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Transcript:

Helen: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.

Hello and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns 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 is the only thing worth talking about.

Caroline: Today we are sharing your proudest sewing moments. Hey, we asked for it! And we want to hear you brag. Maybe we’ll brag a little bit, too.

Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.

Caroline: Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m doing well, thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I am doing so well. I really enjoyed reading through all of our listener feedback for this episode. It’s such a feel-good feeling to be bragging about sewing.

Helen: Oh my gosh, I couldn’t agree more. It was so fun to hear everybody’s proudest sewing moments, from little things to huge projects. Really runs the gamut, so we’re so excited to share today. And I also wanted to say that this season was so much fun. I had so much fun recording it with you and we had so many great guests and it was just a blast. So I hope y’all enjoyed it too. And this is our last episode for this season, but we will be back in September with another season of Love to Sew. And of course, you can catch us over on Patreon in the summer months if you want to keep up with us.

Caroline: And Apple Podcasts! I also really enjoyed this season. I loved recording it and I’m really proud of us. We did some fun guest interviews and we talked about some really great topics. I don’t know how we managed to always come up with new ideas every season, but somehow we do.

Helen: We do! We’re overflowing with sewing ideas. It is literally all we want to talk about.

Caroline: It feels like it’s literally all we’ve been talking about for the last few months.

Helen: But I love it so much. And I’m sure we’ll have a great fall season as well. I can’t wait to brainstorm about that one.

Caroline: I know! It’s going to be great. Okay, should we get into some feedback?

Helen: Yes, let’s start today’s episode with feedback from Beth. Beth sent us a voicemail.

Beth: Hi girls, it’s Beth Stell from Winnipeg, Canada, @sewinginmycloset, and I just listened to your podcast on long-term sewists. And the woman at the end, whose home ec teacher accused her of having her mother do her work…My mother, who’s 84 now, has never been a gifted sewist, and I have no idea where I got my sewing genes from, but when she was a young girl and taking home ec class, she actually snuck her apron home for her mother to sew it for her because she was felt that her sewing skills were horrible. And at the end of the day, my mother got a B on her apron and my grandmother was terribly, terribly upset with the grade she got. So this story, of course, was a secret for a very long time. And in fact, my mum’s sewing teacher eventually became quite a good friend of the family and went to our church. And finally, one year I said to my mum, “Why don’t you just ‘fess up that you took your apron home to Mrs. Wilson?” And, you know, Mrs. Wilson at the time was probably in her 80s and my mom was in her, kind of, 60s or 70s. Well, she finally did ‘fess up and she told her that her mum was very upset with her grade. It’s a funny moment. My voicemail is probably not really good for the show, but I thought I would pass it on because it just brought back that memory. Have a great day. Love the podcast.

Caroline: Hi Beth! This is too funny. And I beg to differ; I think your voicemail is perfect for the show. I think it has a certain quality of, like, gossip where it’s like, “Your mom told my mom that she’s mad that…”

Helen: I love that, like, literally 60 years later, they’re still thinking about it and talking about it.

Caroline: You’re like, “Just admit it!”

Helen: “Just admit it already!” I was also thinking about how we’ve talked about, like, generational sewing on the show before, and sometimes, sewing skips a generation. That sounds like that’s what happened here with you, Beth, so…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Maybe you didn’t get it from your mum, but maybe you got it from your grandma. I mean, a B on a finished apron. I just feel like all finished sewing projects should get an A++.

Caroline: I know. Come on. This is home ec. I would definitely be furious if I got anything less than an A on the apron I made, especially if it was for somebody else and I was doing them a favour. Come on.

Helen: I can relate. I definitely sewed some pajama shorts, some boxers in my home ec class for some of my classmates when I was in home ec.

Caroline: Did you really?

Helen: Oh yeah, I definitely did. I did it for a little cashola under the table.

Caroline: No way! Oh my gosh, did Mrs. Orchard ever find out?

Helen: I don’t think so. I don’t, I’m not entirely sure. Maybe she’s listening. Sorry. Sorry! I should have waited another 50 years before telling her.

Caroline: Star student no more. You’re accepting cash under the table.

Helen: It was, like, one time, okay? I was exaggerating a little bit, but still…

Caroline: I love it. I love it.

Helen: The entrepreneurial spirit runs deep.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Beth. We had a real laugh with this one. Okay, next up we have a question from Lindsey.

Lindsey: Hi Helen and Caroline and the rest of the Love to Sew team! This is Lindsey from the San Francisco Bay Area. I sent a couple questions your way recently, so apologies in advance for one more, but you seemed like the right people to ask. My question is about sewing machine service and maintenance. I inherited my grandma’s Bernina. I don’t know the last time she used it. I’ve had it for probably at least a decade. I used it very infrequently for maybe the first five years that I had it and then I got into sewing about three years ago and have been using it very regularly since. I try to do a good job of oiling it and cleaning it frequently, but I have never had it serviced since I have owned it. I haven’t noticed any issues with it, like any weird tension things or stuff like that. But I’m wondering how to know when I should service my machine, like, should I wait until there’s a problem, or should I take it every few years for a tune up? Are there specific things I should look for that let me know when it maybe needs a little bit more professional help? Any perspective you can provide on this would be so appreciated. Thank you so much for what you do with the pod. It’s my favourite podcast. So thank you so much for making so much wonderful sewing content.

Helen: Oh, thank you so much, Lindsey. It always warms our hearts to hear that people’s favourite podcast is our podcast?! Can you believe?

Caroline: No, I still can’t after all these years.

Helen: I know. It makes me, honestly, so so happy. And this is such a great question. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to this feeling of like, “I’m supposed to get my machine serviced, but like, when and why and how and how often” and all those questions. So, I mean, first off, if you’re happy with how your machine is working, you’re not having any issues, I don’t think there’s any rush to get it serviced. You don’t need to run out tomorrow and do it. The main things, of course, are to keep it clean and oiled. It sounds like you’re doing that. More recent machines, more modern machines are self-oiling, but vintage machines need to be oiled to run well. So we’ll link a couple of tutorials for how to do it yourself in the show notes. Take caution here. You don’t want to be pouring oil in there. Go light on the oil at first and just see if that makes a difference.

Caroline: My Bernina is, I would say, a more recent one. I think I got it, like, maybe 12 years ago. And it does need to be oiled, but they have very specific instructions on how to do it in the manual. So definitely take a look at that. Even machines that are still stitching can benefit from getting serviced. A servicer is going to make sure everything’s properly cleaned and aligned, and they’ll check all the parts so you can replace anything that’s, like, showing too much wear. And they’ll also make sure the timing is running perfectly so that there’s no jamming up that will happen. And they can also improve the tension of the screws, discs, and gears.

Helen: So let’s say, for example, that your machine is running fine, but your needle alignment is maybe a millimeter off. That means that each seam that you sew is going to be two millimeters off, which can add up over the course of a bunch of seams around the body. And it might be something that you’re completely unaware of.

Caroline: Mmhmm. And getting your machine serviced can also save you headaches down the road. If your machine’s timing is going off, it could mean that it starts jamming a lot and stops sewing at all. And then you could be in machine repair territory instead of machine service territory. Or if a belt is wearing out and needs to be replaced, it’s nice to know so that the belt doesn’t snap when you’re working on an outfit you planned to wear the next day. Hard relate.

Helen: Yes, and we’re not talking about the kind of belt you wear with your outfit; this belt is inside the machine. It helps to turn everything. It can also be an option to do some of the service steps yourself. The YouTube channels Vintage Sewing Machine Garage and Andy Tube have some really great videos about it. But again, be warned, it’s a bit of a deep dive into a specific skill set, and if you’re not interested in learning a lot about machine maintenance, it’s probably better just to take it to a technician regularly and just get it serviced.

Caroline: Yeah. And we should also mention that some machines are actually not designed to be serviced. You can always email a servicer to ask if your machine is okay to service or not. It’s mostly just modern machines at those, like, really low price points that tend to just not be serviceable.

Helen: “Sorry, your machine is not serviceable.”

Caroline: Repairable, but not serviceable.

Helen: Yes. And as for how often you should get your machine serviced, Brother Sewing Machines recommends getting it done every 1,000 to 1,500 hours of sewing. So if you do 10 hours of sewing a week, that would be every 2 to 3 years. If you do 5 hours of sewing a week, that would be every 4 to 6 years. I’m kind of on, like, an every, um, couple year schedule personally, probably so like 10 to 20 hours a week. And then I do some basic maintenance myself, like dusting it off and brushing out all the fibers and things like that.

Caroline: Yeah, I have to say I’m really glad that Lindsey asked this question, because I feel lied to. I have been feeling…

Helen: You thought you were supposed to do it more often?

Caroline: Yes! because when I bought my Bernina machine, the dealer put a little sticker on it that was like, “next service date” in a year. So I was like, always thought that I had to get my machine serviced every single year. And I’ve been feeling really guilty because I have not had my machine serviced in years. And I think it makes so much sense that it would be dependent on how often you use it, how many hours a week you sew. And yeah, I’m just feeling a little bit better about myself, to be honest. So thank you, Lindsey.

Helen: I mean, you totally can do it that often. It’s like car maintenance too, right? Like, they put the little sticker in your window and that’s when you’re supposed to do it. And sometimes that doesn’t always happen. And of course, it’s an added expense that you might not be able to afford at any given time. So waiting until you can afford it is obviously something that you might have to do. But again, like a car, you don’t want to not do it at all because you will run into issues and then they’ll be more serious. Like we said, you don’t want to be into repair territory. I recently took my machine to be serviced because it stopped sewing properly. It was like, barely moving along the fabric. Like, the feed dogs were not grabbing and it was just, like, sewing at like a tiny little stitch length, no matter what length I set it on. I was like, “There’s something wrong with this machine.” So I took it. “Of course it’s not me. Couldn’t possibly be me.” So I took it to the Pfaff store and I got it serviced and the technician was so nice, so lovely, but she was like, “This machine had so much fiber jammed down underneath the feed dogs that they couldn’t actually, like, move down anymore” because it was like a thick…

Caroline: What?

Helen: Like, completely compressed, like, wadded up mat of fiber down there. Because I didn’t realize that I could get under that part of the machine and clean it. She’s like, “You’re supposed to clean this.” And I was like, “What?” So she, like, showed me where I was supposed to clean it. So now I know, now I know I’ll clean it, but that was pretty funny. So that’s the situation I got into where, yeah, it stopped working. And of course, you know, I’m running a business here. I’m like, “My machine’s not working!” Like it’s stressful, so…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Definitely better to stay ahead of things like this. And I would say, Lindsey, it sounds like you’ve had this machine for a while. Someone had it for a while before that. I think it’s probably time. I think you’re safe to, to go and get it serviced and give it a little love.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. I want to circle back for a second on something you said about cars. Not that this is a podcast about cars, but I do think that you should listen to the sticker on your car about changing your oil. Because it can really damage your car if you don’t do that.

Helen: Oh no, this is true! Yes, yes. My apologies. You absolutely should.

Caroline: Like, I’m not a car expert, so I…

Helen: And I do, I do totally, I’m totally, like, on top of it with the car. Dentist, you know, similar kind of vibe, not so much…

Caroline: Yeah, no, dentist, I think… Oh my goodness. I hate the dentist. Let’s not even get into that.

Helen: All the servicing that needs to be done in our lives.

Caroline: Okay. Wait, let’s, let’s recap. I feel like we’re, we’re veering off track. If you’re happy with how your machine is running, then you can probably get away with just cleaning it and oiling it. Just make sure that you’re figuring out how to clean it, uh, unlike Helen, who had a lot of lint buildup.

Helen: Do all the parts.

Caroline: If you can afford it, I think it would be great to get it serviced, though. And you will probably be super happy with how it runs after you get it serviced and you won’t have to wonder if, like, a nasty surprise is waiting for you. So think of it as sending your machine away for a spa day.

Helen: Absolutely. Okay, shall we get into the episode?

Caroline: Yes! Helen, are you ready to get braggadocious?

Helen: I’ve never been more ready. I need to redeem myself after my Pfaff sewing machine story. No, this is going to be so much fun. We did ask on social media for listeners to brag about their proudest sewing moments. We got some amazing responses, emails, voicemails, all that jazz. You’ve definitely earned the right to brag. And make sure you check out the show notes for this episode, because we have so many pictures of all the amazing stuff that everyone has made.

Caroline: Yes. Okay, before we get into all the voicemails and letters that we got, Helen, I want to hear you brag. Tell me what your proudest sewing moment has been.

Helen: It was really hard to choose just one, but there is a project that stuck out in my mind when we were doing the prep for this episode. And that is my Sewaholic Minoru jacket. This was one of my very first sewing projects that I decided to tackle when I got back into sewing in 2014. Like many folks, I was really into it as a teenager, and then I took a little break when I was doing post-secondary and getting a job and finding a place to live and all that stuff. So when I got back into sewing, this was one of the first things that I decided to make. And it was a step up in skill level for me, for sure. I did not know what I was doing, but I followed the instructions and I was able to muddle through it. And some things I look at and laugh about now. Like the fusible interfacing is not fully fused. So the front’s all like lumpy, bumpy. And there are places where I sewed the top stitching with basting stitch length, ‘cause I forgot to reset my stitch length. And even though I noticed it after I sewed it, I was like, “It’s fine. Too late now!” But there are also things I look at and I’m like, “Wow. Like, I did that?” Like I did a bias binding finish on the inside of the hood pocket. I mean, I sewed a hood pocket?!

Caroline: Wow.

Helen: Like, I made little inner pockets on the lining. I, like, fully lined a jacket. I mean, it’s honestly kind of crazy when I think back on it now that this was the project I chose and that I was able to do it. And so, overall, I’m just so impressed with my former self for taking on this project. And I didn’t know how to make a lined jacket. Not even close. But I just went for it anyways, and it really sparked an interest in sewing and pattern design that has led me here to where we are today. So it’s an important project in my sewing history. And if you want to check it out, I do have a blog post all about it on my blog.

Caroline: Oh, this is so heartwarming. I was excited to hear what you were going to say because I feel like you’ve had so many proud sewing moments in your sewing journey and you are often challenging yourself to try new techniques and garments and quilting and you’ve just done so much! So going back to 2014, this is really fitting because it did really inform the next, like, 10 years of your life, so, so exciting. Yeah.

Helen: Yeah, I thought it was the perfect one because I was really proud of myself at the time, and I’m still really proud of myself for doing that project, so it felt fitting. Okay, I want to hear about yours, Caroline. Brag to me.

Caroline: This is a tough one because I was thinking, obviously, my wedding dress is a huge proud moment for me, but we did a whole episode about it. So I don’t want to dwell on that one too much because I’ve already bragged about my wedding dress. I am going to say my maid of honour dress that I made for my best friend’s wedding. And I think it’s because it was a mix of, like, sentimentality. and challenge. So it was a satin fabric, it was like a lightweight viscose satin. The dress pattern that I chose had lots of, like, darts and tucks and interesting details. It was very high-pressure because I was the maid of honour, so I was giving a speech and I walked down the aisle and I was going to be photographed, all eyes were on me. And I knew that I really wanted it to be perfect and I agonized over what to make and I still love that dress. I love the, kind of like, heartfelt meaning behind it because my best friend Sarah got married and I got to wear this dress for her wedding. And I also feel really proud of the finished result. It looked really good and it was really polished and I didn’t, like, mess anything up. And if I remember correctly, I don’t think I made it the night before I had to leave. So that was a win.

Helen: That’s a proud moment.

Caroline: And I’ll just cherish it forever. It’s still in my closet and I hope I have an opportunity to wear it again. So yeah, I, I will say, sewing makes me feel proud fairly often and that’s one of the things that I love about sewing is that you get to have these, like, little wins along the way where you can, like, pat yourself on the back and be like, “I freaking made this, like, with my hands and I am a rock star!” Because I can, it kind of makes you feel like you can do anything, you know?

Helen: Yes. It’s so true. And sometimes I think we pass up opportunities to brag about our sewing because it can feel a little uncomfy…don’t necessarily want to have, you know, the spotlight on you. Um, but when people compliment things that I’m wearing that I made, I try to take that moment to be like, “Thanks, I made it.” And then it sparks this great conversation about, “Wow, really? Like, that’s so cool.” Like, this happened to me at the hairdresser the other day when I was checking out after I got my haircut and somebody complimented my Orbit Bag. And I was like, “Thanks, I made it.” And they were like, “Oh my gosh, I love it.” Caroline, get this. This person just joined the sewing community. They were so excited about sewing. They were like, “Really? Is there a pattern for that?” And I was like, “Yeah! I’m a pattern designer.” And I was telling her all this stuff. And then she says, “Have you heard of the Bestie Bag?” And I was like, “Yes. Oh my gosh. That’s my friend’s bag!”

Caroline: Oh my gosh!

Helen: “We have this podcast together!” And like, it was just so fun telling her about all of our stuff. And she was, like, pretty new to the community. So she was just finding her footing and learning about all these designers. And like, she hadn’t heard of our podcast yet. She was so excited. It was just, like, such a fun moment. And then she’s like, starts calling over all the other people who were at the salon, like who weren’t busy and be like, “She made her bag.” I was like, “Yeah,” I stepped back and I was like, “And I made my jacket and my top. And my jeans.” And they were like, “Whaaat?”

Caroline: Oh my god.

Helen: there’s like this, like, semi-circle of people around me just being like, “No, you didn’t.” Like, “Are you kidding me?” It’s so amazing. And it was just fun. Like, yes, I was fully bragging, but it wasn’t in like a, I don’t know, like a pompous way. It was just in a nice, like, communal way. And I was trying to get them excited about sewing. I’m like, “You can do it too!” Yeah. I’m that person.

Caroline: Yeah. I do think it’s so important to allow yourself to just brag once in a while about your sewing and, like, spread the love and like accept those compliments and feel proud of yourself, which is why I’m so excited about this episode, because we got some amazing voicemails and messages from our listeners So I think it’s time to share your proud moments, everyone.

Helen: Yes. Okay, our first letter is from Malena. “I’ve worked as a pattern maker for 15 years now and, unfortunately, when I started working as one, I lost sewing as a hobby. A few years ago, I became a freelancer and wanted to create a product of my own. My knitting sisters told me all about PDF patterns. I’d never heard about them, so I instantly started to do some research. Found your podcast pretty quickly and discovered a whole new world of home sewing. So much had happened while I’d been away. When I sewed back in the days, Burda was the one and only pattern resource I had. I basically used your show notes as research material and started to create my own patterns as a side business from my freelance work.” Ooh, I love this story.

Caroline: I know, me too. “Fast forward a few years and I’ve now released eight PDF patterns. And now to the bragging part. Oh, wait, we’re not there yet. Together with Johanna Lundstrom, we have just launched a sewing and fitting book. It’s called Fit for Knits and it’s all about how to sew and fit knitted garments. I’m so proud of it. And I actually have you guys to thank for it being written. Can you guess how I met Johanna? I heard the episode when you interviewed her, and since we both live in Sweden, I thought, “I need to contact her.” So I did. And since then, we’ve been helping each other out with different projects. And now we’ve written a book together! So thank you so much for introducing us and for your fabulous show notes. It’s really made a huge difference for me.”

Helen: Oh, Malena, this is such an amazing achievement. It amazes me that Love to Sew had a part to play in you starting your PDF pattern business and meeting Johanna, who is amazing, obviously, but really I think you’re not giving yourself enough credit. I mean, you designed your patterns and you started your business and you reached out to Johanna and you wrote that book with her. It’s so, so, so cool. And for anyone out there who wants to check out this pattern company, it’s called Hazelhen Patterns. Hopefully i’m pronouncing that correctly. “Hazelhen,” one word.

Helen: We’ll have that and the book Fit for Knits all linked up in our show notes.

Caroline: Ooh, thanks, Malena. Okay, next up we have a voicemail from Ellen.

Ellen: Hey, Love to Sew, Helen and Caroline. My name is Ellen. I am calling you from Texas. And I wanted to say that I had a really proud sewing moment just this last weekend. One of my daughters, who is almost 10, had requested a dress, and I knew just which patterns to combine to make it. But when I got down to it, I was like, “I’m just going to do it quick and dirty. I don’t have time to figure out how to combine these and make a nice clean finish on the bodice and everything.” However, when I got to those steps where I would normally do a, follow the instructions for a nice clean finish inside with a fully lined and enclosed bodice, I thought, “You know what? I bet I can do this. Just trust yourself, Ellen.” And I did, I just trusted myself. And sure enough, 20 minutes later, I had a beautifully enclosed bodice for this dress and I didn’t have to use any instructions. I just trusted myself. And that was a really proud moment for me. Thanks for your show. Bye!”

Caroline: Thank you so much for calling us, Ellen. I live for these voicemails. And this is such a beautiful moment when you stop underestimating yourself and start realizing that you’ve got everything you need. The skills, the brains, and the patience to make something really beautiful. You did it, Ellen. You had the tools! Amazing job!

Helen: There’s nothing more satisfying than realizing how capable you are, you know?

Caroline: Yeah, totally. Mmhmm.

Helen: That “I got this” moment.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Yeah.

Helen: Incredible. Our next letter is from Stephie. “I saw your story where you asked your followers to brag about their projects, so here I am. It’s my boy’s baby blanket that I sewed while I was pregnant. It was also my first quilting project after I had exclusively sewn garments. I must say, it was so much fun, even though I still don’t know how I got the diamond edge to work, but it does. I’ve decided not to bother about it anymore and just be happy and proud every time I see it. Love your podcast. It’s accompanied the making of this blanket. Love from Leipzig, Germany.”

Caroline: Hi, Stephie! Oh my gosh, this baby blanket is absolutely beautiful. We got to see some pictures and…chef’s kiss. Gorgeous. I love it.

Helen: Yes, I particularly love the colour palette. Like, the fabric in the center has a print of a little neighbourhood with houses and trees and animals. And then it has that gorgeous pieced diamond border. Soft, warm yellows and oranges with these blue accents. It is so, so cozy looking. Amazing that this is your first quilt. I still haven’t done a diamond border and I’m intimidated. So, kudos to you.

Caroline: Ooh. Oh my gosh.

Helen: I also just love to hear about garment sewists trying quilting and loving it. I mean, I can relate just, just a little bit.

Caroline: Just a bit.

Helen: Just a little bit.

Caroline: Okay, next up we have a brag from Susie. “Sometimes I look down and realize everything except my socks and underwear are all me-mades and I feel so empowered. Nothing fancy, but I’m proud of making clothes I love.”

Helen: Oh, yes, I love this so much. I feel so powerful when I have this thought. But I have to disagree about the “nothing fancy” part. I mean, having a handmade custom wardrobe in fabrics that you love and chose is absolutely luxurious. So you are fancy, even when you’re wearing those handmade sweatpants and a t-shirt. You definitely deserve to brag about it.

Caroline: You fancy! For sure.

Helen: You fancy! We are all fancy, all the time.

Caroline: It’s so true, it is so exciting when you can really wear, like, head-to-toe me-made and feel proud of it. So good job, Susie.

Helen: Right? Down to the underwear, down to the socks, if you knit, I mean.

Caroline: Imagine. I haven’t gotten there yet, but one day. One day.

Helen: Jane wrote in to say, “I made my nurse friend a scrub top and every time she wears it, she sends me a pic! And she looks so awesome in it.”

Caroline: Oh, this is so sweet. It is the best feeling when someone really appreciates something you’ve sewn them and your friend sounds like an amazing hype woman. And you seem like a wonderful friend to have, too. I think that’s majorly brag-worthy.

Helen: Totally. I also think scrub tops are so cute. I just love the, I don’t know, I love the vibe. And like, they’re often in these really fun prints and things like that. At least, some people wear those fun prints and I’m here for it.

Caroline: I feel like they’re also a good option for like, quilting cottons, because they tend to be quite, like, boxy, so would work really well in all kinds of quilting prints. Anyways, we’re getting off track.

Helen: Yeah, a good like, beginner project, too.

Caroline: Love to Sew Scrubs. No, kidding.

Helen: Yeah. Oh my gosh. Sewing Scrubs, a whole episode. Let’s do it.

Caroline: Okay, earmarking for next season. All right, I think it’s time to take a quick break.

Love to Sew is made possible by listeners like YOU! We are so grateful for the support of our amazing patrons and subscribers. If you love Love to Sew and you want to help support the pod, we have a new option for you.

Helen: You can now become a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts! Subscribers get access to our monthly bonus episodes. It’s so convenient; if you already use Apple Podcasts, the episodes are right there in your feed!

Caroline: So, what are the bonus episodes? Well, we do a chatty catch-up on what’s been happening in our lives, share about the realities of running a small business, discuss new indie pattern releases, and talk about what we’re sewing right now! Many of our subscribers say these fun bonus episodes are their favourite, and if you subscribe, you get access to the full back catalogue. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew! We also do a mini-episode that deep dives into a specific topic. We get to discuss so many fun sewing techniques and answer specific subscriber questions about sewing!

Helen: And we are still on Patreon! If you subscribe over there you can get access to the bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, and a special 15% off discount code at our superfan patron tier. That discount applies at Helen’s Closet, Cedar Quilt Co., Blackbird Fabrics, and BF patterns. If you shop with us regularly, it basically pays for itself!
Head to patreon.com/lovetosew to see all perks and options.

Caroline: If you’d like to try out Patreon or Apple podcast subscriptions and check out our bonus content, you can sign up for a free 7-day trial. And, of course, you can help support the show by listening, just like you are right now. You can also leave a review! Reviews really help our show to get discovered by new listeners. We know that financial support isn’t always possible and we want you to know that we love you for listening!

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 of our listeners, patrons and subscribers – you’re the best!

Caroline: And we are back from our break! And our next brag is from Alisa. “So we scored tickets to the Taylor Swift concert, which is a story in itself. I was at home, having canceled all clients so that I could be ready to buy tickets. My husband was in Vegas for work doing presentations. While I’m staring at my screen waiting for my chance, he was doing a live presentation when he made it to the front of the line (the ticket line, that is). So he bought the tickets during his presentation. I never got a chance.” Okay, this is already the best story ever. I love this so much. so much.

Helen: I love this story.

Caroline: “Anyway, I asked my daughter, the devoted Swiftie, what she wanted to wear. She showed me a pic of the heart dress from the ‘Me’ music video. I tried a pattern. It wasn’t working. I found a different pattern with a plan to hack it. I have no idea how to hack a pattern. No clue how to alter anything. I don’t know how many toiles I made. 10, maybe? I dreamed in sewing. I started in February and was still sewing finishing touches the night before the concert in July. I had it completely finished and just had to sew on the heart and hem it, and then I hemmed it too short. I had to remake the skirt. I sewed that heart on with different hearts and different pearls several times. The heart is the thing that threatened to steal my soul. I still find a pearl every now and again because I spilled them on the floor, not once, but twice. My daughter cried, I cried, but I felt like I could do absolutely anything when it fit. I made so many mistakes, I learned so much, and I will brave new and hard things again. This is the only thing in my life that I’ve given this much patience to, perhaps with the exception of the aforementioned daughter. I don’t know if it’s age or just the nature of sewing itself, but I am committed to the process of learning.” Oh my gosh, this is incredible.

Helen: Alisa! you have to go to the show notes, you guys, you have to, this dress is so stunning. It is just like, mm! Amazing. It looks absolutely incredible. I can tell the amount of work that I went into this. Sounds like a real odyssey: literal blood, sweat, tears, major triumph in the end. It’s a pink sequin mini dress with a stand collar, short, sheer sleeves, and in the middle of the bodice there’s that red sequin heart, and it’s all edged in pearls, but it fits the bodice, like, perfectly. Kind of a 60s style, truly an advanced project. And you did such an amazing job, so it was all worth it. And I can’t wait to hear about your next amazing sewing project.

Caroline: Mmhmm. I’ll be waiting for an update when the next tour happens. Your daughter is super lucky.

Helen: Yes! And also congrats on, on seeing Taylor Swift. That’s, that’s amazing.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. So great. Okay. Our next letter is from Hailey.

Helen: “Last year, I competed in the Skills Alberta provincial competition for fashion technology in grade 11 and brought home a silver medal! Coming from a remote northern community, it was a huge accomplishment due to limited resources. We had 14 hours to manipulate a pattern block, cut out fabric, and construct a moto jacket with a collar, lapel, zipper closure, and multiple welt pockets. In the competition, we were required to keep certain elements the same and had creative freedom with other elements. The pictures of the jacket don’t do it justice, but on the back you’ll find a paper pieced design element that really speaks to me as a designer. I loved being able to include my passion for quilting into my jacket design. Thanks to your podcast, me and my coach were able to learn about many new techniques and just hang out for some sewing chat. The podcast was a great resource for us during that time and still is.”

Caroline: Ooh, Hailey! This jacket is so cool. I feel like we should describe it for our listeners. It’s a black denim moto jacket that is beautifully finished with a full lining. And the coolest part is that the center back piece is a flying geese block, but it’s all in that same black fabric. So you just see the cool seam lines making the shapes. And it also has some really great classic top stitching. It is so neatly sewn. We’re going to post pictures in the show notes. But we are bowing down to you, Hailey. Amazing work.

Helen: Yes. That medal is so deserved for this project. Congratulations. 14 hours?!

Caroline: I know.

Helen: I can’t imagine the amount of stress.

Caroline: It sounds really fun, but also high pressure, right? Provincial competition for fashion technology. What?

Helen: I didn’t even know that was a thing. I want to, I want to play.

Caroline: I know. We’re too old.

Helen: Dang it.

Caroline: Amanda wrote, “I listen to your podcast from sunny Western Australia when I’m sewing. I really love each episode and your gorgeous accents.” Ooh, we have gorgeous accents. I love it. “A dear friend asked me to copy a Zimmerman dress for her to wear to her 60th birthday dinner. It’s made in beautiful linen. I hand stitched the hem using matching thread to each panel. We were both thrilled with the end results.”

Helen: Okay, Amanda sent us a pic of her dress next to the inspo dress, and she did such an amazing job getting the vibe of the original. This dress is made of eight panels, plus four panels on each sleeve. Each panel’s a different colour. Not an easy garment to pattern or sew. And all the patterns are joined with yellow binding. So it’s such a pretty dress and an awesome gift for a friend. Absolutely love it.

Caroline: Yeah, the thing I can’t believe is the changing thread for each panel with the hemming. Like, that is commitment. I don’t think I would have done that, but I feel like it must give it such a, like, couture high-end look. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, I love this idea of copying, like, a ready-to-wear inspo dress that you find and just figuring out how to make it happen. Um, really like a fun, creative design challenge.

Caroline: Yeah, love it.

Helen: Leah wrote in to say, “I completed my first ever garment I’ve made for myself this weekend, a Cielo Top in white linen. The part I’d brag about is that I finished the inside with French seams. I definitely sewed the French seams on the outside on my muslin, but I took my time with my real fabric. And I’m so proud of the final product. I also finished the neckline facing with Hong Kong seams. And I learned so much by trying and hope to inspire other beginners that they can do it, too.”

Caroline: Wow. Oh my gosh. French seams and bound facing edges on your first garment ever? I feel like you are knocking it out of the park. Go, Leah!

Helen: Yes. Amazing job. It’s really fun when you’re a beginner to take your time with those details. And you do learn so much along the way when it’s your first time doing things. And a lot, oftentimes, beginners don’t have things like sergers or overlockers. So French seams is a really excellent way to finish your seams. I did it for many, many years. Got quite old hat at it. And it does feel fancy, even when I do it now.

Caroline: Yeah, it totally is. Okay. Next up, Franziska wrote, “I want to brag. I haven’t bought any new fabric this month. Yay!”

Helen: No joke, major accomplishment. One day I hope to be able to brag about this too. But not today.

Caroline: That’s okay. You have a business, Helen.

Helen: The perfect excuse, always. Okay. Now we have a voicemail from Eowyn.

Eowyn: Hi Helen and Caroline, my name is Eowyn, and I’m calling from the South of France. First of all, I just want to say, thank you for doing your show. You two are the best hostesses, you guys are so fun to listen to and I actually learned a lot of sewing-related stuff from you. I’m calling to brag a bit about my sewing successes. What I feel is, like, my best project ever is my wedding dress. Uh, it was a beast of a project. The amount of time I spent on it is just insane. Uh, I had to deal with fabrics I had never dealt with before, such as lace and silk. And I am just so happy that I was able to recreate the dress I had in my mind. It was extremely satisfying, even though the process was overall a real emotional roller coaster. Another project that comes to mind is my first underwire bra. It was actually much easier than I anticipated. I actually never knew it was possible to make your own underwire bras before I got into sewing, so this felt a bit like witchcraft. Thank you for keeping the show going. I wish you all the best. Lots of love.

Caroline: Wow. Hello, Eowyn! Your wedding dress is absolutely gorgeous. We’re looking at the pictures right now. This is haute couture level. The bodice is made from a beautiful lace; I think it might be like a cotton guipure. And it has a V neck and a very deep V in the back going to the waist. The open back is so pretty. And it seems like you used part of the lace to make a kind of waistband detail. The skirt is really drapey, made of layers of what looks like silk chiffon. It is absolutely stunning. And you sent us a super comprehensive blog post of the process of designing and making this dress. It’s in French, but for people who don’t know the language, you could turn on the translate and get quite a bit out of it, I think. So we’ll link that up in the show notes. It’s so finely finished and really unique. Fantastic job. And congratulations on your marriage. Woohoo!

Helen: Yes, this dress is so gorgeous and this blog post is very thorough. I love all the information that you provided. So if y’all are sewing your own wedding garment right now, this is definitely one to check out. And I couldn’t agree more about the bra sewing thing. The first time I made an underwire bra, my mind was truly blown. Like, incredible experience. I don’t really wear underwire bras, so I never got into really sewing them on the regular. Doing it in a class was absolutely incredible and it felt like witchcraft. Like…

Caroline: Yeah! And now you have those skills, right? ‘Cause you can maybe make, like, a corset top if you ever want to do that or other kinds of, like, foundations, and a garment that you want to make that’s really fitted. So learning those skills are valuable.

Helen: Totally. Hana wrote in to say, “I made my 18-year-old a red prom dress. She wasn’t sure if she would wear it and decided to at the last minute and it truly melted my heart. It cost me £20 in fabric, but she looked like a million pounds! Another one is when I made scrubs for my 21-year-old daughter, who’s a medical student. Again, I wasn’t sure if she’d want to wear them, but she was proud to show them off and I was delighted.”

Caroline: Hana, your daughters are so lucky! You have such a range, from formal to workwear. And I’m so glad that your daughters are proud to show off your makes. I hope you’re proud of yourself, too. Love to Sew Scrubs! Come on!

Helen: It is so satisfying when you make something for a loved one and they truly enjoy it and want to wear it and show it off. And I’m sure that your 18-year-old is going to look back on that moment when she decided to wear the dress that her mom made to prom with all the lovey dovey feelings. It’s so special.

Caroline: Totally. Linnea wrote, “I hand sewed an entire medieval dress out of wool! No pattern – lots of things to figure out along the way.”

Helen: I mean, hand sewing a modern dress would be hard enough, but an entire medieval dress? That is so cool. Such an accomplishment. Very, very few people can claim that they have done that. Amazing job.

Caroline: Yeah, so good.

Helen: Next up, we have a letter from Meredith. “My proudest sewing moment happened in my high school home economics class. We were all instructed to make pajama pants and our teacher had us choose and order our fabric from a catalogue. I excitedly picked out a pistachio green flannel with a cute sheep print, just perfect for pajama pants. All my classmates, however, who had collectively chosen a plaid flannel, thought I was nuts and weren’t very nice about my choice. I was a pretty shy and nervous kid in high school, but for some reason that day I stood my ground. My choice of fabric was fabulous and what did my rude classmates know, anyways? Well, the drama did not stop there. I decided to add a pocket to my pajama pants. And no, not pockets, but a pocket. One pocket. My sewing teacher was mystified. My classmates declared it was weird. But I was determined to have one little pocket in my pistachio green pajama pants. One little pocket I sewed. My confidence was growing at an alarming rate. Anyways, years later, when the smartphone came out, guess who had a pocket in their pajama pants to hold her phone? Me. You go, girl! I wore those pajama pants until the crotch blew out five ways. And then I sewed a little pin cushion out of the very worn-out leftover fabric. It reminds me of that confident moment in high school and of the confidence and joy sewing brings me today. I’m currently teaching my daughter to sew her first skirt, and while her choice of pattern and fabric did make me raise my internal eyebrows, I just told her, ‘You go, girl!’”

Caroline: I have so many questions. Like, why do you need a pocket in your pajama pants for a phone? Like, why are you carrying your phone around in your pocket when you’re wearing pajamas?

Helen: Oh, Caroline! I mean…

Caroline: Also, how does a crotch blow out five ways? I love it. I’ve probably done it myself. I just need more details. No, this is so good.

Helen: I relate so hard, because I’m always wearing my pajamas around the house and I gotta have my phone. So when my pajama pants don’t have pockets, it’s annoying. And I’ve definitely blown out the crotch on well-worn pants. So I understand you, Meredith.

Caroline: So it’s not like you have a pocket so that you can, like, sleep with your phone in your pocket. It’s more just like house pants.

Helen: Yeah, when you get up in the morning, where are you going to put your phone? Also, you know, we’re talking high school, like, people will be wearing their pajamas to school.

Caroline: You’re so right. This is making me think of a pair of sweatpants that Shea has that are ready-to-wear, but they only have one pocket. And we’ve always been like, “Why is there only one pocket?” And it’s also too small. Like, it’s really, it’s like an in-seam pocket, but it’s. for a child. The space in the pocket is not big enough for anything. And there’s only one of them. Big questions. Big questions.

Helen: That is very silly. I wonder if this was an in-seam pocket on these pants or a patch pocket. I was definitely picturing, like, a patch pocket on the front.

Caroline: Yeah, a little patch pocket, but only on one side. No, I just love your commitment to following your vision and also how you’re supporting your daughter. I definitely wouldn’t make all the same choices that I made as a beginner sewist, but learning from mistakes is part of the journey and expressing yourself is the most important thing. So you go, Meredith. Great job.

Helen: Yes, great job and great story. Thank you for sharing.

Caroline: Next up is a voicemail from Heather.

Heather: Hi, Caroline and Helen! I just wanted to send through my proudest moment as a sewist. So, I’ve been sewing since I was a small child, about eight years old, on my mum’s sewing machine, making dolls clothes, and I always thought that patternmaking and fabric design were well out of the question for me. So I set myself a challenge. I decided that I would teach myself these two skills, because nothing is impossible. I’m proud to say that I have achieved them. I actually set about designing and releasing my very first pattern, which is called the Florence Jumpsuit by Topstitch Pattern Company, and the other day I received my very first fabric design in a pretty cool apple print in the post on a lovely linen, and I made myself a self-drafted shirt dress. So now I can happily wear it and say that I designed the pattern as well as the fabric and I created a beautiful dress. So yay! I’m so happy that podcasts like yours are accessible to people like me. Um, it’s an endless source of inspiration and I absolutely love hearing the skills and tales and tribulations of everyone’s sewing journeys. So I just wanted to share my own.”

Helen: Wow, Heather, you have accomplished so much! I love this attitude of, “I don’t think I’m going to be able to do X, Y, Z and that’s exactly why I’m going to do it.” And you showed yourself you can learn difficult skills and succeed past your wildest dreams. The apple fabric is so dreamy; it reminds me of a beautifully illustrated book. And it looks wonderful made into that self-drafted shirt dress. If any other listeners are interested in surface design, Heather has some great reels about it on Instagram; she’s @_heathermade.

Caroline: Okay, next up we have a message from @carolasews. “I keep being amazed that I make up something and am actually capable of creating a thing that looks exactly like what I had in mind. (Usually after a lot of ‘Hah, I’m brilliant,’ followed by ‘Why am I such an idiot,’ followed by ‘OMG, I will never be able to wear this,’ ending in “Yay, I’m pretty pleased with how it eventually turned out!’ moments)”

Helen: Best encapsulation of the sewing process I’ve ever heard.

Caroline: Absolutely.

Helen: We’ve all been there. It is very magical when something that used to be just a vision in your head comes into reality, using your skills and a pile of materials. So I don’t think that feeling ever goes away, but hardcore relate to the ups and downs of the sewing process. “Wow, I’m crushing it!” to “What was I thinking?” Thinking, “This is going so badly.”

Caroline: Often when I have that feeling, I just need to sleep.

Helen: Yes. Take a break. Take a break.

Caroline: Circle back.

Helen: Nicole wrote in to say, “Yesterday I cut the collar off an Olya Shirt I didn’t like on me and I did a simple bound neckline using the Elizabeth Suzann Georgia pattern as a guide. It’s now my new favourite shirt and all that time sewing the original has been saved. So proud. It was also dead stock, Bec + Bridge silk cotton, so I’m very glad the fabric was saved.”

Caroline: Ooh, okay. Mending and refashioning always feels like such a win. It only takes a little bit of work to make something you don’t love and turn it into something you do, which I think is totally worth a brag and very inspiring. Now I want to go look at things that I don’t wear as much and just imagine how I could cut them up and make them wearable again.

Helen: Yes, it absolutely is a really fun way to spend a sewing day. I have a little pile of projects in my sewing room for this exact purpose, and sometimes I’ll just go on a tear and refashion a whole bunch of things, and you get a whole new wardrobe.

Caroline: A literal tear, like you can tear things open.

Helen: Ripping them apart. It’s low stakes, because if it doesn’t work out, you know, it’s not like you were wearing it to begin with, so.

Caroline: Totally. All right, Brittany wrote, “I am a jeans queen! No pattern is too scary for me. I will attribute much of my fitting success to Ruth Collins, AKA @ithacamaven’s, Top Down Center Out method. I also have no fear about abusing my sewing machine with layers of denim and zippers. And I won’t hesitate to hand sew a buttonhole. When I’m wearing me-made jeans I will shout it from the rooftops so everyone knows I made my own dang pants!”

Helen: Amazing! Okay, I am making a note to climb on the roof and tell the neighbourhood that I made my own dang pants.

Caroline and Helen: They need to know!

Helen: Everyone needs to know! Jeans are a huge accomplishment, man. I almost made that my brag because I remember the first time I made jeans and, Caroline, I was with you the first time I made jeans.

Caroline: I know, I feel like we have a picture of our butts from that.

Helen: Yes, we have a little video of us dancing in our me-made jeans, because I made Ginger Jeans and you made Morgan Jeans, I think.

Caroline: Mmhmm. Mmhmm.

Helen: Was that, but that wasn’t your first pair, right?

Caroline: No, I don’t think it was my first pair, but still, I remember it being so exciting.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And I wore those jeans to death. They’re dead.

Helen: ‘Til the crotch was blown out out five ways.

Caroline: Yeah. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah.

Helen: Oh my gosh, I’m so inspired by our listeners. We couldn’t share every single letter and comment we got in this episode. I really wish we could. So please know that we did read them all. We were so inspired by you. We loved hearing you brag. And you all have such style, talent and skill.

Caroline: I know, this was such a wonderful way to wrap up the season. It’s been so much fun making this spring 2024 season of Love to Sew. Like we said earlier, this is the last episode for a few months. We’re going to be on summer break on the main feed, but we will still have subscriber episodes coming out. And then we’ll be back with a new, exciting season in the fall. I hope you all have a great summer, or winter, depending on your hemisphere.

Helen: Yes. Talk to you soon.

Caroline: Bye!

Helen: 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 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. It’s a great time to sign up. We’re going into the off-season. Get all that content. 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 all the gorgeous pictures of all the gorgeous makes from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or send us an email at hello@lovetosewpodcast.com.

Caroline: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant and Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin is our editor. And thank you for listening! Buh-Bye!

Helen: Bye!

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