365 Days of Sewing
Written by Jan Jaben-Eilon Tuesday, January 25 2011
Snapshot: Stephanie Richards
Stephanie Richards is publisher and editor of 365 Days of Sewing, a content-rich online community for sewing enthusiasts. The Atlanta-based site, www.365DaysofSewing.com, is part of the 365 Days of. . . Everything network, founded by Heather Claus. These websites and communities allow entrepreneurs to run their own businesses centered around their passion. Each website is hosted by a topic expert and features original content from all segments of the topic market. Richards is a writer and communications specialist with a master’s in writing. She lives in metropolitan Atlanta with her husband.
Womenetics: I wasn’t even familiar with 365 Days of… How did you learn about it and then go about establishing 365 Days of Sewing?
Stephanie Richards: About a year ago I started writing a sewing blog (www.UnfinishedProjectParty.com), which has provided a wonderful platform for connecting with various sewing enthusiasts and industry experts from across the globe. Through my blogging efforts, I became connected to sewing expert and entrepreneur, Heather Claus, who is the founder of the 365 Days of… network. Heather looks for people who are passionate about a topic or a hobby, and she partners with them to create an online community around that topic. Currently, the network includes www.365DaysofStyle.com, www.365DaysofGenius.com, www.365DaysofStartUps.com, and www.365DaysofSewing.com. More 365 Days of … online communities are scheduled to come on board in the near future. As soon as I learned that there was an opportunity to become the publisher and editor of 365 Days of Sewing, I jumped on board, and we launched the site Jan. 1. All of the sewing lessons we offer have been developed by Heather, who has more than 10 years of experience teaching sewing lessons online.
Womenetics: You are a professional writer and communications specialist. How do you go from that to launching an online sewing community?
Richards: It’s easy. All of the writing and marketing skills that I use in my profession are also the same skills that I use to build community around 365 Days of Sewing. I enjoy helping businesses write about and promote their products and services, so it is even more fun to write about something I am truly passionate about – sewing. In fact, writing about sewing through my blog and the 365 Days of Sewing site has made me really dig into a hobby that I only casually participated in previously.
Womenetics: You give credit to the cultural phenomenon of Project Runway for making sewing and designing one’s own clothes a hot new underground fashion trend. When was Project Runway actually launched?
Richards: According to the Project Runway website, the show is now in its eighth season. This show has been a catalyst for making sewing fashionable again. I remember sewing in high school, and all of my friends thought I was a little weird and old-fashioned. According to them, my homemade clothes were not as hip as their designer outfits. Now, there are countless sewing and fashion blogs that feature women proudly showing off their homemade creations. People are starting to see the appeal in showing up to an event in an outfit they know no one else will be wearing.
Womenetics: You say that women, including yourself, want the freedom to develop their own clothing style. What does that mean exactly?
Richards: I think the best thing about sewing is the freedom that it offers. I am no longer limited to what some designer decides to sell in the department stores this season. I happen to love vintage-style fashions, which are rarely available in department stores. Now, because I sew, I can wear whatever vintage style my mind can dream up. Freedom to develop your own style also means being able to wear clothes that fit and flatter your figure. Let’s face it, very few women can walk into a store and find multiple outfits that fit them perfectly. I, for instance, have very short legs and an extremely long torso. This means most ready-made fashions don’t fit me. Instead of being forced to wear clothes that don’t fit, I can now tailor clothes to fit perfectly. Women can also be their own designer by choosing the fabric and colors that they like to wear. If they are into faux fur this season, they can design outfits with this element, even if it is not the “in” thing. If beige is the “in” color this season and they don’t like it, they can buy fabric that is a more flattering color. The sky is the limit.
Womenetics: How many women really want to sew their own clothes, and how do you find that out?
Richards: It is hard to calculate exactly how many women want to sew their own clothes. I think there are a lot of women who want to start sewing their own clothes but are intimidated. When someone finds out that I sew clothes, they often comment that they would never be able to sew a garment. I like to tell these women that sewing is a skill not a talent. Some people are born with the talent of singing, and others are not (I was not). I will never be able to sing, but I was able to develop the skill of sewing (and so can other women). I think if women knew how easy it is to sew, they would jump on board. I meet women all the time who have a sewing machine, but have never used it. I encourage these women to dust off their sewing machines and give it a try. More often than not, once these women make their first project, they are hooked.
Womenetics: You launched 365 Days of Sewing the first of this year. How many women have signed up for the free sewing lessons?
Richards: You don’t have to sign up to receive the free lessons. Anyone can visit the website and download the free lessons. However, sewing enthusiasts can also log on to create a personal profile, post photos of their projects, engage with other seamstresses, and share their opinions by answering the sewing question of the week. Currently, we have more than 25 women who are our featured regular contributors. We have over 150 followers on Twitter, and the number of hits to the site is increasing daily.
Womenetics: You offer one free sewing lesson. How many lessons does it require before a woman can actually create her own clothes?
Richards: We offer one free sewing lesson a day, and we have already offered simple patterns that women can use to begin sewing their own garments right away. We recently featured a pattern for a cape, and we will soon feature a pattern for an easy tee, as well as a simple skirt within the next month. We also feature advanced projects and resources for experienced seamstresses.
Womenetics: I understand that you started making your own clothes a few years ago. What have you actually made?
Richards: One of my favorite things to make is vintage-style dresses. I am notorious for making 1950s-style, full-skirted dresses. I recently designed an adjustable-length petticoat to wear with my dresses. I also like to make shift dresses, vintage-style capelets, and accessories. In addition to sewing clothes, I like to make household décor items, like pillows, cushion covers, embellished towels. I would like to tackle making a business suit, as well as a pair of jeans, in the near future.
Womenetics: Did you sew as you were growing up? Did your mother, or grandmother?
Richards: I come from a long line of crafters. My grandmother, who passed away several years ago, was one of the most creative people I have ever known. She made everything from seed bead necklaces on loom to Fabergé-like eggs. My mom also inherited the creativity gene, and I spent hours sewing with her when I was growing up. In fact, my mom, who is affectionately referred to as “Mamma Gail” by all my friends, is the resident sewing expert on my Unfinished Project Party blog. She is often on hand at my Unfinished Project Parties to help when we get stuck or have a sewing question. I give my mom credit for everything I know about sewing. I am very aware that most women do not have a “Mamma Gail” in their lives to teach them how to sew, which is why I am “sew” excited to offer free sewing lessons to anyone who wants to learn.
Womenetics: Do you still write?
Richards: I do still write. In fact, between writing professionally, writing my Unfinished Project Party Blog, and writing for the 365 Days of Sewing site, I am writing all the time. Maybe someday I will put all of this writing to use and author a book.
Jan Jaben-Eilon was a founding staff writer of the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Since then, she has been the international editor of Advertising Age magazine and has written for such publications as The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Washington Journalism Review, and Consumer Reports. She is the author of soon-to-be-published (There is) Life After Cancer. Jan and her husband have homes in Atlanta and Jerusalem.
