Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Stuart Mullenberg photo
Today, Christine Haynes from Chic and Simple Sewing joins us to share more about herself, sewing tips and upcoming projects. Her amazing book Chic and Simple Sewing has become one of my favorite sewing books. March 25th we will be hosting a giveaway with the winner receiving an autographed copy of her book Chic and Simple Sewing.
Sew Spoiled: How did you learn to sew?
Christine: I was lucky that my mom was crafty and taught me to sew at a young age. I
didn’t really do it on a serious level until after high school when I
bought my first serger. That was amazing and I was officially bitten by
the sewing bug! I’ve pretty much been sewing ever since!
Sew Spoiled: What were your favorite projects as a beginner seamstress?
Christine: When I first started sewing as a kid, I tried skirts. But honestly I
hardly finished anything. In my late teens when I bought my serger, I went
a bit crazy with dresses and skirts, and that’s pretty much where my love
still is! I think beginners should try something that they love so they
have the motivation to finish the project. It’s easy to give up when the
going gets tough if you’re not in love with the picture on the pattern.
You need to want it bad enough to fight through the issues that will come
up along the way!
Sew Spoiled: Where do you find inspiration?
Christine: I find a lot of inspiration on real people, both in life and on the web. I
love traveling and watching people wear fashions in their everyday lives.
As great as editorial imagery is, I really find it so far removed from how
we really live in fashion, and that is what interests me most. I read
blogs like The Satorialist everyday and have folders of photos stored on
my computer. I also love and collect old yearbooks, both high school and
college. Again, seeing how people really dressed versus how they are
portrayed in old films is quite different. I like seeing the real life
images!
Sew Spoiled: Do you have a favorite sewing tip or accessory that makes sewing
easier?
Christine: My answer is always the same when people ask me for my favorite tools
and/or tips: good scissors and a good iron! It’s impossible to sew well if
your cut edges are not cut well at the very beginning. It’s a domino
effect and each step will be more accurate when it’s cut well in step one.
As for the iron, proper pressing can elevate a garment dramatically!
Sew Spoiled: What new projects can we look forward to? (Can you give us the inside
scoop?)
Christine: I cannot spill any beans on upcoming books, but I can let everyone know
about a couple of other things. First off, I’m very excited to be shooting
an episode of Sew It All with Ellen March for PBS. It’s for season two and
I have no idea yet when it will air, but if you stay tuned to my blog, I
promise to let everyone know when it’s on.
Also, I am teaching at the American Sewing Guild Conference that’s taking
place in Los Angeles this August. I will be teaching an all-day workshop
of the Baby Doll Dress from my book and will be teaching two lecture
workshops about sewing runway and vintage inspired fashions for the home
seamstress. I’m very excited and honored to have been asked to be part of
both the show and the conference!
Check out her site ChristineHaynes.com to find out more. Thank you Christine for stopped by and giving us some tips and upcoming events to look forward to.
Stuart Mullenberg photo
Today, Christine Haynes from Chic and Simple Sewing joins us to share more about herself, sewing tips and upcoming projects. Her amazing book Chic and Simple Sewing has become one of my favorite sewing books. March 25th we will be hosting a giveaway with the winner receiving an autographed copy of her book Chic and Simple Sewing.
Sew Spoiled: How did you learn to sew?
Christine: I was lucky that my mom was crafty and taught me to sew at a young age. I
didn’t really do it on a serious level until after high school when I
bought my first serger. That was amazing and I was officially bitten by
the sewing bug! I’ve pretty much been sewing ever since!
Sew Spoiled: What were your favorite projects as a beginner seamstress?
Christine: When I first started sewing as a kid, I tried skirts. But honestly I
hardly finished anything. In my late teens when I bought my serger, I went
a bit crazy with dresses and skirts, and that’s pretty much where my love
still is! I think beginners should try something that they love so they
have the motivation to finish the project. It’s easy to give up when the
going gets tough if you’re not in love with the picture on the pattern.
You need to want it bad enough to fight through the issues that will come
up along the way!
Sew Spoiled: Where do you find inspiration?
Christine: I find a lot of inspiration on real people, both in life and on the web. I
love traveling and watching people wear fashions in their everyday lives.
As great as editorial imagery is, I really find it so far removed from how
we really live in fashion, and that is what interests me most. I read
blogs like The Satorialist everyday and have folders of photos stored on
my computer. I also love and collect old yearbooks, both high school and
college. Again, seeing how people really dressed versus how they are
portrayed in old films is quite different. I like seeing the real life
images!
Sew Spoiled: Do you have a favorite sewing tip or accessory that makes sewing
easier?
Christine: My answer is always the same when people ask me for my favorite tools
and/or tips: good scissors and a good iron! It’s impossible to sew well if
your cut edges are not cut well at the very beginning. It’s a domino
effect and each step will be more accurate when it’s cut well in step one.
As for the iron, proper pressing can elevate a garment dramatically!
Sew Spoiled: What new projects can we look forward to? (Can you give us the inside
scoop?)
Christine: I cannot spill any beans on upcoming books, but I can let everyone know
about a couple of other things. First off, I’m very excited to be shooting
an episode of Sew It All with Ellen March for PBS. It’s for season two and
I have no idea yet when it will air, but if you stay tuned to my blog, I
promise to let everyone know when it’s on.
Also, I am teaching at the American Sewing Guild Conference that’s taking
place in Los Angeles this August. I will be teaching an all-day workshop
of the Baby Doll Dress from my book and will be teaching two lecture
workshops about sewing runway and vintage inspired fashions for the home
seamstress. I’m very excited and honored to have been asked to be part of
both the show and the conference!
Check out her site ChristineHaynes.com to find out more. Thank you Christine for stopped by and giving us some tips and upcoming events to look forward to.
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