Emily Walsh

I am queer woman living in Portland, OR. I work in evidence-based medicine, so by day I’m spreadsheetin’ and by night I’m sewing as much as I can. I have two young kids, so I rarely get to sew as much or as long as I would ultimately want. I primarily sew for myself these days, but will do the occasional kid garment or gift sewing. I like boxy, loose garments, elastic waists, and vaguely dressing like an arty toddler. Natural fibers are my favorite materials to work with, and I’m trying to experiment more with print and color in my wardrobe.

What influence does music have in your life as a creative?:

I listen to all kinds of music as I sew, but in the last several months of sheltering at home through a pandemic, I’ve drifted to just having quiet as I sew. I noticed I would get easily distracted during my precious and brief making time and have been trying to be more intentional about choosing music to listen to as I make. I find that when I do, I am much more able to get into the flow of making and my mood is measurably improved.

Tell us about your playlist:

I love music so much. When I was a teenager I was certain that I would become a journalist focused on writing about music, and spent several years writing album reviews for a local weekly independent paper in my home town. I love lots of different genres of music and will listen to just about anything. When I was initially considering this project, I felt overwhelmed by the idea of selecting a playlist of songs to represent me, and then I remembered how much I used to love making mix tapes for friends and crushes.

I decided to focus on one kind of music in this playlist that I still love very much, always lifts my mood, and that was formative to me as a young person – DANCE music. I love pop and dance music. There was a lengthy period in my teen and young adult years where I felt like this fact made me less “cool” (oh, youth) and I concealed how much I liked it. Simultaneously, I was getting into the rave and club scene. The joy and release I felt then when I was sweaty on the dance floor is a feeling I can still tap into when I listen to this kind of music – that’s why I called this playlist “Joyful Noise”.

When I listen to this playlist while I’m sewing, I take little dance breaks, go down memory lane, and really feel like myself. I’m so glad I spent time in my younger years in this scene and I still love finding new artists who continue this tradition of dance music. I hope you enjoy these tracks and take some breaks to shake it while you sew.