That Thing

As someone who is driven by passion, I have always wanted to find ‘that thing’ that I can really lean on and throw my whole self into creatively. It seemed like everyone around me has found their passion, weather it be music, writing, painting, jewelry maker, web development, filmmaker… etc. While I am happy watching them find themselves through a medium that speaks to them, I felt I have always struggled to find ‘that thing’ that sparks.

I’ve dabbled in drumming, bass, but mostly guitar. The Cure, The Velvet Underground, and The Smiths were some of my favorite bands growing up. Being a musician has always appealed to me. As I started to learn chords and found people to jam with, I noticed there wasn’t a drive to continue more than that. I joined a band that had a similar sound to The Pixies, but I just didn’t have the heart to keep at it. I felt complacent, like there was something missing.

About two years ago (2022), I took guitar lessons at a local rock and roll studio in Long Beach. The lessons were great but when it came time to practice at home, I just didn’t do it. That’s when I pivoted to trying a sewing course at a little studio in Los Alamitos called Sewing Lab. This place felt like home right away. The women in this class were who I have been looking for and sewing just took a hold of me! Each project I did had my heart pounding with excitement and my creativity was firing on all cylinders. I never wanted to stop figuring out how each pattern worked and which fabric to use. I knew I had finally found ‘that thing’, and I never wanted to stop.

I was horrible and messy but I kept at it. I would leave class and come home to work on something new all night! I was sewing so much that I had to start selling or I would officially become a hoarder!

My husband is a film guy and and I am a sewist, so having an open concept home where kitchen and living room meet, was not a good combination. The kitchen table is where I sew loudly on my machine, and the living room is where he watches his indie films. Needless to say the poor guy was deeply irritated while at the same time excited I found something I loved to do.

Once I made a few sales, he asked if this was going to continue longer than a few months and I knew the answer was yes! He told me I needed a bigger space, thus started the journey of building a sewing studio space in our backyard.

I am now in my she shed era and it’s the best era I’ve had in my life so far! I am just so damn happy I found this passion that drives me everyday.

We went to Ireland when the studio was being built and I was contemplating names for this new brand I was slowly building. I saw a field of milk thistle flowers and my husband said, “how about Milk Thistle Sewing”? I looked it up and learned it was also the Scottish flower! I am mostly Scottish and the name seemed so perfect!

All this to say that I feel everyone has ‘that thing’, and it’s important to never stop searching for it until you’ve found it. My life has completely changed, all from continuously searching where I feel most alive. I have never met so many people who inspire me and I have never been more grateful in my life than I am now.

I would love to hear what drives you! Is there something you feel is still missing or do you feel you’ve found ‘that thing’. Let me know!