Sewing is
cool. Don’t believe me? Being cool is
about being admired. The cool are envied because of their self-confidence in a
unique skill. Jesse James, a custom motorcycle builder, is cool. I can’t weld
the front end of a chopper, but he can’t line the inside of a bra cup. Our
screw ups are equally as painful.
Now that you agree that sewing is cool, let me show you why, with a glimpse into one day of my life as a seamstress:
5:00 AM: In my opinion, if you are not
up before 7:00 AM, even on a weekend, you have already wasted too much time. No
one becomes successful by sleeping in. While the wealthy wake up to a solitary
view of a beach or the sweeping views of a grand city like New York, I wake up to a
sight just beautiful. The first thing I see when I get out
of bed is my sewing machine. While my de rigueur machine is a PFAFF Expression
3.2, which is a beast boasting over 200 stitches and an IDT feeding system, I brought
out my 1956 Singer Featherweight this weekend. YOLO, right? Weighing 11lbs, it hums like a 1960s Ford Mustang, but
rides like a brand new Porsche.
5:15 AM: In need of coffee STAT. While I
let the java get my blood pumping and my muscles loosened, I read. Call me old
school (I prefer the word vintage), but I like taking in my information
tangible style. Two books I am constantly reading are Claire Schaeffer’s Couture Sewing Techniques and Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life. Perhaps one of the greatest
choreographers of her generation, Tharp offers her theses on creativity. As scrappy
doo as I can be, I am also very methodical, and Tharp’s prescriptions for
creativity offer me a system for turning my ideas into realities. She also
provides examples of how the unique behaviors and patterns of other luminaries
such as Beethoven and Maurice Sendick gave birth to their masterpieces. I find inspiration in
knowing that quirks are not setbacks, but advantages. Last on the daily reading list is The Wall Street Journal. Why?
Because the WSJ always does it right. Duh!
9:00 AM: Post 10 mile run, I shower and
eat a carb- and protein-loaded breakfast – homemade granola with bananas, dates,
chai seeds and almond milk. I am now in the right headspace to sew. Although
temperatures are lingering in the 80s, typical for August in
Philly, fall is on my mind. Currently, I’m working on the prototype (muslin as
we seamstresses refer to it) for a dress. Channeling a structured jacket with
its double breasted front closure, face-framing flat collar and center back
pleat, it’s going to be one of those pieces that can transition from fall to
winter to spring. At least that’s the plan. This morning, I’m doing the first
steps of any garment construction – stay stitching, sewing darts, etc.
1:30 PM: One of the many series on my
blog is called Handmade, where I find and interview
local people and businesses that are making a living selling hand crafted
products. Just like beer drinkers do, it’s important for me to connect with the
Philly community. It boosts
my sewing mojo knowing that other people exist who possess as much a passion to create as I do. Up today is Pierre’s Costumes. I walk past it every evening
and its unremarkable façade gives the impression that it’s nothing special. I am
wrong. After being greeted by Jennifer Valosen, manager of the store, she shows
me the front showroom and the sewing studio just behind it. But it is the room
way in the back that makes me drool – a floor to ceiling “closet” that houses
all the costumes. And you thought your wardrobe was overflowing?
While interviewing Jennifer, I am equally fascinated and inspired
by her story. She was the sewer who said she would never touch a sewing machine
after her first project. But, as she put it, sewing found her and she had no
choice in the matter. While attending college for communications and public
relations, she worked in the school’s costume shop. Instead of pursuing her major
after graduation, she followed her passion, working at several theaters before ending
up at Pierre’s.
3:00 PM: For as far reaching as the Internet
is, it can also be very small. Two years ago, Andrea, a local
sewing blogger, moved to Philadelphia, two blocks away from my apartment.
Despite our proximity, it has taken us this long to finally meet in real life.
Along with Claire, another local sewing blogger,
we hit up Café Ole. This java jaunt isn’t your ordinary place to get a caffeine
fix. Sunday mornings here are as rowdy and lively as your nights downtown. Over
some cups of joe, Claire, Andrea and I talk geeky sewing nonsense like making
swimsuits, stretching elastic, grading patterns and more. Unlike in online dating,
when bloggers meet up, especially sewing bloggers, it does not turn out to be the worst date ever. Our
conversation from start to finish is seamless (pun intended); there are no awkward silences.
5-8:00 PM: With a couple of hours to kill,
I head to my haven - Madalynne Studios. At 350 square feet, it is my zen zone. I
come here, usually alone, to photograph and to sew. On the third floor, it gets
a little stuffy in the summer, so I open the windows. Sitting in front of the
breeze, I continue to work on my dress. Unfortunately, I run out of matching
thread 30 minutes in, so I switch to another love of mine: bra making. Six
years after I started sewing, I delved into this category of sewing as a
challenge. The fit, the fabrics and the techniques used to construct a bra are
markedly different from garment sewing. Like any challenge I take on, I dove in
head first and haven’t come up for breath yet. I’m that hooked. Developing
this skill set has even led me to amazing opportunities – teaching an online class in November as well as teaching two in-person workshops this
winter. Who would have thunk Miss Maddie would be a teacher?
Listening to the breeze whirl in as I cut a new bra pattern, I
can’t help but think how lucky I am. My W2 might not have six figures on it, but
if I had to put a number on my quality of life, it would amount to much more.
8:15 PM: Headed back to Chatueu Madalynne (who doesn’t name their house?), I stop by Sassafrass, a local market at the end of my street, to pick up ingredients for a me-made dinner. The menu for tonight is hearty – salmon, a heaping bowl of pasta, a glass of white wine and a side of hand sewing. #Partyrockin.
My life is simple, but I think it’s pretty cool. I could put on some wayfarers or dance around in my undies (me-made of course), but I’d prefer to just sew and consider myself the equivalent of the King of Cool, Steve McQueen – I'm living life as The Queen of Cool.
Maddie Flanigan is the blogger behind Madalynne, the cool pattern making and sewing blog. If Steve McQueen was the “King of Cool,” then Madalynne is the “Queen of Cool.” An educational, informational and inspirational blog, Madalynne provides how-to’s and tutorials on pattern making and all things sewing related. Madalynne also documents the life of Maddie, including her own sewing projects, endeavors and sometimes struggles, so that she can serve as an inspiration to her readers.
Maddie is part of The Opener, an exclusive, invite-only contributor network that will bring the best food, culture, and innovation writing to the pages of Coca-Cola Journey.
Now that you agree that sewing is cool, let me show you why, with a glimpse into one day of my life as a seamstress:













8:15 PM: Headed back to Chatueu Madalynne (who doesn’t name their house?), I stop by Sassafrass, a local market at the end of my street, to pick up ingredients for a me-made dinner. The menu for tonight is hearty – salmon, a heaping bowl of pasta, a glass of white wine and a side of hand sewing. #Partyrockin.
My life is simple, but I think it’s pretty cool. I could put on some wayfarers or dance around in my undies (me-made of course), but I’d prefer to just sew and consider myself the equivalent of the King of Cool, Steve McQueen – I'm living life as The Queen of Cool.


Maddie Flanigan is the blogger behind Madalynne, the cool pattern making and sewing blog. If Steve McQueen was the “King of Cool,” then Madalynne is the “Queen of Cool.” An educational, informational and inspirational blog, Madalynne provides how-to’s and tutorials on pattern making and all things sewing related. Madalynne also documents the life of Maddie, including her own sewing projects, endeavors and sometimes struggles, so that she can serve as an inspiration to her readers.
Maddie is part of The Opener, an exclusive, invite-only contributor network that will bring the best food, culture, and innovation writing to the pages of Coca-Cola Journey.
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