Sew-organised-style

Sam and Ruan discuss how SewFrugal began in 2020.

The amazing discovery people experience when researching for free patterns when taking part in SewFrugal.

Then we discuss how when a pattern becomes a paid pattern how much people continue to support the pattern designer so they can continue to develop new patterns for the sewing community.

Searching for patterns has also affected the challenge and Ruan suggests people pop over to SewOver50 to learn more about using Instagram as Instagram keeps changing.

We discuss how there are great opportunities for people who...

Fashion, Disability, and Co-Design A human-centered design approach is authored by Grace Jun. This practical resource enables people with various skills to collaborate to create clothes to increase social inclusion for all people with specific needs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

M Elaine Mackay, author of 19th Century Patterns for the Modern Body, gives listeners insight into a world where historical dressmaking can be used for modern day clothes design.

In this episode, Elaine discusses the artistry, clothing features, and everyday practicality behind adapting 19th‑century pattern drafting for today’s bodies to create your own garments.

Elaine guides us through each decade in the 1800s with the techniques featured in her Bloomsbury‑published step‑by‑step book—revealing how to interpret period silhouettes, translate classic drafting, and reshape historical garment elements for our bodies.

You’ll be...

Today’s podcast is about the 100 plus hearts project. In July last year, Ronda Hazell came on the podcast to discuss what she went through to diagnose her heart condition.

This diagnosis experience turned Ronda sewing efforts to create a quilt from now over 200 heart patches from around the world. These heart patches became a reality through the dedication and support of the Guardians of the Heart that you’ll hear from in this episode.

The Guardians of the Heart are Julie @the_seams_i_sew Suzy @sewing_in_spain Lindy @Stoxkpatterns Diane @StyleFalcon Helen @new_by_h...

Stash Hub has quickly become one of the most used sewing apps our sewing community — and at the heart of it is Yvette, a sewist who transformed her own organisational challenges into a powerful digital tool.

Her husband Doug, designed Stash Hub to help Yvette manage her fabrics and patterns so she could be happier to keep sewing. Together they listen to the needs of sewing people to continue to improve Stash Hub all the time!
Stash Hub website (new and improved!): https://stashhubapp.com/
Stash Hub Insta: https://www.instagram.com/stash_hub/
Sur...

Tracey Clement is a sewist, an artist and a writer. An academic writer based in Sydney Australia.

Tracey is an academic and in her spare time, she creates textiles to reflect what she's thinking and feeling. On Instagram you'll see the development of the Old Birds exhibit she sewed some time ago. Tracey is currently exhibiting them since she's updated them as part of a regional exhibit.

Tracey Clement's "Impossible Numbers" embroidery will be on show in Sydney in the exhibition Museum Object at Articulate Project Space in Leichhardt from 6-28 June 2026.

https://ww...

Maddie Ballard (she/her) is a writer of mixed Chinese heritage from Aotearoa New Zealand. Her debut essay collection was published as Bound: A Memoir of Making and Remaking (The Emma Press, 2024) in the UK and Patchwork: A Sewist’s Diary (Tin House, 2025) in the US. She co-edits Starling, a literary journal for emerging New Zealand writers, and writes a sporadic Substack. She currently lives in Melbourne.

In Patchwork, a charming and evocative sewist's diary, Maddie Ballard explores the making (and sometimes remaking) of seventeen specific garments over a period of great change in her life—from a jacket li...

This is not a medical episode — it’s an episode born from care. When Sheila’s daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, sewing became one of the ways she could offer comfort and dignity during treatment.

In this episode, Sheila of SheilaLovesFabric on Instagram, talks about what she discovered: the garments that helped, the adjustments that mattered, the fabrics she used, and the things she would have loved to have known about earlier.

Sheila’s hope is that these insights will support others who are sewing for someone navigating cancer treatment, or that you might shar...

Ruth Collins is back on the podcast and she's so insightful.

Ruth Collins is a researcher and creative thinker. As a biological scientist Ruth is interested in the challenges and transition between two-dimensional materials and three-dimensional structures.

Today Ruth discusses the work that’s gone into her new book, Body-Neutral Fitting: Pants.

The similarities between biological structures and clothing design inspired a revolutionary body and gender-inclusive method for fitting pants, that you’ll learn about in this podcast and in Ruth’s book.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.ad...

Maria catches up with Gabby Brown, now an author. Gabby Brown wrote the technical articles for Sewcialists from 2020 and Gabby recorded 10 podcasts about fitting clothes with Maria in those early days.

Gabby and Leila Kelleher met through Sewcialists and this year sees them publishing their first pattern making reference for the fashion industry, design students and sewing people: Plus-Size Patternmaking for Womenswear.

Bloomsbury publishing and Blackbird Fabrics are some of the organisations that have provided amazing support for Plus Size Pattern Making for Womenswear.

In this episode Gabby and Maria discuss using this...

LilypaDesigns is run by Lily Fong—designer, pattern maker, and proud bra nerd with a master’s in education and over 30 years of sewing experience.

Her patterns are all about wearing comfy bras. LilypaDesigns

Once a middle school algebra teacher, Lily now helps people sew bras that actually fit—especially if you’ve got a full bust, a small band, or a body that’s never quite matched “standard” sizing.

Her patterns use a body-aware system built on real breast measurements—not just full bust minus underbust—and the unique shape of each person’s breast ro...

Leesa Simpson is a lifelong maker, business builder and a creative soul with fabric running through her veins.

Her current obsession of quilted sneakers started in 2025. It was love at first stitch! Fabric, colour, comfort, and creativity all rolled into one.

Sneaker Stitch was born.

Sneaker Stitch Australia | Sew Your Own Sneakers Kits + Classes

Any orders placed with Leesa from March 3 to March 10, use the Free Shipping Offer - use the code FREESHIPSOS at checkout. She only ships within Australia at the moment. Sneaker Stitch Australia | Sew Your Own Sneakers Kits +...

Ida Victoria is a Norwegian independent sewing‑pattern designer known for creating modern, easy‑to‑follow patterns for makers of all skill levels.

She's one of Norway's best designers and online retailers.

Based in Jessheim, Ida designs garments for children and adults, focusing on comfort, practicality and clean Scandinavian style.

Her patterns are available as both PDF and printed formats, with many translated into English for an international audience. Under IdaVictoria.no she also offers courses, sewing supplies and curated fabrics. She has built a strong creative community by sharing tutorials, inspiration and behind...

Irina McKenzie is today's podcast guest. Irina and Erin are the fab faces behind Fabcycle!

The account FABCYCLE (@fabcyclevan) developed as a Vancouver-based social enterprise focused on reducing textile waste by connecting apparel industry deadstock with makers, creators, and people who sew.

Founded in February 2019, this initiative evolved from a waste reduction mission into a community hub for sustainable fashion.

FABCYCLE is a collection service of textile waste that you can support both online and in person.

Fabcycle works directly with local apparel manufacturers like factories, fashion designers and schools to...

Nicole Nehrig is a clinical and research psychologist based in Brooklyn, New York, with a deep passion for knitting and textile arts.

She holds a PhD in clinical psychology and is the author of the book With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories.

Her book explored how women through history overcame their life changes with their textile works.

You can follow her on Instagram at @nicolenehrig also on her website With Her Own Hands - Nicole Nehrig and you can find her on Revelry under Nerdy knitting.

In 12 months Nicole...

Digital Pattern Library is Alexandra's sewing community resource for us to use.

Alexandra lives in Cardiff, Wales and she's trained in the fashion industry. Once she was working in couture designer houses, the amount of waste at that level and in high street brands made her rethink her priorities.

Thankfully she found us in the sewing community when she began to develop sewing patterns.

Now Alexandra mainly works with sewists in providing them with skill building opportunities and resources, rather than produce fast sewing patterns. Head to Alexandra's YouTube account now https://www...

Jane Milburn OAM is TextileBeat on Instagram.

She's a sustainability consultant, Slow Clothing pioneer, TEDx speaker, Churchill Fellow, upcycler and agricultural scientist.

Jane has authored Slow Clothing and The Process of Mending - a recipe book.

Clothing accounts for up to 10 percent of our environmental footprint and everyday practices that extend the lifespan of clothes – caring, repairing, rewearing, restyling, upcycling – can reduce its ecological impact and create independence from fast-fashion cycles.

Mary V Morton and Jeanna Wigger, the authors of Stitch it Don't Ditch it, suggested Jane as a podcast guest and...

Amanda.Stitches on Instagram is both today's podcast guest and guest editor on SewOver50

Her standout roberts.woods drafters grid dress at Perth Frocktails this year took our breath away and we had to invite Amanda to tell us all about this dress.

As Amanda said 'the #draftersgriddress has been many months in the making, planning started early this year with the sourcing of vintage tablecloths - not just any cloths, but ones that had similar pink tones & were the same shade of white. Several were ordered online, only to find when they arrived they...

It's not everyday you find an English woman in New Zealand who specialises in sewing kilts.

Leanne Munro sewed 15 kilts in less than 12 months as part of her kilt making training. Yes she quilts but her passion is kilt making. Just ask the locals in New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Her skills include not just sewing kilts but also recreating better kilts from existing kilts. Leanne has a lot of knowledge about sewing kilts and she's more than happy to answer any questions about making a kilt.

We both shared some of our knowledge...

Izumi Montgomery is a Japanese artist and sustainable craft facilitator based in Sydney Australia.

Izumi holds a Masters in Sculpture from Tokyo University of the Arts and she has also studies fashion at TAFE New South Wales. This is where she developed a strong interest in ethical and uncycled design. She combines traditional Japanese techniques such as Tsumami Zaiku (folded fabric flowers) with reclaimed materials to create thoughtful workshops.

Alongside teaching, Izumi regularly facilitates sessions at Reverse Garbage and other community spaces where participants are invited to slow down and reconnect through handcraft.

...

Alexis Bailey has come through a period of not designing and rebranded to become WearWereGoing.

A listener suggested I interview Alexis and in this episode, you'll hear how Alexis has been supported by some of her Patreon community to create zero waste patterns.

She's now turned this corner of her life and Alexis is a positive person to speak to.

Sew Organised Style features people who freely support the sewing community. You're welcome to be a podcast guest by contacting us via DM on Instagram.

Alexis was suggested to me to...

Mental wellness advocate and author Olivia Dieterich has released an uplifting book, Random Acts of Crochet Kindness (published by Search Press), that has one purpose: to create something special and then leave it out in the world for someone else to find.

Olivia creates 25 beginner friendly designs to label with kindness and place in your local community, ready to brighten someone else's day.

These tiny acts of kindness have captivated fans worldwide with the #RandomActsOfCrochetKindness Facebook page which has 357.8K followers where people spread love to strangers.

Patterns, which you can create in...

Her Heart Australia was able to provide Ronda Hazell with a cardiologist for her current heart diagnosis.

Maria Theoharous and Dr. Radhika Arunkumar discuss prioritising health, specifically women's health and focusing on key questions about heart attack.

They share a checklist reviewed by health professionals and highlight differences in symptoms of a heart attack between women and men. Her Heart Australia resources can be found at https://herheart.org/

Listen to the podcast for more healthy heart tips.

Post script: Ronda did more of her own research about her heart condition...

Yasmin Andrews, Community Programs Manager develops and runs the community programs at Reverse Garbage.

Reverse Garbage is celebrating 50 years of operations and Yaz discusses the breadth of programs provided to the community.

Did you know there are 7 types of plastic?

There's so much Yaz discusses that you'll want to get involved with the community programs.

At Reverse Garbage, they offer a fantastic range of Creative Reuse and Sustainability Programs and Workshops tailored to inspire and engage community members of all ages.

From Early Learning to Tertiary Education, and including...

Kirsten Junor, CEO of Reverse Garbage in Marrickville is making sure everyone celebrates 50 years of operating to give a second life to industrial and home 'waste'.

Reverse Garbage rescues between 4 to 6 tonnes of material each month.

Reducing landfill, providing a safe space for social impact, giving people low cost items, providing education. These are just some of the ways Reverse Garbage has been contributing to the community.

They are not for profit and all money raised from sales goes back into keeping Reverse Garbage operating.

Next week's episode is about how...

Jeanna Wigger and Mary V Morton are the authors of Stitch it, Don't Ditch It.

Mary direct messaged Jeanna when Mary heard Jeanna on Check Your Thread podcast. They teamed up and wrote this really helpful book about mending via hand sewing.

As a sewist, you would assume mending clothes is the focus of this book.

What Mary and Jeanna have created is a resource for anyone to mend not just clothing but any textile or object they want to give a second or third life to.

Stitch It provides all...

Ronda Hazell's story started in June 2024 when an echocardiogram showed she had a dilated ascending aorta (a dilation is a bulge where the diameter of the aorta gets bigger when it is more than 1.5 times normal size it is called an aneurysm).

This is a life-threatening medical condition because larger aneurysms can rupture or dissect. Aortic disease is linked to problems with the aortic valve of the heart.

Ronda has regular check-ups with a cardiologist to monitor her heart and aneurysm size.

Finding good medical help was difficult but it is there.

Christine is Sewing and the City.

Her current life in Valencia Spain allows Christine to reuse existing linens with great embroidery for making garments.

She was introduced to SewOver50 by Suzy because of their connection in Spain.

This year Christine is using her fashion training to run Fit Clinics and she constantly creates new sewing patterns when she's not getting inspiration from others in the sewing and fashion community.

Christine is found via her website, on Instagram and on YouTube.

If you are able, consider supporting this podcast through...

Lou and Lynn organise Coastal Sewcial.

They met through a local sewcial called Sew-Toon. Tamlyn who runs Sew-Toon helped Lou and Lynn borrow some equipment when they first started Coastal Sewcial.

Coastal Sewcial is run onsite at a charity and the bonus for the sewists is there is an onsite cafe there as well. The location is by the sea hence the 'coastal' part of their group's name.

If you're thinking about setting up a sewing sewcial in your area, you can listen or watch Lou and Lynn as they discuss what they're...

Claire-Louise Hardie shares her clothes cloning experience in her latest book - Clone Your Clothes. Claire-Louise is a career costumer.

All the images Claire-Louise refers to are on the podcast website and on the YouTube version of this podcast.

Creating clothes for productions means she is constantly ensuring costumes are created for productions in multiples and to last the production run. This means she constantly created clothes by cloning style for the purposes of each production.

Claire-Louise was the Sewing Producer for the first 4 series of The Great British Sewing Bee.

...

Sew Like Dotty returns this week with ideas about starting your own sewing group.

I'm thrilled to welcome back Alison Martin, the heart and hands behind Sew Like Dotty, for the second episode in our series!

Alison is a beloved figure in the sewing world – a SewOverIt Pattern Insider, YouTuber, and the creator of the inspiring A Gift to November Challenge.

In this episode, Alison dives deeper into her journey, shares fresh ideas for starting your own sewing group, and talks about the joy of building community through creativity.

Whether you're lo...

Welcome to Part 1 of our inspiring conversation with Alison Martin, the creative force behind Sew Like Dotty and the Sew Virtual community.

Over the past four years, Alison has grown Sew Like Dotty into a safe and fun online space for sewists. She also manages an encouraging and thriving Facebook group, which she now focuses on full-time after retiring earlier this year.

Alison's passion for sewing was sparked by her mother and the garment industry in her hometown. With her deep-rooted skills and love for community building, she co-founded A Stitch in Tyne with two...

In this episode with Melanie Keane, she gives us an insightful chat about how running the sewing groups for refugees has impacted her personally.

In the 18 months after beginning sewing Melanie was asked 'Do I know anyone who can sew...? 2 weeks later she arrived at the refugee centre with 2 old sewing machines and some donated fabric.

4 months later Melanie had 3 volunteers working with her, 8 fairly decent sewing machines and 15 women in the mixed nationality group. The women were voracious in their making and desperate to sew for their families, repair clothes and just escape from...

Melanie Keane's sewing journey is very community driven.

This is a two-part series and Melanie began sewing 9 years ago through quilting.

In 2020 Melanie and her family sewed over 100 pairs of scrubs for frontline workers, transforming sewing into a meaningful family activity. This experience deepened her connection to the craft and led her to explore garment and bag making, where she found joy in blending functionality with artistic expression.

Beyond her personal projects, Melanie's dedication to sewing extended into community service.

By fundraising for sewing machines and supplies, she empowered refugee women...

Micah Clasper-Torch is a Los Angeles-based artist, designer, and educator helping to lead the modern revival of punch needle rug hooking. With a background in fashion design from The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and the Politecnico di Milano in Italy, Micah blends fine art, heritage craft, and wearable design to create one-of-a-kind textile pieces that range from coats and accessories to wall hangings and soft sculpture. In 2019 Micah was formally trained as an Oxford Punch Needle Instructor at the Oxford Rug Hooking School in Vermont, and in 2020 she launched Punch Needle World, an online community...

Kelsey founded Sew Pittsburg with the vision of creating a sewing community in the Pittsburgh area. As the Instagram account quickly gained traction, Sarah stepped in to help foster the group's growing sense of community. https://www.instagram.com/sewpgh/

Together, they built a welcoming space for sewists to connect, share inspiration, and support one another.

Their efforts transformed Sew Pittsburg into more than just an online presence—it became a thriving hub for makers, encouraging creativity and friendships.

Through meetups, collaborations, and shared enthusiasm, Kelsey and Sarah have cultivated a vibrant sewing cu...

Kelsey founded Sew Pittsburg with the vision of creating a sewing community in the Pittsburgh area. As the Instagram account quickly gained traction, Sarah stepped in to help foster the group's growing sense of community. https://www.instagram.com/sewpgh/

Together, they built a welcoming space for sewists to connect, share inspiration, and support one another.

Their efforts transformed Sew Pittsburg into more than just an online presence—it became a thriving hub for makers, encouraging creativity and friendships.

Through meetups, collaborations, and shared enthusiasm, Kelsey and Sarah have cultivated a vibrant sewing cu...

Alison Smith, MBE, is a visionary in the world of sewing and couture techniques.

As the UK's leading sewing educator, she has revolutionized garment construction, corsetry, and tailoring, making intricate skills accessible to all.

Founder of the School of Sewing, Alison teaches hands-on workshops that empower sewists of all levels. She's also a celebrated author, with books like The Sewing Book and Dressmaking selling over 500,000 copies worldwide. Her expertise extends to online courses and the Members Club, where she shares advanced techniques, pattern hacks, and professional finishing methods.

Alison discusses the updates to...

Natalie or @Nataliecsews is never seen on her Instagram account until now. On the video version of this podcast, you'll both hear and see Natalie Chim.

She has been industry trained and has sewn commercially for over 40 years.

While Natalie's mother taught her how to sew, it was her father who showed her how to fit clothes properly.

In this podcast Natalie refers to a number of good resources and ways to build your own sewing skills.

You'll only find Natalie on Instagram and she's always available to answer your questions...

In this podcast, you'll see Mirjam's textile art journey in full colour on YouTube. She does describe her journey so if you want to simply see her textile art, pop on the podcast website.

All of Mirjam's links are there. You can find her on Instagram, her website and just googling Mirjam will show you how extensive her workshops are.

If you are able, consider supporting this podcast through our patreon account. There are 3 new tiers to choose from to support SewOver50's only podcast.

Every podcast is free and the archive is...