Jordan Graber- Interview

Embroidery is a wonderful way to upcycle your clothes so our head editor (Kirsty) sat down with Jordan Graber, the creative mind of Oh Sew What? To learn more about Oh Sew What?

How did you get into embroidery?

I’ve always enjoyed trying new skills, specifically ones that involved creative arts. Embroidery was something that I started one day when I decided my backpack needed an uplift. I grabbed some embroidery floss and copied some floral designs that I liked off of the internet. It was sloppy in the beginning, but with practice (and a lot of online tutorials) I got better.

Other than embroidery, what are some other sustainable things you do to help create necessary change?

Sustainable living is something that takes a lot of time, and is something that I’ve been trying more and more to work towards. Things like buying from local businesses, minimizing the amount of packaged products purchased, cutting out fast fashion and purchasing from thrift stores /restores and trying to purchase more environmentally friendly cleaning or bathroom products. I think the main thing is just trying to be more mindful of where I shop, the items I purchase and how I go about disposing of the products I use.

What is your favourite embroidery you have done to date?

I think the work I did on my backpack is probably one of my favourite pieces. It was the thing that really got me into finding ways to make old things exciting again, rather than going out and purchasing new.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start embroidering and up-cycling their own clothes?

I think it’s easy to be discouraged when something doesn’t turn out quite as you’d like it to. I think the fun thing about up-cycling is that you make things completely your own, mistakes and all. But if you’re worried, my advice would be to grab an old shirt, or some piece of clothing that you can practice on. Don’t give up on it, with time and practice you’ll get there!

The theme of this issue is staycation, do you enjoy a staycation?

Love them. I’m rather obsessed with Ontario and how much there is to see in local areas.

Where has been your favourite place so far to staycation to?

I go to university in Hamilton, Ont. and I’ve found a lot of hidden gems within the city throughout my time there. Every once in a while I take a day with my roommates and explore new waterfalls, trails and other really beautiful sites. I think my favourite part about these staycations is that they’re so local.

Where can our readers find you and your work?

I have an Instagram page called Oh Sew What, and it some of the work I’ve done in the past!

Embroidery is a wonderful way to upcycle your clothes so our head editor (Kirsty) sat down with Jordan Graber, the creative mind of Oh Sew What? To learn more about Oh Sew What?

How did you get into embroidery?

I’ve always enjoyed trying new skills, specifically ones that involved creative arts. Embroidery was something that I started one day when I decided my backpack needed an uplift. I grabbed some embroidery floss and copied some floral designs that I liked off of the internet. It was sloppy in the beginning, but with practice (and a lot of online tutorials) I got

Other than embroidery, what are some other sustainable things you do to help create

Sustainable living is something that takes a lot of time, and is something that I’ve been trying more and more to work towards. Things like buying from local businesses, minimizing the amount of packaged products purchased, cutting out fast fashion and purchasing from thrift stores /restores and trying to purchase more environmentally friendly cleaning or bathroom products. I think the main thing is just trying to be more mindful of where I shop, the items I purchase and how I go about disposing of the products I use.

What is your favourite embroidery you have done to date?

I think the work I did on my backpack is probably one of my favourite pieces. It was the thing that really got me into finding ways to make old things exciting again, rather than going out and purchasing new.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start embroidering and up-cycling their own clothes?

I think it’s easy to be discouraged when something doesn’t turn out quite as you’d like it to. I think the fun thing about up-cycling is that you make things completely your own, mistakes and all. But if you’re worried, my advice would be to grab an old shirt, or some piece of clothing that you can practice on. Don’t give up on it, with time and practice you’ll get there!

The theme of this issue is staycation, do you enjoy a staycation?

Love them. I’m rather obsessed with Ontario and how much there is to see in local areas.

Where has been your favourite place so far to staycation to?

I go to university in Hamilton, Ont. and I’ve found a lot of hidden gems within the city throughout my time there. Every once in a while I take a day with my roommates and explore new waterfalls, trails and other really beautiful sites. I think my favourite part about these staycations is that they’re so local.

Where can our readers find you and your work?

I have an Instagram page called Oh Sew What, and it showcases some of the work I’ve done in the past!

You can find Jordan on Instagram (@_jordangraber) and her work on Oh Sew What’s (@ohsew_what).