Seamwork Radio: Sewing and Creativity

In the last episode, we explored the reasons that we sew in order to uncover our individual sewing "why." Today, we discuss how to use that "why" to make decisions with purpose and intention.

What is the real reason you sew? By understanding the "why" behind your sewing practice, you can find new ways to stay motivated, understand your sewing, and make meaningful choices about how you spend your time.

We're looking inward this week and sharing a bit about what it's like working at Seamwork. Sarai and Haley share our values and philosophy and why we're pursuing B Corp certification this year.

If you love fabric, you might be familiar with both Cotton + Steel and Ruby Star society. In this episode, Haley sits down with all five founding designers to talk about their creative journey, their close friendship, and what designing fabric means to them.

What exactly is organic fabric? And why should you buy it? We're joined by Arleen, Director of Operations for Birch Fabric to talk about the how and why of organics, and why they focus their business on organic cotton.

Ever thought about turning the hobby you love into a business? Today, we're joined by Abby Glassenberg of Craft Industry Alliance, who shares her wisdom after working with over a thousand craft businesses of all sizes.

How do you know if a piece of clothing is high quality? And how do you build quality into the clothing that you make? In this episode, we discuss the three areas to look for quality in clothing, and what "high quality" really means for us.

This month, we had an amazing article about making your own non-disposable bathroom products. Today, we'll talk through those DIY ideas to help us all reduce waste in the home while using the scraps we already have.

This month, we're talking about making clothes last. In this episode, learn 10 different ways you can mend, adapt, or wear your clothes when they've gotten a little past their prime.

Today's episode was inspired by a video on our YouTube channel called "3 Tips to Make Paper Patterns Last". We'll share the 3 tips from that video, and also adding a few more ideas to keep your paper patterns around longer.

In last week's episode, we talked about prioritizing your projects. This week, we're quickly digging into one specific technique that will help you to plan and develop an idea, and make sure it fits your wardrobe.

This week, we address a question in the Seamwork community about how to prioritize projects and prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed. We share Seamwork members' tips, and our own experiences to give you a few ideas to try.

Do you ever feel a bit "meh" about sewing? We'll explore how you can tackle the creative doldrums by asking yourself a few key questions, and figuring out the right approach for you to find your way back to a hobby you love.

The Burrells are a tight-knit family that sews together. Patricia, Sierra, and Sone-Seerè each know how to sew, but it wasn't something that they did together—until recently. These three women tell the story of how they share this creative spark.

Creativity makes us feel vulnerable. Sometimes we have hidden fears around our own shortcomings, our self-image, or what other people might think. We'll talk about what some of the common fears around sewing are, and how we deal with them.

Not many of us spend a lot of time patting ourselves on the back. Let's change that! In this episode, we'll share some concrete ideas that we've found helpful to celebrate progress and stay motivated.

What do you do when sewing frustrates you? How do you handle stress, failure, and the occasional hit to your self-esteem that comes with creating? In this episode, we'll share a tool that can help you be kinder to yourself and stay motivated to make.

Ann Lowe moved to New York with big dreams. She wanted to become a great American designer, no small feat for a Black woman from Alabama in 1928. But she held fast to her dream, taking enormous risks and facing down catastrophe to realize her talent.   As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.

Have you heard the term "deadstock" applied to fabric? What does that mean? Inspired by a thread in our community, we'll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of deadstock, vintage, and secondhand fabric. And we'll share some favorite places to find it.

We've all been spending a lot more time at home in 2020, and that's led many of us to think more about our spaces. Whether you have a tiny corner or a luxurious craft room, we'll share 8 tips to help you organize and update your space without buying things you don't need.

Decluttering handmade clothing is HARD. We all get attached to things we've made with our own two hands. In this episode. Haley helps us out with five questions you can ask yourself and three practical tips to help you move your handmade clothes to the donation pile when it's time.

This is the story of a designer who really knows herself and her craft. She left a decade-long career in the fashion scenes of Los Angeles and NYC to open up a textiles studio in the Catskills of upstate New York, where she rebuilds textiles with magic, ritual, and a deep connection to nature. As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamw...

In this episode, we'll hear stories from the Seamwork team about how past and future generations of sewists have impacted our sewing stories. As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up

Folkwear has been creating patterns for nearly 50 years. Despite four changes in ownership and two recessions, this women-owned business is still making patterns today.   As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up

In this episode, we'll hear stories about sharing, and how we share our craft with our loved ones. We asked you about a time that you sewed for someone else. Did it go as planned? Did they love it? How did they react?   As a podcast listener, you get half off an unlimited membership to Seamwork. Just go to https://www.seamwork.com/go/podcast50 and sign up.