Fabric! It’s constantly on my mind because there is just so much that you can do with it, especially with all the fun patterns that are available out there, affordable sewing classes, online tutorials, informative bloggers who sew and share… It’s a great hobby to take up. I haven’t heard much in blogland about Repro Depot lately so I thought I’d highlight a few of their new arrivals, particularly the elevator keys in yellow or purple.
Tips: The elevator buttons to cover an inspiration board,If you would like to learn how to sew but think you’re not talented enough (something readers express to me very often) then I think it’s time you embrace your amazingness because girl, you can sew — I just know it! Maybe you are stressing yourself out for no reason. Sewing is not rocket science, it’s pretty easy once you learn the basics and it can be a lot of fun once you start pumping out product. You know what helped me get over my fear of sewing? I can often expect perfection out of myself and you know what? Expecting perfection is the best way to kill creativity. So I decided to roll with it and start off small with pillow covers and such. Then I advanced to drapes. Then quilts, which I must admit I’m not as patient with the quilting process. I found what fits my personality best – projects that take no more than a day so I can reap insta-rewards. I’m not into projects that take weeks or months because I lose interest and it ends up in my TBC pile. To Be Continued. It should be called my RIP, or Rest In Peace, pile because once things end up there I rarely complete them. So for me, quick projects work best.
Another thing that helped me to see the importance of sewing is to view it as I do cooking. What motivates a person to prepare dinner? Outside of the pleasure of creating with your own hands, making others feel happy and cared about, and the self-esteem boost you get when you taste your delicious dish, you cook for a very basic reason: you need to feed yourself to survive. Eating is an important part of life. And what does any new cook do to learn how to prepare a meal? If you didn’t learn from your family then you’ll need to train yourself. First, buy kitchen appliances and tools and learn what they are capable of, then you purchase supplies (food, spices, etc.), grab a cookbook, watch cooking shows, buy books, etc. Then you practice, practice, practice! You will burn things and some of your cookies will taste like wallpaper plaster, but you press forward and ultimately, you’ll whip up some great meals and even start to learn what you enjoy cooking more (casseroles, gourmet, baking, basic meals, etc.). It’s the same with sewing. You’re bound to mess up at first, but over time you’ll start to produce things that will make you feel very proud of yourself. You’ll start to see where your strengths lie (maybe you do really well with pillows and blankets, but find box cushions a nightmare).
Once you convince yourself that you should make sewing a part of your life just as you have with meal preparation, you’ll be able to motivate yourself to carve out time to learn it. I was lucky, my mother sews very well and taught me a lot when I was a child and when I’m stuck now, I just call her and she’ll walk me through it. Years ago, women made clothes for the family and repaired them as needed. Women made everything, from cheese to butter, to blankets and aprons. This was long before Made in China and the Gap. Nowadays, between take-out meals and Target, we no longer need to create things for ourselves. It’s kind of sad if you think about it. My mother made all of my clothes before I insisted on wearing what only kids flaunted in school — Levis, Jordache, Chic, and Izod. And how can I forget the Members Only jacket that I had to have. My mom also made our drapes, shower curtains, shades, clothes for my dolls, pillows, she loved to decorate and frequently changed the decor in our home with fabric. When I have children someday, I’d love for them to be able to look back and say that I taught them how to sew. Even my husband can sew, thanks to his mother. He recently repaired a hole in a vintage wool coat and added new buttons to a shirt – simple things but to pay a tailor to do it would have taken time (driving to/from the shop) and money (paying to have the work done).
That’s why I support the handmade movement — we can buy handmade but we can also learn to make our own things, it’s inspiring! Plus I think it’s just good that we learn the basics as women — cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. because our families appreciate our work and it’s what makes us so special as women I think, that crafty ability we seem to be born naturals at. Of course men can be crafty to (look at Christian on Project Runway, he can out sew any girl!), but how cool is it as ladies to be able to kick butt in the office and at home. Plus it saves us money to make some of our own stuff and gives us a huge dose of joy because there’s nothing more exhilarating than to step back and view a homemade meal or a completed sewing project. What a burst of self-esteem. And with blogs, flickr, and all these terrific online communities, you can share what you’ve made with others which will motivate you to keep at it.
So with that, I’m going to take up sewing again. I’ve put my machine away for the past 6 weeks and I’m starting to feel a need to sew up a little something again before Spring, as I’m rarely indoors once the weather is nice. Anyone want to sew a little something up too? Refresh your sofa with new pillows for Spring, add a table runner to the credenza, linens to your table — these projects are all relatively easy so why not decide on something and give it a whirl, girl?
(images from repro depot)
February 25th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Oh I’m up for the challenge. Will be dusting off my machine to make a giraffe-print bean bag for my son. Or ATTEMPTING to make one, anyway! Anyone know any good bean bag/pouf patterns that happen to be free and online?
February 25th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Belinda – hello! I would love to send you one I have from Amy Butler — it is a spare I have left over from a contest I ran last year on decor8 and I think you’d like it — it’s for making pouffes. Can you email me at decor8blog AT yahoo DOT com with your address and I’ll send it to you? The measurements may confuse you though as I think you go by the metric system in Australia, so let me know if it’s even worth it for you if I send one along.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Hi there,
You have really inspired me to take up sewing, it is something I have wanted to do for years and have always put it of because I don’t have anyone to teach me.
Holly, are you able to recommend a good sewing machine to start with?
I would also love some patterns to start with. I was thinking of doing the Amy Butler gum drop pillow but not sure if it is too complicated? http://www.fabric.com/notions-patterns-sewing-patterns-by-designer-amy-butler-patterns-amy-butler-gum-drop-pillows-pattern.aspx
Thanks, Jodie
February 25th, 2008 at 9:40 am
That would be brilliant – thank you so much! Am whipping up an email to you now…
February 25th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
This post is so inspiring to me – thank you!! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished that I knew how to sew, but never did anything about it because I don’t have a machine. Well, I think it may be time to invest in one! My husband and I just bought our first house, and I can’t tell you how much time I’ve searched online for the perfect drapes or pillows. And none of them are! I love love LOVE patterns, and being able to pick out my own fabric and whip something up sounds amazing. And what you said about cooking really hit home…one of my most favorite things is to try a new recipe and make something delicious (and pretty) for my family to eat, so why can’t I do the same with sewing? If the rewards are anything like what cooking does for me, I’m definitely up for the challenge of learning how to sew.
Having said all that, I still don’t have a sewing machine and I know they can be pretty pricy. Can you (or anyone else reading this comment) recommend one that is affordable and easy to use?
February 25th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Great post, Holly! I think this idea transcends to many aspects of our lives. We often underestimate our abilities and dismiss opportunities to either try something new or master a skill – a quick road to regret when you see everyone else around you diving in! But everyone has to start somewhere! I want my son to learn there are great rewards from taking risks in learning something new…instead of standing on the sidelines watching everyone else tackle life. Sorry to get so deep on a Monday morning!!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I wanted to thank you, Holly, for that pep talk! Your comparison to cooking really put things in perspective for me.
Thank you for the inspiration, both visual and written. This is why I read your blog!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
This is a very timely post–I am about to get my hands on a sewing machine for the first time since I went away to college. My best friend is moving to London and I’m going to babysit her machine for a couple years. I can’t wait! I sewed a lot in middle school but it’s been a terrifyingly long time since then and I have a ton of things I want to try to make.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Well, I’m barely taking up sewing, and it can be a little frustrating, but when you see the finished project it is worth it.
I guess I just have to practice, practice, practice!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
very inspiring! and for anyone like me who hasn’t sewn anything in years because she couldn’t remember how to thread the machine/bobbin, Singer’s new machine (“The Confidence”) basically threads itself for you…
http://www.singerco.com/resources/spotlight-59.html
February 25th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
blogorelli that sounds like a dream machine! Singer is a great product, my mother taught me how to sew on a black vintage Singer. I use a Bernina currently, for those who have asked, Bernina is a Swiss company and their machines are really smooth and easy to use. They have a few models that are under $300. I think the one below mine is $199.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
You must be very lucky to live in a family that so greatly appreciates the hard work you do in cooking them meals and making their curtains.
Many families are not appreciative of the efforts, and without that support, some women don’t feel that it’s worth the time or energy to DIY.
By equating the “crafty ability we seem to be born naturals at” with women, you’re only making women who aren’t “crafty” feel bad about themselves. This article is filled with the narrow-minded, sugar-sweet notion that a confident woman is one who makes her own pillows.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Thank you for the encouragement. I’ve used my machine for quilting (both piecing and quilting) but I haven’t used it a lot for sewing in many, many years. My mother used to do a lot of sewing for clothing and for the home. I’ve been wanting blinds/roman shades for several years; maybe I can stitch some up!
Jane
February 25th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Hello Anon: This blog is written from one perspective: mine. I understand that some families do not appreciate handmade things and I understand that fully. But I don’t believe in taking up a hobby ONLY for others, I see making things by hand as a way to increase self-esteem and as a form of therapy — something you do for YOURSELF that others just so happen to benefit from. If they don’t like it, well you still pursue what you love because at the end of the day, you have a right to be happy regardless.
I was once single living alone, working a full-time job in the city but I still decorated and made things for my apartment because it empowered me and made me feel really happy when I completed something for ME. It also saved a lot of money as my budget was extremely tight. I did it for me, I was lonely living alone and it kept me sane.
I am not trying to make women who aren’t crafty feel bad about themselves because I don’t think “women who aren’t crafty” exist so the thought never crossed my mind. I think EVERYONE, including men, are creative. I think all women are crafty or can be, on some level. I’m encouraging all to give it a shot, that’s all.
I’m a blogger with one view to share: my own. I can’t cover the feelings and opinions of the entire world, only what I’m thinking. I hope you’ll appreciate that as you continue to read decor8. I’m not a magazine with 30 editors and a tons of perspectives here, it’s just me and my blog. :)
February 25th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I really enjoyed reading this post! I can relate to many things you wrote, and I often compare sewing something with making a cake! Sewing is not just a hobby, it’s really a big part of my life and yes, it can be very rewarding!
February 25th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
I’m feeling the homemade project buzz right not too. Did a cushion for our bed last week and this week want to work on canvasses for my daughters bedroom and a hanging screen for my earrings in the bathroom. Lots of ideas spinning around in my head but not enough time to do them LOL
Leigh anne
February 25th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I really enjoyed this post, thanks!
February 26th, 2008 at 1:23 am
I thought this post was fabulously inspirational. To slightly address anonymous’ complaints, I am from a non-creative family. To this day my mother refers to other people as “creative” but never her or me (and she specifically claims that “we just aren’t creative people”). I have chosen to throw off those confines: I taught myself to knit, create old-fashioned lye soap (and started my own small business because my soap is quite good), I am working with visual journaling, and I hope to teach myself to sew someday.
I by no means create “art”; my soap is fantastic, but it’s not art as I see it. However, I have a drive to create and regardless of what my mother or my partner or my friends or anyone feel about my creations, they make me feel good. Period. That’s what it’s all about.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I love to sew cute Japanese style bags to store my baby toys neatly in big colorfull Mexican baskets :)
I wish I had more time to sew, it’s so rewarding.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
i’m so glad i’ve discovered your blog and amy butler! i printed out several of her free patterns. her fabric is beautiful.
your blog is awesome.