http://www.kinshiphandwork.com/

Kinship Handwork, Cheboygan, MI (2026)

05/15/2025

Guess what!??!

I'm teaching at PatternCon 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina in August and I would love to hang out with you in real life!
con is bringing to life a pattern drafting nerd's dream gathering! A convention all about sewing and drafting patterns.

Tickets are on sale now...get them at patterncon.com

"Join us for PatternCon25, the ultimate gathering of creative minds who live and breathe patterns. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just stitching your way in, this is your chance to level up your craft, connect with industry leaders and geek out with fellow pattern lovers.

Expect hands-on workshops, expert insights, and a community that just gets you—because nothing beats the magic of learning, creating, and growing together.

Let’s talk patterns, techniques, and creativity—all in one place."

02/26/2025

Something Rae Hoekstra said strummed a chord in me!

In preparation for a presentation to the American Sewing Guild on my takeaways from my live show Break the Rules of Sewing, I re-listened to the shows and Rae’s statement jumped out at me.

She said (in response to how do you add magic to what you sew), and I quote,"I love the idea of like taking up more space and being bigger and bolder. And so, yeah, a lot of times it will be things like sewing with fluorescent pink linen or putting a giant ruffle on something.”.

That sentiment delights me and captures some of the elements on the 3rd, and final, altered dress design in With Ease 2 (starts March 1st!).

For the final design I wanted something that was a bit EXTRA.

You know, something that says I am comfortable in my skin and I find life to be delightful, and that’s equal parts playful and sensual.

A dress to wear to catch a show in town, the big town, or to watch live music at the park while the sun sets, sitting on a blanket with a wine glass in hand and linen napkin draped over your lap. A dress full of romance and style.

A dramatic, swash-buckling sleeve, but three-quarter length so it doesn’t drag in my dishwater. Because even romantics have dishes to do.

Read more on my substack!

https://open.substack.com/pub/kinshiphandwork/p/delightfully-extra

02/21/2025

This color combination takes my breath away every, single time. So yes. The kitty gets to keep the chair. I like the floor.

02/21/2025

As I type this, I’m wearing that cozy, cowly tunic made from a deep navy blue French terry, the one I shared about last week, as the sun warms my face and my eyes squint into my computer screen because I refuse to draw the curtain on my unexpected guest.

Truth be told, it’s a bit too cozy for indoors, particularly in a sun-infused window, but I’m about to join friends for two nights of camping in the woods…in tents…and I’m banking any heat I can get.

Winter camp is an annual adventure I both look forward to and consider reasons to cancel every. single. time. I mean it’s cold. And while I truly love winter, it’s COLD all night long!

We’ll do just about anything to avoid discomfort won’t we? But come Sunday, when I’m bone-tired and nestled on my sofa with a good show and a hot meal, I am always glad I’ve gone.

It will be a weekend full of sledding our things in, setting up camp (maybe this year with the feet and feet of snow we have, I’ll make a snow shelter!?), carving cross country ski trails in the unbroken snow, cooking ribs and baked sweet potatoes on the campfire and then squeezing in close and watching the stars twinkle.

And you may remember, such adventures are JUST what this tunic was made for!
It will be living it’s best life!

Before I go though, I’m thinking about the next dress in With Ease…the one that has me dreaming of a townie adventure, with sunshine to be sure, and a bit more heat!

Read all about it at the link (and in the profile)
https://kinshiphandwork.substack.com/p/thread-tent-stakes-and-twenty-degrees

02/14/2025

Okay. Maybe I had “something” I could wear. Something that would keep me warm and do the job. But not THE thing. The thing that would take that moment and elevate it. Elevate me.

Something that would set the stage and let my magic shine even more brightly.

Because that’s the power that clothing has. The power to support (or drag down) who you are on the inside. When we dress in a way that lights us up and is in synergy with how we feel…how we want to feel…we’re authentically walking through the world. Allowing others to see our magnificence and allowing ourselves to own it.

We’re not talking fashion here.

We’re talking about the elements that we love, on any given day.

Read more on my substack!
(link in profile)

https://open.substack.com/pub/kinshiphandwork/p/i-had-nothing-to-wear-warm-mug-in?r=jz4f8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

02/01/2025

Want to make a little something stretchy this weekend?

Well, you can because I've got a gift for you! (link in my profile) The perfect gift to crack open on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I'm giving away my 4-gore knit skirt pattern and, to go with it, a free, live workshop on changing up the pattern!

One of my favorite ways to sew clothes I love is to start with a simple pattern, get the fit down and then change the pattern into the clothes I'm dreaming of.

Because when was the last time you made something, or bought something for that matter, that you loved EXACTLY as it was? I know I'm constantly thinking..."hmmm, next time, I'll make it a bit slimmer and maybe longer with a jaunty little side slit, oh, and maybe a pocket..."

And this simple pattern is one pattern piece. One. A simple and super easy to fit (and sew) knit 4-gore skirt pattern is a great canvas to get started with (we won't get into it in this workshop, but it's also a great canvas for shibori or embroidery, all sorts of sparkle!).

Then in the live workshop (next Thursday at 5:30 est) I'll walk you through all sorts of changes you can make to the pattern to make it more...well, YOU.

This free pattern and workshop is a taste of the more indepth dive we'll take in With Ease (which begins March 1).

Learning how to change up a pattern (or block) catapults your sewing skills and understanding of how that flat pattern relates to your 3 dimensional body. It's exciting stuff!

I hope to see you on Thursday for the 90-minute, inspiration-packed workshop! Bring your pencil and paper!! (although there will be replays, so no pressure!)

And share this link with a friend who might also like to make a skirt and learn how to change it up!

https://courses.kinshiphandwork.com/courses/taste-with-ease

01/31/2025

This might be life's pinnacle! A trip to the bookstore with my boy and then a hot chocolate and fries at the dinner in town. Gah. Pinch me!

01/31/2025

It's the grand finale!

Our show today is extra special, not only because it's the end of the long work week, but because it's our finale and several of us are coming together for a candid conversation!

Join Jennifer Stern Haseman , Whitney Luckenbill , Brooks Ann Camper , and me as we share a favorite garment, tools and books and open the floor up for your favorites!

The link to watch the show live is in my profile!
https://courses.kinshiphandwork.com/f/break-the-rules-of-sewing-2

01/30/2025

The day has finally arrived!

We get to talk with Cal Patch today on the Break the Rules of Sewing show!

I can credit Cal and her book, Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified, for my first forays into pattern drafting...years and years and years ago. For that alone, she has a special place in my heart. But when she says my name ...tiiiiinaaa...I never fail to grin!

And we get to talk with her live today at noon (est)!

Join us, you'll be glad you did! (you can also catch the replay)

🎉Cal Patch has been a maker since she was a Girl Scout in the seventies. She sews, crochets, spins, embroiders, knits, prints, makes patterns, dyes… hence the name of her clothing label: *hodge podge*.

Cal has been teaching the textile arts since 2000, at shops and retreats across North America, and now offers online workshops in Pattern Drafting, Sewing and Crochet via Creativebug.

After eighteen years of being a New York City dweller, Cal now resides in the Catskills where she is becoming a crafty farmer and growing her handmade wardrobe.

The link is in my profile. https://courses.kinshiphandwork.com/f/break-the-rules-of-sewing-2

01/27/2025

We're midway through the live show and I have a surprise!

Today's show takes a bit of a departure from sewing clothes, to dressing in a way that feel like "you", the you, deep inside!

I'm thrilled to invite Stasia of Stasia's Style School to the show today!!

You can join us live at noon, it's free, or catch the replay.

Join with the link in my profile: https://kinshiphandwork.com/breaktherules2/

🎉As a somatically informed Style Activist, Stasia will never tell you what to wear. Nor will she present you with a set of style-rules to follow that will trick you into thinking that because you’re “doing it right,” your social safety is all but guaranteed. Instead, she will teach you how to find safety––inside your body––so you can step away from what’s culturally been deemed “appropriate” for your size, shape, weight, age, role, gender, etc., and wear what you want to wear. While most of us learned to abandon congruency for connection to ensure our emotional safety, Stasia’s work teaches women how to HAVE THEIR OWN BACKS, so they can show up CONGRUENTLY, from the inside out.

01/24/2025

It's friday! And that means we're nearly halfway through!

WHAT?! How can that be true?

It's been such a delight to talk with each of our guests so far .patterns

and TODAY we Have Rae Hoekstra!

Join us at noon (est) today for the live show!

You can always catch the replay (for a limited time) but if you join live, you can ask Rae your burning questions!!!

The link to join (it's free!) is in my profile. https://courses.kinshiphandwork.com/f/break-the-rules-of-sewing-2

🎉
Rae Hoekstra is a sewing pattern designer and instructor. She learned to sew from her mother at a young age and has loved sewing ever since. A lifelong interest in fiber arts — including garment sewing, quilting, knitting, and crochet led her to start a blog, Made by Rae, shortly after leaving her job as a high school physics teacher to stay home with her first child.

Her blog is a popular spot for DIY and sewing tutorials. Rae designs sewing patterns for the home sewist with a focus on making garment sewing approachable for the confident beginner. She has also designed a number of fabric lines for Cloud9 Fabrics, taught online sewing courses for Creativebug, and enjoys teaching sewing workshops and lessons and hosting local meetups.

01/23/2025

I ALWAYS love chatting with Brooks Ann Camper !

And today, you get to join in on the live conversation. Brooks Ann is the next guest on the Break the Rules of Sewing show, a live, virtual show where we talk with garment sewing experts about their process, what they love to do, what they loathe doing, and how they break the rules!

It's free and there are recordings, but what better way to spend your lunch hour! Today at noon (est)

Click on the link in my profile to join: https://courses.kinshiphandwork.com/f/break-the-rules-of-sewing-2

🎉
Brooks Ann Camper first learned to sew as an adult working in professional costume workshops. After an internship at Yale School of Drama, and an MFA in Costume Production from UNC, she moved to New York City where she worked as a Broadway milliner for productions such as Wicked and Mama Mia!, and sewing for celebrities from Boy George to Big Bird.

When she left New York and started her own business as a custom wedding dressmaker, she began blogging the process as each one-of-a-kind dress was designed and created. She realized that she was getting as much interest from “sewing people” as from “brides” and started teaching her unique methods of custom sewing.

She absolutely loves sharing her passion with kindred spirits!

Kinship Handwork

05/15/2025

02/26/2025

02/21/2025

02/21/2025

02/14/2025

02/01/2025

01/31/2025

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01/30/2025

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