Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably (Zoe Edwards)

Welcome to Check Your Thread, a new podcast about sewing more sustainably! In the first episode, creator Zoe Edwards takes us on a journey through her sewing history, from fashion student, to garment industry employee, to sewing blogger, to dressmaking teacher and more. Learn what inspired her to start Check Your Thread and find out what you can expect from future episodes. Let’s nerd out about garment sewing whilst getting inspired to reduce the impact we have on the planet. 

Zoe has been blogging for 13 years at https://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/ and posts on Instagram @sozoblog.

Find out about Me-Made-May here.

Discover Zoe’s book, ‘Mend it, Wear it, Love it’ here

Learn more about the textile recycling charity TRAID here.

Thanks to Silvia Sella (@baba_baba) for the logo design

Thanks to Simon Richmond from Palmskin Productions (@palmskinproductions) for the music

Thanks to Patrick Potter for production support

It’s the second episode of the Check Your Thread podcast, and I’ve got my first guest! Wendy Ward has integrated sustainable thinking into her making so deeply that she has literally written a book called ‘How to Sew Sustainably’! In this conversation Wendy shares tips on sewing more sustainably from her book and from her own sewing life. Plus we discuss the commercialisation of craft and how privilege is often associated with sewing today. And finally Wendy talks about how to keep craft accessible when you're short on time, money and space.

Wendy Ward’s website and blog can be found HERE.

More details about Wendy’s new book ‘How to Sew Sustainably’ can be found HERE, including links where to buy it.

An example of Wendy’s approach to pieced together fabric technique from the book:

Scrappy collage piece by Wendy:

THIS is the Instagram post where Wendy discusses the commercialisation of, and privilege associated with, craft. The discussion continues in the comments.

Wendy’s craft-crush Claire Wellesley-Smith’s work and books can be found HERE.

Wendy’s favourite craft tool purveyor, Beyond Measure, can be found HERE.

An example of the darning eggs by Do-Well Design:

In the third episode of Check Your Thread I’m talking with Jacqueline Shaw, founder of Wax and Wraps which offers African textiles sewing subscription boxes. Jacqueline is an expert on the African fashion and textiles industries and has an MA in Ethical Fashion and Sustainability under her belt as well. In this conversation she shares her excitement about what’s going on right now in African fabric production. She educates me on lots of topics related to her experiences and passions, including her perspective on cultural appropriation and dressmaking with African textiles.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Wax and Wraps can be found HERE. 

Jacqueline’s sourcing agency, African Fashion Guide, is HERE. 

The blue and white striped cotton fabric handwoven in Uganda is pictured below plus can be viewed on Wax and Wraps Instagram HERE, swipe to see the weaving process. 

Jacqueline’s YouTube Channel can be found HERE.

The stretch Ankara fabric that blew my mind is HERE.  

Fashion Africa, Jacqueline’s book, can be bought from Waterstones HERE or Amazon HERE.  

It’s clear that making the most of the fabric we buy is fundamental to keeping our craft as sustainable as possible. In this solo episode I’m making a case for keeping and using your fabric scraps and leftovers from previous sewing projects, and I’m going to run through my 5 favourite uses for scraps and leftovers. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The Closet Core Pattern free pouf pattern, found HERE, is an excellent way to use up scraps for making the outside and can be stuffed with scraps that are too tiny to be used for anything else.  

@crystaltips fabulous pieced-together sun hat can be seen HERE 

Reversible Bucket Hat pattern by Oliver + S HERE

Sorrento Bucket Hat pattern by Elbe Textiles HERE

Serpentine Hat pattern by Elbe Textiles HERE

Free Sandcastle Bucket Hat pattern by Waves and Wild HERE

Free Hat pattern by Liz Haywood HERE

Free SoZo Undies pattern by me HERE

Wonder Undies pattern by Waves and Wild HERE

Free Speedy Pants pattern by Waves and Wild HERE (used to make the undies pictured below)

Superhero Boxers pattern by Waves and Wild HERE

Comox Trunks pattern by Thread Theory HERE

Sew Your Own Undies kits by Craft and Thrift HERE 

Harem Pants pattern by Wiksten. Wiksten are currently only taking wholesale orders so do an online search to find a stockist of this pattern close to you. 

Free Bummies pattern by Brindille & Twig HERE

Free Ringer Tee pattern by Brindille & Twig HERE

Misusu Patterns can be found HERE

My scrap-busting jersey tees project HERE

My Scout Tee made from scraps of viscose HERE

The tiered Maxi Dress made from slinky jersey leftovers HERE

Elbe Textiles blog post about Patchwork clothing can be found HERE

My ‘Scraps and small piece busting’ Pinterest board is HERE

Some shorts I made with leftover quilting cotton waistband facings and pocket bags HERE (shown above) 

My Thelma Boilersuit with leftover gingham yoke lining HERE

Welcome to the fifth episode of CYT, this time featuring a conversation with Amy Dyce, a crafty, thrifty environmentally-minded woman who has a small business called Craft & Thrift. Through her Etsy shop she sells thrifted, vintage and deadstock fabric, along with other related sewing products. Amy was so generous with her time that we ended up chatting and recording for over two hours! Because of that, we will release two episodes that include different parts of our conversation. This first half focuses on her business, including how she pivoted from selling tea cosies to deadstock fabric, her (possibly haunted) storage unit and about the shipping containers full of 90s fabric that pushed her business to the next level. 

The scrap-busting related challenges are:

#so50sustainablesewing created by @judithrosalind and hosted by @sewover50

#recyclingremnants created by @elleandthestitches

Lou Box Top pattern by Sew DIY HERE

Lou Box Top kits from Craft & Thrift HERE

Find my guest Amy on Instagram @craftandthrift, her website is HERE and Etsy shop is HERE

The Sew Your Own Undies kits we collaborated on HERE

Jen Gale from @sustainableish’s powerful post HERE

It’s the sixth episode of the Check Your Thread podcast, and the second episode featuring parts of the great conversation I had with Amy Dyce. Last week Amy shared heaps about her small business, Craft & Thrift. In today’s episode, the conversation moves from running a sustainability-minded business, to running a sustainability-minded life! We discuss ways to share eco habits, the realities of eco-guilt and how making sustainable choices can get murky. Amy also talks about the ways she uses sewing to save her money and how thrifting has made sewing viable for her. Amy also explains how sewing and knitting became a gateway for her to become more aware of social injustice and other political issues, and reflects on the importance of acknowledging and checking your own privilege. 

Craft & Thrift Etsy shop HERE

My Lou Box Top made using a kit given to me from Craft & Thrift (kits HERE)

Tomato victory!

Katie Green Bean youtube channel HERE

The Vintage Book Worm UK Etsy shop HERE

Me-Made-May explainer HERE 

Find Amy’s Me-Made-May videos HERE 

Read more about my hand-sewn sock experiments HERE

Incredible visible mending and darning by Roberta Cummings HERE

Me and White Supremacy: A Guided Journal HERE

The Sporkful Podcast HERE with many episodes about race (and food) including THIS ONE

It’s Episode 7 of the Check Your Thread podcast and this one was such a joy to record. 

You may recognise Riccardo as one of the finalists of season 5 of the Great British Sewing Bee. However, Riccardo Guido started boldly and fearlessly experimenting with reclaimed fabrics and innovative approaches to garment sewing long before Joe Lycett ever muttered the phrase ‘Transformation Challenge’. Right from the beginning, Riccardo has forged his own path to making his own wardrobe, including signing up to learn pattern cutting before taking a sewing class, and to this day he rarely uses commercial sewing patterns. In our delightful conversation, he tells me about his sewing history, which of the aforementioned transformation challenges was his least favourite, his future sewing goals and lots more. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Riccardo Guido on Instagram @rifallo 

More on the Great British Sewing Bee HERE

Wendy Ward’s website HERE and her Check Your Thread podcast episode HERE

Riccardo’s sweatshirt using Wendy’s Felix sweatshirt pattern HERE (pictured below) using scuba off-cuts leftover from his tracksuit project from the GBSB

Find @sewandrew, maker of the embroidered chess piece HERE. Riccardo’s sweatshirt that developed around the embroidery HERE (pictured below)

Riccardo’s technique for piecing scraps HERE (the start of which is pictured below)

Zero Waste Daniel, legendary NY-based designer who uses garment industry waste HERE and on Instagram  HERE

See Riccardo’s sofa bomber jacket HERE and hear him on the un:CUT podcast HERE

Core Arts, the non-profit organisation supporting people who suffer from mental health issues through learning, HERE

Fabrications, based in Hackney, owned by Barley Massey HERE

Zero Waste Fashion Design book HERE (pictured below) by Holly McQuillan & Timo Rissanen 

It’s episode 8 of CYT, and in this solo episode I’ve posed myself the question: is sewing sustainable? I share my musings on the concept of sustainability, particularly as it relates to sewing, and how we need to be wary of over simplification and greenwashing. Plus I discuss what I consider to be the overarching goal for sewing in a more sustainable way, and ideas for how we can achieve it. Making clothing that fits our bodies, personal style and lifestyle requirements can guarantee that we’re making garments and accessories that will see lots of use and last us a long, long time. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Read about my recent linen Arden pants make HERE and see below, as mentioned in previous episode introductions. 

Check out my newly finished autumnal Vali blouse HERE and see below.

Welcome to episode 9 of Check Your Thread. In this one, I chat to my friend and colleague Julia Hincks, who just so happens to be a sewing expert and author. She has written two amazing sewing books, The Overlocker Technique Manual (published in 2014) and The Coverstitch Technique Manual (which has just been released). If you already own an overlocker (AKA serger) or coverstitch machine, or you’re considering investing in either, you need to hear this conversation. Julia gives her expert advice on buying and maintaining these machines, and drops sooooooooo many awesome tips on how to get the most from them. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find details of Julia’s forthcoming teaching gigs and her books, plus video tutorials, pattern reviews and more on her website House of Miss Sew.

Find her on Instagram she’s @juliahincks, and her YouTube channel is House of Miss Sew. 

Julia’s first book, The Overlocker Technique Manual (pictured below), can be bought HERE. 

The US version, The Serger’s Technique Bible, is available HERE. The book has also been translated into Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian. 

Her second book, The Coverstitch Technique Manual (pictured below), is available in the UK HERE, and the Ebook version is available on Amazon. The US version of the physical book can be pre-ordered HERE. 

Julia’s current teaching gigs include dressmaking classes at Made and Making in Hassocks, East Sussex, UK, and pattern cutting at Dot to Dot Studio in East Hoathly, East Sussex, UK. 

Julia mentions the Babylock Euphoria coverstitch machine which you can see HERE . 

Kitchen appliance covers can be a great option if your overlocker didn’t come with a cover. The one pictured below is from Lakeland HERE. 

Sew Very Crafty has made a great video tutorial for making your own overlocker/serger cover which can be found HERE. 

It’s Episode 10 of the CYT podcast! We’re into double figures now! I’ve got a super interesting conversation for you today with Guy from The Light Touch London (soon to be Bristol). He’s a really thoughtful maker with heaps of fascinating ideas and projects, many of which we touch on in this episode. His investigations into clothing systems, and tracking your outfits enthralled me in particular, and we also get into the Fibreshed movement, the soil to soil life cycle of clothing, his love of wool, millennial sewers, decommissioning garments, making clothes from pieces-together textiles and more.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Guy and his many fascinating projects on Instagram @thelighttouchlondon. 

Read more about the Fibreshed movement and the soil-to-soil philosophy  HERE, and check out the diagram below that covers the main areas involved. 

Keeping British textile production alive are the Bristol Cloth Project HERE

Guy’s own experimentation resulted in a prototype felted wool waistcoat/vest, that could follow the Fibreshed model HERE, pictured below.

The next Southern Wool Show is scheduled for 3rd/4th September 2022, find out more HERE. 

Find designer/maker/inventor Rachel John (@racheljohntextiles) on Instagram HERE and her website HERE. The picture below features Rachel knitting a rug with giant needles (more info HERE). 

The hashtag where I ‘found’ Guy is #dopemensew on Instagram. 

Fashion on the ration book, available in paperback HERE. 

Guy’s pyjama top made from deconstructed shirts and his previous ‘decommissioned’ pyjama top HERE and pictured below.  

Overlord clothing brand that upcycles vintage textiles, transforming them into new clothing with a utility feel HERE. 

Closet Core Pouf free pattern and tutorial HERE, ideal for getting rid of tiny and unusable fabric scraps. 

In this solo episode of CYT, we’re taking the definition of sustainability in a different direction from the usual environmental meaning. I’m talking about how to sustain your sewing life when you are a parent, particularly of younger kids. It’s basically all the points that I eventually figured out for myself, but wish I’d heard when I first became a parent. If you aren’t a parent of young kids, don’t be thinking that this episode isn’t for you however. There’s lots in this that would apply to anyone who suddenly becomes busier or has been landed with new responsibilities. There are many causes that can lead us to get lost or deprioritised in life. And although this particular episode is about parenthood and includes a few points specific to that situation, it definitely works more broadly with lots of tips and perspectives that will be useful to many.  

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Judith is the creator of, and one of the main driving forces behind, the biggest sewing community on Instagram, SewOver50. Whilst providing a virtual hub for conversation and inspiration for everyone, SewOver50 also pushes for the increased visibility of older people within sewing related industries. In our conversation, Judith tells me about the rapid creation of that community and the goals behind it. She also shares how her own revelations surrounding her wardrobe and sewing output sparked the idea for the fantastically inspiring challenge: #so50sustainablesewing. 

The blog post mentioned in the introduction about handmade washable period pants can be found HERE

Find Judith on Instagram @judithrosalind 

Read about Judith’s revelation in 2018 related to her wardrobe and sewing output HERE and HERE

Stacey Doodley’s documentary Fashion’s Dirty Secrets HERE (not currently available on iplayer but lots of clips are available on Youtube). 

The True Cost, a powerful documentary about the clothing industry, is available on Youtube HERE

See Judith below in one of her awesome tops made using the LB Pullover pattern by Paper Theory.

Judith has posted a lot about her Vintage Linen Coat Project, see below for the incredible way that she handled the rust spots, and read about it HERE. 

She’s using the September Coat pattern by Merchant & Mills. 

Judith’s Insta-pal @redrubyrose is a talented natural dye expert and accessories designer/maker.  

See one of Judith’s natural dye embroidery patches HERE.

The Destash for Kids with Cancer account is HERE (@destash_for_kids_with_cancer)

Find the Sew Over 50 community @sewover50, Judith founded it and co-runs it with Sandy @sunnydayz06 

The amazing blog and community, The Sewcialists is HERE (it’s no longer running but all posts are still up to enjoy)

Blanca @blakandblanca is an incredible older sewist who was the inspiration behind the Blanca Flight Suit pattern by Closet Core Patterns.

#so50sustainablesewing is the hashtag that is definitely worth checking out!  

Wardrobe Crisis podcast by Clare Press HERE.

Maria @velosews made an incredible jacket from a used coffee bean sack (pictured below). Check out her fantastic podcast Sew Organised Style HERE.

A big source of inspiration for Judith, and many others, is Tricia @morrissews.

Equally, Sue Stoney @suestoney is a talented maker and prolific creator. Read her blog HERE.

The Envelope Dress zero waste pattern by Cris Wood.  

I’ve been promising to cover natural dyeing techniques for a while now, and I’ve made good on that promise with this episode! I got to speak to a talented and experienced natural dye expert, Amy Taylor. A practitioner and teacher based in Chicago, Amy shares so much information in this extended episode of CYT. We go into the history and techniques, plus she busts some myths and tells us some fun stories of her experiences dyeing fabric with natural substances. If you ever had any questions about this topic, this episode is for you!

Ms Amy Taylor website HERE and Instagram @msamytaylor. 

Amy’s first natural dye teacher was Akemi Cohn who can be found HERE. 

The teacher Amy had in Oaxaca, Mexico is Elsa Sanchez Diaz. I couldn’t find a direct contact for her, but you can find some wonderful pictures of her and her dye workshops on THIS BLOG. 

One is Amy’s favourite natural dye substances is cochineal which makes an incredible, rich fuchsia colour (pictured below).

Amy’s most popular products are the tie dyed briefs undies (pictured below), found HERE.

A collaboration with designer Goli June Bridal resulted in stunning silk robes using the bundle dyeing technique using onion skins (pictured below), found HERE. 

Gasali Adeyemo, Indigo dye expert HERE.

Michel Garcia, sustainable dye practice HERE.

Maiwa, natural dye supply store HERE.

Botanical Colors, suppliers and educators with Feedback Friday HERE.

Amy is also inspired by the following dyers, makers and organisations:

@thedogwooddyer

@silk&tulle

@birdy_sew_obsessed

@lauracastro.co

@ecotone.threads

@slowstitches.co

@jamiebourgeois

@allweremember 

@wearethreaded

Let’s be honest, for those of us who sew, spending a couple hours at our sewing machine is probably preferable to the same time spent wandering around the shops or trawling websites trying to find someone the perfect gift. In this solo episode, I’m sharing heaps of ideas for presents we can create for our loved ones that won’t take an age or cost us a mint. All these ideas should take no more than an evening to make, a lot of them use patterns or tutorials that are free, and pretty much all of them can be made from scraps and leftover fabric, or even unwanted clothing! 

I’ve broken these projects down into four categories: gifts for makers, simple accessories and clothing, homeware and gifts for kids. 

Gifts for makers:

Tool roll tutorial by The Book Hut can be found HERE.

Image source: The Book Hut

Stowe Bag pattern by Grainline Studio HERE.

Image source: Grainline Studio

Simple Accessories & Clothing Gifts:

Sorrento Bucket Hat pattern by Elbe Textiles HERE. 

Sandcastle Bucket Hat pattern by Waves & Wild HERE. 

Reversible Bucket Hat pattern by Oliver + S HERE. 

The Orton Bag pattern by Merchant & Mills HERE. In the episode I have said this is one is free however, it is now a paid-for pattern. 

The byTilly shopper bag from byGraziela Fabrics HERE.

Image source: byGraziela Fabrics

Scrunchie tutorial by Melly Sews HERE.  

Mittens pattern made by using wool knitwear by fibreandtwigs on Etsy HERE. 

Mandy Boat Tee pattern by Tessuti HERE. Read by review of this pattern HERE. 

Luna Tank pattern by Helen’s Closet HERE. 

Dominique Skirt pattern by Tilly and the Buttons HERE. 

My favourite face mask tutorial by Sophie Passmore HERE. 

Homeware Gifts: 

Apron pattern by Tessuti HERE.

Workaday Apron pattern by Merchant & Mills HERE.

Image source: Merchant & Mills 

Oven Mitt pattern by Bombazine HERE. Read by review of this pattern HERE. 

Fabric Bowl Cover tutorial by Hearth and Vine HERE. 

Image source: Hearth and Vine

Gifts for Kids:

40 Free Sewing Patterns for Gifts for Kids blog post HERE.

My Favourite Free Children’s Sewing Patterns blog post HERE.

Batman Costume tutorial by Fleece Fun HERE.

Image source: Fleece Fun

Pom Pom Tutu Skirt tutorial by Brit + Co HERE. 

Princess Dress Up Apron pattern by It’s Always Autumn HERE. 

Easy Apron pattern by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom HERE. 

Oven Mitt pattern by Made for Mermaids HERE. 

Gift Wrapping:

Furoshiki Wrapping Cloths tutorial by Wellness Mama HERE. 

Welcome to Episode 15! Have you ever considered sewing a garment entirely by hand? I must admit that it had literally never occurred to me until I got to speak with today’s guest, Louisa Owen Sonstroem. This is the first of two Check Your Thread episodes with Louisa, and in this one we learn how a trained pattern cutter who works in the NY garment industry became an expert in this slow-sewing practice. We talk about how she fell in love with making her own clothes, but had an epiphany about her output of self-made garments, which reminded me of my conversation with Judith Staley for Episode 12 in fact. Louisa’s response was to embrace hand sewing garments, which for her opened up a whole new facet of creating. Louisa now teaches in person and online workshops and has written a beautiful self-illustrated book called ‘Hand Sewing Clothing: A Guide’. In this conversation we talk about the ins and outs, the whys and the hows, and we bust a big ol’ pile of myths about hand sewn clothing. 

In the introduction I recommended the following incredible podcast episodes to check out:

The Wardrobe Crisis with Clare Press, Ep 150: Liz Ricketts - Waste Colonialism and Dead White Man’s Clothes HERE.

The Sustainable(ish) Podcast with Jen Gale, Ep 118: A Beginner's Guide to COP26 HERE.

You can find Louisa Owen Sonstroem HERE. 

Louisa’s book and other products are available via her Etsy shop HERE.

In the UK, Louisa’s book can be bought from Beyond Measure HERE. 

It’s Episode 16 of CYT, and the second that features my conversation with Louisa Owen Sonstroem. Last week we heard about how Louisa embraced and became an expert in hand sewing clothing. This week we talk about a different, but equally fascinating topic: a project Louisa started in 2019 called Patternmaking in Public Places. PIPP aims to democratise access to patternmaking, by bringing it out from behind closed doors and sharing it with the public. Louisa tells us about the two very different incarnations this project has had so far. Want to know what happened when she undertook live demonstrations in front of unsuspecting members of the public in the parks of NY? Plus, we learn how she ingeniously pivoted, as well as expanded, the project in the wake of Covid. Much of Louisa’s PIPP project can be enjoyed by all for free via Youtube, and this conversation provides some enthralling background.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out all about Patternmaking in Public Places HERE.

View all of the recorded demos with different patternmakers on YouTube HERE, 

Louisa made a zine to commemorate and celebrate the project. You can buy a copy HERE. 

Welcome to Episode 17! So whilst clothing made using zero and low waste practices is as old as clothing itself, zero waste patterns available for home sewing is a relatively new phenomena. This episode is an introduction to the topic, and I plan to build on it in the future with conversations with zero waste designers and practitioners. 

The Zero Waste Fashion Design book by Holly McQuillan and Timo Rissanen via Bookshop.org HERE.

Liz Haywood’s Zero Waste Legacy Sewing ondemand class available HERE. 

Check out the Zero-Waste Pattern Database for a pretty comprehensive list of all ZW sewing patterns currently available HERE.

Birgitta Helmersson HERE.

Liz Haywood’s website, The Craft of Clothes, HERE.

Milan AV-JC HERE. 

Elbe Textile’s ZW Maynard dress pattern HERE, plus a free robe tutorial HERE. 

Make/Use HERE. 

CrisWood Sews HERE. 

Thread Faction Studio, ZW patterns for children’s wear, HERE. 

ZeroWasteDesignOnline HERE, plus on Instagram @zwdo_collective.

The amazing resource that is the Sewcialists blog has a whole series of posts as part of a Zero-Waste theme month they hosted in February HERE. 

Love to Sew podcast devoted an episode to discussing various aspects of zero-waste sewing,

Episode 180: Zero Waste Sewing HERE. 

Previous CYT guest, Wendy Ward, has a great blog post called Zero Waste Sewing HERE. 

Seamwork has a fantastic blog post called ‘Zero-Waste Design: the creation of wastefree garments’, written by Jessica Yen HERE. 

Welcome to Episode 18. As you may have noticed, I’ve always got my eyes peeled for interesting and useful ways to use up fabric scraps. In this episode I’ve got for you a conversation with author and rag rug expert Elspeth Jackson, to coincide with the release of her new book Rag Rug Techniques for Beginners which is out this week. Elspeth has carved out a career for herself based on teaching and writing about rag rugging, as well as selling kits and related products through her business Ragged Life. We chat about the history of rag rugs, their shifting role in society and how Elspeth came to adopt the rag rug tradition as a form of creativity. She also tells me what’s the simplest way to get involved, and most significantly perhaps for our purposes, how it can help us make the most of even the smallest fabric scraps. 

Elspeth Jackson can be found via her website Ragged Life HERE and via Instagram @raggedlife. 

Her new book ‘Rag Rug Techniques for Beginners’ is available via her website HERE, and from good book sellers. 

Elspeth’s kits start from £19.99 for the basic kit, giving you an introduction to rag rugging HERE.

Welcome to CYT! This episode (Ep.19) features a fascinating, wide-ranging and inspiring conversation with quilt-maker, Shelly Sommer. I thought we were going to be mainly discussing quilting, potentially as a way to use up fabric scraps and unwanted clothing, however Shelly is such an intelligent, thoughtful maker and human that our conversation ended up going off on a whole heap of interesting tangents. 

We did talk about the traditions, purposes and changing role of quilts, and that led to her making lots of great points about more considered approaches to consuming. We also talked about creative collaboration, her job that is related to climate science, her thoughts on a circular economy plus various forms of activism and their role in creating social change. Shelly was such a pleasure, and although we got into some heavy topics, I really came away feeling positive and empowered. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Shelly Sommer on Instagram @encodedstudio.

Almost since she began sewing Shelly has used her skills to add bands to thrifted garments to make them longer. Some examples of Shelly’s lengthened garments:

Some information on the quilters from Gees Bend, Alabama HERE.

Listen to the powerful BBC World Service Documentary about the Gees Bend Quilters HERE (you need to have a BBC account or register for one to listen). 

Shelly is part of the Boulder Modern Quilt Guild HERE.   

The collaboration between Shelly and her friend using the antique letterpress can be seen HERE and HERE (and see below).

Shelly makes a collaborative quilt with the young people in her life when they turn 13. Her latest project uses reclaimed denim from her husband’s old jeans:

Latifah Saafir’s Glam Clam quilt pattern HERE. 

My first attempt at a small baby’s floor quilt that used some pieces of work shirts HERE.

See a beautiful example of Shelly’s fabric scrap patchwork mosaics HERE (and see below):

Hilary Goodwin’s blog Entropy Always Wins HERE. Check out her incredible quilt about prescription narcotics HERE.

Sherri Lynn Wood HERE.    

Chawne Kimber’s blog HERE. 

One of Shelly’s favourite craft supply shop is Fancy Tiger Crafts that sends out their customers’ orders in fully recyclable packaging HERE.

Welcome to Ep. 20. In this solo episode, we literally check our thread! Of course, what fabrics we sew with is a big factor in the impact our garment sewing will have. And, increasingly, there are more and more options available to us to express our values and preferences in our thread choices as well. I break down the thread options for making our own clothes, then  offer up some criteria on which to judge each option to help you make your mind up about what to pick. I mention a lot of specific brands and product ranges as examples you may choose to buy in this episode. See below for details of the products discussed.

The criteria I came up with for deciding which threads to use:

• Is it made from a virgin resource or recycled one? 
• What environmental impact did the processing and dyeing have? 
• What social impact did the production have? 
• Will it biodegrade?
• How much does it cost to buy? 
• How many colours is it available in?
• What is the reel made of?
• How strong is it?
• How thick is it?
• How shiny is it? 

More on Oeko-tex certification HERE.  

More on GOTS certification HERE. 

**PLEASE NOTE: ALL LINKS TO WHERE TO BUY THE FOLLOWING THREADS ARE UK BASED COMPANIES**

Standard polyester thread:

The most well known brands are Gutermann (more info HERE), Mettler (more info HERE), Coats Moon and Drima.

Recycled rPET polyester thread:

Gutermann 100% recycled rPET thread (more info HERE, available in packs from Craft & Thrift HERE and singly from James Tailoring HERE) and Mettler offer 100% recycled rPET thread options. 

Mettler produce a range called Seracycle (more info HERE)

The Amann group who make one called Serafil (more info HERE)

Portuguese brand Crafil make one called Denimfil Eco (more info HERE, available HERE).

Regular cotton thread:

Cotton thread by Coats (available from C&H HERE)

Tre Cerchi range by Coats (available from Sewing Gem HERE and William Gee HERE)

Italian brand Aurifil (more info on medium weight HERE and lighter weight HERE) 

Gutermann cotton thread (more info HERE)

Organic cotton thread:

Organic cotton threads by Dutch company Scanfil (more info HERE, available singly HERE and on cones HERE)

Tencel thread:

Tencel thread range called Celofil by Crafil (more info HERE, medium weight available HERE, lighter weight available HERE)

Polyester covered cotton thread:

Rasant made by the Amann Group (more info HERE).   

It’s Episode 21 of CYT, and today we’re busting a big myth: that you have to be completely serious and joyless to be passionate about the environment, or to have any impact. I’m chatting with New Zealand based sewing teacher, maker and sustainability phenomenon, Sarah Lancaster, AKA Sarah Sew Love. (You can also hear her cat, Forest, in the background!) She shows us that having a vibrant aesthetic and awesome energy really helps her engage with others over important topics. We talk about how she set up a social enterprise to share sewing and mending skills around NZ, and how making more sustainable choices can bring your life extra layers of enjoyment rather than restricting it. She also shares her love of creating with reclaimed fabric to make her fantastic product range, how she scored her most precious piece of fabric, and her dream sewing tattoo! Be prepared to feel the (sew)love! 

Listen to Ep. 124 of the Sustainable (ish) podcast with writer J.B. Mackinnon about his book ‘The Day The World Stops Shopping’ HERE. 

Read the Guardian article about the study looking into the productivity of small scale food growing HERE.

Find Sarah Sew Love and her joyful aesthetic on Instagram HERE.  

Her Etsy shop where she sells bumbags and towel ponchos is HERE. 

The amazing video of Sarah showing how to wear your bum bag depending on your dancing style is HERE.

Sarah works for Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan, New Zealand. Learn more HERE and HERE.   

Other businesses and enterprises mentioned:

• Fabricabrac (fabric markets around NZ)  HERE. 
• My Keeper (sells and rents dresses and collaborated with Sarah on a range of bumbags) HERE.
• DIY Daisy (colourful inspiration and garment tutorials) HERE. 
• Señorita Awesumo, (Zero waste pattern designer in NZ, with my tattoo) HERE. 

It’s the last episode of CYT for 2021, and a first for the podcast: a conversation involving three people! I talk to Carla Bruni, the founder and organiser of Community Glue Workshops which are regular, free mending events taking place in Chicago, and Megan Grandstaff, who is one of the talented and dedicated volunteers, who specialises in fixing clothing and textile items. We get into the origin story of this almost-ten-year-old enterprise, and learn the keys to its massive success. How does the season affect how they prepare for the events? And why did CGW introduce a ‘launder first’ rule?! If you’re interested in setting up a mending workshop of some description, this is essential listening. The conversation also goes in other fascinating sustainability and mending related directions. Both Carla and Meg are incredibly intelligent and experienced people, so I know you’re going to love this end of year conversation… 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find the Community Glue Workshop website HERE and on Instagram HERE. 

Happy New Year! Episode 23 is a solo one made with a helpful dose of listener feedback. The start of a new year is a great time to think about new habits you’d like to implement going forwards. I’ve collected a whole heap of goals related to sewing more sustainably that listeners intend to focus on during 2022, and I’ve thrown in some additional suggestions of my own. If you like the idea of setting goals or aims at this time of year and could do with a dose of inspiration, or you just like thinking about sewing, then this episode is for you!

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The goals outlined in this episode are:

Slow Sewing.

Listen to Episode 15 with Louisa Owen Sontroem about hand sewing clothing HERE. 

My denim shirt to Anthea blouse upcycle can be found HERE.

Questioning which fibres you sew with.

Learn more about Oeko-tex certification HERE. 

Learn more about GOTS certification HERE.

Listen to Episode 20 about what threads are available for home sewing HERE.  

Only make things you’ll actually wear.

Find out more about Me-Made-May HERE. 

Try a new technique or skill.

Make some eco product swaps.

Try making fabric shopping bags and produce bags, cloth napkins for using at meal times, washable sandwich bags, fabric bowl covers for food storage, washable make-up remover wipes, washable sanitary pads or liners, or period pants. Make pouches to contain cutlery, chopsticks, napkins and reusable straws will help you be less reliant on the disposable versions when you’re out and about.

Tackle your mending or altering pile.

Modern Mending by Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald HERE. 

Mending Matters by Katrina Rodabaugh HERE. 

Mend it, Wear it, Love it! by Zoe Edwards (me!) HERE. 

Rework, remake or upcycle the items in your wardrobe that aren’t working for you. 

Using your existing stash!

Find the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin HERE (abstainers and moderators).

More info on the Make Nine challenge HERE. 

Welcome to Episode 24 with the wonderful Rebecca Evans-Merritt, a maker that I’ve long admired for both her gorgeous makes, AND her intelligent, thoughtful approach to making. Last year she created a talk for the Fold Line sewing weekender event entitled Slow and Conscious Making that included suggestions on how we can improve the sustainability of our sewing. Finally! I thought, a reason to get in touch with Rebecca and get her to talk to me! In this conversation we discuss those definitions and get into the realities of slow and conscious making: what it looks like in real life and how it can get tricky. We talk about both our methods for planning our makes, and how being ‘particular’ about what she wears helps keep Rebecca on track with living out her values. You’d think that given the subject matter, this would be quite a serious conversation but it was actually so much fun to have. It’s probably the episode in which I laughed the most whilst recording. Enjoy!

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The blog post where I review the free School Cool dress pattern for dolls that I mentioned in the intro is HERE. 

Find Rebecca Evans-Merritt’s Instagram HERE where she shares her beautiful, wearable makes and styling tips. 

Watch Rebecca’s Slow and Conscious Making talk HERE. 

A screenshot from her talk is below:

Rebecca mentioned:

• Give your best charity HERE. 
• Sunny Jar Eo Hub social enterprise HERE. 
• Monica @slowrituals.studio HERE. 
• Alexis @fibrandclothstudio HERE. 
• New Craft House HERE #sewyourselfsustainable

For our quarter-century episode, I’m having a deep dive into the topic of handmade period pants with lingerie and pattern designer, Yelena Buck. If you’re a period haver, or there’s one in your close family, this episode might convince you to try making some if you haven’t already. We talk about the benefits of period pants in general, and self-made ones specifically, plus the ingredients that go into them, and how to launder them so they’ll last for many years. Yelena also expands on some of the other more sustainable aspects of her business, plus offers advice for garment makers who want to branch out into making undies, including ways to save money and resources whilst doing so. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Yelena’s business, Sew projects via its website HERE and Instagram feed HERE.

Yelena sewing in her narrow boat!

The Moontide Period Pants PDF pattern is available HERE. 

The kits (with or without pattern) including all materials required to make the period pants are available HERE.

Read my blog post reviewing the undies pattern and kit HERE. I love my teal version:

For Episode 26, I had the pleasure of talking with Eliu Hernandez, a quilter and maker whose work focuses on reclaimed denim. Eliu has developed an approach to deconstructing unwanted jeans that allows him to harvest as much as possible to reuse again, including the belt loops, pockets, leather patches and even the thread! I loved nerding out about denim with him, and even if denim isn’t your jam, this conversation may help you take reusing garments to a whole new level. We also discuss the portability of hand stitching and unpicking, crafting as a new parent, and consider the likelihood of a pair of jeans having been worn to rob a bank! 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Eliu on his IG feed @madeorremade HERE. 

Eliu has made a series of quilts entitled ‘Waist Not’, which are made almost entirely from reclaimed materials, including the backing and thread used for quilting (see below).

‘Cutting Up Jeans’ is a fabulous little zine that Eliu made in collaboration with quilt artist Zak Foster. You can purchase it HERE. 

Find out more about Zak Foster HERE. 

Find out more about Heidi Parkes HERE. 

Eliu makes use of the reclaimed zips from deconstructed jeans by making these wonderful, and very useful, zippered pouches (see below):

A selection of Eliu’s reclaimed, handmade, leather thimbles:

This episode follows myself and friend-of-the-podcast Julia Hincks as we attend a workshop and try our hands at rag rugging! We were invited by former guest and rag rugging expert Elspeth Jackson to attend one of her in-person workshops. If you can’t attend one of her workshops yourself, Elspeth’s company Ragged Life sells books and kits, and produces online courses and YouTube videos, so you can learn from her wherever you live. So how hard is rag rugging? What fabrics are suitable to use? And ultimately: is rag rugging a viable option for using up all our scraps, unwanted fabric and old clothes? These are the questions Julia and I set out to answer…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

I spoke to sewing expert, teacher and author Julia Hincks in Episode 9 all about overlockers/sergers and coverstitch machines, listen to that one HERE. 

Find Julia’s website HERE, and her books HERE.

We attended a workshop taught by rag rugging expert Elspeth Jackson. Elspeth’s company, Ragged Life, can be found HERE. 

Listen to Episode 18 with Elspeth HERE. 

Find details of Elspeth’s books HERE, kits HERE, workshops HERE and YouTube channel HERE. 

The tools Elspeth taught us to use:

My sample of the three main techniques:

Julia working on her sample:

Julia’s rag rugged bouquet in progress:

Me prepping some fabric strips:

Working on my mat:

This is the first episode in a mini series I’ve made about a topic that fascinates me: the Make Do And Mend campaign of the 1940s. ‘‘Make do and mend’ is a phrase often used today to refer to the ethos of repairing something over throwing it away. Sometimes it’s used in direct reference to the campaign that took place during the second world war, when materials were scarce and repair was essential. But as time passes and we move further away from that era, it often gets used more generally: a phrase to suggest that there’s a wider reason, movement or philosophy behind an act of repair. I thought it’d be interesting to look into the original source of the term. In this episode we look at the historical and social context of the campaign, along with the clothes rationing scheme that made MDAM so essential. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The resources used for researching this episode are:

Make Do And Mend: Keeping Family and Home Afloat on War Rations - forward by Jill Norman 

Published by Michael O’Mara Books Ltd. 2007

Fashion on the Ration: Style in The Second World War - Julie Summers

Published by Profile Books Ltd. 2015

Nella Last’s War: The Second World War Diaries of ‘Housewife, 49’ - Nella Last

Published by Profile Books Ltd. 2006

Imperial War Museum website HERE. 

A clip of the TV advert mentioned with the animated clothes HERE.

Make Do and Mend specific information HERE. 

Clothes Rationing specific information HERE. 

A guide for making a skirt from men’s trousers:

A guide for using parachute silk to make underwear and blouses:

This is the second instalment of my mini series about the Make Do and Mend campaign. As I was reading and writing about that era, I couldn’t help but think about the situation we find ourselves in today with the climate crisis. There was so much relating to the use and reuse of materials that felt so familiar to what a lot of us have been thinking and talking about more recently. Many of us are trying to work out how to consume less and be more resourceful whilst continuing to make stuff and be creative. In this episode, I share my thoughts on why there’s currently insufficient action happening to address the climate crisis. I then explore the idea that there are lessons we can learn from the experiences of the second world war that might be applicable today. Things that can help us live and create in a way that limits our impact on climate change. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Hear more from Sophie (@so_so_sew) about the International Women's Day challenge HERE. Remember to use the hashtags #IWDsewchallenge and #breakthebias. 

Image source: English Heritage

The themes discussed in the episode are:

Community

Find out more about ‘Stitch it Don’t ditch it’ street mending sessions that take place around the world HERE. 

Swapping

The facts borrowed from Jen Gale @sustainableish can be found HERE.  

Pass on unwanted fabric and sewing supplies and raise money for an important cause via @destash_for_kids_with_cancer Instagram account HERE. 

Fabric-a-brac in New Zealand HERE. 

Alternative sources of fabric

Listen to Episode 26 with Eliu Hernandez HERE about reclaiming and reusing materials from unwanted jeans.

Wyatt and Jack make accessories from broken beach inflatables, bouncy castles and vintage deckchair canvas. Find their range HERE. 

Freitag make backs from recycled truck tarpaulins HERE. 

Image source: Freitag

Riccardo’s jackets made from the covering from a discarded leather sofa HERE and HERE.

Hear my conversation with Riccardo for Episode 7 HERE. 

This is the third and final instalment of my mini series about the Make Do and Mend campaign. We pick up where we left off in the second episode and explore some more themes and lessons from the 1940s that really resonate today. In the second half of this episode I then leave the big-picture ideas to zoom right in on the topic. I share some of the practical tips and advice that I found in the reproductions of the leaflets produced by the Government as part of the Make Do and Mend campaign. Split into three sections: mending tips, garment care and stains/laundering advice, so much of what was shared then is surprisingly relevant and useful for today’s garments and lifestyles. Plus, we find out what tiny creatures our grandparents and great grandparents were also waging war on!

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The themes discussed in the episode are:

Locally produced fabric

Find out more about Fashion Act Now HERE and follow them on Instagram HERE. 

Learn more about the Fibreshed movement HERE.

Planning new wardrobe additions

Mending and garment care

Tips and advice from the Make Do and Mend leaflets:

• Mending tips
• Garment care
• Stains and Laundering

For this episode, #31, I got to speak to Liz Haywood, a very talented designer who creates zero waste sewing patterns. After a 20 year career in clothing production, and writing and self-publishing a book called The Dressmaker’s Companion, Liz discovered ZW design and started making her own patterns using this approach. Two years ago, she committed to only producing patterns that are zero waste, and has been exploring and pushing the genre forwards ever since with her book Zero Waste Sewing and a range of standalone patterns. Excitingly, Liz has tackled the issue of grading and developed methods for producing an impressive range of sizes, and is now turning her attention to adding elements to help with fitting, two areas in which zero waste patterns have previously received criticism. We discuss all this and more, including her incredibly low levels of scrap generation and the only item Liz cannot foresee herself making a ZW pattern for. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

If zero waste design and patterns are new to you, you may like to listen to Episode 17: What are Zero Waste Sewing Patterns? HERE before this one. 

Please listen to Liz talking in detail about her fascinating career in the Sew Organised Style podcast in 2021 HERE. 

Liz’s self-published sewing book, The Dressmaker’s Companion, can be found HERE. 

Find the previously mentioned and very excellent The Zero Waste Fashion Design book by Holly McQuillan and Timo Rissanen via Bookshop.org HERE.

Liz’s blog, The Craft of Clothes, which she updates weekly is HERE. 

Zero Waste Sewing, Liz’s book featuring lots of ZW patterns to try is HERE. 

For Liz’s standalone patterns and books, check out her Etsy shop TheCraftofClothes HERE. 

Her first standalone pattern is the Tie Front Top HERE. See the top below)

The fascinating layout for the top is pictured below:

Her ZW doll pattern is HERE.

The childre’s ZW Cap Sleeve Tee pattern by Thread Faction I recently made is HERE.  

Swimwear brand, Emroce, uses recycled nylon fabric and ZW cutting techniques is HERE. 

Decode, a ZW clothing brand and design system, including manufacturing, based in Brooklyn, NY founded by Danielle Elsener is HERE. 

Find the Zero Waste Design Online collective HERE. 

For Episode #32 of Check Your Thread, I got to talk with textile activist Shams el-Din Rogers. For me, this is the most powerful and thought provoking conversation I’ve had for the podcast to date. Shams shares her thoughts and perspective as an activist, advocate, teacher and campaigner. We get into the sources of Shams’s frustrations, altering patterns of consumption, her experience as a black maker, active allyship, mending as a political act, making for those will limited resources and much more. I started this podcast with the goal of being educated and challenged. This conversation certainly had that impact on me and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Enjoy.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Shams el-Din Rogers on Instagram @shamseldinrogers 

Shams volunteers with Creative Reuse Toronto, learn more about the organisation HERE. 

Learn more about the work of the OR Foundation HERE. 

Image source: OR Foundation 

Listen to an amazing episode (#150) of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast called Dead White Man’s Clothes with Liz Ricketts from the OR Foundation HERE. 

Learn more about the Repair Futures project by Thick Present from the Netherlands HERE. 

Check out the excellent Clothes Horse podcast HERE and on Instagram HERE.

Image source: Clothes Horse podcast

The people’s mending on Instagram HERE have produced a useful-looking booklet to help people keep their clothes in use for longer. Find it HERE.  

Check out the mending work of Noah Hirsch, @yung_curmudgeon on Instagram HERE. He mends damaged clothes that could not be donated to charity and places them in his local food pantry (see below):

Image source: Yung Curmudgeon 

Sewing and mending are important life skills, as well as being a source of fun and creative expression. However, with fewer and fewer schools offering any kind of sewing or textiles lessons, are us adults doing enough to pass on these skills to children and young people? After all, the planet will be in their hands before long. In this episode (Ep.# 33), I argue the case for encouraging kids to sew, and offer up ideas and tactics for how to do so, whether you are a parent yourself or not. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Why should we encourage kids to sew?

• Life skills
• Empowerment and self-sufficiency
• Preservation of resources
• Passing on knowledge 

How can we encourage kids to sew?

• Observing modelled behaviour and through play
• Keep your goals small and expectations low
• Allow them see you or someone else sewing and enjoying it
• Let them play with your fabric scraps
• Facilitate their project ideas - apply patience! 
• When their clothes need fixing, encourage and talk them through mending the item themselves
• Put on the Great British Sewing Bee (or other sewing TV show), or leave sewing magazines around (I find my kids are particularly interested in the kids’ editions of Ottobre Design magazine) 
• Make them a garment and allow them to make a lot of the design decisions
• Summon the power of attention from a non-parental figure!
• If the kid doesn’t live close by, send them a little sewing kit and/or some fabric, along with the offer to help out when you next see them
• Appeal to their interest in technology and gadgets and/or ‘having a go’. 
• In an age appropriate way, help them to use your sewing machine. 
• Teach them the basics to use your machine and leave them to it
• Find out if a local sewing school/business runs kids’ sewing classes
• Find out if the kid’s school has an afterschool sewing or craft club
• Host a sewing party for a child and their friends

Before many of us were even aware of the damaging aspects of fabric production, Charlie Bradley Ross was researching better alternatives. Her desire to share that extensive research and the connections she made with ethical and more sustainable producers grew organically (excuse the pun) into her business, Offset Warehouse, and later The Sustainable Fashion Collective. For Episode 34 of CYT, Charlie tells me about her journey, offers a beginner’s guide for sewers wanting to choose better fabrics, and explains why we should be wary of the term ‘deadstock’. We also get into finding the balance between using what you have and supporting business doing good work. We learn how she approaches working respectfully with fabric producers, how she’d like over-consumption to be addressed and other important fabric-related concerns. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Charlie owns eco and ethical fabric business Offset Warehouse HERE

The documentary, China Blue, that switched Charlie onto thinking about the impact of fabric HERE

One of the handwoven Ikat fabrics that might make Charlie cry! HERE

Image source: Offset Warehouse

Discover some banana leaf textiles HERE and pineapple textiles HERE

My favourite fabric on the Offset Warehouse site is this hand-dyed, handwoven, Fairtrade selvedge denim HERE

Image source: Offset Warehouse

Find out more about The Sustainable Fashion Collective HERE

Dark Waters is a film about the contamination of a town by manufacturing corporation DuPont HERE

Shortly after the COVID pandemic reached the UK in early 2020, artist and maker Sophie Passmore responded to the craziness and confusion by founding the Mask Makers UK community. This Facebook group became an important hub providing information, assistance and support to thousands of voluntary mask makers. More than two years later, Sophie is still keeping abreast with developments in mask-related science, advice and design progression and sharing it all for those who want and need it. Mask masking and the community Sophie brought together have evolved tremendously over that time. In this episode (Ep. #35) she tells me all about it: the highs, the lows, her motivations and the time she appeared live on Breakfast TV showing the nation how to make a mask from a T-shirt!

Support the podcast over on Patreon! 

The Facebook group and community Sophie founded is Mask Makers UK HERE.

The first Co-administrator of the group is sewing blogger/writer/teacher Portia Lawrie. She can be found on Instagram @portialawrie HERE. 

Designer Jacqueline Pang’s website Sewing Seeds of Love website is HERE. Her Smile Mask pattern (free) with a clear window can be found HERE.  

Scrub making community groups set up in response to the lack of PPE earlier on during the pandemic, For the Love of Scrubs HERE and Facebook group Scrubs Glorious Scrubs HERE. 

The Noah Rainbow fabric designed by Tessa Semple for use by the NHS below:

Sophie’s mask making videos can be found on her Youtube channel HERE. 

The video that went viral (that Sophie accidentally deleted!) is the Reverse Nose Fold Mask video HERE.

Dr. Jocelyn Songer’s Maker Mask website containing science-based information for mask makers is HERE. 

Find the pattern and instructions for Joan Fearnley Singer’s Mask for performers HERE.

Sophie’s appearance on BBC Breakfast on the TV can be viewed HERE.

Iris Luckhaus is a German designer and illustrator who developed a similar mask design HERE. 

Sophie demonstrates how to make a mask brace HERE. 

Me-Made-May is a popular annual wardrobe challenge that helps participants improve their relationship with their handmade wardrobe. It also gives you the opportunity to learn lots of useful lessons that will inform your making going forwards. Episode #36 is a deep dive into the challenge that I inadvertently created thirteen years ago. Whether you’ve already heard of MMM, have taken part in the past, or it’s entirely new to you, this episode will help you decide if you want to step up to the challenge this year, and how to get the maximum benefit from it if you do!

Support the podcast over on Patreon! 

What is Me-Made-May?

MMM is a wardrobe challenge that helps you improve your relationship with your handmade items. It can also teach you what to make (and not make) in the future! 

What isn’t Me-Made-May?

• MMM isn’t a making challenge
• MMM isn’t a photo challenge
• MMM isn’t a competition
• MMM isn’t about having heaps of handmade clothes

So who is MMM for? 

The challenge is for anyone with at least one handmade item that wants to make improvements to their wardrobe and how they feel about it. 

How do I take part?

You will need to intentionally wear your handmade items more and/or in different ways throughout May 2022.  

Have a think about the handmade items you own, how often you already wear them, and perhaps if there are any areas of your relationship with your wardrobe that you already know could use some improvement. 

Then set your own pledge outlining the specifics of your challenge before 1st May. There’s a fun pledge formula that you can use, it goes: 

“I (insert name or username) pledge to wear (insert specifics of your pledge) for throughout May 2022”

You can keep this entirely to yourself, tell friends and family, or share this on social media: whatever you wish.

This is the second episode in the mini-series all about the Me-Made-May wardrobe challenge. If you’re not sure how to get the most from taking part in MMM, this episode offers a guide to crafting your own, tailor-made pledge. Included are examples of a variety of unique pledges that might click with you, and lead you to heaps of useful lessons and insights about yourself and your wardrobe needs. We also get to hear from two previous podcast guests and repeat MMM participants, Rebecca Evans-Merritt and Meg Grandstaff. Both offer their own fascinating perspectives, experiences and takeaways from their own challenges, and offer advice for new participants. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon! 

To pick a useful challenge for you, the first step is to get a handle on how your relationship with wardrobe currently stands. 

If you can find the time, get all your self-made items out and have a look at what you’ve got.

Also have a think about how often you tend to wear handmade items already, and which ones see the most action. Think back to what you wore the past week. How many items were made by yourself?

By looking at what you’ve got AND by thinking about what you usually wear already, you’ll get some clues for a suitable pledge. 

Is there a sticking point that you’re already well aware of? For example, you feel happiest in a dress, but rarely wear them. Or you have a whole load of clothes made from vibrant prints, but you’re not sure how to incorporate them into an outfit. 

Remember, the main point of the challenge is to wear your handmade items more and/or in different ways. So with that in mind, hopefully you will start to get some ideas for a pledge that will push yourself slightly out of your comfort zone to allow yourself to learn and grow. 

Find Rebecca Evans-Merritt on Instagram @revansmerritt HERE. 

Listen to Episode 24: Conscious Making in Real Life with Rebecca Evans-Merritt HERE. 

Find Meg Grandstaff on Instagram @megthegrand HERE. 

Listen to Episode 22: Mending Workshops with Carla & Meg / Community Glue HERE. 

Ep. 38 is the third and final episode in the mini-series all about the Me-Made-May wardrobe challenge. Expanding on last week’s episode about setting your own unique pledge, today we’ll flip it and discuss super-simple, basic pledges that still offer heaps of learning potential. If you’re just not sure what your wardrobe goals are, or you don’t have the headspace for anything complicated right now, this episode provides the solution. We also hear from previous podcast guests, Amy Dyce and Judith Staley, who also chose simple pledges for their challenges. They talk about the wealth of takeaways they accrued from this approach, and give us some thought-provoking insights about applying the lessons learnt.   

Support the podcast over on Patreon! 

You can still learn A TON about your wardrobe, and make great strides in getting closer to the wardrobe you dream of by setting yourself a very simple, standard pledge. Picking an uncomplicated formula, as long as it is challenging but do-able for you, will still give you a chance to learn and play about throughout the month. 

A great way to start is by finding out exactly what you have. Try to find a chunk of time to get all your handmade items out in one place.

Then cast your mind back a week or so, or pay attention to what you’re wearing for a few days. How many handmade items do you wear on average already? 

Then set your simple pledge by choosing to up the frequency slightly, or by altering how you wear them. 

For example, if you usually wear a handmade item twice a week, pledge to wear a handmade item three or four times a week. Or if you usually wear two handmade items each day, make it three! 

OR keep wearing two handmade items each day, but make sure you wear a different outfit combination each day.

Find Amy Dyce on Instagram @craftandthrift HERE and find the website HERE. 

Listen to Episode 5: Craft & Thrift with Amy Dyce HERE and Episode 6: Life, Sewing and Sustainability with Amy Dyce HERE. 

Find Judith Staley on Instagram @judithrosalind HERE and the Sew Over 50 community @sewover50 HERE. 

Listen to Episode 12: Sew Over 50 with Judith Staley HERE. 

This episode (Ep. #39) is the first of two featuring Australia-based mending expert, Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald. In this one we hear the tale of how a baby journalist with zero formal sewing training grew to become a mending legend. Erin tells us how quitting her former career and the fall-out from her breast cancer diagnosis led her to refocus her energies on repair and reuse. Her experiments taught her that there was a real desire to keep things in use for longer, so she set up a social enterprise, hosted repair workshops (both in person and online) and wrote her book, Modern Mending. Erin is proof that you don’t need a fashion degree or a background in making to have a massive impact by sewing more sustainably. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!  

Find Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald via her website HERE, and on Instagram @erinlewisfitzgerald HERE. 

Her online shop, Modern Mending, is HERE.  

This episode is the second featuring my conversation with mending-legend, Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald. Two years ago Erin wrote a book called Modern Mending, which I legitimately feel may be the very best mending book out there. In this episode we hear all about its creation and the concepts behind it, including the concept of ‘experimend’! She shares some important tips for beginner menders, including why we should approach #visiblemending inspo with caution. Erin also hammers home the importance of sharing our mending and alterations endeavours, which leads me to make a pledge of my own…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!  

Find Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald via her website HERE, and on Instagram @erinlewisfitzgerald HERE. 

Find out about Erin’s book, Modern Mending HERE. It is available in all good bookshops. 

Erin worked on The Daily Fix project with Jen Gale, the creator of The Sustainable(ish) podcast HERE. 

Anxious Frog is a character that appears in Modern Mending as the voice of concern. He helps Erin address any worries readers might have when faced with a mending project or new technique. 

Erin sells her book and mending supplies in her online shop, also called Modern Mending, HERE.  

Menders Erin is currently inspired by:

• @konfekt_kunststopferei_hamburg HERE
• @schneckstein HERE
• @theholestorydesign HERE
• @ekaterinahaak HERE

Sewing patterns are often the starting point for those of us who make our own clothes. In recent years we have witnessed an explosion in the amount and the variety of sewing patterns available to us. Plus, developments in technology and the sewing industry have resulted in patterns being available in different formats. Then, once we’ve bought a pattern in a particular format, there are options of how to use it. At CYT, our goal is to enjoy sewing whilst conserving resources and reducing potential waste where possible. So in this episode we unpick what choices we might make when buying and using sewing patterns and why.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Sewing patterns currently come in five formats: 

1) the traditional patterns printed onto paper, 

2) as digital PDF files that require printing out, 

3) as projector files that gets projected directly onto the fabric,

4) as sets of instructions or measurements that guide you to draw the pattern directly onto fabric or

5) printed overlapping on large pattern sheets in pattern magazines and books. 

Buying and Using Paper Patterns More Sustainably:

Find out where in the world it’s produced. That might impact the retailer you choose to buy it from. 

Consider becoming a member of #teamtrace by tracing off the pieces before hand onto more paper first rather than jumping straight in and cutting out your size. On the surface it seems like you’re using double the materials, but by giving yourself space to test out fit and alterations on the practice go, you are likely to be preserving more resources overall. 

If you plan to make any alterations, or suspect you might need to make any alterations in the future, tracing first rather than cutting straight is the absolutely best choice. You can play around on the traced off pieces and always have the original version to refer to. Or if your alterations don’t go to plan, you can trace the pieces again and start over. Tracing is also necessary if you want to retain all the sizes. You may wish to make another size for yourself or someone else in the future. Plus, by tracing off your pieces and keeping the original pattern uncut, it means that when you no longer want it, it can be passed on to another person, at a sewing swap perhaps, or by donating to a charity shop or thrift store. 

If you cut into the original, and later find you need the uncut and unadulterated pattern again in the future, you’re going to have to buy the whole thing again, pattern, instructions AND packaging. Which would mean double the environmental impact of the original pattern. And if you do cut into the original you’ll be rendering it pretty much useless once you're done with it. 

Therefore, if garment sewing is a passion for you, and something you can see yourself doing for a number of years, I’d recommend buying a large roll of recycled paper suitable for pattern cutting and tracing. But if you don’t fancy investing in a roll of paper specific for the purpose, rolls of large format printer paper, wall paper and wrapping paper can also do the job. 

Using PDF Sewing Patterns More Sustainably:

Only print out a pattern when we are actually about to use it in case your plans change. You might end up not wanting to make the view you printed out, or you end up not making it at all and that will have been a waste of energy, paper and ink. 

When you do print out your PDF pattern, there’s no need to print out the instructions. Instead, view the instructions directly on your laptop, tablet or phone. 

Whether you’re using an A0 print out or A4/letter pages that have been stuck together, you can also choose to trace the size you need and retain the original printouts. As with paper patterns, this will save you the time and hassle of reprinting and sticking together pages if you wish to make alterations to the pattern and may need to refer to the original, or if you want to save the rest of the sizes for the future. 

Printing and Using A4/letter PDF Sewing Patterns:

Check what pages you actually need. If the pattern offers multiple views, i.e. there are different style variations within the pattern, take some time to work out which pages you need to print out for the one you want to make to save you paper and ink. Some pattern companies will detail which pages you need to print out depending on the sizes or styles you require in the instructions. But for others, you might need to figure it out for yourself. 

Check if the PDF file includes the LAYERS FUNCTION!!!! This will save you a lot of printer ink over time. To find the layers function, when you open up the PDF document usually in a programme like acrobat reader, check if there’s a logo on the left hand side that looks like a stack of squares. If it doesn’t show up as you open the file, you can find it by selecting view in the tool bar at the top, then show/Hide, then Navigation Panes, then Layers. If your pattern has that function, you can deselect the layers you don’t need by clicking on the tiny eye icons, and all the lines of the sizes you don’t need will disappear from view. Make sure you don’t deselect the pattern information layer though, because that contains all the writing and any markings are common to all sizes. 

What paper are you using? If you can, I’d urge you to buy recycled printer paper. It’s only worth it for recycling services to collect paper and recycle it to make new products, as opposed to sending it to landfill, if there’s a demand for products made from recycled paper. We need to be keeping as much stuff out of landfill as possible. 

Also related to paper, if you work in an office or other work place that regularly prints stuff out onto A4 or letter sized paper, is there a source of waste paper you could tap into?

Similarly, if you live with kids, or work with kids, or have a friend or family member with kids, their stream of artwork might also provide plenty of pages you can print your patterns out on the back of. 

Stick the pattern pages together with glue rather than sticky tape so the patterns can be recycled when you’re eventually done with them. I use a thin layer of my kids’ PVA craft glue. Let your pattern dry before cutting out the pieces. Sticky tape is obviously plastic, which deems every page it touches unrecycle-able. Try to buy PVA glue in larger quantities and decant into smaller containers with a lid like empty jam jars. 

Printing and Using A0/Copshop PDF Sewing Patterns:

Only get your pattern printed when you are ready to actually use it in case you change your mind and your sewing plans to avoid wasted resources. 

Check which pages you actually need. If there are different views included in the same pattern, or different elements, hopefully they will be grouped as such so that you can avoid printing entire pages if necessary. 

If the pattern has the layers function, an A0 printing service can also deselect the unnecessary lines which will save on ink. I also think it makes cutting out your pattern a lot easier if you’ve not got so many lines to confuse you. Check in advance if your pattern has the layers function, and if so, check which size or sizes you require, and ask them when placing your order to only print the necessary sizes.

If you’re getting your files printed by an A0 printing service, use a local service. Or if there isn’t one within your local area, at least one in the same country. You might choose to ignore this if you’re getting another physical product sent to you at the same time and the price of printing is reasonable though.

If you are using a postal printing service, batch your order so you’re getting a few patterns printed at once to save on postage and packaging. 

In this episode we’re getting conceptual! Episode #42 explores an idea that is fundamental to living as sustainably as possible: keeping resources at their highest possible level of use. This conversation is with awesome return-guest Shelly Sommer, who lays out the principles of a circular economy and why we should be aiming for this important goal, within our making practices and beyond. Shelly schools us on all this with her usual fun and joyful approach, whilst also sharing many practical, actionable tips for how we might enact responsible stewardship whilst sewing. In particular, she talks me through her method for making ‘new’ fabric from scraps, which is an approach I’m so inspired by and have been playing with ever since. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Listen to my interview on the sustainable knitting podcast A Smaller Life HERE. 

Find Shelly and her incredible quilts and garment creations on her Instagram feed @encodedstudio. 

Listen to Shelly’s first appearance of CYT in Episode #19: Quilting and Conscious Consuming with Shelly Sommer HERE. 

Learn more about a circular economy on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation website HERE.

Listen to Episode #24: Conscious Making in Real Life with Rebecca Evans-Merritt HERE. 

Listen to Episode #20: What Thread Should I Buy? HERE. 

Listen to Episode #15: Hand Stitching Clothes with Louisa Owen Sonstroem HERE. 

Check out Shelly’s scrap-busting mini quilts HERE (pictured below). 

Read about the dungarees I made my son from denim reclaimed from unworn garments HERE (pictured below).

The denim patchwork dungarees I then made with the leftovers can be found HERE. 

Find abstract quilting legend Sherri Lynn Wood HERE. 

Learn about the Gees Bend quiltmakers and their history HERE. 

For Episode #43, I’m speaking with experienced clothes-maker Kate Ng, who has spent years learning and thinking about conscious clothes making, and how to communicate these ideas. Through her wonderful blog and Instagram account Kate has dedicated untold hours to battling over-simplified messaging and greenwashing in ‘sustainable fashion’ and ‘sustainable sewing’. In this episode we also learn about her observations so far of the sewing scene in the Netherlands (her current home), the epiphany she had around fabric purchasing, and the inspiring IG challenges and hashtags she co-created. Kate always operates with intelligence and nuance, and the shift in her perspective to a healthier balance between ethics and the joy of making is a perfect example of this. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Kate’s blog, Time to Sew, HERE and her Instagram account @timetosew. 

Fibre Mood, the sewing pattern and magazine brand that Kate has worked for is HERE.

More info on the Social Sewalongs Kate sometimes hosts can be found HERE.  

CocoWawa Crafts, sewing patterns designed by Ana, who currently lives and teaches in Amsterdam HERE. 

Take the Four Tendencies quiz HERE. 

Kate’s latest blog post, 5 Ways to Think About Your Fabric Stash is HERE.  

Kate’s favourite, The Kite Fold Tee by Made It Patterns can be purchased HERE (pictured below). 

Awesome Dutch pattern company, Misusu Patterns, with designs that are well suited to scrap busting HERE. 

My favourite Luna pants pattern by Made By Rae is HERE. 

Find previous-guest Wendy Ward HERE and on Instagram @thatwendyward. And listen to our conversation for the podcast in Episode #2: How to Sew Sustainably with Wendy Ward HERE. 

Kate’s other sources of inspiration:

• Sew Over 50 community HERE. 
• Suzy Quilts HERE. 
• Retold Vintage HERE. 
• Just Patterns HERE. 
• Pattern Fantastique HERE. 
• Fibre Mood HERE.

As this year's Me-Made-May challenge draws to a close, Episode 44 offers us all an opportunity to gain insights from the experience. In this solo episode I share my thoughts and observations on what was different about this year’s challenge. Plus, I launch my free resource, the Me-Made-May and Beyond worksheet, which will help YOU capture your experience and take away key lessons from your challenge. These lessons can inform your future making plans, raising your chances of producing items you’ll love and want to wear again and again. 

Get your free worksheet by signing up to the Check Your Thread newsletter at the bottom of the home page HERE.

Already a CYT newsletter subscriber? You'll get your download link sent direct to your inbox.

For Episode 45 I have a fascinating talk with Noah Hirsch, a maker, artist and scavenger based in Washington, USA. Both in his employment and in his spare time, Noah works to keep materials, particularly textiles, out of landfill. Noah tells me about the motivations behind his activities, his approach to repair and reuse and how to talk to others to inspire them to keep items in use for longer. In particular, I love hearing about his dumpster diving trips and the Sunnyland Free Pantry that he keeps stocked with mended clothes for members of his community in need of warm clothing. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Noah Hirsch on Instagram @yung_curmudgeon

Noah works at a non-profit textile diversion enterprise called Ragfinery. Find them HERE and on Instagram @ragfinery_.

Find the awesome Clotheshorse podcast that aims to decode and demystify the clothing industry HERE. 

This frequently mended flannel shirt (see below) is the oldest item in Noah’s wardrobe that is still in regular rotation. 

Mending Bloc, the mutual aid clothes-mending group from Portland, Oregon, that inspires Noah can be found HERE.

Follow the Sunnyland Free pantry that Noah stocks with clothing on Instagram HERE. 

The patching technique that Noah was describing, we’ve since realised, is reverse applique. See an example that inspires Noah below:

A mend of Noah’s using the same technique:

Daisy Braid, AKA DIY Daisy, produces fantastic garment-making tutorials. Available via her website, and in a newly released book called ‘Sew It Yourself’, Daisy has made drafting and sewing simple, stylish garments incredibly accessible. By removing the need for prior experience of drafting or even using sewing patterns, Daisy’s designs can be created for bodies of any size with just some basic sewing skills. In this conversation, she tells me about her journey from being an op-shop obsessed teenager to a published sewing author, why her designs err towards minimal waste and the motivation behind her #nomakemarch challenge. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out more about Daisy via her website HERE and on IG @_diydaisy. 

Details about her book ‘Sew It Yourself’ are HERE. 

Daisy’s former works place in NZ is The Fabric Store HERE. 

The Stephanie Top project in her book is based on the Rectangle Top tutorial on her website HERE. 

Daisy’s Stephanie top variation worn as a jacket:

An example of Daisy’s patchwork:

People who inspire Daisy include:

• Geneva vanderzeil
• The Essentials Club 
• Rachel Burke
• Beci Orpin
• Birgitta Helmersson
• The London Loom
• Natalie Ebaugh
• The Buried Diamond

This episode is something of a love letter to my favourite mending technique: patching! Mending with patches is a beginner friendly option for giving most types of clothing and fabrics a longer life. Depending on your choice of patching fabric, it can be a bold statement, or a subtle repair. It offers plenty of opportunities for creativity, it can be achieved without a sewing machine AND can be deployed when other mending options fail you. Expanding on the patching sections from my book, ‘Mend it, Wear it, Love it!’, in this solo episode I offer up ideas for creative patching and share practical advice on achieving a successful repair. Plus I talk through the steps for two different approaches to patching for those who are new to garment mending. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The step by step techniques outlined in this episode are adapted from my book ‘Mend it, Wear it, Love it!’ which you can find HERE. 

List of materials and equipment you’ll need for basic patching:

Fabric to make patch 

Fabric scissors

Iron

Tape measure

Fabric marking tool

Hand sewing needle

Thread (colour to match or contrast with your patch)

Safety pins (use regular pins if your fabric is likely to be damaged by safety pins)

Thread snips or small scissors

A basic running stitch technique is shown in THIS VIDEO. 

A basic whip stitch technique is shown in THIS VIDEO. 

Examples of Sashiko-style stitching that I have previously attempted:

Episode 48 gets stuck into the sizable ‘sister’ topic of how to knit more sustainably! I had the pleasure of talking to knitting podcaster, community leader, marketing expert and former yarn-shop owner, Saskia de Feijter from Ja, Wol and A Smaller Life podcast as the second part of our recent podcast swap. She explained to me how as a beginner knitter, I could approach knitting from a more sustainable angle. Then we dug into the similarities between our respective crafts and communities, and also the differences (spoiler: there aren’t many!). I particularly loved exploring the topic of stashes and resource accumulation, as well as Saskia’s awesome tips for using up leftover yarn. Saskia is such a fun, interesting and knowledgeable person, and I think she has the loveliest voice! 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out more about Saskia, her business, her Ja, Wol knitting community, business mentoring and podcast HERE. 

Listen to Episode #34 of A Smaller Life featuring me HERE. 

Author and designer Anna Matlz has a website HERE. Her knitting book ‘Marlisle’ is pictured below:

Saskia recommends UK women owned yarn brand, The Grey Sheep (formerly known as ‘Little Grey Sheep’) is HERE. 

I bought my kit to knit my first cardigan from We Are Knitters HERE. See below for the finished project. 

An interesting and heartbreaking explanation of mulesing from the RSPCA can be read HERE.  

Listen to Episode #29 of A Smaller Life called My Conscious Wardrobe HERE. 

Saskia belongs to the Topstitch Makers Sewcial Community HERE. 

Discover ‘The Act of Sewing’ book by Sonya Phillips HERE.

Saskia has also made the Estuary Skirt pattern by Sew Liberated HERE. See below: 

The Instagram hashtag Saskia started is #knitpile. 

The popular Ravelry community can be found HERE.  

Find Dutch indie dyer Ovis et Cetera HERE. See my favourite colour of their yarns HERE, pictured below:

A fantastic, inspiring collection of ideas for leftover yarn from the Ovis et Cetera blog is HERE. 

Find the London-based Wild and Woolly shop HERE.  

Textile activist Shams el-Din Rogers is back on Check Your Thread! In this episode, #49, Shams shares more powerful and thought-provoking ideas focusing on sewing as it relates to sustainability, economic self-sufficiency, feminism, gender/relationship dymanics and cultural appropriation. For example, she encourages us to question how and why those of us who have periods have become reliant on disposable menstrual protection, subsequently handing over money to manufacturers every month from our first period through to menopause. She also explores what can happen in relationships when your art/craft resides in the domestic sphere. This episode is not to be missed. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Shams el-Din Rogers on Instagram @shamseldinrogers.

Shams is pictured below with her husband Michael:

Read about the Days for Girls charity HERE. 

Another great organisation who you can make and donate reusable sanitary pads to is the Pachamama Project who send them to refugees around the globe HERE. 

Find a free range of washable sanitary pads patterns by Luna Wolf HERE . Don’t forget to buy them a cup of tea using the donation link if you use this resource. Read my road test of this pattern HERE. 

Listen to Episode #29: Handmade Period Pants with Yelena Buck HERE. Read my blog post about making washable period pants HERE.  

In Episode 50 I report back from my recent visit to the Future Fabrics Expo in London. I got to discover what fabrics, fibres, textiles and haberdashery with more sustainable credentials are already on the market. Plus I learnt about some exciting new products and technologies currently in development that offer creative solutions to some of fashion’s biggest issues. I share all this plus my predictions and hopes for garment making fabric going forwards…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out more about the Future Fabrics Expo HERE.

The event is organised by The Sustainable Angle HERE. 

Bananatex make fibres from the Abaca banana plant leaves HERE. See some unprocessed banana plant fibres below:

Piñatex is a company doing something similar with pineapple plants HERE. See the manufacturing cycle for these leather-alternative textiles below:

Image source: Piñatex

Orange Fiber is an Italian company working with Tencel producers Lyocell to make fabrics by combining citrus by-products and wood pulp HERE.

The fibre and fabric innovations display:

Ecovative are producing leather alternatives using mycelium HERE. See the resultant product below:

Image source: Ecovative 

Fulgar chemically recycle used tyres and other waste products to create fibres similar to those created from virgin fossil fuels HERE.

Jess Redgrave explores the potential use of sunflowers in fashion. Find out more HERE. See examples of fabrics dyed using pigments derived from various parts of the plant below:

Learn more about the ‘Living Ink’ created from the by-products of algae HERE. 

Listen to Clare Press’s podcast The Wardrobe Crisis HERE. 

Three of my favourite episodes include:

Ep.150: Liz Ricketts - Waste Colonialism and Dead White Man’s Clothes. 

Ep.131: Aditi Mayer interviews Alok Vaid-Menon - Degendering Fashion.

Ep.104: Adam Minter on Recycling, Reuse and the Second Hand Economy.

Barley Massey is the owner of Fabrications, a wonderful shop, studio and maker’s space on Broadway Market in East London. Barley is an artist, maker, teacher and activist who uses her space to explore and to teach resourcefulness through creativity. A fundamental aspect of Barley’s work is the fostering of real-life community, providing support, connection and inspiration in an area with increasingly disparate inhabitants. I got to meet Barley in her maker’s space and have this conversation with her face-to-face. It was a real privilege to hear her thoughts and perspectives, including the amazing work she does through her ‘Remember Me’ service. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Image source: Fabrications 

Find out about all aspects of Barley’s business, Fabrications, HERE. 

It can also be found on Instagram @fabricationshackney.

The full schedule of events taking place at Fabrications, including the fortnightly craft club, can be viewed HERE.

Find the various London locations of the Library of Things HERE. 

Image source: Fabrications 

Discover Barley’s incredible upcycled bags and accessories HERE. See one of her cross-body bags made from a men’s suit jacket below:

Image source: Fabrications 

Listen to Riccardo’s podcast episode, #7: Experimental Sewing with Riccardo Guido HERE in which he talks about his work with Barley making sweatshirts from scraps (inspired by the work of Zero Waste Daniel HERE). 

Riccardo and Barley are both big fans of Wendy Ward’s work. Listen to Wendy’s podcast episode, #2: How To Sew Sustainably with Wendy Ward HERE.

Find Wendy Ward’s books that include a number of patterns Barley uses in her classes HERE.  

Learn more about Barley’s incredible Remember Me service HERE.

See the fantastic curtain made from ties in the makers’ space below:

Find out about the incredible quilting tradition of Gees Bend, Alabama HERE. 

Barley is inspired by artist Lucy Orta (HERE) who has worked with clothing and homelessness HERE and HERE and with food waste HERE.  

For the 52nd episode of Check Your Thread, I’m speaking with a fascinating and multi-faceted creative named Bella Gonshorovitz. Originally from Tel Aviv and currently living and working in London, Bella is a fashion designer, maker, author and collaborator who has recently had her first book published. ‘Grow, Cook, Dye, Wear - From seed to style the sustainable way’ is about creating garments that are infused with experience, personality and meaning. We cover her enthralling career to date, including her collaborations with female artists to create personal collections of clothes for them. She also talks us through what she’s growing in her allotment, and the wonderful characters who have supported the creation of her book. And finally, Bella introduces me to two powerful ideas that are deeply connected to sewing more sustainably that I’d never considered before. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Bella Gonshorovitz via her website HERE, or on Instagram @bella_gonshorovitz

Buy Bella’s book, ‘Grow, Cook, Dye, Wear - From seed to style the sustainable way’ HERE.

Discover Bella’s former employer in NYC, ThreeASFOUR HERE. 

Bella is a regular collaborator with artist and sculpter Cathie Pilkington (see Cathie’s work HERE). They worked together in an installation called GoodBedBadBed see below:

The centre for sustainable fashion in London is HERE.  

Learn about sustainable fashion pioneer Kate Fletcher HERE.  

Bella’s onion dress:

Mr Sadiq is Bella’s allotment mentor:

Allotment Fashion Week! Mr Sadiq and Dean:

Listen to Episode #13. Natural Dyeing with Amy Taylor HERE. 

The Check Your Thread podcast is one year old!!!! We just took a fortnight off after creating 52 weekly episodes, and today we’re back with an ‘Ask Me Anything’ episode! Aided by friends-of-the-podcast Julia Hincks and Naomi Bancroft, we read out and discuss some awesome questions submitted by CYT listeners. We cover favourite scrap projects, how we interact (or don’t) with sewing trends, what gives me hope when faced with the climate crisis and lots more. And make sure you check out the show notes for the link to my epic Spotify playlist! 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

This episode features Julia Hincks. Her website is House of Miss Sew and you can find her at @juliahincks on Instagram. 

She previously featured on

Episode #10: Overlockers & Coverstich Machines with Julia Hincks

Episode #27: Zoe & Julia go Rag Rugging

This episode also features Naomi Bancroft and you can find her at @whatnaomimade on Instagram. 

Favourite projects using scraps:

• So Zo Undies
• My denim patchwork dungarees (see image below)
• Waves and Wild Wonder undies pattern
• Waves and Wild kid’s Speedy pants pattern
• DIY Daisy Rectangle sleeve top tutorial 

Trends:

• I Am Pattern Sunshine jeans pattern
• Fibre Mood Honey top pattern

A blog post I wrote about my (then) new sewing machine, the Janome DKS30, AKA, lesser spotted orange Janome!

Listen to the Spotify playlist I made for the Fabric Godmother Sewing Bee Party. 

Giving me hope:

@intersectionalenvironmentalist on Instagram. 

Dream guests:

• Clare Press, creator of The Wardrobe Crisis podcast, @mrspress and @thewardrobecrisis on Instagram. 
• Writer Aja Barber is @ajabarber on Instagram. Get her excellent book,’Consumed: The need for collective change; colonialism, climate change and consumerism’ anywhere but Amazon. (See the cover pictured below)
• Amanda Lee McCarty, creator of Clotheshorse podcast, @crystal_visions and @clotheshorsepodcast on Instagram. 

If you haven’t already, listen to Episode #50: The Future of Fabrics.

This 54 is the first of two featuring a conversation with Swedish-Australian designer Birgitta Helmersson. Known in the sewing community as a zero waste pattern designer, Birgitta also produces a range of ZW clothing which she sells from her shop/studio in Malmö. Prior to this, Birgitta had a diverse and convoluted career in fashion design, costume, alterations, pattern cutting and garment manufacture, which makes for a fascinating tale that we’ll hear in this episode. We also learn what sparked her interest in ZW design, the route she took to adopting ZW practices in her own business, and why Birgitta transitioned into producing sewing patterns for her designs as well as physical garments. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Discover designer Birgitta Helmersson’s clothing and sewing patterns on her website HERE, and over on Instagram @birgittahelmersson 

Listen to Birgitta on the Love Zero Waste podcast. 

The Zero Waste Fashion Design book by Holly McQuillan and Timo Rissanen via Bookshop.org.

In last week’s episode, we heard about the journey that led designer Birgitta Helmersson to create clothing and sewing patterns that follow zero waste principles. This episode (#55) features the second part of our conversation, and in it we get stuck into Birgitta’s process and the challenges faced when producing ZW designs. Birgitta also talks about her deep love of textiles, the roots of which she traces back to her Swedish, paternal grandmother, and tells us about her inventive and long-term scrap busting solutions. Plus, there are hints into future plans and developments! 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

New sewing hashtag about creating garments for cold weather #thegreatwinterstitchup.  

The Enough is Enough campaign. 

Discover designer Birgitta Helmersson’s clothing and sewing patterns on her website, and over on Instagram @birgittahelmersson 

The ZW Cropped Shirt pattern. Pictured below:

Image source: Birgitta Helmersson

The ZW Block Pant pattern. 

The kid’s ZW Gather Dress can be bought on the website.  

Some information on the quilters from Gees Bend, Alabama.

Artists that inspire Birgitta:

• Jacqui Stockdale. 
• Ashkan Honarvar. 
• Jack Kabangu. 

Writer, podcaster and speaker Jen Gale is one of my biggest inspirations. She is a busy mum of two living a ‘normal’ life, whilst continually seeking out ways to limit her family’s environmental impact. She shares her discoveries across different media, including via her books and her podcast, Sustainable(ish), which is an amazing resource for fascinating, inspiring conversations. In this episode (#56) we talk about how Jen finds the courage to face the realities of the climate crisis head on, the underlying concept of sustainable(ish), and her ‘year of buying nothing new’ challenge, a decade after she first attempted it. Jen also offers her perspective on the role that sewing, and sewers/ists, could play in reducing the impact of the climate crisis. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Julia Hincks can be found at House of Miss Sew.

She wrote the excellent The Coverstitch Technique Manual, and you can book for her in-person class via this page on her site. 

Jen Gale is the maker of the amazing podcast Sustainable(ish).

Jen also runs the Knackered Mums Eco Club and hosts Carbon Literacy talks. 

Vinted is the app that is making Jen’s current Year of Buying Nothing New much easier! 

Jen produced a series of podcast episodes in conjunction with Organic UK, they are episodes:

• 72 (all about bees, one of my favourites!), 
• 73 (which includes Guy Singh-Watson, the founder of Riverford), 
• 74 (about food)
• 75 (about how organic systems can help fight the climate crisis). 

Melissa Hemsley is a cookbook author and sustainability champion.

Katharine Hayhoe is a climate scientist.

Episode 82 with some members of the Knackered Mums Eco Club is one of Jen’s favourite episodes. 

And we both LOVED Episode 87 with the Crap Activist, who you can find on Instagram @thecrapactivist. 

Episode 122 features the incredible climate/Cop26 explainer Laura Young, @lesswastelaura on Instagram.

Jen has written two books:

• The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide: Everything you need to know to make small changes that make a big difference
• The Sustainable(ish) Guide to Green Parenting: Guilt-free eco-ideas for raising your kids

Becky Barnes is the ‘sustainable stylist’ that Jen employed to help her get more from her wardrobe. Also on Instagram @beckybarnesstyle. 

I cannot recommend Episode 138: How Much Impact can Individuals Actually Make with Tom from The Jump enough! 

image source: The Jump

This is first of a two-part series about sewing and saving and buckle up because it starts with an unapologetically political rant about the current cost of living crisis. I then explore the question, ‘Can sewing save you money?’ looking at mending, garment making, quilt making and making reusable products. I also share a listener question about opportunities to use sewing skills in a voluntary capacity to help those in need. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Hear the episode of Fiber Nation called Home Economics Vs Hilter. 

‘Soaring costs could strip ‘basic dignity’ from millions in UK’, by Patrick Butler is an article which featured in the Guardian 2//9/22

Find Shams el-Din Rogers on Instagram @shamseldinrogers and listen to Shams on Episode 49: Sewing as Art and Political Action with Shams el-Din Rogers. 

I explored the following topics in an attempt to answer if sewing can save you money:

Mending

Making your own clothes

Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes by Dana Thomas 

Quilt making

Making Reusables

This includes:

• washable sanitary products
• reusable incontinence pads and pants
• washable nappies, cleaning cloths
• kitchen and tableware
• bowl covers 
• handkerchiefs

Period Panty Kits from Sew Projects

Listen to Yelena in Episode 25: handmade Period Pants with Yelena Buck. 

Period Panty Gusset Only kit.

Free cloth menstrual pads patterns by Luna Wolf.

Volunteering

Listen to Noah in Episode 45: The Art of Rescue with Noah Hirsch. 

You can make washable pads for organisations Days for Girls and The Pachamama Project. 

The second part of a two-part mini series about sewing and saving. Episode 58 focuses on how we can keep sewing-related costs down to make it more accessible to those working with a tight budget. Specifically we look at saving money on machinery, fabric, haberdashery and sewing patterns. This episode is packed with tips and approaches to allow us to do more of the kinds of sewing we most enjoy, whilst spending less. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Check out the free Olio app for sharing food and non-food items, borrowing/lending equipment, and selling handmade items locally. 

Sign up to the Trash Nothing app in the UK to receive regular updates of offers and requests for free stuff in your area. 

The Boomerang Bags organisation are looking for sewers and resources to make fabric bags to distribute to a number of excellent causes. 

Listen to Episode 9: Overlockers & Coverstitch Machines with Julia Hincks to hear the many top tips Julia shares about using and caring for these machines. 

Listen to Episode 21: The Joy of Reclaimed Fabric with Sarah AKA Sew Love NZ to get inspired by charity shopping/op-shopping/thrifting for fabric as an alternative to regular fabric shops. 

Listen to Episode 4: My 5 Favourite Scrap Projects and Episode 14: Quick and Cheap Handmade Gift Projects for lots of fun things you might like to make with your scraps and leftovers from previous projects. 

Instagram hashtags such as #scrapbusting, #scrapbuster and #sewingleftovers provide a wealth of ideas that may get your creative juices flowing. 

Listen to Episode 42: Highest Possible Level of Use with Shelly Sommer which explores a really important concept that underpins everything related to the reuse of materials. 

Find all the posts from my long-running Free Pattern Friday blog post series. Every first Friday of the month I post about a free sewing pattern or tutorial I recently road-tested. 

The updated ‘My Favourite Free Children’s Sewing Patterns’ blog post contains links to almost every type of sewing pattern you’d need to make a wardrobe full of kid’s clothes! 

With Christmas or a birthday looming, visit my ‘40 Free Patterns for Gifts for Kids’ post for some project inspo. 

The excellent Peppermint Magazine releases a free sewing pattern with every edition. Their archive is a real treat. 

Episode 59 includes a conversation with Grace Whowell, owner of the UK craft business Beyond Measure. BM aims to sell beautiful and useful tools and supplies for makers focusing on textiles. Grace sources the kinds of high-quality tools that could become future heirlooms to be handed down through generations of crafters. However, as we hear, that is just one of the ways that she keeps sustainability and social responsibility at the core of her business. We also grapple with the eternal question of how you run a business based on selling goods whilst simultaneously trying to minimise your impact on the planet, and if it’s possible to resist growth. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Grace Whowell is the owner of tools and supplies purveyor Beyond Measure. They can also be found on Instagram @beyond_measure_uk. 

Listen to Grace’s conversation with my friend Saskia in Episode #25 of A Smaller Life podcast.

Beyond Measure offers an array of craft workshops at their premises in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. 

Previous Check Your Thread guest Wendy Ward is supporter of, and occasional tutor at, Beyond Measure. 

Beyond Measure stocks Louisa Owen Sonstroem’s book Hand Sewing Clothing. 

Listen to Episode #15: Hand Stitching Clothes with Louisa Owen Sonstroem. 

Grace stocks beautiful turned wooden pin cushions made in Yorkshire by Hugh Leishman.

Beyond Measure make regular donations to charities Labour Behind the Label and The Runnymede Trust.

The Rag Market in Hebden Bridge is a twice yearly event, the next one is taking place on 15th October 2022. Find them on Instagram for up to date info @hebdenrag. 

You don’t often get to dig deep into your friends’ interior experiences and philosophies, but that’s what I’m doing today. My friend Sophie is possibly the most resourceful and creative person I’ve met. In Ep. #35 we heard about her fascinating journey with Mask Makers UK during the pandemic. In this one (Ep. #60), Sophie traces the sources of her inventive and self-sufficient nature to her experiences of feminism, community and family growing up on the West Coast of Canada. Sophie also shares how she uses art to celebrate female culture and to explore her identity via the visual and textile traditions of her mixed heritage. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The free Raglan Hoodie pattern for kids by Brindille & Twig comes in two size ranges: 0 months to 6 years and 7 - 14 years. 

Check out the video of myself and my boss Josie discussing ways to reduce waste, both as a business and as sewers. 

Also check out the video of us talking about more sustainable haberdashery, notions and tools.  

Listen to the first part of this conversation with Sophie in Episode #35: Mask Making with Sophie Passmore. 

See examples of Sophie Passmore’s incredible pots and vases on her website. 

Sophie’s ceramic she-wees have their own Instagram page @piss_muffet. 

Learn more about the Cowichan knitting tradition on Wikipedia. 

An article in Yam Magazine, centering on knitter Dora Wilson, goes further into the tradition of Cowichan knitting. See Dora wearing a Cowichan sweater below:

(image source: Yam Magazine)

Today’s episode is another installment which looks at using sewing skills to save money. With the rise in energy and fuel costs, many of us will be keeping the heating off in our homes as much as possible this winter. So how can we use our sewing skills to keep the chills at bay? I answer this question by sharing clothing, accessories and homeware projects we can make to keep our bodies and our spaces as toasty as possible. I discuss how costs can be kept down further by utilising the wealth of free patterns and tutorials out there, as well as tips for using second hand textiles and including items you might already own. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find the full road test review of the free Applegreen Cottage neck warmer project on my blog.

Clothing:

Free patterns for adults:

DIY Pattern Free Cardigan Tutorial by The Stitch Sisters. 

Slouchy Cardi Pattern by Peppermint Magazine. 

image source: Peppermint Magazine

West End Jacket Pattern by Peppermint Magazine.

Jersey Dress Pattern by Peppermint Magazine.

Paid-for patterns for adults:

LB Pullover Pattern by Paper Theory.

Toaster Sweaters Pattern by Sew House Seven.

Marlo Sweater Pattern by True Bias. 

Kinder Cardigan Pattern by Wendy Ward/MIY Collection. 

Jamie Cardigan Pattern by Ready to Sew. 

Nikko Top & Dress Pattern by True Bias. 

Lots of men’s and masculine style patterns can be found at Thread Theory Patterns.

Free patterns for kids:

Raglan Hoodie Pattern for 0 months - 6 years and 7 - 14 years by Brindille & Twig. 

Crewneck Sweater Pattern by Bobbinhood. 

Ballet Wrap Cardigan Tutorial by Oliver + S. 

Cardigan for Girls Pattern by Fleece Fun. 

Brands for paid-for kids’ patterns:

• Brindille & Twig
• Misusu Patterns
• Waves and Wild
• Ikatee

Quilted jacket patterns:

Tamarack Jacket Patterns by Grainline Studio. 

Read about my Tamarack Jacket project on my blog. 

Molly Jacket Pattern by Fibre Mood. 

Absolu Jacket Pattern by Atelier Scammit. 

Hovea Jacket Patterns by Megan Nielsen. 

Bodywarmer patterns:

Irma Bodywarmer Pattern by Fibre Mood. 

1499 Bodywarmer Pattern by Simplicity. 

Everyday Waistcoat Pattern by New Craft House. 

Trailblazer Vest Pattern and many others for adults and kids by Twig and Tale. 

Vienne Vest Pattern for kids by Ikatee. 

image source: Ikatee

Free underlayer patterns:

SoZo Vest/Camisole/Singlet Pattern by me.

Super Basic Tank Top Pattern by Halfmoon Atelier.  

Arrowsmith Undershirt Pattern by Thread Theory. 

Girl’s Singlet Pattern by Small Dream Factory 

Amber Singlet Pattern by Waves and Wild. 

Ester and Ebbe T-shirt Pattern by Threads by Caroline. 

Adult Leggings Pattern by By Graziela Fabrics. 

Lightning Leggings Pattern by Waves and Wild. 

Free sleepwear patterns:

Movie Night Pajamas Patterns for men, women and children by Sew a Little Seam.  

Walk the Plank PJ Bottoms Patterns for adults and youth by Patterns for Pirates. 

Zero Waste Robe Tutorial by Elbe Textiles. 

Accessories:

Neck Warmer Cowl Scarf Tutorial and Template by Apple Green Cottage. 

Parkwood Cosy Cowl Pattern by Wendy Ward/MIY Collection. 

image source: Wendy Ward/MIY Collection

The Rutland Collection ebook Wendy Ward/MIY Collection. 

Harald Beanie Hat Pattern by Melilot. 

Free Beanie Hat Pattern by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom. 

Free Slipper Pattern and Tutorial by Melly Sews. 

Free Slipper Boots Pattern by Tilly and the Buttons. 

Reusable Hand Warmer Tutorial by I Can Sew This. 

Homeware:

• Microwavable rice packs as warmers for beds, laps etc.
• Quilts and lap quilts.
• Draft excluders for doors and windows.
• Quilted blinds or curtains, or line existing blinds and curtains. Check out this post from Tiny House Blog for more information. 
• Rag rugs.

Listen to episodes #18: Rag Rugging with Elspeth Jackson and #27: Zoe & Julia Go Rag Rugging to learn about using fabric scraps and unwanted clothing to make rugs. 

Megan Nielsen has produced a video tutorial on how to make a braided (plaited) rag rug. 

Episode #62 features a conversation that I had with Lydia Higginson, owner of Made My Wardrobe, when I visited her studio in Bristol. MMW started as a personal, year-long  challenge to replace her entire wardrobe with self-made items that have meaning stitched into every piece. This led Lydia to discover a passion for teaching people to sew, which in turn led to the development of her pattern range, and so much more. Always creative, expansive, fluid, inclusive, experimental and sustainability-minded, Made My Wardrobe has become one of the most exciting sewing businesses operating today. We talk in depth about all the aspects MMW encompases, plus the multiple challenges and pivots Lydia has had to navigate over the last few years. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

I’d recommend downloading the Free cloth menstrual pads patterns by Luna Wolf to try making reusable period wear.

On the Made My Wardrobe website you can find full details about everything we mention, including their in-person classes, sewing patterns, fabrics, kits, core values, online workshops/tutorials, scholarships and artist residencies. 

The beautiful Made My Wardrobe studio:

Follow them on Instagram @mademywardrobe. 

Hilda Bag pattern by Made My Wardrobe. 

Hear about the Future Fabrics Expo that Lydia and I both attended in Episode #50: The Future of Fabrics. 

Lydia draws inspiration from many sources, including the following makers:

• @camillefromthimble
• Hetty, founder of The Modern Sewing Co. 
• @marcyharriell 

My guest for Ep.#63, Brandon Hayden, shares both his amazing creations and positive personal philosophy under the Instagram handle @happilydressed. Since high school, thrifting has always been Brandon’s method for carving out a unique visual identity. Initially, he got a sewing machine to complement his thrifting, which gave him the ability to alter items he found. But soon after, this Atlanta-based creative then found an even greater source of power, pride and self discovery through sewing his own clothes from scratch. In this conversation, he explains his ‘fabric first’ approach to garment creation, how he fell into teaching, and his bright and bold plans for the future.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Follow Brandon Hayden via Instagram @happilydressed.  Also check out the Happily Dressed website. 

Lace curtain to epic shirt, Brandon was wearing this garment when we spoke.  

@grandmother.marys.vintage is Brandon’s friend and inspiration.  

Brandon is currently making the Mitchell Trousers pattern by Closet Core Patterns.

image source: Closet Core Patterns

Nisan from @the.social.fabric made a stunning pair of Mitchell Trousers. 

The Heyday Dungarees pattern by Waves and Wild is one of my favourites. 

The Worker Trousers pattern by Modern Sewing Co is also on Brandon’s ‘to make’ list. 

Brandon’s set of trousers, jacket and bucket hat from a single length of printed fabric is a vision! See below:

Brandon's hoodie made from car blanket was made in celebration of being in a great place in his life. 

Clothing trends are collective reactions to, or interpretations of, what’s going on in the world. But are they the antithesis of dressing and sewing more sustainably? In this solo episode, I discuss how, even if you don’t read Vogue or keep up with popular culture, trends can manifest in our sewing projects and wardrobes, and how they play an important part in social discourse. I then set out some guidelines for engaging with trends more sustainably to help you decide which trends are worth exploring. I also offer ideas on how you can sew the trends whilst still creating successful, meaningful garments with longevity. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Naomi Bancroft is @whatnaomimade on Instagram made a gorgeous blouse using the Anthea Blouse pattern by Anna Allen, and has worn it tons:

image source: Naomi Bancroft

Many thanks to Hannah @claytheredelilah for the original questions and continued conversations on this topic that inspired this episode. 

Listen to our original discussion on trends in Episode #53: 1st Birthday / Ask Me Anything with Zoe, Julia and Naomi. 

A guide to engaging with trends more sustainably:

• Do a gut-check, how do you feel straight away?
• Would you have been into it three years ago?
• Wait for a while so you get to see more versions and interpretations of it pop up, but be aware of the effects of increased exposure. 
• Ask yourself if it would work for the climate you live in. Would it work for your lifestyle, if it’s suitable for neither your occupation nor how you tend to spend your leisure time, then it doesn’t make any sense. 
• Try on some examples in a shop to get an instant idea if it’ll work for you. 
• Think about how you can blend the new element with others that feel comfortably within your existing style wheelhouse. 
• And remember, if you go for it but it doesn't work out for you in the short term or over time, there’s most likely something you can do to rework it and make it exciting again. 

Former fashion designer Jess Redgrave began to feel a growing disillusionment with the clothing industry due to the damaging practices she witnessed. This led her to quit and sign up to study alternatives to the unsustainable realities of modern clothing production. Having found several exciting avenues into the potential of sunflowers, Jess is working on ideas that could shape the future of what we wear and what we sew with. In this conversation, she lays it all out for us, including answering a question you never knew to ask: how do you get your hands on enzymes?!

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out about Jess Redgrave and her Climafibre work on her website. 

I first found out about Jess and her explorations at this year’s Future Fabrics Expo in London. 

Listen to my experience of the expo in Episode #50: The Future of Fabrics. 

Jess’s investigations into sunflowers formed part of her work for her MA in Material Futures at Central Saint Martins, where you can also find more information on the investigations undertaken by her classmates. 

To test the product she’d been working on, Jess made a summer rain mac from fabric coated in a sunflower oil by-product. See image below:

With the goal of fleshing out my me-made wardrobe with cosy garments, I’ve taken up knitting. However, even at this beginner stage, I really want to make more sustainable and ethical choices. In this episode, knitting expert and previous-guest Saskia de Feijter metaphorically holds my hand and talks me through what to look for when selecting yarn for my next project. Saskia tells me about how fibre type and location can be an indicator of animal welfare, how the weight and yarn structure affect the suitability for a particular pattern, and how ply affects longevity of a knitted garment. She was also kind enough to answer questions posed by my colleague Phoebe about deadstock yarn, best practices for caring for your handknits, reusable products you can knit for the home and yarn scrap busting ideas in a segment we’re calling ‘Phoebe Asks’!

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out more about Saskia, her business ‘Ja, Wol’, her knitting community, business mentoring AND podcast!

Listen to my first conversation with Saskia for the podcast in Episode 48: How to Knit More Sustainably with Saskia de Feijter. 

The knitting community database where I hunted for patterns is Ravelry. 

‘Let’s Boogie’ Cardigan by A Honey Knits is the pattern I’ve chosen to make next.  

image source: A Honey Knits

Saskia recommends the Craft Council Standard Yarn Weight System for guidance. 

Check out Bart & Francis for deadstock yarns. 

Back in August, myself and friend-of-the-podcast Julia Hincks attended a class where we explored the possibilities of denim reclaimed from unwanted jeans. As predominantly garment sewers, Julia and I were encouraged out of our comfort zone at craft studio Made & Making, and nudged into the realms of homeware and accessories. In this little episode, we share what new skills we learned, and what we came home with…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Sew a pan stew or hay madam! This other post (in Dutch) gives more information. 

This episode features Julia Hincks. Her website is House of Miss Sew and you can find her at @juliahincks on Instagram. 

She previously featured on

Ep. #10: Overlockers & Coverstich Machines with Julia Hincks

Ep. #27: Zoe & Julia go Rag Rugging

Ep. #53: First Birthday / Ask Me Anything with Zoe, Julia & Naomi

If you haven’t already, make sure you listen to Ep. #26: Harvesting Materials with Eliu Hernandez. Eliu specialises in repurposing as materials from unwanted jeans for his epic quilts and other projects.  

Made & Making is a craft and making studio based in Hassocks, Sussex. They are also on Instagram @madeandmaking. 

The next Denim Day workshop is taking place on 20th March 2023. Visit their website for more details and to book a place.

Read about my patchwork denim dungarees, which have been mentioned numerous times before on this podcast!

This episode is a fun exploration into the qualities of, and differences between, visible and invisible mending. What are their strengths and when are they likely to be victorious? 

Taking a deeper look into these approaches to mending can give us a clearer idea of how we want to tackle each repair job we are presented with. Which one will you deploy for your next mending project?

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Basic materials mending:

• Strong thread suitable for hand sewing to stitch up holes, rips and tears, and for stitching on patches. 
• If you’re likely to try darning, some darning yarn, or possibly leftover knitting yarn should also be in your mending materials stash. 
• Fabric scraps for making patches. These can be harvested from old garments that have gone beyond wearability, and leftovers from previous sewing projects. It’s useful to have a mix of woven and knit fabrics and different thicknesses so you can create patches for different types of garments. 
• A selection of buttons in a range of sizes. Although pretty much anything goes in terms of holes or shanks, colour, shape or texture, a replacement button will have to be the same size or a little smaller than the missing one. You can always close up a button hole a bit if the new button is a bit smaller, but you’re inviting a bit of a headache if you try to make the buttonhole bigger to accommodate a larger replacement button. 
• Scraps of fusible interfacing. These are useful to strengthen a weakened area, particularly because it’ll give you more grace with your choice of fabric for patching, or your choice of reinforcing stitch. 
• Eventually you may find it useful to also have a collection of Iron on patches, lengths of bias binding, and pieces of elastic in different widths, but you can gather those as the need arises.

Basic equipment for mending:

• Hand sewing needles are a must. A little pack of different sizes to match with different thickness of fabric will make your life easier. 
• Scissors that cut fabric and snips to cut thread.
• A tape measure or other measuring tool. These can help you figure out how big to cut a patch or what length and width bias binding you might need.
• Some kind of fabric marking tool such as a water or heat erasable pen or a chalk pencil. 
• A seam ripper AKA stitch ripper or quick unpick. 
• Pins and safety pins to keep what you’re working on in place. 
• An iron will also be handy to apply the fusible interfacing and prepare neat looking patches. 
• Certain visible mends might be quicker or longer lasting if a sewing machine is used. 

Mending inspiration and knowledge:

Books:

• Mending Matters by Katrina Rodabaugh which is all about subtle, visible patching and decorative Sashiko stitching. 
• Modern Mending by previous-guest Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald is a wonderful primer on all sorts of mending techniques and encourages creativity at every step. 

Instagram accounts:

• @mendingmayhem, a community that celebrates mends in the wild
• @roberta.cummings a creative maker and mender whose work often focuses on colourful, visible darning 
• @akemi__harada is an artist and maker incorporating boro
• @blue_movement2017 creates stunning garments using traditional Japanese techniques including indigo dyeing and boro 
• @yung_curmudgeon (AKA Noah Hirsch) is a talented and bold repairer of everything, as well as a previous guest on this podcast.  
• @tomofholland is one of the first champions of visible mending that I became aware of

Judy Williment-Ross is a New Zealand-based maker who broke the internet when her lockdown project, the Epic Dress, was featured on the SewOver50 Instagram account. Clearly not afraid of getting in deep, Judy explains to me how she chooses which projects are worth investing her time in, and lays out her personal rules, ethics and criteria for selecting and using second hand materials. She also gives us tips on raising kids who embrace second hand and handmade, and expands on the satisfaction she finds in garment alterations. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Follow Judy Williment-Ross and her creative journey on Instagram @judywillimentross. 

I first discovered Judy’s work via the @sewover50 Instagram account. 

Be inspired by the wonderful #sew50sustainablesewing hashtag. 

Exploring her love of men’s cotton shirts, Judy created this beautiful wrap front dress.  

The Epic Dress in all its glory:

The Hexi Coat, AKA The Behemoth:

Dunedin’s Stitch Kitchen is host to the Maker’s Pantry, selling second hand fabric, patterns and notions. 

Listen to Episode #21: The Joy of Reclaimed Fabric with Sarah AKA Sew Love NZ.

Some of Judy’s tiniest scraps became this awesome project bag:

If there is anyone related to the sewing community who has a strong handle on sewing trends, in all senses, it’s Kate Underdown. As co-founder of The Fold Line, Kate created a business that has pivoted a number of times, but has always been a hub for learning about new pattern releases and a digest for the best and most exciting sewing-related content. In this conversation we hear about the journey The Fold Line has been on, the organisation that goes into their annual Sewing Weekender event, and how much sewing Kate is actually doing these days! Plus, Kate offers her insight on the changing role that sustainability is playing within our community. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Kate founded The Fold Line with her business partner Rachel in 2015. 

Kate creates heaps of wonderful videos for The Fold Line Youtube channel, including the ‘Sew The Trends’ series. 

Learn more about The Sewing Weekender , an annual event that The Fold Line organises with Charlotte from Charlotte Emma Patterns. 

Happy New Year! I propose we kick things off by creating personal manifestos that will see us through 2023 and beyond! By defining our own personal vision, mission, strategy and tactics, never again will we need to ask ourselves, ‘What should I be doing right now?’ or ‘Is this course of action right for me?’. 

I’ve invited my friend and former coach, Kim Witten, whose work focuses on strategic expert thinking, to guide us through this incredibly beneficial process. Kim is also an experienced crafter and we discuss different mental approaches to picking up new skills, and how she applies self coaching through her journey as a beginner sewer.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find more about Kim Witten and her coaching on her website. 

Sign up to her weekly ‘Hold That Thought’ newsletter to help you turn your overthinking into expert thinking. 

Start developing your vision with Kim’s free Vision Statement Worksheet. 

And here’s more from Kim on the differences between vision, mission, strategy and roadmap.

Outline of a manifesto (AKA plan or anything else you wish to call it!):

1. Vision - what is the world you wish to live in?
2. Mission - what it takes to create your vision, the ‘work’ to be done. 
3. Strategy - the best approach toward making good progress, how you’ll go about it.
4. Tactics/tasks/roadmap - laying out the specific tasks and activities you need to do. All of your tactics, when prioritised and placed on a timeline, will create a roadmap. 

Check Your Thread / My Manifesto:

Vision: 

A world where the impact on the environment is factored into every decision.

Mission:

• Help people make more sustainable choices by giving them information, ideas, inspiration and agency.
• By starting to sew more sustainably, it’s then possible to do lots of other things more sustainably. That these ideas and approaches can spread out into many areas of life.
• Spread the idea that living more sustainably can be fun and fulfilling, not about hand-wringing, eco-snobbery or depriving yourself.
• Check Your Thread reflects the values of a wider community of people having ideas and interesting conversations, and making things happen. Our Check Your Thread sub-community feels positive, supportive and fun.

Strategy:

• Balance between seriousness and joy, inspiration and fun
• Specific ideas and concepts are applicable to broader ways of being
• Continually making more resources that allow people to engage with ideas with content in new ways, levels
• Organic growth through genuine interactions, explorations of common goals

Tactics:

• Check Your Thread Podcast
• Instagram / Social Media
• Me Made May 
• Speaking opportunities / teaching / going on other podcasts
• Making resources

In addition to my manifesto, I outlined my values and principles:

• Limiting my contribution to climate change where possible
• The Personal is Political
• Helping to redress income inequality
• Helping to redress racial inequality
• Helping to redress homophobia
• Promoting feminist thinking
• Creating joy
• Finding a balance between living as sustainably as possible, and having a happy, fulfilling life.  

Kim’s best investment in 2022 was signing up for sewing classes at Ministry of Craft in Manchester, UK. There she learned to make this wiggle dress (image by Alison Leese at Ministry of Craft):

Next up on Kim’s sewing table is a project from Gertie Sews Vintage Casual book:

The Pietra Pants pattern by Closet Core Patterns was a game-changer for Kim, allowing her for the first time to make custom-fitting trousers that suit her stature. Her first version, made at Ministry of Craft:

For more information about Me-Made-May and how you can take part in 2023, check out this page. 

As sustainably-minded garment makers, our goal is to make items that will have a long life and see lots of use. But what about when our bodies change? Everyone experiences fluctuations in shape and size, so in this solo episode I explore how we can future proof our garment projects to accommodate that fact. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Outerwear patterns

Coats and jackets:

• The Richmond Coat by Tessuti (up to 48” bust)
• Flow Jacket and Coat by Atelier Scammit (up to 56” bust)
• Traveller Coat by Bella Loves Patterns (up to 44” bust, available in 2 heights)
• Nova Coat and Jacket by Papercut Patterns (up to 46.5” bust)
• Nova Curve Coat and Jacket by Papercut Patterns (up to 60.6” bust)

Cardigan patterns:

My current favourite:

• Jamie Cardigan by Ready to Sew (up to 42” bust)

Patterns for cardigans worn open:

• Blackwood Cardigan by Helen’s Closet (up to 62” bust)
• Kinder Cardigan by MIY Workshop/Wendy Ward (up to 48” bust) 
• Fjord Cardi by Papercut Patterns (up to 46.5” bust)

Image source: Papercut Patterns

Shawl pins and closures:

• Metal shawl pins and closures from Textile Garden
• Other shawl pins from Textile Garden

Image source: Textile Garden

Wrap style cardigan patterns:

• Coppelia Cardi by Papercut Patterns (up to 46.5” bust) 
• Pearl Cardigan by Tilly and the Buttons (up to 60” bust) 

Top, dress and jumpsuit patterns

Boxy Woven tops/dresses:

• Block Tee by Paper Theory Patterns (up to 56” bust) 
• Georgia Tee and Dress by Elizabeth Suzann Studio (up to 58” bust) 

Image source: Elizabeth Suzann Studio

Oversized style patterns:

• Olya Shirt and Dress by Paper Theory Patterns (up to 56” bust) 
• Ellsworth Shirt by Merchant and Mills (up to 55” bust) 
• Mara Oversized Sweater by kdornbier designs (up to 46” bust) 

Trapeze shaped patterns:

• The Trapeze Dress by Merchant and Mills (up to 42” bust) 
• Minttu Swing Top by Named Clothing (up to 46” bust) 
• Rumi Tank by Christine Haynes (up to 56” bust) 

Top and dress patterns with gathering or pleating at the neckline or into a yoke or panel:

• Roscoe Blouse and Dress by True Bias (up to 44.5” bust) 
• Roscoe Blouse and Dress by True Bias (up to 57.5” bust) 
• Petite Choses Blouse and Dress by Atelier Scammit (up to 45” bust) 
• Vali Dress and Top by Pattern Fantastique (up to 51.5” bust) 
• The Florence Top and Dress by Merchant and Mills (up to 55” bust) 
• Lisa Dress by Tessuti (up to 42” bust) 
• Hinterland Dress by Sew Liberated (up to 58.5” bust) 

Image source: Sew Liberated

Wrap dress and jumpsuit patterns:

• The Zadie Jumpsuit by Paper Theory Patterns (up to 56” bust)
• Hali Wrap Dress and Jumpsuit by Named Clothing (up to 53” bust)
• Kielo Wrap Dress and Jumpsuit by Named Clothing (up to 53” bust)
• The Etta Dress by Merchant and Mills (up to 55” bust) 
• Wildwood Wrap Dress by Sew House Seven (up to 49” bust)
• Wildwood Wrap Dress Curvy by Sew House Seven (up to 58” bust)
• St Germain Wrap Dress by Liesl + Co. (up to 46” bust)

‘Faux-fit and flare' dress patterns:

• ZW Gather Dress by Birgitta Helmersson (up to 61” bust)
• Lyra Dress by Tilly and the Buttons (up to 61” bust)

Elasticated waist dress and jumpsuit patterns:

• Lotta Dress by Tilly and the Buttons (up to 51” bust)
• Asha Dress by Style Arc (up to 68” bust)
• Nova Jumpsuit by True Bias (up to 44.5” bust) 
• Nova Jumpsuit by True Bias (up to 57.5” bust) 
• Trillium Dress and Tunic by Made by Rae (up to 59” bust) 
• Lennox Boilersuit by Homer + Howells (up to 49” bust) 
• Sofia Dress and Top by Victory Patterns (up to 44” bust) 
• Sofia Dress and Top by Victory Patterns (up to 58” bust) 

Image source: True Bias

Skirt, trouser, pinafore and dungarees patterns

Elasticated waist skirt patterns:

• Mave Skirt by True Bias (up to 46.5” hip)
• Mave Skirt by True Bias (up to 59.5” hip)
• Sofia Pencil Skirt by Threads by Caroline (up to 50” hip)

Image source: Threads by Caroline

My favourite elastic waist trouser patterns:

•  Luna Pants by Made By Rae (up to 59” hip)
• Arden Pants by Helen’s Closet (up to 58” hip)

Partly-elasticated trousers and shorts patterns:

• Emerson Pants and Shorts by True Bias (up to 46.5” hip)
• Emerson Pants and Shorts by True Bias (up to 61.5” hip)
• Dani Shorts and Pants by True Bias (up to 46.5” hip)
• Dani Shorts and Pants by True Bias (up to 61.5” hip)
• Rose Pants by Made by Rae (up to 62” hip)
• Aina Trousers and Culottes by Named Clothing (up to 56” hip)

Image source: Named Clothing

Buttonhole elastic:

Image source: William Gee

Amazing Check Your Thread listener Hinerangi @duckgoesoink experimented with hacking the Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans pattern to include buttonhole elastic in the back of the waistband (shared through Stories). 

Trouser patterns with adjustable straps:

• Mitchell Trousers by Closet Core Patterns (up to 61” hip)
• Square Pants by Stoxx Patterns (up to 63” hip)

Pinafore and dungarees patterns:

• Greta Dungarees by Made My Wardrobe (up to 53” hip)
• Yanta Overalls by Helen’s Closet (up to 58” hip)
• Heyday Dungarees by Waves and Wild (up to 63” hip)
• Ivy Pinafore by Jennifer Lauren Handmade (up to 63” hip)

Image source: Jennifer Lauren Handmade

Bias cut patterns:

• Sadie Slip Dress by Tessuti (up to bust 42”)
• Evie Bias Skirt by Tessuti (up to 48” hip)

This episode is the first of two featuring hand-sewing expert and pattern designer Alexis Bailey. We hear how her multifaceted slow-sewing business, Fibr & Cloth Studio, grew from a frustration she felt whilst travelling, and how the pandemic presented her with the perfect conditions to launch. Alexis also shares how becoming a pattern designer was foisted upon her! 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Check out Ep. 52 of A Smaller Life podcast where previous-guest-of-CYT Saskia de Feijter has a wonderful conversation with more-recent-previous-CYT-guest Kim Witten!

Alexis Bailey’s slow sewing space is Fibr & Cloth Studio. F&C can also be found on Instagram @fibrandclothstudio and her personal Instagram account is @helloalexisbailey. 

Bernadette Banner explores hand sewing and historical garments on their Youtube channel.

Alexis’ first foray into hand sewing garments used the Strata top pattern by Sew Liberated:

Image source: Sew Liberated

The Freerange Slacks pattern by Sew house Seven was another that Alexis made hand-sewing kits for when she started out. 

Alexis then moved on to using the simpler Pants No.1 pattern by Sonya Phillips.

Making Magazine gave Alexis the push to start drafting sewing patterns. 

Her first step was to complete the Pattern Making Workshop by Lauren Dahl.

The Umbra Lounge Set pattern was her first resultant pattern.

The Mahogany Turban pattern is a great scrap buster:

Image source: Fibr & Cloth Studio

My conversation with Alexis Bailey of Fibr & Cloth Studio continues. We chat about the celebration of Black pattern designers during Black History Month. Alexis also shares her approach and commitment to creating zero waste sewing patterns, and her thoughts on the responsibility sewers and designers have towards waste. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Alexis Bailey’s slow sewing space is Fibr & Cloth Studio. F&C can also be found on Instagram @fibrandclothstudio and her personal Instagram account is @helloalexisbailey. 

Explore the hashtag #bhmpatterndesigners to discover Black pattern designers and sewing business owners. 

The hashtag, list and challenge are created and updated by Nateida from Sew Natural Dane and @sewnaturaldane.

Previous-podcast guest Birgitta Helmersson was an early inspiration to Alexis as she set out on her own ZW pattern journey. 

Alexis’ first zero/minimal waste pattern is the Iris blouse and dress pattern:

ZW designer Liz Haywood’s version of the Iris blouse.

Goldfinch Textile Studio produced the zero/minimal waste Jones Trousers pattern. 

Justice of Thread and Sprout is a fibre artist who makes incredible garments and other items by combining fabric. 

Fibr & Cloth Studio has a Youtube channel!

Louisa Owen Sonstroem is a hand stitching expert. Listen to my conversation with Louisa: Ep.15: Hand Stitching Clothes with Louisa Owen Sonstroem. 

Sarah Woodyard of Sewn Company offers classes and workshops on hand sewing. 

Linnea Larsson is a multidisciplinary creative from Sweden with a passion for reusing existing materials. An architect by day, Linnea spent the nap times during her maternity leave sewing her own unwanted garments into baby clothes. She also decided to make a book to encourage and guide others to do the same! ‘Restyle & Restitch for little ones’ comes out in English this week, and I got to talk to Linnea all about the process and motivation for writing it. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Linnea Larsson and her inspiring upcycled creations on Instagram @go_recreate.

Originally titled ‘Go Recreate’, the English translation of her book is ‘Restyle & Restitch for little ones, 30 simple projects from preloved clothes’ is published by Search Press and out now.

The shirt and romper image below is a great example of Linnea's visual style.

The Thelma Boilersuit pattern by Merchant & Mills is currently on Linnea’s sewing table. 

You can check out my version of The Thelma on my blog.  Ditte @thread.gathering on Instagram made an incredible version of the pattern using an old tent for the fabric!

The Sewing for Body Changes episode (#72) received more comments and feedback than almost any other episode to date. Lots of listeners generously shared their own tactics for making clothes for their fluctuating bodies. It was clear that there’s more to be said on this underserved topic, so I felt an update episode was in order… 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Jen Gale of Sustainable(ish) podcast’s free downloadable 23-in-23 guide.

Patterns and companies mentioned in this episode:

Lander Pants & Shorts by True Bias (up to hip 46.5”)

Listener Sarennya shared this image of a garment with a wide seam allowance and multiple rows of stitching:

Image source: Sarennya Pathmanandavel 

Folkwear Patterns have an amazing range of traditional and historical styles. 

My favourite is the Old Mexico Dress pattern (up to 54” bust)

Learn more about Japanese patterns and pattern books at Japanese Sewing Patterns by Sew in Love. 

Tea House Dress & Top pattern by Sew House Seven (up to 47” bust)

Fringe Dress & Blouse by Chalk & Notch Patterns (up to 58” bust)

Laura Skirt by Seamwork (up to 57” hip)

Image source: Seamwork

Wrap Skirt by In The Folds via Peppermint Magazine (up to 56.5” hip)

Meriam Trousers by Cashmerette (up to 62” hip)

Image source: Cashmerette

Burnside Bibs by Sew House Seven (up to 50”)

Burnside Bibs Curvy Fit by Sew House Seven (up to 65” hip)

Otis Overalls by Sew Liberated (up to 61” hip)

Penny Pinafore by Sew Liberated (up to 61” hip)

Image source: Sew Liberated

Wide-Leg Jumpsuit by The Assembly Line (up to 54” bust / 55” hip)

Intrepid Boiler Suit by Alice & Co. (up to 49” bust / 53” hip)

One of my very favourite podcast guests is back! Textile activist Shams el-Din Rogers and I have a fun and thought-provoking conversation about fabric stashes, storage and space. As always, Shams brings her insight and wisdom as we explore many of the implications of these topics as they relate to sustainability, and we compare notes as an American and a European. Plus! Shams sets herself a goal...

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Shams el-Din Rogers on Instagram @shamseldinrogers.

Listen to her on previous episodes of CYT. Ep.#32: Textile Activism with Shams el–Din Rogers and Ep.#49: Sewing as Art and Political Action with Shams el–Din Rogers.

I also highly recommend checking out Shams’ episode on Stitch Please: the Black Women Stitch podcast, Ep.#123: Don’t Trash it! Sew it!: Sustainable Creativity with Shams el-Din Rogers. 

Explore ‘Works in Progress Toronto’ via their website and on Instagram @works.in.progress.to.

Instagram based contests that Shams is participating in:

#lastsewiststanding created by @miss.taeschli.

#whole30fabricchallenge created by @pinkmimosabyjacinta.

Textile Museum of Canada is in Toronto and has a truly epic-looking shop!

Shams recently bought some issues of Tauko magazine.

Image source: Tauko Magazine

Check out two blog posts I made including round-ups of free kid’s patterns. There’s My Favourite Free Children’s Sewing Patterns and Fab Free Kids’ Patterns for 6 and Up.

Listen to Ep.#11: Kids Vs. Sewing and Ep.#33: Encouraging Kids to Sew and

I use the the basic version of the Trello app to catalogue and manage my fabric stash and project ideas. 

Shams’ goal is based on the 2-door Pax wardrobes made by Ikea.

This is the first of two episodes with Sarai Mitnick, a major influence in the sewing scene for over 15 years. Sarai chats with me about the birth and evolution of the online sewing community, and the role that her businesses, Colette Patterns and Seamwork, have played. Plus Sarai talks about how her own podcast, Seamwork Radio, has changed, from being a storytelling platform to a medium to spread a slow-sewing philosophy.  

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Come along to the Sew Sustainable Fair in London on 22/4/23

Threads article about creating an elastic insert at the side seams of tailored trousers. 

Sarai is the founder and owner of the Seamwork community and pattern company. 

The Colette Patterns Beignet skirt pattern is now available via Seamwork. 

I made my own version in red twill back in 2009! 

Sarai was inspired by Knitty Magazine. 

Seamwork Radio is a podcast hosted by Sarai and Hayley. 

Episode 1: A Radical Change in Confidence with Jenny Rushmore from Cashmerette is one of Sarai’s very favourites that they’ve made.

Sustainability-related episodes of Seamwork Radio include:

• Episode 85 : How can I use more of the fabric I buy? 
• Episode 87: How can I get more wear out of the things I sew?
• Episode 111:  Six fabric shopping rules that everyone should know

This is the second episode with Seamwork owner, Sarai Mitnick. In this one Sarai shares the fascinating story of how Seamwork became B-corp certified, and her motivations for going through that challenging process. And Sarai offers up insights and ideas for making your sewing process more intentional that you can apply today.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Sarai is the founder and owner of the Seamwork community and pattern company. 

You can download the Seamwork Wardrobe Planner for free. 

Learn more about the B-corp certification process for businesses. 

Sarai was inspired, in different ways, by the following books:

• ‘Growing a Business’ by Paul Hawken
• ‘The Great Game of Business: Unlocking the Power and Profitability of Open-Book Management’ by Jack Stack 
• ‘Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business’ by John Mackey 

The Seamwork team is making a quilt from scraps for Project Linus. 

Sarai uses Milanote to create digital vision boards. 

Did you know that Seamwork has a YouTube channel? 

Do you ever think about all the useful stuff that gets thrown away, every single day, and how to get it into the hands of people who need it? Return-guest Noah Hirsch tells us all about his dumpster diving and mutual aid activities which help feed and clothe members of his community. Plus, he shares some exciting plans…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Noah Hirsch on Instagram @yung_curmudgeon

Listen to Noah’s first appearance on the podcast, Episode 45: The Art of Rescue with Noah Hirsch.

Noah posts monthly Dumpster Diving Reports (such as January’s), sharing the sheer quantity and range of items he is able to rescue and leave at the Sunnyland Free Pantry. 

Will you be taking any trips this year? Are you a short, city-break kind of traveller, or do you have a more adventurous trip planned? There’s no denying that travel in any form has an environmental impact to some degree, but how can we travel more sustainably? And how can sewing help us to do that? CYT regular, Shams el-Din Rogers, and I discuss all this and more, and in the process offer up heaps of suggestions that you can apply to YOUR next trip!

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Shams el-Din Rogers on Instagram @shamseldinrogers.

Listen to her on previous episodes of CYT:

• Ep.#32: Textile Activism with Shams el–Din Rogers 
• Ep.#49: Sewing as Art and Political Action with Shams el–Din Rogers
• Ep.#77: Stashes and Spaces with Shams el–Din Rogers

I have used the Raspberry Rucksack pattern by Sarah Kirsten.

Image source: Sarah Kirsten. 

Noodlehead is a great source of sewing patterns for all sorts of bags, pouches and wallets. 

Sham wrote an excellent post about making clothes bags for her husband from some polyester fabric, and why that’s a good use for this damaging fibre type. 

Polka Dot Chair have made a list of 40 free zip pouch sewing tutorials.

Previous conversations on Check Your Thread about the portability of hand stitching include:

• Ep.#15: Hand Stitching Clothes with Louisa Owen Sonstroem
• Ep.#73: The Seeds of Slow Sewing with Alexis Bailey

Could you sew only with second hand fabric? No more fabric shopping, only thrifting and receiving donations. Would that feel frustrating, or would it unlock some inner creativity and resourcefulness? Space scientist and passionate maker, Rachel Kirby, sews almost exclusively within this limitation, and spills the tea on how and why it works for her. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Rachel Kirby can be found on her website, @fibre.and.space on Instagram and @GeoPlaneteer on Twitter. 

Rachel’s self-designed Solar System jumper went viral!

Rachel was inspired by Samantha @pippy_eve on Instagram to try her hand at sewing her first garment by using the Justine skirt pattern by Ready to Sew and some cotton fabric she found at an op shop.

The only piece of from-the-bolt fabric Rachel has used for herself was to make some Arenite pants, pattern by Sew Liberated. 

Image source: Rachel Kirby

Listen to Episode 69: Making Mindfully with Judy Williment-Ross.

Rachel’s TNT (‘tried and tested’, or ‘tried and true’) patterns:

• Hinterland dress pattern by Sew Liberated
• Gilbert top pattern by Helen’s Closet 
• Yanta Overalls by Helen’s Closet 

Image source: Rachel Kirby

What are the benefits of refashioning for those of us who like to sew our own clothes? For years, Portia Lawrie has focused her creativity on refashioning, and has just written an excellent book, ‘The Re:fashion Wardrobe’, which contains all her hard-won knowledge, approaches and tips. In this episode, Portia makes the case for why more of YOUR projects should start with existing textiles…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find your MP and insist they take the IPCC report to heart and act to speed the transition to renewable energy.

Find Portia Lawrie on Instagram @portialawrie. 

Her new book, ‘The Re:fashion Wardrobe’, is published by Search Press. 

Portia has been making refashioning and no-pattern projects for Simply Sewing magazine since its launch. 

Wendy Ward made an incredible men’s jacket-to-coat refashion for the ‘Suits You’ round of The Rashioners in 2017.

Are you planning to challenge yourself in Me-Made-May this year? Have you taken part in the past? Are you not sure what I’m talking about? Or do you have a good idea, but you’d like a refresher? This explainer episode tells you everything you need to know to get the most from the annual wardrobe challenge that I accidentally started 14 years ago! 

Note: this episode originally aired in March 2022. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find out more about the Sew Sustainable Fair that will take place in London on 22/4/23, including how to register for your free ticket. 

Check out my husband's latest scrappy sweatshirt on my blog.

What is Me-Made-May?

Me-Made-May is a wardrobe challenge that encourages you to wear your existing handmade items more, or in different ways, that will allow you to gain useful insights whilst having fun. This will help you improve your relationship with your handmade items, both your existing items, and those you may make in the future. 

What Me-Made-May isn’t

• a making challenge
• a photo challenge
• a competition
• about having heaps of handmade clothes

Who is Me-Made-May for?

Anyone who has made/mended/upcycled at least one item, who feels there's improvements to be made in their wardrobe. Who doesn’t trust those items

What they wear often doesn’t reflect how they feel or would like to be seen. 

Anyone who would like to learn about their style, wardrobe requirements, 

How do I take part?

The aim is to intentionally wear your handmade items more and/or in different ways throughout May 2023.

Design your own pledge outlining the specifics of your challenge before 1st May. You can keep this entirely to yourself, tell friends and family, or share this on social media, whatever you wish. 

If you’re not sure what to write, check out the following episodes:

Episode 37: Pledges and Participants #1: with Rebecca and Meg

Episode 38: Pledges and Participants #2: with Amy and Judith

Do you consider yourself a climate activist? If many of your everyday life decisions are made with the planet in mind, then you definitely should. Rachel, AKA The Crap Activist, chose to fast track her activism by making one positive change every single day for an entire year. She shares her surprising wins and fails, and gives tips on successfully bringing your family along for the ride…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find and follow The Crap Activist on Instagram @thecrapactivist.

Listen to Rachel speak to Jen Gale on Jen’s Sustainable(ish) podcast:

Episode 87: The Crap Activist - A Year of Imperfect Action.

Rachel received The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide by Jen Gale. 

The seed for The Crap Activist challenge was sown by listening to the Christmas Adam & Joe episode of the Adam Buxton podcast:

Episode 115: Adam & Joe.

This post by The Crap Activist includes the following mind boggling facts from the Chatham House Report:

• By 2050, the world will need 50% more food to survive because of our growing population 
• But global agricultural yield is projected to decrease by 30% by 2050, as a direct consequence of climate change... Weather extremes, temperature extremes, extreme climate events like fires & flooding, etc

Find out about the interesting and important work going on through the London Freedom Seed Bank.

Consider growing something from the dirty dozen foods list:

(Image source: Nature’s Corner Natural Market)

Favourites of Rachel’s daughters are clothing brands Glass Onion and We Are Cow.

Do you have garments in your wardrobe, self-made or otherwise, that you really like but you never wear because they don’t fit you well? Could you use some advice on how to approach the alteration process, evaluate those garments and work out what’s possible? Alterations expert, Naomi Fata, talks with me about all this and more. We cover when it’s worth attempting an alteration, when it’s better to live with the issue, and when it’s time to find the garment a new owner. Plus, Naomi shares her hot takes on the best ways to make garments smaller and larger, and we even get stuck into the thorny issue of trouser fitting…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find the Me-Made-May Workbook in the new CYT shop! 

Find Naomi Fata on her website and on Instagram @naomifata. 

Naomi was on The Strike a Balance for Working Homeschool Moms podcast talking about how she runs her sewing business whilst homeschooling her three children. 

Find out about the in-person and virtual sewing and alteration classes Naomi teaches.  This Fit Tip Tuesday video by J Stern Designs on YouTube shows how to add a gusset to lengthen a rise on an existing garment.

Were you unable to attend the Sew Sustainable Fair in London last month? Would you have liked to have been there? Well, through the power of audio, in this episode you can come along with me to the event! Hear some of the awesome conversations I had with the organisers, helpers and businesses in attendance, plus my ramblings as I travel to and from the venue. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find some info about this year’s event, plus keep an eye on the details for next year’s as they are revealed, at the Sew Sustainable Fair website. 

The event is organised by Sarah Richards, owner of Olive Road London, a source for original vintage fabrics. 

Sarah told me about ‘Secrets of the Singer Girls’ and ‘Secrets of the Sewing Bee’, both books written by her friend Kate Thompson.

The Sew Sustainable Fair took place at the wonderful Craft Central building. 

Other sellers at the event included:

• Bornella Fabrics
• Missy Mop Fabrics
• Maven Sewing Patterns

Find Rebecca Evans-Merritt on IG @revansmerritt

Listen to my previous conversations with her:

Episode 24: Conscious Making in Real Life with Rebecca Evans-Merritt and

Episode 37: Pledge and Participants #1 with Rebecca and Meg

When I met Rebecca in real life, she was wearing her Birgitta Helmersson ZW Gather Dress in Merchant and Mills Lunar Jacquard. 

We also discussed her railroad stripe two-piece and her Refashioners project lounge wear set. 

Find the Stash Hub app on their website, on IG @stash_hub, or in your smart phone’s app store. 

You can contact Yvette’s friend Mel who works with the charity Guildford Refugee Aid via their Facebook page. 

Find Louise’s business, Ethel & Joan, on her website, Etsy shop and IG @ethelandjoan. 

Louise used to make videos for the Youtube channel, Pattern Pals.

We talked about her popular flower buckles. 

My favourites are the turquoise Deco buttons.

Do you have questions about natural dyeing? Like, what is the most accessible way to have a go? Return-guest and natural dye expert, Amy Taylor, breaks it all down and answers all the questions submitted by CYT listeners. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Ms Amy Taylor at her website and on Instagram @msamytaylor. 

Listen to Amy’s first appearance on Check Your Thread:

Episode #13: Natural Dyeing with Amy Taylor. 

The naturally dye skeins I found at Seedy Sunday in Brighton in February 2023:

Listen to Episode #52: Grow, Cook, Dye, Wear with Bella Gonshorovitz.

Amy is a big fan of Bella’s book, Bella’s book, ‘Grow, Cook, Dye, Wear – From seed to style the sustainable way’.

Read the article Amy wrote with her dad, ‘Art at the edge of chaos: Shibori and Indigo’. 

Amy has taken a class with dye stuff growing expert Kristin Field @fieldandgardner on Instagram. 

Amy and I both LOVE following Alexis Nikole AKA @blackforager on Instagram. 

Recommended reading: ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer:

This week we’re diving into the world of quilting more sustainably! Quilter and textile artist, Bridget O’Flaherty, makes Threads of Sustainability: a podcast with remarkably similar motivations to CYT. We discuss the many parallels between our perspective disciplines in relation to sustainability, and some of the areas where they diverge.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Tips on how to build and maintain beneficial bee hotels by the Entomologist Lounge. 

How to encourage bees and other pollinators:

• Fill gardens with pollinator friendly plants.
• Allow lawn 'weeds' to flower by cutting less often.
• Provide water for pollinators.
• Avoid using pesticides wherever possible and never spray open flowers.
• Provide nest sites for wild bees.

Find out about the many facets of Bridget’s work, including her podcast, ‘Threads of Sustainability’, via her website. She can also be found on Instagram @thesustainablequilter. 

Image source: Bridget O’Flaherty

Bridget frequently uses a technique called thread painting in her work:

Image source: Bridget O’Flaherty

You can hear the conversation we recorded for Bridget’s podcast via her website, wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s Episode #26!

The conversation that Bridget had with Eliu Hernandez that first alerted me to the Threads of Sustainability podcast is Episode #18. 

Listen to my conversation with Eliu for this podcast: 

Episode #26: Harvesting Materials with Eliu Hernandez. 

The Festival of Quilts that takes place in Birmingham, UK, recently introduced a Sustainability category. 

Bridget wrote a series of articles for the Canadian Quilters’ Association. Read part one, part two and part three. 

Bridget appeared on Episode #64 of the ‘Quilter on Fire’ podcast which kick started her desire to create her own podcast.

Bridget cites these quilters and textile artists as inspiration:

• Zak Foster 
• Eliu Hernandez
• Janine Heschl

Have you ever tried pattern hacking (making changes to a sewing pattern to create a different look)? This episode is a wide ranging introduction to the topic. Whether you are new to this practice, or are a more seasoned ‘hacker’, by the end of this you should feel emboldened by the infinite possibilities!  

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The patchwork denim quilted jacket is finally finished! Read all about it on my blog. 

One way of thinking about pattern hacking is by breaking it down into these three approaches:

1. Pattern-first - that is Choosing a pattern you own and considering how you can alter it to come up with a different look
2. Style-first - that is finding inspiration for a garment from elsewhere, then looking through your patterns to find a good candidate to hack to get close to that inspiration.
3. Frankensteining - taking two existing sewing patterns, or the parts of existing sewing patterns, and splicing them together to create a different looking garment. 

My Fibre Mood Ermine/Norma Franken-garment is an example of taking the sleeve piece from one pattern and the bodice from another to create a new look.

Suggested equipment for pattern hacking:

• Large format paper / pattern cutting or drafting paper / the dot and cross type or plain. Also consider large sheets of paper from an art shop or printing shop, the back of wide rolls of wrapping paper or rolls of paper from a business that regularly prints out plans and so on
• Some kind of ruler or set square (a metre or yard ruler is also super helpful)
• Pattern weights or pins
• Sharp pencils 
• Paper scissors
• Some kind of tape such as scotch, masking or washi tape
• Tape measure

How much do you really know yourself, and how does self knowledge relate to your enjoyment of sewing? Yep, today we’re tackling some big questions with transformational coach and crafter, Kim Witten. What kind of learner are you? How closely do you follow the ‘rules’? What patterns of behaviour do you display when presented with challenges? We get into all this and learn how we can use self awareness to make positive changes that lead to more sewing satisfaction. We also hear about Kim’s unique and multi-layered pledge for this year’s Me-Made-May challenge, and the many takeaways she acquired from her first challenge. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Learn more about @SewOver50’s excellent new endeavour #SewWhatYouNeedJune that comes on the back of a hectic Me-Made-May!

Find more about Kim’s work on her website, plus her excellent blog with a library of fantastic resources. 

Sign up to her weekly ‘Hold That Thought’ newsletter to help you turn your overthinking into expert thinking. 

Listen to Kim’s previous appearance of CYT in Episode #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim Witten.

If you need some help prioritising self care, download Kim’s free Self Care Menu Worksheet.

Find the Stash Hub app on their website, on IG @stash_hub, or in your smart phone’s app store. 

Kim’s Me-Made-May article on Medium is a fascinating read, and such an interesting and multi-layered take on the challenge. 

Kim started and progressed on her sewing journey with the help of sewing classes at Ministry of Craft in Manchester, UK.

Find out which of the Four Tendencies you adhere to with Gretchen Rubin’s free quiz. 

Image source: Gretchen Rubin. 

If procrastination (including procrasti-learning!) is something you regularly experience, the DUST model can help you understand it and to get yourself unstuck. 

How can we get a handle on our recurring sewing struggles? And what are the steps we need to take to coach ourselves through them? Building on from last episode’s discussion on gathering self knowledge, transformational coach and crafter, Kim Witten, gives us some practical, actionable steps we can take for greater sewing success and enjoyment. We also explore how to fall in love (or at least like) with garments that are associated with a fraught making experience, plus choosing when is a good time to take on sewing challenges.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Please complete the short Me-Made-May Workbook survey!

Sign up to the Check Your Thread newsletter! You won’t regret it…. (but if you do, you can unsubscribe at any time).

Find more about Kim’s work on her website, plus her excellent blog with a library of fantastic resources. 

Sign up to her weekly ‘Hold That Thought’ newsletter to help you turn your overthinking into expert thinking. 

Listen to Kim’s previous appearances on CYT: 

Episode #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim Witten

Episode #71: Self Knowledge for Sewing Success with Kim Witten

Most of us who listen to (and make!) this podcast are used to thinking about sewing as a pastime and option for clothing ourselves. A hobby with many wonderful benefits. But for others, sewing skills are a powerful tool that can change lives: preventing isolation, providing connection, offering employment opportunities and raising self-esteem. Poornima Kirloskar-Saini started a social enterprise called Kundakala, in memory of her extraordinary mother, which is achieving all these things. In this episode, Poornima tells me all about this incredible and inspiring organisation, and the women whose lives it is changing.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Discover more about the Kundakala social enterprise via their website. Follow them on Instagram @kundakala_org and via Twitter: @KundakalaOrg. 

Read about Kunda, Poornima’s extraordinary mother, the inspiration behind the whole endeavour. 

The scarves featuring Kunda’s paintings, stitched by the women taking the Make and Mend workshops, are available to purchase with all proceeds going to support more workshops. 

Poornima’s day job is for the Cook for Good enterprise. 

Once attendees have graduated from the Make and Mend programme, they can go on to participate in the Saree Upcycle Project. 

This week I’m mixing things up and sharing an episode of the Garmology podcast by Nick Johannessen, AKA Well Dressed Dad. This episode features a genuinely engrossing conversation between Nick and his guest Rosanna Watson about outdoor gear and professional repair. If you’re interested in mending or product design, this is a must-listen.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find everything Garmology podcast related, along with the Well Dressed Dad blog, on Nick’s website. 

Garmology is a podcast about "clothes, and stuff", menswear, fashion, ethical and sustainably made, old and new, from a perspective of making, buying, wearing, collecting, evaluating and appreciating. With regular co-hosts and interesting guests, the aim is to provide a view of what we might wear and what we should wear, if we knew more about it. Expect plenty of opinions!

Image source: Nick Johannessen.

Follow Nick on Instagram @welldresseddad.

Rosanna Watson’s business is Snowdonia Gear Repair.

This episode’s original episode page can be found on the Well Dressed Dad website.  

How much time do you set aside during your sewing project for fitting and making pattern adjustments? An hour? Half a day? None at all? Pattern cutter and fitting expert Kate Roberts tells us why we can’t expect sewing patterns to fit right out of the pack. Kate also shares her TNT method for assessing the fit of a garment, and gives awesome tips for successful solo fit sessions. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

I will be teaching how to make Birgitta’s Helmersson’s ZW Cropped Shirt pattern in a class at Fabric Godmother on 16th September. Check out the listing if you’re interested. 

Find Kate’s business, Project Patterns, via her website, on Instagram @projectpatterns and also on YouTube.

Kate offers a range of online pattern drafting and fitting courses, with both live and recorded options available.

Enjoy the ‘Pattern Diaries’ made with Charlotta Ayers from Charlotta’s Patterncutting School.   Kate uses the spot and cross pattern paper from William Gee (UK based).  

This week’s episode is the second with pattern cutting and fit expert, Kate Roberts from Project Patterns. We talk about how we can build up our own bank of fitting knowledge, and we get into some trouser fitting nitty gritty. Kate also explores how to adapt seemingly gendered sewing patterns for different bodies. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

You can find my road test/review of the free laminated wash bag tutorial by Polkadot Chair on my blog.

Find Kate’s business, Project Patterns, via her website, on Instagram @projectpatterns and also on YouTube.

Listen to Kate’s previous episode on CYT, Episode #95: Refining Fit with Kate Roberts.

We spoke about the Palmer and Pletsch ‘Pants for Real People’ and  the Palmer, Alto and Weiland ‘Fit for Real People’ tissue fitting books. 

Kate offers a range of online pattern drafting and fitting courses, with both live and recorded options available.

Clayton referenced sewist @_donnyq on Instagram. 

Donny Q on IG.

Have your mind blown (I just did!) on DRESSX - a digital garment shop.

The pattern drafting books by Winifred Aldrich are a fantastic starting point for anyone wanting to create their own blocks and patterns. 

A garment project that fails because it’s made from unsuitable fabric is both heartbreaking and costly. But navigating the selection available in fabric shops and online can feel overwhelming, particularly if you’re new to garment sewing, or have recently returned after some years. So in this solo episode, we’re going back to the basics of fabric. We’ll be laying the foundations on which to build our knowledge of fabric types, and what garment styles each fabric is suitable for. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

The custom croquis app is MyBodyModel.

If you enjoyed Episode #50: The Future of Fabrics that I made last year, then I thoroughly recommend you listen to Episode #188: Future Fabrics: Sustainable Textiles Masterclass with Amanda Johnston of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast. 

Want to hear about an exciting new development in zero waste sewing? ZW designer Birgitta Helmersson has written an incredible new book that presents a fresh approach to making your own clothes with minimal waste. Birgitta is back on the podcast to tell us all about it, plus she shares tips on using second hand linens for ZW garment projects.  

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Image credit: Emli Bendixon

Discover designer Birgitta Helmersson’s clothing and sewing patterns on her website, and over on Instagram @birgittahelmersson.

Listen to Birgitta’s previous appearances on CYT:

• Episode 54: A Journey to Zero Waste with Birgitta Helmersson
• Episode 55: The Challenges of Zero Waste Design with Birgitta Helmersson

Find out more about Birgitta’s ‘Zero Waste Patterns’ book, including links for where to buy it in different parts of the world. 

ZW pattern designer Liz Haywood wrote a fantastic review of Birgitta’s book. Liz’s version of the vintage shirt is incredible!

The Zero Waste Design Collective is an amazing resource to explore what’s happening in the world of ZW more broadly.

Friends-of-the-podcast, Julia and Naomi, are back! The three of us make some sewing-related confessions…. 

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

This episode features Julia Hincks. Her website is House of Miss Sew and you can find her at @juliahincks on Instagram. 

She previously featured on:

Episode #10: Overlockers & Coverstitch Machines with Julia Hincks

Episode #27: Zoe & Julia go Rag Rugging

Episode #67: Zoe and Julia Sew with Reclaimed Denim

This episode also features Naomi Bancroft and you can find her at @whatnaomimade on Instagram. 

They both appeared in Episode #53: First Birthday / Ask me Anything with Zoe, Julia and Naomi. 

Yet again, I talk about the Four Tendencies framework, developed by writer and podcaster, Gretch Rubin. Find out which of the Four Tendencies you adhere to with Gretchen Rubin’s free quiz. 

Image source: Gretchen Rubin. 

To celebrate the milestone of 100 episodes, I wrote a list of 100 lessons that I’ve learnt (or relearnt) through making this podcast! From that, I selected ten that had the biggest impact on me, and in this episode I divulge what they are. Plus, we’ll hear from some wonderful listeners from across the globe who share the things they’ve taken away also…

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

If you’d like to read all 100 lessons, you can access the documents by clicking the links below.

I’ve split these lessons up into four categories:

• Mindset and Motivation
• Materials
• Stitching, Fitting, Adjusting and Mending
• And stuff I’ve learnt about making a podcast

Thanks so much for listening!