Stitching Tales

The T-shirt might be one of the most ordinary things in your wardrobe, but it has a surprisingly eventful past. Johanna and Malena trace its history from men’s underwear, athletic wear and workwear to James Dean, band tees, slogans and the everyday fashion staple we know today.Along the way, they talk about the rise of jersey, Coco Chanel, and the practical origins of the white T-shirt. They also nerd out on construction, seamless knitting, and why getting a simple T-shirt to fit well is not nearly as simple as it looks.Email us at stitchingtalespod@gmail.comStitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe:Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström:Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

Johanna is about to lose it if she has to sew one more striped garment in 2026. Luckily, Malena talks her off the ledge. Instead, they get into the weeds of sewing striped fabrics: Cutting as a single layer, deciding whether to follow the grainline or the stripes, figuring out where a hem stitchline should land, and discovering that sleeve caps have absolutely no interest in cooperating with stripes.They also compare their different approaches to stripe matching, from meticulous planning to knowing when to say, “Good enough.”There are tricks involving pins, basting, glue pens, wash-away tape and walking feet, but the bigger lesson is learning which battles are worth fighting. Because sometimes the perfect stripe match is possible. Sometimes the garment shape wins. And sometimes you just have to stop looking at it and move on with your life!Then Johanna makes a bold statement: the best way to prevent modern-day brain rot is to sew more stripes!Johanna's cutting and sewing stripes tutorialEmail us at stitchingtalespod@gmail.comStitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe:Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström:Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

Johanna and Malena open up the mailbox and answer some great listeners' questions, which takes the conversation into Swedish sewing culture, personal style and why making your own clothes can be about much more than filling a gap in the wardrobe.They compare Swedish, Danish, Finnish, and Japanese style, talk about how sewing can become several hobbies at once, and share their thoughts on adjustable waistbands and the challenges of a truly unisex pattern block. Plus Johanna goes on a long rant against Swedish mainstream fashion!Email us at stitchingtalespod@gmail.comStitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe:Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström:Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

It’s catch-up time! Malena has some cool news about her work, including a brief moment of proximity to a famous couturier. Plus a new part-time job at a bridal shop. We talk high-fashion pattern making, brides and the surprising joy of having a job where you interact with others. Meanwhile, Johanna has been wrestling with podcast hosting, monetising the podcast and the small matter of recutting more than 100 episodes. Meaning she wants to throw her computer out the window. They also get into their upcoming t-shirt book, where minuscule details can turn into a molehill. Plus the perennial question: must stripes align? There is also a dental correction and a discussion of whether buying another overlocker is a completely reasonable expense. We’ll let you decide!Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or contact us on our socials:Stitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

What are the sewing habits, tools and construction choices that have made the biggest difference to our sewing?In this episode, Johanna and Malena share their personal sewing game changers, including pressing throughout construction, pre-pressing hems, inserting trouser zippers on the flat, making toiles, and cutting tricky fabrics in a single layer.They also discuss what home sewists can learn from ready-to-wear construction, using press templates for pockets, adjusting presser foot pressure, heavy thread for topstitching, rotary cutters, overlockers and magnifying lamps.Some are simple workflow changes. Others are tools worth investing in. And one involves a cereal box.Tutorials mentioned:⁠Johanna's dress pants zipper tutorial⁠⁠Jeans' zipper tutorial⁠ (video)⁠Sewing Jeans Book⁠⁠Jeans pocket with press template⁠⁠Magnifying lamp⁠ (Amazon affiliate link)Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or contact us at our socials:Stitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

Knit bindings are one of those sewing techniques that might seem simple. Just wrap some fabric around an edge, right? Well, not quite that easy, unfortunately. Plus, there are plenty of ways to do it, so how do we know which one is the best?Essentially, a perfect topic for Johanna and Malena to dive deep into. Malena even confesses that she has never sewn a binding before. So Johanna breaks down the different approaches. They talk about choosing fabrics, calculating width and stretch, and working with a coverstitch binder or a regular sewing machine.French binding, zigzag stitching, basting and stitch-in-the-ditch techniques also make an appearance in this meaty episode. If you've ever been intimidated by bindings, this episode has you covered!Johanna's binding resources⁠⁠Coverstitch Success Video Course⁠⁠⁠⁠Master The Coverstitch Machine Book⁠⁠Sewing Activewear Book⁠⁠Erikas Syskrin⁠ (for all your binding needs)Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or contact us at our socials:Stitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

Why wait until January to start fresh? Fall has all the ingredients for a new beginning, right? That's when we crave routines and want to reset, reorganise and make new plans. This is why Johanna and Malena make a case for September being the start of a Sew New Year.To kick off this new concept, they discuss habit stacking, journaling and mood boards, along with some very practical sewing tips. Plus a few lifestyle tips (nurture your reward system, as Johanna likes to say). So let go of ambitious resolutions and an endless sewing bucket list. Instead, we should ask ourselves: What do you want more of in your sewing life? A new skill? A wardrobe rethink? Or simply more time at the sewing machine?Consider this your September permission slip to start fresh, with fewer expectations and hopefully some fun fall sewing. Happy Sew New Year!SpotifyEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or contact us at our socials:Stitching Tales on InstagramStitching Tales on YouTubeAbout Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.Hazelhen Patterns Instagramhazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.thelaststitch.comThe Last Stitch Instagram

What does fall 2026 actually look like when you stop scrolling past the runway photos and start thinking about what you'd actually wear? Johanna and Malena compare fashion magazines, runway coverage, AI trend research and a very Swedish source of trend intelligence: watching what young people are wearing at a music festival Johanna visited recently.They talk about the return of visible craft, romantic details, tailoring, statement coats, richer colours and the surprisingly persistent comeback of capri pants and barrel trousers.They also cover the current anti-polyester conversation, the return of preppy dressing, and a few trends that get a much less enthusiastic response from Johanna and Malena. Because just because something is trending doesn't mean we're going to sew it.Book rec:⁠The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (Near) Fall of J.Crew⁠ (Amazon affiliate link)Podcast rec: Articles Of Interest: Ivy StyleEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or contact us on our socials:⁠Stitching Tales on Instagram⁠⁠Stitching Tales on YouTube⁠About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.⁠Hazelhen Patterns Instagram⁠⁠hazelhenpatterns.com⁠ (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.⁠thelaststitch.com⁠⁠The Last Stitch Instagram⁠