We are lucky to live in an age where we can go to just about any store or head online and find any type of garment. That being said, fewer people are learning how to sew.
But just because we have mass-produced clothing, it doesn’t mean that we should stop learning how to sew. I think that it gives us even more reason to sew.
Roughly 150 years ago, clothing began to be mass-produced (due to the invention of the sewing machine), and it was only about 100 years ago that it picked up. Up until then, clothes were handmade at home.
With so many similar styles on the market and the very real chance of “twinning” with someone, sewing some of your own garments can help you to stand out from the crowd and express yourself. The joy of achieving the ideal garment with the fit, fabric-type, colors, imagery and embellishments that you want to wear, you can look exactly how you want to look by making custom clothes.
Sewing your own garments is a great way to be creative and make art that serves a function and will be shared with everyone. Learning a new skill is also important, which will give you goals to work towards as you learn new techniques. And you will have something fun to do in your free time.
The skill of sewing is also always useful for repairing your clothes or bags. Some simple hand stitching can help you repair holes in the knees of pants and sew buttons back onto shirts and jackets. Additionally, you can modify clothes to tailor them to fit you better or make totally new garments.
The patience of sewing is another necessary skill that will become second nature- whether that be machine-stitching or by hand. Many steps of sewing are tedious, so you will have a greater appreciation for your own clothes and also feel a sense of accomplishment after creating your own. The process of sewing is very meaningful and rewarding.
If you wear your creations out, others will be inspired by your abilities. Other people will want to create custom clothes of their own or you might just start a trend.
Besides creating custom clothes for yourself, you can also gift your friends and family (or even pets) custom garments. Because of the creative thought and the process that sewing takes, it is a great way to show how much you care.
If you want to share your creations with a wider audience, you can start a business on Etsy or social media. This can earn you money- doing something that is relaxing and enjoyable, and on your own schedule. Learning to sew could also allow you to fix or tailor clothes, or make and sell your own patterns if you become advanced enough.
I personally recommend learning both hand-stitching and machine-stitching, because they are both useful, give you more options, and each provide you with a different skill set. I enjoy both and I love having the choice.
If you get into a groove with hand-sewing, you can also try out needlepoint, cross-stitch, or embroidery to make your own custom images or words on clothes.
Fashion is one of the easiest ways to express yourself, so take it to the next level by creating garments that are uniquely you. Make something you have never seen before and get inspiration everywhere. Soon you will be someone else’s fashion inspiration.