Birthdays are my absolute favorite and today is my 27th Birthday! I thought it would be fun to answer 27 facts about me (both sewing related and other). I answered some of the most common questions I get asked either here or on Instagram + included some of my own favorites. Let me know if I missed any in the comments and I’m happy to answer.
Sewing:
One
How did you start sewing?
I have never been a crafty person. When I got married in 2015, I was looking for something esle to fill my time (that wedding planning took up) and decided to try out knitting. After falling in love with knitting and the knitting community on Instagram and YouTube, I knew that I wanted to try out sewing too. Stitch Sew Shop opened in May of 2016 and fell totally in love. I started this blog in November of last year and since then you all have been along for the ride!
Two
How do you plan out your sewing?
I would say my sewing plans are semi-structured. My sewing time is mostly concentrated on the weekend and therefore every Thursday, I usually write a list of what I want to accomplish for the weekend. I usually try to sew up any “deadline sewing” (sewing for tests, blog posts, etc) first and then I tackle my #MeMadeMonday sewing. After that, anything else is bonus! I try to sew up at least a garment a weekend – sometimes it’s many more, sometimes it’s less!
Three
Do you work full time? How do you sew so much?
I get this question all the time! I do work full time but spend the majority of my weekend sewing. My husband can attest that I can spend hours upon hours sewing on a weekend starting from the time I come home on Friday night. With little interruption, I can usually get a lot accomplished over the weekend!
Four
What are your favorite notions and sewing accessories?
I thought I would share my three must-have sewing accessories:
1. Swedish Tracing Paper – This is my favorite for tracing patterns. It’s ironable, not super thin, and of course, Amazon prime-able. I always have 2-3 rolls in my sewing room!
2. Zirkle – I have always been a big fan of magnetic pin cushions but this one is basically magical. I can throw a pin across my sewing table and the magnet in this pulls it right onto the Zirkle.
3. Chalko Pen – This is my favorite for making markings on my patterns. I have them in 3 colors so I can always use on that works with my fabric.
Five
What type of sewing machine do you have?
I have a Bernina 765 (in the pretty rose gold!) and a Bernina 450 Serger. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would add a Coverstich Machine and a 3 series Bernina. That would round out my sewing machine line up!
Six
What is your favorite make (other than Ginger Jeans and the Sew Over It Silk Cami)?
This was a tough one. I think probably my Kelly Anorak and my Ayda Top (pictured at the beginning of this post!).
Seven
What are your favorite places to source fabric?
I’m a really big fan of independent fabric stores and independent patterns. I’ve actually never bought garment fabric from Joanns. There are so many amazing places to get fabric online but some of my favorites are Style Maker Fabrics, Harts Fabric, Imagine Gnats, and LA Finch Fabrics.
Eight
When you don’t have a project in mind, how many yards of a certain fabric do you buy?
Almost always 3 yards. That’s enough to make 2 tops or an intricate top or a dress. Gives you maximum amount of flexibility. For knits, I usually buy 2 yards because that’s usually enough to do almost anything with.
Nine
What are the best beginner patterns for woven garment sewing? How about for knits?
For wovens, I would recommend that your first couple patterns each teach you something different. One with a bias binding neckline, one with a facing, and one with a set in sleeve. I think some great beginner patterns to lar those things are the Willow Tank from Grainline Studios (teaches you bias binding), Sew Over It Silk Cami (teaches you a facing) and the Scout Tee from Grainline Studios (teaches you a set in sleeve +a bias binding).
For knits, I think the Linden Sweatshirt is a great first knit project. Then I think any of the t-shirts I reviewed as part of my Search for the Perfect T-Shirt would be great!
Ten
What are the top things on your to-sew list?
I am so easily distracted by whatever is the newest thing out there, but there are a couple things that I am not forgetting about wanting to make:
– Anza Dress – I am dying to make a navy tencel with gold buttons like the sample shown on the pattern cover! Seeing Maddie’s has just made me want to make one more!
– Another Kalle – I bought a oxford blue shirting (the same one used by Jessamy here) and I want to make another popover tunic but with a traditional collar.
Eleven
PDF or Paper Patterns?
I used to LOVE paper patterns and refused to tape anything together. Now, I almost always default to PDF patterns. I am going to do a whole post on my PDF pattern strategy, but I like the ability to print it off whenever I need and not feel the need to store all the patterns because I can just re-print them.
Twelve
What is your favorite sewing entertainment?
I love listening to audio books or podcasts while sewing. Feel like you’re accomplishing two things at once!
Thirteen
What are your favorite blog posts to write?
I really enjoy writing the comparison posts – I loved the Search for the Perfect T-Shirt and my Lonetree Jacket vs Kelly Anorak.
Fourteen
Where do you get your PDF patterns printed?
I recently have just been printing them out at home and taping together (with the help of a paper cutter and all the scotch tape in the universe). I highly recommend PDF Plotting for printing copy shop patterns. Super easy, very well priced and fast shipping!
Fifteen
What are your favorite sewing machine feet?
Beyond the regular foot, my favorite foot is probably the edge stitch foot. I use it so often – hemming, bias tape, topstitching. It is so helpful! My machine also has dual feed (meaning that it has a built in walking foot), so I guess a walking foot is my favorite too because I never sew without it!
Sixteen
Where are your favorite places to buy pre-made bias tape?
TheFeltPod on Etsy – This is where I got the bias tape for my Sandbridge Skirt and they have so many options including Liberty and Rifle Paper Co.
Bessie Pearl Textiles on Etsy – She’s on a short break on Etsy right now but I would encourage you to check her out once she returns. I purchased solid bias tape from her and loved it. I used it for my Adya Top.
So Biased on Etsy – I haven’t purchased from So Biased before, but I’ve heard really great things. Look at the tropical palm tree bias tape! I think I need this in my life…
Seventeen
Who takes all your blog photos?
My husband. He’s totally an #instagramhusband…shhh don’t tell him.
About Me!
Eighteen
Which Real Housewives is your favorite?
So I used to never watch Real Housewives (and make fun of people who did), but now it’s my favorite. I would say that New Jersey, New York and OC are my favorite of the series.
Nineteen
What are your favorite tv shows?
I’m a really big ABC fan and watch almost all the shows on ABC. My favorites are TGIT shows – Scandal, Greys Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder. My favorite TV show that I could binge watch forever is Friends.
Twenty
What kind of cake would you get if you could get any cake for your birthday?
Hmm….probably Red Velvet or a Cookie Cake – because I could each chocolate chip cookies all day long.
Twenty One
Coffee or Tea?
Neither – Diet Coke through and through….it’s so bad for you, but soooo good!
Twenty Two
What other hobbies do you have outside sewing?
I play golf and I knit – other than that, does Netflix and Hulu Plus count?
Twenty Three
What are your favorite sports teams?
I grew up in Pittsburgh and Cleveland so my favorite teams are from those cities. I am a big Steelers and Cleveland Cavaliers Fan!
Twenty Four
What are some of your favorite blogs to follow?
I kept this question non-sewing related. Every morning, I start my morning with two bloggers I’ve been reading since college:
Twenty Five
Did you really go to Disney World for one day this week? Are you crazy?
My husband and I are a little Disney World Crazy. I’ve been to Disney World over 30+ times in my 27 years of life and since my husband and I started dating 5 years ago, we’ve been 7 times. We’ve been annual passholders for the past two years, so we try to go down whenever we can. We like to do the one night-2 day trip to Disney and feel like we really get to see everything we want in two days. So yep, we left Sunday morning and came back Monday night!
Twenty Six
Where did you and your husband meet?
So I felt like this was a good segway from the Disney question because we actually met at the airport going to training for work in Orlando! So see…that’s why Disney is so important to us! We met in June of 2012 and got married in September 2015.
Twenty Seven
Favorite beauty supplies?
I curl my hair every day and LOVE the Dry Bar 3-Day Bender curling iron. It takes a little bit to get used to, but I love it! It’s so quick and I can curl my hair in about 5 minutes per day. I also am a total Lipsense fan. I use all the makeup + the lip products. If you want to see it for yourself, check out Sew Caroline’s Lipsense Instagram @lipsbycaroline!
I hope that was fun to read! It was fun for me to put together. Did you have a question I missed? Leave me a comment below!
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Happy Birthday!!! I knew there was another reason I like you(other than for sewing reasons)–I can never resist chocolate chip cookies either!!
Thank you!! Right?? Aren’t chocolate chip cookies the best? I can basically never pass one up,
Nice post. What is your career?
Thanks!! I am a CPA for a large public accountant firm.