Burda Style For people who sew

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
Im an Aussie, currently living in the Nations Captial (Canberra). I’ve lived here almost all my life, but hope to move to Melbourne one day :)

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
Oh gosh. I think the first thing i ever made was a little pink jumper for my Piglet toy. This was with the help of my Grandma, who i used to make things with all the time.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I’m originally from the Washington, D.C. area and now live in Florida with my husband.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
Oh gosh—I started sewing so long ago I can’t really remember! I’ve been interested in sewing since I was about 5 years old; I used to make a lot of dolls clothes and such, so I think those would have been my first projects. I am basically self-taught when it comes to my sewing skills: I have read a lot of books on everything from general sewing to patternmaking—I’m a sewing geek, I guess! The internet has been an invaluable tool for expanding my knowledge and learning new skills, along with a few classes and interning for a short period with a pattern designer.

1.Where are you from and/or where do you live?
Im from, and currently living in, Guelph Ontario Canada

2.What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
I think the first thing I made (or attempted to make) was a skirt. I was like 10 and it was hand sown and didn’t fit or look good at all. I don’t think I ever even wore it!
12 years later my sister got a sewing machine for her birthday and I just thought id try it out! It took me about a month to figure out how to even tread it but after that I just couldn’t stop sewing. So I’ve been sewing and teaching myself for about 7 months now and this is where I am.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
Made in the USA, but born to be a abroad. I was born in Spring Valley, IL and in 1991 my family and I moved to Arizona. After nursing school I moved to Southern California, Orange County, where I met my husband. A year ago we moved to south west Colorado and now my husband and I live in the ourskirts of Phoenix, Arizona where we are in the process of buying a house with my own sewing room…YEAH! My husband and I have many aspirations to travel the globe and maybe even settle down in some faraway place.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
I have loved fashion and clothes ever since I can remember. I have always walked on the other side of the fence when it came to fashion, I have never really cared what others thought of my creative outfits or ideas. From what comes to mind the first thing I ever made was a pillow when I was 5 years old with yarn and a big plastic needle. My aunt and my mother always inspired me with the clothes they would make for me and what they use to make for themselves. My Godfather gave me my first sew machine a little over a year ago and I have been sewing strong ever since. The first thing I made when I got my sew machine was a skirt that I destructed from a thrifted vintage dress. I love making something new out of something old.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I’m originally from Essex, England and have been living in Barcelona, Spain, for the last year and a half. However, next year is set to be another year of change. Exciting times!

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
I’d imagine something like curtains for a doll’s house! My mum has always sewn and used to do dressmaking and alterations when I was little. I remember her teaching me how to use her sewing machine when I was about ten. I found her sewing box very exciting. At some point I must have lost interest, but I rediscovered the attraction of sewing in my late teens when it became my primary means of creative output. Then I went on to study Fashion Design at university.

1 . Where are you from and/or where do you live?
Originally I’m from Lithuania, a tiny country of three million people by the Baltic sea. I spent the biggest part of my life over there, but as life is full of surprises I live in Dallas, Texas now. My husband Gavan was the reason I moved out here a year ago.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
Now its really hard to remember what exactly i made first, but i guess it was something for my Barbie. I started to sew when i was a teenager and it was my grandma’s “fault”.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I was born in Brooklyn and still reside there. The best things in my life have all happened here. I met and married my husband here. All of my wonderful children were born here. It’s the best place in the world to live!

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
The very first thing I made was a plaid drawstring bag with a shoelace for the drawstring. It was made with the help of my aunt Harriet. My grandmother is an accomplished seamstress, she was my inspiration to start sewing. She has made everything from her children’s daily clothing to exquisite flower girl dresses. I am, in fact, on standing orders to kick her in the backside if she ever agrees to sew something so complicated again! I am the only one of her many grandchildren to inherit her crafty gene. It skipped over her children all together.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I live in kent on the isle of sheppey but spend half of the year in Leicester where i am studying contour fashion at university.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
The first garment i made was a floral dress using the Azalea pattern, looking back now the sewing was appalling but i was hooked from then on. I had always been interested in fashion, particularly lingerie design. Although at school i never got to study textiles or learn any pattern cutting skills i was offered a place at De Montfort University to study Contour Fashion. The summer before i started uni i decided to teach myself how to sew and learn some basic skills as i didnt want to be the worst in the class.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I live near Simcoe which is a small town in Southern Ontario, Canada. I currently own and operate a agricultural consulting business. I was raised on a farm, so sewing and crafting has always been a big part of my life

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
My Mother taught me to sew at a very young age. The first thing I can remember sewing was doll clothing but the most memorable project was my elementary school

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I am from Scranton, Pennsylvania, but I have been living in New York State for eight years and NYC for almost four years. Brooklyn to be exact.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
Oh gee, I have no idea. I was (and am) really into drawing and architecture as a child, as well as furniture, so I think one of my first projects was reupholstering a vintage armchair with denim. This combined a little bit of architecture with sewing and served as a catalyst for other sewing endeavors including a purple halter top which I somehow got to fit me perfectly without using a pattern.

3. What role does sewing play in your life?
Sewing has taken over my life! I really really enjoy transferring ideas or two-dimensional drawings into something wearable. I love that with practice and education anything is possible. Understanding how pieces fit together and how seams create a look have also affected other areas of my design and art. I sew 4-10 hours a day and I am fine with that, although an intern or two would be swell.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I now live with my husband in NYC, as well as attend school here. I was born in Harlem, but I grew up between London, NYC, and North Carolina. As early as elementary school I knew I wanted to return to New York, and that really motivated me to do well in school.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
The first thing I made was a lime green and white gingham, stuffed duck with a neck so narrow he seemed like he had narcolepsy! I bought my first sewing machine after a marathon of Project Runway 3 years ago, but went on a sewing hiatus shortly after, and really just started to sew garments within this past year.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I live in Scottsdale, Arizona where I am currently in nursing school.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
The first experience I had with a sewing machine was in Kindergarten when our teacher let each of us push the pedal and sew the edge of a quilt she was making. A little over a year ago I purchased my own machine and started sewing handbags and I just started really making clothing items in the past couple months.

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I am from Slovenija, from a small village called Branik near Italian border. Even though most of people don’t know about my country , it’s a great place to live, full of life, energy and lovely people.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
When I was a child my mother every summer would send me to my grandma Karmela to Carst some for company, to help her with household and to water her flowers. She owns a huge old house, surrounded by garden and lots of apple trees and still keeping her old singer sewing machine, lots of different pieces of textile, old Burda magazines, my mother’s clothes. ..A lot of stuff that I got in touch with and started to deal with it. I actually don’t remember the first thing that I had done, but i created lots of babydoll clothes, little bags and toys from old socks…

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I am originally from the Netherlands, but I have been living in Copenhagen (Denmark) for the past 4 years. I moved to another country for my job, I am a scientist and just obtained a PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Copenhagen. Next year I am hoping to move to Australia (Perth) for a few years, also for work. I am lucky to have a great boyfriend who is happy to move with me!