We interview Brandon Hayden, a pattern designer, sewing teacher, and content creator who makes menswear with bold fabrics and cool details. He wants to empower sewists to build their skills and express themselves!
The transcript for this episode is on this page at the end of the show notes.
Show Notes:
Where to find Brandon online:
- Website
- Instagram: @happilydressed
- TikTok: @happilydressed
- YouTube: @happilydressed
- Patterns: Happily Dressed
- Brandon’s Beginner Sewing Course
Some of Brandon’s projects:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
- #HowIMadeThis: Blanket Hoodie! (Brandon does amazing upcycles with thrifted fabrics and garments!)
- My Sewing Journey! (featuring Brandon’s earliest projects: bags!)
Sewing Patterns:
Other Mentions:
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.
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 the only thing worth talking about.
Caroline: Today we’re chatting with Brandon Hayden, aka Happily Dressed. We chat with him about designing interesting menswear, becoming a pattern designer, and his best and worst thrifting experiences.
Helen: If you love to sew, this is your show.
Caroline: Hi, Helen!
Helen: Hi, Caroline!
Caroline: I am so excited to talk to today’s guest because I’ve been following him online and I always love to see what he’s making.
Helen: Me too! Brandon Hayden is a pattern designer, sewing teacher, and content creator who makes menswear with bold fabrics and cool details, and he wants to empower sewists to build their skills and express themselves.
Caroline: Honestly, same. I think we should get into the interview.
Helen: Yes! Hello Brandon! Thank you so much for coming on the show today.
Brandon: Hi, I’m so excited to be here.
Helen: We want to start things off by asking you the question we ask all of our guests, which is: how and when did you learn to sew?
Brandon: I bought my first sewing machine. Actually, I just checked this the other day. It was November 15th, 2017. I bought it to take in clothes that I would find at the thrift store because I am and was and will always be an avid thrifter. But I didn’t really start using that machine until January of 2018. That’s kind of when I dug my feet in to try to make real things.
Helen: That’s really cool. So, did you have prior sewing experience, like from home ec or something like that?
Brandon: Not at all. And there’s actually, it’s kind of sad because, when I was younger, I asked my grandma to teach me how to sew and she never did. Like, literally just never followed up, never followed through. And I was like, “I’m just a kid…”
Helen: Grandma!
Brandon: I know. Exactly. “I’m just a kid.” So it probably just, like, went to my brain and left. But now, as an adult, I was like, “Oh, wait, I asked to learn how to sew and no one ever taught me.”
Caroline: Oh my gosh. So cool, though. And we’ve heard you say that sewing has changed your life. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Brandon: Yes. How can I tell you a little bit and not a lotta bit.
Caroline: Tell us a lot about it.
Brandon: It just really taught me or reminded me of my own agency. Like, I started sewing around a time where I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. And I was doing photography for a little bit. I was, like, really good at that. And that was fine. But I remember, one morning I woke up and was like, “Oh, I want to make a crossbody bag. I have this old pair of Dickies that I thrifted. Let me see if I can make a cross body bag.” And it took me the whole day. But at the end of the day, I had a finished bag. And I was like, “Whoa, there’s something,” like, it just felt like a really special moment. I was like, “There’s something here.” So I just continued to sew. And like, that was probably in 2018. And like, you fast forward till now, how it’s changed my life. It’s just so crazy. Like, one, I get to wear clothes that I’ve made myself that express who I am as an individual. I’m a twin and I’m from a big family. So individuality wasn’t easy for me to find growing up. And so, sewing really allowed me to just discover who I am, who I’m always becoming, all that kind of stuff. And it’s just been a very, very, very fun ride that has not stopped, nor do I want it to.
Helen: I really love the, this origin story of learning to sew to differentiate yourself from your twin.
Brandon: Yes.
Helen: I know that’s not the whole story, but it’s really, really cute. I love it.
Brandon: Thank you. Yeah, that was a recent discovery. I was like, “Oh my God, that makes so much sense now.” And that’s why I still get mad when he borrows my clothes. It’s like, “No, I make, I make these to not look like you.”
Caroline: Oh my gosh, yes. I love that you mentioned the crossbody bag because when you agreed to come on the show, we were deep diving into your YouTube and we found some videos where you were showing some of your first upcycle designs with the crossbody and the belt bags and they were just so cool. Hopefully we can maybe get you to send us some pictures or something that we could share with our listeners, ’cause…
Brandon: OMG. Yes.
Caroline: You were just so impressive right from the jump and so creative and that has really been, like, a through line, through your whole sewing journey. So, it’s just awesome to see.
Brandon: Wow, thank you , thank you, that’s baby Brandon. Some of those YouTube videos, I’m like, “Oh my God, they’re so old. I look so young.”
Caroline: I love it. We went deep, for sure. Okay, I want to dive into your designs because your personal style is amazing. You wear so many unique pieces that you make yourself and we just want you to start off by describing your style for our listeners.
Brandon: My style. That’s, like, always the hardest question for me to answer. It’s like, “Oh, describe your style,” I’m like, I don’t know. I will say, I love workwear. I’ve always loved workwear, and, like, utilitarianism and, like, just the sharp corners and things like that. Besides, like, my Ranger Jacket. There’s a round corner and I do love that. But, like, structure, heavyweight material. Those are kind of, like, my favorite things to work with and, like, designs get built from that. But yeah, I would definitely say my style is, like, a mix between either bold fabrics or, like, very structured and, like, really cool silhouette pieces. But I don’t know if I can, like, put an actual adjective to it currently.
Helen: That’s good. That’s the perfect little teaser to make people want to go and see for themselves.
Brandon: Exactly. They can tell me what they think my style is.
Helen: I mean, I do love the utilitarian design elements in your clothes and also the silhouettes, like you mentioned. You play with volume in a really fun way that I enjoy, especially with pants. Very cool.
Brandon: Thank you. Yes. Silhouettes is how I fell in love with making clothes. Like, I have a extremely high torso, even though I’m only, like, 5’9”. But I learned very early in my sewing career, like, oh, like, more high waisted or more cropped jackets and shirts fit my body better and, like, help my body look the way it’s supposed to, and not just what the current clothing industry says my body’s supposed to look like. So yeah, that’s been really fun, to play with silhouettes in fashion.
Caroline: Yeah, and it’s funny you mention kind of, like, the current clothing industry because most of the menswear out there is pretty basic, and even menswear sewing patterns out there. But your style and your design perspective is anything but basic. So can you talk to us a little bit about designing menswear patterns and your perspective on that?
Brandon: Of course. I almost scream because they are so basic. Like, every men…like, it’s crazy, when I first started sewing and, like, you go into a Joann, RIP, and you’re like, “Oh, let me try to find a fun pattern to sew for myself.” And everything is, like, the same iteration of a button-up shirt or a two-pocket jacket. And it just all looks the same. It’s all really big. And so when I started making patterns for Happily Dressed, the original goal was to be, kind of, as unisex as possible. But then I also realized that there is not really a strong footprint for men’s patterns. And so I was like, you know, I do need to start focusing more on making patterns for men or masculine-presenting people. And that’s when, like, the Ranger Jean came about, the Ranger Jacket. And for me, that was just kind of like me having fun. I really wanted some baggy jeans. I really wanted to attempt a pleated front jacket. And, kind of, that’s how those two came. And then, just through inspiration on Pinterest or through Instagram, seeing what other people are kind of, like, gravitating to, that has inspired, kind of, my pattern development.
Helen: Yeah, that’s really cool. And I see you making things on Instagram sometimes, and then people get really excited about it in the comments. And then you’re like, “Oh, well, maybe I’ll make a pattern for you.”
Brandon: Oh my God. Yeah, that, that, there are some things I make, too, that I don’t always share because I know people will ask for a pattern for it and I’m like, “No, this one is for me, guys.” You’ll just see it in, like, a random Instagram dump or on my stories randomly, but I’m not posting this because I know I’m going to get so many comments.
Helen: “You’re never going to get this jumpsuit. You can’t have it. It’s mine.”
Caroline: You know your audience.
Brandon: Exactly. There are some things that I gatekeep for myself.
Helen: That’s fair. That’s fair. We’ll just have to be patient and just get what we get.
Brandon: I tell people, “As soon as I have a team.” Like, I’m a one man band. As soon as I have a team and, like, employees working under me, you can get whatever pattern you want to, because I don’t have to do it. But, currently I have so many other things that I’m, like, trying to juggle while also being a pattern designer. I can’t, I can’t handle the volume of demand.
Caroline: Oh my gosh, we all need to manifest a team for Brandon. Okay.
Brandon: Please, please.
Helen: Well, we’ve also noticed that you do make things using women’s patterns sometimes, I’m assuming because there’s a lot more options out there for the patterns, like you were saying. So when you do that, do you make any adjustments to the patterns? How do you approach that?
Brandon: Yes. First I make, believe it or not, I do make a toile. Like, that is rare for me sometimes, but when I’m using a women’s pattern, I do test it out first. And then from there, just because I do like a higher waisted pant, I don’t normally have to make too many adjustments. Maybe in length. Like, I have made the Adams Pant by Daughter Judy Patterns a few times and I lengthened it just because I didn’t like the crop that was on there. I will say, the Helene Jean was my very first jean pattern I ever made, and that one, I think, is specifically for women. Like, I loved it. I loved making it and I wore it to death, honestly, but now I’ve been in the gym more and I, like, if I tried to put that on, it would not work. And it definitely has a certain silhouette to it that is very feminine. It doesn’t always agree with some of the other clothes that I wear. But when I am making women’s patterns, I do tend to adjust where I can, whether it’s…even in the arms, like with the Nikko top, I think it’s also a very popular sweater, shirt, long sleeve option. I tried that, but my arms were too big to, like, make it work. And, thankfully, now I can draft my own patterns, so I run into that less, but when I do work with women’s patterns, I do make a toile first just to see what I need to adjust.
Helen: Yeah, that’s really smart. It’s cool to see you experimenting with that. And of course, now that you have your own pattern company, like you were saying, you can just design whatever you want for yourself, which is very exciting. So tell us a bit more about how you went from buying your first sewing machine to having a pattern company.
Brandon: That story is actually very ironic because when I first bought my sewing machine, I told people, “I don’t want to make real clothes. I’m just getting this to alter my clothes. Like, I’m not going to make real clothes.” I don’t know why I kept saying that, but, like, for three months straight, I was like, “It’s just to, like, take things in. Like, I’m not going to be a designer.” I think people wanted me to. And I was just kind of, like, running away from it in the beginning. But after that, I played around with my sewing machine from January 2018 till about, like, March. And I actually did a project that, like, took me out and I stopped sewing for like four months. I was like, “This is too hard. I’m not doing this anymore.” I think I took an old Carhartt jacket that a friend gave me and I made it into a bag. I think it’s actually one of those first bags that I showed in that YouTube video from a very, very long time ago. But that bag took me out and I stopped sewing for a little bit.
And it wasn’t until January of 2019, I was working with a coworker, her name is Blanche, she’s so sweet, but she would make her own clothes as well. And she would just come into work and I’m like, “Oh my God, you look so good.” She’s like, “Thank you. I made it last night.” I’m like, “You made this last night?” She’s like, “Yeah, it’s a knit. You just need a serger.” I’m like, “What’s a serger?” And so she taught me, she taught me about a serger. And then from there, I was like, “Oh my God, I’m making real clothes. ‘Cause now I have a way to encase all the raw edges and actually wear this piece for a very long time.” So I will say, I think 2019 is where I really started to, like, make my own patterns from scratch because I remember going to the pattern store and trying to buy one and you get that big brown paper, all these words and markings. And I was like, “Oh, absolutely not.” I literally balled it up and threw it away, which is so sad. It was, like, a waste of $20. Cause I was like, “I’m not doing this. This is too complicated. It’s too hard.”
And I was like, you know, “Sewing is math and shapes. Those are two things that I’m good at. Let me just hunker down and figure it out.” And slowly, but surely, I drafted my own pant pattern, drafted my own bodice block, and just made kind of, like, good-for-me patterns for a while. And it wasn’t until 2022, I took a Confident Patternmaking and Grading course by Victoria. That’s semi-popular right now online. I don’t know if I could say really popular. But I do think that a lot of people know about it, but taking that course just leveled up my skills in so many ways. Like, it leveled up my confidence, hence the name, but it really felt like I was drafting from science and formulas and not just, “Oh, I’m going to put this curve here and put this dart here just ‘cause I don’t know what I’m doing.” But that course really gave me the confidence to, one, pattern draft, and then do it digitally. I’ve always worked in Adobe Suites growing up, whether it was Illustrator, Photoshop, even Lightroom. So that was like a comfort for me, knowing that I could draft them in Illustrator. And then, from there, I kind of just let it all, all the information digest and see where my intuition and my brain took it. And now we’re here.
Caroline: Awesome. Yeah, we’ve heard of that course and it’s been really fun seeing people in the community take it and sort of, like, their patternmaking careers take off. And it’s just a great, great resource. So we’ll definitely link that up in the show notes for folks if they’re wondering what we’re talking about. That is really cool. And your patterns include some really cool details. I think that’s one of the things that sets your designs apart. I’m thinking about the topstitched pleats on the Ranger Jacket or like the exposed button fly on the Noella Wrap Trousers, for example. So I wonder if you could tell our listeners a little bit more about how you come up with your designs. What is that process like for you?
Brandon: Of course, of course. Oh my god, I almost shed a tear hearing you name my patterns like that. It’s like, it’s, it’s so real. I’m like, “Oh my God. Yes. Yes. Those are mine.” It’s, it’s very lovely to hear. For me, I tell people all the time that I love to share. Like, whenever I find out information that’s, like, good for the soul or, like, could be good for someone in any kind of way, I, like, run to go tell them, just because, you know, we need more of that in life, anyways. But when I started to make sewing patterns, because I love sharing so much, I know that, like, really complicated or very detailed patterns can be intimidating. So with Happily Dressed Patterns, I’m always trying to find a bridge between simple enough with some kind of, like, added flair to where they can, like, differentiate their clothes from the clothes that they can buy in-store. So with the pleated front jacket, I’ve been seeing Levi’s do something very similar, and I was like, “You know what, how can I put this in a pattern that is simple enough, maybe a skill builder with flat felled seams, et cetera, but has a little bit of flair.” And then I just kind of, like, mold it. So I work with it. First, it was the pleats. But the thing I love about the ranger jacket the most is the continued seam from the front yoke down the sleeve just because you can play with color blocking, as well, when you introduce that into the pattern. So that was really fun and, I think, a fun way for beginners or confident beginners to kind of express themselves through the pattern, not just sew the pattern. And even the wrap trouser, which is something that can be looked at as a very simple pattern, having the exposed buttons allows you to add your personality in some way to it, with the buttons you choose, the size of those buttons, even if you want to, like, differentiate from the pattern. Yeah, my biggest goal is kind of, like, bridging style with simplicity.
Caroline: Awesome. Yeah, no, we absolutely love your designs and we want to encourage our listeners to definitely go check them out if you haven’t already, because they’re just so cool and so different and they include so many fun details. I know you mentioned the pattern course, the Confident Pattern Making and Grading course. Do you have any other learning resources that you would recommend to listeners who are maybe dreaming of starting their own pattern business?
Brandon: I think there’s so much free education through YouTube. There are so many cool sewing YouTubers who exist. There’s like, I think his name is Cornelius Quiring. He’s awesome. There’s also another girl. Oh my God. I wish I could remember her name. It’s like stage fright, but she, she has a lot of really popular patterns right now and also took Victoria’s course. Syd, I think her name is Sydney.
Caroline: Syd. Syd Graham. We love her.
Brandon: Yes. She’s also a great resource. So yeah, I definitely think, accessibility-wise, those two people, YouTube, and kind of just figuring it out. And then when you’re ready to level up, then it’s more like taking a course like Victoria’s course or buying a pattern grading book, just because those can be a lot of information in the very beginning. Like, you can, like, build your skills and then go out and get the books and things like that.
Caroline: Yeah. We’ll definitely link those up.
Helen: Yeah. It’s been so fun watching your journey, becoming a pattern designer, and how exciting it was last year when you said it was, like, your first year doing it full-time, which is really cool. And you’ve been putting together your studio and it’s very fun to see. And I have to imagine it’s been very exciting for you.
Brandon: Oh, it has. So, like, Zodiac-wise, I’m in cancer, and they’re very emotional. And that is very true for me. I, at the beginning of, or at the end of last year, I was like, wow, I quit my job to do this full-time and I made it work. Like, I made more than I made at my full-time job previous, which is great. And, like, to be able to, I think, afford to explore this skill more and to share this skill more. And to, like, set this place up, like, I’m in my studio currently. I just feel, not only lucky, but proud of the work I put in, because it also is, like, so demanding. I’m sure Helen, you also know, and even Caroline, ‘cause Blackbird has patterns now, how difficult it can be to, like, be a pattern designer while also trying to, like, be a content creator while also trying to, like, have a healthy life outside of work. It can definitely be a lot.
Helen: For sure. I mean, it looks like you’re handling it beautifully, as it always does on social media. And we really enjoy the content creation that you’ve been doing, now that you mentioned it. We’ve loved seeing your projects and your outfits and your sewing tips on Instagram. You also have a TikTok and YouTube, so people can check that out. And you recently did a collaboration with Disney+. You made a project inspired by Elton John. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Brandon: Yes, that was actually really fun. They reached out to me. That’s the wild part about last year and this year, et cetera, is that I’ve had companies reach out to me to do things like that. And it’s just been such a dream. I’m like, “Oh, little old me? You want me to make something for this?” But for that, I’ve always loved the way Elton, like, differentiated his style and kind of just did his own thing. And once they reached out, I was like, okay, I had a few ideas of what I wanted to recreate, but they were like, “Okay, cool, here’s the clip that you need to recreate.” I was like, okay, I can do that, still. And from my skills from Victoria’s course, I drafted a really fun jumpsuit. And I think the really cool thing about doing stuff like this is that now I’m taking that jumpsuit and trying to modernize it in a way that anyone could wear it. And then maybe it comes out as a future pattern in 2025 or 2026. But it was just fun to kind of just be creative. It’s rare that I get to do that now, because I’m always thinking about what I and other people can sew when it comes to making patterns. But when I had to draft that for myself, I was like, “Oh, that’s, there’s no rain for, I can just do whatever I want to for this. Cause this is just for me. It’s not going anywhere. It’s not going up on a site. It doesn’t have to be graded. I can kind of just have fun.” And so it was a really fun project to do.
Caroline: Yeah. It’s such a good reminder, as business owners and people that have almost, like, turned sewing into our livelihood, not almost, we all have, to keep some things for yourself and remember to, like, nurture your own creativity once in a while, ‘cause I think that just helps us bring our best selves to our businesses, as well. Um, So yeah, no, it was so inspiring to see you put together that jumpsuit and I’m very excited, not to say that you should turn it into something that’s going to be part of your business, but I am excited to see that jumpsuit pattern come out someday.
Brandon: Yeah, it was one of those things. So I have, like, an invisible zipper in the back and I was like, “Oh, I’m really proud of the construction of this.” But even with, like, the road to Happily Dressed patterns, like, “Oh, I’m doing it for fun.” Then it ends up a pattern. That’s how the Half Pint Harness came about, actually. I made it, originally, for the Atlanta Frocktails event. The theme was “Secret Garden.” And my kind of vibe was going to be, like, the gardener, like, a fashionable gardener in the secret garden. And so I made that little, like, half vest for that, specifically. And, just like you said in the beginning of the podcast, I got so many comments that were like, “Oh my God, we need this vest. Oh my God, we need this vest.” And I was like, “No, you’re never getting it.” And then enough people, and my partner at the time was like, “You should just put it out. Is it easy to make?” I’m like, “It is easy to make, but it wasn’t, I’m like, it wasn’t on the, on the docket for this year. I have other things.” But anyway, I did it, and I’m so glad I did because, honestly, the success that I had towards the end of last year came from that video. The reel I posted of the Half Pint Harness was my first ever million view reel, but it also ended up, like, landing at 3 million, which is insane. Yeah, it’s insane. People are still commenting on that video, so I’m glad I did it. I need to just start listening, but…
Caroline: Never say never, I guess, anymore.
Brandon: Exactly. I’m just, I’m so routine. I was like, “I have a plan already. No, you can’t, you can’t add this.” But I’m trying to be more flexible.
Helen: I’m just thinking about, at the beginning of the show, when you were saying when you bought your machine that you weren’t going to become a pattern designer and you weren’t going to become a business owner. “I won’t release that harness. You can’t make me.”
Brandon: Yeah. I see a pattern. I really do. Like, especially after talking this through, I’m like, “Oh, okay. Okay.”
Helen: It’s good. It’s good to recognize these things in ourselves. You mentioned loving to share information and we noticed that you do have a course available for beginner sewing. Can you tell us about that?
Brandon: Yes. I made that course right before I left my job. It was kind of like my Hail Mary. I’m like, “While I still have this, while I’m still holding on to this full time nine-to-five, let me do something I’ve always wanted to do,” which was create a beginner-friendly and accessible sewing course. Like, that course takes you through, I had an intro, beginning sewing, in-person course that I did in Atlanta all throughout 2022. It was a four-week course. We went through, like, sewing machine literacy, how to read and print out and tape together a PDF pattern, and normal patterns as well. And then we, we sewed, I think, the Nino Open Jacket by fabrics-store.com. And, basically, my online beginner course is that course put into, like, six different videos that also has a pace that I think is approachable and manageable for anyone who has any prior commitments, like, outside of just learning how to sew, whether that’s a family, a job, et cetera. But, making that course, my biggest goal was just to give people the, like, knowledge and confidence to just play with their machine. Like, sewing machine literacy, for me, is not being scared to approach your sewing machine with any project you feel ready to attempt. ‘Cause I know, in the beginning, for me, I’d have a project in mind, but not know how to make my sewing machine do that. And so I walked through that, like, extensively through the course. And then, similar to, like, a YouTube video or, like, a Skillshare course, the last two videos in that course are me walking the learner through how to make the Nino Open Jacket, step by step. With added tips here and there.
Caroline: Awesome. Yeah, we’ll definitely link that up, as well. And that’s on your website, right?
Brandon: It’s in the link in my bio on Instagram. It’s not currently on my website. Yeah. Just because it’s through Vimeo and not my website.
Caroline: Oh, perfect. Okay, we’ll find that link for sure. So I’m also wondering if you have any favourite projects that you would recommend for someone who’s just starting to sew and wanting to get into it.
Brandon: I feel like, honestly, anything from Chelsea over at Daughter Judy Patterns, though I think the skill levels vary from a lot of her patterns, she does give a lot of great information when reading through her pattern instructions. And then also, any pattern that has a YouTube tutorial. Like, that is my, my go-to hack. I’m like, does this pattern have a YouTube tutorial? Because it’ll probably answer any question I cannot answer myself, especially because I’m such a visual learner, like I’m sure a lot of people are.
Caroline: What is your perspective…This is, I just, I’m coming in with a curveball question. What is your perspective on, like, beginner projects in general? Like, do you think that beginners should be doing quote-unquote “easy” things to start off or do you think, like, jump in the deep end, try whatever project you’re excited about? I’d love your perspective.
Brandon: That is a great curveball question. I, ‘cause I’ve actually, I don’t think I am a fan of beginner projects. Like, I know for me, when I, when I first got my machine, like, I think the very first thing you should do should be easy, whether that’s a pillowcase, a tote bag, something to build your confidence. I do agree that that is necessary, but I think you only need one project, truly one project, and then go into what you really want to make, especially because a lot of people don’t start off with a sewing machine and a serger so, like, you should just go for what you want no matter what skill level you are, what resources you have. Like, right after I did the pillowcase I, like, made a bag from a jacket with no pattern. Just straight from the dome. I also think that that’s kind of, like, where your, your specific voice in sewing can come into play because you’re not following someone else’s instructions. You’re kind of, like, doing it yourself. But I will say, to round out that question, I do think one beginner project is a necessity just to build up your confidence. But after that, I think that the world is your oyster. And let that beginner project be something that is a little bit more creative or slightly more challenging. Like, for me, I suggest the Nino Open Jacket for beginners just because you can actually wear that piece out and about. And it’s just a bunch of straight lines similar to a tote and similar to a pillowcase, but you get a piece you can, like, hang in your closet versus, like, throw away after two weeks ‘cause it rips.
Caroline: Yeah, totally. Yeah, that’s a really good tip. Starting with one simple project and then diving in and, like, kind of harnessing that creativity. I feel like it can be kind of stifling as a beginner to, like, be sort of, you’re like, people are shoving like, you know, box tops and simple skirts down your throat and you’re like, “But I want to, I’m sewing because I want to make the things that I want to wear and that I’m excited about.” So, like, follow that creativity and dive in. I love that.
Brandon: Definitely.
Caroline: In your YouTube intro, you also say that “Happily Dressed is a sewing resource dedicated to self-acceptance, self-confidence, and self-sufficiency.” I love that you say this every time, by the way. It’s so great and it’s just such a great reminder. Can you tell our listeners what those three terms kind of mean to you?
Brandon: Of course, and thank you for saying that, because, saying it in every video, I’m always like, “Oh, I think they’ve heard enough.” Like, I’m ready to stop. They’ve heard enough!
Helen: You’re saying it faster and faster every time.
Caroline: No, I love it!
Helen: “Self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-sufficiency.” Done.
Caroline: It’s your thing. I love it.
Brandon: Exactly. I need to, like, bring that down to like, just one word. ‘Cause they all, they, they all kind of mean the same thing. But, for me, when Happily Dressed first started, which, actually, Happily Dressed just had a birthday. Can’t believe I didn’t mention that. Yeah, so Happily Dressed was born January 20th, 2015. So it’s 10 years old, which is crazy.
Helen: Oh, amazing.
Brandon: Thank you. But it was “Happily Dressed: Mind, Body, Style,” and it was about overall wellness. So I kind of, like, took that with the self-acceptance, self-confidence, and self-sufficiency and tried to, like, build that into what Happily Dressed is now, just because, like, being Happily Dressed, it’s not just what you wear, it’s also, like, how you feel about yourself, how you present yourself, not just through clothes, but through action, through intention. And so I’m always trying to just throw in some, like, wellness into the Happily Dressed brand, because it wouldn’t be here without that. But yeah, I feel like those words just kind of, like, sum up this idea of, like, self-love and self -acceptance and just knowing that we are always evolving as people and that we need to give ourselves those moments to be, like, unshaped and undefined, because in those moments is where we find how we want to be shaped and how we want to be defined.
Helen: Oh, that’s beautiful. It’s so powerful. The act of taking, just, material and crafting this vision for yourself, how you want to be seen, how you want to present yourself. And, like you were saying, how you want to feel in the world. And you can really support yourself in that way. And, like you said at the top of the show, you get a lot of agency out of that. You’re making a lot of decisions for yourself in that process. So I think that’s really beautiful.
Brandon: Yeah, and what’s really cool, too, is that when you start making your own clothes, kind of, like, as a symbol of who you are, your individuality, then when you go out into the world and have that appreciation reflected through people being like, “Oh my God, I love your outfit. Oh my God, I love your jacket. Oh my God, I love your pants.” And you get to say, like, whether you tell them or not, you get to know like, “Wow, I made this. And they’re seeing this part of me and, like, it’s being acknowledged and it’s being appreciated.” I think there’s something so beautiful about that. And that’s kind of a main reason why Happily Dressed is still here, just because, like, every day someone’s like, “Oh, I like this. I like this.” I’m like, “Thank you. I made it. And you could, too. Like, you can get the same feeling that I have.” That’s a big reason, actually, why I don’t make clothes for other people. Like, that’s something that I get asked a lot on Instagram, is if I do commissions, etc. And I’m like, “No, because I’m more of a ‘teach a man how to fish’ than ‘give my fish.’” Like, I started, I started making clothes to be an individual. So I don’t necessarily want to see you in exactly what I have on, but I would love to teach you how to make it yourself and then see, like, the “you flair” you put into that pattern. Like, that brings me joy, more just because I get to see you stand out instead of you wearing what I just made because you think it’s cool.
Caroline: Mmhmm.
Helen: Yeah, totally. And you don’t have to make the same thing like 20 times, which is great.
Caroline: Yeah.
Brandon: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Caroline: I feel like we need a word for that feeling of finishing a make and going out into the world and having someone compliment you on what you’re wearing. Like, there’s got to be a word…
Brandon: No, yeah, we, we need one.
Caroline: A sewist’s term. Send us your ideas, listeners.
Helen: What about “self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-sufficiency?”
Brandon: As one big, yeah, one long word.
Helen: One long word.
Caroline: Just one word. Perfect.
Brandon: Oh, that’s funny. I think, definitely, “joy” should be in that word, somewhere.
Caroline: Yes. Yes. Okay. Switching gears a little bit. We have a few questions about nitty gritty sewing stuff. So, you work with a lot of heavyweight fabrics like denim, canvases. You mentioned you love working with these fabrics, but they can be a little tricky, a little intimidating. Can you tell us about how you got comfortable sewing with them, and if you have any tips for our listeners?
Brandon: Of course. It took me a long time to get comfortable. I actually still have some, like, PTSD. Once, I was sewing denim on my Singer Heavy Duty, I think it was, 4452, and my needle broke and, like, hit my glasses. Yes, the needle, like, broke off and, like, smacked my glasses. I’m like, oh, so every time I hit, like, a thick flat felled seam, I was like, “Oh no, I’m so scared.” But I love working with heavier weight fabrics just because I’m, like, not delicate. I don’t like to work with, like, silks or any kind of, like, mesh, anything that needs more attention than me just, like, running it through the sewing machine. That’s my laziness or my Achilles heel as a sewer. I want it to go through that machine without me having to, like, use tissue paper without me having to, like, fix the tension. I just want it to go. But I will say, something that helped me is, one, getting a better machine. Like, the Singer Heavy Duties, I do think, do a great job for beginners. And one tip I have when using those, if you’re going to sew denim. And so, when you get to those really thick parts, one, use a mallet, and then two, just walk the needle, which is, like, a term I use in my beginner sewing course, but, like, just use your hand wheel. Turn your machine into manual. Do not press that foot pedal. Just use your hand wheel and get that needle through there, move the fabric through, and then once you’re over it, go back to using the foot pedal. But there is no need for, like, all that energy when you know it’s not going to work. So I always walk my needle. Even now, I have a Juki 2000 QI, I think there’s a T in there somewhere, but, I use that machine. Even then, there’s some moments where I’m like, “Ooh, I’m just gonna walk the needle because I don’t need anything breaking.”
Caroline: Yeah. Yeah. Don’t just, like, close your eyes and put the pedal to the metal and hope for the best.
Brandon: Oh my God, I have a very funny story. I don’t even think that she’s gonna listen to this, but I had one student in the very, very beginning. I wouldn’t count her as a student, ‘cause she’s a friend, but she, like, bought me lunch and I taught her some beginner sewing machine stuff. And this was back in, like, 2018. And I was like, “Okay, we’re going to just move the fabric through the machine. Are you ready?” And, you know, most people are timid to press the foot pedal and they’re scared. She truly just, like, threw her foot like a cement block on that pedal and just, like, shook that fabric through, like, the table was shaking, the machine was shaking. And she got finished. She was like, “Okay.” I’m like, “How did that…” I was like, “How did that feel?” She was like, she was like, “Kind of, like, nerve-wracking and scary.” I was like, “Yeah, we need to slow down on that foot pedal.”
Caroline: I love the therapizing. Like, “How did you feel about that?”
Brandon: Like, “Did that, yeah, did that feel any kind of, like, safe or secure? Like, that was wild, girl.”
Caroline: That’s so funny.
Brandon: I still think about that, actually, a lot. ‘Cause it was, it was really funny to me. ‘Cause I was like, “Well, you’re at least you’re confident. Like, that’s all we want. At least you’re confident.”
Helen: Coming back to one of the tips you mentioned, which was to use a mallet, and I feel like some of our listeners might be like, “But, for what?” So can you be a little more specific?
Brandon: Yes. When you are dealing with, like, multiple thicknesses, like, if you’re putting together two flat felled seams, what I like to do is use a mallet and mash right at that seam to just kind of, like, take away some of the bulk, similar to what you would do to a chicken in the kitchen when you want to flatten it out a little bit before you cook it.
Caroline: Oh my God, perfect. I love it.
Helen: Now I’m just going to think of that every time I hammer my denim: “like a chicken.”
Brandon: Yeah. Well, it just came to me ‘cause I made chicken yesterday and I had to hammer it kind of flat so, so it cooked evenly. I’m like, “Oh, that is truly the same thing.”
Caroline: You can even use your meat mallet if you want.
Brandon: You could, if you want to…
Helen: Okay, I would not recommend that. I’m out on that one.
Brandon: You would have to wash it first, you know, I think salmonella is real and things like that.
Caroline: I would hope everyone is washing their meat mallet after pounding chicken, but…
Brandon: Yes. I will say, a bumper jumper, I think that’s, like, a street name, is very helpful when you’re working with thicknesses as well. I only recently found that out when it comes, like, putting back pockets on to denim pants. A lot of companies who make selvedge denim use those. I stick to my mallet because it’s fun.
Caroline: I love it. That’s great.
Helen: Yeah. I think they call them hump jumpers as well. They’re really handy. They kind of level out your machine foot so that you can get a solid start on the seam. And I’ve seen people use, like, needle cases, as well, for that because they’re a good thickness for that.
Brandon: Oh, that’s good to know.
Caroline: You’ve made some amazing projects from thrifted fabrics as well. And we wanted to touch on that because I know that was, kind of, your roots of starting to sew, was upcycling thrifted items. What are your best thrifting strategies?
Brandon: I love thrifting and I always have to give credit to my best friend in high school. Her name is Emily Clark, but she was thrifting before it was cool. Like, she was thrifting when you didn’t want to be caught dead at a thrift store. And she shared her love with me. And I have not, like, bought retail clothes in over 13 years. Like, it’s been a very, very long time. I even used to work at Urban Outfitters and I would never buy anything, just because I love thrifting clothes so much. But I always tell people: if you want to go thrift, one, have some time set out in your day. Don’t think that you’re gonna just spend 20 minutes and you’re gonna find something. Like, you need to have at least an hour to an hour and a half. Make sure you eat lunch or you eat breakfast so you’re ready. And my favourite thing to do, and I think everyone should do this, no matter what section, men’s, women’s, even kids. Go through and just pull out the pieces that speak to you. It’s okay if they’re not the right size or the right colour, or it’s not for, “Oh, I’m doing it for this business event.” Just pull out anything that speaks to you and that feels like you, and then go in that fitting room and just try things on. I think that’s what really helped me develop a sense of silhouette with the patterns that I make, as well. It’s because I’ve spent, like, hours and, like, collectively, not at once, but, hours in the fitting room being like, “Oh, I like the shape on me. Oh, I don’t like the shape on me. Oh, this really called out to me. I’m kind of disappointed. It doesn’t work. But this is a great alternative.” And I think that also allows you to start dressing for your body and not trying to make your body fit the clothes. And so, I think that’s a great way and a very healthy way to start thrifting. And then, after that, you’ll kind of, like, develop, “Okay, I like these colours or like these textures.” Like, for me, when thrifting fabric, because that’s what I mostly thrift now, I’m always like, “Is it heavy? And is it a hundred percent cotton?” That’s what I want.
Caroline: Mmhmm.
Helen: Yes.
Brandon: And if it’s not 100 percent cotton, but it is a really cute pattern or a really fun texture, I’ll still get it because it’ll speak, it speaks to me and I’ll figure out something once I have it. I am a fabric hoarder, but it’s kind of my job now, so it’s okay.
Helen: Yeah, you’re allowed now. Oh, those are great tips for thrifting. You’re really making me want to go and spend a couple hours at a thrift store now.
Brandon: You should. That used to be, like, one of my favourite, like, solo dates to do. I’m like, “Oh my God, I just ate lunch. I’m about to go to this thrift store. I’ve got to get a playlist on. I’m about to have a ball.”
Caroline: I love this “don’t go thrifting on an empty stomach” idea.
Brandon: Do not, do not, do not.
Caroline: Have lunch first.
Brandon: Yes, cause you’re gonna, you’re gonna be mad ‘cause, like, you’re like, “Oh, I, I have to try this on, but I’m kind of hungry.” And then, also, go by yourself. Like, I’ve gone with my brother or I’ll go with my friends. They’re like, “Are you ready yet?” I’m like, “No. And you should have known.”
Helen: No, you have to go with someone who takes thrifting as seriously as you because most people just want to, like, poke around for half an hour, and then, like, they don’t even, like, look at anything, really. I’m like, “Why are we here?”
Caroline: Yeah.
Brandon: Exactly. And you know what? There are consignment stores for that. ‘Cause, you know, there is a difference between consignment and thrift. Consignment is pulled for you. The prices are a lot higher, which is insane. But, go to a consignment store, you’ll find something in five minutes. You’ll spend 60 bucks and you’ll leave. I am gonna go to the thrift store, find, like, 15 items and spend $25, but spend an hour and a half.
Helen: I’m going to go to the fabric store and spend $200 and leave with nothing.
Brandon: Oh my God. That’s very, very, very true.
Caroline: Oh my gosh. Do you have any good stories for us about maybe your best and worst thrifting experiences?
Brandon: Oh my God. I do. At first I was like, “No, I don’t know.” I do. Um, this one goes under “worst.” Oh, and I have a “best” too, because I still do this best, but the worst one: I found a beautiful, like, green quilt that was big enough. I was like, “I want to make a vest and a pair of pants.” And I was so excited. This is when I was still just drafting patterns on the fly and just kind of, like, having fun. And I bought the fabric. I was like, “I can’t wait. I’m not going to wash it. I’m just going to make it.” And so I make the pants and I make the vest and I actually have a rule here at Happily Dressed. No matter what it is, if I make something, I wear it the next day. I wear it out. No matter if I like it, no matter if it came together exactly the way I want it to, I wear it the next day out to appreciate the fact that I can even do this skill. So anyway, I make this vest. I’m so excited. I make the matching pants. I wear it to work the next day and I look cute. I can’t lie. I look cute, but I do not smell great. Because I was, like, sitting at my desk at work and I was like, “Does anyone smell, like, cat pee?” And I’m like, “Oh, I think that that is me.”
Helen: Oh, no!
Brandon: “I think that, I think that this quilt is stinky.” And I did not realize that as I was making it. And the whole day I had to walk around, ‘cause I didn’t live close to my job at the time, so I just had to, like, walk around smelling like cat pee. And it was like, after that I have always, always, always washed my fabric from the thrift before I sew with it.
Helen: Yeah. And even then those kinds of smells can linger. Like, you want to smell it pretty good in the thrift store too and make sure.
Brandon: Yes, I was not doing smell checks back then. Now I always do a smell check. And there’s a few, there’s, like, a few, like, top-tier smells that, you know this is not coming out. So I’m just gonna leave it here at the thrift store.
Caroline: Yeah, top tier smells. You know, the rating system for thrift store smells. What about your best experience?
Brandon: My best actually has nothing to do with clothes or fabric, but I found a pair of Harley Davidson boots sometime in 2017, and have always found a pair of Harley Davidson boots every year since then that just feel like me, that I love. I don’t even have a motorcycle, which, I know some people will hate, but there’s something about wearing, like, a moto boot or a harness boot, specifically from Harley, that just feels so right to me. And they come to me. I find them every single year. I’m not even looking for them. I find them every single year. But it almost feels like a hug from the universe. Like, “Here you go. Here’s your, here’s your, your yearly Harleys.”
Caroline: It’s meant to be, obviously.
Brandon: It is. It really is. So, I found the pair I’m wearing currently towards the middle of last year. And I was like, “Wow, man, I don’t ever want this to stop.”
Helen: Oh, that’s amazing. I need to be looking in the shoe section more thoroughly.
Brandon: Oh, definitely, definitely. Like, I just make sure I bring it home, I spray it with some, like, shoe, like, Clorox disinfectant, some stuff, and I let it sit for a little bit. But then they’re mine after that.
Helen: Brandon, it’s been so fun chatting with you, getting to know you today. Thank you so much for coming on the show.
Brandon: Thank you guys so much for having me on. This has been a dream come true. You know, all the, all the fun sewing guys and girls and theys do this podcast. So I’m so excited to join that list.
Helen: Oh, that’s awesome.
Caroline: Thank you so much. We were so excited when you agreed to come on the show. We already told you this, but I, it’s, we’re saying again, you’re so talented and you bring such a unique design perspective to our community, so we’re all lucky to have you and, and really, really happy that you came on.
Brandon: Thank you. Right back at you both. Truly.
Caroline: Before we wrap up, can you tell our listeners the best places to find you online?
Brandon: Yes. You can find me online on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok @HappilyDressed.
Caroline: Easy peasy. Awesome. Well, thank you so much again and take care.
Brandon: Thank you. Bye guys.
Caroline: 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! You can 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, 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. We’ll talk to you next week.
Helen: Bye bye.
Caroline: Bye.
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