Since I’ve started making clothes I’ve discovered the wonderful online sewing community! There are so many inspiring creators online and so much information to learn from. It’s a whole new ballgame from the traditional in person sewing classes and books. In many ways these women remind me of my mom who was and still is a DIY goddess. Before Pinterest and sewing blogs there was Celina Senior with her sketches and inspiration binders.
Mimi G
Mimi G has an incredible story. She went from living as a homeless single mother to running a million dollar DIY business. She does all kinds of DIY content but it mostly focuses on sewing. She’s established an online sewing class that teaches women how to draft their own patterns, which is a godsend for those of us with nonstandard figures. She has a line of patterns with Simplicity and also runs Melanated Fabrics, a modern online fabric shop focused on creating equity and diversity in the industry.
Tabitha Sewer
Tabitha is another sewing goddess! She too makes and sells her own patterns and an INCREDIBLE line of contemporary buttons. It’s amazing how hard it is to find modern looking buttons, she really found a need there. I love the bright colors and fun silhouettes of Tabitha’s sewing projects. I also love watching her other DIY projects. Over the summer she and her adorable family created a patio space under the deck from scratch (it was a patch of dirt to begin with) and it was so inspiring.
I Used to Be a Curtain
This is a special one! I stumbled across one of Nancy’s posts while looking through Instagram and fell in love with her mission. She recycles fabrics from other garments, scraps, or small purchased fabric pieces and makes really unique garments from there. The environmentally conscious practice is admirable in its own right, but it also forces innovation. She mixes patterns and creates unique design components based on whatever fabric she can salvage. Not only is she super talented but Nancy has become a great online friend! We always support each other’s work and exchange sewing information. It’s an example of how wonderful that online community can be.