24.04.20

Merrill O’Malley

hobby sewist / maker

My mom taught me to sew when I was really young, and I have been sewing off-and-on since then. I live in Ottawa, Ontario with my partner, our two dogs and our cat where I work as a graphic designer, although I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Once upon a time, I had my dream job as a seamstress and project assistant for a TV show on the Cottage Life Network called Weekend Reno, and it’s been tough to top since. I went to art school and to college for cabinetmaking so its safe to say that creating and creativity are really important in my life. When others find their confidence in running, baking or working, I find mine in making.

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

I grew up in a very creative and musical family. My mom who is an architect, is also the best sewer I know, and has a singing voice that brings a knot to my throat every time. I do love music, specifically anything that evokes a feeling of nostalgia, but I don’t tend to listen to it while I’m sewing. In fact, for the most part I sew in silence, talking myself through tough steps and having conversations with my pets. My music taste is eclectic to say the least. Most of my favourite songs can be found in the collection of 900+ vinyl records that my dad gave me years ago, and the ones that can’t, always have a story, place, person or memory associated with them. I think the feelings and memories drawn out by the music can be distracting, but if I am putting music on while I sew (I have a portable record player in my sewing area) I always tend to choose something that either reminds me of my mom, who taught me to sew, or something that makes me want to dance around the sewing room.

Tell us about your playlist:

When I started collecting songs for my playlist, I thought about what could possibly be the common thread between Outkast and the Backstreet Boys, and the thing that ties all of these songs together. I realized, with a lump in my throat listening to Nanci Griffiths, that it’s the overwhelming sense of nostalgia that I feel when listening to this playlist. This playlist has a mix of hip hop beats and synth with a good dose of twang and songs that make you wanna dance. Beware: explicit lyrics.

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Make Noise


  1. Ms. Jackson – OutKast
  2. ATLiens – OutKast
  3. SpottieOttieDopaliscious – OutKast
  4. Street Talkin’ – Slick Rick, OutKast
  5. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik – OutKast
  6. Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac) – OutKast
  7. Jazzy Belle – OutKast
  8. Skew It on the Bar-B (feat. Raekwon) – OutKast, Raekwon
  9. Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1) – OutKast
  10. Aquemini – OutKast
  11. Doomsday – MF DOOM, MF Grimm
  12. Good Ol Love – Masta Ace
  13. Beautiful – Masta Ace
  14. Soda & Soap (Featuring Jean Grae) – Masta Ace, Jean Grae
  15. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Backstreet Boys
  16. Chances – Backstreet Boys
  17. Incomplete – Backstreet Boys
  18. Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely – Backstreet Boys
  19. Nobody Else – Backstreet Boys
  20. Is It Just Me – Backstreet Boys
  21. Sleeping Ute – Grizzly Bear
  22. Speak In Rounds – Grizzly Bear
  23. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear
  24. Yet Again – Grizzly Bear
  25. The Less I Know The Better – Tame Impala
  26. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards – Tame Impala
  27. Borderline – Tame Impala
  28. Lost In Yesterday – Tame Impala
  29. ‘Cause I’m A Man – Tame Impala
  30. Breathe Deeper – Tame Impala
  31. 01 Dead Of Night – Orville Peck
  32. 05 Queen Of The Rodeo – Orville Peck
  33. 11 Hope To Die – Orville Peck
  34. A New Love (Can Be Found) – Daniel Romano
  35. Hunger Is A Dream You Die In – Daniel Romano
  36. If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ – Daniel Romano
  37. I’m Gonna Teach You – Daniel Romano
  38. (Gone Is) All But A Quarry Of Stone – Daniel Romano
  39. Cold Hearts / Closed Minds – Nanci Griffith
  40. Lone Star State Of Mind – Nanci Griffith
  41. Ford Econoline – Nanci Griffith
  42. Trouble In The Fields – Nanci Griffith
  43. Anyone Can Be Somebody’s Fool – Nanci Griffith
  44. I Knew Love – Nanci Griffith
  45. Never Mind – Nanci Griffith
  46. Sweet Dreams Will Come – Nanci Griffith, John Stewart
  47. Come Pick Me Up – Ryan Adams
  48. Oh My Sweet Carolina – Ryan Adams
  49. My Winding Wheel – Ryan Adams
  50. Do You Still Love Me? – Ryan Adams
  51. My Winding Wheel – Ryan Adams
  52. Breakdown – Ryan Adams
  53. For No One – Remastered 2009 – The Beatles
  54. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – Remastered 2009 – The Beatles
  55. In My Life – Remastered 2009 – The Beatles
  56. While My Guitar Gently Weeps – Remastered 2009 – The Beatles
  57. Hey Jude – Remastered 2015 – The Beatles
  58. Something – Remastered 2015 – The Beatles
  59. Something – Remastered 2009 – The Beatles
  60. Call Your Girlfriend – Robyn
  61. Dancing On My Own – Robyn
  62. Regulate – Warren G, Nate Dogg
  63. Nobody Does It Better – Nate Dogg, Warren G
  64. Friends – Nate Dogg, Warren G, Snoop Dogg
  65. The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
  66. Ready to Start – Arcade Fire
  67. Where Did You Sleep Last Night – Nirvana
  68. Come As You Are – Nirvana
  69. Plateau – Nirvana
  70. Lake Of Fire – Nirvana
  71. All Apologies – Nirvana
  72. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
  73. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – 2018 Remaster – Kate Bush
  74. Do It Again – Steely Dan
  75. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number – Steely Dan
  76. Hey Nineteen – Steely Dan
  77. 06 High Enough To Carry You Over – Chvrches
  78. 10 Bury It – Chvrches
  79. Gun – Chvrches
  80. The Mother We Share – Chvrches
  81. Here With Me – Marshmello, CHVRCHES
  82. Myth – Beach House
  83. Zebra – Beach House
  84. Silver Soul – Beach House
  85. Lover of Mine – Beach House
  86. In Spite of Ourselves (feat. Iris DeMent) – John Prine, Iris DeMent
  87. Angel from Montgomery – John Prine
  88. Please Don’t Bury Me – John Prine
  89. Wichita Lineman – Remastered 2001 – Glen Campbell
  90. Gentle On My Mind – Glen Campbell
  91. Galveston – Remastered 2001 – Glen Campbell
  92. Ode To Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry
  93. Take Me to Church – Hozier
  94. To Be Alone – Hozier
  95. In a Week (feat. Karen Cowley) – Hozier, Karen Cowley
  96. Sedated – Hozier
  97. Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene – Hozier
  98. These Eyes – The Guess Who
  99. No Time – The Guess Who
  100. Undun – The Guess Who
  101. The Weight – Remastered – The Band
  102. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – Remastered 2000 – The Band
  103. Up On Cripple Creek – Remastered 2000 – The Band
  104. Down On The Corner – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  105. Who’ll Stop The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  106. Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
  107. Maneater – Daryl Hall & John Oates
  108. I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) – Daryl Hall & John Oates
  109. Private Eyes – Daryl Hall & John Oates
  110. Out of Touch – Single Version – Daryl Hall & John Oates
  111. One On One – Daryl Hall & John Oates
  112. Highway Vagabond – Miranda Lambert
  113. Nothing Breaks Like a Heart (feat. Miley Cyrus) – Mark Ronson, Miley Cyrus
  114. Man I Used To Be – K-OS
  115. Crabbuckit – K-OS
  116. Let’s Ride – Choclair
  117. Money or Love – Saukrates
  118. Keep It Movin’ – Saukrates, Xzibit
  119. Dance Yrself Clean – LCD Soundsystem
  120. Daft Punk Is Playing at My House – LCD Soundsystem
  121. Redbone – Childish Gambino
  122. This Is America – Childish Gambino
  123. Cloudbusting – 2018 Remaster – Kate Bush
  124. To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High) – Ryan Adams
  125. Remind Me to Forget – Kygo, Miguel
  126. Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man
  127. Jolene – Dolly Parton
  128. Here You Come Again – Dolly Parton
  129. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? – Dolly Parton
  130. Coat of Many Colors – Dolly Parton
  131. Harper Valley PTA – Dolly Parton