Check Your Thread: Sewing More Sustainably

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…

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 unw…

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 commitme…

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 f…

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 s…

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 …

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 pivot…

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 de…

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 deepe…

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…

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…

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 alterna…

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 …

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 Brando…

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 en…

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 po…

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 m…

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 so…

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. Spe…

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…