A little while ago RaeAnna invited us to take part in a series that poses the question “Why do you sew?”. What a great question! What a fun series! But I’m not sure I have a fun answer….
You’ve all heard my story about crying the Christmas my mom gave my first sewing machine (how could she give me something so blatantly domestic?!?)….and the time I got kicked out of my junior high Home Ec. class for messing with peoples foot pedals (hilarious!)….and that time I got a cat stuck on my head (wait….that doesn’t have anything to do with what we are talking about…..) but why do I sew now? What changed?
Well, it all started with this little beauty:
My first baby quilt. (And a really terrible photo of it to boot!)
I never finished that quilt….but believe it or not it was the making of that quilt that converted me to sewing (and in turn all things domestic). I put the quilt together in a class my mom literally dragged me to where we learned to make some staple quilt blocks.
I didn’t want to go….what the heck was I going to do in an old lady quilting class? But when I went into the fabric store I fell in love. All the colors, patterns, and textures! It was a little slice of heaven. And I was hooked.
I started off making a gajillion quilt blocks. Then I turned to bibs, bags, and baby blankets. And then with the birth of Grace I turned to little girls clothing and quickly became a sewing junkie.
There almost isn’t anything I can think of that I don’t enjoy sewing….tree skirts, table runners, dresses for myself, whatever! It’s like magic….and I think that maybe it’s just in my blood.
I come from a long line of handy, creative, and stubborn women. In fact, I am named after my great grandmother who set up her own sewing machine on her front porch and spent her days sewing away while her boys worked their farm. It’s tradition. It’s a craft. And I love it. As crazy as it sounds…it’s part of who I am. Even if it’s so blatantly domestic 🙂 .
Soooo….why do you sew? How did you start? What inspires you?
You can link up your stories to the link party below or leave a comment. I love this question and am looking forward to hearing all of your stories!
Thanks for sharing your story! I guess this question has been bouncing around a few heads lately. I just posted a personal sewing retrospective in honor of my 100th blog post last week (including a vintage sewing pattern giveaway that runs ’til Thursday) and talk about how my interest in sewing first started and how it has ebbed and flowed throughout my life. I started making clothes in Home Ec and I’ve been making clothes ever since!
http://craftylittlesecret.com/2014/06/19/100th-blog-post-extravaganza-sewing-retrospective-vintage-sewing-pattern-giveaway/
I love to sew. When I was young my mother and my grandmother made most of my clothes. I learned to sew by making my doll clothes. For me it has always been a creative outlet for me. And fabric was/is an addiction of mine. I love the colors and textures. I love to look at it and feel it. I love the sound of scissors as it cuts through layers and the sound of the sewing machine stitching along. I love the feel of the fabric as it slides through my hands as I guide it through my machine. I also love to share my skill with others. I teach children and adults to sew and I love the satisfaction and pride that I see on their faces when they have accomplished a project. For all these reasons (and many more) I love to sew.
Why do I sew? Well, I have always loved to use my hands. I tried many things before but none brought the satisfaction as sewing. Also, I started out sewing children’s wear and have made donations of every single piece to date. Nothing is more gratifying than taking a piece of fabric , and turning it into something that is completely unique. Sewing relaxes me, I will sit and do it all day. I tend to go looking for “ugly” fabrics as a challenge, because I like to prove that everything has some use, and when you put it together it makes something beautiful. I think I will continue to sew forever. My dream is to have a dedicated sewing room where I can sit in it and have my imagination fly. The only regret I have to date is that most of what I make go to persons I don’t get the gratification of seeing it on a person. I hope that will change someday.