100k Q&A!! 

Stitching and Stories is exactly what I want from RU-vid and wish more people would do. I want it so bad, I've thought of starting my own channel. Like a channel that feels like a sewing circle.

I totally vote for sharing your quit project videos! I think a lot of us struggle with project hatred and depression and having the public figures in the sewist/needle arts community share their failures/struggles/choice to abandon a project would be extremely helpful for a lot of us.

Would love to hear more about your birth mother experience/story. I was afraid to ask since your pregnancy was only mentioned in passing and I worried you might just be extremely private about it or maybe something bad happened and didn't want to pry. Glad to hear you are comfortable talking about this and are content with the situation! I'm looking forward to the organisation video for the new place, those videos scratch my brain where it needs it XD I'm also just so happy that this many people appreciate your channel and the work you put into it because all of your videos have been such high quality and you're an absolute joy to watch every week!

Yes, “Stitching and Stories” would be awesome! Congratulations!

"I put clothing that needs to be mended in a special location so that I can mend it at some point, and then never get around to it. I have the best of intentions" - yeah that accurately describes my approach to mending... So many items of clothing that I don't wear but can't bring myself to do anything with either way!

I highly recommend The Closet Historian. She is very talented and fun to watch. Pattern drafting, vintage, alternate and original design... and the most amazing 'look books' that are scripted short movies with script, sets, lighting, and excellent editing.

Thank you for being a birth mother. Adoption has deeply touched my family, and I agree the birth mom story is often left out of the discussion and it should not be.

I'm a newbie to Stickery and I heard "what is your oldest "whip"" and it didn't even phase me. Like oh, that's interesting she's into whips. But quickly realized that it was the acronym WIP 🤦‍♀️ lol

Found u recently and have been binging u since. Im a crafty person myself but i have adhd so my crafts always change. But i always go back to sewing.

Cue sound of needle sliding across a record.... A body model for a military dummy! That was the most surprising comment you made. 😁 Loved all your thoughtful answers and learning more about you. Happy sewing! 🌻🍄

Stitching and stories! That's a great way to produce content without having to have a complete project by the end of video and it will make the viewer feel like we're just hanging out crafting together. Like friends but without having to actually be social.😂

I am a bio-mom too!!! We had an open adoption. I had a daughter. She is lovely. We are great friends. I am a grandmother too!! Definitely not understood.

I was diagnosed with ADHD very late in life (plus I now know I have several comorbidities I hadn't realized went along with that). So many things you say and do are extremely relatable to me which made me wonder if you, too, have ADHD and could be on the spectrum. I was curious but didn't want to ask. Thank you for being so open and totally enjoyable to watch and listen to. Staying focused, not completing things, quickly losing interest, having many many projects at one time, or being hyper-focused on something are all known to be signs of ADHD. That is me in a nutshell! A neurodivergent brain can result in a lot of creativity and thinking "outside the box." I overthink everything, but I've gained a teeny bit of courage to try things because of you! You are amazing!

Another good way to get started sewing is to make child-sized pieces. Less fabric, less bulk to manhandle at the sewing machine and yet you practice all the skills you need. My friend started sewing that way a couple years ago and recently gave her more successful attempt to a charity shop. A couple weeks later she saw one of her pinafores on a 4-5 year old walking around town. She was right chuffed! BTW, niche vs nitch, your preferred pronunciation is the correct one! 👍

I’m so glad you popped onto my RU-vid. Really enjoying your videos. And since you mentioned Rachel Macksy I understand how I found my way to you. I’m fascinated by the ‘book/bag’ you have hanging on the pegboard, I have had one saved on my Pinterest board for years. I have a very old set of encyclopaedia I can’t let go of, and need to make at least an attempt.

Love your channel. Would love to hear more about your birth mother/adoption experience. Really, would love to hear more about everything, you have such an interesting life.

Interesting that you mentioned Rachel Maksy, your channel actually popped up in my recommendations after watching her videos. Love you both!

No matter what the entire spectrum of reasons is for why you're not taking any work on set atm, big respect for your solidarity through the strike.

It’s so fun to listen to you talk. I have no idea why. I’ve found a few neurodivergent content creators recently and listening to y’all makes my brain so happy. It’s like “oooo look it’s someone who thinks in the bizarre ways I do, huzzah!”

I don't have a permanent sewing space in my house, but I finally went out and bought some bead sorter containers and I keep my thread and matching bobbin in each space. Brilliant. Neat and tidy, and I'm not mixing them up. I also made a ✨ spreadsheet ✨ for my sewing thread colours so that when I'm buying fabric I can look up what colours I already own to see if I need to buy thread or if I can use something at home.

I would try one of those mini diorama kits for a start. The ones by ifDIY are really good. Also, congrats to Mat for being nominated for a Grammy! That's huge!

Have you ever made a quilt? To me it is the ultimate creative exercise, colour, fabric and colour all in one! I qualified with a fashion degree, like you made costumes for the stage and when I had my son an elderly lady taught me to quilt.

I must say that I truly enjoy the little Link moments that pop up in your videos. Little smoochy times or fluffy butt scratches. They all make me feel like I’m sitting in the room with you as you create. Keep on doin’ cause we love it.

Holiday decorator? So was I ! For 13 years plus office plants installation manager. Year round commercial tropical plant and maintenance business with extra seasonal jobs. In spring we were planting tulips in hotel planters, during the summer we created stunning floral displays , in fall it was gourd displays and mums, and in winter, it was poinsettia perepping and deliveries or we were up on genie lifts attaching huge wired bows on 25’ tree etc.. Best dream job ever.

You look remarkably similar to my mom when she was your age. Like it’s absolutely uncanny. The only difference is your glasses - she wore cat eyes. She was a sewist and maker as well, so it’s even more wild. Great job. You made me sew for the first time in forever this week and I loved it.

It's so nice seeing someone who creates like I do lol 🤣 I get bored easily but always come back to embroidery. And I reverse engineer things when I want to make them myself. Alot of things I make are diy or up cycled from thrifted things. Or are entirely fabricated because i knows what I want the end to look like and then I just try shit lol.

My neurodivergent brain recognizes your path 😂

Oh my gosh I'm glad I'm not the only one knows embroidery by hand takes forever especially if you have an extensive design like a dragon to happens to have several different colors I tried to tell the person it may take more than a year to do an extensive dragon that I have personally created because I have designed tattoo art that can be made into embroider e art and that is very tasking

Yes stitching and stories! Yes share your projects that you quit! And i can not wait to see the new sewing space! I love a good organization video!

Hello fellow fabric botchers! Your local Buy Nothing group is also a great way to source cheap (free) curtains and sheets for getting over fabric fear

Niche... neesh = arcane or esoteric interest. Nitch = set-in wall cubby to display items. This is how I say them. 😀

Please post messy give up project video! I need yhe reminder that I dont have to finish everything I start.

Both of our cats happened this way. One was found on the doorstep and the other refused to leave the front yard. Friday (the porch found kitten) LOVES being apart of the costuming process. Hopefully your kitty finds you, too

Hello! I happened on your videos recently and I have been loving catching up, so I just wanted to pop in and say thanks for your great videos, and for this wonderful and open q&a! Also, re: neurodivergency: one reason I love your videos is that it seems our brains work much the same way when it comes to projects so I find your explanations very easy to follow and your experiences very relatable. From what I've seen in your other videos and what you've said in this one, and how similar our brains seem to work, my personal impression is that you might have both ADHD and autism, so in case that possibility is something you haven't considered before I just wanted to mention that. It's a far more common combination than many people think and it would fit perfectly with being very quickly bored but also loving routine, etc. Not trying to diagnose you over the internet or anything, so do with that what you will. Anyways, thank you again and I look forward to your next video!

I just wanted to say, the way you explained how patterning works in your brain is amazing! I’m struggling with getting my brain to translate what I see into flat shapes, but that’s so neat that you can do that!

Enjoyed this so much. You have a special place in my heart, I adopted a baby and I blessed that birth mom every day. Thank you for the greatest gift you could ever give. And all the negative Nellie's you receive, tell them to go to h--l! I truly believe anyone who criticize are just jealous cause they can't do. My first and favorite RU-vid is Rachel Makey. Love that girl. You all keep up the good work. You have been added to my very short list of favorites. Good luck in your new digs.❤

I have been sewing off and on since I was 12. I'm 57 now, and I still feel like a beginner in so many ways! I can relate to so much of your thinking. I have done alterations off and on for about 30 years, and I enjoy the problem solving, reverse engineering aspect of it. At the moment, I'm just doing what I want to do, which includes knitting and crochet, jewelry making and sewing.

My tips for beginners are to alter existing clothing then jump into making something beautiful with curtains or sheets. My first from scratch was to make a reproduction of the Anne of Cleaves gown 😅

Thank you, I came for the embroidery and stayed for you. Yes to stitching and stories. You keep it real, there are a lot of floss tubers who are lovely people and they show wonderful patterns with lots of extras needed and amazing hauls. I do not either 1 have access to what they buy and 2 can afford what they buy. I then spend my time adapting for my budget if possible. You enabled me with the sewing machine, it is out of the cupboard where it has been ignored for a very long time and I am set to attack small projects, if I remember how to thread it.😂😂

On how you draft your patterns: This is exactly how I would've explained it, if I'd had the words. Seeing the 2d parts of a 3d object is part of what I love about drafting a design. It is also what I love about making tiny houses.

I recommend pillowcases or basic af, elastic waist, sleep shorts ass first projects. Don't start with bags. They are more complex than you think and hard to get structurally right. Drawstring bags for like, bulk produce or something are good ways to get used to a machine too. Small, straight stitching, doesn't really matter what material you use.

I too am a theatre geek. I got involved after my husband death. I am strictly community theatre. All this to say I have done every job except writing scripts. My biggest costuming jobs have been The Crucible and A Midsummer Nights Dream. My favorite job is producing and greatest director. Just finished preparing blocking spreadsheet for my fall/winter production.

Glad to hear that you're doing ok with all the stuff going on. Waiting for all things while buying a house is stressful. Hopefully you close soon! Oh and great video. Thanks for taking the time to do a q&a in the middle of getting ready to move!

A ton of your experiences match mine! Writing check. Poodle skirt check. My mother and grandmother were seamstresses. I sew for other people because when it comes to sewing for myself, that's when disaster hits, everytime. My goal for 2023 is to conquer that! Thanks for being our West Coast Rachel Maksy!

Try making temari balls! I went through a phase where I would go to therapy and then straight to the craft store looking for a new craft. I love making temari because it's inexpensive and looks beautiful from the very first one you make.

The answer to "do you scrap projects" makes so much sense, but I've always had it in my head that I MUST complete every project (or other thing in life) and ideally complete it to perfection. Which is a pretty miserable way to live. It's very helpful to see other people's creating styles. Yours is very different from mine, and I find it encouraging to see other people doing things differently from how I do, and succeeding. It encourages me to relax and be less strict and particular about doing things the "right" way.

I subbed like a week ago. 🙂 lol 😆 so I'm so glad for this well timed video because I'm still in the "getting to know you" phase of my journey with your channel. And youtube keeps feeding me so many of your videos back to back to back and I love it

Thanks for answering our questions, I hope you close on the house and the move goes well!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You, my dear, are a breath of fresh air. I love watching your videos because they inspire me so much. I am considerably older than you and have been sewing for over sixty years. I must say that I work very well with patterns, but I have been known to alter or redesign a garment or two in my time. Case in point, my wedding dress for my second marriage was a combination of three patterns. My first wedding dress was from a crocheted pattern that I altered as well. It was the only way I could get the dresses that I wanted. They were perfect. I enjoy watching your creative process, and I look forward to more videos in the future. May your house-buying and moving be smooth and easy.

If you do a stitch and story, I'd like to request more about your pregnancy. I agree that the stigma needs to be pushed towards positivity. I also am in the same boat with wanting to get tested. I suspected I might be autistic after I took a course in SPED (I got my degree in elementary education) years ago. I'm good about getting stuff done for other people, like calling my friends doctor's to set up appointments for them, but struggle to do so for myself. I know I'll get to it eventually though. Another commenter asked if you have ever quilted. If you have, would absolutely love to see anything that you've done! I started quilting in late 2019, after I had a bunch of medical issues. It helped me come back from a very dark place and I always see quilting as this positive space that I can reground in. Though I also feel that way about sewing, in general. Anyway, this was a fantastic video and I'm so happy that your channel is growing!

I would seriously watch just about anything that you put out, lol. I love your new channel with like story time! I would love to see any quitting projects that you might make. Sometimes things don't work and that's ok, and I think you would make it feel ok for people that might feel badly about that.

I love Beyonce! A serger was the best purchase I ever made. I have seen so many that sew on the sewing machine before using the serger. I guess I am a rebel because I go straight for the serger and then do my hems and finishings. I am excited to see you guys get your house!

I design wheeler chair or walker bags in the nursing home where I live and 💕 love it all. Now I'm planning to sew my clothes 😂

Also I LOVE the idea of the Stitching and Stories series. I've been going through and watching old videos gradually (because my 18mo HAS NO SELF-PRESERVATION INSTINCT), and there were so many snippets you dropped in the "17 places" embroidery video that I would love to hear elaborated. That video was so wonderful and calming to have on while I folded laundry!

Yes looking for a new place to live is very intimidating and stressful and then waiting for that 30 days after the house to do a close on it is all so stressful I seriously understand because some of my sewing machines are vintage plus I have a lot of fabric not to mention my dress form all my cutting tools my thread my artwork and my recording equipment

Am so understand that, the hurry up and wait. is killer for me. I am always making lists and can't stand not starting.

YES! Stitching and Stories! And my choice for topic is ALL OF THEM!

I also do theater and can sew and even though technically I was the assistant stage manager for the last show I did, I also ended up getting roped into costuming, especially for little things that were not enough bother to take to our actual sewing people. Oh and I had to figure out how to make a transforming dress functional because the lady who made it, while very lovely, had no idea how to both make a dress that can be "destroyed", still stay on the actor, and cover the second dress the actor had on underneath. 😂That was a lot of hand sewing and trials of "can we destroy it properly this time?"

Hi Charlie, The zodiac sign for October 23 to November 21st is Scorpio and the zodiac sign for November 22 to December 21 is Sagittarius. There you go, love! Your channel is awesome and you are very welcome!!! Ta ta!!

I love your answer to the mending question!!! 😂😂😂

I know I'm late to the party...I loved your answering of so many questions..you're amazing!! And YES!! The story and stitch idea is fantastic!! xo

She’s a Sagittarius! Now I see why I subscribed after 2 seconds, I felt the pull of a kindred spirit 😂

For the person who asked if you can make your own clothes without a sewing machine, YES! When in college, I didn't have my machine with me and was unable to take the stairs to the laundry room for a week. I made a weeks worth of clothes in one weekend all by hand!

That’s exactly why I love watching Rachel Maksy!

FWIW, I'd absolutely love "stitching and stories" (and I'm not even here for the embroidery, though like you, I find a lot of things interesting whether or not I'm doing them).

Rachel Maksy is my favorite too!!! For the same reason, as well... her videos encouraged me to futz around and find out 😁

Wated to.say Hi. Recently had RU-vid bring you to my attention and I have loved every video of yours that I have watched so far. This one was extra special simply because of your honesty and openness about being a birth mother. This part of the adoption process needs more openness and talking about. Thank you for being willing to say what you said, what a beautiful act of love for her, her parents and you. If I could hug you and say it touched my heart, in a way I have no real reason to expect, I would.

Thanks for the video. Have you watched Shannon Makes? She is a thrifty sewer with a cute corgi. Might be a new favorite for you.

10 out 11 rooms in my house are different shades of purple, and I actually spent over a decade with purple hair, so I guess ya could say I LOVE PURPLE!!! 💜😊💜 By the way, I love the adjustable skirts ya made and looking forward to the pants edition!

❤ thank you. Watched a lot of your videos and your whole approach to sewing and life in general is incredibly real. You aren't doing this as you want to be the next big thing, you have found a way to be true to you and your journey. You have a middle aged hit n hope sewer fan from South Wales in the UK 😊

Congrats! Also, when crochet's time comes, you'll love it. I learned the very basic stitch and how to add and drop stitches, and then promptly improvised a tea-cosy. I rarely count stitches or follow patterns.

Stitching and stories would be amazing! Love watching your videos , thank you!

Congratulations for this major step !

I watch Rachel Masky and Morgan Donner obviously I watch your channel too

I'm experienced with sewing for most of my life and I still buy bedsheets and quilt covers for fabric as its so much cheaper than buying by the yard.

It is amazing how relatable you are. I truly enjoy listening to you explain your way of thinking. It is inspirational, not to be redundant, and relatable. Thank you so much for sharing your life and journey with us.

I am autistic and probably have an attention disorder as well and your videos are just the right pacing and lenght for my brain to actually pay attention to what you're saying. I really struggle with focus and motivation and I really related to a lot of what you said. Reward system works quite well for me. Also, Stitching and stories would be an amazing kind of videos! I always have videos or podcasts in the background as I handsew/embroider and your storytelling is very compelling. Also, English is not my first language but I understand you without needing to look at the subtitles so it's even better!

Whats helped me get sewing again is to approach it as the goal being to use the fabric in my stash and to finish projects. I'm maybe just above beginner level and taking the pressure off of the finished product being good or something I'll wear often makes it lower stakes. Also, this weekend I was wanting to go to the fabric store and made myself work on a project I had cutout to justify spending more money on sewing and now I have a pair of lounge shorts.

Ohh, i am so happy someone asked if you are neurodivergent!!! I am a absolute beginner in sewing an started because i am autistic and hate shopping and i wanted a dress that i own but with short sleeves because i sensory love it. So i stumbled apon your channel and i emediately started to wonder if you are autistic ❤ i knew ;)! Love your channel

Does she have a spreadsheet to track her spreadsheets? I mean, of course she does. 😅😂😂😂

I'm amazed at how many of your views I relate to, and I love it. You put into words thoughts I haven't fully explored and so I'm listening and go "Yes! That!" Especially in sewing underwear and bras.

Also love tje idea of chat and sewing. I'll probably knit as I watch as my sewing machine is behind my work computer...I really need more room!

The way you explained drafting a pattern in your head sounds exactly like how I do it 👌👌

I loved this Q&A! First off I have made several corset tops and they're actually easier than you'd think and from what I've seen you make you're more than capable and would be able to figure it out. Second I didn't know that you were a birth mom and would love to hear more about it. My husband and I are currently actively waiting to adopt and so I'd really love your perspective as a birth mom and as much of your story as you'd be comfortable sharing.

You were suggested and automatically played after a Rachel video for me 💖 I then subscribed 😂

I also teach aerial silks. Have yet to donit whilst pregggers though. I would a sticth and b!tch. Im very interested in all of the stories you mentioned and would love the stitching company

Other beginner projects: anything for small kids. They’re basically small rectangles. You can make things without sleeves or legs and they will be super happy because they don’t have critical eyes for wonky seams. They just want cool fabric (and things without legs or sleeves can be worn longer). E.g., wrap skirts, capes, sleeveless tops, aprons… I just used Charlie’s video on pleats and the other one where the first half was an apron and I merged the two to make a cute apron for a 5 year old. I learned that heavy knits are not optimal for aprons 😂 And that sometimes pleats and pockets are a trade-off… But it’s cute!

Thank you so much for all your great content. You are re-igniting my love of learn-as-I-go sewing. I too was not enamored of sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, or really any fabric art as a child. Then in my 20's I got into non-serious historical re-enactment (SCA), so I looked at pictures, traced or modified existing garments, then proceeded to make my own cape and multiple costumes based on pictures. Initially with very low cost fabrics, sheets and tablecloths, then later pricier and pricier fabrics culminating in a brocade Italian Renaissance style dress. Then life got busy. In my late 30's I learned to sew sundresses and skirts from commercial patterns under the tutoring of my Aunt, an excellent sewist and expert maker of quilt tops. I do Japanese Sashiko embroidery, recently embellished and sewed a cube shaped "komebukuro" rice bag as a project bag for a wizard level knitter friend. Have you considered dyeing fabrics yourself for future projects? I am obsessed with stitched shibori dyeing, so that's next on my list. The way you work through problems makes so much sense to me, and I was recently diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Thanks again for helping me see the fun in sewing, again!!

I love your stories and the way your mind works and am always fascinated with what you have to say.

Stitching and Stories sounds like an amazing series. I'd enjoy hearing more in-depth discussions on a lot of the topics you skimmed over.

Nice to meet you Matt! Would love to know more about your how we met story!

It's okay that your video was 50 minutes I actually sat here and get a new set of nail tips and left comments in a thumbs up

I spent so much of this video just absolutely enamoured with your shirt. It's so floofy! It looks so comfortable! The fabric is like the cutest thing I've ever seen! I want seven different versions of this shirt!

Please put out the trashed project video. It's helpful to others to see its ok to say “NOPE" and that not everything goes story book perfect-its ok to walk away from or throw away something you're not enjoying. You can end it just talking about why you stopped, and reassure viewers it is ok to stop-do what makes you happy.. or something like that. Story time while embroidery: yes. I wash anything from thrift stores in hot water/dry on highs as soon as I get home just to be safe. If I get discount fabric online from a reliable seller that's safe .. well I have 20+ yards sitting on my couch that still needs washed. Corsetry: look at making short stays first- basically sports bra of the corset world - you don’t have to fuss with waist/hip, just bust/under bust and straps. That’s what I did. I actually want to remake mine and adjust them to be front lacing instead of in the back, then move into larger corsets. I also reward or try to make chores fun-I listen to RU-vidrs I like while doing dishes/laundry/ironing/sweeping… the chattier ones rather than “you have to watch to know wtf if going on”. I did cored while watching this but did stop to look at your embroidery and pup.

I relate to not wanting to use patterns or recipes... I think for me I'm compensating for my poor short term memory (thats the ADHD 😅). When I do use a recipe I write it out in a way that I can understand, so it's more like a list of prompts for smaller tasks I'm already familiar with. I wonder if I could approach patterns in the same way. I also feel less silly if I mess up when I'm just making it up, rather than mess up a set of clear instructions. Also it's more engaging if it's challenging!

You did a fantastic job with the Q&A. Would love to hear about you different adventures in life as I call them. I would go nuts if I didn't see adventure in everything I do. Those adventures small or large are what make us so unique. All crafty people are artists in their own right.

Yes, I love stories. For the neurodivergent side, I see a lot of 'symptoms' of it, mostly adhd and gifted.

Learning to take a situation and break it down into manageable bites is something I still struggle with, but I'm getting better at (at the ripe old age of 62 -- I'll get this adulting thing figured out eventually!)

I recently discovered your channel and I relate so much and hearing you talk about yourself has reenforced that so much. It's so nice seeing parts of myself and having them be positively depicted on (mini-RU-vid) screen. I think I love watching your videos because you are doing so much stuff that I would love to do (we seem to have very similar taste) and it has inspired me to do projects that I'm loving. I hope that I'm not coming off too creepy or over-relating, I just want to say that I really like your videos and have already gotten so much joy from them. Congratulations on your milestone and I look forward to the next one (though no pressure)!

I have thought about how you have almost reverse ADHD with the hyperfocus on organizing and lists. I strongly related when you said you stress out thinking about lists you can't attend to. This led me to wonder if you were neurodivergent and what you might "have". I've also considered myself to be on the spectrum however since it's so hard for not just females but adults to get an autism diagnosis I haven't reached out to a professional. If you ever do (and feel comfortable), I'd love to hear that side of your story! 💞