Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably

Does the climate and ecological crisis just feel too massive to deal with sometimes? When it all feels so overwhelming, it can be tempting to tap out completely and disengage. That’s totally understa…

Have you ever found yourself unsure of how to proceed with fixing a damaged garment? The two most common stumbling blocks are knowing what mending technique to use, and knowing what materials are the…

Are you interested in mending your clothes but you’re just not sure where to begin? For this episode, we’re taking a different approach to the topic of mending in that this episode is for complete be…

Mending your clothes to keep them in use for longer is a vital part of sewing and living more sustainably. But how can we amplify the positive impact of mending our clothes? Answer: By mending them i…

Dedicating an entire season to acts of mending is a bold move. As you may know, the most recent round of the Winter of Care and Repair challenge just wrapped up. In this episode the challenge’s creat…

Do you want to create well fitting clothes, but you’re put off by having to make lots of changes to your pattern plus multiple toiles to test the fit? My guest, Elisalex Jewell, is an anythor and one…

How can you attend a large sewing event more sustainably? Is it possible to avoid getting overwhelmed, to avoid regrettable impulse purchases and to actually enjoy yourself? I take my pal and previou…

Would you like to have new types of creative fun whilst saving money AND reducing your environmental impact? Sewing clothes from fabric scraps gives you all these things, AND the results are always c…

Have you got your fabric scrap strategy sorted yet? This is the second part of the Scrap Strategies episodes and we’ll be discovering more systems, solutions and uses from the Check Your Thread liste…

If you’re a garment sewer, I’m sure you’re more than aware of how quickly fabric scraps and leftovers can start to pile up. Your fabric scraps contain so much creative potential, but you need some st…

Are there fabrics in your stash that you’re just too scared to cut into? I talk with Stephanie Canada, vintage sewing pattern and fabric seller, about when and why it's ok to use the precious fabric.…

Do vintage sewing patterns make you swoon but you’re scared to try actually sewing with them? Vintage pattern obsessive and Youtube queen, Stephanie Canada, unpacks the perceived obstacles that may b…

What would it be like if we could enjoy complete freedom within our sewing lives? Free from the shoulds and shouldn’ts, the fears and even past experiences? My guest, Tony Rea, tells us how this mind…

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, wit…

What are the unique challenges that designing zero waste sewing patterns for children throws up? And the ways in which it might actually be easier? In this episode, Liz Elliott, the designer behind T…

Do you enjoy hearing the whys and the hows behind other people’s sewing projects? Previous-guest, Judy Williment-Ross, is one of the most prolific, resourceful and creative makers I know. In this epi…

Do you know what your sewing machine needs to stay in good working order? What equipment is required for that? What issues can be tackled at home, and when should we call in the professionals? And wh…

Do you have a system for organising your fabric stash? I didn’t until recently. In this episode I’m sharing my own method of organisation that I’m calling the ‘seasonal stash’. This system is allowin…

Could you go for a year without buying fabric? Or even a couple of months? I speak to Lise Bauer about what Last Sewist Standing, the ultimate stash busting challenge that she created, can do for you…

Would you like to bring your sustainability values and your sewing life into closer alignment in 2024? If so, one key area to focus on is materials. In this episode, CYT listeners share their fabric-…