A few friends have expressed lately an interest in learning to sew and have asked how I learned. As I've become more involved in the sewing community on Instagram, I love a lot of the conversations that happen more broadly across that platform, in the name of transparency, ethics, and equity. To that end, I wanted to share more about my background with sewing—definitely not as a deterrent of any kind, but just to illustrate that like many things, practice and time have been major factors in getting me where I am today. Instagram often doesn't paint a full picture—in my case, there isn't always an elegant way to demonstrate that many of my inclinations toward textile creativity began as a kid and thus have been woven into the fabric of my life for decades now (p.s. I sewed the shirt and pants I'm wearing in the photo above. Project details can be found here).
As a preface, I want to say: I think that anyone can learn how to sew. You don't have to have a sewing machine to sew—you can sew by hand, or you can borrow a friend's or family member's machine. You can sign up for a sewing class at the local community college or possibly even the library. You may be able to gain exposure and experience in a church community or setting (my local church community has EIGHT sewing machines in the church library! A little known secret! We have used them for hosting service projects but they are just sitting there unused much of the time). You can check the local thrift store for old machines. For many years, I used my mom's sewing machine when I lived at home. I also have several friends who were very gracious and allowed me use of their machine. My friend Christian gave me his garage code so I could come over and use his sewing machine when he wasn't using it. I am indebted to these friends because this was instrumental in my resuming this craft which I had put off to the side for a while.
One of the easiest way to begin your journey in learning to sew is to start by noticing the textile fabrications around you. All of us wear clothes and sleep in a bed with blankets. Start looking at the tags which list the fiber content. Usually these can be found on the interior of a garment—on a top, typically in one of the side seams toward the lower hem. In pants, it may be on a tag sewn into the side seam on the interior near the pockets. It becomes a sort of muscle memory and I have probably garnered more than a few odd looks when I am shopping and stop to look at an article of clothing, as I immediately reach for an unexpected section and flip it inside out to check.
Besides the simple fact of fiber content, begin pay attention to the laundering instructions. Often the laundering instructions belie the effects of various physical or chemical properties of fabric. Have you ever noticed the warning labels indicating that cotton pj sets should not actually be used as children's pajamas?—it's because cotton ignites when exposed to flame. Most children's pajamas that are legally permitted to be marketed as such are made from synthetic fibers. Synthetic fibers do not ignite, but given hot enough temperatures, they may very likely melt. The risk of chemical burns doesn't seem like much of a hopeful alternative, does it? Wool, on the other hand, has self-extinguishing properties. Wool also has an uncanny ability to absorb water without feeling wet, which is why pea coats are often fashioned from wool. You will note, however, that the laundering instructions accompanying most wool garments advise against machine laundering—this is because heat and friction can cause wool to felt and also because machine laundering may change the structure of wool fibers resulting in shrinkage.
I learned much of the above because my major in college afforded me the option of classes on these subjects. But in this day and age of Google and digital libraries and YouTube, natural inquisitiveness can take you a long way. The mere element of observation will be a huge aid to learning to sew. Start by looking at your clothing and how it is constructed. Inspect the seams and the different weights of fabric and how the different pieces are joined together. Looking from the inside out will help you visualize how a two-dimensional piece of fabric was made into what it has become.
. . . .
I started sewing when I was a kid—I would frequently make my own scrunchies and Barbie clothes. My mom helped me execute my first self-directed apparel project when I was about 9 or 10—a knit tee with a cumulus cloud patterned fabric, French seams (pretty sure my mom did those:), and decorative stitching on the hems (can you imagine?! A photoshopped approximation follows below). My Barbies also got cloud clothes made from the remnants. My mom would set me up on her sewing machine and thread everything, then turn me loose to experiment.
In college, I took beginning clothing construction. I attribute much of my technical knowledge and skill to this class, as our professor had very exacting standards; it forced me to become more precise with my finishing skills and I am a better seamstress today because of it. The pajama pants I am wearing in the photo above were my first project in the class—this is a perfect beginning sewing project, because it involves primarily straight lines and leaves you with having learned and practiced some good foundational skills (threading a drawstring or elastic, measuring inseams, etc.).
My love of textiles did not begin and end with sewing, however—a child of the 90s, I also loved ALL things Lisa Frank and the Lisa Frank loom kit above was a beloved set of tools and equipment. I made lots of potholders and also learned to use a crochet hook for finishing, as well as using several sizes of small circular looms. I also loved macrame and making friendship bracelets (one of my favorite styles was learned from the PBS show Zoom). Through some googling found an image of the exact latchhook kit/design that I made at some point in elementary school—this puppy and kitten on a pink background. Looking at these pieces now is very funny and endearing; I am grateful that my parents always gave me room to experiment and try new things.
All this to say—I think anyone can learn to sew; it is never too late! I think that the foundational qualities of inquisitiveness, experimentation, and embracing/learning from mistakes will serve one well. My seam ripper is still my sewing B.F.F. When I do something wrong or mess something up, undoing it teaches me a lot about how to then re-do it. The adage of "measure twice, cut once" is also valuable guidance. There is so much one could say, but I think starting small with a project like a pillow (even just a pillowcase for your bed—no zippers required!) or pajama pants is the perfect segue to beginning to sew—you can focus on the 'how' since the mechanics of construction are fairly straightforward. But even without the tools or the know-how (yet), taking note of the objects around you will help your sewing knowledge start to take shape, way before you have ever even picked up a needle.
i also got my skirt (project 2) back this week, and my shirt (project 3) is due tomorrow. and my final project is due in 2 weeks. .....hopefully that's enough time?
