Burda Style For people who sew

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live?
I was born in Vienna, Austria, and have lived here for most of my life, but my mother is from Norway, so I spent all my childhood summers in Norway with my grandmother and still try to go there as often as I can.

2. What was the 1st thing you made? How did you start sewing?
The first thing I ever made was a quilted oven mitten in school. My mum still has it hanging in her kitchen. But the first real item of clothing I ever made was a ball

gown for a school ball when I was sixteen. The ball gown was my own design and I made it using a very cheap but funky black and pink striped fabric. I got a lot of help from my mother in making this dress, because I knew hardly a thing about sewing. But seeing how my own design came to life and how I could look just the way I wanted to despite not being able to spend a lot of money really inspired me. This experience has stayed with me ever since and is what made me want to sew more and more.

3. What role does sewing play in your life?
Sewing is a hobby and a creative outlet for me. I’m always sewing something and even when I don’t have the time to sew I think about sewing. I make little drawings or look at fabrics and think of all the wonderful things I could sew if I only had the time. I find inspiration everywhere and I’ve noticed that it is very hard not to look at the cut and feel of people’s clothes when you have been sewing for a while. It becomes an obsession.

4. What is your favorite and what is your least favorite thing about sewing?
I really like hand sewing and working on small details, because it can be a very calming and meditative experience, which I often crave in my life. I also love coming up with design ideas and then drafting them myself, but I find the process of fitting really tiresome and frustrating and would like every garment to fit perfectly from the start. It’s a terrible feeling when you have sewn a garment and then you just don’t get it to fit you right.

5. If you could make something for anyone who would it be and what would you make?
I adore my grandmother, but she is getting old and hasn’t been doing so well lately. I’d love to be able to make her a colourful and fun outfit, which she could wear for a day out in town and feel proud, pretty, comfortable and happy in.

6. What are you looking for on our site? What do you think should be improved and what do you really like?
I love the inspiration I get from all the members and the great input they provide on sewing knowledge. I also love getting feedback from others on my creations. It is very encouraging. I don’t know anyone in my offline world who makes their own clothes, so it’s nice to be able to share my love with other people in this community. What I don’t like on the site is the “Rate this” function for projects. I don’t understand people, who would rate anything with low points. I mean if I don’t like something I just move on. While it doesn’t really bother me what rating I get, I believe it may be disheartening for a new member to get a bad rating on the first thing they post. Sewing is a hobby and creative outlet for most of us in this community and I don’t think we need to get rated on this. There is enough rating in life. This community should be about positive and constructive feedback, not about negative feedback and ratings on a 1-5 scale.

7. What is your motto?
I don’t have a motto but I really like the Hebrew word Chutzpah. I think it can be defined as unmitigated but charming and intelligent effrontery or impudence. It’s when you just have the nerve, guts or audacity to do whatever you feel like, without thinking too much about the consequences or other people’s judgement. I think having a bit of that attitude in life takes away from unnecessary worry or caution, which can make life oh so dull.

Stephiaffi had 32 amazing projects, see what inspires her around BurdaStyle and find out more at her blog