If you’ve been following us this year, you probably have seen Shale pop up on our website and social media, whether it’s a video of her sewing her latest outfit with one of Lyrical’s new fabrics or modeling the Honeygirl Dress or Honeygirl Lounge Set. Shale is incredibly bubbly and warm – we LOVE having her at Lyrical. But she’s also somewhat of a superwoman. She has so much experience with sewing and is probably the most prolific sewer you’ll ever meet. In this Q&A, Shale tells us about her handmade journey, past and recent projects, and what she likes to do outside of her favorite hobby.
Tell us about your sewing journey! When did you start sewing? How did you get into sewing?
I took a sewing class when I was eight years old – I made a pillowcase. Then I didn’t sew at all until when I got to high school. I lived on a small island and there wasn’t a lot of cute stuff that was affordable. I was also tall and had weird proportions so finding things that fit me was really hard. So I would go thrifting and cut up clothes and remake them into cuter versions that fit me.
How have your projects evolved over the years?
When I first started sewing I was really into corsets. Because I lived on this tiny island with not a lot of fabric options, I was mostly using stiff fabrics like curtain fabrics and making them into structured styles like corsets. Then when I moved to LA, they had so many other textiles actually meant for apparel like fabrics that actually had drape and different weights, stretchy fabrics. When I lived in LA, I started making swimwear and also got a knitting machine. I feel like for the first phase of my sewing years, what I made was very much influenced by what fabrics were available.
Shale’s earliest sewing projects turning upholstery fabrics into corsets.
Tell us about this little collection of sewing tools you can’t live without.
These are my must-haves when I’m sewing. Most of them are common like fabric clips and pins. My extra cool thing is my thread stand so I can never run out of bobbin thread. I set it up so that machine will wind my next bobbin while I’m sewing, so I never have to stop and wind the bobbin when it runs out!
Shale’s sewing machine and tools she can’t live without.
Tell us about your past and current sewing machines. When we shared the IG reel you made of you sewing up the Oatmeal Sweater Pointelle Honeygirl Dress, a lot of our followers were interested in your machine, the Pfaff Select 4.2.
HAHA I know! I had no idea it was well-known and would interest so many people. The first sewing machine I used was my grandma’s. It was an old Singer that skipped stitches and it couldn’t handle heavier fabrics which was what I was sewing with most of the time back then [remember the curtain turned corsets]. One day, I went to a quilting store to browse machines – they had testing stations with scrap fabrics that you can test sew. Once I tested the Pfaff, I knew it was the one. It goes so fast and feels so strong and smooth – very different than all the other ones I tested that day. It felt like a mini industrial machine. There hasn’t been anything that the Pfaff wasn’t able to sew through. I bought it in 2018. I use it for everything all the time. Cargo pants, jackets, knits. Never got it serviced. The travel case is great – I take it to Lyrical on the bus on our sewing party days.
I’ve also used an industrial sewing machine at NextFab, a makers space in Philadelphia when I lived there. It’s so fast and can sew through anything – that’s how I started getting into cargo pants with thick pockets. I love my Pfaff because it’s a home machine that feels the closest to an industrial.
Speaking of Philadelphia, tell us about what’s going on in this photo!
By the time I was living in Philadelphia, I had made a pretty good amount of clothing and this was my first solo booth at an art market fair called Vicarious Love. Before then, I sold what I made through my Depop shop. I was first making reworked pieces – I would take a dress from a thrift shop and make it into a modern set. Then after a while, corsets really became my thing. I would make corsets out of anything… curtains, denim, thrifted hoodies…
This was my first booth and I remember being so happy because I got to interact with so many people. It was so different than selling online. I got to see people browse and see them get excited, talk to them. It was amazing. Also, I made more money that day than I ever did. Whoo!
How would you describe your style?
Oh that’s hard. I used to be super streetwear – combat boots and baggy cargos all the time. But now cute girly stuff gets mixed in quite a bit.
How have your projects changed since working at Lyrical?
I feel like when I started working here, it’s like I stopped making projects and I started upgrading my wardrobe. All the stuff I started making are things I wear all the time like knit tops, dresses, and hoodies. My most recently completed project is this all-purpose slouchy bag using our Red 8W Cotton Corduroy. I had a trip to NYC coming up and I really wanted a big bag to carry all my stuff. I was super motivated to get it done before my trip. The bag has a lot of pockets and functionality. I can wear it like a full big bag which can probably fit like a week’s worth of laundry. The inside has a computer pocket and a tiny pocket for my phone. The front of the bag also has a little miniature detachable bag so I can just take it off and use that by itself. I’ve been using this bag literally every day after I made it. The red is a really fun pop of color and it goes with every outfit. The velvet corduroy is so lush.
Shale’s latest completed project: a slouchy all-purpose bag using Lyrical’s Red 8W Cotton Corduroy with tons of intentional pockets and detachable functionality, complete with gold hardware.
Tell us about SVFERO
SVFERO is my handmade wedding dress brand. I design and make all the wedding dresses myself. The dresses have an organic and vintage-inspired feel to them. I got a lot of inspiration for SVFERO from doing wedding photography and literally seeing people being so happy and in love. SVFERO is for a modern bride who still wants to be romantic but is looking for something more unique. Our most popular dress is the Vera Dress, a stretchy taffeta dropwaisted dress with thin strap bows that tie at the shoulders and a dramatic gathered skirt that accentuates your hips.
How do you organize your sewing area?
I have a bag for notions that are wedding related: white lace, bridal hooks, silky ribbons, anything I would use specifically for wedding dresses. Then, I got a bag for notions that are not wedding related. I usually set up sewing in the living room because there’s more space. I have a big sewing case where I keep all my tools. I keep my fabrics in a designated dresser. The first two drawers are bridal fabrics. Then the next two drawers are wovens. Last two drawers are knits. The dresser fabrics are the ones I plan on using soon. There are more fabrics in suitcases around the house for projects further down the line.
The Vera Dress is the most popular dress at SVFERO, Shale’s handmade bridal business.
Where do you live in SF? How is it compared to other places you’ve lived?
I live in the Mission. I love living in San Francisco. My only complaint is that it’s really cold, like all the time. Except this month and last month, which has been really nice. SF is so easy to get around without a car. Everyone’s so friendly. It has a lot of character, a lot of charm. I love being able to walk around my neighborhood and say hi to so many people.
Work in progress for Shale’s latest project, a DIY dress form.
What project are you currently working on now?
Right now, I’m in the middle of making a DIY dress form. For $30-40, I send in my measurements to this company called Bootstrap and they send me a sewing pattern for a dress form that matches my body. Then I basically cut a bunch of layers of fabric and batting to make the exterior bodice. I used Lyrical’s Oatmeal Viscose Linen Slub as my outer layer, fused with an interfacing. There’s a canvas layer and a batting layer under that. It was a lot of cutting and sewing – I just added the stuffing which goes inside the exterior, and it’s starting to look right!
What are some of your other creative pursuits besides sewing and designing apparel?
Oh god there’s a lot. My most recent one is definitely photography and I’m starting to learn more about videography as well. I used to take portraits a lot but now I’ve been doing event photography for local concerts.
Favorite Lyrical woven
Favorite Lyrical knit
Favorite sewing tool
Strap turner
Favorite place you’ve traveled to
New Zealand
Favorite place you’ve lived (besides SF)
New Orleans
Favorite place in SF
Golden Gate Park
Favorite artists you’re listening to right now
Choker and Boom Clap Bachelors