Check Your Thread

Many of us sew in a small space, or in an area of our home that’s also used for other activities and by other people. If that’s you, how’s the space working for you? Whatever the constraints of your space, there are tons of changes you can make and heaps of tips that you can deploy to make things work more smoothly. Today’s episode is a guide that collates all the awesome ideas from last week’s episode, with a whole bunch more thrown in as well. We’ll cover furniture and storage solutions, organising and orienting your space, managing what comes into your space and the stuff that’s already there, and how to develop processes and methods of working that will reduce frustration and increase your sewing enjoyment. Support the podcast over on Patreon!(image source: Darling Arias via Unsplash) This episode is the second part in a mini-series. Listen to Part 1:Ep. #158: Small and Shared Space Sewing, Part 1Craft storage trolley (this one is from Hobbycraft):Small, table top ironing board (the classic one by Ikea):Wool pressing mat (this one is for sale in the UK from Love Sew)Buy or make a pocket organiser that can hang on a wall or the back of a door (Closet Core patterns have a tutorial):Thread Pegs make amazing thread, cone and bobbin peg organisers:Under shelf storage baskets (I found some that are very cheap on eBay):Listen to:Ep. #145: 5 Simple Tactics to Save on Sewing Ep. #11: Sewing Vs Kids Ep. #101: How to Prioritise Sewing with Jenny Drew

Is the space you have for sewing pretty small? Or maybe you sew in a space that is shared with other people and also used for other activities? Or perhaps your sewing space is both small AND shared? We’re spending this week’s and next week’s episodes finding out how we can make these situations work better for ourselves, so that we can have successful and fulfilling sewing lives, no matter the configuration. Today we’re going to hear from lots of sewers about their small or shared sewing spaces: what’s working well and what frustrates them about it, and they’ll be sharing useful tips that you can apply today!Support the podcast over on Patreon!(image source: Lucas Favre via Unsplash) Caro organises their sewing resources using the Stash Hub app:

How does a small business advertise the products it sells so it can stay afloat without encouraging over consumption? In the second part of my conversation with Bevan O’Daly, owner of Bawn Textiles, we hear how she navigates this conundrum. Bevan also explains the difference between a small business and a micro business, and the additional challenges faced by the latter. Plus we get a fascinating view into her other world: textile conservation. Support the podcast over on Patreon!Bawn Textiles in a bricks and mortar shop in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as an online shop. You can also follow them on Instagram (@bawntextiles). Listen to the first part of the conversation:Ep. #156: How to Run an Ethical Textiles Shop with Bevan O’DalyThe Govanhill Baths Community Trust run an endeavour called Rags to Riches where you can learn skills including sewing. Another option for in-person sewing classes in Glasgow is Sew Confident. Listen to the pep talk that owner Jenny Drew gave us previously:Ep. #101: How to Prioritise Sewing with Jenny DrewSwedish fashion and sewing pattern designer, Ann Ringstrand, elicited feedback from Bawn customers before writing her second book. Bawn Textiles also stock sewing patterns by:The Assembly Line Merchant and Mills  And others…Two popular books are:Zero Waste Patterns by Birgitta Helmersson Creative Visible Mending for Knitwear by Flora Collingwood-Norris

If you ran a shop that supported makers to create more sustainably, what would it look like, and what would you stock? Bevan O’Daly is the owner of Glasgow-based Bawn Textiles and her goal is to provide responsibly sourced fabric, yarn and haberdashery for ethically minded makers. In this episode, Bevan tells us about the criteria for the items she stocks, why she sometimes talks customers out of purchasing, and the ingenious solution she’s devised to help makers pass on their unwanted me-mades.Support the podcast over on Patreon!Bawn Textiles in a bricks and mortar shop in Glasgow, Scotland, as well as an online shop. You can also follow them on Instagram (@bawntextiles). If you haven’t already, listen to the initial episode that initiated our conversation:Ep. #143: No Small Business on a Dead PlanetRead about Bawn Textiles’ commitment to Net Zero.Bevan’s next step is to research B Corp Certification as a possible future option. Much of the fabric Bawn stocks is compliant with one of the following:GOTS certification Soil association Better Cotton initiativeThere are multiple Oeko Tex certifications, learn about them all on their website.Bawn donates the unsold, unwanted me-mades to the Glasgow-based charity, Refuweegee. Bawn Textiles stock fantastic thread storage by Thread Pegs from Cornwall. Glasgow-native, Jen Hogg, creates amazing tools for makers via her brand Jenerates. I spoke to Jen at last year’s Knitting & Stitching show:Ep. #110: Knitting & Stitching Show 2023Second Cashmere mending yarn is reclaimed from unsalvageable cashmere garments.The Bawn spotify playlist can be enjoyed by all!Maria, AKA @wildknitsglasgow, is a knitwear pattern designer who designed a gorgeous hat pattern and is donating the sales to the charity Refuweegee until March 2025.