Forget-me-not Patterns on the global stage

If you’ve been following the launch of Tauko magazine, you might notice that New Zealander Johanna Morris - a Wellingtonian, to boot! - features in the first issue with her pattern for a lovely waterfall cardigan called Kirsi. We caught up with her to learn more about her pattern-making practice and her journey with her company, Forget-me-not Patterns, thus far.

Jo in her Adeline wrap dress

NEWTOWN HOUSE: Please tell us how you got started in sewing, and in pattern-making. When did you launch Forget-me-not?

JOHANNA MORRIS: I have always loved making things with my hands, so I've dabbled with all sorts of creative things throughout my life. I started out with home sewing as a hobby, but I never thought I'd seriously do anything fashion-related as a job. I started my design degree initially intending to work in visual design, but my obsession for pattern-making and fashion design was really where my heart was, and that led me to switch to get my bachelor's degree in fashion. After graduating, I realised that makers were my people, as I am very passionate about slow fashion, sustainability, and the joy of making. That led me back to the sewing community, and I launched Forget-me-not in mid-2019.

NH: How could you describe your style? Is it evolving over time?

JM: My style has definitely evolved a lot over time! When I first started, my style was a lot more kitsch and vintage-inspired. These days, I am more drawn to understated details and prints. I've never lost my love for tailored and fitted looks though; I think that will always be my favourite kind of style to design and wear! I think I'd describe myself as a shy but exacting person, so that comes through in my designs not being flashy, but having thoughtful details.

NH: What do you find most inspiring about your business?

JM: Definitely the lovely customers! I've met so many kind and supportive people in the sewing community. I love sharing their passion for making, and it inspires me to strive to make sewing as enjoyable as possible, with instructions that are helpful, and make learning fun! That was always a pain point for me as a beginner sewer; frustrating instructions that were vague and made you want to chuck the whole garment away. Haha!
NH: What's your favourite pattern, and why?

JM: My favourite pattern right now is the Adeline wrap dress. It has quite a few of my signature elements, with a tailored fit and a little something extra added with the structured diagonal pleats. It's all about the details! It also really challenged me - I like to design things that are not-so-basic and stand out from the crowd.

NH: What's next for Forget-me-not? (And how did you choose the name for your business?)

JM: Next year I'm hoping to release more designs! This year was a difficult one in so many ways, but I've slowly and steadily been moving forward. I always push myself technically as a pattern designer too, so no doubt there will be some interesting patternmaking and construction to show for my efforts. For the business name, I chose a flower that summed up my design vision - something that is quite delicate, and maybe not the biggest, boldest, brightest bloom, but beautiful nonetheless. And the name "Forget-me-not" also fits with my passion for the small details that make designs memorable.

NH: What's your favourite thing about sewing? How would you 'sell' the experience of garment sewing to someone who was curious about starting?

JM: My favourite thing about sewing is getting into the flow and watching a 2D pattern piece transform into a 3D shape thanks to my hands! There are so many things to love about sewing. I'd sell the experience as something that is very empowering. You get to make something that is uniquely you, and that's something to be proud of, no matter what you make. I never tire of sewing because there's always more to learn and always exciting designs on the horizon to explore.

Photos courtesy Jo Morris and TAUKO magazine. If you’d like a copy, you can pick one up from us here.

Cassandra Harada: A true thread person

Cassie in one of her own designs

Cassie in one of her own designs

Cassandra Harada is an American living in Tokyo, and it’s no stretch to say she can turn her hand to anything.

We first stumbled across Cassie on Instagram, where her profile caught our eye for its brevity and mingling of pursuits that sounded very, ah, familiar. “Knitter, Tailor, baker, Tri. 糸人です。A tiny champion for the world of handcraft, and mediocre athleticism.” (糸人です roughly translates into “I’m a thread person.”) Among the many things we adore about Cassie, this is one.

A triathlete who has a wool business, knits gorgeous sweaters at an amazing rate, lives in Japan, is learning bespoke tailoring under Japanese masters and bakes with earnestness on the regular? I had to know more. (Full disclosure: I used to compete in long-course triathlon, promoted those triathlons and finished my journalism career editing a multisport magazine.)

I shamelessly reached out to Cassie and our friendly online connection grew into a business one. And now we are so delighted to say that we have a small import quantity of glorious Harada Wool to offer to our customers, saving you the international freight from Japan and helping spread the joy of small-batch wool to this corner of the world. 

Of course we had to put together an interview with Cassie, who was as delightful as ever.

The Grey Fox Fair Isle project

The Grey Fox Fair Isle project

Read on, and then please do give her a follow on Instagram at @cassandra_harada and check out her website at haradawool.com. While you’re wandering the interwebs, you can also read all about her collaboration with David Evans, also known as the Grey Fox (@greyfoxblog) on Instagram, on a gorgeous Fair Isle sweater she designed and knit for him in Jamieson’s Shetland wool (@jamiesonsofshetland), then sent across the world to him in the UK. (Spoiler: Of course it fit perfectly!!) She’s also working with Brycelands, a Tokyo and Hong Kong based menswear company that is selling some of her hand knits and sharing her guidance on looking after your woolens - check out her darning and woolen washing tutorials here.


Newtown House: Tell us a little bit about your background - where you grew up, how you learned to knit and sew, how you got into multisport…!

CH: The best way to describe where I come from is to mention the name “Tom Sawyer”. I was raised in a farm town (although my family weren't farmers at the time) in west central Illinois along the Mississippi River. My mother embodies “American frontier optimism” in that if she wants something, she does it or makes it herself. I grew up watching her, especially when she did “making jobs” for extra money. I remember that my mother wanted to start sewing so we could make some things to sell. We didn't have a sewing machine but we'd borrowed one from a friend and she taught me how to sew straight lines so I could help make hair scrunchies. I have always been interested in handcraft though, starting in elementary school with beadwork and chain stitch crochet. I was always making something!   

Tri prep

Tri prep

On multisport: I was never a very sporty kid or interested in athletics at all, but suddenly at 34 my switch flipped, I guess? I tend to do things to the extreme. "Just a little" isn't really in my vernacular. I started running about five years ago, and Ironman seemed like a logical conclusion! I'd always admired cyclists, and swam a little as a child. I don't know what my immediate future of racing looks like as almost everything for this year has already been cancelled, but I hope I'll get to attend an event again sometime soon.   

NH: And can you give us an idea of your journey into and through the fibre world - was wool, knitting and yarn production always a part of your family life? 

CH: I started knitting my first year at university. I remember going to a craft store and picking up a $10 "Learn how to knit" kit as a way to "rebel" against my grandmother who swore crochet was the better of the two crafts. I'm not sure why that sparked my rebellion, but I've never really second-guessed my reaction. She still makes the occasional rude comment!   

When I was 19 I was walking through a handcraft fair at my university. I saw a man sitting at a spinning wheel with a pile of wool in his lap…he took the tufts of fluff and magically turned them into string. I remember being SO taken aback by that and immediately scraped together every penny I could find to buy a used wheel. I imported it from Australia, waited every day at the door in disappointment while the postman rumbled past the house. I clearly remember the joy I felt at ripping that box open and watching the wheel spin the first time...after some serious assembly of course. It's a wobbly old wheel but learning on that monstrosity made spinning later in life so very much easier. While I was doing that I also started reading books about sock knitting and producing garter stitch scarves that sometimes randomly turned into stockinette stitch scarves, or got wider and narrower at various points. It was a fun point in my career. I was in art school then, and knitting was just something I did in the hallways while I waited for class to start. I loved the way it felt to build row by row, though.   

Fast-forward a couple years and a baby, and I picked my “hobby” back up, and added an Ashford Joy. As my daughter grew up, my urge to make became more difficult to ignore and I started designing some knitwear patterns for a Chinese yarn company between parenting moments.

My parents bought a 33-acre patch of land in my hometown and they started talking about a possible pasture. They knew I loved wool, so they said “Hey, let’s get some sheep!" I was never really sold on the idea until we went and picked them up. I spent a good amount of time talking with the breeder and became very excited by what she was doing with the wool she produced. I was scared we wouldn't be able to keep the parasites away, and absolutely terrified at the prospect of losing any to disease or injury, but the breeder was pretty supportive and my parents had really done their homework. It feels natural now, and I think my parents really enjoy keeping them. It's really difficult to find good shearers, but we figure it out. When I met my friend Christie, I was taken with her mohair goats and remembered seeing English sock yarn with added mohair for strength instead of nylon. It seemed like fate. Epic Sock seemed like the perfect culmination of our friendship and our love for fibre.    

NH: What brought you to Japan? And can you tell us how Harada Wool got started? 

CH: I moved to Japan six months after I graduated university because as an art major I remember my professors saying, “You cannot make art without life experience to draw on.” I had always wanted to travel, so I took the opportunity to go the moment I was offered a job at a Tokyo language school.  It was easy work and I had all the time in the world to explore, and grow up.  

 On how I decided to make Cormo yarn: About a decade into my knitting career I came across a yarn called “Elsa Wool”. I ordered a couple of hanks because I'd heard it was good. When it came in the mail I immediately thought, ”What is this magic????” and started reading and researching a little more about the Cormo sheep breed. Elsa has been raising and working in Cormo since the ‘70s, but she is one of the only large-scale producers I know of. As it turns out, half the magic was in the spinning (at Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill).  

When my dad asked me what kind of sheep I might like to have on the farm in Illinois I immediately shouted that he MUST find some Cormos, and it seemed to me the only breed worth raising, as the yarn is quite rare. We figured out pretty quickly why that is, and we're still smoothing out lots of bumps in the road as we produce yearly.  

NH: Tailoring is another love of yours - what prompted your interest? Can you tell us a bit about what that study is like? What are your favourite garments to make?

CH: Tailoring is another opportunity to work with wool. Wool cloth is similar to yarn in lots of ways. Woolen-spun cloth, worsted-spun cloth, you can feel the life of the animals it came from in different ways. I love doing iron work and building beautiful garments out of all of my favourite sheep breeds.

“Tailored garments are like superhero capes,” says Cassie

“Tailored garments are like superhero capes,” says Cassie

The other thing that really draws me to tailoring is that tailored garments are like superhero capes. When a man or a woman puts on a well-tailored suit they are automatically more confident. There's nothing better than seeing a person smile when they look in the mirror after they've just put on their new suit. I love being part of that! I also love making clothes for other immigrants here that can't find clothes to fit them in the regular shops. There's absolutely nothing better than taking away the stigma of size and making a person feel whole when they slide on trousers that actually fit them. Every person deserves that. Helping people feel good about themselves is what makes all of the ugly parts of life worth it.   

NH: What's the woolly life like in Tokyo? For us at a distance, it looks like Tokyo’s climate has plenty of heat but also proper winter ... this suggests you can keep the knitting going year round, from wooly wools to linen and cotton. What trends do you see in knitting and knitwear design in Tokyo?

CH: Knitting in Japan is great! The heat is usually relegated to the month of August so knitting year-round is certainly a possibility! (I knit year-round anyway!). In Japan I see mostly oversized sweaters and simple boxy shapes. They don't look great on me, but If I see a stitch pattern I like I can usually modify it into a shape that suits me. My first couple of years as a shop owner, Ravelry exploded and knitting in English became very trendy. I think most Japanese knitters can now read the basics of English patterns without too much stress. Those linens and cottons that you speak of though, I know nothing of those! (wink, wink!)

NH: You've also got substantial experience in translating Japanese knitting and crochet designs and books into English. What are some fundamental differences in how knitting and crochet patterns are presented in Japanese charts that Western knitters could benefit from understanding? 

CH: In 2015 or so I met Gayle Roehm. She's the real master on this topic but I'll give this a go. Japanese knitting and crochet patterns are mostly visual.  As a veteran craftsperson whose hands understand what to do, I really appreciate this but I know many people prefer written patterns.   I love big charts and schematics rather than being glued to long strings of text. I think that might be because at 38, my eyes are starting to go! My favourite thing about Japanese charts is how simple they are. Even more difficult patterning is simplified down to keep fields of reverse stockinette or stockinette clean so the areas that need visual attention are obvious. When you're knitting a Japanese pattern, look for the two or three keys scattered around a schematic that will tell you what sort of field you're working on (if you're making cables or lace) so you can just get on with the actual ornamental bits.  

NH: Tell us about your favourite uses for a skein or two of Harada Wool. What are the highlight properties of this special yarn for you?

CH: Cormo is soft. I think it makes good anything really, but especially socks, shawls, and lightweight sweaters. Last year I knitted "Poplar" by Ayano Tanaka in Harada Wool, and it turned out beautifully. I like that this yarn is sock weight as you can knit it densely for a more utilitarian garment but because of the mohair halo, you can also knit it at a bit lower gauge and get a light fabric great for sweaters.   

NH: You and I have talked a lot about our shared love of sheepy wools, in particular Shetland wools that are so perfect for colourwork and long-wearing garments. What draws you to these yarns, and do you have a favourite style of knitting or design approach for these yarns?

CH: I've been asked my “why” a lot lately. I'm not sure what draws me to the sheepier wools, aside from the fact that I get really bored with “soft”. I also love the fact that the sheep understand the climate much better than we do. Because hardwools are mostly from more humid places, their wool is great for wicking and keeping dry. I often feel a bit soggy in a soft wool sweater during rainy season, but hard wool is like a rain coat. It's a great layer of protection! Ultimately my favourite thing to knit in Shetland is traditional drop-sleeve fairisle. Perhaps I'm boring but I tend to stick to the basics!  

NH: What has kept you going through the pandemic? 

CH: This is a great question. I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I'd have to say that I am at a large crossroads in my life that happens to coincide with this horrible world pandemic. I'm trying to make smart decisions that will keep my life interesting. Peeking around the next corner and wondering where I'll be in five years if I keep working really hard is probably what has carried me through. We haven't had a ton of serious “lockdown” though, so It's been easier to muddle through than in other countries. I'd say most of what keeps me going though is focusing on gratitude. I have so very much to be grateful for!

NH: We're guessing that it has been very challenging to keep Harada Wool going from a distance during the pandemic. If you're willing to share some of those, I think people could benefit from hearing about the challenges so they can get an idea of what the last year or so has been like for so many yarn producers. 

CH: Hmm, it's such a low-volume business, but I'd say the thing that keeps it going well is keeping the story alive. I'm so lucky to have a large following of lovely people who are interested in small-batch, quality products. Also, I've been lucky enough to befriend some really talented designers that help me sell the yarn with their beautiful work.   

NH: Here's a question that might be difficult for one of the busiest, most creative people we know: What's next for you? 

CH: Goodness, I have so much lined up for the next year. I'm selling some of my knit work in a really gorgeous menswear store that has branches in both Tokyo and Hong Kong.   

Since our yarn was delayed this year due to the pandemic, we've decided to make cloth with our next shearing! I'm very excited about that!

In the in-between I'll keep tailoring and knitting as much I can!

All photos courtesy Cassandra Harada

Cassie and wooly friend

Cassie and wooly friend

Anki Josefsson: Using The Assembly Line to inspire sewists around the world

Newtown House’s customers have voted with their purchases and made The Cuff Top the most popular Assembly Line pattern we offer - by a country mile.

Newtown House’s customers have voted with their purchases and made The Cuff Top the most popular Assembly Line pattern we offer - by a country mile.

Anki Josefsson is the director and very creative mind behind The Assembly Line pattern company. From apron dresses to cuff tops and “almost long trousers”, the clean designs of The Assembly Line have made fans of sewists around the world. We wanted to hear more about the backstory of The Assembly Line, so Anki kindly answered a few questions for us.

NEWTOWN HOUSE: Please tell us how you got started with The Assembly Line  ... and what was the work you were doing before you started it? How old were you when you learnt to sew? Have you always had a wide creative streak?

The Tulip Dress is just one of the terrific, versatile patterns offered by The Assembly Line.

The Tulip Dress is just one of the terrific, versatile patterns offered by The Assembly Line.

ANKI JOSEFSSON: The Assembly Line was founded in spring 2017. I have previously been working as a copywriter and creative director in different companies (shoes, children's clothing etc) and for many years I have "co-run" my own business within interior accessories with a friend.

I learnt how to sew from a very young age. And my mother ran a fabric store in the basement of our house so there was no lack of material. All children in Sweden have sewing classes in school so that's where I learnt even more. And in my teenage years I believe I made the clothes for every party I was attending...not always beautiful sewing but creative garments! :)

NH: Where did you get the idea for The Assembly Line, and how challenging was it for you starting out? And where does the name come from?

AJ: The idea came from my urge to sew but not (ever) finding the patterns I wish for. I had several weddings and anniversaries to attend and I wanted to make my dresses for those occasions. I have been sewing a lot but I'm not a trained pattern maker so I usually have to buy the sewing patterns. And also, I really like the simplicity and quirky details that I can find with many Swedish brands that sell ready-made garments but haven't been able to find that kind of sewing patterns on the Swedish market. 

The garments should be easy to create (even for a non-professional!), with a guaranteed high-end result. No more unfinished sewing projects in the closet!

The name alludes to customers being invited into the production chain (and fortunately ’line’ also means a collection within the fashion industry).

NH: Your patterns are composed of classic shapes and flattering silhouettes that will suit people whose skills are still developing. What's the one big message you'd want to give people who are trying to get started in sewing or other creative endeavours? 

AJ: Don't take it (or yourself!) too seriously, there is no wrong or right - it doesn't have to be perfect! Just do it. Swear if you must, take a walk and cup of coffee and then get back on to it. 

NH: How do you spend your days, these days? 

AJ: Trying to juggle a small business takes all day. I spend most of my days in the studio taking care of orders, planning for new garments and photo shoots, communicating with customers and retailers. Try to squeeze in a bit of marketing as well. 

NH: What inspires you? And which aspects of your work do you most enjoy? And how do you power through the less-fun parts? 

AJ: People inspire me. Love being in a city and just looking at people. There are so many styles and personalities! Fashion is all about self-confidence, I think - believe in yourself and what you're wearing and it will all look fab!

Nature also inspires me. Love being on top of a mountain or near the ocean. Or hiking in the forest. Peaceful!

Of course it is the creative process that is most fun: planning for new garments, sewing. It's also an ego boost to get positive responses from all those fun, talented, creative dressmakers out there.

The less-fun parts? I just do them. Most often first thing, saving the goodie parts as a reward.  

NH: What is ahead for you and The Assembly Line? 

AJ: I'd love to make a collection for all those sewing men out there. 

NH: Businesses like yours are very inspiring for people who are hoping to embrace the ideals of slow fashion - either by making their own clothes or buying one-off, handmade garments. Can you tell us a bit about your approach to slow fashion, and perhaps a bit about the change you hope to see as a result of people starting to really grab hold of these concepts?

AJ: I believe that awareness is the key. To sew one’s own clothes is a conscious choice, both for the person and the planet. Therefore my approach or the aim with The Assembly Line is to attract not only the people that already make their own clothes but also the ones that hitherto overlooked sewing as an option to the ready-made garment. 

To do this I also think home sewing needs to be taken to another, “cooler" level - to attract young people, old people, men and women. There should be something for everyone. And it has to, for real, be an alternative to the ready-made garments found on the High Street.

(I have to tell you that in Sweden we "crown" a yearly Christmas gift; i.e. the gift that is seen/guessed to be the most purchased gift that year. And in 2018, it was the second-hand garment. Isn't that fantastic!) 

NH: Tell us about your favourite meal - and perhaps if you are willing please share a favourite recipe! 

AJ: Oh, a bit addicted to this pumpkin and potato gratin.

NH: What is one thing about you that might surprise people?

AJ: I'm an extremely good at parallel parking. Always make it on the first try!

Looking for some inspiration from sewists around the world? Have a look at a few key Instagram hashtags here:

Cuff Top: #cufftop and #talcufftop

Apron Dress: #talaprondress

Almost-Long Trousers: #talalmostlongtrousers

Tulip dress: #taltulipdress

All about Frankie & Ray

Jo Dunsmuir and one of her many beautiful quilts.

Jo Dunsmuir is the multi-talented woman behind Frankie & Ray, her shop for sewing and quilting patterns and handmade clothes. We’re proud to stock her eminently wearable, breezy patterns, perfect for bringing a little colour into your handmade wardrobe or turning a wee snippet of woven fabric into nifty knickers! We caught up with Jo not long ago to learn more about how she got started, what she thinks about fashion and handcraft, and how to make a nice pizza.

Newtown House: Please tell us how you got started with Frankie & Ray ... and what was the work you were doing before you started it? How old were you when you learnt to sew, and quilt, and knit? Have you always had a wide creative streak?

Jo Dunsmuir: Frankie & Ray was born in the early 2000s by accident. I was a librarian by profession but was looking to indulge in something a little more creative and was completing a Diploma of Interior Decoration as a part-time student. I met and made friends with a fellow crafter, and it was Pia’s idea to try our hand at selling some of our makes on a shared stall at one of the handmade markets that were emerging around Melbourne at that time, and so with some moderate success at our first outing, away I went on this journey.

I couldn’t nominate an exact age when I learnt to sew and knit, but knitting definitely came first courtesy of my German-born Oma (grandmother). I took to it like the proverbial duck to water, and I’ve knitted on and off for my whole life. I find it a mindful and meditative thing to do, and I love the ability to handknit a gift.

I did a certain amount of sewing with my Oma, but really I learnt the basics of dressmaking at secondary school, like many women of my generation. I’ll be honest, the motivation for sewing during my teens was to be able to have new clothes at a lesser cost than store-bought. It was a time when manufactured clothing wasn’t comparatively cheap like much of it is today, which meant for our family, store-bought was for special occasions, birthday or Christmas presents, otherwise you (or someone in your family) made your clothes.

I came back to dressmaking during my professional life as a research librarian for a business newspaper, where I admired, but couldn’t afford, the beautiful suits and fabrics of the financial district uniform on my salary.

It was during this time I really honed my skills on making tailored clothing, and started to gain a deeper understanding of how garments are constructed – which led to playing around with drafting my own simple patterns. Beautiful quality fabrics were easily available at this time around Melbourne, from Clegs, from a few retailers who traded at the Queen Victoria Market, and from the haberdashery department downstairs at David Jones, amongst others. (I still have a coat I made from a mustard Italian wool gabardine purchased for a scary amount of money at the time from DJ’s.) It’s really encouraging to see this niche for good quality dressmaking fabrics being filled again by quilt/patchwork stores, but also by some specialty retailers.

Quilting has come only fairly recently, and my first quilt was made as a way to put some sizeable scraps of Liberty Tana lawn cotton from my dressmaking to good use.

My first quilt was cut with scissors, pinned and sewn haphazardly, and hand-quilted very wonkily. I often wish I could return to blissful ignorance to the ‘imperfections’ of that first quilt.

As for a wide creative streak, I’ve never thought of myself like that, but I am always keen to try something new. The excitement of learning a new skill is thrilling... or not. And that’s the beauty of trying things out. I’ve been longing to try ceramics and drawing/painting. 

NH: How challenging was it for you starting out? And where does the name Frankie & Ray come from?

JD: I began with accessories, including scarves and fabric belts, and some more homewares and decorator items (cushions, tea cosies etc), but it was inevitable that I moved towards clothing, because I’ve always loved clothes, and I really love beautiful fabric. 

Because Frankie & Ray truly began as a sideline hobby, I didn’t chase growth, or have a business plan, or even consider marketing. I really just followed my nose and it has absolutely grown in a very haphazard and unplanned way.  

The name comes from our two much loved pets of the time – Frankie, our incredibly beautiful, clever, and charismatic rescue Siamese cat, named after Frank Sinatra for her amazing blue eyes, and Ray, our first pet greyhound, who was a reject racing dog, and responsible for my becoming a crazy greyhound lady. Both are sadly no longer with us, but live on through the business name. 

My husband and I have always had pets, and we liked the idea of being able to offer a home to a greyhound from an industry that breeds thousands of dogs every year, many of whom are destroyed for lack of speed, or injury, or disinclination to ‘chase’. The breed has got under our skin, as it has for all adoptive owners, and we now have Henry, our second. 

Beginning at the time I did feels like a bit of a blessing, as the whole handcraft / makers movement was just beginning to experience a popular resurgence. Many makers I met at that time were new graduates from creative studies with a fresh take on old handcraft skills, and the market scene in Melbourne provided us with the perfect place to get our products to the public, and our names out there. I think this coincided with the beginning of the age of the internet ... blogging was kind of big back then, and the ability to sell online really enabled many makers to reach customers that would never have been able to find us otherwise.

NH: You've got a range of offerings through Frankie & Ray – gorgeeous handmade clothes, sewing patterns – but you also teach. What aspects do you enjoy most? And what's the one big message you'd want to give people who are trying to get started in these skills? 

JD: I love everything I do and consider myself very lucky indeed. What’s that old saying, if you find something to do that you enjoy, you’ll never work a day in your life? For me, I’m very lucky to balance my hands on making garments for sale with teaching and pattern-making. 

If I can pass on some skills, and some hints and tips on process and technique, and have a good time while doing it, then that’s perfect. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing women go home from a workshop with a garment ready to wear, and the confidence to make more.

There’s a lot of emphasis out there on skills that are quite difficult to master. If you’re just beginning learning to sew, set your sights on something simple and achievable. When you’ve had some practice and a few successful makes under your belt, you’ll be ready and confident to move on to more complicated techniques. 

Never stop persisting. Failing is learning. Ask for help / advice. Practice makes perfect!

The Friday Shirt in a lovely coral linen

The Friday Shirt in a lovely coral linen

NH: How do you spend your days, these days?

JD: My days begin with a walk with our greyhound Henry and my husband, followed by breakfast and a quick(ish) scroll of my social media (read Instagram...I’m no fan of Facebook). Then I try to deal with any household chores that might need attention before packing orders and doing a run into town (6km to Apollo Bay) to the post office. Only then do I start in my workroom, which is downstairs in our house. That might be sewing, or it could be getting patterns ready for dispatch. If I’m struck with inspiration for something new, that inspiration often comes when I’m actually sewing. I work in quiet (no music or podcasts), and the act of working with my hands often allows ideas to present themselves. If it’s a promising idea I usually have to drop everything to try it out.

NH: What inspires you? And which aspects of your work do you most enjoy? And how do you power through the less-fun parts? 

JD: I don’t pay much attention to trends. I’m still very influenced by the minimalist fashion of the 1990s – my collection of Vogue patterns included many from Cavin Klein, Donna Karan, and Issey Miyake. Very often it will be a fabric that will inform what I make with it. What I mean by that is; that I buy fabric with no plans for it, so it may arrive and have to wait a while in my stash before I know exactly what I want to make with it. 

Trends are unavoidable, even in the handmade world, but I try my hardest to steer well clear. I believe clothes should be comfortable, made from the best quality natural fibres I can find for the job, and should last more than a single season. But perhaps most importantly, I want my garments to be able to be worn as part of everyday dressing. I don’t make anything I wouldn’t want to wear myself. Anything new has to find a place in my own wardrobe for fit, comfort, and style before I go any further with something.

I most enjoy the part of the process when a design becomes as good as I can make it, and the making itself becomes like second nature, when I no longer have to think too hard about what step comes next. Equal to that enjoyment is taking delivery of fabric that is better than I’ve expected. I’ve had deliveries that make me gasp with pleasure. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of not being able to wait to start sewing with those ones.

The Calendar Dress pattern makes a nifty shirt, too.

The Calendar Dress pattern makes a nifty shirt, too.

The flip side are the days I simply don’t feel like sewing but have stock to make. The beginning of the spring / summer season is always a bit daunting. For example, right now I have lots of new fabric, my designs for the season are well-formed and ready, but I have hours of sewing ahead of me to make stock. My motivation is always that I know how good I’ll feel when I have a reasonable amount of stock in hand. There’s only one way to get to that point, and that’s to do the work!

NH: Businesses like yours are very inspiring for people who are hoping to embrace the ideals of slow fashion – either by making their own clothes or by buying one-off, handmade garments. Can you tell us a bit about your approach to slow fashion, and perhaps a bit about the change you hope to see as a result of people starting to really grab hold of these concepts?

JD: Slow fashion is such a new concept, but I’m encouraged that people are working to make more considered clothing purchases or make their own garments as a way to counter the ‘churn’ of the modern fashion industry. My personal philosophy is to make every garment in my wardrobe work hard for as long as possible. I imagine I have a bigger wardrobe of clothes than most people, but every single garment in there must be worn, even if it’s only occasionally. I own clothes (some bought, some I’ve made) that are up to 20 years old. If you love it, wear it, pay no attention to trends, and keep your favourites. If you do succumb to a current must-have trend, then continue to wear that garment the next year, or repurpose the fabric it was made from.

By sewing their own clothing, I hope that people realise the effort that goes into garment construction – that ultimately everything is handmade, even in a factory environment, and therefore the value we as consumers place on garments needs to reflect and respect that.

I’d like to see clothing more treasured and enjoyed, that it’s good for more than a few wears, or even a single season. Once it’s done with, perhaps it might be re-used as rags, or cut up for quilting or other handcraft, or donated to charity or friends if it’s still in good condition.

NH: What is ahead for Frankie & Ray? 

JD: Your guess is as good as mine! I’ve never made plans, but I am still enjoying the ride! I am trying to slow down a little bit after many years of being lucky to be in this micro business. Sewing is a physical job, and I do hanker after a little more time to indulge in some other pursuits like gardening and cooking, and maybe learning some new hand skills. Travel is always high on my list of wants.

Quilts feature in the family caravan, too.

NH: Tell us a bit about your trip last year to Europe. It looked fantastic. How long was it in the planning, and what inspired your choice of destination?

JD: Oh, Italy! We loved every single minute of it. We began to plan in earnest about a year ago, but we’ve wanted to go for a long time. My husband bought me a book for my 40th birthday (quite a few years ago!) called Salute!by Gail and Kevin Donovan, Simon Griffiths and Robert Castellani. Part cookbook, part travel book, it sparked a real desire to travel to Italy. I used to work with a woman whose family emigrated to Australia from Malta, so we’d always wanted to go there also. When we realised Malta is so close to Sicily, it was an easy decision to add it to our travel plan. I’m so glad we did because for a tiny country Malta packs a big punch. 

We began our journey in Zurich, which we loved, travelled by train through the Alps, and travelled Italy from north to south, ending in Malta. We made a decision to avoid some of the better-known destinations, which I have no regrets about. I’ve been asked which were my favourite things / places, and I cannot nominate one place over another. It was all fabulous. One highlight was being able to meet with my lovely friend (and talented knit designer) Anna Maltz and her husband, who travelled from London to meet us for a long weekend in Sorrento.

With Henry the Handsome, the family’s rescued greyhound.

NH: Tell us about your favourite meal – and perhaps if you are willing please share a favourite recipe! 

JD: I love to eat, so to pick one favourite is almost impossible! In Italy, one of my favourite meals was a kind of antipasto picnic we shared with Anna and her husband. We visited one of the many ‘salumeria & macellaria’ (delicatessen) stores in Sorrento and bought a selection of cold meats, cheeses, bread, a few vegetables in oil and some olives. A bottle or two of wine, we took it all back to our hotel and set up on one of the tables on the terrace overlooking the Bay of Naples.

Pizza is a highlight throughout Italy – I think the secret is really good handmade dough, buffalo mozzarella, and a simple (and very sparing) topping of just one or two great quality ingredients.

I set out to eat gelato every single day – and I think I managed pretty well. The flavours are so much more diverse than what is generally available here in Australia. Like liquorice, and some particularly Italian flavours like fior de latte, which translates to ‘flower of milk’...a delicate cream like flavour, and another I had called profumo di Sorrento – ‘perfume of Sorrento’ – which was a mixed citrus flavour. Delicious!

With Italian pizza in mind, this is the recipe we use for pizza dough taken from Karen Martini’s book, Where the Heart Is.

Basic Pizza Dough.

400g plain flour

100g fine semolina

2 teaspoons table salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons (7g) dried yeast

Combine flour, semolina and salt in a bowl. Mix water, oil and yeast in a small bowl and stir to dissolve yeast. Pour water mixture into flour and mix until combined, and knead on a lightly floured surface for about 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, but still quite wet and sticky.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic film and rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size. 

Makes enough for 4 pizzas.

NH: Finally, what is one thing about you that might surprise people?

JD: I am truly, totally, dreadfully disorganised when it comes to my paperwork. My income tax returns are always late!

 

All photos courtesy Jo Dunsmuir

Karen Templer: Going behind The Fringe Association

Karen Templer

Karen Templer

Karen Templer came to knitting as a fully fledged adult, but the craft grabbed her straightaway and has quickly turned into far more than a pastime. If you subscribe to our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, you’ll know we often refer to Karen’s beautiful website, Fringe Association, for all manner of reasons - because she champions, lives and breathes slow fashion, because she regularly hosts exiting make-alongs that include sewing, knitting and crochet, because she is incredibly generous about everything she’s learned along the way, and because she has a wonderful magpie eye that gathers and takes notice of beauty everywhere. And that’s not to start on the range of wonderful tools she offers in her online shop, Fringe Supply Co - a range that includes the cult-status Fringe Field Bag for taking your needlework outside with you. (Check out the latest edition of the Field Bag, a collaboration with print artist Jen Hewett, if you're curious.)

One of Karen’s initiatives is the #Summer of Basics, in which she encourages makers to think about stocking their wardrobe with three basic pieces over the three (Northern Hemisphere) summer months of June, July and August. Here in the Antipodes, though, we see no reason why we can’t hop on this delightful bandwagon. It may be winter, but there are still basics that are required! Jumpers, merino tops, trousers, warm skirts, socks, beanies - the list goes on and on. (Here's: more about the SoB.) Here's what's happened on our own #SummerofBasicsAntipodesStyle,

This is a long way of saying we’ve been long-distance fans of Karen for a long time, so we were thrilled when she said yes to a wee interview. Enjoy.

How did you come to start Fringe Association? What was the journey that brought you to opening up the shop, and starting the website?

I learned to knit in October 2011, when I was living in Berkeley and working the tech world in San Francisco. I was taught by friends while we were visiting Nashville, and thought they were the only people I knew who knitted. So I started the blog, which came to be known as Fringe Association, two months later, and it was a way to keep in touch with them and document this incredible new addiction and hopefully make some knitting friends. I pretty quickly started brainstorming (read: fantasising) about the yarn store of my dreams, which didn’t seem to exist in the real world, and in the course of all that imagining came the idea for the webshop, Fringe Supply Co, which launched as an online pop-up shop for the holidays in 2012.

How has your thinking evolved over the last five-plus years you've been in business?

In too many ways to begin to articulate! My thinking evolves every single day — about what I’m doing and why, what kind of business I want Fringe to be, what kinds of clothes I want to make for myself. Blogging and owning a small business are both a nonstop growth experience.

Do you think people are growing in their understanding of slow fashion, and the need to consider how their clothes are made, and to consider making their own? Are you starting to see evidence of a shift?

Absolutely, yes. When I first started knitting, which got me interested in sewing again (not having done so for a few years), there was definitely a conversation happening among a lot of really thoughtful, tuned-in people, but you had to sort of pick up on it and tune in yourself. Maybe it’s just because of the community I’ve embedded myself in, but now I feel like it would be very difficult to be a DIY clothes-maker, on the Internet in any way, and not be exposed to the issues and concerns at hand.

And beyond the DIY community, there are so many more brands (or sub-brands) being formed around slow fashion and sustainability, discussions happening in magazines and on public radio, and so on. I get catalogs in my mailbox now from sustainable-fashion companies, and that was not happening even five years ago. I’ve even read articles about the demise of high-street fashion brands wherein the journalist will cite a rise in consumer awareness and demand for transparency as among the many reasons a fast-fashion brand might be struggling. It’s definitely gaining so much traction and being amplified all over the place.

What surprises you about your business, and about the kind of responses you get to your work on the website?

I remember seeing Kellie Pickler, former American Idol runner-up at the time, guest-hosting on The View one day (several years ago) and when she came out onto the stage and the crowd cheered, she mused out loud, mostly to herself, “Crazy to think people find ya interesting.” And I think of that a lot. It’s pretty amazing to have people show up every day wondering what you’re thinking about or making or selling. I take it really, really seriously, especially with the shop. I never want to sell anyone anything they don’t find beautiful or useful, or that’s disappointing in any way, so I am incredibly choosy and have extremely high standards, because it’s a pretty astonishing thing to have people have that kind of trust in you.

Like many of your regular readers, I was riveted by the discussion of gansey sweaters [link: https://fringeassociation.com/2018/04/17/what-i-know-about-gansey-origins-with-deb-gillanders/] on the blog recently - why do you think stories like that strike such a chord with people? 

I just think we’re all so disconnected from everything — we’ve collectively lost our sense of history and origins, and we outsource everything. We live in a world where we don’t know where our food comes from, how our clothes are made, how to fix anything for ourselves (be it engine trouble or a hole in a sock). When you knit, you’re not only taking back the making of your sweaters or whatever, knowing at least where these things come from, you also kind of can’t help but be aware of the fact that you’re participating in this incredibly long tradition, this thing that has been passed along from one knitter to another for centuries, being improved upon and reimagined all along the way. And then when you find out there’s also this whole other level of history to it — that types of sweaters or mittens or stitch patterns or techniques aren’t random; they come from specific people and places and have evolved or been lost in whatever ways — it just adds a whole extra level of fascination and connection to what you’re doing. A sweater you’ve seen all your life and never thought anything about suddenly has all these layers of history and meaning.

One of Karen's many brilliant tricks is to document her seasonal wardrobes, both as a way to spot gaps that might need filling and to pull together new looks for the months ahead.

Some people might look at your website and wonder, why is it important for people to chronicle their own journeys on the slow fashion road, and in such detail? And why does it resonate with people? (I know the answer I'd give if asked, but I'm curious to hear yours.)

I’d actually love hear your answer! I enjoy documenting things — whether it’s how I shaped a raglan or how my thinking about my closet was shaped — and I enjoy reading how other people document what they do. I learn from other people’s triumphs and mistakes and points of view, and I hope people can take something away from mine. I don’t always know what I think (or what I think I think) until I’ve written it down and had it challenged by someone else. It’s all part of the growth experience!

How do you keep yourself motivated and organised - you have the same 24 hours as all of us, but you do seem to accomplish quite a lot in your days and weeks!

Oh, gosh. I have at least two full-time jobs, right?, and the only way I know to do them is to do them — to just keep going! People ask me all the time how I manage to write a blog post every weekday and my answer is that if I didn’t do it every day — like showering and eating and breathing — I wouldn’t be able to do it at all. It just has to be part of my routine. And I know it does seem like I get a lot done, and I do — by necessity — but what I see from where I sit is all of the things that don’t get done every day, because every single to-do list is inherently insurmountable. But that’s just the nature of owning a small business. You have to be willing to show up every day knowing your to-do list is going to beat you, but that you’ll be back again tomorrow giving it your all! I mean, you basically have to be a crazy person — a highly organised crazy person — which I apparently am.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

That I know anything about Kellie Pickler or The View? I don’t know — I’m a polymath and a reasonably complex individual, but on the Internet I think I might appear to be just some lady who is obsessed with clothes. In real life, I’ll talk to you about books, current events, religion, gardening, pop culture. Would people be surprised to know I’m more interesting than I appear? lol

What's your absolute favourite garment in your closet? And what are you most looking forward to making next?

Generally my favourite thing in my closet is whatever I finished most recently, so right at this moment it is the Elizabeth Suzann half-finished sample-sale jacket I just turned into the best vest imaginable. And what I’m most looking forward to is whatever is in the pipeline that is the most challenging, or makes me the most nervous. For Summer of Basics this year, I think I’m going to make a pair of proper pyjamas — you know, with the piping and everything? Maybe even in a slippery fabric! And I’m pretty nervous and excited about all of that.

Thanks, Karen - we really appreciated your generosity and can't wait to see how your #SummerofBasics projects turn out! All photos by Karen Templer.

A notebook like Karen's can be invaluable if you're wanting to document, and plan, your wardrobe.

A notebook like Karen's can be invaluable if you're wanting to document, and plan, your wardrobe.

Always be making: duncan mclean

Clothing designer Duncan McLean has always been making things. You might say it's in his blood.

His mother ran a fabric store then re-trained as a designer, and his father is a carpenter. And his grandmother worked as a finisher at a clothing factory, doing all kinds of intricate handwork. Surrounded by all that talent, he was always going to be encouraged to follow through on his creative curiosity and give things a go.

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