Stitching Tales

What does it actually take to launch a sewing pattern brand and find an audience for your creations? In this episode, Johanna and Malena sit down with Sanna Myers from Paradise Patterns, a Swedish pattern maker now based in Hawaii, and talk through the inner workings of building a pattern brand. They follow her path from pattern school in Sweden to experimenting with her own clothing line in Hawai...

Everyone knows the neckband. It’s the default option for finishing knit tops. But surely there must be more ways? Perhaps even better ones? In this episode, Malena and Johanna step away from the most common knit neckline finish and explore eight alternative methods, the ones that don’t get as much attention, but are equally as good, if not better, in some circumstances. If you’ve ever felt stuck u...

Johanna is launching a new sewing pattern after an 18-month hiatus and is a bundle of nerves. Has all the hard work of the past few months been for nothing? Malena steps in to talk her off the ledge, and together they agree that you have to play the long game. Everything we make, release, and stumble through is part of a bigger learning process. And speaking of learning curves, Malena has been dee...

Johanna and Malena dig into a new arm of garment sewing, namely the sleeves. They talk through the different types, from set-in to raglan and why they behave so differently once you actually sew them. They also get into the fit and why sleeve issues are often misdiagnosed. Is it really the sleeve… or is the armhole the real culprit? Plus, why adding more ease to the cap isn’t always a great idea....

Remember the t-shirt book Johanna and Malena said they were working on? Well, this is the update, and again, they need your input! Johanna and Malena share what’s happened since the last episode, what decisions they’ve made, what turned out to be more complicated than expected, and how your feedback has shaped the book. They talk about seam allowances vs stitch lines (and why that became a whole t...

Ever tried gathering fabric and wondered why it sometimes works… and sometimes it's a real struggle? In this episode, Johanna and Malena dig into gatherings, and not the social kind. They share their favourite methods, how to distribute gathers evenly without guesswork, and what to adjust when things start going wrong. Plus, how fabric type affects the final result, because gathering a crisp c...

100 episodes (!!) and still talking sewing every week . In this celebratory episode, Johanna and Malena share how Stitching Tales started (mostly as a way to keep talking after finishing Fit for Knits). They also talk about choosing a very casual and candid format, plus the decision to do a video podcast from the start, and how that completely messed up Johanna's YouTube channel! They also ans...

Johanna and Malena share what’s currently been happening behind the scenes. Johanna is launching a new sewing pattern soon (hopefully), and let's just say, it's a lot! From sewing photo samples under pressure to navigating real-life setbacks and experimenting with new instruction formats. Not to mention the constant worry that the pattern will launch to crickets. Malena has also been busy in the p...

Johanna and Malena hand over their creative control to the spinning wheel and play Fabric Roulette. A game where fabrics are chosen at random, and then Malena and Johanna have to figure out what to sew. Unfortunately, some fabrics are on their no-no list, but somehow they still manage to come up with some pretty cool designs. Especially since they don't actually have to sew them! Between the wild...

If you think your serger can do better, then this episode is for you! Johanna and Malena talk about their (arguable) favourite sewing machine and give tips on how to use the underutilised features of an overlocker. Including some unknown gems, which they are pretty shocked by themselves! They also get into the unglamorous but essential topic of learning your machine. Manuals are defended, rolled h...

Malena and Johanna brave the chilly Swedish winter to discuss a decidedly warmer topic,  spring fashion! They talk about elevated athleisure, utility wear, the comeback of bold colours, sheer fabrics, camisoles and perhaps the most pressing question of all: will the Wuthering Heights movie craze have us all dress as goths? Then Johanna declares that the most important fashion trend in 2026 is…pock...

Moving from wovens to knits can feel like stepping into a parallel universe, similar tools, but completely different rules. In this episode, Malena and Johanna demystify knit fabric sewing and explain what actually matters when you're ready to make the leap. They break down the fundamental differences between knit and woven fabrics, why some knits are beginner-friendly while others will test your...

Johanna and Malena welcome their very first guest, Emily Hundt, founder of In The Folds, for an honest conversation about running a sewing business and making pivots when things are no longer working for the season you are in. They talk about finding your place in the sewing industry, what sustainability actually looks like when you’re self-employed, and how plans tend to change once life gets inv...

Malena has made a big life decision: she's reducuing here freelance pattern work to 80% to reclaim time for other projects. Now she's splitting her extra time between her own projects and working at a bridal shop. Johanna has been wrestling with website updates and other tech nightmares behind the scenes, reminding us all that running a sewing business isn't just about the fun stuff. In this hones...

Johanna and Malena do something slightly uncomfortable in this episode – they talk about themselves. With a growing number of new listeners (hi everyone!) it seemed like a good idea to explain who they are and how they ended up talking about sewing into microphones. Johanna unpacks her rather non-linear path, from teaching herself to sew, to working as a librarian, then a journalist, then a commun...

Press as you go, sew like a pro! Johanna and Malena dive straight into one of sewing’s most underrated skills, pressing. Malena (aka Sweden's biggest pressing ambassador) insists it's the unsung hero behind every great sewing project. While Johanna admits she once skimped on this crucial step, she then had to pay for it later. Between technique tips and favourite tools, they make a good ca...

Want to make your perfect t-shirt? Then Johanna's and Malena's next book could be the answer to your quest. Yes, they are working on a sewing book with patterns for five different t-shirt styles, because let's be honest, no one agrees on what “perfect” is anyway. In this episode, they share all the inside information, including styles, sizing, content and the decision to make their fir...

Johanna and Malena have both moved sewing spaces recently. And now they feel overwhelmed—by all the sewing stuff they have accumulated over the years. What should they keep and what should they toss (or recycle)? They both feel kinda bad about getting rid of old fabric scraps. Should they be better at scrap busting? Or are the zero-waste messages not really realistic for home sewists? Then they tu...

Welcome to the very last Stitching Tales episode of 2025. Johanna and Malena are in a reflective mood, mostly because they just realised that episode 100 is creeping up fast. Malena shares her new work schedule with more room for personal projects. While Johanna reflects on the mind games that come with suddenly having more time on your hands. Of course, this leads to their big upcoming project, a...

Johanna and Malena look back at their 2025 business year, a year packed with changes, and most of them felt good. Johanna made the big jump into working full-time on The Last Stitch, which gave her a boost of creativity, focus, and energy that she hasn't felt in ages. Malena finally launched the Bilberry top, scored her first pattern magazine feature, and even moved her sewing studio into a bridal...

Johanna and Malena play fantasy sewing and dream up five key garments that they love to wear over and over. For Johanna it's a retro-style windbreaker and of course the optimal pleated skirt (with pockets, of course). Malena ponders the perfect dress, and then she has a t-shirt revelation that makes them want to rethink everything. They also read another listener's email for the new Stitch and Tel...

They shimmer, they float, they slide right off your cutting table… Malena and Johanna dive into the world of slippery yet stunning fabrics. From satin to chiffon to charmeuse, they are talking about the types of materials that can drive sewists up the wall. A very timely episode as Malena has been dipping her toe into bridal wear (!). Malena also explains the technical side of how these fabrics ar...

Malena and Johanna take a deep dive into the art of sewing smart on a budget, from fabric choices to smart tools. Malena also shares one of her favourite cost-saving tricks, based on how things are done in the garment industry. This impresses Johanna, because it's not just a budget trick; it's also a design feature! Johanna even claims that listening to this episode could make you rich, at least i...

Malena has been on a super inspiring networking trip to Copenhagen, and now she wants to switch careers and pivot into custom designs for theatre and ballet. Johanna has been working abroad as well, which, among other things, led her to start a sewing TikTok account after enjoying a glass of Spanish cerveza at the airport! In this fun update, they talk about everything from how to crack the sizing...

Think you have nailed wovens? Then think again. Malena is on a roll and delivers some fascinating factoids about woven fabrics, but please don't call the tweed police! Then Johanna wants to quit the podcast mid-through and run out and buy some chambray fabric. Luckily, she stays the entire recording and instead invents a groundbreaking new material for duvets– flatine . Check out the previous epis...