Do you listen to anything while you sew? If so, do you listen to the news, radio talk shows, nice music, recorded books and/or sewing podcasts? I listen to them all, depending on whether I am by myself or with my husband, whose workshop and painting studio is adjacent to my sewing area. Unfortunately, I can’t force him to listen to my books, or some of my music and definitely not my podcasts. When he is around working beside me, we listen to talk radio and the news, which isn’t too bad. One of the reasons I sew is to get away from that stuff, but it’s nice to have him around, so I don’t complain too loudly.
When I’m on my own, though it’s a lot different. I listen to whatever I darn well please and it could be most anything. Unfortunately, my boom box broke and I can’t play my CD’s or recorded books until I get a new one. Instead, I listen to Craftsy (now Bluprint) classes and podcasts on my phone or tablet.
Since most sewers know about Craftsy/Bluprint, I decided to write about the podcasts I listen to, plus some that are new to me. After Googling “best sewing podcasts” I went through the sites that recommended their top 10, many of which are not produced anymore. From Google, I received lots of sites, and they all seemed to have different broadcasts listed as their top 10 so I tried to listen to all of them. It wasn’t as difficult as it sounds though since I eliminated some right off the bat. I do not quilt and I do not embroider either, so I did not listen to podcasts that were mostly on these topics. I am pretty much a fashion sewer and that is the type of podcast I checked out. So, here are five to get you going. Let me know in the comments if there are ones I did not suggest that you love.
I have to start with one that wasn’t on anyone’s list because it hasn’t had an “issue” for awhile, but it is one of my all-time favorites. Sew Forth Now with Lori V. was on the “air” from 2005 to 2012. Wow, that’s 7 years of great ideas and good listening. First recorded before her Girls in the Garden blog launched, this podcast was about what Lori was sewing, interviews, some news, and ideas and facts she picked up from the internet that she thought her audience would like. Lori’s interviews were with fashion sewers and they are the best. Her guests include designers, bloggers and many names we recognize including: Susan Khalji, Sarah Veblen, Peggy Sagers, Connie Crawford, Marcy Tilton, Mary Ray, Ann St. Clair, Nancy Nix Rice, Sandra Betzina, Shannon Gifford, Sue Hausmann, Anna Maria Horner and well you get the picture.
Although she no longer records the show, three cheers to Lori V. for continuing to support it so people can still tune in! It’s too bad the show notes are no longer available, but if you keep paper and pencil handy, you can write down the information when Lori talks about something that grabs your attention. Podcast equipment has come a long way since Lori recorded her shows, so the audio quality is not as good as the newer podcasts, but her guests are so good and her tidbits so interesting, it’s worth the older sound quality to listen to our sewing icons and experts. There is also a bittersweet interview with Shannon Gifford, whom we all greatly miss. (Shannon who was an internationally known and respected teacher, a regular contributor to Threads Magazine, and wrote all of the fabric information sheets for Emma One Sock, tragically, died of cancer in April 2010)
The next one I recommend ( these are not in any specific or sorted order), is Love to Sew, which was on every list I checked. Two young women from Vancouver, Canada host this show: Helen Wilkinson and Caroline Somes, both of whom have sewing businesses. Helen has an on-line pattern shop and a blog called Helen’s Closet and Caroline owns Blackbird Fabrics. These two know their stuff and they are very willing to share it. The podcast, which started in November, 2018, contains lots of interviews and you may not recognize the names but you will know their shops, patterns, tutorials and blogs. I really enjoy listening to this podcast because each one contains a lot of good information and pleasant bantering. One thing that could be slightly toned down, however, is the giggling, but that just indicates their excitement and passion for sewing. “Love to Sew” also is on iTunes and it has 5-star rating. Each episode lasts for about an hour
Another new podcast in the fashion sewing genre is Sew & Tell. This started in November, 2018 and is hosted by Meg Healy of Sew News, Amanda Carestio of Sew News and Kate Zanard of BurdaStyle. Well organized, this podcast follows a basic format: intro conversation, trends, an interview, sew-go, (projects on which the hosts are working), tried ‘n true (TNT patterns they love and make more than once), Lightning Round (3 “either-or” questions from each of the hosts which they all answer) and questions from listeners. This is not a strict outline since each episode may not include all of these topics. One of things I especially like is their focus on indie patterns, an exposure that is not readily available elsewhere. “Sew & Tell” is on iTunes and it has a 5-star rating.
Of course, no list would be complete without Threads Magazine’s contribution, Sewing with Threads. It is hosted by members of the Threads’ editorial staff and they interview top experts and icons – teachers, authors, bloggers and well known sewers. They frequently reference articles in Threads, so make a note and pull-up your magazine archive to check out the articles mentioned. Topics include fitting, design, and sewing techniques. This podcast began in Feb. 2018 and it is a monthly series with a 4.5-star rating, available on iTunes. Episodes last about 30 – 45 minutes and they are well worth a listen
Stitcher’s Brew with Gabby Young and Megan Valero is a unique podcast. First off it’s British so you may not recognize some of the guests’ names. It is a new one that started in Mar. 2018 and it has it’s own point of view. The interviews consist of very interesting guests and subjects like sewing on a budget, capturing creativity, finding your colors, etc. Gabby and Megan are young, (well, compared to me most people are), so occasionally, the giggling on the program is slightly distracting, but by and large I enjoy listening to Stitcher’s Brew because it is interesting, entertaining and can be like listening to a couple of sewing friends getting together.
The last recorded episode was in Nov, 2018 when Gabby announced that she was 4-5 months pregnant. I imagine this is why there haven’t been any episodes since. Between Christmas and preparing for the baby, she has her hands full. I hope they continue when life settles down a bit and they did speak about their upcoming broadcasts in their early November episode, so keep your fingers crossed. Episodes last about an hour and they have a 5-star rating on iTunes.
OK, I said only 5 but I do have 2 others to mention; think of it as a bonus. One of these is Clothes Making Mavens with Helena Ashbridge and Lori Beckstead with contributions from Barbara Emodi. They started in June, 2016 and they are still at it. “It” includes interviews with well-known bloggers who have a passion for sewing and focus on style. They also include lots of discussions about indie patterns. I especially liked the interview with Oonaballoona a/k/a Marcy Harriel. The interview was as good as her blogname! This podcast also is on iTunes and has a rating of 4.3
Some podcasts get off to a great start, but after a while, the time between podcasts becomes longer and then they disappear. They are still available however and still worth a listen. One of these is Thread Cult by Christine Cyr Clisset who has 42 episodes of information. In addition to the industry icons, she also invites guests from the fabric and fashion industry, the behind the scenes folks, which makes a good change because it adds more scope to our knowledge. I really enjoy listening to this because it is very professional, has interesting content and I highly recommend it. The episodes last 45 +/- minutes and have a 5-star rating on iTunes.
I hope this list of podcasts keeps you in good company while you are sewing this winter and will get you all prepped for the delight of Spring. Tell us what podcasts you especially like or what you listen to, if anything, while you sew.
Cheers,
P. S. I have a couple of announcements for you and if you get as excited about them as I am, well it will just add to driving away the winter blahs:
- The Great British Sewing Bee RETURNS!!!! Yeah. Broadcasting in G.B. begins Feb. 12, 2019. I do not know when it will be available in the U. S. but keep your eye on YouTube. It’s usually available there a day or so after the show broadcasts in England, so you do not have to wait too much longer! and,
- “Curvy Girls are Chic” is hosting the 1st Annual Bra Making Conference in Baltimore, MD beginning June 20th. More information is available at http://www.bramakersconference.com If you have never made a bra before, it’s really fun and surprisingly, not too difficult for an intermediate sewer. Hurry, the Early Bird pricing is sold-out.
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