Meet Tabitha March

We recently connected with Tabitha March and have shared our conversation below.

Tabitha , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Could you imagine a world where every human had the opportunity to be creative and practice their passion and creativity daily? I wanted to have that world for myself. I had a strong creative pull to sew and upcycle full-time. I knew I could be utilized at a higher potential while working a job with zero ability to use my creativity. People are their best when they are happy and creative, and I was ready to take the risk of quitting a job that was not fulfilling and tap into my creative passion. While I loved the training and development responsibilities of my 9-5 job, I knew I could carry that on into creating sewing workshops and patterns that would inspire others to learn and tap into their creativity.

I have worked in different Clothing Retailers since I was 15 (over 25 years) and over the years I saw the waste in textiles. Having some sewing lessons and having a Mom who made our clothing and quilted I always had an example of mending, upcycling, and making/creating something from an existing item or the tiniest craft. I realized that so many discarded items had beautiful patterns and stitches. My first jean jacket was born after thrifting with my Mom and finding a beautiful vintage crewel embroidery all dusty and dirty. I knew I could clean it up and make it beautiful again and make it into wearable art.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I take unwanted, discarded, thrifted textiles ranging from fabric, needlepoint, and clothing that still have life. I mend, repair, and update if needed. I then, mix them with thrifted and found jackets and jumpsuits to get a cool wearable piece of art. I love finding pieces I know took someone a long time to create and giving them new life.

In 2017 I dabbled in taking cool vintage textiles and adding them to the back of jean jackets. The request for customs came in, and my love for embroidering came in handy after I finished each jacket with a whip stitch around each back patch. I created a few jackets, and opened an Etsy store, and they sold rather quickly. But it wasn’t until 2022 after a HUGE burnout at my retail job that I decided to take my vintage upcycling to a new level FULL TIME. I paid someone to help build my website and I made a plan to create patterns and items, that were useful and I could make from existing items. There was born the Bum Bag Fanny Pack, Lil Wallets, and Joy Crossbody Bag.

Although I love creating and selling items online, I am most excited about my monthly sewing workshops and inspiring others to sew and create. In my workshops, we use vintage sheets, fabric, and preowned items like towels and thrifted and donated fabric.

I am very excited about my partnership with the Sacramento Library in April to teach the basics of embroidery class.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Be selective, find what you love and your style, and stick with it. I love to find and upcycle vintage floral and 60’s 70’s textiles. I dont love vintage Disney or 80’s Y2K and I find that stuff all the time. Being selective and sticking with what you love to create, establishes your brand and style and you know everything you make will be amazing because of your passion for that style.

2. Be able to be ok with paying someone to do something that you are not good at. An example for me is web design or marketing.

3. Seeking collaboration and partnership with my community and other makers and vendors. I have a beautiful partnership with a store Superbum Vintage in Sacramento that houses over 15 makers and vendors in the community and being a part of that has been a huge major success for my business. Not only do they provide and brick and mortar people can see my products, but it’s a wonderful way to connect with people in real life.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

My Parents, specifically my mom fueled my passion for sewing. I grew up watching her sew things for our home, our clothes and quitting amazing pieces of art. She was so generous with her pieces, she loved to give away everything she made to people she loved. She once made 10 tote bags for ladies at her church and I asked “What did you charge” She said “Oh nothing, just a hug” She is a beautiful human. I took sewing lessons in the early 90’s with friends to make clothes and follow a pattern, but my personal passion was making blankets and usable items.

My parents supported my creative outlook and other passions through High school and college. But I relied on my Mom when I went full time with sewing creating things with vintage fabrics and textiles. She helped me create patterns and she would bulk cut our patterns and I would sew them up. That’s really how I started selling at markets. I had enough product to also put my product in a local store. She was a HUGE part in helping me get my business on its feet.

She passed last year unexpectedly while we were creating a crossbody bag pattern. I finished the pattern and called it the Joy Crossbody because she found Joy in everything, even when life was not joyful. She is missed terribly. I promised her I would carry on her legacy by bringing/sewing beautiful things for people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.originalthreadster.com
• Instagram: Original Threadster

Image Credits

Sydnie Leah Photography