Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably

Is your wardrobe stuffed with me-mades? Whatever role garment sewing plays in your life, after a while, the clothes can really start to pile up. So how can we continue to take pleasure in sewing, without adding to your problem of too many clothes?

Image source: Megan Lee via UnSplash

This episode was originally released in February 2024 as Ep. #123

Idea No. 1: Challenging ourselves.

Hear more about hand stitching clothing:

Ep. #15: Hand Stitching Clothes with Louisa Owen-Sonstroem 

Ep. #73: The Seeds of Slow Sewing with Alexis Bailey 

Learn more about improving fit:

Ep. #95: Refining Fit with Kate Roberts

Options for online courses to learn and develop new skills:

Project Patterns

Domestika

Craftsy

Idea No. 2: Sewing things that aren’t clothes.

My favourite bag pattern designers:

Noodlehead

Tytka Studio

Motif Studio Patterns

Merchant & Mills

Start your sew making journey at I Can Make Shoes.

Get inspired to make a quilt more sustainably by listening to the following previous episodes:

Ep. #19: Quilting and Considered Consuming with Shelly Sommer

Ep. #26: Harvesting Materials with Eliu Hernandez

Ep. #89: Threads of Sustainability with Bridget O’Flaherty

Ep. #105: A Habit of Curiosity with Heidi Parkes

Ep. #106: Reframing a Relationship with Clothes with Heidi Parkes

Ep. #116: Improv Scrap Play with Sherri Lynn Wood

Idea No. 3: Sewing clothes for other people

Idea No. 4: Sewing for charity

Make washable menstrual pads for:

Pachamama Project

Days for Girls

Make reusable tote bags for Boomerang Bags.

Make dresses and other children’s garments from pillowcases for Little Dresses for Africa.

Idea No. 5: Mending

Hear from super creative mending expert, Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald:

Ep. #39: Modern Mending with Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald

Ep. #40: Experimend with Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald

Get her book Modern Mending.

Consider the spectrum of mending possibility:

Ep. #68: Visible Vs Invisible Mending

Textiles have a long history of being used for political discourse and protest. Lorraine Woodruff-Long is a self-taught and now award-winning quilt artist who is continuing that tradition today by creating exciting and powerful work on political and social issues that are important to her. Legendary guest-host Kat Camfield talks to Lorraine about her journey from marketing professional to artist and teacher, her inspiration, her use of reclaimed materials, the Forbidden Words project, and her tips for those wanting to dip their toe into protest quilt making.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Lorraine can be found through her website, ‘Quilting in the Fog’, and via Instagram @quiltinginthefog:

Lorraine’s first quilt, ‘American Patriot: Words Matter’ (2017), was shown at the de Young Gallery in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco:

Check out Lorraine’s Mosaic quilts.

Kat and Lorraine mentioned both the Haptic & Hue podcast and the Gees Bend Quilters. Listen to an episode about the Gees Bend Quilters on the Haptic & Hue podcast!

Lorraine’s incredible ‘Quilt Melt’ was made in 2017:

‘You’re getting warmer: Rising Global Temperatures 1850 - 2022’ quilt (2023):

‘The Number of Holes’ quilt:

Read more about the Forbidden Words Project:

Kat Camfield is a sewing teacher and sewing retreat organiser living in Victoria, Canada. You can follow Kat on Instagram @gatherandstitch.ca.

Ep. #196: Eco Printing - Kat Camfield with Carly from Lorelei Textile Design

Ep. #200: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 1

Ep. #201: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 2

Ep. #204: The Sewing Machine, A Novel - Kat Camfield with Natalie Fergie 

Ep. #214: Is Inclusivity Enough? - Kat Camfield with Frances from Sincere Studio 

Ep. #221: Upcycling Secrets - Kat Camfield with Brynn, Emily & Meagan

Ep. #227: Threading Change - Kat Camfield with Sophia Yang

Ep. #231: A Business Based on Scraps - Kat Camfield with Justice McNeil

Ep. #232: Magic and Movement for Makers - Kat Camfield with Justice McNeil

Can a stereotypically female activity such as sewing be an appropriate medium through which to tackle male loneliness and isolation? This is a question that return-guest and GBSB finalist, Tony Rea, has been tasked to help answer. In this episode, Tony tells us all about the pilot of an awesome endeavor he’s involved in called Thread Brothers. We also get into the weeds about traditionally gendered crafts and spaces, and explore how sewing can help push us back against ageism.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Listen to my previous conversation with Tony:

Ep. #124: Fearless Sewing with Tony Rae

Find out more about Tony on his website, and see his latest projects on Instagram @tonyr.maker.

Follow the Thread Brothers on Instagram (@threadbrothers.makers) and learn more about the project on the Wellmoor website.

Check out Tobit Emmens’ Substack.

I took a palette bench making workshop with The Salvage Sister.

Tony (and myself) will be at this year’s Knit + Stitch show at Alexandra Palace, London, in October.

I’m a firm believer that there are NO stupid questions when it comes to sewing. If you need to ask it, even if it’s something you think you should probably already know, then it’s valid. But it’s not always easy to find the answers you’re looking for. So I’ve asked my guest, sewing author and expert dressmaking teacher, Julia Hincks, on the podcast to talk about her new beginner’s guide to dressmaking book AND to answer some burning questions from members of the CYT community.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Find Julia Hincks and her website is House of Miss Sew and you can find her at @juliahincks and @houseofmisssew on Instagram.

Listen to Julia on previous episodes:

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

Ep. #27: Zoe & Julia go Rag Rugging

Ep. #53: First Birthday / Ask me Anything with Zoe, Julia and Naomi

Ep. #67: Zoe and Julia Sew with Reclaimed Denim

Ep. #99: Sewing Confessions with Julia and Naomi

You can sponsor Julia’s cycling to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Julia’s first book is The Overlocker Technique Manual, there is also a US version entitled The Serger’s Technique Bible. The book has also been translated into Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian. Her second book is The Coverstitch Technique Manual.

Julia’s third book is The Beginner’s Guide to Dressmaking. Signed copies are available via her website. It is also available in the US and in Australia.

There are additional resources on Search Press’s The Bookmarked Hub.

Julia recommended Maraflex thread which is stretchy (link to buy it in UK via Fabric Godmother, but is sold elsewhere).

I like using Tencel thread from James Tailoring.

Julia’s pattern recommendations for garments that are adjustable in their finished form:

Palazzo Pants by Sasha Starlight

Mitchell Trousers by Closet Core

Meriam Trousers by Cashmerette

Zadie Jumpsuit and Dress by Paper Theory Patterns

Kielo Wrap Dress and Lilja Dress, Pinafore and Blouse by Named Clothing 

Tie Dress by Sewing Therapy

Lisi Dress and Blouse by Fabric Godmother 

The Garden Dress and Blouse by Frux Studio is the pattern with lots of pin tucks.

Julia recommends FriXion pens by Pilot for marking. They contain ink that disappears with the heat from an iron.

Have you ever consciously infused your handmade garments with personal magic? And how can we create clothing that feels like emotionally protective armour? This is the second part of guest-host Kat Camfield’s amazing conversation with textile artist Justice McNeil from Thread + Sprout. They touch on so many topics, including pattern instructions that work better for some neurodivergent brains, and the importance of physical movement within a sewing practice.

Support the podcast over on Patreon!

Listen to Part 1 of Kat and Justice’s conversation:

Ep. #231: A Business Based on Scraps - Kat Camfield with Justice McNeil

Justice McNeil’s multi-faceted and evolving company is Thread + Sprout (@threadandsprout on Instagram):

Purchase the Soft Armor sewing pattern:

You can see many examples of the Magic vest in the galleries, and keep your eyes peeled for future Magic vest classes like the one Kat took part in.

Learn more about Justice’s Movement for Makers offering.

Kat Camfield is a sewing teacher and sewing retreat organiser living in Victoria, Canada. You can follow Kat on Instagram @gatherandstitch.ca.

Hear Kat on previous episodes of CYT:

Ep. #196: Eco Printing - Kat Camfield with Carly from Lorelei Textile Design

Ep. #200: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 1

Ep. #201: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 2

Ep. #204: The Sewing Machine, A Novel - Kat Camfield with Natalie Fergie 

Ep. #214: Is Inclusivity Enough? - Kat Camfield with Frances from Sincere Studio 

Ep. #221: Upcycling Secrets - Kat Camfield with Brynn, Emily & Meagan

Ep. #227: Threading Change - Kat Camfield with Sophia Yang

Ep. #231: A Business Based on Scraps - Kat Camfield with Justice McNeil