Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably

You are probably aware of natural dyeing, but have you heard of eco printing? As we’ll hear in this episode, eco printing comes under the umbrella of natural dyeing but the process involves taking bo…

Have you ever tried pattern hacking? By which I mean, making changes to a sewing pattern to create a garment that looks slightly, or wildly, different to the original design. This episode is a wide r…

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?…

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, partic…

How does the space we create in affect the resources we collect, and vice versa? And why did the Ikea look become the default, acceptable aesthetic for spaces dedicated to sewing? Textile activist Sh…

A new mending book is about to land in bookshops around the globe, and it’s something really special. It’s the creation of regular CYT guest and mending expert, Jeanna Wigger, and super experienced m…

How do you respond to expectations? How easy is it for you to get things done, both the things that are asked of you, and the things you want to achieve yourself? And how does that play out in your s…

Last Sewist Standing, for those who may be new to this podcast, is the no-buy sewing supplies challenge created by Lise Bauer. The challenge is in its fifth year, and 2025 is my second time participa…

Have you ever made a garment that you thought you were going to love, but ended up rarely reaching for it because you’ve realised that the colours drains you, or somehow makes you feel meh? It’s so d…

How do I resist temptation whilst working in a fabric shop? Do I feel conflicted working for a fabric company whilst also personally promoting a reduction in consumption? Just two of the fun and occa…

What do sewing machine repair and servicing professionals do that you can’t do yourself at home? And what CAN you do at home to make problems with your machine less likely? And what noises coming fro…

For most of us who sew our own clothes, basic garment repairs are not often a huge challenge. However, encountering knit items that are thinning or have holes? That can feel like a whole other ball g…

Believing that we won’t be great at something can hold some of us back from giving it a go in the first place. And for those who are confirmed perfectionists, this belief can be even more of a barrie…

We’ve been talking about reducing our fabric stashes so we can feel well stocked, but not overwhelmed. But once we’ve passed on the pieces of fabric that we honestly can’t see ourselves sewing, what …

During the last few episodes we’ve been talking about reducing our fabric stashes: the idea being that our collection would then make us feel well stocked but not encumbered. But once you’ve selected…

How do you feel about your fabric collection? If there are any uncomfortable feelings that are preventing you from feeling excited and inspired by what you have, it might be time to consciously reduc…

Fabric collections elicit all sorts of feelings. Ideally, they're a source of inspiration that gets our creative juices flowing. But for some of us, especially when the amount we own is out of sync w…

As makers, we need materials to create with. And a love of beautiful textiles is often part of why we got into sewing in the first place. But as residents of a planet experiencing a climate and ecolo…

Those of us who make our own clothes know that taking the time to make a toile or muslin, and altering our sewing patterns to fit our own bodies are steps we ought to take. We know that they’ll resul…

Once again, it’s time to consider participating in Me-Made-May, the annual wardrobe challenge I accidentally started 16 years ago. This episode is a super quick explainer, or refresher, on what the c…