Few weeks ago, we introduced you Julia, a talented freestyle-seamstress who run a successful blog called Contour Affair as well as an Instagram Page with more than 13K followers. In this second part, Julia shares with us her secrets and advice to start sewing and where she finds her creativity.
To know more about Julia and her journey about slow fashion and upcycling, read the first part of the interview here
What is your favorite item to sew and wear in Dubai?
Shorts set, 100%. I sew a lot of matching 2-piece sets. At some point, I have even considered if it was not too many but the reality is that this is what I am comfortable wearing most of the time. For me practicality is everything. I love long flowy dresses but my toddler sees them as something to hang onto and climb up. So right now, shorts sets are perfect for where I am in life.The bonus is that they can be combined in countless ways. I sew what works for me rather than following trends.
Where do you find your creativity?
Literally everywhere. I can get inspiration from the most random thing. I once had an idea for a dress from the shape of a glass. I used to follow runway shows of my favorite designers and get ideas and inspiration from their collections. But over the past few years, I have gotten slightly turned off by this, because I feel that even in high fashion the volume of collections is just excessive, and impossible to keep up with.
Another source of inspiration for me is street style. There are a couple of cool street style blogs that I sometimes scroll through. But mostly, I just observe what is around me. I really enjoy looking through vintage photography and of course browsing vintage stores. It is such a joy to feel the fabrics, see the finishes, the time and care taken in hand-stitching and perfecting details. It’s fascinating.
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I have a hyperactive and very visual brain, so everything around inspires me in some way. It is really hard for me to quite down my thoughts and this is why sewing is such a powerful type of meditation for me; it centers me and makes me be present in the moment.
What is/are your favorite fabric(s)? What are your criteria when choosing it?
I could not pick a favorite fabric because it depends so much on what I am creating. I generally go for natural fibers such as linen, organic or certified cotton (where I can source it). I love silk, even though its production can be questionable. But I love the feel of it. Linen is another favorite, but it only suits certain pieces as it wrinkles easily – the undone look needs to work for the garment.
The question to me is more about what makes the fabric special. How is it unique? How does it make me feel? Is it something I like right now, or will I also enjoy it for the years to come? I believe what you dress in really sets the tone of your day. In my early 20’s, I used to wear primarily neutral colors, but over time I have gravitated towards bold prints, primary & bright color combos, and much louder designs. Living in Dubai has definitely influenced this, as the fabric styles here tend to be less minimal, more alive.
My taste also has changed though the journey of becoming a mother. During my pregnancy, I noticed that I was sewing a lot of mint/sage green pieces, and I wondered why. I realized it is associated with tranquility and balance. I was probably looking to bring calmness into my life while I was going through a huge change.
Post-pregnancy, I have struggled with finding myself again as a mother and as my own individual self. I am really gravitating towards fun patterns and bright colors now. I find these help lift my mood when things feel heavy.
More than the fabric composition, for me the big priority is choosing secondhand materials. Here, my usual rules of natural fibers don not really apply as much. I can work with poly-blends or other synthetic materials if the alternative is that they might end up in landfill. Whatever fabric I am working with, the waste I produce is minimal. I cut creatively to optimize my fabric use, and every tiniest scrap eventually goes to create fillers for pillows for example.
Sewing secrets and tips
Any sewing secret you’d like to share?
Do not ever look at the needle because otherwise you will not sew straight. Always focus on the presser foot and keeping it aligned. This simple shift has an immediate and huge impact on the finish of your sewing.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start sewing?
Go to my blog! Practically speaking, I would say do not buy fancy tools. You can start and go far with very basic tools. A simple machine is enough for most projects, overlockers for example are great but not a necessity.
You can start by altering your existing clothes, then progressing to sew simple things like circles skirt or boxy top for example. There are also many tutorials online you can learn from. Accept that sewing is a hobby with a steep initial learning curve. You will make mistakes, but these are all such valuable learning moments. Enjoy the ride. I like to share my failures with the online sewing community because I find them hilarious.
Last but not least, to do it for the right reasons. During Covid lockdowns, many people started sewing and shared their creations on social media. I love to see this community growing. However, because this is a hobby that will take a lot of time, resources and money, it is important to think about why we sew. It can be intoxicating to realize you can recreate garments at will but my wish for every new seamstress is to keep mindfulness at the center of it. To sew and create for ourselves, not for others or for social media.
After having my baby, like all new moms, I went through a phase where I felt I could not get anything done. Definitely not sewing like I used to. Social media was making me compare myself to others, and I got huge anxiety from seeing how “everyone else” was doing a million things in a day. Today, whenever I feel this way, I try to remind myself of why I sew. It is for me and no one else. Sewing is a place where I go to calm down, feel grounded, and live in the present. And that is enough.
You can follow Julia’s sewing journey on her Instagram account @contour_affair and don’t hesitate to have a look at her blog, you will find a lot of tips and tutorials: www.contour_affair.com!
Julia also has also created a label called MENAI. She designs unique, comfortable and everyday luxury pieces, which will be then customized based on your measurements and sewn by her in Dubai.
