When did you start sewing?

I started sewing in December of 2019.

Where / how did you learn how to sew?

Short answer: I’m self and community-taught.

Long answer: I have been watching sewing related content on Youtube for many many years, which gave me a lot of background knowledge even before I touched a sewing machine for the first time. Youtube is still the first place I turn to for learning specific techniques since I’m a visual learner. I also learned so many things through the amazing people I follow on Instagram! I’m also constantly on the lookout for cool sewing books. What I’m trying to say is just do lots of research and then try to apply what you learn!

I created a giant list of my favourite online resources for learning how to sew, which you view by clicking here.

Do you wear everything you make?

Nearly! There are a few things that I made in the beginning that are questionable but other than those, I’m constantly wearing my me made items.

Which machines do you use?

I’m currently using a Pfaff Quilt Ambition 630 as my main sewing machine (click here for my comprehensive review of it) and a Singer 14SH654 as my overlocker. My first sewing machine was a Singer Promise 1412.

Where did you get the fabric for x/y/z?

As much as I would love to share my fabric sources with you all, I live in Turkey and I only shop from Turkish fabric shops and most of them don’t ship internationally…. On the off chance that you are from Turkey / visiting Turkey, here are a few of my favourite stores:

Fabric:

• Bursa Kumaş Pazarı on İzmir Caddesi, Ankara: This is my favourite local fabric store, and where I get most of my suiting fabrics, linens, and knits. It’s very chaotic, but you can always find some gems if you’re willing to dig through the chaos.

• Erol Kumaşçılık, Antalya & İstanbul: I only visited their Antalya location, and I so wish they had an Ankara store as well. They have the most beautiful and luxurious wools, silks, denims, and everything in between.

• Çerçiler Kumaş, Antalya: Three stories of fabric heaven. They have a super wide selection of fabric, and the loveliest shopping assistants.

• kumaszade.com : My favourite online fabric store. They also have a very wide selection, but I’m especially fond of their high quality linens and cottons.

• kumasci.com : I usually turn to them for miscellaneous or technical fabrics, like upholstery fabrics, cute printed quilting cottons, waxed canvases, and so on.

Notions:

• Erdoğan Düğme & Şık Düğme, Ankara: I get 90% of all my sewing notions from these two stores located in Kızılay.

• Moda Çarşısı / Moda Astar, Ankara: Moda Çarşısı in Kızılay is a goldmine of old lining & haberdashery stores. I especially love Moda Astar for their gorgeous selection of linings.

• goblen.com : My favourite online notions store. They have a wildly expansive selection of pretty much anything you could ask for.