Sewing has long been viewed as a women's hobby, a childhood crafting pastime, or as part of a dreary sweatshop existence. But really sewing is so much MORE than any of that. Sewing is art. It's a creative voice. It is a dynamic domestic and career skill. It can brings its practitioners independence, greater wealth, and greater health. And like all education and knowledge, it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. If you can sew you can survive. It really is just as simple as that.
Maybe you just want to have FUN? Turns out sewing can be that too. With so much to offer it wasn't really hard to create the following list. If you sew, let us know if we included your favorite reason. If we didn't, feel free to comment and share what we missed. If you don't sew, hopefully you'll understand why you should. Enjoy!
THE LIST:
THE DESIGNER' S COMMENTARY
Engage My Hands
There’s something about working with my hands that can bring me right into focus and kind of take me out of the immediate environment and its concerns and create a kind of calm. Even though my body is moving, my mind is at peace and a kind of synergy forms between me and my machine.
Stimulate My Mind
Whenever I start doing something creative, inevitably that’s the time that more ideas appear, and they don’t always have to be sewing related ideas. I think about all kinds of ideas and solutions when I am in the process of sewing. Sometimes when I have a mental block, or an answer I can’t quite figure out, I just pull out a sewing project and work for as little as 15 minutes and my answer will slowly evolve in my mind.
Express My Individuality
This is an important reason for me because there is some sewing I don’t like, for instance alterations, and that’s because I don’t get to express myself with alterations that much. For me one of sewing’s rewards is the ability to create something just the way I want it and for my own satisfaction and purpose. I imagine other artists find this an important aspect of their craft as well.
Inspire My Soul
In the same way that sewing stimulates my mind, it also lifts my spirits. It is hard to stay down when I am sewing. Even when I am tackling a big complicated project there is this feeling that my efforts are all worthwhile, and there’s often evidence of my progress in my tangible project. I experience an overall feeling of increased confidence and accomplishment when I sew, that just fills me with optimism and positive outlook.
Build My Confidence
That feeling of increased confidence that I experience as sewing inspires my soul actually carries over into other aspects of my life as well. I often wear and carry many of my creations like physical armor. In the course of my “traditional” job, I often engage with the public, as such I am often the recipient of harsh criticism or complaints directed at my workplace. And I can often withstand these onslaughts with ease because, though I cannot always solve the complainant’s issue, I know my custom creation was made with expertise. So feeling good about that prevents me from feeling bad about a complainants' sour mood (which in most cases I did not create in the first place.)
Sewing makes me feel smart. It makes me feel self assured. And it helps me build trust in my own decision making.
Awaken My Creativity
The thing about sewing is it only takes a little bit of skill to get really creative. Once I figure out how to tackle one creative project that knowledge carries over into the next project where I can pick up more skill and confidence and that carries into the next project and so on. Again this creative problem solving doesn’t just stop at the sewing table, it carries over into practical applications and situations in everyday life as well.
Maximize My Budget
So this is a big reason for me personally. I find the more I sew the more cost effective it gets especially if you invest time and money wisely.
Consider this: Initially the average cost of a reliable sturdy machine with the most common functions averages around $250. The basic tools to start sewing will run you around another $50-75. So let’s say it takes on average $300 to really get stocked and started sewing. Assuming you like to sew and can manage to create 12 projects a year or use your machine once every month. Your costs come out to about $25/month. Now imagine you continue sewing with that same machine and those same basic tools for a second year or 24 months. Now your costs are averaging $12.50/ month. And if you keep your machine periodically maintenanced and your scissors sharp and practice your skills enough to keep them accessible when you need them, you could keep on using those same tools for many many years, even decades.
The machine I was given for my birthday 30 years ago, still works and still pumps out projects I make on a regular basis. Though I have added to my collection, many of my tools are 30 plus years old as well. So the return on investment can be hundreds, even thousands of percent.
Then there are just the savings I get, doing my own alterations, creating my own curtains, and making my own specialty gifts.
In short, sewing is an activity that pays for itself. It is hard to find an activity with a better return on my investment.
Expand My Capability
When I am feeling increased confidence and creativity, increased capability always follows. Capability is another way of describing my skill set plus experience, and sewing helps me increase both. And just like confidence and creative problem solving, capability in sewing has a way of transcending the sewing room and positively influencing many other areas of life.
When I tackle a sewing challenge, my mind has a way of looking at other goals and objectives in my life and making them more accessible. I figure if I can find a way to make a custom Cosplay wardrobe for a highly discerning client, I can also find a way to attain more business funding in a tight investment market. Sewing makes believing in myself much much easier.
Develop Your Ideas
Sewing is one part of a larger process, commonly known as designing. A lot of people like to call themselves Designers because there is a very glamorous connotation attached to that label. In truth, a designer is actually someone that is solving a problem, creating to meet a need, or originating and presenting a new idea. Many fashion or clothing designers start out merely sketching and drawing their ideas. But it is not until you can sew and present your ideas that you can fully realize your vision.
When I sew I feel like I can bring the idea that formerly only existed in my mind out into the tangible world where others can now view it and experience it; maybe even wear it. Sewing is a big part of developing my ideas.
Share Your Vision
Just like sewing helps you bring your imagined ideas into the tangible world, in that same spirit sewing also helps you share your vision. Sewing helps you recreate the past and express your ideas about the future, maybe even put a new spin on the present.
I think this is especially true of costume designers who shape our memories of iconic characters. Think about Superman and his red cape or James Bond and his classic tux. These are characters that have been done over and over again and yet somehow with each new imagining they somehow seem fresh, relevant and even new. A lot of that is because of the costumes that were sewn for them. Those are the physical representations of the new designer's vision of a classic character.
Communicate My Style
They say you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she is dressed. Their personality and attitude is expressed in their silhouette, color, and design choices.
I like the tailored, polished look of button down shirts and fitted jackets over flared skirts and patterned tights. I don’t know what style you would call that, except that it is mine and sewing helps me create my signature look. It can help anyone with the time and energy to invest, do that as well.
What are your favorite reasons to sew? If you have questions about how to get started with classes please contact us at inkandycence@gmail.com.
Best Wishes and Straight Stitches
-Kandyce