Meet the Sew-cial Network part two: Kristen McIntosh
Hello and welcome to the second edition of the ‘meet the Sew-cial Network’ series. We here at Knotzland believe that understanding where your clothes come from leads to a greater appreciation of their artisanal aspects. Knotzland is powered by our remote sewing force, affectionately named, the ‘Sew-cial Network’. In this series, we will learn more about the incredible people behind our masks and bowties.
This week’s interview is with Kristen McIntosh. Kristen was born and raised in Pittsburgh, attending Pittsburgh CAPA in the heart of the city’s cultural district. While at the arts forward school she cut her teeth as a visual arts major participating in numerous art mediums.
Kristen pursued an undergraduate degree in Architecture from Tuskegee University. Since graduating with a Masters degree in Sustainable Design from the Catholic University of America in 2013 she has been working in Architecture.
With such a varied list of talents and skills Kristen is an invaluable member of the sew-cial network. Kristen’s interview is sure to hold your attention with a fascinating start to sewing and fantastic pictures featuring a wide variety of works.
We hope you enjoy this interview with the amazing Kristen McIntosh!
How long have you worked at Knotzland?
I received my first corporate commission to sew masks in April of this year, right around the second month of the COVID quarantine.
How long have you been sewing? Where did you first learn to sew? Who taught you?
I have been sewing for over 2 decades. I first learned to sew from my dad and grandmother (dad's stepmom). My grandmother is a seamstress and sews dresses, gowns, formal wear and other apparel. My dad designed and sewed my easter dresses along with my high school semi-formal outfit. In addition to their teaching, I also learned in middle school and high school as a Visual Arts major. Middle School- Rogers CAPA Middle School and High School- CAPA High School. The schools have since merged and is now CAPA 6-12.
What is your fondest memory related to sewing?
I caught the sewing bug from playing with barbies. As a kid I wanted to design clothes for my dolls and I used to take old socks and fabric scraps from my grandmother and make dresses and skirts for my dolls and would hold fashion shows for them. I even went so far as to create my own collection look-book with drawings of the outfits I designed.
What challenges did you face in learning to sew?
Up until high school I would hand sew everything I created, so it was very time consuming and required patience. I would sometimes get aches in my wrists and prick my fingers a lot trying to make sure my stitches were uniform, small and tight. Especially when making doll clothes.
Craft project in progress- Crochet doll
When I used my first sewing machine in high school I was intimidated at first because I had no clue what I was doing. Here was this machine that I'd feed fabric through while pressing this pedal and the machine would do the work for me. How light or hard I pressed down on the pedal would determine the speed of the sewing machine. Gauging the pedal speed while making sure the stitches weren't crooked and feeding the fabric through took some adjusting. Once I got the hang of it, sewing went by so much more efficiently and I created more work faster than I used to.
After the sewing machine came the serger, which was a beast! I would watch my grandmother use it to finish her seams to make it professional and prevent strays. I thought it was cool but when she opened the machine to thread it, it was super confusing following where the different spools of thread lead. I had to go on youtube and look at an online tutorial to figure out how to use my own. So I'm still new to using my serger but it has made a tremendous difference in finishing my work!
1920s period dress and headpiece designed for a Great Gatsby 20s New Years Eve Party
Have you taught anyone else to sew, and what challenges did you face in teaching?
I attempted to teach my cousin how to sew when we were little so she would play dolls with me. Though I had the patience to teach her, it just wasn't her cup of tea so my teaching experience was short lived.
What is the thing you are most proud of making (sewing or other creative endeavors)?
Last year I went to a Korean Music Festival where the guests could dress in traditional hanbok attire. In honor of the occasion, though I did not own a hanbok outfit, I decided to make one. I wanted to respect the style and tradition of the Korean culture to the best of my abilities and also stay true to my personal style too. So I used ankara and silk fabric to create the full outfit.
traditional Korean Hanbok designed for and worn to the 2019 Korean Music Festival
And lastly, is there anything you would like to add to the article? It could be another thing you’re involved in, or a cause you’re passionate about.
I live, breathe, eat and create art, it runs through my veins! I love it and enjoy creating it using whatever medium(s) I choose. I'm grateful to God and blessed to be able to share my gifts and talents with others and to help people in the process.
We hope you enjoyed this interview with Ms. McIntosh as much as we did! For more on the Sew-cial Network check back on our blog in the coming weeks for content and interviews!