I’m so excited to see how the Denim Upcyclers community is growing!
When I created the Denim Upcyclers group back in 2016, there were about 700 of us, posting once in a while. But in 2023, something went jigga-BOOM — thousands of new people started joining every single week. I was freaking out (in a good way). For so long, I felt totally alone and misunderstood in my obsession with denim upcycling… and suddenly, I wasn’t alone at all.
Somewhere around 200,000 members, Kathleen Resnick reached out. She wanted to help — to become a moderator. I’ll admit it: I needed help. But accepting help isn’t my strong suit… I’m more of a “do-it-myself” kind of person…But she followed up. More than once. And honestly, people who follow up and know what they want… that’s kind of irresistible to me. 💙
We had a virtual call. I wanted to make sure her intentions were good. And I immediately liked her.
She talks a lot (which works for me — I just get to listen 😄), and she’s funny, kind, and generous. A retired nurse, she had to stop working due to health reasons. She has four grandkids and is very involved in their lives. She’s a caregiver by nature, without getting caught up in the fluff.
I asked her what her dream for the Denim Upcyclers, and she answered:
“A Denim Upcyclers cruise.” She had me at cruise. (No promises for next year… but hey, we’re allowed to dream, right? 😆)
So Kathleen joined the adventure as a moderator. A year and a half later, as I’m starting to highlight different members of the community and collaborate on blog posts and videos, I thought: what better place to start than with Kat?
She collects vintage sewing machines and offered to write a guest post for the blog. I loved the idea! And to take it even further, we recorded a video interview together.
It was supposed to be simple… but well, if you know me… 😅
I’m still a beginner when it comes to interviewing, and I’ve learned that part of the job is guiding the conversation and keeping some focus. Not exactly my strong suit — it’s way too fun to ask all the questions!
So what happened?
→ She showed us a machine,
→ then her kitty draft stopper,
→ then a quilt,
→ another vintage sewing machine,
→ an upcycled denim bag,
→ then her guest room (aka her studio),
→ her secret stash of colored denim… hidden in the bathroom (!!),
→ her favorite scissors, her pressing station,
→ and of course, her beloved Kenmores.
Now add in a few Zoom tech issues, some awkward angles while she films with her phone, me stretching out words forever while I try to remember my English (“eeeeeeehhh…”), and voilà: a 2.5-hour interview! 😆
What I have learned?
Let’s just say… I’ve got a few humble pies to eat as an interviewer... Let’s say probably a whole loaf. 😅
But I kept the best parts, edited it down to 25 minutes, and I’m honestly really proud of it. It’s not an HBO production, but it’s made with a whole lot of love — for Kathleen, and for you all. 💙
👉 Read Kathleen’s article here
👉 Watch the interview here
Enjoy!
Kathleen denim upcycler sewing studio
Kat’s sewing space? Her guest bedroom! She often uses the bed as a main workspace. Her chairs are on wheels, and under every table, there are plastic bins filled with jeans waiting for a new life. Of course, simply surrounded with vintage sewing machines. She doesn’t sort her denim in a specific way, but she has one bin for scraps and one for full jeans.
Her secret stash? Her colored denim is hidden in her bathroom drawers! 😄
Kat’s Favorite Vintage Sewing Machines
Kat owns more than 11 vintage sewing machines, with a soft spot for Kenmore models. She even wrote a dedicated guest blog post about her collection.
In it, she also shares:
- her tips for buying second-hand sewing machines,
- a denim thickness test on each machine,
- and a speed test between her favorite models.
👉 Read Kat’s blog post on vintage machines here
Kat’s Denim Creations
Photo credit : Kathleen Resnick
From bag making to textile art, Kat explores it all with creativity and heart. Her most viral post? A super cute kitty-shaped draft stopper! 🐱
👉 Click here to check more inspirations from Kathleen
Kat’s Ironing Station
Okay..I have a bit of a crush on Kat’s iron.The cord is attached to the base, not the iron itself, so it’s never in the way. Plus, it’s pointy on both ends, which makes ironing seams a breeze. Her setup is small, but as she says: you don’t need anything bigger!
👉 Shop Kat’s Panasonic iron here (Amazon link)
Kat’s Trick for Deconstructing Jeans
I LOVE her method:
- She snips into the side seam of the jeans with her favorite Fiskars scissors,
- Then she just rips it by hand!
The denim naturally tears along the grain. It’s quick—and super satisfying.
Kat says she really loves doing it! 😄
👉 Shop Kat’s Fiskars scissors here (Amazon link)
👉 Want to know more about fabric straight grain click here
What Kat Uses to Pound Denim before sewing
When sewing multiple layers of denim, flattening those thick seams can be a game-changer.
Kat’s tools? A chunk of quartz… and a big rock!
“It’s a great stress release,” she says! stress release, selon elle!”
Watch the Interview
It’s funny, inspiring, packed with tips… and 100% Denim Upcyclers 💙
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