Monday, April 25, 2011

Why I Sew

Sometimes, when I wear something that I've made, or carry a bag that I've sewn, I'll get this:

"I like your bag."  (Thanks!)  "Did you make that?"  (Yep!)  "Oh."  Accompanied by a "look me up and down" look.  And then something like, "I don't know how you do that" or "I could never do that" or "I don't have the patience for that" or something to that effect.

I think people often assume...well, I have no idea what they assume.  I think there's some head-scratching, wondering why I bother.  (Hey, when a project isn't going so well, I wonder that myself sometimes!)

It's not necessarily less expensive to sew.  Especially for a bargain shopper like me.  And if time = money, then it definitely is not cheaper.
Dang it!  I didn't have any more pink thread, either.  Thankfully, I just made it.  This is what was left.  WHEW! 
It certainly isn't less hassle.  I spend hours at that machine, often at night after the kids have gone to bed.  And sometimes I use my ding-dang seam ripper more than I use my machine.  Which irritates me to no end.
looks simple in the diagram, doesn't it?
mmm-hmm.  yep.  just like the diagram. 
My sewn items aren't of the finest quality...I don't have a serger, so my seams on the inside are a dead-giveaway that they have been....picture Nina Garcia from Project Runway squinting her eyes and saying: "home sewwwwn."  I mean, I'm proud of what I do, don't get me wrong, but I'm not winning any awards here.

Sewing is something that I can do.  Not everyone can - or wants to.  I enjoy it - sometimes I almost "crave" the feeling of putting pins in fabric and running it through the machine.  I know that sounds weird.  But it's calming, in a way.  Like knitting.  But with more broken needles.  ;)

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (the Yarn Harlot) said somewhere (in a book, in her blog, I don't remember) that when she sees her kids playing in the snow, wearing mittens that she knitted, she feels like a good mom.  I think that about sums it up for me.


Linking up...
Making The Girl Creative
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4 comments:

  1. That's a really cute dress and I totally agree with your comments today. Emilie wore the dress I made for her to church yesterday. I even told her that if she didn't want to wear it I wouldn't be hurt. What a sweetie to wear it. :)

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  2. Thanks Carolyn! I know, I will sew for Abby as long as she wants to wear it. I'm sure it won't last forever. ;)

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  3. I just followed your link from skiptomylou to look at your Easter dress, and I can't help but comment after reading your post here--I have been writing this exact same post in my head for a few weeks now, I just haven't put it out on my blog yet. I, too, love to sew. I need to create things that don't come apart when my kids wake up. I feel like I've accomplished something when they wear something I've made (and even better when it looks halfway decent!). It is one of the few things I do totally for me (even though it's really mostly for my kids). Thank you for expressing this so well.

    I love the dress too, btw. Such pretty fabrics, and it came out so well. Good work.

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  4. What a beautiful dress! You did a great job!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog, I will definitely be following yours as well! Keep the great ideas coming. :)

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