In this episode, we interview Pauline Bruce aka @sewuthinkucan! She’s a pattern hacking genius, Sew the Look specialist, and beloved member of the sewing community. She chats with us about her continent-crossing sewing journey, tells us how to get sewing friendships off the internet and into real life, and reveals her secrets for finding patterns to dupe ready-to-wear looks.
The transcript for this episode is on this page at the end of the show notes.
Show Notes:
Previous Episodes Mentioned:
Find Pauline Online:
- Instagram: @sewuthinkucan
- Substack: Sewuthinkucan
Some of Pauline’s Me-Made Outfits:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
- A Few of Pauline’s Amazing Vests
Other Mentions:
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View this post on Instagram
- Lodo Dress by True Bias – size band 1, size band 2
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.
Caroline: Hello and welcome to Love To Sew. I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.
Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.
Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew and it’s all we ever talk about.
Helen: In this episode, we’re interviewing Pauline Bruce, aka @sewuthinkucan, pattern hacking genius, Sew the Look specialist, and beloved member of the sewing community. She chats with us about her sewing journey, tells us how to get sewing friendships off the internet and into real life, and reveals her secrets for finding patterns to dupe ready-to-wear looks.
Caroline: If you love to sew, this is your show. Hello, Pauline. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.
Pauline: Hello ladies, Helen and Caroline. Thank you for having me.
Helen: We’re so excited to chat with you today. Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?
Pauline: Of course. My name is Pauline Bruce. I am a lifelong maker with a love for turning sewing patterns into something uniquely my own. I was born in Lomé, Togo, in West Africa. I spent my teenage years and young adult years in Paris, France and met my husband there and we moved to the US. Had three kids and I went from being a stay-at-home mom to a homeschool mom. And I’m happy to say we graduated all three of our kids. They’re now in college. And we’re brand-new empty nesters. So we’ve been traveling a lot and right now I am in Lomé visiting my elderly mom. She’s 91 years old and doing fantastic. She was a professional seamstress and taught me how to sew, and it’s been fantastic to spend quality time with her.
Caroline: Oh my gosh. That’s so exciting. I’m so glad that you have lots of time to travel and I wanna know more about your journey learning how to sew. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
Pauline: Yes. So I actually grew up watching my mom make these amazing outfits for her clients and I absolutely loved her sense of style. But even in my young years, I had my own sense of style and my mom recognized that from an early age. And so rather than just giving into all that I would ask her to make for me, she would just tell me, “Sit here.” She’ll bring fabric, scissors and show me how to make it. And she’ll always tell me, “I don’t think I can make it like that, but I can teach you how to make it.”
Helen: As in, like, “That’s not how I would do it,” or “I wouldn’t wear that, but if you wanna wear that, that’s cool.”
Pauline: “If you wanna wear that,” yes.
Caroline: Yeah.
Pauline: “I will teach you how to do it.” And early on, I had a special taste for special fabrics. And I couldn’t find them because most of the fabrics that were sold in Lomé were wax print fabrics. And I thought they were way too vibrant, way too out there for me. So I only liked very subdued colours and all I wanted to wear was, like, neutral colours. And didn’t mind vibrant colours. But I liked anything that was subdued. So I always thought these wax prints were too much. Today I think completely differently, but at the time, that’s what it was. And I think I was also influenced by all the magazines that she had. She had a lot of, like, Burda Magazine, those old Burdas. So I would look at those and no one was wearing wax prints. So then I was more interested in, like, you know, nicer fabrics.
Helen: That’s funny.
Pauline: Which was very insulting to my mom because, you know, she made money making outfits in wax prints and ankara fabrics, so. And she thought I was really unique. So anytime she was able to find, like, a nice poplin fabric or a nice print that I like in, like, cotton or maybe viscose, she would buy it and then help me make a dress for myself.
Helen: Aw, that’s amazing. I mean, she taught you so well. Obviously, you’re an incredible sewist. And it’s really funny to me that you were rejecting all those vibrant prints and colours, because that’s what I think of as your style now, is that you wear a lot of fun colours and prints. So I’m glad you came back around.
Pauline: Yeah, I did. I did. And I think, well, we evolve, you know, our style evolves. And so now I think I still have a very strong sense of what type of colours I like and what type of colours work with my skin or my style. And so not every Ankara fabric is the same. So I really take the time to look. And the fabric has to talk to me and inspire me for me to buy it. My process for picking fabric is kind of, like, the same for any type of fabric, not just wax prints. You know, there are some shapes that I like, some prints that I like more than others. And so, yeah, I tend to gravitate toward those most of the time.
Helen: Do you do a lot of fabric shopping when you’re home visiting your mom because there’s so many beautiful fabrics there?
Pauline: Yes, yes. It’s very hard not to buy everything.
Helen: Yeah, I bet.
Pauline: Because it’s just everywhere. And then when I go to the market, I have a hard time. Like, usually I, I will go with my sister and then we have to tell ourselves, we need to consciously say, “Let’s go. Let’s leave. Otherwise we’ll buy the whole market.”
Caroline: I am sure a lot of people relate to that. “Get me out of the fabric store, I’ll buy everything!”
Pauline: Yeah. And my new thing is to match prints. Like some of my favourite wax print outfits are the ones that I really took the time to find prints that go together, that pair well. So when I go to the market, I find myself just, like, looking at the colours and seeing which ones go together. If I have, like, a bolder, I’m not really into bold, bold prints. But if I find one and I find another one with the same basic colours, but with a smaller print, I like to pair them together.
Helen: Yeah.
Pauline: And then I’m imagining what type of outfits I would make with them.
Helen: Oh, I’m sure your mind is going a mile a minute when you’re at the market, just dreaming of all the possibilities.
Pauline: Oh yeah. It’s sensory overload.
Caroline: Does your mom still sew? And I also wonder, like, what she thinks about the fact that you’ve made sewing such a big part of your life?
Pauline: She loves it that that is such a big part of my life, and we have long conversations about sewing. She’s 91 and she loves to dress up. She still has all of her nice outfits and she’s always talking about fabric and she still buys fabric. I’m telling her, “You have enough fabric, Mom!” And she said, “I can’t help it.” So, she doesn’t sew as much as she used to. She has a hand crank machine now and she will just do alterations. She likes to rework her outfits. She loves to upcycle. So she’ll call me and then she’ll say, “Hmm, I wonder if I could just change the sleeves on this. Would you help me? Would you mind, you know, and what do you think about just shortening this top, or should I just add some lace onto this blouse, you know?” And then she has a lot of lace trims that she loves to add to her garments. And so she’ll take the time to just ask me what I think about her just using this colour and pair it with the wax print.
Helen: Oh, that’s so nice.
Pauline: She gets a kick out of just, like, talking about her outfits and the fabrics and what she’s gonna wear to go out. And she’s always, like, examining, every time I go to say hi to her, she’s looking at what I’m wearing and she goes, “Hmm, I like that.” And then she said, “You have good taste.” And then when, when I wear something she doesn’t like, she’s like, “Why are you pairing these two together?” And I said, “Mom, they go together.” And then I proceed to explain to her why. And then, you know, I was, I was showing her how I, I, love mixing prints. So I was explaining to her the logic behind mixing prints. And then, you know, when she’s not arguing, I know that she, she, she’s agreeing with me. Otherwise she’ll keep on arguing and telling me, “Well, I don’t think it is that nice,” or “I don’t think it will look great on you.”
Caroline: Oh, that’s so nice though that you guys connect through sewing and fashion. That’s just really special.
Pauline: Yeah, she’s incredible. Her sense of style just amazes me. And then, you know, she tells my husband…sometimes he just wears a simple T-shirt. And one time, one day she called him and said, “It would be nice if you wear some wax print shirts. Why do you always, why do you always like wearing those jersey stuff?” And then she turns to me and said, “Well, when you go to the market, please find a nice fabric for your husband.”
Caroline: Oh, my gosh, I love it. Okay. I wanna hear more. ‘Cause you mentioned you lived in Paris, right? Did you continue sewing when you were living there? How was that for you, like, sewing in France? I don’t know. It feels very romantic to me.
Pauline: It’s really interesting because I picked up sewing later, about three years after I went to France, and it was through a friend I made in school. So she was German and her school was paired with my school, my middle school. So that year we had to go to Germany, Frankfurt, in that area. So I stayed with her for a week and then went to school with her. And in her room she had a Pfaff sewing machine. And I said, “Huh, this is so interesting. Do you sew?” And she said, “Yes, I make all my clothes.” And I said, “I used to make my clothes, too. But that was a long time ago.” And then we bonded over sewing. It was so incredible. Two teenagers, we were 15, and we bonded over sewing. She showed me all the Burda patterns, she taught me how to trace them and everything. And then, that summer of the same year, she came to Paris to spend a month with me and she brought her sewing machine. She took the train with her sewing machine. She came, we went to Marché Saint Pierre, that’s the fabric district in Paris. And then we got some, like, fabric and she brought her Burda magazines and we traced some tops and some pants. And we sewed throughout the summer. It was the best vacation I’ve had. And after she was gone, my sister, my oldest sister said, “Let’s buy a sewing machine.” So that’s how I went back to sewing and never stopped. So friends, you know, I love to go wander around in Paris, to like the Galeries Lafayette or Printemps. I just love going like, it’s snoop shopping, you know? A lot of the stuff I couldn’t afford at my age, but I just loved looking at them and looking inside back then already. And then I think I picked up my style back then from just looking at the Parisian fashion and just looking at, like, Vogue magazine and Elle and, like, all kinds of, like, inspirational material that I was looking at.
Helen: Is this where you fell in love with stripes?
Pauline: Yes, yes. I was obsessed with Petit Bateau, the brand Petit Bateau? Yes.
Helen: Oh my gosh. I can totally see it. That’s amazing.
Pauline: Yeah. That’s where it comes from.
Helen: Okay. And then you moved to the US to start your family. And did you sew all through having kids and everything? Was there ever a time when you weren’t sewing?
Pauline: I think I sewed. I got my sewing machine. We lived in Florida for a little bit and I got my first sewing machine there. But then when the, when I had my first, he was a boy, so I wasn’t really interested in sewing anything for him. So I started, I would sew for myself, but really just simple things. And just for special occasions. And when I had my girls is when I really just got into sewing for them for special occasions. Like, I will make them these, like, really cute Easter outfits, Christmas outfit. I did make some Christmas outfits for my boy, I think. No, just a nice tie. But I didn’t really, I didn’t really make shirts for him. I would rather buy things for him. But for the girls…so, I didn’t sew everything for them. I was obsessed with Gymboree clothes and Janie and Jack. So I would dress my girls in Janie and Jack and Gymboree. But then Easter, I had to make them something myself. And I also made them costumes. Because they started, we actually didn’t homeschool up until our youngest was in kindergarten. And then we, we had moved to California at that time, so I would make all of their costumes for Halloween. And I think my Sew the Look probably was starting, was burgeoning at that time, because my son was into cosplay. And so he would show me all of the Star Wars stuff and he said, “Mommy, for Halloween, I really wanna dress like Luke Skywalker.” And then we went to Joann’s and got everything. I even made the boot covers…
Helen: Oh wow.
Pauline: In full leather for them. So, and then the sisters were also, like, one was Padme and, yeah, and Princess Leia. So all three of them…
Helen: Cute.
Pauline: Were, were dressed in Star Wars for Halloween. And then, yeah, they’ll always come up with something that they wanted, like princess dresses, and I really had to, like, go the full mile to make really cool outfit and, like, costumes for them.
Helen: Oh, that’s so cool. I love that that’s the start of Sew the Look, which we’re gonna talk about a little bit later on. But I can see the connection, that you’ve always been drawn to, like, seeing something, being inspired by something and thinking, like, “Okay, what pattern can I use to create that look?” But a Halloween costume is a perfect example. And at some point, around this time, you must have decided to start posting your sewing online. Or was that a little bit later on in your kids’ lives?
Pauline: It was later on. ‘Cause we had started homeschooling in, like, 2012 and I joined Instagram in 2016, I think, or ‘17. And it was borne out of the fact that they were starting to be more independent in their studies and I could just take a little bit of time away for myself. So that’s how I started sewing again. And then Instagram and just finding this incredible sewing community just, like, fueled, I think, whatever was latent, you know, whatever was dormant.
Helen: It was such an exciting time. I think, you know, we, we started on Instagram around the same time, like 2016, and I do remember it was just such a, a really exciting time in the sewing community ’cause we were all finding each other, realizing that we could connect and find each other. And that’s how Caroline and I found each other. And I think fondly of that time in Instagram history, if you can believe it.
Pauline: Yeah, that was incredible. It was just so fun.
Helen: Yeah. And you mentioned that last year, in 2024, was a “Year of Sewing
Friendships in Real Life.” Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Pauline: Yes. So, summer 2024, we went back to the US to help our youngest move into her dorm in college. And so after that, we took this trip around the US, but the eastern part. So we started out in Texas and then just drove our way around. So it was the perfect timing. I just thought, wait, wouldn’t it be nice if I could meet a sewing friend in each city that we were visiting? So I contacted them. And so I met Siri in Atlanta. I then went to New York and saw Robyn. And then we went to upstate New York and I met Ruth and then Michigan and then back to Texas where I met Bianca Springer. So it was really fun.
Helen: That sounds amazing.
Pauline: And earlier that year, in 2024, I was traveling to California. So I went back…so that it was like going back and just seeing my old sewing friends again. So we had a meetup, we had dinner. It was really fun. And then coming back, I stopped in Copenhagen and saw my friend Diana which, you know, it was, she took the time out of her day to come to the airport just to see me. And we chatted, had coffee, and then she left. It was so amazing.
Caroline: Oh.
Pauline: Yeah. So yeah, those friendships that we have online, the best way is just to make them happen in real life. If it’s not, you know, there, there are Frocktails now, so Frocktails are also an amazing way to, to meet your sewing buddies.
Helen: Yeah. And you have so much built-in conversation topics because there’s so many things to discuss with sewing. And I always find when I meet strangers who I’ve never met before, but if they sew, no problem. You know, we can be friends. Yeah.
Caroline: Yeah.
Pauline: You always find a subject to talk about.
Helen: Yeah.
Pauline: And it, it feels sometimes like you’ve known each other for a long time.
Caroline: Mmhmm.
Pauline: Yeah, it was a fun time. So 2024 was really special and sweet in that sense.
Caroline: Oh, that’s so great. It’s really inspiring. I know Helen and I also love meeting sewing people in real life. We always come away feeling so inspired and excited and invigorated, so I hope you’ll inspire some of our listeners to do the same and seek out some connections in real life, as well.
Pauline: Yes. Yes. I think there are now, like, Frocktails that are popping all over the world, right? So those are, like, great ways. And there are meetups and even just to go fabric shopping, ’cause we enable each each other, right?
Helen: Is that a good thing?
Caroline: Yeah. Oh yeah. That’s a fun activity. No, it’s true. Fabric shopping with other sewists is so fun.
Pauline: Fabric shopping with others is the best. You end up buying more than you should, but it’s okay.
Helen: It’s true. You get the same thing they’re getting ’cause they inspire you.
Pauline: Exactly.
Caroline: Okay. So we wanted to ask you some questions about your amazing personal style. We’ve touched on it a little bit already, but could you just describe it for our listeners?
Pauline: Yes. So, how would I put that? So I think it would be: I’m an elegant minimalist who loves to sneak in a surprise. Think casual chic with a clever twist.
Helen: Mm. So true. Yes. So many of your makes scream elegance, but there always is this little something. It’s like the Pauline Magic.
Pauline: Yes! I always put my point of view there, like, hmm, do you know this person? Hmm. There’s more to it than you think.
Helen: Little surprise.
Caroline: Little surprise.
Pauline: Yes, yes.
Caroline: Oh yeah. It’s, I mean, we love your style. You always look fashion-forward and stylish and chic and timeless. And I wonder how you’re creating looks that are fun and exciting, but also not following, like, every single microtrend that comes along. Like, how do you keep it timeless while also being sort of fashion-forward?
Pauline: Yes. So I think, just like you said, I like things to be timeless. So, I do look at trends, but I try to make it my own, you know? So I don’t follow it blindly, but I always take what’s interesting to me in it. And then I add my own spin to it.
Helen: Yes.
Pauline: But sometimes I just like to make something just for the fun of it, because I think, going back to pattern hacking, it’s just a way for me to keep my creativity going. I love to brainstorm how this designer made this outfit. Those little details I’m always looking for. I’m looking at the details on a garment and wondering how they made it. Like, especially some twists, you know? Like, a knit dress with twists. Right? I even bought a top from Baum und Pferdgarten. So they’re a, I’m not sure, they’re a German designer? I think they’re more like a Danish designer, but then they have a German name? That’s interesting. But anyways, so I bought one of their, their tops because I was so intrigued by the way they twisted the front and the back of the top. It’s a, just a cotton knit top. So when I got it, you know, instead of trying it, I just turned it, you know, inside out. And I was looking at it. I did it before even trying it on.
Helen: That’s so fun, though.
Caroline: Oh, it’s such a sewist thing to, like, look at the inside of garments. And it is a great tip for folks who wanna learn more about construction. Just go shopping. You don’t even have to buy the thing. Go snoop. Look at the inside. Look at the fabrics.
Pauline: Yes. And look at the finishing. Sometimes it’s really interesting and it gives you some tips on how to finish your stuff later. And it’s very, really interesting. But to go back to your question and how I don’t try and chase and just focus on timeless pieces, it’s just trying to make just simple, simple outfits, things that I know I will wear all the time. So let’s say, if it’s a dress, I will try to make it as simple as possible, but I would just add a small element to it that will make it my own. Let me take an example of the True Bias Lodo Dress. I made it countless times, but they’re never the same. Right? And I introduced some of the trendy elements to it. But the Lodo is actually, like, just a simple knit dress with a V-neck. And you can add sleeves or you can make them in different types of knits, but at the same time, you keep this element of timelessness in the dress.
Caroline: That’s a really great example, ’cause this dress is actually not a new pattern at all. It’s been out for a really long time. And I actually remember testing this pattern for Kelli back in the day. So it’s so interesting ’cause it, it is, it’s timeless and you can just add those trendy elements. It’s a really good tip. One of the, let’s say, trends that I’ve seen you do a lot of is vests. I don’t know if we can call it a trend. It’s definitely having a moment right now in the sewing world. And I would say that you’re a vest queen. You have made many vests.
Pauline: Yes, I have.
Caroline: And they are all so great. We actually recently made vests for an episode and that was really fun. So we wanted to ask you a little bit about vests, and the first question would just be: what is your favourite vest pattern?
Pauline: Yes. So, it’s the Veronica Vest by Just Patterns. Shout-out to my friend Delphine.
Caroline: Nice.
Pauline: Yes. So when she told me she was drafting a vest pattern, I couldn’t stay still. I kept on asking her, “When is it coming out? When is it coming out? I really need to make one in denim. I need to make one in linen.” So I kept on sending her so many inspiration pictures and insisting for her to get it done quickly so, so I can try it. And sure enough, it came out and I made several, and I’m still wearing them today and getting compliments all the time. And then I made them as a set. And I, I love to mix and match them, but I love wearing them as a set, so a vest with pants or with a skirt. And now you can just, like, it doesn’t have to be a matching set, but you can wear them and style them so many different ways. It’s incredible how, how versatile they are, actually. And I hope, you know, the trend is not gonna go away that fast…
Helen: Me too. I just made a bunch.
Pauline: That it’s here to stay. Yes, yes. And I think it will stay, ‘cause I keep on seeing it.
Helen: Yeah. It looks really elegant and it’s one of those pieces you can really fit when you’re a sewist, you have that superpower. And a perfectly fitted vest is, like, a thing of beauty, you know?
Pauline: It really is. And it can be casual and, at the same time, dressy. So like, you can wear it with just a long skirt with sneakers or some Sambas and then you can just, like, dress it up by putting on some nice pants. And my new obsession is to wear them with balloon pants.
Helen: Ooh, fun!
Pauline: Yes.
Helen: Is a balloon pant like a barrel pant?
Pauline: Barrel, yes, yes.
Helen: Yeah.
Pauline: Yeah. Any type of barrel pants. I’ve been seeing it a lot styled that way and, yeah, I’ve tried it. It’s so nice.
Helen: Ooh, I’m gonna have to give that one a try. That sounds amazing.
Caroline: Do you have any tips for choosing fabrics that will work well for both a vest, which can be a little bit more structured, and bottoms that maybe have a little bit more movement? Any tips for fabric choice?
Pauline: Yes. So, linen, it’s really hard because when you make them in linen, my advice is just to interface it, the whole thing.
Helen: Mmm.
Pauline: Because then you prevent it from, the front is gonna be interfaced and then the back is gonna be all wrinkly. So, yeah, I think it’s a good idea to just interface the whole thing if you use linen. But you can use, like, a nice denim that has structure and you can use a interfacing and then not have to, to line the back, for example. I used a wool. I think, like, a lightweight wool works well. I would stay away from viscose, but there are some patterns like th,e I’m drawing a blank right now, but, the Pipit Vest.
Caroline: Is that the Common Stitch one?
Pauline: The Common Stitch one. So that one, I think, you can make in like a more, in a drapier fabric.
Helen: Yeah.
Pauline: Maybe because it’s a looser fit. Yes.
Caroline: Totally.
Pauline: Or the Merchant and Mills one.
Caroline: Mm.
Pauline: Yeah. Those have looser fits, so I wouldn’t mind, like, using, like, a lightweight viscose for those, especially if I want to make it as a set. That would be cool.
Helen: Yeah, and then you could do a flowy skirt on the bottom or something like that.
Pauline: You can do a flowy skirt. You can do some elasticated pants with it.
Caroline: Mmhmm.
Helen: Very cool. This is a real insight into your process when you’re trying to pair fabric with pattern or just trying to come up with different patterns that are out there. Like, I can’t believe you remembered the names of those two patterns off the top of your head. So I think it’s time we have to talk about Sew the Look, which is a series you do where you share ready-to-wear looks and then you match it with patterns and fabrics. And you usually do this in your stories on Instagram if people are interested. But I absolutely love them. I always feel so inspired because I see things out in the wild, in the world, that I’d like to create, but I don’t always know what to use to create them. So I think it’s so helpful.
Pauline: It, it really is. And so let me tell you how it started. So I was really happy when Pinterest came around. I was saving a lot of inspiration pictures on my Google Photos and I would create albums and name them. And Pinterest came around. So I had boards with all my inspiration pictures, and then I had boards with patterns, but I couldn’t put them together. So that’s how Sew the Look came, came about. I said, what if I just put the inspiration picture, and then I put the pattern line drawing next to it, because that’s my process. That’s the process that I use for myself when I want to sew something. When I’m looking for inspiration, patterns keep popping in my head. And so I need a place where I can just store them. That way I can go back to it and look at it and say, ah, this works for this. So instead of doing it on Pinterest, I started doing it in my stories. So I will…for some reason I think I have, like, this huge database of patterns in my head. So as soon as I see an inspiration picture or I go out and shop, like snoop shop or just, like, go shop for something, go to Zara or Mango or Banana Republic, as soon as I see something, there’s a pattern that pops in my mind. I can’t help it. Sometimes I have to, like, shut down my, my brain because I’m like, okay, you need to stop. ‘Cause there are so many things that are coming and, oh, and I can use this and oh, and I can use this pattern. Just, it’s like, sky’s the limit, right? So for me, once I conquered pattern hacking, I wanted to show people that it is not as scary as they think. Like, you look at an inspiration picture and you can just use any pattern to replicate it that’s close enough, right? So at the end of the day, you don’t have to do it exactly like the inspiration. You can add your own twist, you can add your own spin, but it gives you an idea of the possibilities that a pattern has, right? So I’m less interested in looking at the pattern itself, but more interested at the line drawings. So I spend a lot of time on, like, you know, Simplicity.com looking at the line drawings. ‘Cause there is where you find the blueprint for all the pieces, all the garments. So let’s take an example. We were talking about Just Patterns. It’s a recent story that I shared, A.L.C. A.L.C. is this high-end designer. They had a dress that stopped me in my tracks and I said, wait, that’s the Ines Dress. But the bottom of the dress was like a balloon. So it’s like the Ines Dress, so, square neckline, princess seams. But instead of flaring out, it was going in. So all you need is just to reduce and streamline the hem of the Ines and you get a balloon dress.
Helen: Amazing. That’s so smart. And it’s so nice for people who are following along to see that kind of thing broken down into the simplest form of the design and then what needs to happen to take it to another level if you wanna add those kind of details, because I think it’s intimidating for a lot of sewists, especially folks who are newer to it.
Pauline: I think so, too.
Helen: Yeah, it’s hard to stray from the pattern.
Pauline: Exactly. It’s really hard to do. I get a lot of DMs and a lot of comments saying, “Thank you, thank you for Sew the Looks because, you know, I didn’t see, I didn’t, you know, you, you helped me see past the pattern. You helped me with the possibilities.” It makes me so happy that, you know, I can help in that way, I can inspire and I can just show, and sometimes I get asked, “So how would you do this hack?” Right? And so I would give just some tips on how to, “Oh, would you modify it that way? How would you do it?” And so I would give tips that way also in my DMs, you know.
Caroline: Wow, you really are doing the community a service with these Sew the Look posts and the support that you’re giving people along the way. But I really wanna encourage our listeners to go check them out, ’cause there are some really cool ones. And I think it’s, you made a point earlier, like, it doesn’t have to be an exact replica that you’re looking for. You can hack patterns, use them as a base. But sometimes you do find exact replicas, which I always think is fascinating, that you’re finding these ready-to-wear looks that look exactly like sewing patterns or vice versa. How do you keep up with all of the new pattern releases? ‘Cause it really does seem like you have that encyclopedic knowledge. Is that just, like, a muscle that you’re working every day? Like, how are you keeping up?
Pauline: Yeah, I think it’s a, it has become a muscle that is just a natural thing that I do. Let’s say your Tofino Top, Helen. I looked at it and I go, wait. I had just seen something, ’cause I shared in the stories recently about the oversize camp shirt and shorts, right? There are so many inspiration pictures. And I think, ever since I started the Sew the Looks, the algorithm knows what I want. So it’s always suggesting these brands that fit my style, somehow. So then I look at it and I go, wow, oh, and then I screenshot it or I save it on my Pinterest, and I go back to it and I go, hmm, what pattern will work for this? And then immediately it comes. So the Tofino, it’s like the exact replica of the inspirations that I shared. All you need to do is to get the pattern and make it. And then you have more freedom to choose some nice fabrics. ‘Cause the inspiration also gives you ideas about what type of fabric will work with that pattern. It’s like a whole package. You get ideas on what type of colours will work with that inspiration picture. I post several of them so that you have an idea. So I, I try to vary them so that I’ll put it, like, print or eyelet or solid, or this pattern will work well with stripes, use larger stripes for this, or this will work with smaller stripes, you know? Or you could spice it up by, by doing a colour blocking or mix print. So I’m gonna use your, your platform to, to announce that I’ve been working on a Substack, on a Sew the look Substack, because I wanted…
Caroline: Oh, that’s so smart!
Pauline: I wanna do a deep dive into it, right? Because, stories, they’re short. They’re there for just one day. But I can give so much more information and so much more tips and advice on the patterns to use. On the styling. You know, like, you can pair it with, with pants or pair it with shorts, pair it with a bias skirt. So I wanna do a compilation of all the Sew the Looks ever since I started them.
Helen: Wow. Very fun.
Pauline: But then I need to classify them, right? So I’m gonna do tops, skirts, and dresses, and then I’ll do shirts. There’s so many things. Sky’s the limit on the mix and matches. And I go back and look at my old Sew the Looks and I go, wait, there are other patterns that will work for that, too.
Helen: That’s a rabbit hole you’re going down.
Pauline: It’s never ending. It is.
Caroline: Yeah.
Pauline: So, I don’t wanna keep it for myself. I wanna share it with more people.
Helen: That’s so exciting.
Caroline: Yeah, sign me up!
Pauline: Yes. My daughter suggested it. She said, “Oh, why don’t you, like, just do a Substack where you have it in one place? ’cause people are asking you, why don’t you put it in highlights, for example.” But then highlights, it doesn’t give you a lot of information. Whereas a Substack or blog would just, like, you, you can deep dive and bring in more patterns than you can fit on just one page of a story, right?
Caroline: Absolutely. Yeah, it’s such a great idea. I’m sure, if this is launched by the time this episode comes out, we’ll definitely link it up for our listeners. And I look forward to signing up.
Helen: Yeah, it’s so exciting.
Pauline: Yes, thank you!
Caroline: So, we’ve been talking about sewing for so long. We’re gonna need to wrap up soon. But I wanted to just ask you a little bit about your relationship with sewing right now. How has that evolved and, and where are you at right now in your sewing journey?
Pauline: So in my sewing journey, I’m on hiatus because I’m visiting my mom right now, so I don’t have a sewing machine. I don’t want to use her hand crank. So…
Helen: It would be hard to go back to hand crank, yeah.
Pauline: It would be. Yes. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I haven’t been sewing, but I am spending a lot of time on my Substack, just compiling stuff and just bringing more, ’cause I have so many inspiration pictures in my Google Photos. And on my Pinterest. I need to release them. So that’s what I’ve been doing right now. So, just compiling the articles for the Sew the Looks, going back into the Sew the Looks and just, like, making several chapters and classifications and just trying to figure out how I can also inject some pattern hacking in there, pattern hacking tips and, yeah, just like, say, okay, this dress has buttons, so if you want to skip the buttons, like I did with the Lora Dress where I, I hacked it into something that I saw at Tibi, so just skipped the button placket and made it without buttons. And I can just give tips that way and put some pictures, even, like, if I, if I’ve tried it or I have plenty of, like, pattern paper and I can show how to hack it. Actually, like, take the pattern and break it down and then show the process, right? So right now I’m just brainstorming on how to work that Substack and, and how it can be useful to the sewing community.
Helen: That’s so cool. I, I often hear people saying, like, fabric collecting and sewing are two separate hobbies, and I feel like there’s a third hobby in there for me, and that is just daydreaming about things I wanna make. And I don’t make 95% of them, but I will sit and spend a couple hours sketching in my sketchbook or writing a list of all the things I wanna make this fall, even though I’m only gonna make one or two of them. But that’s fine. It’s like its own hobby, just daydreaming, and it’s so much fun.
Pauline: It’s the creativity. That’s how we keep up with our creative self. We need it as sewists, right? So we need to be inspired. We need to brainstorm. We need to just dream, like you said. Yeah. It’s very important in the process to do that, I feel like, and that we’re not forced to do things, but just, it’s, it’s, it’s, all part of the process. It’s the joy that we take out of just stroking your fabric.
Helen: Yeah.
Pauline: Not doing anything with it. Right?
Helen: Just draping it on your shoulder.
Pauline: It’s, It’s, just, yes. Draping it on your shoulders or, you know, like sometimes I just, like, I make a mess ‘cause I pull them all out and then I’m trying to figure out which one to use.
Helen: Yeah. Oh my gosh. We’ve all been there.
Pauline: We all do that. It’s all part of the process. Yeah. And, and it’s fun. It’s fun. And I think I like that process more than sewing itself.
Helen: Yeah. I can already tell the Substack is gonna be such a joy for you to create, so we can’t wait to see more of that.
Caroline: Yeah.
Helen: Well, Pauline, this was such a fun chat. We’ve had such a good time getting to know you a little bit better, hearing about your sewing journey, and we can’t wait for the Substack. Can you tell our listeners where they can follow along with you online?
Pauline: So they can find me on Instagram, @sewuthinkucan, so, “sew” like sewing, the letter U, “think,” and the letter U, “can.” You’ll put it in the show notes, so they can find me there. On my Instagram, I haven’t been posting much lately because I’ve been traveling a lot, but I’m going to continue posting the Sew the Looks in my stories whenever I can and work on the Substack.
Caroline: Well, we’ll look forward to seeing that. And thank you so much again, Pauline. You bring so much joy and creativity to the sewing community with your pattern hacks and your Sew the Looks. So I hope our listeners will go follow you. And thank you so much, again, for coming on.
Pauline: Thank you very much, Helen and Caroline. It’s been such a joy. I’ve been listening to this podcast ever since you started, so it’s been such a joy to be one of the guests!
Helen: Oh, oh, I love that. Thank you.
Caroline: Oh! That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me, Caroline, at Blackbird Fabrics and BF patterns, and Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.
Helen: You can support Love to Sew and get access to our bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalog of bonus episodes and that’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew or check out the podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.
Caroline: You can head to lovetosewpodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Or email us at hello@lovetosewpodcast.com.
Helen: 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!
Caroline: Buh-bye!
Helen: Bye!
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