Maker Spotlight - Sue from @sookiesews
Updated: Apr 18, 2023
This sewing goddess, notion inventor, YouTube reviewer and all out awesome maker - Sue aka Sookie - comes from Tampa Florida and started sewing at the tender age of 6! I met Sue at my first ever Houston Quilt market over 5 years ago. She made me feel so welcomed and we became fast friends. Her bubbly personality is so infectious. So I am extremely proud and excited to introduce her as our first ever Maker in the Spotlight! See how our interview with Sooker went below...
When did you first start sewing and what made you fall in love with making your own clothing?
Started off making (and designing) Barbie clothing. It was shortly after that I started hacking apart clothes to make new things. I remember thinking I invented taking a pair of jeans and turning them into a skirt. My mother told me that they had been doing that since long before I "invented" it but none the less, it remained in my memory as me coming up with that style.
Can you tell me about some of your favourite makes?
My most recent fav make is the Seoul Blossom blouse. With a few slight adjustments I love the fit, feel, and most importantly, how I feel in it. Next to that, my favorite make garment wise is my wedding dress, I got married on 10-10-2020 and it was 1920's themed beach wedding. I love my dress.
Sookie has an amazing video review of the Seoul Blossom Blouse that can be viewed here or I've linked it at the bottom! It is well worth a watch.
And how stunning is her wedding dress? This really is bespoke dress making at its best!
How did your Seoul Blossom Blouse make go? Any alterations or tips you can offer my followers?
I did make alterations because I wanted the back to fit in some, added a side bust dart and also added elastic on the sleeves because I messed up and made them too long and was too lazy to shorten them.
Again the alteration details are in Sookies video.
Do you have any hints or tricks to share? Any favourite notions or products etc?
I'd say one of my tips for cutting facings out is to cut the interfacing first and then press it to the fabric (wrong side together of course) vs cutting them both. This helps me keep the shape of the facings perfect as the pattern designer intended, especially with slippery fabrics.
Tell me one of your favourite fabric shops
Recently I've fallen in love with LA Finch.
When you are stuck or make a mistake on a project what do you normally do? How do you overcome obstacles when sewing?
I've got a great community of sewing friends and I always ask others when I'm stuck.
What projects are in the pipeline?
I've got a few more blouses lined up, a couple of dresses and would love to try more of Sew to Grow patterns now that I've done the first.
What machine do you sew on?
I'm a BERNINA Ambassador with 790 Plus, Bernette b37, BERNINA L460 serger and the Bernette 42 funlock coverstitch machine.
If you could give any advice to beginners just starting out what would it be?
Have fun and be forgiving!
And finally, is there anything else you would like to add, to encourage women learning to make clothing to fit their bodies?
Let the fabric fall where it naturally and organically wants to and embrace your shape and curves.
Thank you so, so much Sookie! We absolutely love your work here at Sew to Grow and I know that this information will be helpful to lots of ladies out there...we've now off to search LA Finch fabrics :) But if you don't already check out the Sookie Sews socials, I'll link them below....
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