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“With Radha’s spirit and cool sense of style - I knew making her pattern while upcycling the denim would be the bag of my dreams!”

- @samscreativeside

THE TOTEPACK PATTERN

HI I'M RADHA

I’m a textile artist, sustainability educator and small business strategist based in San Francisco. But don't worry, I balance all that serious stuff with a fair bit of silliness, and I share my work without judgement.

My unique expertise and passion for sustainability was fueled by a 15-year career in the apparel industry where I travelled the world, visited denim factories in China and Bangladesh, and unfortunately had a front seat to the rise of fast fashion. I used to create new jeans but now at Sewing through Fog I help keep those same jeans out of a landfill through classes and patterns to help you Quilt Your Jeans.

LECTURES

An upcycled denim and leather quilt at QuiltCon 2025

QuiltCon 2025 Upcycled & Repurposed

My goal for QuiltCon 2025 was to shine a light on all things upcycled at the show. In this post I'm sharing the quilts I found, and some sto

Helping you Quilt your Jeans with QuiltInk!

Want to experiment with quilting with Jeans in a fun and easy way? I teamed up with QuiltInk to create a special denim palette!

Quilting with Leather Part 2: Tools

All the tools you need, and some you should avoid, to get you started quilting with upcycled leather. In part 1 we talked about why you...

THE TOTEPACK

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Pattern & Upcycling Guide

For everyone protesting this weekend: know your rights, stay safe, protest peacefully.

[my photos from protests through the years. Women’s March, border wall, George Floyd, prop 8]

It feels weird, kind of trivial, to make stuff and post stuff right now. But we have to do what we can to stay sane.

For me, that means experimenting. And falling back into old habits. Doing the same things but with new things.

Weaving is my comfort zone, but I’ve never done it with knits. But I’ve been working on a project with light weight jersey, and ended up with a bunch of little trimmings. So of course I had to try weaving them.

I’m kind of excited where this is going.

#sustainablesewing #upcycledtextiles #textileart

I shared some of these gorgeous vintage handkerchiefs in my stories when they first got donated to @scrapsf .

They sold out so fast, but not before I grabbed a couple of my favorites ☺️. I will probably let them simmer for a while in my mind. I like to give things a minute until a project pops up that is the perfect match. Because if I rushed to use them right away I’d never finish the projects I’m currently working on!

They are so beautifully light and delicate, I think I’ll have to make a summer top (for when I go outside San Francisco during the summer 😅).

#vintagehandkerchief #vintagefabric #vintagefashion #shopsecondhandfirst #creativereuse

If you are just learning to quilt or sew, never ever feel bad if you don’t know something that you think everyone else knows.

If it’s ok for a BERNINA ambassador who has been sewing since she could walk (and who writes patterns that instruct people to use a walking foot) doesn’t realize she isn’t actually using a walking foot… well then there is no reason for anyone to feel embarrassed about something they don’t know.

And sewing is like that — everyone has their own way of doing things, and there can be multiple right answers to every question. What’s important is that you just keep moving forward!

#berninausa #berninaambassador #sewingtips #beginnersewing #howtosew

I’m going to be spotlighting some awesome non-profits and small businesses that you will want to know about and support. Because in the midst of this current mess, they are helping their communities, bringing joy and fostering creativity. And those are the people I want to be focusing on right now.

The first is Community Fits, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oakland and founded by Brittani Kaigler, MSW, a social worker and creative. She founded Community Fits to build inclusive spaces where creativity, culture, and community meet — welcoming everyone, especially those who may identify with marginalized identities.

Community Fits offers weekly classes at its Oakland studio and brings workshops to communities across the Bay Area. Rooted in a trauma-informed approach, its culturally relevant programs use sewing and textile arts as tools for skill-building, healing, and connection 💕.

So give her a follow!

#sewingclasses #learntosew

Yeah, it was ☺️. And I’m still grateful every single day that I get to make art and upcycle denim and talk about creative reuse instead of going to an office to create strategies to get Macys and Target to buy more jeans they don’t need.

A big salary and good benefits don’t matter when you feel like you are loosing your soul. Your job doesn’t have to be your passion, but it should align with your values if it’s possible.

But also sewing about a zillion strips of 1” denim together can get a bit mind numbing when you do it for so long… 😳

#sustainablesewing #creativereuse #denimupcycle #upcycledjeans #denimart #textileartist

Troy got a supervised visit of the sewing room, but he had to wear his harness! We are thinking he might like to go for walks (he has so much energy), but first he needs to be comfortable in his walking clothes.

He also thought it would be a great time to add some much needed cat hair to my current WIP. I’m still working with the denim strips, they have expanded and are becoming a cityscape backdrop that will be home to… Pac-Man? Not sure yet.

And yes, I thought about the fact Troy’s vest would not work in my Sewing through Fog color scheme. But classic buffalo check is the only time I like red and it was just too cute.

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #catsonquilts #catsandcrafts

This was so much fun 🤩. Katie @oldriverdesignco had a Rit Shibori dye kit and it had directions (that not all of us followed exactly 😅).

I’m calling it Shibori (ish), just in case anyone thought I was trying to show you how to do something accurately 😂.

What was cool was I dyed three really different textiles: a large piece of jersey, a knit shirt and a vintage tablecloth thing… which didn’t exactly do what I wanted but that’s ok!

#shiboridye #fabricdye

Do you ever decide around lunch that you need ginormous pants to wear that evening? And you think “I know what pants shapes look like, I worked in the apparel industry for 15 years before burning out in the pandemic 😁”.

So you draw(ish) and then freehand cut out a bunch of shapes and then serge them together (and take them apart because you completely forgot the sewing order of pockets and then sew them together again).

And they turn out totally great! The twisted seam looks intentional and the odd topstitch you used to secure the pockets looks like a cool detail. And since none of the friends you are seeing are sewists, they would never notice the little wonky bits.

And the fabric and elastic cost $2 because you got them at a creative reuse center! Some projects are just meant to be ☺️.

Sewn on @berninausa L 890 Overlock/Coverstitch

#sustainablesewing #shopsecondhandfirst #widelegpants #berninaambassador #berninausa

Since I’ve been hand-sewing more (and liking it a bit more), I’ve tried to have one project sitting around that I can do in the evenings while watching whichever British/Scottish/Irish/Welsh/Australian/New Zealand murder mystery we are currently watching.

I got this sweatshirt 2 years ago at the @sfquiltersguild show and I’ve slightly trashed it through using it to teach weaving, and upcycling and then downcycling it a couple times.

But it’s a great sweatshirt and I love the Golden Gate Bridge of course, so I thought I’d experiment with embroidering over the screen print. Also adding weaving back in, adding a denim patch pocket, and who knows what else!

#upcycledfashion #sustainablesewing #embroiderylove #handstitching

I don’t think this needs further explanation (my account is my argument against this nonsense). So instead I’m going to shamelessly plug this quilt pattern. Comment “DUO” and I’ll send you a link to my shop.

It’s a great pattern (it’s actually 3 layouts in 1 pattern), and it walks you through all the ins and outs of using old jeans to make a quilt!

This also addresses another BS part of quilting—that some people believe quilt patterns and classes should be free otherwise it’s gatekeeping 🤦🏻‍♀️. No, it’s actually valuing what was traditionally women’s work, and supporting people in creative fields.

[Thanks to @thehackneyquilter for posting about this yesterday]

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #denimquilt #quiltpattern #sustainablesewing

I found my very own 70’s belted sweater!! 🥹😁🎉🥳✌️

Or, more accurately, Janina at Empress Vintage found it and I happily adopted it last week (along with some other awesome vintage treasures).

It takes time and skill to collect and curate a good vintage store. And it’s so satisfying to find one, because the clothes are such better quality than what most brands sell these days.

And you get a piece with history and a story. Like, who was the first person to buy my belted sweater?? Did she have a special man in her life who wore a matching belted sweater?? We will never know!

@empress_vintage #vintageresellerofinstagram #vintagestylenotvintagevalues

Ok, so I should really be using a mini vacuum attachment… but this works just fine (as long as there aren’t any needles or clips or feet or anything else that might get sucked up 😅).

You should never use canned air because then you are just pushing the dirt back into your machine. A brush is good, but sometimes just moves the fuzz around. But a vacuum is great because then you are getting all those little bits out of the machine completely!

#berninausa #sewingmachinetips #sewingtips #howtosew

I’m trying to love hand sewing (closer but not quite there), and I decided to hand sew these down with a blanket stitch. I recorded my progress but never planned to share these videos.

Because I knew I was doing something wrong. Decorative hand sewing is my sewing weakness, I’m not an expert. And I know I’m never using the right tools or holding my hands the right way.

And then I get really critical of my work and start overthinking it (I’m not just the president of the overthinkers club, I’m also a member).

So, long story short, I decided to post this anyway because I decided to. So maybe the next time you start to overthink something you instead remember how silly I sounded and you just do it.

#denimupcycle #upcycledclothing #visiblemending #handsewing

There is no right or wrong way to mend clothes. It’s just good you are doing it. And I love those types of projects, where anything goes and it’s almost impossible to mess up.

I have another pair of jeans that I’ve patched and mended with contrast fabrics and big stitches, but these I wanted to keep more subtle.

I was having a hard time finding the right denim scrap to use until I started looking at the back sides of the denim and was able to find a lighter shade that blended better with the faded knee that was being patched.

This whole project took less than 15 minutes and I extended the life of these jeans 😊. Do you have jeans that need repairs? It might be easier than you think.

#visiblemending #invisiblemending #denimrepair #repairyourjeans #upcycledjeans #denimupcycle

“What did you do today?”

“I’m a serious quilter now, so I worked on my goal of bringing more circularity and reuse into modern quilting.”

“Oh good. I was worried you were going to make something silly.”

[imaginary conversation in my head while I made these]

#sustainablesewing #upcycledjeans #denimart

Remember when I hand-dyed this Liberty fabric last year in indigo? AKA when I “ruined” perfectly good $45yd fabric? 😄

It’s been waiting, biding its time… until *pounce*. It jumped back on my work table and said it wanted to be a log cabin. But probably not a quilt (I already have a Liberty quilt).

I think these might be a shirt, which is why I had to use my BERNINA L890 to flatlock the pieces together, so the back wouldn’t be a fraying mess. This is the same stitch I used for my denim dress. I wasn’t sure if it would work with the Tana Lawn but it did!

@berninausa @libertyfabrics #berninaambassador #libertytanalawn #indigodyed #logcabinquilt

I realized I never shared photos of Chairy (the chair). So… here you go! I also have some variations of chair paraphernalia to really drive home the versatility of these pockets.

Things that fit in Chairy’s pockets:
1. Tiny notebooks and cat pencil.
2. Hand sewing needles and thread
3. Scissors and measuring tape

The list goes on and on.

Where are the snacks you ask? I ate them. But I can confirm that a bag of gummy bears does in fact fit. Chairy’s bear’ys.

#denimupcycle #upholsteredchairs #furnitureflip

This dress was such a simple process. No really! If you have ever used a pattern, you can make a patchwork version of the pattern in just a couple extra steps.

I’m going to be doing a blog post soon for BERNINA We All Sew on exactly how I did this patchwork technique using a flatlock stitch on my L890.

Using a flatlock for patchwork is my new favorite thing. It creates such a clean finish in the back which is perfect for garments.

#berninausa #berninaambassador #denimupcycle #sustainablesewing #upcycledjeans

Not a full tutorial but an overview of how I did my recent chair upcycle/reupholstery project. This is the same process I’d follow with any shape chair or ottoman.

I could have also just sewn the denim patches on top, but I liked the idea of making a fitted cover.

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #sustainablesewing #creativereuse #reupholsteredfurniture #denimchair

Sure I get joy knowing my volunteering at @scrapsf is helping keep art supplies out of landfills, funding art education in schools… but I really do it for MEN IN BELTED SWEATERS.

Who knew sweaters could be that much better with a strangely low belt?? And pair so nicely with a jaunty cap?? I laughed so hard when I found this at SCRAP this week and it’s going to keep bringing me joy framed on the wall of me sewing room 😁.

#creativereuse #vintagepattern #vintageknittingpattern #vintageknitwear #vintagecraft

I’ve been sharing a lot of non quilt projects recently, because honestly, I’m a bit lost in my quilt-making journey.

I keep questioning my motivation in what I’m making—is it for IG, or for a quilt show, or because I really want to do it? And all the quilt projects I’ve started haven’t felt authentic.

A spur of the moment chair is authentic. A last-minute dress from a vintage pattern and denim scraps is authentic. But for some reason when I set out to make “A Quilt”, it’s felt forced and contrived, like I’m trying too hard.

I’ve been playing around with denim strips and I keep thinking I love something and then I feel like I ruin it. I started this today and I’m not sure how I feel.

#denimupcycle #upcycledjeans #sustainablequilting #creativereuse #textileart #denimart

Shouldn’t couches also have pockets? Do some chairs and couches already have pockets and I just don’t know about them??

Don’t I have anything better to do than post this video?? Honestly no, I’m pretty focused on this pocket issue and I’d like someone to explain it to me.

But also I guess this is why you should just make your own upcycled chair covers out of old jeans.

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #sustainablesewing

I decided to do this a couple weeks ago and finally tackled it this weekend. It was pretty easy! I just took the old cover off and used it as a pattern to make a new cover.

All I used was some pliers, my @berninausa L890 to overlock the denim patchwork together, and a staple gun to put it back together.

Not bad for 8ish hours of work ☺️. I think I might add some stitching on it later…

#denimupcycle #upcycledjeans #sustainablesewing #upcycledclothing #upholsteredchairs

On one hand, you don’t need to know anything about weaves to sew something beautiful. On the other hand, knowing how textiles are made can help you understand how they will react and shift and can ultimately help you predict and control them.

I have these visions—I see scraps and know they will become a beautiful dress. That’s not luck, that’s a lifetime of working with textiles and therefore being able to predict what they will do.

If you are trying to up your sewing skills, it can’t hurt to learn about the creation and processes that lead to the materials you are working with.

#sewingtips #textileart #learntosew

I would like to sincerely thank the staff at @wasteshed.evanston for putting up with me last week.

I’m not sure how normal it is for someone to be waiting in front of the store for it to open and then have quite the level of excitement (and questions) as I did.

What can I say, creative reuse is joy!! Seeing wonderful arts and crafts supplies being saved from a landfill, and put in the hands of makers who are going to turn them into something cherished. What could be better??

And big thanks to @fire4hairlady for taking me to this awesome place!

[if you are in the Chicago area, there are two Wasteshed locations to check out!! @thewasteshed]

#Creativereuse #shopsecondhandfirst #sustainablecrafting #sustainablesewing

What’s blue and patched and made from old jeans? Everything I make… Ok, that wasn’t a great riddle.

I think my new favorite thing is finding vintage patterns and making them with different types of denim patchwork. I did that coat, and now the dress. I still want to do a whole suit but I’d need a pattern that wasn’t made for a tall man.

But now I’m just going to enjoy how well this dress turned out. Because the whole thing felt like it was made to be! The denim samples, the fact that vintage pattern fit me like a glove (no alterations!). The fact I couldn’t have done it without my new @berninausa L890 overlock/coverstitch.

Now I just keeps somewhere else to wear it 🤔.

#denimupcycle #thriftflip #sustainablefashion #denimpatchwork

Really pleased with how this one turned out. The minute I saw these fabric headers (samples from a friend who works in the apparel industry), I was excited because they were so lightweight, which meant drape!

Traditional denim is 12-14oz, I usually sew with 10oz if possible. These were maybe 4oz, which meant they had so much movement and would be perfect for a dress.

Half of them were poly blends and super stretchy, which normally I’d avoid at all costs, but they were really easy to sew on my BERNINA L890.

I’ll share some more pics tomorrow.

Sewn on @berninausa

#sustainablesewing #denimupcycle #thriftflip #vintagepattern #denimpatchwork #berninaambassador

I definitely don’t have time to start knitting… or crochet, or needle punch. So I’m just going to have to stick with enjoying the colors of thread 😅. Am I getting bored of all my blues? No! But I do love color…

But seriously folks, the fabric at H+H wasn’t that exciting to me (I know, I know, but I just don’t love quilting cotton). But the yarn on the other hand… all of the hand-dyed skeins, so many options with eco-friendly fibers and processes…

On my panel I shared the stage with Marisa Cid of @pascuali_official and I was genuinely impressed by their sustainability initiatives. If there are any knitters out there you should check them out!

And I got to chat with @roadtripsockyarn who won last year’s Golden Scissors award for sustainability and then found out she donates proceeds to cat rescues!

In terms of things I’ll actually use 😅, I was finally able to connect with @scanfilfinethread who makes beautiful GOTS certified organic cotton thread and I’m really looking forward to trying their 30wt in my machine for quilting.

#organicthread #sustainableyarn #sustainablesewing

There were some interesting products at h+H, but of course my favorite part was getting to see quilty friends, and being inspired by The Quilters doc and the keynote by Mister Larrie.

And I’m just feeling really grateful that this quilting community has led me to new friendships with some truly badass women 😉.

And big thanks to my sister-in-vintage, Maude, for wanting to lay on the floor and answer fake phones 😂.

@craftindustryalliance @hhamericas

#craftindustry #sustainablesewing

Watch this movie. It’s on @netflix. It’s beautiful, and moving, and we need to support this film because we need more programs like this in our prisons. Rehabilitation, treating humans like humans, finding art at any age.

@thequiltersdoc @hhamericas

Dear Canada,
Thank you for voting with more sanity than we did. I understand if you aren’t super excited about buying from the US right now (oh, and tariffs and climate change), so I thought I’d help out by sharing these awesome places where you can get secondhand fabric and craft supplies.

There aren’t a ton, but it’s a start. And if I’m missing any, please let me know and I’ll add them to the map on my site.

Comment “Thrifty” and I’ll message you a link to the map where you can download the list!

#creativereuse #shopsecondhandfirst #fabricstores

I did a really fun project for BERNINA’s blog—adding orphan blocks to a sweatshirt using my overlock/coverstitch. Check out the tutorial up on the We All Sew blog!

I wanted to do a project that could be made with things you probably have in your sewing room right now. Because that’s really the most sustainable option—using what you have rather than buying new.

Ok, I know a lot of people aren’t lucky enough to have a BERNINA L890 in their sewing room right now 😅. But there are a bunch of tips that can be helpful for anyone!

#weallsew #berninausa #berninaambassador #quiltblock #quiltedsweatshirt #upcycledsweatshirt

I hope you know, I’m not a perfect example of a sustainable, zero-waste maker. I do my best, which is pretty good, but I have to make compromises and can’t always make the perfect choice.

Which is mostly because… there is no perfect choice!! Sustainability is so complicated, and nuanced. Sometimes you do have to choose between maintaining your machine and wasting materials.

My point being: it’s important to try, to participate, but you need to know that it’s all imperfect. So give yourself a break.

#sewingtips #sustainablesewing #sewingtipsandtricks #zerowastesewing

I love vintage stuff. I don’t love vintage ideals. And that crap really seems to be making a comeback these days.

So I thought, since it’s #memademay, it doesn’t hurt to remind people how ridiculous all those rules about body type and silhouette are . I’m short and I have narrow shoulders and big hips, so I can’t wear shorts?? I mean, I can’t wear shorts because I live in San Francisco and it’s freezing, but not because Vogue says so.

You can make your own ideal. And hopefully that is purely based on what makes you happy.

#vintagesewing #sustainablesewing #creativereuse

The problem with piecing a lot of shapes together is the mess in the back. Especially with denim or other fabrics that fray, the back can become covered in threads.

You’ve probably seen my denim patchwork skirt—the front is great, the back not so much. It’s not about wanting things to be clean and “perfect”—f you have too many seams and you aren’t securing them, your piece might start to come apart.

This was one of the reasons I really wanted an overlock/serger: so I could make more denim patchwork clothes. And this first patchwork project I’m doing with my BERNINA L890 is turning out so awesome, especially since I started using the flatlock stitch.

It’s hands-down my new favorite way to do patchwork.

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #sustainablesewing #flatlock #sewingtipsandtricks

Finishing up this dress to wear in Chicago next week at H+H Americas with @craftindustryalliance. I’m going to be talking on a panel about sustainability in the craft industry, so that felt like the perfect excuse to upcycle something!

Not that I need an excuse… ok, let me rephrase: that gave me an excuse to procrastinate stuff I didn’t want to do.

I got these headers/leg panels (fabric examples sewn into tubes) from a friend in my guild, and I was so excited because they were denim but super lightweight. Which meant I could do patchwork but with a drape.

I’ll share more later on the process.

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #upcycledfashion #denimpatchwork

It had to be done!! I have at least five seam rippers… except when I need them. And then I have zero seam rippers. Where do they go??

Someone mentioned that they use those lanyard retractable things for badges to attach things they loose to other things they don’t loose, and I thought that was genius. But I don’t have one of those retractable things so I used tape and a ribbon.

So far it is working out amazingly. I needed to seam rip and thought “but where is my seam ripper?” And then I realized I knew exactly where my seam ripper was!! This type of top-notch thinking is what got us to the moon.

Please share any tips you have for not loosing things you usually use.

#sewingtipsandtricks #sustainablesewing

When I finished this top I decided it kind of looked like a tactical vest, so I thought I’d make it my official uniform for fighting the patriarchy et al. So, Clockwork Bear is now my battle mascot. But a non-violent battle of course.

Every time Clockwork Bear (or you) repair instead of toss, every time you reuse instead of buying new, you are fighting back against climate change, late-stage capitalism, this idea that everything is disposable.

Yeah that sounds kind of dramatic, but it’s true. And if we all do these little acts, they will start to add up.

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #sustainablesewing #creativereuse #repairdontreplace

Am I going to wear this to an @sfclimateweek event tonight? Who knows! This was a real spur of the moment project.

You know how it is: it’s two days before an event and you decide to take an upcycled denim appliquéd quilted art piece you made and turn it into a tank/apron/vest thing.

A tale as old as time. Who hasn’t decided their clockwork orange bear wearing sunglasses and a hat should be a piece of clothing?

Let’s see if I finish this and then have the courage to wear this because even for me, it’s a bit… unique?

#upcycledjeans #denimupcycle #upcycledclothing #upcycledfashion

Kitten advice needed! Penny and Troy are not allowed in the Sewing through Fog / FeelGood Fibers sewing room due to the fact they are naughty kittens. On a scale of “awe that’s cute” to “what the #%*????” they are a “what are you eating??”.

Penny is a big fan of batting thread (especially when it’s threaded on an overlock😑) and pulling pins out of the design wall, and Troy likes to chomp plants and we are fairly sure he ate some tape the other day 🤦🏻‍♀️.

I know they will calm down at some point, but I wanted to see if anyone had any tips on keeping your kittens safe in your sewing room.

(How cute are these photos though?? They were taken by @tristancrane who is an awesome photographer in the Bay Area)

#catsonquilts #sustainablesewing #creativereuse

I can’t tell you the number of chain stitches I’ve pulled out, in that special way where you can keep the thread intact (harvest it) to use again.

[Right now you might be thinking: wow that’s intense, I’d never reuse thread! And that would be a very sane reaction. But if you are thinking that sounds like fun, I have a tutorial on YouTube you can check out.]

But I’d never actually sewn a chain stitch until this week on my L890. And as a life-long sewist, it’s so exciting to learn new things and try new techniques!

And while I’ve sewn with knits and fleece before, it’s always been a struggle. For the last year I’ve actually been slowly stocking up on fleece (grabbing pieces that come into the creative reuse center where I volunteer), with the intention to make a fleece quilt!

I hope you will follow along as I start tackling this growing list of projects for my L890. If there is something special you want to see, just let me know!

#berninausa #berninaambassador #sustainablesewing

I was so glad Eli invited me to her monthly scrap night at @studiosessions.sewing and I was able to share a bit about how I mend denim (although talking and demo’ing handsewing is harder then you’d think 😅).

Eli has such a great space in Berkeley and has built a lovely community there, I definitely recommend checking it out!

#visiblemending #denimpatchwork #repairdontreplace

My love/hate relationship with overlocks began in the costume shop I worked in during college—anyone who has attempted to thread an industrial overlock will know exactly what I’m talking about 😅.

When I started sewing again (20+ years later), I knew I’d eventually want to get an overlock, and it was this upcycled denim patchwork skirt I made last year that really sealed the deal.

So much of what I do as a sustainable maker is combine odd shapes of varying weights and fibers. And while I don’t think the back of any project needs to look “perfect” (or the front for that matter), controlling those seams is critical for making the project last.

#berninaambassador #berninausa #sustainablesewing #denimpatchwork

When I asked people to guess what this shape was, there were some pretty great guesses! In fact most of the guesses were way better than the actual answer. Which was a ruler.

🤷🏻‍♀️ I can’t be a genius every day of the week. Ok this week’s post have really gone in a silly direction.

#sustainablesewing #reverseapplique #leathercrafts

As a sustainable quilter, I spend a lot of time thinking about the lifecycle of my materials, but also the tools I use. Because sustainable making isn’t just about where your fabric comes from—it’s about how you make things that last!

It was those thoughts that led me to choose the BERNINA L890 overlock/coverstich when I became an ambassador and was given the opportunity to get a loan-to-own machine.

The L890 is going to help me make pieces that are more durable, and honestly just level up the quality of everything I make. And that means those pieces will last longer, be worn or used more, and stay out of the landfill!

I’m excited to take you along on this journey with me, and discover all the things this machine can do.

#berninaambassador #berninausa

Comment “thrifty” for a link to my secondhand fabric store map. Because while you don’t need a reason to shop secondhand, there have been a few good ones floating around recently… 👀

Joanns closing, tariffs, global warming, textile waste, you know, nothing too big. It’s not overwhelming at all 😅😬.

And while I can’t solve the world, I can remind you I have a great online resource that maps secondhand fabric stores across the globe! And I can make cute little posts by state that you can share to help spread the word!

So share if you can and let’s turn this really awful time into an opportunity to raise awareness about these amazing small businesses and non-profits!

I can only tag 20 people so I’ve tagged as many as I can in the comments.

#thriftyourfabric #creativereuse #secondhandfabric #shopsecondhandfirst

No point, just a bit of nonsense for your Thursday. Because if you aren’t volunteering at a non-profit where you make vintage quilted dolls dance, and playing paper guitars, what are you doing to stay sane these days?

I want to know!

#creativereuse #sustainablesewing

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