Johanna and Malena unravel the surprisingly complicated world of elastic, and hopefully they didn't stretch this topic too far!

This elastic deep dive covers everything from comfy waistbands and sports bras to swimwear and activewear. Plus lots of practical tips for measuring elastic, joining the ends neatly, preventing twisting and rolling, and even how to use elastic for gathers.

Johanna also explains why she almost always reaches for knitted elastic these days, and why clear elastic deserves a permanent place in every sewing room.

Let's just say this conversation has plenty of stretch!

Elastic resources mentioned

Fit for Knits

Sewing Activewear

Master The Coverstitch Machine

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Stitching Tales on Instagram

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About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

You spend days making a precious garment. And then, with wash and wear, it starts to break down.

In this episode, Malena and Johanna talk about what affects how long handmade clothes actually last, such as fabric choices, how you wash your makes, and the things that slowly wear garments down.

If you’ve ever had something you made lose its shape, fade faster than expected, or just not hold up, this episode will help you figure out what’s going on.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

The sewing world has never been more connected, or more fragmented.

15 years ago, most online sewists gathered in a handful of forums and blogs. Today, conversations are spread across Facebook groups, memberships, Discord servers, Substack, online courses, Instagram, YouTube, and platforms that may or may not still exist by the time this episode airs.

On one hand, it's easier than ever to find people who share your interests. On the other hand, keeping track of where everyone is gathering can feel like a part-time job. And don't we all crave more in-person meetups these days?

The conversation may also have been lightly influenced by some behind-the-scenes brainstorming around Johanna and Malena's upcoming book To a Tee and whether the internet really needs one more place for sewists to gather.

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

Sewing thread seems simple, until you realise that there is a thread jungle out there, and that choosing the right thread can affect everything from seam durability and stretch to stitch quality and how smoothly your machine sews.

In this episode, Malena and Johanna are diving deep into the world of sewing threads. From regular all-purpose thread to overlock cones, stretch thread and heavy topstitching thread, this episode covers what different threads actually do, when to use them and why thread choice can completely change the outcome of a sewing project.

Plus: why cheap thread has its place, but not on a sewing machine. And of course, Johanna messes up the thread weight systems, but hopefully she manages to save her face in the end!

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

What happens when the thing you used to enjoy doing starts feeling like dread? Because burnout and exhaustion often creep up on us, and can be hard to nip in the bud.In this candid conversation, Johanna and Malena talk about their own experiences with burnout, losing motivation, and what happens when a hobby, passion, or creative business no longer feels inspiring.

Because even something you genuinely love can become emotionally draining when there’s pressure to create, produce, improve, or keep up constantly.

They also offer practical advice grounded in both their own experience and science-backed strategies. But of course, that doesn't mean they have it all figured out; in fact, Johanna reveals that she still has some questionable work habits, so do as she says, not as she does!

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

Summer has (almost) arrived in Sweden, and Malena and Johanna are ready to talk about warm-weather sewing. It starts with a linen pants therapy session where Johanna has some saggy struggles; luckily, Malena has the solutions.

They move on to shorts and how we can hack our favourite pants sewing pattern into a pair of shorts (hint: the answer might surprise you).

Then Malena pulls out a roll of fabric and asks for advice, and the answer could be...dungarees, or as Johanna says, "own the stripes!"

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

The coverstitch machine can easily become an expensive hemming machine. So in this episode, Johanna and Malena talk about why it can do so much more than just finish the bottom of a t-shirt.

Johanna is on a roll in this episode, and dishes on everything from reverse coverstitching and bindings to seams inspired by ready-to-wear activewear and even denim!Then the conversation turns to using woolly nylon and heavier threads for fuller coverage, binding techniques both with and without specialised attachments, and how mock flatlock seams can give knit garments a flatter, more professional finish.

And of course, they address some gripes too, after all, this is an episode about coverstitch machines!

Johanna's coverstitch resources

Free coverstitch troubleshooting guide

Coverstitch Success Video Course

Master The Coverstitch Machine Book

Malena's Fieldfare Joggers Pattern

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram

Malena and Johanna open the mailbag again and answer your pressing sewing questions! Should you purge patterns that no longer fit? Who gets the final word when Malena and Johanna disagree on a technique? And can you skip the grain line when sewing samples?

These and many more questions are answered in this very meaty Q&A episode.

Email us more questions at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠stitchingtalespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or contact us at our socials:

Stitching Tales on Instagram

Stitching Tales on YouTube

About Malena Hjerpe: Professional pattern maker, sewing book author and owner of Hazelhen Patterns.

Hazelhen Patterns Instagram

hazelhenpatterns.com (get your free Malva t-shirt pattern)

About Johanna Lundström: Sewing book author, pattern designer and sewing content creator.

thelaststitch.com

The Last Stitch Instagram