CraftyPod #55: Sew Your Own Clothes, with Amy Karol

Sharing a comment that came in via email:

"Hi Sister Diane!

I am writing in response to Crafty Pod #55 with the interview of Amy Karol. I found your podcast through my friend Melanie Brooks of Earthenwood Studios and have been listening to the backlog. I am only now up to episode #62 so forgive me if this has already been addressed.

I have an issue with the prevailing thought that one needs to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a sewing machine to get quality and usefulness out of it. So I thought that you would be the perfect person to help me get the word out.

I am the proprietress of a sewing business where my main line is custom made urbanwear (or contemporary) kilts. You can see my work at both http://www.altkilt.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/altkilt/. I have a BA in Costume Technology and have worked in shops making everything from drapes to Muppets before going out on my own over three years ago. I work mainly in heavy denim - similar to canvas, leather, corduroy and pleather - and at a range of 2 to 6 layers .... and I sew it all on a $80 machine from Walmart.

My little Brother machine was purchased in the spring of 2002 and she still runs like a dream no matter the torture I have put her through. I have tried over the years to convince myself that I needed to buy an expensive machine but I always worried that as a small business owner, if my $xxx machine broke down, I would have to come up with the money to replace it. And that is a major worry - but if I have to shell out less than $100, I can always do that. I do have a backup machine that I purchased less than six months ago- a Kenmore from Sears that also only cost me $80. When I have talked with sales people, they tell me that a machine that costs less than $400 can't even hem blue jeans, due to having to go through 4 layers of denim. What a lie! I do it daily.

I was amazed at the podcast when your guest was surprised to point out that there were sewing machines on the market for around $200 and those were clearly not meant to last. She, herself, had a $2000 machine at home. I sew almost everyday for my business... and I do it on my little old cheap machine. I use it for 10 hour days and put all sorts of fabric and thickness through it and very rarely has it failed me. The funny part is that twice now I have upgraded to a machine that was in the $100 - $150 and I have broken each of those machines in less than two weeks worth of sewing on them.

If I have thought that to sew for my family or especially for my business, that I needed to get a machine that cost me hundreds or thousands of dollars, I would have never even started. To think to spend out that kind of money on something so basic as sewing. I just hate the fact that so many people think that you do need to spend a certain amount of money to get into this hobby/ business... and I just wanted to have my view point heard.

Thank you so much for putting on the Crafty Pod. I listen to it as work and it always keeps me interested - it is the reason that I am now a swap-er and have taken up other crafts again!

-Jeanie"

Thank you! Enjoyed the interview with Amy Karol, especially the tips on fabric selection. This is a must hear for the new seamstress

I love this book Amy! Thanks so much SD for interviewing her. What a wonderful podcast you have, thanks again, I'm thrilled each time I 'find' a CraftyPod treasure in my iTunes list!

Nutmeg