How did you first get into sewing?
Oh, that was quite late, actually. I dreaded sewing and knitting when in school, I think mostly because of all the rules around sewing, it didn’t seem playful at all to me. And too slow. I preferred arts and even carpentry classes. Sewing wasn’t a part of my life until I was in my twenties. As a student at Lund University I had a friend, Anna, who also made her own beautiful dresses and redrafted patterns to make new models. That was very inspiring as she always had beautiful dresses just as she wanted them. She helped me out with a dress, and I was hooked at once!
Later I took classes for drafting and sewing based on my own measurements. I was a complete beginner at that time and discovered with great enthusiasm a new dimension of life. Since then I’ve been sewing more or less. I had an involuntary break for a few years as I worked a lot and had our first baby. My son’s demand for an airplane-costume for Halloween helped me rediscover the joy of creating and sewing.
How would you describe your personal style?
I like to look well dressed with an arty twist. I don’t mind strong colours or bold patterns, but I like to dress quite minimalistic after all. That is why i love TAL patterns. The look is simple and the patterns are well drafted and beautiful in themselves. The details give them a little twist that makes the result stand out. And how I love comfortable clothes in good materials!
Which is your favourite sewing tool and why?
The sewing machine is a good friend, naturally. I also appreciate a good pair of scissors and a sharp seam ripper. Scissors are crucial in order to get the edges and notches and curves correct. A good seam ripper makes those moments when you have to reach for the ripper less disappointing. Oh, and really sharp pins and needles helps. As I love wool more than any other fibre a steam iron is a true friend as well.
What are your best sewing tips/tricks?
It might be basics, but make sure that the pattern pieces are on the grain line before cutting, that makes everything else so much more satisfying. And fun. Be attentive to all the details such as notches and other pattern markings at the beginning, then the rest will be much more intuitive. I like that TAL patterns come with seam allowances included and perfectly placed notches!
What are the best (and worst) bits of sewing?
I love all parts of sewing and I sew because I enjoy the process of working with my hands. In my professional life I’m often involved in abstract processes, that takes time and often leave me with a feeling that I haven’t accomplished anything. Sewing helps me keep the balance in life and I always have a few projects going on at the same time. I like to see results.
Worst bits are when I realize that I’ve cut and made the wrong size or that things don’t fit nicely in the end, when I should have taken the time to sew a toile. I have some examples of garments that I have sewn nicely, but when I try them on, they fit so badly that I never finish them. Again, that’s why I appreciate a well drafted pattern.
Do you have a favourite fabric you often choose?
Wool is my all-time favourite. That is probably the best textile fibre of them all. It is flexible and cooperative overall. I love the smell of it, the way it feels and the look of it. Anything in wool is my favourite, just different qualities and weight for different garments. Cotton is another favourite, such as poplin, denim and canvas. I like how cotton is straight forward and strong.
What’s your most memorable sewing mistake?
I was a student and had really invested in a high quality fabric, a red wool, to make a coat. The pattern made me cut the fabric in loads of pattern pieces and when I was done it did fit but the fit wasn’t for me at all. That was an expensive lesson. For a long time after that I always made a toile before cutting the fabric. Nowadays I don’t have that time so I pick my patterns wisely and accept that it is a bit of a gamble.
What’s your proudest sewing moment?
That’s probably my very first evening gown that I had drafted and sewn myself, in a peacock blue/turqoise thai silk. I was so proud that I coloured a piece of my hair in the same coulour.
Which fabric shop/s do you usually buy from, online and/or Brick & Mortar?
For many years I hesitated to cut my best fabric because it was hard to find fabric of good quality in the shops in Sweden. I never seemed to really find what I was looking for and many times the quality left me disappointed as my clothes lost shape. I wanted my own garments to last longer than the RTW clothes in ordinary shops (at least what was within my price range).
About ten years ago I first came across ’deadstock’ and that is my favourite thing ever since. My favourite shop for this is På skrå, this is an online shop that also has an actual shop in the Textile museum in Borås. They have picked out amazing qualities, all fabrics are from natural textile fibers, mostly deadstock. Finding a place like that has calmed me down as there is always fantastic fabrics to find. So now I dare to cut my favourite pieces!
I have two places where I buy deadstock around where I live; Textilcentrum in Sundbyberg and Tygverket in Stockholm.
I used to buy a lot of fabric from second hand shops, when I had the time to hunt for it and the time to fail with fabrics that lost shape when being washed. I admire people who still find that energy.
What would you want to say to someone who’s trying to get started in sewing?
Get a good pattern. Start with the free Pyjama pattern from TAL and make a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Get a piece of good cotton and just go slow. Trust the instructions and off you go. It’s much more rewarding to manage a simple design and to make it in a good quality fabric than to struggle with that. You will learn along the way and soon you will get the basics. It doesn’t have to be perfect! But a good quality fabric is always worth it, especially when you learn how a good quality fabric will behave, thus help you to learn even more quickly. The TAL grading of skill level is very helpful.
What is you next project?
I’m about to finish my TAL v-neck coat. Then I’ll make a new TAL wrap jacket and a pair of High Waisted Trousers. And I’m curious about the jumpsuit patterns, I might need a new pattern…
What do you like to listen to, or definitely not listen to , while sewing?
That depends on the project, on my mood and how much time I have. I love listening to radio documentaries, I have a few play lists and they are full of happy feel-good music. I dive into my projects and time flies. I’m also ok with quiet.
What do you do when you’re not sewing?
I work and hang out with my family and friends, mostly. I enjoy outdoor activities such as cooking over an open fire, go camping or go into the archipelago by boat. I really enjoy horse riding and as often as I get the chance I go for a ride in the forest on an Icelandic horse.
Thank you for making and sharing Rebecka!
NAME
Rebecka Malmgren
@rebeckas_verkstad
FROM
I’m priviliged to live just outside of Stockholm, in the archipelago. I live here with husband, kids and a dog. I even have my own sewing space in this house! It’s cozy and crowded with fabric and stuff.
FAVOURITE TAL PATTERN
The v-neck dress is my go-to pattern, I love the neckline and how it is made, there isn’t much fabric waste when making my size and it’s easy to wear to the office as well as for dinner. At the same time I have several favourites and all of them are TAL patterns. This is because I like the contemporary simple design to begin with. And the reason why I buy more patterns and keep making them over and over again is for the sewing manual. The way the pattens are drafted gives you a good result. A well written instruction or even a manual like the one that comes with TAL patterns, makes the entire process so very enjoyable. For me, who work full time, have a family and a house, these sewing manuals is the key to my sewing happiness. I can spend an hour sewing, finish a few steps, leave it and come back and pick up where I left, still understanding what I’m doing. They are written in a way that makes sewing relaxing and fun. I haven’t experienced that to this extent before finding TAL.
What a wonderful interview. It’s so good to see into the lives of other people making TAL patterns.