When I was reading over this new book I was thinking how rad it would be to actually ask Wendy some questions. So I did. And she was kind enough to respond. At the end of this interview are instructions on how to get a chance to win a copy of Wendy's newest sewing book, Dresses—enjoy and good luck!
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Hey Wendy! Thanks so much for answering some questions. Here we go:
Before your first book came out, Sew U, I never really referred to a solid how-to book for garment sewing save the 1970's classic, Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing. When friends would ask for a bible of sewing clothes, with complete information, I didn't really have much to tell them. Did you see a hole in the book market when you wrote your first book and feel the need to fill it? Because you sure did.
- Thanks! I have a lot of sewing books and felt that none of them really organized the information in a way to make me fully understand garment construction and patternmaking and design all in relation to each other. Since I'm pretty much self taught I had years and years of just practicing and studying on my own and realized I have a wealth of information to share.
When I read your books, I always imagine you behind your sewing machine with a tape measure around your neck—how often to you get to actually sew now? Do you still get behind a machine or is your design process more on paper? If you don't get to sew as much—do you miss it?
- Haha yes that's exactly how I look! I don't sew that often anymore but I do spend a lot of time patternmaking, sourcing, and sketching. Also running my business. To be honest, I don't really miss it too much I think mostly because when I used to do it when I was younger it was a hobby. Now my hobby is my career so the last thing I want to do when I'm not working is have anything to do with work in that way.
In your newest book, Built by Wendy Dresses, you do away with seam allowances on your patterns, which I think is brilliant. I love using European and Japanese patterns which have no seam allowances included. Was this a hard decision to make and was it a hard thing to get everyone to agree on? Being here in the US, all patterns have seam allowances, including your Simplicity patterns, which i know is the industry standard for US sewing patterns.
- Oh I'm so glad you appreciate that! As my books involve more patternmaking it can be incredibly confusing to constantly remember if there are seam allowances and where you add them or if they were already there. You are a lot freer without them then at the end you add them as your final step. I remember getting Burda patterns when I was a teen and being so psyched about no seam allowances. It helped me be more confident as far as being able to cut them apart and make my own styles.
You have your hand in so many creative pursuits, fashion design, owning your own shops, designing patterns for Simplicity, and many other creative projects and now 3 books under your belt. How's the book gig treating you—do you like being an author? And how does it feel when a girl comes up to you and says "I made myself this from your sewing patterns/book" versus you seeing her wear something from your shop?
- I feel very proud that I can contribute books that can help in some small way to someone being able to learn skills that inspire creativity. I started making clothes because I felt there was nothing (at the time) out there that was my style. I love that people buy my clothes but I think it is more exciting that someone made something from my books or patterns. It makes me really happy. The more people express their independent spirit and creativity the better the world is.
I need to talker sergers for a second. I can't live without mine and got my first one when I was about 23. I feel bad telling people they don't need one, because while they really don't HAVE to have one, I can't imagine not having mine. Of course, now I have one which is self-threading, so I can actually use it without swearing. Did you have a serger when you were doing your clothing sewing for yourself? How important do you think they are for a serious home sewer?
- I'm with you - once you have a serger it's hard to go back to any other way. It just makes everything more professional looking and feels so satisfying that all your finishes are so clean. I took me a long time to get a serger, only because i didn't have the money. I save up my baby sitting and part time job money for awhile then my grandpa matching the other half as a graduation gift. I also really wanted to sew knits and doing them with a zig zag always seemed so measly to me. When you crank out a t-shirt in 20 minutes with a serger it's the best!
I would love to see what you would design in the world of handbags and shoes—any plans for these? Any new Simplicity sewing patterns in the works?
- I've done a few handbags and shoes here and there but it costs so much and I always have production problems. Not doing much with Simplicity, I love them so much though! I just wanted to do a small capsule collection with them and I feel that I have covered all that I wanted to cover with a nice tight collection with them.
Okay, the world of sizing has gone insane! For so long it was just two standards, sewing patterns and ready-to-wear (which are about 2 sizes different) but now it seems ready-to-wear is all over the place and even some sewing patterns are changing. It's crazy. I can't image how it must feel as a designer. Really, it's all about taking your own measurements, but what's going on in the fashion world? I have never seen so many discrepancies. Is it a nightmare for you?
- Everyone has very different sizes and proportions so it virtually impossible for one designer to fit everyone. That is why larger companies like Ralph Lauren or Donna Karan have different lines that cater to the fit and style of various people. Unfortunately I'm a tiny company. I do everything except physically working in my store. I do the patterns, the design the fabrics, I do my own accounting, I produce my photo shoots, I oversee my production. That being said when I first started I made two sizes: Small and Medium. The size small fit me and the size medium fit my friend. As my business grew and I had more money to spend I offered more sizes. I chose my measurements based on measuring many friends and customers and came up with a spec that I felt was the average for my line. I know I can't fit everyone but I do my best with the resources I have. The only nightmare I have is when people write to me complaining that i don't make clothes for "all women" or that my clothes don't fit them. If I made jeans or minidresses that are shorter then tall girls complain, if I made jeans longer then I get short girls asking me if we do alterations. If I made things run bigger then small girls say my clothes are too big. For the most part though I don't get too many complaints and I try to offer things that work for tiny girls, "average" girls, and larger girls. But yeah the whole sewing sizing and real sizing is so weird. I'm like a 4-6 in my stuff but then a 10 in sewing. Simplicity said the sizing was standardized so long ago and they just can't change.
I'm gonna just throw some words out here—and you pick one, just while I am being all up in your business.
pie or cake:
pie ( I love baking pies) speed metal or classic rock:
classic rock flats or pumps:
flats coffee or tea (or diet pepsi):
coffee wool or cotton jersey:
wool jersey roller skating or ice skating:
ice skating ocean or lake:
lake lip gloss or bright red lipstick:
lipgloss summer or winter:
winter fried mozzarella sticks or oyster shooters:
oysters So, let's say it's a full moon out and you are about to change into some kind of were-animal. What are you turning into? (Any animal is fair game!)
Awesome! A fox. Very Interesting. Thanks so much Wendy!
So, if you all want a chance to win Wendy's newest book, just leave a comment stating which were-animal YOU would change into. A random number generator will choose a lucky shape-shifter in two days (end of the day friday) Good luck!
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The comments are closed, thanks you guys!
Okay-you all are a crazy group of shape-shifters! So many good animals—I was very impressed. I need to give particular props to the person who would turn into Bigfoot. What!? That is so funny I spit out my coffee.
The Random number generator has chosen—congrats Mimi who said "a werewolf...totally old school shredded pants and all"