Stitching Tales

Malena and Johanna had some grand plans for 2024. So how did it all go? Plus Malena reveals a professional pivot that she has never talked publicly about before! And a huge thank you to all of you that tuned in this year to listen to our podcast! Stitching Tales on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stitchingtalespod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitching Tales on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Stit...

Looking for the ultimate gift to give your sewing friend (or yourself)? Then look no further. We share our best picks for sewing holiday gifts, from essential sewing tools to inspiring books, something for every budget level. Stitching Tales Gift Guide https://www.thelaststitch.com/giftguide Stitching Tales on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stitchingtalespod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitching Tales on...

Did Johanna really end up joining a weekly dance thing because of Tinder? And why did Malena's sister ban her from caring for her plants? In this episode, we lift the lid on our personal life and share some things you probably didn't know about us! Plus we answer the question we all want to know...how big is really our (fabric) stash? Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/fit-...

Sewing buttonholes is not Johanna and Malena's favourite thing to do. However, they have many tips on making them great, including some garment industry insider tips. Listen to get lots of great insight on the best placement, getting the size right, stitch settings, tools and of course, how to open the buttonholes without ruining everything. Easy bound buttonhole tutorial ⁠⁠https://www.thelaststit...

Johanna set her newly purchased fabric on fire, but why? And which mega-hyped Swedish brand is Malena's new client? Plus did Johanna finally crack the code for successful time management? Listen to find out! In this episode, we talk about what's been happening in our sewing and business life lately. Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/fit-for-knits-book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sti...

You asked and we answered! Malena and Johanna share their favourite upcycling projects and give tips on the best seam allowances for tricky areas, plus how to use interfacing on knit fabrics. Enjoy! Johanna's mittens and beanie hat patterns (for upcycling old sweaters) https://shop.thelaststitch.com/collections/accessories Have questions for another Q&A episode? Email us at stitchingtalespod@g...

Feeling intimidated by sewing a zipper on pants? And what's the secret to a making waistband that looks as nice on the inside as the outside? Plus the secret to a truly invisible machine hem. Malena and Johanna share their best pant sewing tips in this info-packed episode. Enjoy! Johanna's Pants Tutorial Series ⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/category/tutorials/sewing-pants/⁠ Machine Blind-hem Tut...

Johanna can't even pay one month's rent with her latest pattern release, despite it being one of her best-performing patterns yet. And Malena argues that you do need experience and the proper tools to create great sewing patterns. If you lack some skills, enlist help from those who have the knowledge. DIY doesn't mean we have to do EVERYTHING ourselves. In this very candid conversation, we are bus...

Sew welt pockets, darts, and other dress pants details like a pro. Malena and Johanna go deep into common techniques for dress trousers and share their best tips, including some clever RTW techniques. Johanna's Pants Tutorial Series ⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/category/tutorials/sewing-pants/ Dart Sewing Tutorial https://www.thelaststitch.com/vide-sew-along-back-darts/ ⁠ Easy bound buttonhole t...

Sewing pants can be intimidating. Getting the fit right, zippers, welt pockets, the list goes on. Johanna and Malena discuss the challenges with sewing pants and share some very helpful tips too. Plus did Johanna manage to release her new sewing pattern, the Vide Pants, despite not being done 48 hours before the launch? Listen to find out! Resources mentioned: Vide knit pants ⁠⁠https://shop.thelas...

Johanna has finally launched a new sewing pattern, the Vide knit pants. Will it fly or flop? Johanna is a bit nervous about the outcome but excited to have a new pattern to share, after over two years of no releases. Shop Vide knit pants ⁠https://shop.thelaststitch.com/collections/clothes/products/vide-knit-pants-pdf-sewing-pattern Johanna is also on a break from her day job and has some ideas on...

Is a straight stitch sometimes a good idea when sewing knits? And do you need a serger to sew joggers? In this second part of the knit pants series, they nerd out on seams, machines and assembly methods. It turns out that Johanna and Malena use totally opposite methods when sewing knit pants. So which one is the best? Or are both excellent? Listen to find out! Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ht...

Who doesn't like comfortable pants? Johanna and Malena certainly do. This is why they love to wear and sew pants made with knitted fabrics so much that they have also released sewing patterns with this style. In this first episode, they dive deep into all the nerdy stuff that will make a huge difference when sewing knit pants, such as picking the right fabric, best cutting layout and elastic. Fit...

Johanna and Malena are writing another sewing book! And they can finally share what it is about! Plus we get into a heated debate about which seam allowance is best for knit sewing patterns! Email us at stitchingtalespod@gmail.com Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/fit-for-knits-book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitching Tales on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stitc...

Malena is participating in the #sewsmallseptember24 initiative. So we discuss ways to support smaller sewing businesses that might not have big-name recognition but provide awesome products. If you want to know more about the challenge and how to participate, check out @neighborhoodpatterns and @madswick_studio on Instagram who launched this initiative to highlight small sewing businesses. And reg...

We asked for your questions and here are our answers. In this episode we talk about presser feet for knits, how to best fit jeans and other pants, tips for grading patterns, our favourite makes, how to be smart about time when running a business and more! Have questions for another Q&A episode? Email us at stitchingtalespod@gmail.com Sewing Jeans Book https://www.thelaststitch.com/sewing-jeans...

Johanna and Malena are back from a summer podcast hiatus. But it's been a busy summer for both of them. Malena has created several new patterns and samples for a new project that will be announced soon. And Johanna has (finally!) filmed her new jeans sewing course. Plus a new sewing pattern is in the works. It will be a busy fall, so Johanna has decided to take (yet another) break from her day...

Sewing is tricky sometimes and we can all use a little help. Johanna and Malena talk about the tools that make tricky things easier, and save time too! Plus Johanna has finally listened to Malena and purchased a life-saving "sewing" tool. But it took almost setting the sewing studio on fire before she came to her senses. That said, Johanna does set something on fire during the episode, b...

Malena and Johanna go outside their Scandinavian comfort zone to allow themselves to dream big, about sewing and the future of their businesses. We share some lofty goals, plus we tease our next projects! Stitching Tales on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stitchingtalespod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitching Tales on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StitchingTalesPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Male...

Do you have to prewash every fabric and is overcasting the edges always necessary? And do we really have to cut all pattern pieces in the same direction? Johanna and Malena talk about their biggest sewing dos and don'ts. Some they agree on, and some...well...you have to listen and find out! Stitching Tales on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stitchingtalespod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitching...

Malena has added projector files to her latest pattern (The Malva Tee) and we think projectors might be the future for us homesewists. Plus she is featured on the biggest sewing podcast (not us, hehe). Johanna is almost done with the instructions for her latest sewing pattern, the Vide knit pants. But will it sell? This question leads to a discussion about sewing pattern companies going through pe...

Learn our top tips for making your own activewear. We talk fabrics, construction methods, patterns, fit – and how to add those special seams and finishes using regular, domestic, sewing machines. Use code SAPOD20 to get 20% off: Johanna's Sewing Activewear ebook + Aila Leggings patterns. Malena's Hazelhen Top and Fieldfare Joggers. Johanna's discount link https://shop.thelaststitch.com...

We share our top picks of must-have sewing helpers. Tools that are also budget-friendly, with one tiny exception. Malena and Johanna also get into a discussion about which country produces the best scissors. Then Malena reveals a tool that makes Johanna explode with laughter! Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/fit-for-knits-book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Johanna's Top 10 Tools for Less...

Do you want to duplicate a store-bought garment? In this episode, we talk about how to make a pattern from a piece of clothing. There are several ways to do this and we cover them all. Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/fit-for-knits-book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Johanna's Pattern Transfer Tutorial https://youtu.be/qyZIMeEv0yc Stitching Tales on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.co...

Malena is working on a secret pattern project but worries that the pattern's name might turn her into a crazy cat lady. Johanna is burning the midnight oil cranking out weekly YouTube videos, but fears her schedule is not sustainable. Fit for Knits Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelaststitch.com/fit-for-knits-book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Johanna's YouTube-channel https://www.youtube.com/@Thelaststitch Stitchin...