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Whipstitch

Why Bother to Sew??

Posted on February 11, 2009

Great compendium of sewists’ answers to that question over on the blog of Oliver + S pattern designer Liesl. Why do YOU sew??

Happy stitching, everyone!

sewing

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    We’re having some work done on the ceiling of ou We’re having some work done on the ceiling of our bedroom that necessitates removing ALL THE FURNITURE and these are just the books from my bedside table, I’m not sorry. At all. #bookhoarder
    I made my husband a terrycloth bathrobe for Christ I made my husband a terrycloth bathrobe for Christmas Eve, because the children all got jammies but the adults didn’t need any. It’s crimson, his favorite color, and has this 70s-meets-smoking-jacket vibe that is working hard for me. I decided it needed a little embroidery, along the lines of curling coils of pipe smoke spelling out letters. I’d share the finished result with you, but we’ll be On A Boat next week, and the temptation to pack the whole thing up + take photos of him with his pipe tucked into his teeth, one foot on the bow? People, some gift horses you just don’t pass up. (These letters are backstitch overlaid with chain stitch, which gives them a real roundness and helps them stand out against the pile of the terry. All six strands of floss, held together, for bulk + visibility. Terry cloth is from @fabricdotcom) #handembroidery
    Our youngest loves pigs. This is the sleep mask we Our youngest loves pigs. This is the sleep mask we bought for her to wear when we flew to the UK in 2015, but right now she’d rather have it to wear when her older sister turns on the bathroom light right in her eyes after she’s gone to bed. 🤨She brought it down to my sewing room, intensely distraught and convinced she would Never Sleep Again because it was busted. The elastic wasn’t stretched out, like I thought—it just came loose from the side seam, so exactly 49 seconds of quick sewing (plus eleventy billion seconds of dragging it back through that tiny, slippery satin casing) made it right! Quick repairs help me feel like a good mom even on days when I really wish they’d stay outside until the streetlights come on. 😬😬💪 Sending you good Monday Vibes for a quick win to start the week!! #sewingisasuperpower
    I started making notes three+ years ago to start a I started making notes three+ years ago to start an audio version of Whipstitch. I wanted it to feel different and fresh, warm and friendly, to echo the voice in my books while sharing the content from my blog in a new way. It took me a long time to work out what that would sound like—and I’m still figuring it out. My vision is for a chat over coffee about sewing and ideas and the things we think about (and don’t think about) when we’re working at our machines, which should be casual and welcoming and as un-precious as possible, so figuring it out as I go along feels...right. 

And so: today’s the day! Introducing the WHIPSTITCH PODCAST, an audio version of some of my favorite ideas from my blog, with ad lib commentary from me + snappy musical interludes, all hosted over fizzy water and coffee. I hope you’ll have a listen and we can have us a visit, think about sewing in ways that feeds us, inspires us, connects us, and engages good conversation and good relationships. 

#LinkInProfile for the post #OnTheBlog with TWO episodes for you! Plus!!! A FREE DOWNLOAD version of the first episode, Nine Ways To Instantly Improve Your Sewing, sponsored by @leagueofdressmakers. I can’t wait to hear what you think! #podcast #sewingpodcast
    Our National Park Junior Ranger patches have a hom Our National Park Junior Ranger patches have a home! Finished these whole-cloth quilts made from bull denim and stitched dozens of patches in place. Last weekend we hiked and mountain biked in North Georgia, slept in a cabin by a creek at @mulberrygapadvbasecamp, and took these puppies out for a test drive. Swipe through for video complete with rushing water sounds, and a shot of the carrying strap + full view of the 60-degree diamond quilting. Full details with links to supplies {on the blog}! Link in my profile. #juniorranger #whipstitchnationalparks
    Sewing room snacks: coffee!! #IGQuiltFest2021 When Sewing room snacks: coffee!! #IGQuiltFest2021
When I was in high school, Starbucks was a one-location join in Seattle, so I didn’t see anyone under the age of 35 drink coffee until college. My friends all wanted to go to Village Inn, and I’d never been to one? So I asked, “What, to sit in the lobby??” 😳 I didn’t realize that Village Inn is a regional Waffle House-like (but closer to Denny’s, maybe)/coffee shop/late-night after-party joint with fat brown coffee cups and free refills for....ever. 
I gave up coffee when pregnant, realizing I’m pretty reactive to caffeine 🤷‍♀️ but got back on the bandwagon a few years ago and now enjoy a very tall mug each morning over breakfast with my husband, which I then take to my studio to drink while planning my day. After 2 pm, I switch to bubble water (love you, @sodastream!!) but there are no other snacks at my sewing table—I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t be trusted to keep juices off the fabric.
    I’ll play! It’s #IGQuiltFest2021 with @amyscre I’ll play! It’s #IGQuiltFest2021 with @amyscreativeside and today is introductions. 
I’m Deborah, and I’m a garment-maker, quilter, and relentless optimist. I’ve been blogging at Whipstitch for over 12 years, and have hosted the @murdermysteryquilt and @leagueofdressmakers since 2016.  I love bright colors, bold designs, and anything with a stripe/polka dot/plaid vibe. I’m currently working on four whole-cloth quilts to display our family’s collection of Junior Ranger/National Park patches, and sewing up some garment projects that I cut out and then put in a box six years ago? 🤷‍♀️ I live in Atlanta, Georgia with my sweet husband and our children, where we garden but don’t weed, watch as many documentaries as possible while dreaming about the day when live concerts return, and eat our way through the many experiments that have led to the World’s Greatest Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Happy to meet so many new faces and see some good friends under the hashtag today, and to welcome spring by getting inspired with new projects! #quiltersgonnaquilt #handmadeorthehighway
    Sunday after brunch: analog edition. Sunday after brunch: analog edition.
    It’s finished!! My #mushroomshirtdress is up on It’s finished!! My #mushroomshirtdress is up on the Whipstitch blog. If you’ve been following along in my Stories, you know that this was a project I started SEVEN (I’ve been saying six but I did the math and it’s seven) YEARS ago, found in a box, realized was the wrong size AND didn’t have all the pieces cut out—so I squeezed a WHILE DIFFERENT SHIRT DRESS PATTERN out of the remaining yardage + previously cut pattern pieces to make this gem. I love love love it, so much. Details and more photos under the link in my profile! #simplicity8014 #imakemyownclothes
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    all content copyright 2008-2020 Deborah Moebes/Whipstitch Industries LLC