Stitching Tales

Johanna and Malena unravel the surprisingly complicated world of elastic, and hopefully they didn't stretch this topic too far!
This elastic deep dive covers everything from comfy waistbands and sports bras to swimwear and activewear. Plus lots of practical tips for measuring elastic, joining the ends neatly, preventing twisting and rolling, and even how to use elastic for gathers.
Johanna also explains why she almost always reaches for knitted elastic these days, and why clear elastic deserves a permanent place in every sewing room.
Let's just say this conversation has plenty of stretch!

Elastic resources mentioned
Fit for Knits
Sewing Activewear
Master The Coverstitch Machine

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Or contact us at our socials:
Stitching Tales on Instagram
Stitching Tales on YouTube
About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.
Hazelhen Patterns Instagram
hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)
About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.
thelaststitch.com
The Last Stitch Instagram

You spend days making a precious garment. And then, with wash and wear, it starts to break down.
In this episode, Malena and Johanna talk about what affects how long handmade clothes actually last, such as fabric choices, how you wash your makes, and the things that slowly wear garments down.
If you’ve ever had something you made lose its shape, fade faster than expected, or just not hold up, this episode will help you figure out what’s going on.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Or contact us at our socials:
Stitching Tales on Instagram
Stitching Tales on YouTube
About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.
Hazelhen Patterns Instagram
hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)
About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.
thelaststitch.com
The Last Stitch Instagram

In this fascinating episode, we get to see the inner workings of Malena's day job as a pattern drafter. Using Clo 3D, Malena shows how to turn a pants pattern into shorts while avoiding all the pitfalls.
Then she converts Johanna's Vide Pants Pattern into barrel pants, and Johanna has to eat her previous judgment on barrel joggers. Because Malena's version looks really great!
About Clo 3D
It's a program to help designers and pattern makers evaluate proportions and fit digitally.
Garments are tested on a virtual body with your intended fabric, which opens up new ways of thinking about fit, length, drape, and overall shape before sewing a physical sample.
Clo 3D Software
Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Or contact us at our socials:
Stitching Tales on Instagram
Stitching Tales on YouTube
About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.
Hazelhen Patterns Instagram
hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)
About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.
thelaststitch.com
The Last Stitch Instagram

The sewing world has never been more connected, or more fragmented.
15 years ago, most online sewists gathered in a handful of forums and blogs. Today, conversations are spread across Facebook groups, memberships, Discord servers, Substack, online courses, Instagram, YouTube, and platforms that may or may not still exist by the time this episode airs.
On one hand, it's easier than ever to find people who share your interests. On the other hand, keeping track of where everyone is gathering can feel like a part-time job. And don't we all crave more in-person meetups these days?
The conversation may also have been lightly influenced by some behind-the-scenes brainstorming around Johanna and Malena's upcoming book To a Tee and whether the internet really needs one more place for sewists to gather.
Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Or contact us at our socials:
Stitching Tales on Instagram
Stitching Tales on YouTube
About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.
Hazelhen Patterns Instagram
hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)
About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.
thelaststitch.com
The Last Stitch Instagram

Sewing thread seems simple, until you realise that there is a thread jungle out there, and that choosing the right thread can affect everything from seam durability and stretch to stitch quality and how smoothly your machine sews.
In this episode, Malena and Johanna are diving deep into the world of sewing threads. From regular all-purpose thread to overlock cones, stretch thread and heavy topstitching thread, this episode covers what different threads actually do, when to use them and why thread choice can completely change the outcome of a sewing project.

Plus: why cheap thread has its place, but not on a sewing machine. And of course, Johanna messes up the thread weight systems, but hopefully she manages to save her face in the end!

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Or contact us at our socials:
Stitching Tales on Instagram
Stitching Tales on YouTube
About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.
Hazelhen Patterns Instagram
hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)
About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.
thelaststitch.com
The Last Stitch Instagram