Sewist Spotlight: Meet Ama!

We are so thrilled to introduce you to this special sewist. That's because not only is Ama an amazing maker with a tons of cool interests (knitting! quilting! crochet!) but she's also our new Community Manager! When we first imagined this role we had no idea we would find someone that had all the unique experience Ama brings to the table. Having worked in the knitting and crafting world and having built up experience in those communities, has been a huge asset to us. Also just being a younger, very savvy user of the internet means that she is teaching us so much everyday. She is a must follow on IG, she has a blog and she also has a twitch channel (I told you she was cool) where she is bringing together people in real time to craft just like the old days, but you know, new. We feel incredible lucky to have found such a multi-talented person (who also lives in Montreal!) and that combined with her sunny disposition and excellent sense of humour, means we are having a LOT of giggles at work. The best! Anyhoo, I could go on and on embarrassing her here but I might as well just let her tell you in her own words. Let's meet Ama!

How long have you been sewing?

I’ve probably been sewing for most of my life although more seriously in the last 2 years. I started with quilts and during the pandemic I started sewing garments. I am a crafter at heart though. I started knitting when I was 18 because I had a 7 hour break in my CEGEP (that's the two years of college here between highschool and Uni) schedule and my friend knew how.

How much time do you spend on your sewing practice a week?

Probably too much time, haha. It helps that I get a lot of sewing inspiration at work now too. I want to say maybe 20-30 hrs a week on the low end. I’m easily inspired and it’s so easy to research on my phone when everything is a the tip of my fingers.

What is your home sewing set-up like?

My sewing space is a bit of a guest bedroom/sewing room/home office/streamer setup. My space wears a lot of hats. I sometimes wish I had a bit more space to have a nice large cutting table in there. That will probably be an aspirational goal for when I get my own space.

Did you have a gateway person or experience that brought you to sewing?

My mom was a seamstress so we’ve always had sewing machines in the house. This is a little embarrassing story I love to share. I remember in kindergarten having nightmares about killer cows. Little did young me know her mom did most of her sewing at night so that was just the industrial overlock machine. I also have fond memories of when I went to Ghana as a child. I would hang out in an “atelier”where they mostly made Kabas (a traditional Ghanaian top) and I would love spending time in there watching them make all of the clothes. They even gifted me a few outfits for my barbies.

How would you define your style?

My style is me. As corny as it sounds, that is the easiest way to describe it. I love colour with a pop of neutral. I also love prints probably to a fault! I went on a hunt to find solids in my wardrobe and couldn’t.

What is your favourite thing you’ve made?

It’s pretty difficult to choose a favourite thing I’ve made ?. If I’ve taken the time to make it’s automatically a favourite (haha)!

Now that you've got the keys to the candy store, what Closet Core Patterns are you excited about sewing?

I’ve been enjoying sewing Morgan jeans. Although, honourable mentions to Pauline, Blanca, and Cielo. They will make an appearance in my wardrobe whether they want to or not!

How does sewing affect your relationship to shopping and RTW?

Making my own clothes has definitely curbed my RTW purchases. I now mostly use it as inspiration. This started when I got better with knitting. I would be in a store questioning if I would spend 80-100$ on an acrylic sweater I would wear for a season or two or invest a bit more time and money in a sweater I could keep for longer. All in all, I buy RTW when I don’t want to take the time and make the item.

What type of pattern release makes it to the top of your list?

Simple dresses always jump the queue because there is nothing more satisfying than completing a project in an afternoon.

What are your sewing goals?

I think my sewing goal is to be able to make an entire wardrobe from start to finish. My next big tackle is pants/jeans.

What’s the next thing you want to make?

My parents have just given me a bunch of wax prints from their recent trip to Ghana, so I definitely want to start sewing those! I’m also in love with the tailoring trend and want to make some suiting pants.

Where else do you turn when you need inspiration?

I turn to Instagram for inspiration and my friends! Sometimes I can doom scroll for good and see something super inspiring on my feed. I also talk out my wild project ideas with my friends to gauge how realistic those projects are...

How was sewing impacted or interacted with your identity?

Making has definitely made me more comfortable with myself. I’m always going to be a shy person but now there is a layer of confidence for having made my own clothes.

Thank you, Ama!