Melody — Soften Studio

Hello, I’m Melody and I am a maker, and small business owner living in Adelaide, South Australia. I create timeless sewing patterns that I dream of wearing and sell them online for others to make too.

Since I was young, I've had a deep love for creating things by hand. My Nanna was a master of knitting, embroidery, quilting, sewing. Spending time with her had a huge impact on me. After school, I followed my creative instincts and enrolled into Fashion and Design at TAFE, where I gained the skills to turn my ideas into realities! Over the past ten years, I've been honing my sewing skills with the help of sewing mentors and YouTube tutorials. Along the way, I also studied graphic design, and it's amazing how both skills complement each other in my work now. It was during my part-time job at TFS that I came upon the online sewing community. Looking back, I'm grateful for the journey that brought me here, and I'm excited to see where it takes me next.

I have this particular dress in my wardrobe that I am proud of. What makes it so special is the hand-smocked neckline. While it's not an everyday wear, it's a piece that fills me with pride whenever I put it on. Smocking is a technique I started learning about two years ago, and this dress was my most ambitious smocking project so far. It took me around eight hours of hand embroidery to bring it to life.

I am currently sampling a new pattern I’ve been working on to be released later this year…

Witnessing other sewers bring my designs to life and infuse them with their own unique style is an endlessly rewarding experience and has been my biggest sewing success. Soften Studio itself emerged as a pivot in my creative journey. Prior to designing sewing patterns, I had been making garments on a made-to-order basis, but eventually felt burned out and needed a break. It was during this time, amidst moving to a new city and the challenges of the pandemic, that I started a YouTube channel to document my personal projects. To my surprise, people started expressing interest in purchasing my patterns, which set me on the path to create Soften Studio.

A while ago, I took on the challenge of making a custom wedding dress for a customer. However, I made a crucial mistake by cutting the back piece slightly off grain, which affected the way it draped. Fortunately, I had enough fabric to rectify the issue by re-cutting the back and adding a centre back seam. This experience taught me the vital lesson of cutting on the correct grain. Although the dress turned out well in the end, it also made me realise that bridal wear is not for me!

When it comes to getting a straight edge, there's this awesome trick that my mother in law, Joselie taught me —pulling a thread. I use this technique all the time now, especially on linens!
I also love the technique of creating French seams. I have a tutorial for how to create French seam pockets on my YouTube which you can find here. It is still one of my favourite sewing techniques to date.

My collection of rocks (pattern weights), grading ruler, a good pair of fabric scissors, quick unpick and my pin cushion.

I'm an avid consumer of podcasts and books! While I work, I often immerse myself in audiobooks and podcasts covering a diverse range of topics including creativity, psychology, spirituality, business. Currently, I'm engrossed in a book called "Company of One" by Paul Jarvis. The book explores the intentional decision to keep a business small. On a completely different note, there is another podcast I love going back to called ‘Dispatch to a friend.’ They only did 2 seasons but it is the most wholesome and calming podcast about two friends writing letters to each other.

I find inspiration in a multitude of sources, but I've learned to be selective and focused in pursuing ideas as too much inspiration can sometimes be overwhelming. Historical garments and antique textiles, with their intricate embroidery and hand detailing, inspire me. Timeless silhouettes from past eras and the concept of beauty, function, and comfort guide my creative process. Additionally, I find inspiration in various art forms that extend beyond clothing and fashion like colours in a painting or a pattern on a piece of pottery. On a more personal level, my husband Chris has always been a very encouraging person in my creative journey. I call him my own personal hype man. He is also a big dreamer and we have endless conversations about creative ideas and possibilities.

Yes, exciting things are on the horizon for Soften Studio! I'm thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of our first physical product: a magnetic flower pin cushion with the option of interchangeable colours. This product has been a labor of love, and I can't wait to make it available for order soon. To be notified when it's ready, be sure to sign up for our newsletter or follow soften studio instagram.

1. Upcycled Denims - I love the weight and slubby texture of these fabrics. The fact that they are made from cotton waste is amazing.

2. Heavyweight linen natural - Such a staple fabric. I have made both the Clo Bias Skirt and Lea Bias Dress in this fabric.

3. Hazy Herringbone Cotton Check (Navy / Ivory) - I have some of this fabric in my stash waiting to be sewn up. I love how the woven threads create this hazy/ blurred type of effect.

4. ZQ Premium Merino - The holy grail fabric for winter layering. My favourite colours are currently Cocoa and Moss.

5. Lightweight Bold Candy Stripe Cotton (Eucalyptus.) (Now sold out online) I love stripe cotton for a blouse or dress. This one in particular is a lovely colour and I also like the scale of the stripe.