Episode 122 - Maddy Ballard – Patchwork – A Sewist’s Diary

Our guest today is Maddy Ballard, sewist, journalist, author.  Born in Syracuse, NY, to a Texan father and a Chinese-New Zealander mother, she grew up in Auckland, New Zealand where she lived until she was 22. She then moved to England to pursue a postgraduate degree in English literature at the University of Oxford. Working in  England as a journalist after her degree ended, she returned home during Covid, which is when she learned to sew.

After a couple of years working in Auckland,  Maddy moved to Wellington to pursue a master’s in creative writing, which is when she wrote her book "Patchwork".

She now lives in Melbourne Australia and still works as a journalist -splitting most of her spare time between writing and sewing but also loving to sing and cook.

(2:00) Born in the US, Maddy’s family moved back to New Zealand when she was 4 years old. Why did they make this move?

(3:00) who in her family sewed and how did that influence her love for the craft? It started with her grandmother…and a great friend!

(3:40) While Maddy was exposed to sewing quite young, she didn’t take it up in earnest until she was in her 20’s. What was the impetus for this?

(5:23) What was her very first sewing project and what are her memories of its creation?

(6:20) Maddy is self-taught…how did this work out?

(6:40) Maddy calls sewing “magical”. How did sewing provide comfort and stability during the major transitions in her life?

(7:52) Maddy talks about her mixed heritage and how it influences her creation choices.

(9:37) Maddy talks about her book. How it came together and what started it all.

(12:15) Maddy talks about sewing be a way to accept your body. She explains…

(14:00) Why does Maddy say that Sewing is an act that helps you believe in the future?

(14:47) While researching for her book she found out that sewing was really important to her family. She tells us what she learned and how it touched her.

(16:45) Remaking is important to Maddy…she tells a specific story of how this worked for her.

(18:52) An advocate for zero waste she talks about sustainability and its challenges.

(21:25) Maddy tells us about her work as a journalist. She’s focused on food, restaurants and hospitality. Now she’s in the bicycle industry!

(22:20) Maddy writes, sings, cooks and sews. Is it hard to balance it all?

(23:13) Maddy talks about sewing as a form of self-expression and how it’s influenced her own projects.

(24:23) What’s she working on now?

(25:14) What’s next and what are her dreams? There could be a novel…and a quilt in her future!

(27:36) Is there a question we didn’t ask?

(27:55) Where can you find her book Patchwork - A Sewist’s Diary?

(28:20) How can you reach Maddy? Instagram @MaddyBallard 27

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Key Words: Maddy Ballard, Patchwork A Sewist’s Diary, sewing, self-taught sewist, sustainable sewing, zero waste sewing, remaking, body acceptance, creativity, self-expression, journalist, food writing, bicycle industry, New Zealand writers, Melbourne creatives, sewing heritage, mixed heritage, future of sewing