It’s our privilege to introduce you to Toronto-based Sara Paes on Friends of TFS this week! Sara is a longtime TFS brand ambassador and passionate creative, sharing #memadeeverday garments and sewing prowess over on her Instagram @fabric_scraps. We especially love the inspiring trio of warmth, humour and consistency that is always evident in Sara’s social feed, and we know her many followers (including our TFS team) genuinely appreciate both her approach and fabulous sense of style. Read on as we chat to Sara about her sewing journey, hobbies, and projects past and present!

Hey Sara, please give a brief introduction of yourself to our readers! 

Hello, my name is Sara, I am from Spain but moved to Toronto, Canada 15 years ago. I still can’t believe that I am happy living in a cold place because I am a beach person and I am the happiest when inside a body of water and Lake Ontario is not ideal for winter swims. 

Tell us a little about your sewing journey - what led you to sewing, how long have you been sewing for etc.  

I started sewing seriously 15 years ago. After my first long winter in Canada I quickly realised that if I was going to survived another one I needed to find a hobby I could do indoors. That first spring I signed up to a sewing class, bought my sewing machine and haven’t stop since. I have to say that it worked, 14 sewing winters and counting! 

What is it about sewing that brings you joy?

As a fat person I’d lied if I didn’t say that wearing clothes that fit both my body and my style bring me immense joy. But honestly, what I love the most about sewing is the sewing itself, the making and creating things with my own hands.

What sewing projects are you working on, or planning towards, at the moment?

In the last couple of months I’ve been working through my mending and altering pile. It was getting out of hand and it’s so satisfying to have garments I love back in rotation. 



Above, Sara wears her #townsendshirt by @elbe_textiles, made with our Jacquard Fronds black linen.

Share with us what you learnt from your biggest sewing success

That sometimes mistakes makes the best details and garments. Over and over again I learn that not having enough fabric or not paying attention while cutting make you think out of the box and frequently my best sewing ideas come out of that. The inner collar of a jacket with a pop of colour, the change of stripe direction on a dress and cropped sleeves are some of my favourite sewing fails turned into loved garments.

And what you learnt from your biggest sewing flop!

There is always more fabric. 

Describe the space you use for sewing in 5 words...

"Tiny, always in a state of creative mess, compact, it has a very useful door that I can close and don’t look at the mess and… did I mention it is very small?"

What kinds of fabrics do you prefer to sew with?

The three I sew and wear the most are linen, merino and denim. I think I could sew and wear those three fabrics exclusively for the rest of my life and be VERY happy about it ( being totally honest I believe a big part of my wardrobe is already made out of them) 

What are your top 5 sewing most-used tools?

I am very much a tool minimalist when it comes to sewing. I am a firm believer that you don’t need much. Tools definitely make it easier and more accessible but I am very austere on the tool department. 

My  most used tools are seam rippers and thread snips (I have multiple of both because can’t find them when I need them), a pair of long tweezers to help with the threading of my machines and a seam gauge. I can’t even come up with a fifth tool, lol! 

Tell us the story of your favourite wardrobe item (doesn’t have to be made by you)

This feels a little bit like asking a parent about their favourite child, I love all of them! 

I think I am not alone if I say that the last thing I made it’s usually my current favourite but the last time I felt the superpower that is sewing was a few months ago when I made my reversible puffer jacket. 

Living in Canada we spend a long chunk of the year wearing heavy winter coats and most of what is available for larger bodies are black and not very appealing style wise. I was at work one evening and  saw a woman wearing g a fun winter parka and the idea struck  me, I could make my own! I ordered the fabric that same night and work on it for the next few weeks. It felt amazing to be able to make an idea into a real garment that keeps me super warm and cozy and it’s a better reflection of my personality and style. As I said, sewing is a superpower! 

 

 

Do you have any special sewing tips you’d like to share?

Just go for it! I am pretty fearless about my hobbies and usually I am not scare of failure so I just close my eyes and jump. I didn’t know that buttonholes and invisible zippers were things sewists were supposed to fear and avoid. My second project on a sewing machine was a cushion cover with an invisible zipper, why?! It took me a couple of tries but I did it and years and multiple invisible zippers later I learned that people avoid them out of fear. They are not going to be pretty at first but they’ll get better.

Is there anything you wish you knew about sewing before you started?

If I knew how much it would change my life I would’ve started years earlier. Sewing does not only brings beauty into my life in the form of garments but it’s also an unlimited supply of joy, if I am having a bad day, a bit of sewing will make me feel better and when I am happy my sewjo is always bursting at the seams with creativity. 

Where do you find motivation and inspiration?

Definitely Instagram. I have trained the algorithm pretty well and my feed is mostly exclusively sewing related. I am always inspired by other creative people.

 

Are there any other hobbies or activities you enjoy besides sewing?

I grew up in a household where making things with your hands was strongly encouraged and practiced. From cooking to building to fixing things, both my parents are creative and resourceful people and I will always try to do it myself first so having hobbies is part of my personality. Sewing is my main squeeze but for the last few years pottery takes some of my time and creative juices. I can also knit socks and hats and everyday is a good day for swimming so I try to be in the water as much as possible.

If we were visiting Toronto for a day, what would you recommend we do and see!

Toronto is a super fun city to visit, there is always a concert, a play or a sport event to attend but if you are here for a day you definitely have to take the ferry and visit Toronto Islands, a small paradise just a short boat ride from the city. You can swim on the gorgeous beaches in the summer, go for a bike ride to see the beautiful colours in the fall or go for a stroll through the small community admiring the beautiful and creative houses in the spring and r he views of the city will be stunning all year round.

Are there any favourite books, podcasts or blogs that you’d love to share?

I have to confess that sewing has taken some time away from reading and even though I still read almost daily I do spend way more time sewing. 

The first three books that came to mind that I love are Homeland by Fernando Aramburu, Blindness by Jose Saramago and The Invisible Woman by Caroline Criado-Perez. The three are books that I read multiple times over the years and think about frequently so hopefully someone discovers them and loves them as much as I do.





A very warm thank you to Sara for chatting with us this week, we're looking forward to seeing more of her unique makes pop up on Instagram! We hope you've enjoyed this Friends of TFS interview, head over and follow Sara and be sure to check out her book recommendations!