Seamwork Radio: Sewing and Creativity

Our 100th Episode! Mailbag Questions From You

We're celebrating the 100th episode of Seamwork Radio with a Q&A with Sarai and Haley! They answer your questions about their jobs, personal life, and the podcast.

Why Your Clothes Look Handmade

We often get asked how to help clothes look less "homemade," but what's the stigma behind homemade? In this episode, we explore that and share some tips for making your clothes look polished.

Our Top 10 Favorite Fabrics and Where to Find Them

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about their favorite go-to fabrics for sewing clothes, what makes them so versatile and useful, and their favorite manufacturers and shops to go to when they need them.

Are You Burned Out or Are You Bored?

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how to tell if you are burned out or bored. They share the symptoms of burnout and how to recognize them, why it’s so easy to confuse burnout and boredom, and three questions you can ask yourself to use sewing and creative activities to move past both.

How Can You Tell if a Seamwork Pattern is Beginner-friendly?

Being a beginner is as fun as it is intimidating. Not all beginners have the same amount of knowledge or the same amount of confidence. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share three levels of beginners, how to identify where you currently fall, and how to pick patterns that help you grow your skillset.

What is the Best Way to Learn New Sewing Skills?

Sarai and Haley talk about why it’s hard to pick the best projects that challenge you without frustrating you, how to identify the skills you need, and our favorite method for learning new skills, project by project.

What Are Some of the Best Sewing Shortcuts to Save Time?

If you love to sew, you probably love a helpful shortcut. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share a long list of shortcuts to help save you time and headspace while you sew clothes.

The Best Sewing Books for Beginners

Wondering what kinds of sewing books are best for learning how to sew? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share a framework for building a sewing library, including three types of sewing books you should have.

How to Find the Type of Sewing That Fits Your Goals

You might have sewing goals in mind, but it’s easy to get distracted. If you are struggling to set and keep goals, Sarai and Haley share a bunch of ideas to help you uncover your most important sewing goal right now. They also talk about balancing having fun with your sewing while still working towards a larger goal. 

Creative Exercises for When You Only Have 10 Minutes

When you’re feeling crunched for time, it’s hard to make space for sewing. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 14 different activities for when you're short on time but feel like doing something sewing-related.

How to Sew When You Feel Stressed Out

Feeling stressed out? In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about why it’s hard to sew when you’re stressed and share super practical tips for using sewing as a way to remove stress and not add to it.

3 Steps to Help You Get Past a Mistake or Failure

Some of your future sewing projects will fail, so what can you do when you make a mistake? In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 3 simple steps to help you get past a mistake or failure.

Tips for more playful sewing

Sewing is such an involved hobby, and with all the possibilities for mistakes, sometimes you can take it a little too seriously. That can kind of suck some of the joy out of sewing. Here are creative ways to make sewing more playful.

How can I get more wear out of the things I sew?

This episode talks about the four main reasons you might not want to wear something you've made, how to plan to make things you'll get more use out of, and a quick exercise you can do at home to help you brainstorm ideas for future projects.

Alexis Bailey's Hand Sewing Kits

What if you could bring your projects with you wherever you go? When Alexis Bailey asked this question, she had an idea. Now she's the owner of Fibr & Cloth, selling supplies and kits for hand sewing and a growing collection of zero-waste patterns.

How can I use more of the fabrics I buy (or buy more fabrics I'll use?)

Are there fabrics that are gathering dust in your stash? If you can already picture a few unused cuts of fabric, and you’re cringing, this episode shares 12 tips to help you use more of the fabric that you buy and buy fabric that you will most definitely use.

How We Sew Through Body Changes

Sewing shines a bright spotlight on any changes your body might be going through. In this episode, Sarai and Haley share 9 tips for sewing through body changes, big and small.

How do I Quiet My Inner Sewing Critic?

Do you criticize your sewing projects more than you would someone else's? Our inner critics can be loud and diminish the joy that sewing brings us, so Sarai and Haley share some ideas to help quiet yours.

Is it Cheaper to Sew Your Own Clothes?

Before fast fashion lowered the cost of ready-to-wear clothing, sewing was an economical solution to expensive clothing. But in a time where cheap clothing is just a click away, that isn't necessarily the case. In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about the types of sewists that really do save the most money, plus give a ton of tips that anyone can use to cut your sewing costs.

This Long Thread with Jen Hewett

Sarai and Haley talk with Jen about how she wove data and narrative together for her book This Long thread, to create a collection of stories, interviews, and essays that reflect the everyday crafts of BIPOC in a way that honors individuality.

Choose Your Adventure

What is "choose your adventure" for sewing? In simple terms, it's niche sewing. Sarai and Haley discuss how a beginner mindset can help you become more advanced, how to go about tackling a skill you've always wanted to learn, and how to combine different resources in order to become your own teacher.

Find Your Fit

In part five of the Sewing by Design series, Sarai and Haley talk about finding your fit. Creating clothing that fits is such a motivating factor for why so many people sew. But learning about fit and applying those lessons to your own sewing practice can be intimidating. Sarai and Haley cover why fitting is a challenge for most people, then provide a simple framework for approaching fit. They discuss how to diagnose your fit in a systematic way, the two types of adjustments you need to lear...

Design Your Wardrobe

Have you ever wanted to tap into your inner designer? In this episode of Seamwork Radio, Sarai and Haley continue their conversation about the Sewing by Design framework and chat about how building a wardrobe with intention and purpose can transform your sewing practice. Sarai shares tips based on our Design Your Wardrobe program to help you tap into your inner designer.

Build Your Practice

What's the secret to building (and keeping) your sewing momentum? Falling in love with sewing. In this episode, Sarai and Haley continue their conversation about the Sewing by Design framework and discuss how to build a sewing practice that you love. So that you can design an experience that's tailor-made for you.

Lay Your Foundation

In part two of the Sewing by Design series Sarai and Haley discuss the first phase of the Sewing by Design framework, Laying Your Foundation. Sewing is ultimately a collection of component skills and by identifying the most vital techniques you can ultimately simplify the learning process. This episode covers the 8 skills needed to get your sewing journey off on the right foot.

Sewing by Design

Learning how to sew can be hard! Especially when you lack a mentor to guide you on your journey. In this episode Sarai and Haley introduce the Sewing by Design framework and how it can be your roadmap for cultivating your sewing practice regardless of your skill level.

Re-run: A Radical Change in Confidence With Jenny Rushmore

In one of our favorite episodes from the podcast archives, learn how Jenny overcame childhood bullying and discovered her voice in the sewing community, founding Cashmerette patterns and changing the course of indie sewing history.

Re-run: Daddy Dressed Me With Michael and Ava

There are a lot of stereotypes surrounding father-daughter relationships. Once Michael knew he was having a daughter, he was determined to make sure she knew how and provided a way to help express herself, and one way he does that is through sewing.

Re-run: Open Up With Jennifer Wiese

One of our favorite episodes from the Seamwork Radio archives is an interview with Jennifer Wiese, founder of Workroom Social. In this episode, she tells the story of putting on a major sewing event and the unexpected benefits of being open to mistakes.

Re-run: Open Up With Jennifer Weise

One of our favorite episodes from the Seamwork Radio archives is an interview with Jennifer Wiese, founder of Workroom Social. In this episode, she tells the story of putting on a major sewing event and the unexpected benefits of being open to mistakes.

Re-run: Let's Talk Money with Heather Lewenza

One of our favorite episodes from the Seamwork Radio archives is from 2016 with Heather from Closet Core Patterns. In this episode, she talks about something that's hard to talk about: money.

Mimi G and Norris: A Sewing Love Story

Mimi G is loved in the sewing world. So when Mimi introduced the sewing world to her then beau, now husband, Norris Danta Ford in 2015 it was easy to be enchanted by the creative energy and connection they shared. Listen to their love story!

What Can You Learn from Niche Sewing?

What is niche sewing and how can it supercharge your skills and creativity? In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how niche sewing can help you to continuously grow and rediscover the joys of sewing.

Fave podcasts of 2021 with Love to Sew

We invited Caroline and Helen from the Love to Sew Podcast to join us for this episode. If you're looking for some new podcasts to listen to, whether sewing or craft related, narrative storytelling, or (how could we leave it out?) true crime, you'll find something new to try on today's show!

Lessons from other hobbies, with Alexia Abegg

Alexia Abegg is a multi-faceted creator. She works in ceramics, textiles, block printing, and designs fabric for Ruby Star Society. In this episode, you'll learn why you need to give yourself permission to have all the hobbies!

Do I HAVE to sew gifts?

Do you feel pressure to make gifts this time of year? In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how the holiday season creates a perfect storm for crafting-stress, plus some tips for removing pressure while still making gifts with love.

The Decade Project: 5 Lessons So Far

The decade project is Sarai's challenge to sew 5 garments to wear for the next 10 years. It's taught her 5 key things about designing clothing for longevity, and they're all things you can apply to your own sewing.

What's Your Learning Style?

These are 2 different approaches to learning—the ambitious learner and the cautious learner. On today's episode of the podcast, we talk about how to identify which type you are, what the benefits and pitfalls are, and how to learn from the other.

How to Build Your Sewing Skills Intentionally

In this episode, Sarai and Haley talk about how you can build up your sewing skills intentionally while making things you still love.

How Blackbird Fabrics Came To Be, With Caroline Somos

Caroline didn't set out to open one of the most successful online fabric shops in the sewing community, but she always knew sewing would be a part of her journey. In this episode, she shares how Blackbird Fabrics came to be.

Our Top 5 Fitting Resources

In this episode, we round up some of our favorite fitting resources with options for every experience level and approach. We’ll talk about books, where to find fit resources online, and our brand new fitting class and free downloadable fit journal.

How to Start Your Fitting Journey

When you sew clothes that fit, you feel empowered. In this week's podcast, we discuss some of the core principles of fitting, and how you can get started on your own fitting journey.

What Are Your Fit Expectations?

Have you ever found yourself working on the fit of a garment and not knowing when to stop? Or felt confused about what actually constitutes a fitting issue? Or maybe even found yourself obsessing over how something your making fits? In this episode, we talk about developing a healthier mindset around fitting while still working to develop the skills and outcomes you're looking for when you sew.

Cosplay is For Everyone

Why is cosplay so entrancing? Why do people want to spend a bunch of time and money to transform themselves into someone else? Hear from six cosplayers who show us how clothing connects us to each other, because we're all welcome in this craft.

Semi-minimalist Sewing

In practice, minimalism can feel restrictive and even joyless, especially for a creator. So is there a middle path with minimalism? Can you be a semi-minimalist?

How to Make More Time for Sewing and Creativity

This week on the podcast, Haley and I are sharing some of our own little tricks for making time for the things we enjoy, namely sewing and making. We talk about: Figuring out how much time you want to spend on creativity, Determining which activities bring you joy and which don't, How to make sewing feel more like playtime.

Escaping the Cult of Efficiency

An obsession with goals, productivity, and checking things off can be really unhealthy. In this week's episode of the podcast, we explore how the Cult of Efficiency came to dominate our cultures and share 5 tips to help.

I Healed My Brain Through Sewing, with Nia Kelley

In this episode, Sarai speaks to Nia Kelley. At just 36, Nia suffered a stroke that would damage about a third of her brain, making basic tasks like speech and reading difficult. The road to recovery was long. But on that journey, Nia discovered new sources of creativity and hard-won lessons about ambition and just what she is truly capable of.

Create Your Own Personal Sewing Challenge

After packing up and moving to a new house, Sarai decided to create a queue of 5 projects that she believes she’ll wear for at least 10 years. She’s calling it The Decade Project. In this episode, she and Haley talk about this project and how you can create your own personal sewing challenge.

Create a Personal Wardrobe Palette