Emily in her freshly finished take on the Over Shirt in denim.

This month’s Maker Spotlight might well be a familiar face. Emily aka @textile.em is based in Aotearoa (New Zealand), has been a part of The Modern Sewing Co. community for a few years, and we’ve long admired her beautiful takes on our patterns. Each of Emily’s makes is thoughtfully considered, starting from a beautifully put together mood board pairing fabric swatches and sketches. So, we thought it was time we dived into Emily's hand sewn wardrobe together...
“A few years ago, I decided that if I could sew a garment instead of buying it, I would!  This meant I had to move beyond beginner dress patterns, expand my skills, and take on more challenging garments in order to fill gaps in my wardrobe.

Since then, I’ve taken part in three The Modern Sewing Co. capsule courses, which were a lovely way to grow my sewing confidence with the support of excellent workshops and the kindest community. I really appreciate how the capsule courses encourage carefully considered sewing with an eye to building a cohesive, functional, and distinctive wardrobe.One of my favourite parts of the making process is spending time in my local stores selecting fabric swatches and buttons (ruminating and returning multiple times, of course). I also like to make patterns more than once, experimenting with fabric and construction choices to create totally different garments for warmer and cooler seasons.

The Celia Dress two ways: firstly a winter edition in merino wool suiting......and a summer edition in cotton poplin, with a shortened hem and sleeves.

In the same way that a colour is only a favourite in combination with another, I have favourite ensembles rather than garments. There is no end to the joy and satisfaction I feel while wearing my suit (the Potters Jacket and Worker Trousers) or matching two-piece (Cara Top and self-drafted skirt).

The Potters Jacket, Unisex Shirt and Worker Trousers. 

The Cara Top and self-drafted skirt.

The Over Shirt and Darcy Coat work extra hard in my wardrobe — I wear the latter almost every day in winter because it feels like wearing a cosy blanket but looks so good. 
The Darcy Coat, Frida Top and Sunday Trackies in corduroy.

A beautifully finished Over Shirt.  

The Worker Trouser. 

I just finished the denim jacket version of the Over Shirt and am excited to wear it once spring arrives here in the southern hemisphere (the daffodils and cherry blossoms are out, so it must be near!)."

A big thank you to Emily for letting us showcase her work. We hope you love her makes, and learning about her process, as much as we do!

If you're new to The Modern Sewing Co., our capsule courses mentioned by Emily were a series of short-term, seasonal sewing courses. We're taking a break from these, as we have a permanent new course launching new week which we're really excited to share more about! Stay tuned and make sure you're signed up to the newsletter for all the details.

Want more?

• Love Emily's Over Shirt? Learn how to sew your own with the Over Shirt Workshop with Hetty's in-depth video tutorials here.

• In our last Maker Spotlight, sewist Sooyoung in New York City shares an insight into her own style and attitude to home sewing. Read more now.

• Inspired to take a sewing capsule course? From The Art of Shirt Making to The Art of Outerwear, sign up and get sewing here.

• See special pieces sewn by The Modern Sewing Co. community all around the world here.