#186: What sewing machine technicians actually do with Bizz McKilligan

What do sewing machine repair and servicing professionals do that you can’t do yourself at home? And what CAN you do at home to make problems with your machine less likely? And what noises coming from your machine should you definitely NOT ignore? These are just some of the many questions that sewing machine technician, Bizz McKilligan, answers for us today. I first spoke to Bizz over a year ago when she’d just started up her sustainability-focused sewing store, The Green Thimble. She gives us an update on how it’s going and what she’s learnt over that time.    Support the podcast over on Patreon! You can learn online about sewing machine maintenance and repair via Sewing Doc Academy.  Bizz McKilligan in her self-made hoodie!: Bizz McKilligan is the owner of The Green Thimble, an online and bricks and mortar sewing shop in Victoria, Canada, that helps to recirculate existing sewing resources. Here’s their new logo: Follow them on Instagram @thegreenthimble.ca. Listen to Bizz’s first appearance on CYT: Ep. #120: How to care for your sewing machine with Bizz McKilligan If you rely on a needle threader but your machine’s one keeps breaking, Bizz recommends purchasing an external needle threader like this one: Check out Bizz’s incredible self made knit dress that she made for, and wore at, a Frocktails event:

Om Podcasten

- Do you love sewing, AND are passionate about fighting the climate and ecological crises? - Are you wondering if your sewing could be made more sustainable? - Do you want to enjoy your creative passion in a way that really reflects your values? Join Zoe Edwards, a sewing nerd and creator of Me-Made-May, on her journey to explore how to sew (and live!) more sustainably. In this podcast we discover ways to sew with sustainability in mind, by flexing our creativity and resourcefulness in new and exciting ways. Check Your Thread’s goal is to show that sewing more sustainably can be fun and fulfilling, (HOLD the side order of guilt, eco-snobbery and FOMO.) Topics covered include: -Mending and garment repair -Upcycling and refashioning -Natural fabric dyeing -Fibre and fabric selection -Slow stitching -Zero Waste sewing patterns -The social and political dimensions of sewing -Craft as activism Find out more... checkyourthread.com