In this episode, we interview pattern designer, sewing teacher, quilted coat maker extraordinaire, and snappy dresser Natalie Ebaugh! She talks to us about her design process, her long career in the sewing community, and how she puts her amazing outfits together.
The transcript for this episode is on this page at the end of the show notes.
Show Notes:
Find Natalie Online:
- Website
- Patreon: Sewing with Natalie
- Youtube: Daisy Chain Patterns
- Creativebug Classes
Some of Natalie’s Projects:
One of her (Many!) Gorgeous Quilt Coats
View this post on Instagram
The Bestie Bag Natalie Made from Upcycled Jeans
Natalie’s Style Phrase is “Homebody Gorpcore Exquisite Corpse” (Featuring the Jeans Hack We Love!)
Sewing Patterns Mentioned:
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 literally all we want to talk about.
Caroline: Today we’re interviewing pattern designer, sewing teacher, quilted coat maker extraordinaire, and snappy dresser Natalie Ebaugh. She tells us about her design process, her long career in the sewing community, and how she puts her amazing outfits together.
Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show. Hello, Natalie. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.
Natalie: Hi, how are you guys?
Caroline: We’re good.
Helen: We’re doing so well. We’re really excited to chat with you. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?
Natalie: Sure. My name is Natalie Ebaugh. I’m a fiber artist, quilter, general sewer of all things, sewing instructor. I wear a lot of hats. I’m also a retail manager and I live in Alameda, California.
Caroline: Awesome. And we always like to ask our guests how and when they learned to sew. So can you tell us about that?
Natalie: Oh yeah, so, the first memory I have of sewing is like a lot of people with my grandmother. But it was really just, like, one project. We made Christmas ornaments. My sister and I drew out little characters and then my grandma helped us sew them up. So they’re really funky little Christmas ornaments. So that was really my first memory. And then I didn’t get into sewing in earnest until I was in high school. And my sister and I were friends with some neighbours of my dad. So, it was a family with three girls, and then the parents were both musicians, and there was another family nearby who were also, kind of, musicians and into the arts and that kind of thing. So we would go over to their house, and Jenny, the mom, had a sewing machine. She also was a knitter. And she really let us, surprisingly, like, just thinking about it now, I probably wouldn’t be the same way, but she let us just do whatever we wanted with her sewing machine. And so that’s kind of when I became interested in it.
And, really, my older sister, she’s three years older than I, her name’s Lauren. She got really into using patterns, vintage patterns, and making her own clothing and in high school. I really looked up to her and I still do. But I was like, you know, she’s making all this cool stuff, and clothing was always an interest of mine, so I kind of followed her. And where she has a much more technical approach to everything she does, whether it’s painting or knitting or sewing, I am a bit more experimental. And so I started teaching myself to sew, just messing around and reinventing the wheel a lot of the time. But I felt like it was my own thing, that I didn’t have to answer to anybody. I could just mess around and make whatever I wanted, whether it was good or bad, it didn’t really matter.
So I started making my own clothing. We would go to the Goodwill bins, which were near our house. And we would just buy a bunch of bed sheets and old clothing and make new things out of them. And it was very experimental. And I remember the first time I wore something I made to high school was a shirt. It was like almost, it was kind of a tunic, but I had made it out of a pillowcase. And it was very simple. And I just remember telling, people being like, “Oh, that’s so cool. That’s such a cool top” or whatever. And I was like, “Yep, made it out of a pillowcase,” like…
Helen: Of course! You gotta brag.
Natalie: Right. Yeah, and I mean, at the time, it’s hard to think about it now, 20 years ago about, yeah, probably about 20 years ago. Like when I was coming into high school, it was really not cool for you to shop at thrift stores. Like, you got teased a lot for it and it was considered, just I mean in in you know, among children, among kids. It just wasn’t cool. And now it seems like it’s, you know, it’s very mainstream. Which is great that people are more conscious of reusing and recycling and upcycling and all of that. But yeah, it just wasn’t as much of a thing, but that’s really where I think my sewing, kind of, roots are, is just like the reusing and making new from old. And it really stemmed from just, like, trying to be resourceful with the materials that I had. So those are my sewing roots. And then I did go on to art school. I went to Maryland Institute College of Art and I studied fiber arts. So that’s where I had my more, you know, traditional education and sewing where I learned a lot of techniques and really honed my skills and whatnot. So I have a little bit of both traditional and non-traditional.
Caroline: Oh, it’s so cool to hear about that because I feel like you still, that thread of upcycling has continued on throughout your journey as a sewist and we’re still seeing you do some really cool upcycling projects today, which we’ll talk a little bit about later. But we did also want to ask you about your time as a fabric buyer at Stonemountain and Daughter. Did that influence you as an artist and maker as well?
Natalie: Definitely. so, when I left college, I promptly moved back to the West Coast. I really liked living on the East Coast, but I think it made me realize that I’m really a West Coast person. There’s just, like, a difference in sense of humour and, you know, there’s just cultural differences and I really missed. I’d always wanted to, I grew up in Portland, but I always wanted to live in California. My family’s from the Bay area. And so I moved out here, in with my sister. She was living in a house with some other people and one of my roommates at the time worked at Stonemountain and she got me a job there. She got me an interview. And after school, I really didn’t know that much about, you know, even though it was a fiber program, you can really only go into so much during. Your program, you know, it’s pretty structured and you do a lot of stuff. You might take a weaving class, a pattern, you know, drafting class, a, you know, on and on and on. But, we didn’t really explore fabric itself and the different types of fabric. So when I started at Stonemountain and Daughter, I really approached it as a secondary education and I really wanted to soak up as much as I could. Because there was such a wealth of knowledge there in the staff. There were many staff at that time who had been working there for 20 or 30 years. They had been sewing for a long time. So there were really a lot of variation and, like, the generations of sewing within the staff there. And everyone was so generous with their knowledge, because, of course, we’re all working and we are talking about sewing all day. Like, it’s what we love to do, it’s what we love to talk about. So I really learned a lot, especially when I became a buyer, because I was firsthand, looking at everything that was available, whether we were carrying it or not.
So, sometimes, we would have a fabric rep come to the store. That’s how we did a lot of the buying. They would come to the store, so that could be a fabric rep from, you know, maybe Robert Kaufman. You know, quilting cotton, those are pretty straightforward buying sessions because it’s, Robert Kaufman does have a fashion line as well, but they, it’s, you know, you’re picking prints and colours and whatnot. But then when it comes to fabric jobbers who are people buying up, and lots from maybe designers or maybe from each other, you know, there’s a lot of swapping around in that industry. And these are people who have huge warehouses, they’re all over the country. But they’ll come and show you swatches of what they have. And that was really my favourite part, is just seeing what is possible, what is out there. And I learned how to identify fabrics. I learned about blends and different processes of making fabrics and kind of just also the fabric industry is really interesting. It’s definitely dying down a bit, you know, I’m not in it now, so I don’t know what it’s like right now, but it was a lot of older generation people who had been doing it for a long time and it was just kind of slowing down a bit. So I know there’s newer fabric companies that are coming out and there’s always something new. So I’m sure it’s a lot different, but I definitely, just knowing what was out there in the world was really interesting to me. So yeah, it was a really great experience.
Helen: Ooh, it’s really cool to hear about it. And I can totally see you excelling at choosing fabrics because you do such a good job of pairing fabrics. I mean, really, like you manage to put things together that I wouldn’t think of and they look fantastic. So I could see you bringing a lot to the table as far as selecting interesting things for a store. And one of the things that we noticed initially about your work, was when you were making and selling those stunning one-of-a-kind quilted jackets and we were wanting to hear a little bit about how that came about.
Natalie: Yeah, well, and to continue just about how buying kind of influenced my making is. I really learned how to, I guess, recognize patterns in my own curation of fabrics and prints and colours. So when you’re buying, you might not be doing it on the same day. With a bunch of reps, you’re kind of, it’s kind of spaced out. But as you continue to buy, you realize that you do have specific colours, palettes, specific textures. You kind of notice those patterns as you’re doing it, the longer you’re doing it. So I think that did help me kind of figure out what patterns I want to pursue and what kind of, I don’t know, whether I want to change up, you know, the palette I’m working with or not. You just become more conscious of your choosing and your, kind of, curation of it.
So, to answer your question, I started getting into quilting right at the tail end of my senior year of college. And I was doing my, kind of, thesis show, which was a kind of fashion show event and we were to make a collection and mine was, again, very, like, upcycled. I cut apart clothing and sewed it back together. And some pieces had 3D elements, like stuffed elements to them. And some of them were kind of on the quiltier side. And, so I started making quilted panels. Again, very self taught. I was just kind of making it up as I went. And I started making these panels and inserting them into jackets or making them into sleeves. And then I just wanted to keep doing that. And I thought, “Oh, it would be, like, really cool to make a quilted jacket.” I had found this book in the fiber department that was donated called Quilts to Wear, which is a book you can still find. And it had all these examples of different styles of quilted jackets, and it really inspired me.
I think quilts have always, I’ve been really drawn to them because they are this kind of living history in a piece of fabric, in this object. And there’s something really interesting about wearing that. To me, you know, clothing is just, you know, it’s living. It lives with us. We make marks on it. It stretches out, you know, on and on. It’s, so I, I was just drawn to the idea of making a quilted jacket. So I started playing around and the first one I made was with a lot of fabric, actually from Stonemountain and Daughter, before I worked there even, and I used some really thick polyester batting and I shoved it through my really dinky, like, plastic machine that I had. I can’t believe it actually sewed anything. ‘Cause I was really putting a lot of stress on it. And I made my first jacket. I think that was a year after college. And then I just kept going and trying different styles. This was even before I was really using patterns. I didn’t really use a sewing pattern until after college, which is kind of interesting. Like. I had drafted a pattern, but I hadn’t used a ready-to-wear pattern, or like, a Big Four with instructions and everything, until after college. And yeah, I just started experimenting and then I just had this drive to make them. I couldn’t even really explain it.
It was just something that felt really good to me, and I just really wanted to do it. I’ve always had this drive to drive forward to make things, and I don’t always know what it’s leading to, but I have to do it. And at that point it was the quilted jackets. So I was making them for a while, and I started applying to craft shows because I felt like that was the arena for me. I didn’t know where else. So I applied to a few shows and then I actually decided to put together a show in Oakland, which ended up being called Good Omen Market. And we did that for a few years, and that was just, I wanted to create a show where aspiring crafters could sell their pieces and, kind of, get a bit more exposure, ‘cause I felt like that’s what I wanted. And I think I’ve always been a bit of a community facilitator. I don’t really think of myself as, like, a leader, but I like to make space for people to come together. So yeah, I just kept on doing craft shows. I started doing, um, I did West Coast Craft, which is a big craft show in San Francisco, and now they’re in other places like LA. And then I was contacted by the designers from Ace and Jig, and they just contacted me on Instagram, and we collaborated on some jackets. So their brand is no-waste. So they save all of the cutoffs from their factory and then they send it out to artists and do collaborations, which is really cool.
So yeah, I was really, I was making a lot of jackets for a while there. And I get a lot of joy out of people seeing the unexpected, in clothing especially. People are like, “What are you wearing?” You know, they’re like, so delighted to see just like this, I don’t know. This, like, now, now it’s, you know, more people are wearing quilted coats, and I definitely, I’m, I did not originate the quilted coat, but it was just fun to make them and see people’s reaction. And, you know, people would just get really excited about it. And I, I love to share what I make. So wearing something you make is a great way to do that.
Caroline: Yeah, I think this was around the time that I started following you, when you were making these coats for Ace and Jig, and I just remember being in awe of your use of colour and pattern and your creativity. And following you on Instagram was, and still is, such a joy, because that, like, your love for making just comes through. And you’ve, sort of, taken that through so many different almost, like, eras of your career over the years. Yeah, I want to close this thread for a second and just share with our listeners what you have going on right now. So you’re kind of doing a lot of different cool things. You co own a pattern company. You make really awesome content online. And I really want to plug your Patreon that you launched recently. So can you tell us a little bit more about what we can expect from that Patreon?
Natalie: Thank you. Yeah. So, I started renting my first studio almost a year ago and I really want it to be a classroom, a learning space, a making space. And right now I do work full-time at my retail job. So I tried teaching some in-person classes and it was, it was just a lot with my schedule. So I scaled that back. And I did do some live online classes, which were fun, but it can be stressful. And you’re also always working around your schedule. So my partner, Matt, really encouraged me to pursue Patreon and we really love filming these classes together. So each month there’s two classes you can take. It’s $8 if you just want one of the classes, $12 if you want both of the classes. And you can watch them and they’re all project-based. You make a project from start to finish. One of the tiers is called Quilty Homebody. And that tier is focused on making things for your home environment. It’s also quilt-focused. So a lot of what we make will involve quilting techniques, and I’m really trying to incorporate projects of all levels. And then the other tier is Style Enthusiast. So we make things to wear, whether it’s, you know, upcycled jeans or, you know, there’s, there’s all kinds of things. So I’m really trying to offer a range of projects, but it’s always going to be, you know, something that is very true to me and my style. There are a lot of resources online for learning how to sew. And I know that I have a very specific perspective, so I want to encourage people to explore sewing and explore creating, and that’s definitely what I’m trying to create there.
Caroline: Well, Helen and I are obviously big fans of Patreon. We love the platform. And I’m so glad that you found a way to, sort of, share your creativity and do a little bit of teaching in a way that is sustainable for you. So I definitely encourage our listeners to go check that out. I know I’m super inspired by some of the little peeks that you share on Instagram.
Natalie: Yeah. And my partner Matt does all of the filming and editing and he just does such a great job. He’s been extremely supportive of me, so I really just want to give him a shout out.
Caroline: Oh, well, we love a supportive partner.
Helen: Hi Matt! That’s wonderful.
Caroline: Yeah, one of the things I wanted to ask you as well, just because you’ve been involved in the sewing community for so much of your adult life, how have you noticed the community changing over the years?
Natalie: Yeah. It’s so hard to gauge, I think, because, my, like, primary platform for interacting is Instagram, like a lot of people. And Instagram has just changed so much. And for me, it’s hard to know if I’m just, rose-coloured glasses, like, thinking about how, “Oh, things used to be this or like this or this,” but I feel like there used to be more connection. Just direct, you know, you got to see exactly what the people you were following were posting. And now I definitely see a lot less. And that’s just the algorithm, you know, I think it’s just how that app has decided to go. But I also, a couple of years ago, I just started having carpal tunnel symptoms and I have tendonitis and I had to take a big step back from sewing for a while just to recover. And I feel like I stepped back a bit from the sewing community because it was, it was just making me sad that I couldn’t be involved. So I have to say, I don’t know what the sewing community is like now, if there, if it is really centralized anywhere.
I just joined Making App, but I haven’t really explored it too much. I feel like I’m always looking for that community…when I worked at Stonemountain and Daughter, we really had our whole in-person thing with all of our co-workers. And I was actually talking to one of them recently about how much sewing all of us were doing. And I think it was because we were excited that everyone working there was making stuff and we got, you know, fresh new fabrics all the time. And maybe there was a little bit of a competitive edge going on too, but we were just, like, sewing so much stuff at that point. And I often compare my sewing now to when I was in my early- to mid-twenties and I’m not doing the same amount of sewing and I’m not as involved in the sewing community. So I definitely feel a bit, I don’t know, insecure about that, even though, or just, you know, sad. But things just change, I guess, you know?
Caroline: I get it too. We’re all, like, on our own journey, right? And I think it’s really normal to, especially when you first, like, discover, get into the sewing community, or maybe start a new job like you did at Stonemountain, like, getting so excited and sewing a lot. And then you sort of realize, like, “Oh, I maybe don’t wear all the things that I sew” or “Maybe I’m discovering that I can slow down and that’s really enjoyable as well.” So, but yeah, no, it’s really interesting to hear your perspective on that. I also feel kind of attached to the way that Instagram was, quote unquote, back in the day, but we all have to accept where it is right now as well. And I think there’s positives and negatives to both.
Natalie: Totally. Yeah. And I’m still finding very meaningful connections with people who I chat directly with, or just comment with on Instagram. I’m still making new friends on there. So that gives me hope. You know, it, it may not feel the exact same, but like, it’s still a great tool for finding your people, I think. Yeah.
Helen: Yeah. We actually have an episode planned for later in this season about sewcializing online, because the landscape has changed so much. And we’re excited to talk about how to find those connections in case you’re missing them. So if listeners out there are relating hard, we got you.
Caroline: Yeah.
Natalie: Yeah. Yeah. It’s a, it’s an interesting time. I know like I feel like at this, in this season of my life, I feel very comfortable socially. But know in the past, like, going to sewing events really intimidated me or, you know, I, I felt like I would show up and kind of just shut down a little bit just from being overwhelmed. And if you can find a way to create that kind of in-person community on whatever level that is, whether it’s, like, going to get coffee with someone or, you know, having like a little sewing circle or crafternoon or whatever, I think that can make you feel…like, I recently hosted a knitting circle at my studio. And it was just so wholesome and, like, exactly what I needed. And there was so much laughter and there were many people who came who I only know through Instagram or on Instagram, or maybe they follow me and I didn’t know them yet. And they live in my neighbourhood. Like just having those moments of in-person. I’ve also done, like, coworking with people online or cocrafting on Zoom one-on-one, because sometimes doing a big Zoom thing can just be too much. So I think trying stuff out, you can still have those really meaningful, wonderful experiences with people you meet online.
Helen: Oh, a hundred percent. A hundred percent. Thousand percent. Okay. Selfishly. I want to circle back for a moment here and talk a bit about quilting again, because I love your patchwork. It’s so fresh and interesting, a total feast for the eyes. And we were wondering what’s your process like for choosing fabrics when you’re doing these, like, multiple different fabric pieces. You know, do you sketch it out? Do you just throw it together? Like, how does it go?
Natalie: I’ve never been a sketcher. I’ve tried, but I think the experience of quilting, piecing, especially for me is, it has to be improvisational and it has to flow and that doesn’t mean I’m always using specifically improv kind of blocks, like sometimes I’m using traditional, more traditional blocks, like you know half-square triangles or whatever. But it’s all gonna be in the moment. And I think a lot of my style comes from, like, all through my, kind of, my education. So, like, grade school, middle school, even high school, I’m just not a book learner. I’m, like, a kinetic learner, I guess. I don’t know what the term is, but I, I learned by doing and making and trying, doing things with my hands. So when I was growing up, school was very boring for me. I just felt like it was an overwhelming amount of, just like, words that are thrown at you. And felt very rigid. And once I got my hands on a sewing machine and nobody was there to tell me what was right and wrong, it just felt so freeing for me. And I could make up the rules. I could have no rules. All of that. So when I got into quilting, I think I was a bit intimidated at first because, you know, there are pockets of the quilting community that really like rules, is how I, kind of, put it. Like, some people really like to have guidelines, which is totally fine. If that’s your style.
When it comes to piecing and quilting, like, I want sewing to be approachable. And when you have all these rights and wrongs that you have to go by, you just can feel like you’re messing up all the time. And that’s why I really love quilting and improv quilting, because you get to make up the rules. You get to change things whenever you want. And that’s really how I approach my piecing. I’ll start with a palette, you know, I’ll start pulling fabrics and oftentimes it’ll be like, I’ll look in my stash, and I kind of just go with my intuition. I go with the flow. I just grab what catches my eye first. And then, you know, I start kind of digging through what I have and putting colours next to each other. And I’m always looking for a palette that is creating tension or creating a mood. I’m definitely, like, I go by mood. So it’s like, do you want to create a very, like, airy and dreamy feel when you look at something? Do you want to, you know, what do you want to convey? I feel like I use clothing and how I dress and I use colour and print and in my piecing, i’s all about, like, how do you create a mood? It is very intuitive and I’ve had people ask me before, like, how do you go about it? And for me, it’s all about just, like, trying stuff and not getting attached to anything. And, you know, maybe sewing some things together and then cutting them in half and adding something else in, and you just keep on going until you look at it and you just your whole body says “yes.” You know, like you kind of have to really listen to yourself, and I think that when you start learning a craft like quilting and it’s very rule based, or anything really, when you start learning something and there’s all these, you know, boxes that you have to tick, you kind of forget about the creative part because you’re really having to pay attention to, are your points matching up? Is your seam allowance consistent? You know, on and on and on. And you forget that, like, being messy and imperfect is really important too.
Helen: Yeah, I love hearing you talk about this because I’ve been really enjoying exploring improv lately and it is such, like, a freeing way to do sewing that I didn’t really experience when I was making garments. Because there’s a process that you go through, and yes, you know, you’re choosing fabrics or maybe you’re hacking a pattern or something. There’s lots of creativity involved. But that freeing feeling when you’re just slapping fabrics together and like, you start to feel like this unstoppable train, like, you’re like, “I’m doing it. I’m doing it. I’m doing it.” And it’s, like, looking so good. And then sometimes it’s not, and you just rip it apart. It’s just so fun. And I love listening to you talk about it. And I also think it’s fascinating that your first experience with a sewing machine made you feel freedom. Like, and I think lots of people can probably relate to that, but I think also a lot of people have the opposite feeling where they feel like they need to follow all these rules and do everything right, And it’s stressful, and maybe there’s a teacher telling them they’re not doing it good enough, and like all this stuff, but you were like, no, this is like my window into a whole new world, and you just felt like, so free.
Natalie: Yeah. And we don’t have time to get into it, but sewing is so underplayed as just, it’s such a technical thing. You’re operating a machine. You’re using a pattern. Like, it’s engineering. Like, it’s difficult. And it’s been so, like, downplayed. Like, when people offhand, like with the best of intention, to me, or like, “Oh, I really want to learn how to sew” or, you know, they want to do this, they think it’s easier than it is. And I try not to squash their dreams, but it is so technical and you really have to put a lot of hours into the technical part. You know, learning how to thread a machine. You also have to learn how to figure out why it’s doing something weird. You know, like it’s not just about, like, best-case scenario, the machine is running and you’re just having to manage what’s under the needle, that’s also it. You also have to learn how to handle different fabrics, ‘cause they all handle differently. Like, there’s so many, so many things, that if I knew that going into sewing, I don’t know if I would have gotten into it, just because I would have been so intimidated. But because I was unsupervised, I was like, “Yeah! Like, let’s mess around!”
Helen: Yeah, the ignorance is bliss factor, is really…
Natalie: Absolutely. So I try to encourage that. Or convey that in my content that I make or in my projects because, like, you should mess around and try things out and it’s okay if it’s bad the first time or the first 10 times or doesn’t work out. I think that one of the downsides of Instagram is that it’s created this, kind of, focus on the finished product, you know, and showing off the finished, shiny product that just appeared, and it’s magical, you know, like it’s just there. When really, like, the hours of time and all the mistakes and redos and on and on. Like, I, I try to convey that, like, it’s, that’s all a part of it. And that’s all part of the fun, like, and the not fun and, like, it’s all just about the growing.
Caroline: It’s so true. Like, all of those things can be true. It can be hard and challenging and a big learning curve. It could also be really fun and freeing and creative. So it’s like all of those things at once.
Natalie: Yeah. And, and sewing was really the first thing that I felt likeI connected with, like, immediately. I didn’t feel really connected in school. I’m sure a lot of people feel that way, but it was the first thing that I was really drawn to and I knew I always wanted to do it, always. So I really followed that and through my time sewing, like, at first I didn’t want to use patterns because I was too impatient. I didn’t want to read directions. So I just didn’t use patterns for a long time. And then I started working at Stonemountain and we sold patterns in there. You know, a lot of my coworkers used them. And so I thought, okay, this hasn’t been my thing in the past, but maybe the instructions are there for a reason and I should start reading them. So that’s, that’s what I did. And I kind of started opening up my modes of learning and revisiting things that hadn’t worked for me in the past. And trying things and trying them again. And I think to be a lifelong learner, that’s really how you have to approach it. Like, I never think about being an expert at anything. I always want to be learning something. I never want to know everything. Cause if I’m at the end of something, like, that’s no fun. You know?
Caroline: Yeah. so true. It’s a lifelong journey. Okay, Natalie, this is such a fun convo. We’re gonna take a quick break and we will be back in a second.
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Caroline: All right, we’re back. Okay, let’s talk about the pattern company that you co-own with Liz Ford. It’s called Daisy Chain Patterns. I would love to know, first up, how you and Liz met.
Natalie: Liz and I met working at Stonemountain, actually. She was also a buyer and a manager there and we worked together. I kind of bounced around a couple of times and moved back and forth from the Bay Area. And so I worked with her for a little bit before I moved away. And then I moved back and we worked together for two or three years. I think it was a total of maybe four, almost four years that we worked together. I left Stonemountain in October of 2020 and I was doing a bunch of different projects. I was doing stuff with Ace and Jig. I had a couple classes that I filmed with CreativeBug, and those were for two quilted coats, and they told me that I needed to make a pattern for these so that it could be included in the class, but then also I could sell it on my own. And patternmaking was something that I had been thinking about for a long time, but I had always held myself back because I didn’t know how to grade patterns. There was just a lot of the process that I didn’t know how to do. And I was telling myself that I had to do everything, which just isn’t the case. Like, just ask for help. So I reached out to Liz, and I knew that she and I worked really well together ’cause we had worked very closely in the office there, and she had just had her first child and was home. And it was in the middle of the pandemic or in the beginning, I can’t remember. But we started chatting and she was into it.
And so we focused on the two quilted jackets. So we did the Liz Quilted Liner Jacket, which is named after Liz, and then we did the Ara Quilted Overcoat, which is kind of a short sleeve, quilted coat. And those were the two, and we got them done in time. We found somebody to grade them for us, who we paid. My whole thing was that I could spend the time learning how to grade, which might take me a while, and I might not be that good at it, or I could find somebody who has devoted their career to it and I could pay them. So that’s what I did. And we wrote the instructions. And Liz is a really great business partner, because, you know, we bring different things to the table. We have similar aesthetic, similar style, but she’s really good at getting me to focus on the technical bits and, really slow down and redo things until they are really good. ‘Cause I am not a perfectionist at heart. But I do love when things feel really good. So it’s great to have her and be partnered with her because she is very thorough. And we also like similar things. We’re really inspired by vintage clothing and, yeah, she’s great to work with. So it’s been really fun so far.
Helen: Oh, that’s really exciting to hear about. And it’s cool that you kind of had this, not aversion, but you weren’t familiar with patterns for a long time, and now you have a pattern company. How does that feel?
Natalie: Yeah. I mean, it’s great. I think to me, I am not a very technical pattern drafter or designer. I did study it in school, but it’s not my comfort zone. But I do see that there is a lot of value in making a simple garment that really shows off either your piecing or your quilting or the fabric that you choose. And that’s really what I’ve focused on so far. One of our latest patterns, the Winona Vest, is a much more technical pattern. It has all of these amazing pockets that are very different and multi-use and multi-entry to them. So that was kind of my foray into that. But as far as, like, fitting, I’m not super comfortable with fitting. But I still think there are a lot of different ideas and shapes to explore that aren’t focused on that. So I think there’s a lot of room within the garment, pattern world for stuff like that.
Caroline: Yeah, Helen and I were talking before we got on the call with you about how, like, you have such a different perspective with the patterns that you create. They’re so unique. They’re really fun. Like you mentioned, they have that sort of vintage-inspired vibe, but I just love that they’re, you know, just not same-same. They’re not basic. They’re very cooland fun and different. I wonder, do you have any, like, style icons or favourite decades that you, sort of, reference as you’re designing?
Natalie: It’s hard for me to pinpoint, because, like, I am inspired by like…my Pinterest is just, like, an explosion of things. I would say, like, mid-60s to mid-70s, I find a lot of inspiration from just, like, the shapes and the nostalgia and all of that, but I don’t know if that comes through totally in what we do. I think a little bit. But I’ve always been inspired and in school, I did a lot of what they called “performance garments.” So, you know, they’re not straightforward costumes like you would wear in a play, but they are garments that are made for performance art pieces, so they change or they, you know, have different elements to them that are performative or interactive. And I think that can kind of translate to what I make. Like, you know, all of the pockets are a big thing for me. I’m not somebody who wants pockets in everything I wear, but I like a statement pocket. Like, I like a big pocket. I like a layered pocket. I like something that can be, again, have like hidden parts in it. And I think it’s all about having that, like, interactive garment that you wear but is also a cocoon that you can kind of, you know, get cozy in, or something that you can carry secret things in, or carry all of your things. You know, it’s like, there’s kind of this intersection of, like, utility and also, like, functionality, but also it, it just looks like maybe something familiar, but unfamiliar at the same time.
Helen: Yeah, totally. And we love your personal style. I think you mesh that, like, comfortable, approachable vibe with this super fashion-forward edge that is very unique. And it’s so fun to watch you put together outfits on Instagram. And we were wondering, how long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
Natalie: Well, my partner is often asleep when I get up, just ‘cause we have different schedules. So I’m usually crawling around in the dark trying to just think of what I have. But I’m definitely somebody who, I rewear a lot of stuff. Recently I filmed a class for some jeans that I altered and I wore them, like, three days in a row, you know, with just different things.
So, in grade school, I wore uniforms, and I think kind of call back to having a uniform, like, I usually will always have, be wearing, like, layers, and I’ll kind of fixate on certain things in my closet for a while before I switch them out. So I’ll wear the same pants a few times a week and try it different ways. I feel like my style changes a lot, but also there’s, like, a through line. I don’t know what it is, but I do like to explore different trends and put my own spin on it a little bit.
Caroline: Yeah, Helen and I did an episode called What’s Your Me Made Style a couple seasons back where we had our listeners kind of describe their style in, like, a phrase. I wonder what yours would be, at least right now.
Natalie: Yeah, it’s so hard. At least for, like, winter. I feel like it changes, definitely, on the season too. Right now…do you know what gorpcore is?
Caroline: No, I’m gonna look it up though.
Helen: Is it like, gorp like granola?
Natalie: Yeah. So, so gorpcore is this style right now that is kind of focused on wearing, like, technical gear, like, like, hiking gear, but as fashion. So, I’ve seen it a lot on Instagram, of course, but I think I’ve been influenced by that a bit because I’ll be wearing, like, a lot of vests which feel very outdoorsy. And then, you know, a lot of casual things like denim. I don’t know. I feel like my style is very, like, Exquisite Corpse. Like, there’s a lot of clashing of what’s going on. Like, sometimes I’ll be wearing something very feminine and soft but then, you know, with like, sneakers. And then I throw in, like, my weird big pants that I like to wear. And so each layer is, just doesn’t really go together, but then somehow, at least to me, it goes together.
Helen: You make it work, just like your fabric pairings, right? You just, like, find this way to make the clash so delicious.
Natalie: Yeah. It’s, yeah. I feel like my style is like, homebody, like, gorpcore, exquisite corpse.
Helen: I love that.
Natalie: You gotta be cozy. It’s gotta be a weird combination. And then, yeah, it’s gotta be functional.
Caroline: Can we do like a, can we make this into like a, gorpcorpse or something?
Helen: Gorpcorpse.
Natalie: Yeah, yes, there you go.
Helen: I’m a real gorpcorpse, if you know what I mean.
Natalie: Yeah!
Caroline: Oh my gosh.
Helen: I ate so much gorp growing up, so I feel like I could really get into gorpcore, yeah.
Natalie: Same. yeah. yeah. I like it because, I do really, like, I have to wear comfortable shoes. I spent a lot of time, growing up, wearing uncomfortable shoes. And now that I’m in, like, my 30s, I’m like, nope. So I’m very into comfort dressing for sure.
Helen: Yeah, I love that. Okay. We also wanted to touch on your upcycling because you have so many cool jeans that you’ve upcycled into, like, other jeans, or you made the Blackbird Fabrics Bestie Bag, the BF Patterns Bestie Bag, and you made it all out of upcycled jeans. And that was so cool. So, I guess, yeah. Why are jeans such a great option for upcycling in your opinion?
Natalie: I think I really love a secondhand pair of jeans because, kind of, calling back to talking about quilts and and like wearing quilts, but just in general, like how clothing is such a living, fabric is such a living, breathing thing that shows our life, you know, on it. And when you get a secondhand pair of jeans, like you can just see all the, where they wore their, you know, their wallet or whatever was in their pockets. And you see all the fade lines and the, the patina of it and, I don’t know, I just love the feel of it. I love the look of it. I love something that is worn-in and, like, well-loved and I also love cutting things apart, as we know. So I think it just kind of goes with that, kind of remixing of things, whether it’s clothing or it’s quilting. There’s always jeans at the thrift store. I think I also just love the feeling of denim. Like it feels so sturdy, something really nice about that. It feels like it’ll just be around forever. I love the way that it wears and it fades. And, you know, there’s such a big culture around denim too. I think a lot of people have a connection to it. It’s just a really kind of mythical fabric.
Helen: It’s fun to, to keep your old jeans and your partner’s old jeans. I do that. I have a pile in my sewing studio because they do make such great upcycling materials. And you know, you can mend the crotch a few times. I’ve definitely mended the crotch multiple times on some of my jeans, but eventually they bite the dust and it’s time to turn them into something else. And that’s always exciting too.
Natalie: Right. And I feel like I spent so much time looking for the perfect pair of jeans. Like there’s always this kind of like, idea out there That, you know, in fashion, at least that, like, you’re looking for your perfect pair of jeans that fit you perfectly. And when I started doing, kind of like, upcycling denim and just cutting open the leg, a few people started doing that on Instagram. And it was just like, I know that. That kind of trend has happened in the past too, like in the seventies and the nineties. And I love that those, even upcycling trends kind of get recycled too. And people spark an interest again in those techniques.
Helen: Mmhmm. Yeah, me too. Okay, I have to ask you about a specific project because you’ve made these really cool jeans where you’ve opened the side seam and inserted a triangular shaped piece of fabric to turn them into really cool bell bottoms. And I really want you to tell me how you did that so I can copy you.
Natalie: Well, we, we also just, Matt and I, just filmed a class for Patreon for that. Yeah.
Caroline: You gotta sign up for Patreon, Helen!
Natalie: That’ll be released this month.
Helen: I know, I do.
Natalie: But it’s, again, it’s like one of those things that I feel like, taking apart jeans just seems really complicated, but it’s literally just ripping out the side seams. And then the triangular part that I’m inserting is not shaped in any way. I’m sure you could get more technical with it. But I have just literally drafted a triangle that’s like, you know, however long I want it to be and then however wide I want it to be. And you can play around with how wide that triangle is, because obviously it’s gonna change the shape of your pant leg drastically, depending on how big or small it is. So some of the jeans that I’ve made in that, with that technique have, like, a 14 inch wide panel at the bottom. And so they’re, they’re huge, you know? And, some of them are more of just, like, a regular wide leg. So just depending on how big you want that triangle to be, it can be, um, it can change it quite dramatically, but you can always baste it in to see how it looks. But I get in the class, I go through, you know, how to draft that piece and play around with it. But I also did it with pieced fabric that I quilted to some canvas so that it is the same weight as the denim, but then it’s like a panel, a quilty panel, which is very fun too.
Helen: Ooh, I’m gonna do that one.
Caroline: Yeah. That’s so smart. I was wondering how that would’ve worked, with the pieced kind of patchwork vibe with the weight of the denim. So that is a great tip to quilt it to a piece of canvas. Take notes, Helen.
Natalie: Yeah, yeah, and then you don’t have to use, you know, any batting, obviously. You just sew it directly onto your canvas or twill, whatever you have. It’s a great, especially if you’re doing improv piecing and you just have kind of random blocks that are around, that’s a great project, to use them in.
Caroline:Yeah, so cool.
Helen: Yeah. so, so fun. Okay, we’ll link that up in our show notes, your Patreon, so people can go and take that class.
Natalie: Yeah, it’s a fun one.
Caroline: All right. We just have a few more questions before we wrap up. On your Instagram profile, you call yourself a fiber artist and designer, which is absolutely true. I’ve noticed that sometimes sewists have a hard time calling themselves artists. I wonder what your perspective is on that.
Natalie: Yeah, I think it’s probably a complicated answer that has a lot to do with how society interprets sewing and hand crafts and then how we kind of internalize that and want to, kind of, present ourselves to the world because it is a little bit, it can be intimidating or you can feel a little self-conscious if you’re naming yourself something that you’re not sure if you are or not. But I don’t remember when it was, so, when I was in art school, you know, the joke was that like, nobody who graduates from art school actually does the art afterwards. That’s the joke, but I was very determined to prove that wrong. And so, that has always just been, like, my mission to be a working artist and to make a living from what I do. Most of the time I am making maybe a little bit of money from what I do and my day job is supporting me. But I also got some advice at some point, that, you know, nobody is going to promote you. Nobody’s going to, like, discover you from the outside and be like, “Oh, you’re an artist.” You know, like, you can call yourself that now. You can take that name and you have to kind of make that decision for yourself. You have to decide that you’re going to promote yourself. Like I remember after school, I was so self-conscious about telling people about what I made, like, “Oh, I make these quilted jackets, and yeah, I sew sometimes,” but I was so insecure about it. And then after a while, I got more comfortable telling people, like, “Yes, I sew for a living” or “Yes, I am an artist. I make this and this.” And it is a scary place, I think, sometimes, to claim that. But nobody’s gonna tell you that that’s what you are. You know that that’s what you are. And I don’t know, I don’t know why people are more hesitant about it. I mean, I definitely have times, like right now, I haven’t been sewing or creating as much as I would like to be. So I feel kind of sheepish sometimes being like, “Yes, I’m an artist,” but it’s about how you live your life. And it’s not only about production, you know, it’s about how you curate your space around you or how you interact with the world. There’s so much more about it than just producing. So that’s my long answer.
Caroline: Yeah, it’s a great answer.
Helen: I love that answer because I think, yeah, we set all these weird arbitrary benchmarks for ourselves to whether or not we get to have these titles and whatnot. And I think everybody struggles with that and feeling like a fraud or whatever it is, however you want to call it. And I mean, it is just so relatable. And I do think that sewing is art. And even if you’re just making clothes for yourself to wear, using other people’s patterns, I think you’re an artist because you’re making creative choices in that process. And you are basically painting yourself, like, you are the canvas. So there’s lots of interesting ways to think about it. And I encourage all of our listeners out there who are doing any kind of fiber art to, yeah, call yourself an artist. Here you go. I’ll give you permission.
Natalie: Yeah.
Caroline: We’ve also heard you say that your sewing machine is like an extension of your body. And I wonder if you ever really, like, lose your sewjo and how you continuously stay inspired, especially when your professional life is so intertwined with sewing.
Natalie: Oh my gosh. Yes. Many times I have lost my drive. It could be a physical thing like, you know, the, the carpal tunnel. And that’s hard because maybe you want to do it, but you physically can’t. And then you kind of get out of the flow of being in the sewing space, whatever that is, whether it’s, like, your dining room table, or if you have a sewing room. And sometimes I get out of it where there’s times when I have so many ideas in my head and then I just get so paralyzed by what I want to make. Like, I’ll have a day off and I’m like, “Oh, I want to start this project. I’ll cut this out. I’ll do this and this.” And then I just can’t seem to get started because the task feels too big. So it happens to me all the time. And teaching the classes has helped me get back in the flow, but there’s still things, like, you know, I would really like to make myself a pair of jeans. I’ve tried making jeans from start to finish twice and neither time worked out. I feel like this year is going to be the year. But getting started on that project feels intimidating too. I also have a problem of starting projects and not finishing them. So, which nobody can relate to, I’m sure.
Helen: Yeah, that never happens to me.
Natalie: So I think that is a mental wall for me as well. When I think about those projects that are sitting there unfinished, it’s like, I don’t want to start another project, but I also don’t want to work on those projects. So what usually helps me is picking something bite sized or, you know, really, you know, approachable, small project that I can complete and feel really good about. Or just trying to turn off my brain and start the project. Because if I did that, instead of thinking about the project, I would save a lot of time.
Helen: Yes. Hard relate.
Natalie: Yeah. I am a very, like, I know I use the word intuitive a lot, but I try to listen to myself, because I have spent a lot of my life with anxiety. Just like, you know, you start getting in a, in a doom spiral as I call them. And a lot of people call them. And everything starts feeling overwhelming. And I’m trying to train myself to just, before, like, when I see myself going down the spiral, just step back. And just turn off the brain instead of letting myself continue that. Because it is a habit that you can get into, of focusing on, “Well, if I want to do this project, then I need to wash the fabric and I need to print the pattern and then this and then this” instead of just enjoying the process, you know.
Helen: Yeah. I totally relate to this because I always have so many things that I need to work on and want to work on but sometimes that just gets in my way because there’s so many things to choose from. So I’ve started just picking. I’m like, “Just pick something. It doesn’t matter. You’ll be happy as soon as you start.”
Natalie: Yes. When I first started knitting, I was at a knitting circle and someone there was talking about how they set up. They had some app that was like a roulette table that you literally put all your projects in and then it chooses for you, which I think would be good.
Helen: Oh my gosh. Unless it lands on something and then you’re like, “Nah, I don’t want to do that one.”
Natalie: Yeah. Yeah.
Caroline: Then you know.
Natalie: Like, try again.
Helen: Yeah, then you know, right? It’s like when you’re doing the magic eight ball and you don’t get the answer you want.
Natalie: Yeah. But, yeah, sometimes it’s good to take overthinking out of it.
Helen: Yeah. Override. Yeah.
Caroline: Okay, before we end this episode, we want to switch gears for a quick sec and ask you about your beautiful black kitty named Dale.
Natalie: Oh, Dale.
Caroline: We love Dale. Is he named after someone? How did you get him?
Natalie: Yes. Dale is, he’s about 11 and a half. So, I adopted him right after I graduated from college and I was living in Napa, California. So I adopted him from the Humane Society there. And they were having a two-for-one special on black and orange cats. Not because of Halloween but for, like, the SF Giants or something because that’s their colours. And I was like, well, “I definitely can’t get two cats. Like, I’m 21 and that’s not a good idea.” So I knew that I could only get one cat. And he was the first cat that I held and he was just like, he was three months old. So he was like, really little, he was just like purring, making biscuits. And his name at the shelter was Otto Von Biscuitmaker, which I think it is just the most incredible name. And it’s funny that I didn’t keep it, because it is a great name, and we do call him that sometimes. But I was like, okay, I can’t hold any other cats. Like, if I do, I’ll just cry. Like, this is the cat I’m taking. And I was watching a lot of King of the Hill at the time. It was my favourite show. And the character Dale Gribble, if you’re unfamiliar, is just this weirdo. He’s, like, a conspiracy theorist. He’s just, like, a weird, goofy neighbour. He’s always doing really stupid things. And I loved the character. I thought he was so funny and I just knew that I wanted to name my cat Dale Gribble. So when I went to fill out the paperwork, they asked me what his name was, and I said “Dale Gribble.” And then they just assumed that Gribble was my last name, and I had to clarify.
Helen: Oh my god.
Natalie: I was like, “No, that’s just his last name.”
Helen: I love that.
Natalie: Yeah, he’s, he’s Dale. And I mean, I know how much of my personality he is, but it’s when, like, other people ask me, whether it’s, like, you guys asking me, which just touches my heart so much, but also like friends when I haven’t seen them for a while, they’ll be like, “So how’s Dale?” And it just, I, like, almost cry every time because he just, we’re just very, very bonded. We’ve had, obviously, a long time together and he’s just a funny guy. He talks a lot. And Matt and I are just obsessed with him. I love dogs too, but I just am a cat lady deep, deep in my core.
Caroline: Aww. Yeah.
Helen: But is Dale the cat a conspiracy theorist, is my question.
Natalie: Yeah, I’m, I am sure he is. He is.
Helen: He’s always muttering away.
Natalie: Yes, he has a lot to say.
Helen: Oh, so cute. Does he ever get involved in your sewing projects or get in your way?
Natalie: Oh, yeah. He, he did, especially when I sewed from home, like, you know, I had a sewing room. I used to have a sewing room in my house and there was cat hair all over everything. And it was just, like, the classic, if you leave something important, he’s going to make a bed on it. And then that’s how I like to blame all of my unfinished projects…I’m like, “Well, now he has it, so.” And of course, now at my new studio, that’s outside of my house. I’m like, “I wish I could bring him here.”
Helen: Yeah.
Natalie: The ironing board was definitely his favourite perch for a long time.
Caroline: Oh, well, thank you so much, Natalie. We had such an amazing time talking with you today.
Natalie: Yes, thank you so much. It has been such a pleasure and such an honour and you guys are so lovely to chat with. I really appreciate it.
Caroline: Yeah. Well, tell our listeners where they can find you online.
Natalie: So my instagram is my first and last name. So it’s @natalie_ebaugh and that’s e-b-a-u-g-h. And I also have links there for my other things. So I have my studio website, which is sewingwithnatalie.com. And then on Patreon, I believe it’s also under Sewing with Natalie. So that’s where you can find me. And then our patterns are @daisychainpatterns on Instagram and daisychainpatterns.com.
Caroline: Amazing. Thank you so much. We’re going to link everything up in the show notes for our listeners. I know Helen and I are super inspired. We were just talking about upcycling some jeans in time for this episode coming out. So we’ll see if we actually get to it, but thank you so much again for coming on. It was such a great chat.
Natalie: Thank you!
Helen: Okay, bye.
Caroline: Okay, bye.
Natalie: Bye.
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: 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, you can leave us a message at 1-844 SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. We live for your voicemails. So please call us. Or you can send us an email at hello@lovetosewpodcast.com.
Caroline: Thank you to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening! We will talk to you next week.
Helen: Buh bye!
Caroline: Bye!
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