Creative of the Month: Hannah Loudon

Tell us a little about yourself...

I grew up in New Zealand but left 17 years ago—after a couple of years in London, I now call Western Australia home.

When I’m not creating, you’ll find me at markets or running lampshade workshops with my business, Carter Road Farm.

Outside of all that, I’m a total homebody and love spending time on our rural property with my farmer partner and our four beautiful cats.

How did your sewing journey begin?

I’ve been sewing since I was 10 or 11, when we first learned it at school. I kept sewing through high school and eventually into university, where I studied fashion design. I’ve always loved it.

My mum has always sewn and I spent countless hours sewing as a teenager on the machine she got for her 21st birthday (which she still uses today!). 

After uni, I had a total break in creating and like many, I picked it back up in 2020 during Covid to cure the boredom.

Do you remember the first thing you ever sewed? Tell us about it.

I don’t remember the very first thing I sewed, but I definitely recall some early school projects - plastic bag holders (a staple in every 90s kitchen!), pencil cases, and even a skirt (with an invisible zip!).

I think the stress of learning how to sew a zip as a school student still haunts people to this day... even though they’re actually super easy!

 What inspires your work?

I’m totally drawn to fabric, especially bold prints and interesting patterns, so that’s usually where the inspiration starts. I also love a good scroll through Instagram or Pinterest for ideas.

Seeing what others are making or how they style things always sparks something for me.

What kind of sewing craft do you enjoy most?

Most of my sewing is for my business - lots of cushions, headbands, and accessories.

I make the same items often, just in different fabrics. Some people might find that repetitive, but I love the familiarity of it. It’s a bit meditative and really relaxing.

I actually just made my first garment for myself in 15 years recently, which was a fun change!

What’s your go-to sewing tip, favourite tool, or fabric you love to work with?

My sewing tip for cushions is to curve each corner by about 15mm which makes them a less pointy when made. (YouTube has how-to videos!).

My go-to tools are definitely my cutting mat and rotary cutter - they make cutting fabric so much faster and easier!

I also swear by my Merchant & Mills shears - they’re heavy, high quality, and cut amazingly! 

Investing in good tools really makes all the difference!

Are you working on anything exciting at the moment?

Right now, I’m completely obsessed with sewing Rossi dresses by The Bold One - I whipped up 4 in the same amount of days!

It’s such a beautiful pattern, and I wanted a few new dresses for my upcoming summer holiday in Europe.

It’s been really enjoyable to make something special just for myself. 

Otherwise I’m busy prepping for the upcoming market season on the lead up to Christmas. There are so many lovely markets in Perth & in the Wheatbelt region (where I live!).

 Would you be happy to share a favourite recipe with our readers?

As a Kiwi, you can’t go past a classic lolly slice! I love this recipe from VJ Cooks because it’s super easy to follow and always a crowd-pleaser.

What advice would you offer someone just starting their sewing journey.

To save on future headaches, once you’ve got your thread tension set just right, don’t mess with it!

There’s nothing more stressful than bad thread tension!

Also, don’t underestimate the power of YouTube - there are amazing tutorials for everything from pattern making to sewing techniques.

As a visual learner myself, I find videos really helpful for tricky parts.

Dive into the vibrant world of Hannah Loudon on Instagram: @carterroadfarm