Hello, CSC! We have lots of news today about our volunteer editors.

First off, some sad news.

Our lovely editor, Jessica, has decided to step down. She leaves us with these words:

After nearly two years, I’m stepping down as an Editor at the Curvy Sewing Collective. It has been a great joy to help lead this wonderful community! The CSC tutorials are what helped me re-gain confidence in my sewing skills after having my daughters and helped me embrace my changed body. I can’t wait to see how the community grows under the leadership of the new Editorial team!

Thank you so much to Jessica. You have been such a great editor and you will be missed on the team. Jessica will still be a contributor to the CSC; so you won’t miss her completely. <3

Stepping into the editor role, we have three incredible people making our editor team total 10 people!

Join me in welcoming our new editors. I can’t wait to see what the CSC creates with such a great team of editors. Welcome Martha, Sierra, and Debbie!

Martha

Hi CSC Family!!! I’m Martha and I am sooo excited to be joining the Editors team at the CSC!  CSC has always been a beacon for me since I started my sewing journey 4 years ago and to now have the opportunity to contribute more behind the scenes to continue to provide great content is an honor.

I document a lot of my sewing shenanigans via Instagram under the handle GariChild.  There you will find pretty much a little bit of something.  I love bright colors and bold patterns!  I love fashion and will push back against what society thinks I should wear because of the space I occupy as an educated curvy black woman, mother, wife and friend.  I enjoy contributing my thoughts in the sewing spectrum from a curvy perspective.  I still consider myself very new to the game of sewing because I am always learning something that will help me make better garments to fit my very curvy body.  Looking good makes me feel good and being able to sew my own garments empowers me in ways I never thought of. #GariChild

Sierra

Hey y’all! My name is Sierra and I am a recent transplant to Atlanta,
GA. I am super excited to join the Curvy Sewing Collective Editor
team. I am a veterinarian by trade and started sewing as a creative
outlet. It quickly became a therapeutic practice that continues to
bring me joy. Making clothes that fit my body is incredibly empowering
and I love sharing that feeling with other sewists. I am particularly
passionate about making sure our community continues to include the
most marginalized among us. In other words, its important to see
yourself reflected in the media you consume.

I learned to sew primarily through online videos and blogs. This is
one reason why the online sewing community is so important to me. I
look forward to expanding my knowledge, trying new sewing patterns,
and engaging with the amazing Curvy Sewing Collective community. You
can find me over at Seams Like Sierra or playing with other people’s
puppies.

Debbie

Hi from Tampa, Florida!

I’m Debbie and I’m so happy to join the team of fantastic CSC Editors! I’ve been following the CSC since its start. I’ve been sewing seriously for nearly 20 years now, although I can’t believe how fast those years have flown by. I grew up with a mother and grandmother who were excellent seamstresses and made me many great things over the years. The downside to growing up with my own personal tailors was that I was never truly motivated to sew for myself. Hah. Fast forward to married life, motherhood, my 30s, and a new Florida home far from those ladies and I had to make friends with my cheapo Sears sewing machine or pay ridiculous prices for custom curtains and sewing on scouting badges. Since I’m a cheapskate at heart, that wasn’t going to happen. Making those curtains (yards and yards and yards OMG) started me on a journey toward custom fit clothing for myself (and fabric stashing) I never would have believed way back when.

Today, I’m a curvy #SewOver50 sewist with multiple machines as my tools for creating a mostly me-made wardrobe. I’m also single again, my sons are grown, and I work full-time in downtown Tampa, which means I don’t always have as much time (or energy) to sew as I want. But sewing is always, always on my mind.

I joined the online sewing community in its infancy, when we were all on message boards and there was no Facebook, Instagram, Pattern Review or even the term “social media.” I’m so thankful for those first online sewing friends. We all learned together and shared our lives, and our passion for what is usually a solitary hobby.

Shortly after finding those online sewing circles, I started my blog, Stitches and Seams, mostly because I have a big, opinionated mouth and I need a place to use it. 🙂 I’m not nearly as prolific a blogger as I used to be due to working and other necessary life stuff (I still read all the sewing blogs I can), but I do update when I can and I’ll keep with it as long as I can still type. It was on my blog that I first shared the photographic and honest nitty-gritty of my ups and downs of sewing for a curvy, plus-sized body. It was also where I encountered so many online kindnesses. Sewing peeps are the best!

I’ve been so very proud of my curvy sewing sisters as they stand up for inclusivity (and cake!) and I’m excited to now be part of the Curvy Sewing Collective editorial team. I can’t wait to see where we all go!