumes for all types of athletes. But where I find myself most comfortable is in the classroom setting sharing my knowledge and craft with others. The biggest change I’ve seen in the teaching area is the amount of online resources available to sewists. There’s so much information out there, and it can be very overwhelming and frustrating if you don’t have a basic understanding of what you’re doing.
“Before I encourage my students to start the search and surf world, I make sure they have a good working relationship with their sewing machine, how to measure properly, and what size pattern they need. Also, choosing the right fabric for the project. I believe that you need a good foundation to be successful in the learning process. And no project is a failure if you learn something from it.”
Helen: Oh, I love both of those pieces of advice. And I think it’s a great idea to learn the basics before you start to search for tutorials. It’s so true that it’s incredibly overwhelming. There’s so much information out there. A great way to get foundations in your sewing is to take a class or find a beginner sewing video series on YouTube or work through, like, a beginner sewing book, so that you get those foundational skills, and that way you won’t miss anything super important.
And I’m really glad that you’re taking that time to give that to your students. It can be hard to wait through those mountains of information. So it’s great that, yeah, you’re giving them that right off the bat, so they have that good foundation. And, yeah, no project is a failure if you learn something from it, and how could you not learn something? At the very least, you learned that you don’t want to make that project again.
Caroline: It’s so true.
Helen: Alright, next up we have an email from Victoria: “My name is Victoria Rothwell, and I’m 68 years old. I’ve been sewing most of my life, and I live in the Seattle area in USA. I started hand sewing with my grandma when I was quite young, but the real sewing started when I was 10 to 11 years old.
“A friend asked me to join a 4-H sewing group of about eight girls with her mother as the leader. We met weekly and worked on our projects. I continued in 4-H for about four years, and after that I made most of my clothes throughout high school and into college. I got all the basics from 4-H, and other than that, I did not get much instruction, other than pattern instruction. There was not much in the way of sewing classes, and I didn’t have many books.
“At that time, making your own clothes was much cheaper than ready made. There was a stigma in having homemade clothes, as they were thought to be not as good as ready made clothes. One advantage to sewing was that there’s more variety. I grew up in a small town where there were not that many stores to choose from, so multiple people were likely to have the same outfit. Sewing made for much more personalised and unique wardrobe. There’s also a wide selection of fabric stores which do not really exist today. We did not have the specialty fabrics of today, but we did have a much greater selection of basics, like cotton and wool.
“Starting near the end of college, I entered a period where I did not do much sewing. I was very busy in graduate school and did not have a lot of time. I also worked in a laboratory where the clothes I could wear were limited. During a period of about 20 years, I only sewed for special occasions, like if I needed a dress for a wedding.
“I took sewing back up in the early 2000s because at that point I wanted to teach my daughter to sew. I started looking online and found many resources and started exploring more techniques. I did not convince my daughter to do much sewing, but she did learn the basics so she can look at something and tell if it’s constructed correctly or if the fabric’s worth the price.
“For the last 10 to 15 years I’ve made most of my clothes. I find it a great creative outlet. I’ve learned about pattern fitting and have taken some classes in construction techniques. I enjoy the whole process. In recent years, I’ve done some quilting, but it does not hold the same status as garment sewing.
“The best project I have made has to be my wedding dress. I got married in 1995 at the age of 40. We had a traditional church wedding with the usual planning. I decided to make my own dress after being treated rudely at a wedding dress store. I found a style I liked so I went out and found a pattern, and I made my own dress. It was the best part of planning my wedding because I had complete control. My husband and I met dancing, and dancing was a big part of our reception. I wanted a dress I could move in and was not too hot. I made my dress with cotton brocade, full skirt, with off the shoulder bodice.”
Caroline: Oh, hi, Victoria. Okay. Thank you so much first up for sharing your stories. So good. And your wedding dress sounds lovely and perfect for what you needed. Trying on wedding dresses is hard enough without salespeople being mean to you. I absolutely know. Because I tried wedding dress shopping before I decided to make my dress. But I’m really glad you took control of the situation and made something beautiful for yourself. You deserve it.
Helen: Yes! I love the idea of a full skirt for a dance party, too.
Caroline: Yes, the twirl factor. Absolutely.
Helen: The twirl factor.
Caroline: Off the charts. Okay, next up we have an email from Jill who has more than 40 years of sewing experience: “I remember my mother sewing clothes and household things. When I showed interest in sewing, she sent me to the lady who taught her to sew. Her name was Melia or Amelia. Anyway, she taught at least a few generations of kids to sew in her basement in the summer. It was the early 70s when I learned, and I still remember, the blue and white toile shorts and top set I sewed for myself. It had red trim. I loved it, and I wore it to death.
“After that summer, I think I didn’t do much machine sewing. I remember crocheting, embroidering, and sewing doll clothes by hand. I remember mom made me three skirts one summer and fall and made me hem them by hand, and I thought I would die of the tedium.
“Anyway, thank you for asking. I hadn’t thought about Melia in years. and it was also nice to remember my mother sewing for me. I recall her sitting up very late the night before my 8th grade trip to a local resort for swimming and outdoor games. She was making me a yellow terry cloth coverup and the hood wasn’t working.
“When I woke up the next morning, it was done and perfect. She’s been gone for 16 years, but last summer I made myself a short sleeve Cameron Button Up out of a piece of printed cotton that came from her stash. I always loved that print, but never had the right thing to make out of it. I still love the print. And now the shirt, too.
Helen: Oh, hi, Jill. Amelia sounds like a true sewing hero teaching generations in her basement. And I think Caroline feels the same way you do about hand sewing after some recent experiences.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh.
Helen: Were you feeling like you were going to die of the tedium, Caroline?
Caroline: The only thing keeping me going was that it was for my wedding, truly.
Helen: It is really cool to hear also that you’re using fabrics from your mom’s stash. I mean, again, a recurring theme throughout this episode, using up those little bits and bobs or fabric stash from previous generations. Such a nice way to remember a loved one. Like the fabric is fulfilling its destiny.
Caroline: Oh, it’s so true.
Helen: Its Cameron Button Up destiny.
Caroline: I know it’s so nice that it’s a Cameron, too.
Helen: I know. Second shout out to Cameron. I didn’t know Cameron was so popular with the longtime sewists.
Caroline: It’s a versatile pattern.
Helen: Alright, our next message here comes from Anne: “I learned to sew at school around 50 years ago. I made a purple, it was the 70s, skirt, A line with a front pleat. My friend from another school thought it was lovely, but I was self-conscious about it, which I now realise was because my school friend, who also made the same style skirt, was rather scathing about garments that we made ourselves.
“When I was about 20, I was working in a warehouse that supplied fashion fabrics to garment manufacturers and another friend and I started sewing using her mom’s machine. I then went on to buy myself a secondhand machine, and I stopped sewing regularly when I had children, just the occasional fancy dress costume for them.
“I started to sew regularly again about 15 years ago, and I’m now retired, and this year have my own sewing room, which is great, even though it’s a small space. I really love sewing my own clothes, but that self-conscious feeling about wearing clothes I’ve made myself is still there. I always say that homemade food and cakes are considered superior, and I’m proud of them, but there’s always a doubt with homemade clothes. I feel like people view them as inferior.”
Caroline: Oof. Hi, Anne. Okay, I don’t understand people seeing homemade clothes as inferior. It’s like, do you have eyes?
Helen: I know.
Caroline: Come on.
Helen: They truly are, like, I mean, these days, higher quality, for sure.
Caroline: Yeah.Oh, yeah.
Helen: Probably back in the day, too.
Caroline: Yeah, and fortunately many people in my life, and I think your life, too, Helen, value homemade clothes. And I hope that you have a few people in your life that can see how amazing they are. And, and there’s another theme we noticed in the responses we got for this episode, people taking a break from sewing and then coming back with a vengeance, which I absolutely love.
Helen: Yes. We always say that sewing comes in seasons, and it’s okay to take a break and come back to it. And these messages really remind me of that because all of these people have taken breaks, and they’re still sewing. So love that.
Caroline: Okay. Now we have a message from Heather: “I’ve been garment sewing for 45 years, hand sewed Barbie clothes before that. I’m 54 now. I started sewing for myself because everything was always too short for me, and it made me feel self-conscious.
“Since becoming disabled 20 years ago, sewing has continued to be the way I can clothe myself in clothes that fit my body and my personality. I’ve had to become much more careful about finding ways I can afford to sew. Upcycling, thrifting, deadstock, gifted and recycled supplies, and fabrics are now my norm.
“Since I’ve been learning to cultivate self-compassion, sewing has become infinitely more enjoyable to me. It feeds my creativity, helps me find flow, gives me time completely distracted from my challenges. And it gives me endless satisfaction to transform flat fabric into three-dimensional garments and make items that are durable and useful.
“Disability can be isolating, and the Instagram sewing community, especially #SewOver50, has brought me educational interaction and friendships. It gave me the confidence to seek out even more in real life sewing friends and begin the hashtag #InstagramSewistsPicnicYVR.
“Even 10 years ago, I would never have imagined I’d be making my own jeans, bras, and shoes. Socks are usually the only ready to wear garments I buy and wear on a regular basis now. It makes me very happy.”
Helen: I also love ready to wear socks, so I understand you’re happy now. Just kidding. Oh, no, I love hearing that you’re making all the things now. Jeans, bras, shoes. That’s incredible. And it sounds like sewing ticks a lot of boxes for you. I love that it can fulfil so many human needs, and it’s really cool that you started #InstagramSewistsPicnicYVR. Um, where was our invite? Next year, please. We’ll be there.”
Caroline: I think I heard about this and I couldn’t make it, but I so want to go next year.
Helen: Yeah, it sounds so fun. This is a meetup for Vancouver area sewists, and I do want to encourage everyone, whether or not you’re over 50, to follow the hashtag #SewOver50 on Instagram. And if you’re over 50, you can also put that on your post so you can participate in the community. You can see so many amazing sewists sharing their work and making connections, and I think that’s so great.
Caroline: Yeah, it’s a great community.
Helen: One of the other threads I’ve noticed, Caroline, is the Barbie connection.
Caroline: I was just going to say that.
Helen: So many Barbie clothes. Yeah!
Caroline: Yes. How many times did we mention Barbie in this episode so far? I see six.
Helen: It’s so good.
Caroline: Pretty crazy.
Helen: Yeah. And I also sewed for my Barbie when I was a kid, so it’s just a tale as old as time.
Caroline: Why wasn’t there a sewing Barbie in the Barbie movie?
Helen: I know there should have been a little nod to sewing in the Barbie movie. That would have been great.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: Alright, our next message here is from Saskia: “I’m 55, and I’ve been sewing for 45 years. I made most of my kids clothing on the kitchen table of our tiny Melbourne terrace house with a very basic 1970s secondhand Bernette sewing machine. That table was also used for mealtimes, homework, and kids craft activities. Everything had to be packed away after every sewing session.
“I sewed after my three girls went to bed in the evening. I kept all my sewing equipment, which was also only the basics, including my machine, on the bottom shelf of the pantry. My big takeaway from this is you don’t need a dedicated sewing space or lots of fancy equipment or even much time to make beautiful garments. You just need to sit down and do it.”
Caroline: Yes! This is great advice, Saskia. We are all for investing in tools that will make sewing easier for you, but it’s also true that you don’t need a whole lot to make beautiful things, so don’t feel like you need a dedicated sewing space or thousands of dollars worth of supplies to get sewing. Just go for it.
Helen: I used to have this same issue where my sewing table was also the dining table and homework table and all those things. And yeah, it’s work to tear down and set up your sewing space. But in reality, it only takes a few minutes, especially once you get good at it, you can get very efficient.
Caroline: Yes, exactly. Okay, next up we have a message from Denise: “I will be 70 years old on my next birthday. My mother taught us to sew and knit when we were very young And also sent me to summer sewing classes. She said, if you learn to sew, you will always have clothes to wear. She made my ruffled halter prom dress in 1972, taking the long pieces of ruffle to work with her to hand stitch all the narrow hems during her lunch break. I still have that dress.
“I made my own white cotton wedding dress. We’d call it boho style these days, and it was the mid-70s. Cutting it out on the basement floor and stitching it together on the Kenmore sewing machine I got for my college graduation. Still have that, too.
I became a Love to Sew patron in hopes it would kick start me to get a new sewing machine and a serger, which I’ve never tried. I also have never tried a PDF pattern. Hopefully, I’ll be inspired before the long Wisconsin winter to do all of these things. I love the podcast and listen to it on my headphones as I cut and pack cheese and do the affinage in our small creamery. You keep me company on some long days and hopefully will spark my creativity with your enthusiasm and happy voices.”
Helen: Aw, thank you, Denise. It’s so cool that you have the prom dress that your mom made and that the sewing machine you got for your college graduation is still kicking around, too. I love that. And I genuinely think you will enjoy PDF patterns. And sergers. You should totally get a serger. You’re gonna be 70 on your next birthday. It’s the perfect time to get a serger. Like, now is the moment.
Caroline: Yeah, it is. Seventieth birthday gift. Can I also just say that the idea of somebody packing cheese while listening to our podcast, like, it just makes me so happy. And like, Denise, what is the name of your creamery? Can I order some of your cheese online? Because cheese packaged while listening to Love to Sew, I feel like we need to come full circle and have, like, a cheese board with this cheese.
Helen: Oh, my gosh. You’re speaking my language. We should start another podcast called Love to Eat Cheese.
Caroline: Oh my gosh, I’m in, I’m in.
Helen: I wonder if Denise would do like a cheese for PDF pattern printouts trade with you.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Yes. I will print your copy shop prints, your PDFs, and you can send me some cheese. I’ll give you a shipping label for it, too. You don’t even have to do anything. No idea how easy it is to import cheese, um, from the U.S., but willing to try, willing to try.
Helen: Alright, our last story here is from Colleen: “It was 1966, and I was staying with my grandmother for a week while my mother was in the hospital with my new baby brother. My grandmother was a professional tailor, and I was amazed with her sewing room. It was like walking into another world. I hand sewed a doll dress that week.
“A few years later, every Sunday night my grandmother came to our house, and we would cut out a project for me to sew for the week. Every Friday night, we would go to my grandmother’s house, and if I needed her advice or a notion from her sewing room, she would instruct.
“I entered grade 8 sewing class. My home-ec teacher accused me of getting my mother to sew my gym bag, which was our first project in the class, which was so far from the truth, as my mother never sewed. She instructed me to choose and sew any project in class only that I wanted for my next assignment. I chose to sew a plaid lined bomber jacket and matching plaid pants, and I won an award that year.”
Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Colleen, you showed them. It is wild that your home ec-teacher accused you of cheating. You were literally unbelievably good at sewing, and, I mean, you proved them wrong.
Helen: You proved them so wrong. Well done.
Caroline: Yeah, well done. Aw, thank you again to all of the sewists who sent in stories for this episode. The ones that we shared and the ones that we didn’t have time for. There were just so many interesting anecdotes and great nuggets of advice. We honestly have the best listeners, Helen.
Helen: We really do. I so appreciate when we do these community episodes because, yeah, it just is all the fuel and encouragement that I need to keep on doing what we’re doing, and I just appreciate you all so much.
Caroline: Yeah, here’s to another 25 years of sewing.
Helen: Forty, Caroline, I want 40.
Caroline: Okay, here’s to another hundred years of sewing. We’re gonna live forever.
Helen: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew! You can find me, Helen, at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. and Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns. We’re recording today in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.
Caroline: 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.
Helen: You can head to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. If you’d like to get in touch with us, 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: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the PodCabin is our editor. Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you for listening. We’ll talk to you next week.
Helen: Buh-bye.
Caroline: Bye!
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