We are delighted to be joined by Sydney-based Felicity Duong on Friends of TFS this week! A creative TFS brand ambassador, passionate sewist and lover of travel, Felicity can be found over on Instagram as @goodthreadsstudio. We love her genius pattern hacks, inspirational DIY projects, immaculate event outfits, and the cutest matching sets you'll find! Read on as we chat to Felicity about her sewing journey, hobbies, and projects past and present!

Hey Felicity, please give a brief introduction of yourself to our readers!

Hello! My name is Felicity Duong (she/her) and I’m a sewist and slow fashion content creator living and creating on Wangal Land (Sydney, Australia). I began my Instagram account, Good Threads Studio, in 2023 as a way to share my love of sewing, thrifting and slow fashion.   

We'd love to hear about your sewing journey - what led you to sewing, how long have you been sewing for etc...

I’ve always loved fashion and appreciated the craft of making clothes thanks to my mum who is a professional costume technician. My mum taught me how to sew garments over 10 years ago and I was instantly hooked. I even started an Etsy store where I sold festival tops that I upcycled from secondhand clothing, jewellery, and Batik textiles.

After moving out of home (and away from a sewing machine), I didn’t sew for several years. In 2022, I rediscovered my love of sewing after the Sydney lockdowns. There was a new world of sewing content on social media that hadn’t been as prominent when I had first started sewing as a teenager. I became obsessed with self-drafting clothes from watching The Essentials Club YouTube tutorials and learnt so many new skills from independent sewing patterns. The Ora Pinafore by Soften Studio was the first digital sewing pattern I tried and I’ve been a big fan of Melody’s patterns since.  

In the past few years, Good Threads Studio has continued to grow and I’ve been lucky to have so many amazing opportunities come from it including meeting new sewing friends, collaborating with fabric stores and brands, an ABC radio interview, and starting my own YouTube channel.   

What is it about sewing that brings you joy?

I love the feeling of accomplishment when you turn flat fabric into a beautiful piece of clothing. It truly is magical! Sewing also allows me to express my creativity, learn new skills (constantly) and engage with my love of fashion in a way that is good for the planet and its people. 

What sewing projects are you working on, or planning towards, at the moment?

I’m currently sewing the My Keeper Teddy dress as part of a “sewing club” with friends. We’ll all try the same pattern and then meet up wearing our creations. I’m making a pink check version inspired by Sydney-based brand, Katharina Lou.

Share with us what you learnt from your biggest sewing success

My biggest sewing success has been my hack of the Lydia Naomi Bubble Frock! After learning basic patternmaking and hacking skills from the Intro to patternmaking course by Unpicked Studio, I was inspired to start putting my own flair on existing sewing patterns. My Bubble Frock hack featured alternating stripe placement, a corset-style back, shoulder ties, and an elasticised back skirt. I shared it on Instagram and got so much love from the sewing community, I decided to start my own YouTube channel to share how others could make it too. I learnt so much about my own skills and capabilities as a sewist and content creator and found it a really rewarding experience seeing other people make this version of the Bubble Frock. I plan to create more tutorials and hopefully release my own sewing patterns one day!  

And what you learnt from your biggest sewing flop!

I think you can learn equally as much from sewing flops! My biggest flop was my first attempt at making a winter coat, the MakebyTFS Poppy Coat. I purchased a wool cashmere online and while beautiful, it just wasn’t right for the project. I persisted in what was a challenging project for a beginner, spent weeks making it, and was unhappy with the result. It was too heavy and floppy, while I was envisaging a structured everyday coat. This project taught me the importance of fabric choice and taking the time to slow down and research fabrics, especially when purchasing online. I haven’t attempted a jacket or coat since, but I’ve learnt so much in recent years that I know I’ll make a redemption coat some day soon.  

Describe the space you use for sewing in 5 words...

" Hot, cosy, creative, chaotic, inspiring"

 

What kinds of fabrics do you prefer to sew with?

Linen, cotton and natural fibres. I love the Fabric Store’s collection of organic linens, merino jerseys, and the endless exciting range of deadstock materials.  

What are your top 5 sewing most-used tools?

Tell us the story of your favourite wardrobe item (doesn’t have to be made by you)

It’s so hard to pick one…I’d say my me-made Madswick Studio Zamora skirt in white linen. This was one of the first collaborations I did for Good Threads Studio with Archive Patterns, an online catalogue of printable PDF sewing patterns by independent designers. It’s a beginner-friendly skirt but has really interesting details with lovely pleats that make it a more elevated basic.  

Do you have any special sewing tips you’d like to share?

Make wearable toiles! I used to make toiles in calico and it would feel so wasteful and unsatisfying, even though it meant a better end-product. I now make wearable toiles when I first try a pattern, where I’ll find an affordable fabric and make the garment properly. Then if I mess it up, I can say “well…it was just the toile” and make something else from it or sell/donate the item. If it does work out, you get the benefit of learning what you can improve next time whilst also making something you’ll actually wear. Sometimes, I end up even liking my wearable toile more.  

My other general tips would be slow down, create mindfully and take breaks!  

Is there anything you wish you knew about sewing before you started?

Patience and accepting failures are part of the process. Nothing will be perfect when you first start! I used to get really sad when I’d mess up a project, but the biggest learnings come from mistakes and it’s amazing to see how much I’ve learnt in a few years.  

Where do you find motivation and inspiration?

I also draw inspiration from my Vietnamese and Malaysian-Chinese heritage. For a past Lunar New Year, I used a cheongsam pattern my mum drafted from one of her own tops and hacked it to make it a wrap design with bows inspired by one of my favourite designers, Sandy Liang. For me, the process of making this top was reflective of how culture and tradition are passed down through generations, shaped by immigration, and blended with modern styles and perspectives. I want to recreate more of these designs and also attempt to make my first Ao Dai - a traditional Vietnamese dress consisting of a long slitted tunic worn over wide-legged pants.  


 

Are there any other hobbies or activities you enjoy besides sewing?

I am an avid traveller and feel very privileged to have visited 40 countries and spend 6 months of this year travelling around Asia and Europe. I love experiencing different cultures, being with nature through hiking, swimming and snorkelling, trying new foods, and checking out the local thrifting scene in different countries. Finding a special vintage or thrifted piece is the perfect souvenir for me! When I’m at home, I love going to a fancy bakery, listening to k-pop, yoga, visiting art galleries and play dates with my nieces.  

If we were visiting Sydney for a day, is there anything you would recommend we do and see?

If you only had one day (and love all things sewing and crafty), definitely go to Newtown where you can start the morning with a delicious baked good from A.P. Bakery, check out the thrift stores, op shops, and artisanal gift stores along King Street, and visit The Fabric Store, Drapers Fabrics, and All Buttons Great and Small. Make sure you visit my favourite thrift store, Reunion, and stop by Azuki Japanese Bakery for lunch and a matcha latte. If you love an escape room, definitely go to the Cipher Room in Newtown or nearby St Peters - they are the best in the world in my opinion (I’ve done almost 50!) and the sets are amazing.

There are also so many places in Sydney beyond the normal touristy spots! If you get the time, get the ferry over to Manly for a snorkel, hike up to the lighthouse at Palm Beach, visit the multicultural hubs in the Inner West and Western Sydney (e.g., Burwood Chinatown for modern Chinese food and Cabramatta for excellent Vietnamese food!), and take a hike in the Royal National Park.  

Are there any favourite books, podcasts or blogs that you’d love to share?