Ever thought you would like to start sewing again after a long break? You have rekindled an interest in sewing from your youth and find you now have the time. But you want some reassurance that this is for you. You find yourself asking, "Is this a community of people that I identify with? Do I belong?"
Here are 10 characteristics of someone who loves sewing to help you decide.
The beauty of sewing is it works whether you are an introvert, extravert or ambivert (a bit of both).
It can be a solitary activity and a connecting one.
Sewing is something you can do on your own which is particularly appealing to the introverts among us.
For those after connection, there are 1,000s of sewing groups and communities around the world that one can be part of. These are both online and in real life.
In addition to the connection with our peers there is the connection gained with the people we sew for, including oneself.
It is for this reason the most, that I design fabric and create sewing patterns.
A characteristic, as a noun, is a feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and helps us identify them.
So to help us identify people who love to sew here are 10 characteristics of people who love to sew. They are in no particular order.
I like the late Sir Ken Robinson's definition of creativity the best.
"Creativity is the process of original ideas that have value."
For me there are three key parts to this definition. Starting from the end they are:
a) It has value - in other words it solves a problem.
b) It is original - in other words it has not been done before. Even a simple tweak will do.
c) It is a process - creativity is a process not an outcome. A new shirt, is a new shirt (outcome). Sewing is the process that got you to your new shirt.
Those who love to sew enjoy the process and expressing themselves through their projects.
I especially appreciate this when designing sewing patterns and the instructions that go with them.
It is the small finishes and the notions we use that make a sewing project like a shirt or a short turn out just as we had imagined.
Sewing requires attention to detail, and those who love to sew have it in abundance and pride themselves on producing high-quality work.
Sewing can be a time-consuming process, so those who love to sew often have patience and are willing to put in the time and effort to complete their projects.
They understand how it feels to receive something that someone has taken time to make them. It is cherished and it stays with them.
Sewing involves a lot of materials, patterns, and tools, so those who love to sew often have good organisational skills to keep everything in order.
Some of my favourite sewing rooms are the small ones. Everything from the sewing machine to the iron, needles and notions are all within reaching distance.
Those who love to sew are resourceful.
They enjoy finding new ways to use fabric, patterns and other materials to create something new.
When they can't find exactly what they are looking for, they make do with what they have and they make it work.
When they don't know how to do something, they ask.
Sewing allows those who love to sew to be self-sufficient. Modifying and creating their own clothing and home decor just how they envisioned it. This is empowering.
Those who love to sew enjoy being able to create functional items that they can use in their everyday lives.
They love it when they see their loved ones, wearing what they have made. It is very satisfying to watch them pull the shirt from the coathanger for the next BBQ party with friends.
As mentioned at the outset when defining Creativity, the process of sewing involves solving problems.
Those that love sewing are not afraid of tackling a problem and relish in the thought of discovering a new and innovative way to solve something.
There is nothing like a good sewing hack that saves time and effort.
Sewing allows all those who participate in the craft, to express their artistic side and create something unique and personal.
I started this list sharing that sewing is for the introvert, the extrovert and everyone in between.
Some take the rules of sewing more seriously than others, but I think all want to have fun with it, testing and trying and sharing their wins.
There is an encouraging and supportive vibe among those who sew around the world. You only have a to spend a short time in a local sewing Facebook Group to see that.
There is generosity among many who sew. Sharing how they solved a tricky problem so others may avoid it in the future. And this sharing is not just a dot point blog post, but a carefully edited video guiding us step by step.
As a result of this community characteristic, you will find a plethora of free resources on the web for anyone curious and persistent enough to explore.
Grab the Download of this blog as a handy reference to yourself of how awesome you are. Share this page with someone you think is awesome too!
Make something for him and watch him smile.
Jane Harbison Design
