What's next in 2025
And more fitting classes coming to Seattle
Way back in September last year, I wrote that I was entering into a quiet season. At the time, it was unsettling. I’d spent the better part of last year on full throttle, and as I returned from summer teaching, the sudden downshift felt alarming. Something sturdy had unraveled deep inside me, and I wasn’t sure if it would ever knit itself back together again.
My quiet season gave me an opportunity to take stock. I’ve been reflecting on how I want to show up in the world—for myself, for others, and for the values and causes that are important to me. One thing that’s clear is that I want to prioritize the people and activities in my life that add meaning and connection. This newsletter is one of those priorities.
I started this newsletter last year with no plan except to write about whatever I was thinking, seeing, and making in my creative time. In doing so, I re-affirmed for myself that sewing is so much more than just a domestic hobby. It is a way for me to create meaning in my life, to express myself, and to ask questions. Through my sewing practice, I can connect, learn, grow, and cultivate joy. I need more of this. I imagine we all do.
So I’m doubling down on this newsletter for 2025. Here are some topics I’ll explore with you this year:
How sewing is a tool for creating a more meaningful life. I’m interested in how other makers are using sewing as an expression of identity, power, activism, and more. So there will be more artist spotlights, museum field trips, maybe even an interview or two.
My perspectives and practical tips for fitting a garment to the body, and what I wish modern fitting guides would teach us (but rarely ever do).
How the current fitting culture—with its beliefs, norms, and behaviors around fitting garments—intersects with identity and feminism.
Maybe a Q&A series? I get so many excellent questions from folks who are just starting to experiment with fitting. It’s a shame to keep them hidden in my inbox.
Personal updates from my studio and maybe a tutorial or two, just for fun.
Book reviews focusing on sewing, fabric, and fashion. My reading list is long!
I have drafts already humming along for many of these topics already, so stick around and let’s see where this year takes us, shall we?
New fitting classes for June
Heads up, Seattle: I’m teaching locally! I’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined up with Wool Friends in Ballard, and I’ll be teaching a 3-day pants fitting class there in June.
Wool Friends is Seattle’s newest fiber and sewing studio. They have a small but mighty retail shop, and they offer classes for all skill levels in sewing and weaving. They also have a membership program, where community members have access to special events and the studio workspace.
My class details haven’t been released yet (shhh…. I’m spilling the beans a little bit early), but the class will go live on the Wool Friends website in March along with the rest of their spring class lineup. What I can share now: the class will be held over two consecutive weekends in June 2025. I’ll teach the Top Down Center Out fitting method from start to finish, and we’ll fit the Elbe Textiles Fremantle pants pattern. Because we’ll have several days together, at the end of class you’ll be strutting out of the studio with a finished pair of fabulous pants.
If you’re local to Seattle, I encourage you to join Wool Friend’s newsletter to get notified when the spring classes get posted. All classes are open to the public, although Wool Friends community members get first pick, so consider becoming a community member if you’d like early access plus all the other benefits.
Looking ahead to the rest of the year, I’ve got a couple more local classes in the pipeline, so keep an eye on the Wool Friends class page, and you might find me there on a regular basis. I hope to see you in class!
Thank you for being here with me. If you’re a new subscriber, or if you’d just like to say hello and connect, drop me a comment on Substack or reply to this email. I would love to hear from you.
Until next time,
Stacey
This all sounds really interesting but in particular "using sewing as an expression of identity"…I'm chronically ill and don't leave the house much but sewing (and knitting) I can just about manage and they make up a large part of my small existence so are hugely important to me. I still love curating an outfit even when nobody else gets to see it. Wearing something that feels quintessentially 'you' or that is extra comforting or a colour that can boost your spirits. There are so many powerful aspects to clothing and creating. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Very excited to hear your evolving thinking about how sewing uniforms feminism, body politics, mental health, and all of that. It's been quite an eye-opening journey for me. After sewing intensively for the past 10 years, I found myself unemployed last Sept (for the first time ever). I spent a bit of time trying to make better-fitting pants, and then just... stopped. Made me realize that a key reason I continued sewing beyond any practical need was to manage work-related stress. Now I'm thinking about how I want to be more intentional and focused in that practice.
I checked out the class at Wool Friends. My only reservation is the proposed pattern! I'll keep eyes peeled for subsequent classes that used a fixed rather than elastic waistband pattern. Your videos are awesome and were SO helpful, and the same is true for your blog posts and pattern reviews! But I'd love to take a class with you as I think it would be SO helpful.