Episode 127—Rescuing History One Pattern at a Time
Our guest today is Heather Webster, founder of Pattern-Walk, a website dedicated to preserving and sharing vintage sewing patterns dating back to the 1940s and beyond. Raised in South Africa and taught to sew by her grandmother, Heather rediscovered her passion for sewing after retirement. What began with the purchase of a single box of patterns at a local estate sale soon grew into a thriving business built around collecting, curating, and connecting sewists with vintage designs. Pattern-Walk offers tens of thousands of vintage patterns, along with educational blog posts and resources that help modern sewists use and appreciate these remarkable pieces of sewing history. In this episode, Heather shares her journey from collector to entrepreneur, her love of vintage fashion and pattern design, and what continues to inspire her work preserving these treasures for future generations.
SHOW NOTES
Heather’s website at www.Pattern-Walk.com
A History of the Paper Pattern Industry by Joy Spanabel Emery
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Janet Szabo’s website
Big Sky Knitting Designs website—Purchase digital copies of Janet’s knitting patterns and order copies of her books.
The ‘Suck It Up, Buttercup’ Blog—Janet’s commentary on life in Montana
I will be teaching at Quilting Mayhem in Snohomish, Washington on September 3 and 4, 2026! Check out their class listings and sign up today!
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