For the past few weeks I’ve been thinking a lot about why I do what I do…specifically, why I sew.
I’m not sure what’s caused this sudden siege of introspection. I usually go about my business drinking sodas, sewing, playing with the kids, doing laundry, driving the carpool, doing the grocery shopping, mopping the floor, cooking the meals, and embarrassing myself in public all in a whirlwind everyday…and I don’t ever stop to think about why I do some of what I do.
But over the past few weeks as things have been particularly busy and I have been mulling over my habits as I’ve rushed around from here to there I think I’ve put a finger on one of the reasons why I sew.
Everyday is a whirlwind. So much to do and not enough time…and I don’t want to miss (or forget) a thing. Two minutes ago Ruth was a newborn but then I blinked and now she is almost 3. Where did that time go? All those precious moments…all that tender time?
I don’t scrapbook…but I sew…and when I pull out those handmade baby bibs and those sewn-during-naptime blankets I remember those moments….and that they happened…and that I loved every minute of them…and suddenly I am transported back in time and my mind is flooded with memories.
Those items are concrete evidence of time gone by. Time I want to remember. Time I never want to forget. When I see those items I made I remember the love I put into making them and the excitement that I felt swaddling or dressing my children in them.
Sewing for me isn’t about the item, mastering a technique, trying to fill time, or turning a profit. (Not that there is anything wrong with those reasons.) But for me it is about creating memories…and the more I’ve thought about it the more I realize that it is the plain and simple truth. And one of the central reasons why I sew.
Now I realize not everyone is as sentimental as I am…and I also have discovered that there are several other reasons why I sew…so as I have been contemplating about my own habits I’ve wondered why do others sew? What’s in it for them? Are they like me? Are there other reasons? Why do others do what they do?
So if you have a minute…and know your answer…and wouldn’t mind sharing…I’d like to ask, why do you sew?
This is a conversation I would like to continue…I hope you won’t mind sharing …
-liZ
I love your reasons for sewing, it really is awesome to see the things you have made positively impacting your family!
I sew because I am a maker 🙂 I am compelled to make things, to create in and of itself is the whole point for me! I just feel like I need to have a product at the end of a day to show I “did” something, was there, or impacted the world in some tangible way. It’s actually very rarely about the end product for me, I move on so quickly to the next thing – I love the process of making something as well as I possibly can, etc. If you had asked me as a little girl what I would be when I grew up, a sewer isn’t what I thought I would be (I was going to be a ballerina/marine biologist) but I have made something everyday for as long as I can remember and did so with a family history of professional seamstresses, so sewing was always within reach for me. It’s only as an adult that I realized I became something I always was without even realizing it was a thing 🙂
I never thought about the making memories part, but it is true! Every item I’ve created brings back all sorts of memories.
My main reason for sewing is that it is how I relax. When things are stressful and busy I want nothing more than to get in the sewing room and focus on the methodical process of creating something.
i too sew because i am a maker. very few days go by when i do not make something. it is just who i am. and sewing just adds one thing i can do…and love! it is a way for me to relax and be productive. i just need to make i guess! the way you feel about sewing is how i feel about blogging. i cannot imagine my life without my blog and all the memories and pictures i have shared on it. its priceless to me!
My sewing is a way to show my love. I started out sewing clothes for myself when I was in junior high. When my two girls were born much of my sewing revolved around them, love stitched into every seam. I learned to quilt when my youngest was born and started making quilts for my girls and gifts. Most of my sewing now is for gifting, again giving a bit of myself and lots of love. I still sew for my girls, 22 and 26, we pick patterns and fabric together and I stitch up a little love.
i’m not sure how old i was. but i remember my mom buying the preprinted fabric, cutting out and sewing up a strawberry shortcake stuffed pillow for me. it was the 80’s, i was a redhead. my toys of choice were mainly strawberry shortcake, annie, and midge–barbie’s redheaded and highly neglected BFF.
the point being: i remember–and still have–that pillow. my mom is not a sewer by any means, and i don’t remember her ever sewing anything else. and probably there’s some deep psychological reasons why that compels me to sew, but there it is. i sew for my children, because of strawberry shortcake. 😉
What a beautiful post; I’ve only been sewing for the last couple of months, but I’ve been crocheting for years, cross stitching too, and for some of the same reasons you list. But for sewing (which at this point is strictly in a quilting vein), it started with my love for colours, and has morphed into a manner of offering love in the guise of a quilt. My sister was bemoaning the fact that I’m planning to make quilts for many family members, but not having one for myself. Yet, what is the purpose of a stack of quilts if not to give away? I’m new to your blog, but I enjoy the posts, especially those that pique a good query such as this. Sew well liZ, and be ready for those precious minutes to go from a three-year-old to a twenty-one-year-old in the blink of an eye. 😉
I loved this! I have so many reasons why I sew. I love creating and I love the challenges of constantly having to learn and grow. I love that my children love it and will spend time with me, helping me. I love the happiness I see in them when I make something they love. I just bought a new machine and shared the news with my kids that they will get my old machine. I absolutely LOVED the shrieks of joy (yes, even from my son!) that they will now have full control over a machine to sew themselves. It’s really something that is a part of our family that we do together.
Yes, all of what you said. And also, sewing something is often the only thing I do all day that can be physically seen and not undone. Laundry, cooking, cleaning. Those are endless tasks. I like the feeling of accomplishment with holding something in my hands that I have actually FINISHED!
I sew because my mother sewed and my grandmother sewed and my great grandmother sewed and someday my daughter will sew. And together we have made and are making this incredible bond of love and of skill and of talent and just JOY. When I sit down to sew, I think about my grandmother and how she so lovingly made the most amazing things for me — from doll clothes to prom dresses and everything in between — and I sew for my daughter, who now delights in fancy dresses with matching doll dress. And when I need help, I call my mother, who made my wedding dress and my daughter’s Christening dress and a million other things. All those stitches, in all of our hands, and all that knowledge and tools and patterns and fabrics passed on from each of us to the next… You just can’t get that connection from store-bought stuff!
Many reasons that I have for sewing, but I want to have a small part of my innate need to create live on after I am gone. I hope that the items I make and give away or sell go on to make someone’s life better or happier. I get tremendous satisfaction out of creating something and seeing the appreciation on the recipient’s face when they look at it.
I sew because I enjoy it. It gives me something to do that is fun and it helps me to grow and to learn. I also sew because I love sharing what I do with others and seeing their excitement makes it so worth it!
I’m a military wife and there are nights after my children go to bed that I’m alone for 2 hours. I first started sewing to fill the time because lets be real there is only so much TV you can watch. It also is my creative outlet. I also am a hairdresser and now I’m a stay at home mom, sewing has aloud me a way to express myself. Really sewing has been my therapy.
I sew because I can. Many great ladies in my family before me sewed. And passed that tradition on down to me. Mostly I sew for my kids, because their sweet you made this for me responses are what I love most.
But the memories are also special.
Thanks for sharing!
I remember seeing my mom and grandmas sew all my life. All my big moments in life have included sewn items from one or all of them. Baptisms, graduations, wedding, and each of my kids births. Someone asked me years ago how I figured out sewing, and it baffled me… “My mom and grandmas of course, don’t yours sew”. I love the utter joy in my childrens eyes when they get to wear something momma made just for them. And they are just now old enough to start showing interest in learning how to sew. The peace I get at my machine is my down time and yet I’m blessing my family when I make something. It’s a win-win!
By taking time to sew I have the power to slow down time. It pauses and allows me to think while I create something that has my signature on it. Even if it is for someone else I am creating an outward expression of me.
I sew because I enjoy creating something new. I love the feeling I get when I have completed a project. It started out as a piece of fabric and transforms into something useable or wearable. It is also a way for me to relax and let out all the stress after a long day. Sewing is something I will be able to do throughout my whole life and it allows me to express myself. The memories are wonderful too. I have so many memories related to sewing and the items I have created bring back all those wonderful memories.
I sew for a lot of reasons-a feeling of satisfaction when it’s done…the fact that I don’t like most clothing in stores…and also for the reason you mentioned-when I look at something I sewed I am transported to that moment of creation-I can remember what tv show I was watching while sewing it, what I was going through in life at that time…it’s like scent is for some people. 🙂 Plus, I’m addicted to sewing and can’t stop.
I love this post! I sew because it occupies both my logical and creative sides. After my first child was born and I stayed home I needed some outlet and something to DO (other than take care of my newborn, of course!) Making things was a logical choice since I learned to sew and knit as a child. After that it became a passion and as I gather handmade clothes to send to my newborn niece, I realize that clothing is a keeper of memories for us too. My daughter and niece even wear dresses my mom made and smocked for my sister and me. We’re hopeful some of this will make it to THEIR daughters too.
I am an engineer by education. I create useful things out of not necessarily useless things but less useful things. The other reason is that it is one part of my day that generally can’t be undone. Laundry gets dirty again, floors need cleaning again, diapers need changing again, toys need picking up again, etc.
I think I sew just to create, to design something new. I started out making bags and then took a quilting course just to learn some basic sewing techniques. It took a while, but I got hooked and lately I’ve enjoyed the designing process more than the quilting. I like to sketch and imagine a layout and figure out all the math involved in cutting and piecing. Ratios and scale drawings and seam allowances. Fabrics and colours and textures. Once I’ve done all of that, it’s like I’ve already made the quilt in my head. I can see it. I have to remind myself to be patient and take my time with the piecing, before I can jump to a new project.
My mother sewed because, like you, it was for the love. Love of creating, but more so the love it showed her family. For myself I sew for practical reasons — to repair items for work and home and turn a profit. And the next day I sew to make something lovely and unique for friends and family. But I always, always sew to honor my mother, and the love she shared with me.
I’ve always been a creator, but until my first baby was coming (and the nesting urge was strong) I’d never sewed. But there was something so fulfilling about those first burp cloths–they were practical, cute, and for my baby. My sewing has come a long way in the 4 years since then, and so has the depth of my passion for sewing. As my second daughter wears the clothes I made for her older sister, the memories flood back–all the things we did together in those clothes. I learn about myself along the way and as I await the arrival of our third daughter, I know those clothes will once again link all my children together with my experiences as a mother.
Great post. I sew for similar yet different reasons. I took up sewing a few years ago, always wanted to learn. My grandmother sewed and make clothes for my mom when she was little but she did not sew for us. I have a teenage son, I do not sew for him. I sew for me.
I love fabric, the endless possibilities… I love creating, stitching fabric together and making something that I can wear is amazing to me. I have made bags and things for my nieces and other people but nothing brings me more joy and a sense of accomplishment that making a garment for me.
I will be making Angel Gowns soon and this is my way of giving back with this wonderful gift of sewing.
I sew because it completes me. I sew because I love sharing part of me with people that I love or care about. I am teaching my 7 year old granddaughter to sew because perhaps it will be one of those magical things that lets you be creative, caring, and practical all in one for her too.
Deborah
When I was young, my mother sewed many of our clothes and always our Halloween costumes. I was an early sewer, making doll clothes and accessories. As a teen, I thought sewing would allow me fashion I could not otherwise have, but it was harder than I thought. As I got older, I’d sew curtains and pillows to customize my home decorating, but never thought I’d venture into clothing again. I bought Halloween costumes the first few years for my son. But as he got older, he had very distinct ideas about how he wanted to dress up, and there were not costumes to purchase to meet his desires. I started sewing more seriously to make his dreams a reality. The look on his face as I transformed him into a different Pokemon year after year with the elaborate costume customizations I made made he weeks of work worthwhile. He has five Pokemon costumes to date, and there is no sign of change in the future. I have also made Harry Potter robes for a bunch a boys for his birthday one year and Pokemon hats another year. I love the creative process that sewing allows (really all making allows). I’m glad my son wanted to be something I couldn’t buy in a store, so I could find that passion for sewing again.
I love your thoughts on this topic. I am a quilter like my mom, grandma, great-grandma and beyond. Making a quilt can take me a long time, so in order to have a feeling of accomplishment I have gone out of my comfort zone to sew/create smaller things. I sew to reuse/upcycle clothing and from that I have been learning about creating new things, which I have been enjoying a great deal. I sew because it gives me peace.
Two reasons jump to the front of my mind (I’m sure there are more!) 1) I love making things that are beautiful and useful, I love taking pieces of fabric and thread, things that don’t have much use on their own, and creating something that can be worn or used in lieu of something that is manufactured and purchased. I sometimes imagine God saying the same things about me that I say about things I’ve sewn, “Look at that, I made that! And she’s not completely falling apart the first time she goes out in public!” 😉 2) you guys once said somewhere on this blog (not sure if it was your own words or a quote) that one should do something everyday that can’t be undone. I love the idea of just committing to something and doing it without the guarantee that it will all turn out ok in the end. Sometimes it ends up epically disappointing (just finished a dress using fabric I’d hung on to for years waiting for just the right project and it didn’t turn out right at all), but when it works it is such a great feeling and both of those experiences grow you and you couldn’t have them if you didn’t just commit to trying something you can’t undo.
This is a great post and it really has me thinking about all the many reasons that I sew. I sew to achieve the satisfaction of creating, I sew to save memories and I sew as an expression of love as so many others do. Sometimes I sew of neccesity or just to be unique. I sew to help others and to challenge myself. I sew because it gives me independence. But most of all, I love to share. I love to share my gifts and talent and knowledge with others.
I sew as an escape and for the sense of renewal. I started sewing when my oldest was less than a year old and I became a SAHM. I realized how little control there is with a newborn, and the lack of control has only gotten worse over the years with the births of my other five kids 🙂 I am sometimes overwhelmed by dirty laundry, busy schedules or crabby kids, but I can walk into my sewing room and escape it all for a little while! Then when I am done, I feel as if I have accomplished something positive and I can truly enjoy the chaos that is my life. Sewing gives me a chance to create in the midst of all the destruction that naturally comes with a big family. I mean, seriously, if I didn’t sew I would have a much harder time dealing with the upside down pizza box on the floor (with the pizza still inside) or the sixteenth fight of the day over who can play with the now empty box that came in the mail 🙂
I loved reading all of the comments about ‘why I sew’. I sew for my own selfish immortality. My Mom was quite a crafter, and my paternal grandmother also. When I was grown, I realized that I had very things that were made by either of them, and I want my children to show their children the things I made for them and re-live the memories and share the stories of me. And that is for my own selfish immortality…a way to reach ahead to the future and my grandchildren, with all my love.
I sew because it is my passion! It is my sanity and stress relieving place that I go too! There is nothing better then being able to take a plain piece of fabric or two and be able to turn it into something fabulous! It is my creative outlet! I also love teaching sewing to my family and more recently my grandchildren! I know this isn’t detailed but this is how I feel about sewing, and have felt since I first stitched up a dolls outfit as a very little girl!
I am totally sentimental sewer too, I always try to choose fabrics & patterns that showcase the stage they are in. Wow, I am really behind on my simple simon and co reading.