Story
My story really begins with CPR, reading an article about RTD replacing their wool seat covers with vinyl. I ended up dumpster diving for some of that retired wool, cleaned it up, and sewed it onto a jacket Thanksgiving of 2023.
I've been hooked on sewing since.
Lots of folks ask me what I sew - I always have different answers but I'd love to just point them to a quick link where they can browse and see whatever they want - whether that's a backpack I made or women's jeans I altered.
I also love to track all sorts of things in my life, and keep journals of all sorts of things so I can go back and figure out what I did and when.
And I love to connect with other creative folks. It's so much fun to talk shop and build stuff. At points in my life, that's been cars. Or furniture. Now it's jackets or backpacks or something threaded.
Throughout most of my life, the constant has been building websites. I started my first community site in 2001, and I'm trying to build something great and long-lasting here at Third Place Threads.
Free, fast, and no nonsense. Hope you enjoy it here.
-Christian Coomer
More about the Site
I set out to create a fast and powerful experience for this site. Whether it's simply browsing as a guest, or keeping detailed records of projects, I want it to be great.
It's free. Sign up is only required when it's necessary, like adding projects.
Projects, tools, and your journal can be private or public.
Feel free to join and start tracking/sharing your threaded projects or check out some projects.
More about my Sewing Journey
I also have to credit Feral, an outdoor gear store here in Denver, with getting me started in sewing. I found an awesome used insulated jacket after months hunting for the right one. As I was getting ready to check out, someone there approached me and told me she patched the jacket herself.
I was like "Wow, I had no idea those were patches! I thought that was just a cool design from the factory."
It got the wheels turning in my head. I bought a sewing machine years ago but have never used it. "I should use that thing." I always intended to make messenger bags and utility bags for backpacks when I bought it.
When I read about the RTD Wool, my mind had been primed with the sewing idea, and I could instantly envision cool-ass stuff made with repurposed RTD wool. It had to be saved. I had to make something with it.
Sewing also fits in well with my ethos. I love to reuse, repurpose, rebuild, and repair. It started when I was young building project cars from cheap junkyard parts. Today, extra trash day and yard sales are my favorite places for materials. Thrift stores can be sweet too. Two of my sewing machines came from small town thrift shops and were complete steals and my two best machines by far ($10 Singer 201 and $25 Singer 237.)
It's weird to think that I used to buy new clothes.
Being able to sew unlocks a new world of opportunity. Those cutoff jeans I wore through from my bike saddle? Patched! I used to throw those out.
It's also introduced me to several fine folks who share in a love for making cool stuff. I hope that Third Place Threads can connect people, inspire some to create, and just be a fun place to share and browse all things threaded.
Dedicated to my mom. I wouldn't be where I am today without her passion and love.