Warning: I am very opinionated about the topic of learning how to sew and I can be quite abrasive with my remarks. If this sort of thing offends you, please understand I want to save you from catching the disease of sewing. It's not a deadly disease, but it can not be cured. Sewing can lead to lifelong consequences, such as investments in expensive machines, cutting and tossing gorgeous fabric, hoarding supplies, needing an extra room in your home and having a ghastly aversion to RTW fashion. But gosh darn it, sewing can be so much fun!
I've decided to write a series of posts about learning to sew, because I got one of the Christmas questions nearly every experienced sewer dreads to hear.
"I want to learn how to sew my own clothes and my husband/partner/mom/generous patron is going to buy me a sewing machine for Christmas. Can you suggest which machine they should buy?"
This!...Two weeks before Christmas!
My universal answer is... "Put the credit card down and slowly back away from the machine. You will either over or under spend and the recipient will never get the machine they need or want."
My gift suggestions for this situation are as follows:
- Choose something very nice from the jewelers.
- Pay for some lessons from a locally owned sewing store where basic machines are provided.
- If you completely insist on starting your collection of sewing tools, begin by purchasing a full length mirror.
A FULL LENGTH MIRROR! You've got to be crazy to suggest that for a gift at the holidays. After eating all that Christmas turkey and drinking all that booze, no one will appreciate a mirror. It's like giving a vacuum cleaner to your spouse as an anniversary gift.
Yes, a full length mirror is your very first investment in learning to sew. Buy the best one you can afford and mount it somewhere that you have enough space to "model" for yourself and where there is good lighting. The back of the door in a poorly lit cramped bathroom is not a good place, neither is the corner of a damp and dingy basement or attic where you someday envision a "professional" sewing studio. It won't happen, at least not yet. Hang that mirror somewhere near where you dress every morning and begin to use it. Oh, and by the way... Are you thinking of using a large bathroom vanity mirror or mantle mirror in the living room as a substitute? No! Just don't even think about it. Buy a proper full length mirror. Trust me on this one. Even if you decide that sewing is not for you, your mirror will still be a good investment.
If you can not bring yourself to make the investment in a proper mirror, then sewing clothes for yourself may not be your thing. Don't worry, it's not a deal breaker at this point, there is quilting, home decor and crafting all of which use sewing skills. There is also knitting, crocheting and all sorts of other handcrafts that can satisfy one's need for creativity. But please take note, this should be a warning sign. Persevere through the next couple of lessons before making your final decision. I will be clearly giving you exit points during these beginning lessons and there is no shame in waving goodbye. The shame comes from buying and then storing an unused sewing machine in the attic, not from saying, "Thanks, but no thanks."
Okay...got it? Now have a great time with Christmas and don't worry about sewing until the New Year. I'll post the first sewing lessons during the holidays and the assignments can be done in January.
In the meantime, to satisfy your sewing bug, here are some inexpensive suggestions
1.) Go to the local library and check out some sewing books. Read them for fun. Don't worry about not understanding everything or getting lost with the directions. Look at the pictures and take note of what really interests you.
2.) Use the Internet to read other sewing blogs.
3.) Look at a site like Amazon and use the "See Inside" feature to look at currently popular sewing books. BUY NOTHING! Don't even put them on a "Wish List."
4.) Visit your local book shop to look at sewing books. Are you tempted to buy? DON'T! Reward yourself with a double latte at the coffee shop and return home to reflect on what appeals to you.
5.) If you are very lucky to have these resources, visit your local sewing store or stores. Browse. Get a feel for their inventory and their level of service. Leave the credit card at home!
6.) Visit your local "Big Box" hobby/sewing center. Browse. Get a feel for their inventory and their level of service. Leave the credit card at home and don't sign up for their mailing list, at least not yet.
If you insist on completing an assignment, start a "sewing idea journal". Use a found notebook, a old loose leaf binder, a paper folder or a virtual bulletin board. It is not necessary to buy anything to start this assignment. Start collecting images of things that appeal to you as a sewer. Don't limit yourself to just things other people have sewn. Include fashion photos, home decor and soft furnishings photos, quilts and crafts....anything and everything that appeals to you. Only by creating a collection will you begin to see trends for yourself. This will become that basis for making some decisions about what kind of sewing you'd really like to learn after you've mastered the basics.
Cost of this lesson: Your full length mirror, if it's not a gift, and the optional coffee latte at the bookstore. All other gift suggestions are at the reader's discretion.
No comments:
Post a Comment