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To be honest, this episode’s link to sustainability is very tenuous, but when repeat-guest Lise Bauer hits you up saying she needs to talk - you drop everything and talk. The main topic of conversation is where we’re both at with the latest round of the Last Sewist Standing challenge. I wonder if our statuses will surprise you….
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Find Lise and the Last Sewist Standing challenge updates at @the.craft.camp on Instagram.
Check out Lise’s personal account @miss.taeschli on Instagram.
Listen to my previous conversations with Lise:
Ep. #118: Last Sewist Standing with Lise BauerEp. #164: Sewing Wins and Fails with Lise & MegEp. #189: Are Zoe & Lise Still in Last Sewist Standing?Ep. #190: Sewing and the Four Tendencies with Jeanna, Kim & LiseEp. #218: Fabric Confessions with Lise Bauer -
Whether or not you identify as neurodivergent, you’re going to want to hear this episode. In Episode 222, Kim Witten and I requested submissions about people’s experiences of neurodivergence and craft. My goodness did we receive a fascinating selection of submissions. If you are at all interested in people, how they think and move through the world, you’re going to love this episode.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Kim Witten (@witten.kim on IG) is a transformational coach and writer:
She has appeared on the following previous episodes:
Ep. #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim WittenEp. #91: Self Knowledge for Sewing Success with Kim WittenEp. #92: Self Coaching for Sewing Success with Kim WittenEp. #110: Zoe & Kim go to the Stitch FestivalEp. #162: How to Solve Your Next Sewing Problem with Kim WittenEp. #190: Sewing and the Four Tendencies with Jeanna, Kim & LiseEp. #222: Neurodiversity and Craft with Kim WittenWe thoroughly recommend that you sign up to Kim’s excellent fortnightly newsletter, ‘Hold That Thought’.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Those of us who make some or all of our own clothes ourselves might feel like we’ve opted out of the fashion industry. However, as citizens of this planet and feminists, we can’t ignore the problems caused by clothing and fabric production. And, in fact, us home sewers might be well placed to have a huge positive impact. Because, as Sophia Yang, the founder of the world’s leading youth-led ethical fashion NGO, Threading Change, discusses with guest-host Kat Camfield, we know that clothes aren’t just commodities: they are creations that contain stories. And that concept is potentially powerful enough to disrupt the perception that clothing is disposable.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Sophia Yang is the founder of Threading Change. You can also find them on Instagram @threadingchange.
Kat Camfield is a sewing teacher and sewing retreat organiser living in Victoria, Canada. You can follow Kat on Instagram @cooperativekatsews.
Hear Kat on previous episodes of CYT:
Ep. #196: Eco Printing - Kat Camfield with Carly from Lorelei Textile DesignEp. #200: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 1Ep. #201: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 2Ep. #204: The Sewing Machine, A Novel - Kat Camfield with Natalie Fergie Ep. #214: Is Inclusivity Enough? - Kat Camfield with Frances from Sincere Studio Ep. #221: Upcycling Secrets - Kat Camfield with Brynn, Emily & MeaganLearn more about The Shoe Project.
Engaging people by making community quilts is one aspect of Threading Change’s many actions:
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Most of us think of sashiko as a type of visible mending that we discovered via Instagram or Pinterest. But what actually is sashiko, and how should we engage with it? Is it an artform to be revered and put on display? A common household practice borne out of necessity, used for survival? Is it a form of meditation? Or some lovely hand stitching patterns we can emulate to fix and customise our jeans? Atsushi Futatsuya, is a sashiko practitioner and story teller who helps fill in the blanks in our knowledge about this fascinating and multilayered practice.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Photo by Kim Lightbody.
Atsushi Futatsuya has a website and can be followed on Instagram @sashikostory.
You can also watch his videos on YouTube.
There are three ways to take a class with Atsushi:
In-person in the US. Online as a mix of recorded and live sessions. Recorded online introductory course via Domestika.Check out where to order Atsushi’s new book, ‘Sashiko: The Untold Story’, around the world.
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There are lots of online marketplaces out there through which you can sell or give away your unwanted crafting materials, but they all have their drawbacks. Destasher is a new UK -based platform JUST for sewists and yarn crafters wanting to buy, sell, giveaway or claim materials and supplies within the maker community. Its creator, Caroline, tells me what makes Destasher such a great option for those of us trying to make more sustainably and affordably.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Check out and sign up to the Destasher website and follow them on Instagram @destasher_uk.
Makers’ accounts that Caroline is inspired by:
@madebysjp@afrayedupcyclingShe's just so fun and inventive. And I really loved her YouTube video where she talks about sewing being a form of rebellion.
@_lostfabricCreates gorgeous jackets from old sleeping bags, blankets, and pre-owned materials, also offers the Boxy Jacket pattern.
@sleepyrabbitdesignsRevolutionising children's fashion by recycling fabrics to create gorgeous gender neutral clothing as unique and fun as little ones.
@oneofsixdesignSustainable sewing and creative workshops for all ages in Walthamstow.
@littlebrowndogvintageHandmade, one-of-a kind garments, all made by Nancy in Suffolk from vintage and rescued fabrics that have had a previous life.
@mcbeebagsSpecialising in making bags and accessories using vintage fabrics.
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I love hearing and reading practical tips for how to stay creative when your budget is tight. But what is rarely acknowledged in those types of content is how rubbish and frustrating trying to maintain a creative hobby when you’re skint actually feels. In this episode, we acknowledge and gently challenge some of those negative feelings, so that applying those practical tips feels positive and rewarding.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Image source: Sasun Bughdaryanvia Unsplash
Other episodes to listen to related to this topic include:
Ep. #58: Sewing On a BudgetEp. #64: Sewing Trends More SustainablyEp. #145: 5 Simple Tactics to Save on SewingEp. #173: Quilting Through Burnout with Radha WeaverEp. #183: Get Your Stash Sorted!Ep. #195: Introduction to Pattern HackingDownload the free Seasonal Stash Guide.
Check out my Free Pattern Friday blog post series.
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The next installment of the SIDDI tour with Jeanna and Mary. I speak to Charlotte from Stitched Up - a Manchester-based not-for-profit with the goal of building an alternative fashion future by sharing sewing, mending and upcycling skills, and facilitating clothing swaps and textile recycling. I spoke to Charlotte Vinsen who freelances with Stitched Up, about what Stitched Up do, how it works and who it’s for. I also catch up with Jeanna and Mary after they deliver their first interactive talk, and we debrief on what went down and what went well.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Charlotte Vinsen freelances at Stitched Up. Follow Stitched Up on Instagram @stitchedupcoop and Charlotte @charlottevinsen.
The Stitched Up team are (l-r) Winona, Sarah, Charlotte, Katy & Bryony:
Jeanna Wigger can be found @thepeoplesmending on Instagram. Jeanna also has an excellent Substack.
Mary Morton can be found @edinburghstreetstitchers and @mvm13 on Instagram.
Mary volunteers at the Shrub Coop, a ZW charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland (@shrubcoop on Instagram).
Listen to my previous conversations with Jeanna and Mary:
Ep. #115: Winter of Care and Repair with Jeanna WiggerEp. #132: A Season of Mending with Jeanna WiggerEp. #135: How to Triage Your Mends with Jeanna WiggerEp. #163: How to Effect Change This Winter with Jeanna WiggerEp. #190: The Four Tendencies and Sewing with Jeanna, Kim & Lise Ep. #191: Stitch it, Don’t Ditch it with Mary Morton & Jeanna WiggerEp. #208: Challenging Consumption and Perfectionism with Jeanna WiggerEp. #217: Mending for Mental Wellbeing with Rebecca from The Big FandangoFind their awesome book, ‘Stitch it, Don't Ditch it’.
Mary and Jeanna giving their interactive talk and triaging the damaged items brought by attendees:
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In recent years there’s been a growing amount of research and understanding around neurodiversity: the variety of ways in which different people’s brains and nervous systems work. With more and more people getting formerly diagnosed, or at least identifying as being neurospicy to some degree, regular guest, Kim Witten, who is a coach, writer and one of my cleverest friends, is back on the podcast to explore what it means to be neurodivergent, and how neurodivergence intersects with craft. We consider if and how neurodiversity might affect someone’s engagement with craft, and also the role that craft might have in functioning well as a neurodivergent person.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
You can find my other podcast, ‘Can I Dig It? Food Growing for Busy People’, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Kim Witten (@witten.kim on IG) is a transformational coach and writer:
She has appeared on the following previous episodes:
Ep. #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim WittenEp. #91: Self Knowledge for Sewing Success with Kim WittenEp. #92: Self Coaching for Sewing Success with Kim WittenEp. #110: Zoe & Kim go to the Stitch FestivalEp. #162: How to Solve Your Next Sewing Problem with Kim WittenEp. #190: Sewing and the Four Tendencies with Jeanna, Kim & Lise -
What are the biggest challenges AND the biggest joys of running a business making products from upcycled textiles? Legendary guest interviewer, Kat Camfield, has rounded up three intensely talented Canadian upcyclers: Brynn from B-Bot Clothing, Emily from Woodbrick and Meagan from Salt Legacy. We hear how they each started their businesses and their different approaches to the same problem: trying to divert textile waste from landfill. They all share tips and advice, including sourcing secrets for others wanting to get into upcycling, either for themselves or to start a business.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Want to learn more about the Me-Made-May challenge? Check out:
Ep. #177: Me-Made-May Explained in Under 5 MinutesYou can also find the very-optional-but-very-helpful Me-Made-May Workbook.
Kat Camfield is a sewing teacher and sewing retreat organiser living in Victoria, Canada. You can follow Kat on Instagram @cooperativekatsews.
Hear Kat on previous episodes of CYT:
Ep. #196: Eco Printing - Kat Camfield with Carly from Lorelei Textile DesignEp. #200: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 1Ep. #201: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 2Ep. #204: The Sewing Machine, A Novel - Kat Camfield with Natalie Fergie Ep. #214: Is Inclusivity Enough? - Kat Camfield with Frances from Sincere StudioMeagan’s business is Salt Legacy. You can follow them on Instagram @saltlegacy:
Brynn’s business is B-Bot Clothing. You can follow them on Instagram @bbotclothing:
Emily’s business is Woodbrick. You can follow them on Instagram @woodbrick:
Brynn creates incredible upcycled sweaters (for example) with their ‘schtick’ being adding denim sleeves. Brynn also makes pouffe shells that can be stuffed with textile waste, and also sells the sewing pattern so you can make one yourself:
Woodbrick’s core products are crescent bags and fanny packs (for example) for kids and adults. Jackets made from upcycled textiles, including quilts, have also become very popular with their clients:
Meagan’s business, Salt Legacy, creates a range of durable bags and accessories from unwanted boat sails. Popular items include their signature tote bag design:
Listen to the previous episode about sizing adaptive and inclusive sewing patterns:
Ep. #219: Flux-Friendly Sewing Patterns with Sasha Starlight -
No one should feel obligated to use their sewing skills and free time for anything they don’t want to use them for. However, if funds are tight, you might decide to look into how sewing can save, or even make, some money. In this episode you’ll hear from some members of the CYT Patreon community and subscribers to the CYT newsletter, about how they save money, and also make money, with sewing. If it’s something you’ve been thinking about, this episode is bound to provide inspiration.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Image source: Pierre Bamin via Unsplash
Also listen to the following related episodes:
Ep. #57: Can Sewing Save You Money?Ep. #58: Sewing on a BudgetSandra recommended the @sparklesewing YouTube channel on YT for advice on wedding dress alterations.
Learn to draft sewing patterns to sell via:
Pattern Lab London (plus their YouTube channel)Lydia Sews Things -
It is inevitable that our body’s shape and size will fluctuate over time, be that over the course of a day, a week, a month or a number of years. As more-sustainable sewists who want to get a lot of use from the items we make, we should be factoring in these body changes when planning our projects. So does that mean that everything we make should look like a potato sack? Pattern designer, Sasha Starlight, explains why the answer is NO! In this episode, Sasha describes some of the different attributes a sewing project can have to be flux friendly, and talks us through some unexpected benefits of using adjustable, adaptable, flexibly sized sewing patterns. By the end of this episode I’m sure you’re going to be super inspired to get making with your future comfort in mind.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Full descriptions of Sasha’s patterns can be found on her website and bought through her Etsy shop.
Follow Sasha on Instagram (@sasha__starlight) and enjoy her video content on YouTube channel (@sashastarlight).
I made the Palazzo Pants pattern:
Listen to the previous episodes discussing sewing with shape and size fluctuation in mind:
Ep. #72: Sewing for Body ChangesEp. #76: Sewing for Body Changes, Part 2The Rhapsody Dress pattern is Sasha’s most recent release:
The Burnside Bibs pattern by Sew House Seven offers adaptability for both size and style.
Sasha and I were discussing pants waist tightener pins.
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Do you fancy a fun catch up with repeat guest Lise Bauer? Of course you do! In this episode we find out what has changed with Lise’s relationship with her fabric stash, and we both make confessions regarding recent fabric purchases. Lise also makes a strong case for attending a Frocktails event, and suggests a different way to engage with social media.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
The costumes made by my big kid:
Find Lise and the Last Sewist Standing challenge updates at @the.craft.camp on Instagram.
You can sign up to this year’s round of Last Sewist Standing via the sign-up post on Instagram.
Check out Lise’s personal account @miss.taeschli on Instagram.
Listen to Lise discuss the challenge in the previous episode:
Ep. #118: Last Sewist Standing with Lise BauerEp. #189: Are Zoe & Lise still in Last Sewist StandingOther episodes of CYT mentioned in this episode:
Ep. #207: Style Shifts and Sustainability with Lindsay Ashworth FraserEp. #207: Style Shifts and Sustainability with Lindsay Ashworth FraserThe dress I made with the sleeves from the synthetic fabric from Walthamstow:
Find out about The Swiss Frocktails event via Instagram @swiss.frocktails and get tickets via Eventbrite.
Lise is organising Swiss Frocktails with Rebekka @gemeine_wildrebe and Benja @onweekends.
Maker Alexandria Arnold @alexandria_arnold hosts a regular knit night in London.
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All of us are aware of and enjoy many of the mental health benefits of crafting, making and mending. Rebecca Jackson understands this better than most, having experienced one of the worst things someone can go through. It led her to set up The Big Fandango five years ago in Bury, just outside Manchester in the UK. The Big Fandango is a social enterprise with workshop space that creates and nurtures community and positive mental health through learning sewing and textiles craft skills, whilst also delivering suicide prevention training to businesses and organisations.
You will also hear from Jeanna Wigger and Mary Morton, authors of the awesome mending book, ‘Stitch It, Don’t Ditch It’, who were delivering a mending workshop as part of their North of England book tour a couple of weeks ago.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Rebecca Jackson founded The Big Fandango, a social enterprise based in Bury, Manchester, UK.
Listen to my episode with Jeanna and Mary about their amazing book:
Ep. #191: Stitch it, Don’t Ditch it with Mary Morton and Jeanna WiggerJeanna Wigger can be found @thepeoplesmending on Instagram. Jeanna also has an excellent Substack.
Mary Morton can be found @edinburghstreetstitchers and @mvm13 on Instagram
Listen to my other previous conversations with Jeanna:
Ep. #115: Winter of Care and Repair with Jeanna WiggerEp. #132: A Season of Mending with Jeanna WiggerEp. #135: How to Triage Your Mends with Jeanna WiggerEp. #163: How to Effect Change This Winter with Jeanna WiggerEp. #190: The Four Tendencies and Sewing with Jeanna, Kim & Lise Ep. #208: Challenging Consumption and Perfectionism with Jeanna WiggerMary volunteers at the Shrub Coop, a ZW charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland (@shrubcoop on Instagram).
Find their book, ‘Stitch it, Don't Ditch it’.
Mary and Jeanna regularly recommend the ‘Repair What You Wear’ website to would-be menders. Also @RepairWhatYouWear on YouTube, and in this episode mentioned their videos on how to thread a needle easily for right handed people and for left handed people.
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It seems like every day, another small craft business announces that it’s closing down. In this solo episode I’m looking at the causes. What can we do to both support small businesses AND buy less new stuff for the sake of our planet?
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Image source: Tim Mossholder via Unsplash
Find out more about the Last Sewist Standing challenge:
Ep. #118: Last Sewist Standing with Lise BauerThis Forbes article, ‘The Benefits Of Shopping Small All Year Long’ by Jim Granat, was really interesting.
The shoplocaluk.org website has some more useful information.
I used the definition of the cost of living crisis from this fuelgenie.co.uk article.
Enjoy Gina Ferrari’s Substack.
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You’ll have heard me say it a ton of times before: sewing clothes yourself isn’t necessarily the most sustainable way to clothe yourself or your family. But obviously, you’ll be prizing my sewing machine out of my cold, dead hands. However, with literal mountains of existing garments already in the world, there are plenty of other ways to source clothing with a reduced environmental and social impact. In this episode, I speak with Izzie Eriksen, founding director of a Glasgow-based social enterprise called ApparelXchange, about the various ways we can clothe our young people more sustainably. We also hear what ApparelXchange is doing to tackle child poverty AND nurture their local community.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Izzie Eriksen is the founding director of Glasgow-based social enterprise ApparelXchange. Follow them on Instagram @apparelxchange.
This episode is the sister to:
Ep. #206: How to Sew More Sustainably for KidsPhotos from the ApparelXchange shop and warehouse:
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Many of us experience the sewing and crafting communities as a welcoming haven in which we find self expression, safety and belonging. But just how inclusive are sewing spaces, both virtual and IRL? And how can we build them better? Guest host Kat Camfield is back with an incredible conversation with Frances Andonopoulos, the visionary behind a different kind of sewing school, Sincere Studio in Portland, Oregon. They discuss how Sincere Studio was built from the ground up with everybody and every body in mind, and why only the social enterprise model can work when creating a space that truly serves all members of a community.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Kat Camfield is a sewing teacher and sewing retreat organiser living in Victoria, Canada. You can follow Kat on Instagram @cooperativekatsews.
Hear Kat on previous episodes of CYT:
Ep. #196: Eco Printing - Kat Camfield with Carly from Lorelei Textile DesignEp. #200: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 1Ep. #201: Making Check Your Thread - with Zoe & Kat, Part 2Ep. #204: The Sewing Machine, A Novel - Kat Camfield with Natalie FergieFrances Andonopoulos is the founder of Sincere Studio in Portland, Oregon.
You can follow them on Instagram @sincerestudiopdx.
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What does it take to be a self-sufficient maker? How do we acquire our knowledge? And to what extent are we subject to crafting influencers and advertising? This is the second part of my most recent conversation with return guest Shams el-Din Rogers, in which we explore this idea. We also share what’s giving us hope as we push into 2026.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Find Shams el-Din Rogers @sepia_textiles on Instagram.
Listen to her on previous episodes of CYT:
Ep. #32: Textile Activism with Shams el–Din Rogers Ep. #49: Sewing as Art and Political Action with Shams el–Din RogersEp. #77: Stashes and Spaces with Shams el–Din RogersEp. #81: Travel, Sustainability and Sewing with Shams el-Din RogersEp. #142: Values Based Spending and Making with Shams el-Din RogersEp. #153: The Provenance of Materials and Techniques - Shams with Allie DaviesEp. #212: Creativity, Craft & Clutter with Shams el-Din RogersShams is on the board at the Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto.
Shams regularly recommended the seminal book ‘Affluenza’ by Oliver James to her students.
Watch the trailer for the Japanese film Rashomon, directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Follow Works In Progress Toronto, the collective Shams is a member of, on Instagram (@works.in.progress.to)
During our conversation we references the following previous CYT episodes:
Ep. #210: How Frugality Builds Community with Mariel DaviesEp. #207: Style Shifts and Sustainability with Lindsay Ashworth Fraser -
I’m guessing that most of us find that a cluttered crafting space affects our creativity. It can also lead to over buying when you repurchase something you already own but weren’t able to locate. Very good friend of the podcast, Shams el-Din Rogers, is back to talk to me about the tactics she’s been using to get her space and her in check, and the impact that’s having on her creativity. Maybe these are tactics that would work for you….
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Find Shams el-Din Rogers @sepia_textiles on Instagram.
Listen to her on previous episodes of CYT:
Ep. #32: Textile Activism with Shams el–Din Rogers Ep. #49: Sewing as Art and Political Action with Shams el–Din RogersEp. #77: Stashes and Spaces with Shams el–Din RogersEp. #81: Travel, Sustainability and Sewing with Shams el-Din RogersEp. #142: Values Based Spending and Making with Shams el-Din RogersEp. #153: The Provenance of Materials and Techniques - Shams with Allie DaviesShams is on the board at the Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto.
Shams’s favourite embroidery designers:
Krista West of Avlea Folk Embroidery Nuri of Shaded StitcheryListen to Shams on the Black Women Stitch’s podcast, Stitch Please:
Ep. #123: Don’t Trash It, Sew It!!: Sustainable Creativity with Shams el-Din Rogers -
Whether or not you’re a New Year’s Resolutions kind of person, setting some intentions about what you’d like more or less of in your life as you head into a new year can feel really positive. All of us want to spend more time making and being creative, and less time being sold to. My guest, Hayley from Sew Hayley Jane, and I discuss the issues faced by makers and small business owners when it comes to navigating social media, and Hayley makes some great suggestions that we can all apply today to spend more of 2026 doing the things that bring us joy.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Read more about Puff and Pencil’s ‘Hands First January’ challenge.
Find Hayley on Instagram @sewhayleyjane and discover the Thready Set Go community that she runs.
Hayley loves the Fold Line, especially their ‘New In’ section, for discovering new potential sewing projects.
A recent project that helped Hayley level up her skills was the Falconer Pants by Helen’s Closet Patterns:
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Do you want to feel more connected to the place you live and the people who also live there? Then consider not buying new fabric. My guest, Berlin-based Mariel Davies, chooses to live a frugal lifestyle, both to reduce waste, and to create and deepen her connections with others. We also discuss the gamification of resource acquisition, and her radical approach to gift giving.
Support the podcast over on Patreon!
Follow Mariel on Instagram (@a_to_zerowaste)
Learn more about Holly McQuillan’s Spiral trousers on the Zero Waste Design Collective’s website.
ZW designer Liz Haywood has explored historical pattern making and tessellating sleeves. All the ‘A Year of Zero Waste’ zines and book are available on Liz’s Etsy shop, and January’s FREE instalment can be downloaded via her ‘The Craft of Clothes’ blog.
Learn more about writer Mark Boyle, AKA The Moneyless Man.
Bea Johnson is the author of ‘Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste’.
Follow green-living activist Robin Greenfield on Instagram (@robin.greenfield).
The @destash4palestine account is a great source for genuinely pre-loved dressmaking fabric.
Edinburgh-based mending legend, Mary Morton, can be found @edinburghstreetstitchers and @mvm13 on Instagram.
Learn about the Lutterloh pattern system.
- Visa fler
