Is “Intermediate” the Hardest Stage in Sewing?

Is “Intermediate” the Hardest Stage in Sewing?

From Stitch Please by Lisa Woolfork

May 13, 2026 · 27 min · Episode 301

About this episode

Lisa Woolfork discusses the challenges of being in the intermediate stage of sewing.

On this episode of Stitch Please , Lisa tackles the sewing struggle nobody talks about enough: being stuck in the “intermediate” stage. You’re past beginner mistakes, but not quite sewing couture gowns in your sleep either. From confusing pattern labels to Reddit fueled sewing anxiety, Lisa breaks down why intermediate is less of a skill level and more of a messy, creative in between space. The takeaway? Keep practicing, trust your progress, and maybe… read the pattern instructions before complaining. ===== Hosted By: Dr. Lisa Woolfork Senior Producer: Krystal Hill Producer: Mike Bryant ======== ======= Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Lisa Woolfork

Topics covered

  • intermediate sewing
  • sewing skills
  • creative process
  • pattern instructions
  • sewing anxiety

Keywords

  • intermediate sewing
  • sewing struggle
  • pattern labels
  • sewing anxiety
  • creative in between

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