Sewing for Everybody

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About me
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Home
Appearances
Services
Instagram feed gallery
About me
Contact

Sewing for Everybody

Home
Appearances
Services
Instagram feed gallery
About me
Contact

Appearances

Santa Fe Pants Block Retreat 2020 (cancelled)

The Sewcialists Interview (April 2020)

Love to Sew Podcast (June 2020)

By Hand London Blog (May 2021)

Punk Frockers Podcast (April 2021)

NPR LifeKit (May 2021)

This page is regularly updated. For now, all my live events are on pause

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leila_sews

-Half of @munaandbroad patterns
-Asst Prof Fashion Design and Social Justice @ParsonsSchoolOfDesign

I'm away from my family a lot and sometimes I'm so

I'm away from my family a lot and sometimes I'm so flat out that I don't notice, but other times I have some time to relax. I've been trying to make the most of my downtime in New York by giving myself space to just be. I also like to be able to do things that I don't often have time for, like walk around my neighbourhood in search of yummy things. Is this self-care?

[ad] I’ve been collaborating with @thesleepshirt for a while and honestly, I wear my shirts all the time. I prefer the long length and it's the best for lounging. The fabrics and construction are always great. This one is a flannel and it's so soft and really high quality. I wear the X-Plus size and the fit is really good with more than enough space for my 20" biceps. There are a bunch on sale right now including many flannels (this particular fabric is sold out though). You an click on my link in bio - this is an affiliate link, but trust me when I say these are my most worn garments that aren’t made by me.

Image: a Fat Asian woman is sitting on a pink couch. She’s wearing g a red and navy cozy nightshirt and holding a cup of coffee. There is an industrial looking door behind her

A casual work outfit today. I’m not teaching t

A casual work outfit today.

I’m not teaching today but have several meetings so I want to be comfy. I chose this super comfy stretchy #AlistraDress and the #CobdenChoreJacket for warmth.

Image: a fat Asian women is standing in front of a huge green plant wearing a denim jacket and grey dress

@munaandbroad #munaandbroad

It’s a dark and gloomy time of year. And this is

It’s a dark and gloomy time of year. And this is an outfit with no me made context (except for my underwear!!) but I would like to share a rare win with you.

Recently, I was travelling for work and we went vintage shopping. It was great. I had a great time. But I was struck with a moment of real sadness, almost of loss, to the point where I thought I might cry. Why? Because I can never be that person who picked up that cool find in the backstreets of Rome. And since I refuse to support companies who don’t value my body and I won’t squeeze into design ease, I don’t get to participate in fashion in the same way that other folks do. I have to make most of my clothing. Not just the garment, but the pattern too.

One unicorn I’ve been wanting is an oversized blazer and I can’t find one that fits me. Because I have tried and failed and have a graveyard of blazers in my closet, vintage online finds, and new. They don’t fit. But when I was in Charlottesville earlier this year, this bespoke light overcoat shone in a thrift store. Fat man in Charlottesville: thank you. Thank you for having the money to have such a lovely garment made and thank you for donating it. Perhaps you are no longer with us, but I’m thinking of you anyway. It’s a lovely wool with a gorgeous thick cupro lining.

So today I am sharing this win. I hope you have a win too.

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing a long charcoal coat, pink sneakers, and black pants.

#fatfashion #fatsewingclub

I’m passionate and also so privileged to have ac

I’m passionate and also so privileged to have access to spaces in fashion where I can talk about Fatness and clothing access. I just got back from Italy where we presented our pilot work on Fat/Sew, a collaboration with @bendrakbarry and @annezbitnew. It was the most lovely and welcoming conference hosted at the University of Bologna in Rimini. Here’s a little photo dump.
Images:
1. Me, presenting in a black T shirt and silk skirt
2. With Ben, Anne, and @danieldrakbarry outside the Coliseum in Rome
3. The bluest of skies against an orange building in Rimini with flying birds
4. The Fellini museum at night in Rimini, an imposing castle
5. Tiberius Bridge in Rimini, 2000 years old!
6. Amazing place we stayed in Rome that looked like a fairytale witch house from the outside.

I made this set a while back, consisting of a pair

I made this set a while back, consisting of a pair of #GlebePants and a #WaikerieDress. Together, it’s one of those outfits that always makes me feel put together, even though it’s comfy and actually quite casual.

Here’s the rub though: I’ve worn the pants way more than the dress/duster and they are fading faster and will no doubt wear out first. The lovely cotton crepe was bought from @winnipegsews but it’s not stocked anymore so I need to track some more down. Any leads?

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing an all black outfit. Wide legs pants and a duster worn open

#waikerieshirt #munaandbroad #plussizeminimalist

An outfit for the change of seasons. It’s ligh

An outfit for the change of seasons.

It’s light jacket weather here so I pulled out my #BelmoreJacket. Without a doubt, this is the item that makes me feel like the best kind of minimalist art teacher. Underneath is a total wool-fest. A merino #TarleeTShirt with the patreon funnel neck and a #WhitlamSkirt made from a thicker wool/spandex interlock.

Necklace is by Indigenous artist, @redwallstreet

This is a comfy and cozy outfit for a long day of teaching. Not toooo much else to say really!

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing a black column skirt, grey funnelneck top and a black jacket. Her hair is wet. She’s a lot happier on the inside than she looks in the photo, maybe because it’s early in the morning after a bad sleep

@munaandbroad #munaandbroad #fatfashion #fatsewingclub #sewistsofinstagram #bipocsewcialists #asiansewists

Thrilled to be working with @vveaveinc on a @sof_p

Thrilled to be working with @vveaveinc on a @sof_parsons student competition specifically for plus sizes!

The focus of the competition is on under represented categories within plus and the winners will have their designs manufactured and retailed. This means that this isn’t just an academic exercise - we can buy the designs sometime in 2024.

This competition is also a key initiative of the Size Inclusion in Fashion Lab (SIF) that @emilyhuggard and I co-direct at Parsons. And the amazing @fionadieffenbacher will be mentoring the students as they develop their designs through to production!

I cannot wait to see what the students come up with!

Briefing is on Tuesday so if you’re a parsons student, I hope you can make it

Image: a poster for a student competition

#parsonsfashion #parsonsschoolofdesign

Fat wardrobe crisis. Does anyone else feel this wa

Fat wardrobe crisis. Does anyone else feel this way? Is it the change of seasons?

The scarcity of nice rtw garments is a recurrent theme in my work and in my life. The reality is that the fashion industry moves slowly and it’s often two steps forward and one step back. And so we, as people who love clothing and fashion, have to do something to gain agency. We sew.

I didn’t sew my own clothing for quite a while because I didn’t have the time, space, or money to do so. And I was on a subsistence diet. Then one day, I realized what I was showing to the world was so far away from my inner style, that I had to take matters into my own hands. Luckily I had the skills, even though I’d left the fashion industry in my past. And now I’m here again. Life goes full circle? I don’t know. I think it’s more that it is a truly perennial problem.

Shirt: @munaandbroad #LobethalShirt
Skirt: #PyrmontSkirt

Image: a fat Asian woman is standing in her living room. She is wearing a black gingham skirt, drapey black, short sleeved oversized shirt, and socks, with sandals.

#fatsewingclub #fatsewist #plussizeminimalist #munaandbroad #plussizesewing

Well Fall is well and truly here in NYC and it’s

Well Fall is well and truly here in NYC and it’s the first sunny day for a while (though Canada was perfect on the weekend). I love seeing how the season change affects what I wear

It’s sunny with a chill today so I brought out my #BelmoreJacket for the first time this season, along with my (creased) merino #WhitlamSkirt. And up top is just a #TorrensBoxTop made from linsey woolsey from @threelittlebirds.sewingco. And actually it’s an all @munaandbroad day!

Tell me about your seasonal transitions. I’d love to know how it’s showing up in your outfits.

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing a navy ling skirt and top under a loose black jacket.

#munaandbroad #fatfashion #effyourbeautystandards #plussizeminimalist #plussizefashion #fatsewingclub #cscmakes

I’ve always loved a clunky shoe with a dress. It

I’ve always loved a clunky shoe with a dress. It’s obviously the 90s teen in me. I also feel as though the shoes along with the top, with it’s muscle shirt heritage, break up the femme.

Also lately have been into coloured socks and thanks to you all discovered the Falke sensitive range that doesn’t have elastic in the top, though they are eye watering expensive. The lack of elastic means I can show my socks without the tops digging in in a sausage-like manner.

I also realized that both the look and the pose is pretty Bon and Pon like and I’m excellent with that.

How do you treat high femme (like this skirt) in your styling? Lean into it? Break it up?

Top: @munaandbroad #AtraxTop
Skirt: @munaandbroad #PyrmontSkirt
Bag: @lindquist.object
Socks: @falke
Shoes: @hoka

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing a red sleeveless top, a black box, pleated skirt, a blue bag, red socks, and chunky black sneakers

#sustainablefashion #plussizefashion #plussizesustainablefashion #bonpon #fatfashion

I don’t often get a lazy weekend morning to spen

I don’t often get a lazy weekend morning to spend in the city but here we are (due to a flight cancellation combined with upcoming work travel).

So here’s my “in search of a bakery” outfit.

I hope you’re having a lazy weekend too.

Dress: @munaandbroad #MelbaDress in @aandrfabrics linen
Shoes: @maguireshoes
Sunglasses: @germanogambini from @opticianado

Image: a Fat Asian woman is wearing a blue checked loose fitting dress and sunglasses

#munaandbroad #iwearwhatisew #plussizesewing

It’s still hot af here but also I don’t have a

It’s still hot af here but also I don’t have any clean #DulcieBoxerBriefs which means a dress or skirt was out of the question. So I went with tried and true.

On the bottom are some @munaandbroad #SculthorpePants made in a brushed cotton (not the coolest fabric but I didn’t have any linen!) and on top is what was the precursor to the Torrens. Wearing the comfy shoes again (Hoka bondi) as they were amazing. Didn’t realize what non pinky toe crushing in sneakers was like!
Bag is @bigsoeursupply which is my daily carry but the (lovely) veg tanned strap does mark light garments so I have to be mindful of that.

Image: a Fat Asian woman is wearing ankle@length black pants, a boxy black boat neck top and very clunky black sneakers. There are some pink dining chairs and plants visible in what is clearly her living room

#munaandbroad #plussizesewing #iwearwhatisew

It’s so hot in NYC at the moment. Today the fore

It’s so hot in NYC at the moment. Today the forecast is for 34C/93F.

I honestly was dressing for comfort. Airy skirt and top and comfy shoes. Today will be lots of walking around the studio as it is a 6 hour class.

Also hoping for a goth version of Copenhagen fash week style

Top: @munaandbroad #torrensboxtop in double gauze
Skirt: @munaandbroad #pyrmontskirt plus #dulcieboxerbriefs (unseen!)
Cushy shoes: @hoka bondi 8 extra wides!

Image: a Fat Asian woman in a black and white gingham skirt and black top. Very clumpy black sneakers.

#fatsewing #fatsew #plussizeminimalist #plussizesewing #fatfashion #fatfashionista

Who am I? Daily posting? Actually, I think I’m g

Who am I? Daily posting? Actually, I think I’m going to document some OOTDs (outfits of the day) for work (you probably do t want to know what I wear if I’m not leaving the house).

Continuing with yesterdays RTW theme, here I am in a dress I wear a LOT, that I didn’t make. And comfy shoes for walking as I’m taking my Parsons students on a trip to the NYC garment district.

I call this look “gothic cupcake needs sensible walking shoes” and I’m into it.

Dress: @twodaysoffgoods (but they have sadly over away from apparel)
Shoes: @hoka

Image: a Fat Asian woman is wearing a black dress and pink sneakers. There’s are lots of plants and quite a bit or furniture visible

#fatinfashion #fatfashion #plussizeslowfashion #slowfashion #sustainablefashion #sustainablefashionblogger

When your first day back teaching offer summer con

When your first day back teaching offer summer contains nothing you’ve sewn 😱

One of the best and worst things about working as a fashion prof is outfit planning. I feel a significant amount of pressure to be put together. And a big part of my making practice is the emotion that gets imbued into each garment. So that can mean I adore a garment or that I feel a bit weird about it, if it was tricky to sew or the pattern took a lot of work to get right. So sometimes it’s nice to just take myself out of the equation and have a more neutral experience with my clothes and dressing.

Am I the only one who has more feelings about garments I’ve made compared to bought?

(I’d also like to note my size privilege here as I can fit into some brands size expansions’ biggest size)

Shirt: @nettlestudios
Skirt: @reformation
Shoes: @harkweberstudio
Anti chafing shorts: @munaandbroad #DulcieBoxerBriefs

Image: a Fat Asian woman is standing next to a plant. She’s wearing a long black bias skirt, black shirt, and black shoes

#fatfashion #fatinfashion #fatstyle #plussizeminimalist

It’s been a very heavy few days of intense work

It’s been a very heavy few days of intense work on a secret project and behind me is the evidence!

But today I need to leave the house so I decided to put together a new combo. It’s inspired by Japanese sewing books and “natural” style but with a crisper, almost uniform like bent. I like it.

Also introducing my wild new glasses (which are nicknamed “the raccoon glasses”) which I kind of adore.

Top: #LobethalShirt @munaandbroad
Skirt: #PyrmontSkirt @munaandbroad (fabric gifted from @aandrfabrics)
Glasses: @kalaeyewear from @fabulousfannysnyc
Sandals: @maguireshoes

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing a black and white checked skirt and a very oversized white shirt. Behind her is evidence of work: paper, muslins, envelopes, mess. There is also a lovely green plant and she has very huge glasses on.

#munaandbroad #goliathglasses #dadsandals #fatstyle #fatinfashion #fatfashion

I whipped up this tencel @munaandbroad #PyrmontSki

I whipped up this tencel @munaandbroad #PyrmontSkirt yesterday and I’m very happy with it. Although this tencel twill was…ahem…not the easiest to cut out, the result is really lovely. The innate bounciness of the fabric really enhances the pleating, I think.

It’s also a really different mood to the casual vibes of the linen gingham one I shared the other day. This version feels very grown up and polished. I love how much a fabric can change the personality of a pattern!

I’m also wearing an #AtraxTop in merino and will 100% be taking this outfit to wear to some more formal events I have to attend this week.

Overall I’m so happy with the versatility of this pattern and am looking forward to making a warmer one once the weather cools down

Image: a fat Asian woman wearing a sleeveless black top tucked into a black midi length pleated skirt. She’s got her hands in her pockets and looks relaxed but polished.

#munaandbroad #curvysewing #plussizesewing #plussizeminimalist #sewingforcurves

A skirt pattern! This is the @munaandbroad #Pyrmon

A skirt pattern! This is the @munaandbroad #PyrmontSkirt!

It has inverted box pleats and a flat waistband in the front and an elasticated back waistband. There is also some shaping to help your hem hang level and generous pockets (of course!).

Pleating can be a bit of a brain drain so the pieces are shaded to help you pleat to perfection (and they aren’t nested so no confusion!).

I love this version of the skirt and it easily dresses up or down. It’s sewn up in a gorgeous linen gingham from @aandrfabrics (gifted).

I like wearing it with a loose top with a little quarter tuck or a simple tee.

Image: a fat Asian woman is wearing a black and white checked tea length skirt and a boxy black top. She has bare feet and is next to a large indoor plant

#munaandbroad #indiepatterndesigner #plussizesewing #curvysewing #fatsewing

This was todays outfit and I like to call it “Wi

This was todays outfit and I like to call it “Williamsburg camouflage”. I’m in NYC for a few days and it is really hot and humid. My goal was to wear the fewest possible garments but maintain sun protection.

The bottoms are the hero of the day and are my #DulcieBoxerBriefs as bike shorts and wow - best ever bike shorts because they are modal/spandex so soft and breathable and basically way nicer to wear than any other bike short. On top I wanted white to reflect the rays and this very oversized #LobethalShirt fit the bill perfectly. I have a simple rtw tank underneath and the shirt looked good open and also with a button or two.

To really punctuate this millennial ‘fit please observe these millennial pink trainers from @hoka) which I think puts this look even further away from my usual.

Overall this outfit was super out of character but also fun and comfy and dare I say, cute. 10/10 will re-wear this look.

@munaandbroad #munaandbroad #whatfatgirlsactuallywear #fatgirlsummer #iwearwhatisew #fuckflattering #fatsewing #sewvisiblyfat #fatflatshoe

Sewing tips coming in hot at the moment! Here is a

Sewing tips coming in hot at the moment!
Here is a quick pressing tip that’s useful for fabrics that tend to have the seam allowances show through when you press. It definitely adds a bit of work but makes your work look lovely

#sewingtip #sewingtipsandtricks #sewingtutorial

Fat panic sewing! Today is a graduation ceremony

Fat panic sewing!

Today is a graduation ceremony at my work and I realized I didn’t have anything to wear!

Luckily I’d found this most beautiful rayon satin backed crepe at @metrotextiles so quickly whipped up this dress on the weekend. I used the Melba dress as a base but cocooned it and used the reverse fabric for a panel. Swipe for a closer shot

Dress: @munaandbroad modified #MelbaDress in rayon satin backed crepe
Shoes: @empressaustralia
Necklace: @aster_fields

Image: a fat Asian woman is standing in the corridor of a university. You can see some dress forms through a window

Mending inner thigh wear on pants using the origin

Mending inner thigh wear on pants using the original. This is the best way to do it if you sewed the pants as it ensures your patches conform perfectly to the leg shaping

#mendingmatters #sewingtips #sewingtipsandtricks #fatsewing

In which I cosplay as Jess @fat.bobbin.girl

It’s been suddenly hot lately and so today I wore my #melbadress and then added my new comfy shoes which are millennial pink. I’ve never owned pink shoes before LOL.

Once I put this outfit on I realized I was basically being Jess. Is she a bad influence?

Dress: @munaandbroad #melbadress in mulberry linen from @aandrfabrics
Shoes: @hoka

Image: a Fat Asian woman is wearing a fuschia dress with pink sneakers in front of a pink sofa!
#munaandbroad #memademay #memademay2023 #memademayplus #fatsewingclub

The Alistra Dress is live over on @munaandbroad!

The Alistra Dress is live over on @munaandbroad!

This is a deceptively simple column dress with a heart of engineering. After being very pleased with how the Whitlam skirt turned out, with its bum hugging but not tum hugging shape, we wanted to try a dress style. We have it a scoopy neck in one view and a funnel in the other one. The scoop has a delicate and more elevated neckband.

I sewed this up in a lovely heavy modal/spandex and it’s a dress that looks effortlessly chic. In my mind it’s a bit “model day off” with white sneakers and a baseball cap.

What you see in these photos is what you get. A silhouette that skims the body without clinging. I’ve been wearing it non stop!

Image: a Fat Asian woman is wearing a dark grey column dress. The sleeves are pushed up. In the other slides, you see the side and back views. The side and back views of the dress are deliciously curvy. The front view is sleek.

#alistradress #munaandbroad #plussizesewing

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