ADHDers/people with learning disabilities listen up! Patterns can be tricky to follow for us, sometimes making your own patterns might be more intuitive. I started by following videos, where simple sewing/drafting techniques got me to understand the concepts. I also learnt by doing alterations to existing clothing. This helped immensely with me intuitively learning construction tecniques by taking things apart and putting them back together. My biggest barrier to sewing was sewing patterns and following instructions and if it feels too difficult for you too that's okay, just start with whatever comes naturally to you. Lots of people tout certain aspects of sewing or knitting being beginners friendly or more difficult. But for me, a beginner scarf is impossible to knit because I have no motivation to learn in that way. For knitting I was motivated by wanting the perfect brown cropped jumper I could never find, and so I started there. I just made a start and learnt the tecniques in the pattern from TH-cam along the way! And that's what worked for me, not starting at basics because it's not what motivated me to actually do it! So if you have an ND mind, maybe try starting somewhere other than where most people start because I find that path doesn't always work for us and we learn in a very different way! Also, done is better than perfect! If you can't see a mistake from a meter away and it doesn't effect the function or longevity of the garment DO NOT BE MAD ABOUT IT! All of nothing is such a common problem that stops ND people from starting. Aim to fail, repeatedly. Aim to do things badly because we literally learn from our mistakes. But adjust your expectations and just aim for wearable and then just keep doing it 🤷♀️ that's my ND advice anyway 🙂
😊😊 I hope it helps others see that these crafts are possible for them, just the journey might look a bit different to what you're usually told and that's totally okay 💚
Yes I second that! I had been wanting to learn how to sew for years but could never bring myself to actually learn all the basics and stuff. But last year I got into historical fashion and wanted to create an historically-accurate 18th century outfit, so I started with that. Made a shirt and a pair of breeches. It probably took me much longer than if I had actually learned the basics beforehand, but I now know how to do most things with my sewing machine and I managed to stay motivated because I really wanted the final outfit!
Some of these issues have been what's kept me from finishing the skirt projects I started two years ago and last year. I get to the point where the pieces are together, it looks like a skirt! but I need to do the closure, waistband, and hem, so I just stop working on it for fear of messing up (and the daunting-ness of all the little steps).
Honestly I do this so much that I’ve gone away from DIY projects altogether. My biggest win with my decades old sewing machine (which is still good as new ) was patching my worn out jeans last year and being able to keep them in rotation!
The worst thing about this is that I sometimes feel overwhelmed by my stash. Like there's too much choice and then I end up not sewing anything but scrolling through pinterest instead. I've got some free time from work coming up, so my plan is to do to my stash what I already did to my wardrobe: look at everything and if I'm not absolutely in love with it/can't think of a project for it - it's going to the sell/donate pile. Hopefully that enables me to actually *do* stuff with my stash, if I like everything that's in it.
@@Treepwastakeni don’t think genuine minimalism (e.g. not having a stash of supplies) is compatible with creating honestly… Sewing aside I have lots of art supplies (I have like 10 projects at any given time) and like you don’t think about how much space everything takes up until you don’t have a choice BUT to think bout it 🥲 So anyways don’t beat yourself up about it, it’s still doing the better thing for the planet to create your own things instead of buying new…
Saaame! At the moment I'm on a yarnbuying ban, because it works just the same with knitting! I first have to bust my stash before I'm allowed to buy new yarn for new projects (never buy yarn without a project in my mind!)
I found that learning to make my own clothes hasn't magically morphed into a "me made" wardrobe but rather a "me repaired" wardrobe and that's enough for me. I'm hoping to one day have the space and time (you don't need much but you do need some) to focus on building clothes in their entirety but it is so easy and fast, once you have learned the skills, to darn a sweater, fix a split seam, or hem a skirt.
Same! I’m slowly edging towards making a whole garments from scratch, but the fact that I can fix AND ADJUST existing clothes brings me so much happiness. Boob dart needed? I can do it. Vest straps too long and neckline too plungey? I Can Fix It!! Stupid long trousers need adjusting for my 5ft 0in housemate? I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN!!!
exactly!! even a me-altered wardrobe which is wonderful because you’re inevitably going to get more wear out of things that you have altered to fit you well (and which you can repair should they need repairing!)
Absolutely, that’s where I’m at too and it’s so perfect-instead of feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out how and where to get rid of clothes that had lost an essential button or a strap ripped off, I can fix it very quickly and keep wearing it!
yes! I also had the epiphany that every piece of clothing that I don't wear anymore is not just repairable but also fabric!! If I don't like the style of the skirt anymore but I like the fabric it could be made into a top! maybe it's very clear to other people but I had a real hard time thinking of old clothes as fabric and taking them apart.
About Rachel Maksy , who was flashed in the video portion about sewing spaces..... Ever since she started sewing, she's been crawling around on her floors cutting out patterns and sits with her machine on the floor....even after getting a studio. Most of her fabrics are from thrift stores and she's been reusing the same pattern pieces forever. She is a poster child for this topic.❤️
My favourite part is how she leans into her mistakes and works with them. I've been sewing since I was young but have very little to show for it cause I'm too much of a perfectionist (though tbf the limited resources of poverty also contributed). But watching her just have a go and still being impressed with the chaotic results has definitely helped me let go a bit. I've made so much more because of it and I wear and use it all
@@soulsworn13 I beg to differ, tbh. most of the time she rushes the process to fit a deadline or just out of laziness, and ends up with an underwhelming result -even to her-, which means she'll never wear the garment and therefore that the fabric has been, well, wasted. My impression is rather that she keeps making the same mistakes (no making a mock-up, not using the right kind of fabric, not making sure she's got enough of it, etc)
@@AliciaB. Obviously if she gave herself more time she'd likely feel more comfortable taking the extra time and attention, especially with some of her more complex ideas. But honestly, as someone with ADHD I relate to the chaos and difficulty seeing projects to the end without having to cut corners and do things less than perfectly (I typically won't start if I can't be sure I can do it exactly and I know I won't, so I don't end up doing anything and that sucks). She definitely has an enthusiastic "yeah I made the thing and I like it, even though I don't like this part and can see where I could have done better here" energy that is refreshing. She's definitely learning and improving through the process, and at least makes more effort than most to source a lot of second hand materials and use what she already has. It's definitely far less wasteful to be using local second hand materials and a bunch of your own time thinking and creating and enriching your life than to buy something that looks similar, if made better, new from across the world. It's not perfect, sure. But it's far better than not doing anything at all imo
@@soulsworn13 sure. I don't mind _some_ chaos & imperfection, they're actually healthy things to show in a sewing video. I'm sure there was already some of that in the beginning of her channel, in reasonable amounts and for reasons simply due to her personality, otherwise I wouldn't have subscribed. But in the last few years it's gotten out of hand tbh. She clearly favours quantity & speed over quality in her projects. She keeps not applying advice her audience has given her time and time again to fix the problems she keeps having, as I already mentioned (MOCKUPS, APPROPRIATE FABRIC, etc) and she even brushes it off in her videos as some kind of cute, funny spontaneity ("chaotic energy") -which it's not, it's just negligence & disorganization. It wouldn't bother me that much if her approach actually worked for her, if she was satisfied with her creations most of the time, but come on, it's clearly not the case. Recently there's been quite a few projects that have turned out less than satisfactory (transformable dress, jack-o-lantern sleeves, autumn leaf dress, barn decor that she kept re-doing, gingerbread dress, disco ball dress...) and that she will probably discard or never wear, and that's where we enter wasteful territory imo. Also she tends to use really nice natural fabric in pretty colours, which are not exactly ubiquitous in thrift stores and therefore precious to us sewists. She's priviledged to have access to a large choice of secondhand items to choose from AND to have the money to buy pretty much as many of them as she wants, and then she goes and cuts them up to make sloppy clothes that she won't even use... And don't get me started on the durability of some of her creations... Sometimes she cuts so many corners it's pretty clears the item won't survive a few washes/uses (cough cough whisical gaming chair), and I would argue that's a wasteful practice. Another point that I think is important : the whole "chaotic energy uwu" thing (aka romanticization of sloppiness) has almost become a brand for her channel. I feel like it's what people expect from her videos, and it kinda discourages her from actually improving on her techniques & organization. The appeal of her channel now is more : "watch me attempt to make something, get stressed, rush the process and probably fail" rather than "watch me make stuff Ilike". And she seems to buy into it herself, sadly... it's like she's high on the success that this 'chaotic' character she's accidentally created brings her, and as a result kinda trapped in it. But yeah, basically, I'm more and more disappointed with her content as it seems to be less and less about self-fulfillment & craftsmanship, and more and more sure. I don't mind _some_ chaos & imperfection, they're actually healthy things to show in a sewing video. I'm sure there was already some of that in the beginning of her channel, in reasonable amounts and for reasons simply due to her personality, otherwise I wouldn't have subscribed. But in the last few years it's gotten out of hand tbh. She clearly favours quantity & speed over quality in her projects. She keeps not applying advice her audience has given her time and time again to fix the problems she keeps having, as I already mentioned (MOCKUPS, APPROPRIATE FABRIC, etc) and she even brushes it off in her videos as some kind of cute, funny spontaneity ("chaotic energy") -which it's not, it's just negligence & disorganization. It wouldn't bother me that much if her approach actually worked for her, if she was satisfied with her creations most of the time, but come on, it's clearly not the case. Recently there's been quite a few projects that have turned out less than satisfactory (transformable dress, jack-o-lantern sleeves, autumn leaf dress, barn decor that she kept re-doing, gingerbread dress, disco ball dress...) and that she will probably discard or never wear, and that's where we enter wasteful territory imo. Also she tends to use really nice natural fabric in pretty colours, which are not exactly ubiquitous in thrift stores and therefore precious to us sewists. She's priviledged to have access to a large choice of secondhand items to choose from AND to have the money to buy pretty much as many of them as she wants, and then she goes and cuts them up to make sloppy clothes that she won't even use... And don't get me started on the durability of some of her creations... Sometimes she cuts so many corners it's pretty clears the item won't survive a few washes/uses (cough cough whisical gaming chair), and I would argue that's a wasteful practice. Another point that I think is important : the whole "chaotic energy uwu" thing (aka romantization of sloppiness) has almost become a brand for her channel. I feel like it's what people expect from her videos, and it kinda discourages her from actually improving on her techniques & organization. The appeal of her channel now is more : "watch me attempt to make something, get stressed, rush the process and probably fail" rather than "watch me make stuff Ilike". And she seems to buy into it herself, sadly... it's like she's high on the success that this 'chaotic' character she's accidentally created brings her, and as a result kinda trapped in it. But yeah, basically, I'm losing interest in her content as it seems to be less and less about craftsmanship & self-fulfillment, and more and more about the mere entertainment value of _watching someone make something_ , the _performance_ of it regardless of the practical real-life results... kinda like a 5-min crafts video, to be honest with you
I am paralyzed and spend my days in a wheelchair. I must be able to raise my arms above my head with absolutely no constriction (restriction) from the "shoulder" of a garment. I have caused serious shoulder pain to myself from wearing a shirt that constrained my shoulder movement. I have done alterations on almost every shirt I own to make them "not a danger" to my shoulder joint health. I crudely hand-stitched those alterations, but I am very proud of my comfy clothes.
As a professional costumer, I get a lot of people looking at what I make for shows and clients and going, “oh I can’t sew, I can’t do that.” I want to stress to everyone, that while costuming and sewing overlap, they are not the exact same. If you can stitch a line in fabric, you can sew. If you can replace a button, or hem your trousers, you can sew.
I think everyone can do it definitely. But not everyone will like it or invest time, patience and energy into it. Not everyone will have a natural talent and passion for it. But it’s definitely something that you can learn if you have two hands and a healthy mind.
One of the things I have found most gratifying about making your own clothes is being able to make something that actually fits you. I am fairly pear-shaped, and trying to find trousers that go over my thighs and butt that don't then ludicrously gape at the waist is always a bit of an ordeal. Being able to tailor clothes to my own measurements, and actually choose the exact fabric and style I want makes the whole process much more fun than going shopping!
Yeah, me too! I was just at a store yesterday with a big sale, saw some nice brown pants I could've added a couple darts to. But I just made super comfy jorts, so the brown pants gets to stay in my mind, waiting for the right fabric 🧵🤣
My proportions haven't been fashionable since about 1895, so buying clothes (or even sewing patterns!) that fit me is near impossible. I feel so good wearing things that really fit me and that is much easier when I am making them myself.
Do you have any guidance/ tips/ videos for taking in the waist on bottoms? I have a similar shape & am really struggling with that dreaded waistband gape (on elasticated & buttoned waistbands alike).
@@JBUHJBUH I have the waistband gape, problem too! What has helped me is using a curved waistband, there are some videos on TH-cam on how to create one. I've used Miss Matti's video "How To Make a Perfect Waistband Without Gaping At Waist", she explains the difference between the types of waistbands and how to alter them. I've also just added a couple darts to the back of finished pants. This has helped on a couple I've bought.
@@JBUHJBUH I found this video very helpful for jeans th-cam.com/video/j5v2CN18rDc/w-d-xo.html and then for elasticated waists I usually unpick the seam that is needed to reveal the elastic. Chop a bit off the elastic and sew everything back up. Hope that helps!
The last myth you shared really hit home! I think the push for people to grow their own food, make their own clothes, etc can easily slip into a push for hyper-independence where you do not rely on others for anything. As you said, the reality is that relying on other people and being part of a community is a strength, not a weakness. I love the idea of swapping a 40 hour garment for 40 hours worth of food!!
A tip from one beginner knitter to those looking to start: as with clothing, a higher price of yarn does not mean higher quality. For one of my first big projects, I spent a $hit ton on what I thought was a "luxury" yarn only to find that it pilled immediately. I really love watching TL Yarn Crafts for her yarn reviews, and she has videos on budget yarn options!
Yes, definitely! Another thing I always advise beginners is to move away from chunky yarn as soon as you can stomach the idea of knitting with thinner yarn. Chunky yarn just doesn't last, because of the way it's spun. Plus the garments are almost always too warm, thick or heavy to be functional.
The price is usually reflective of fibre content. Some fibres are simply more expensive. Some acrylics are more expensive because they use a smoother or longer fibre than the cheaper brands. I've found that some fancy yarns do sometimes need to be cared for a lot more deliberately than others - I have a cotton and bamboo blend that turns into the most hideous matted mess if it's not gently handwashed by literal fairies, and it has to be kept separate until it gets washed too, because even lying in the basket with a bunch of other items on top of it will probably destroy it. It was definitely still worth the price, but I think the amount of care we're willing and able to give the finished item should be a major deciding factor when choosing a yarn or fabric. Now that I know this fibre type better, I'd only make special occassion items out of it in future, never everyday garments, so I know I'd only have to do very careful washing once in a while.
I don't think anyone has mentioned this but in my town we have a sewing cafe where people mend their items and share skills and it's such a great idea. It is free and encourages people to look after their clothes. Great video Leena :)
My mum still has the sewing machine she was given for her 21st birthday, and she’s now approaching a significant birthday beginning with a 6. She made uni ball gowns, her own wedding dress, and almost every single curtain in my parents house. Take care of your sewing machine and it will take care of you!
My mum bought me the same kind of sewing machine that her sister had made dresses for her on when she was in her teens - it's an Elna lotus and I think it will last forever!
My sewing machine is from my great grandma! My mum taught me how to sew with it and I've always loved it over more modern machines I've used. So when mum got a fancy modern quilting machine I called dibs on the old Janome. (It's electric powered but has many more mechanical parts than more modern machines). It requires a little more servicing than newer machines but I've found there are sewing machine serviceman who absolutely adore it when you bring in an old machine 😂
Also: If you sew with polyester fibres do not use cotton thread. While the cotton may shrink in the first wash, polyester does not. With cotton fabric it's always best to prewash the fabric before sewing, no matter how enthusiastically you want to start the project. You can keep up with the most intricate pattern, if everything shrinks even a few percentages it won't really fit. Unrelated tip: cheap discounter overlock machines are not worth it. Speaking from experience. I personally have zero fun sewing on these monsters. A good overlock starts at around 399€ and is worth it, bc it won't break needles, eat thread or enrage you to throw it all out the window.
You've stated that you are trying not to gain a stash, which might be crucial for people living in smaller spaces. However, having a stash that you add to with the leftovers from other projects or that you add to with supplies intended for a new project when it is on sale is a great way to make crafting more affordable. I am a knitter and can use my leftover yarn for colour work, striped pieces or Frankensocks. My mum is a quilter and uses fabric from her stash in every quilt she makes. "Shop from your stash" is something crafters hear a lot and is a great way to make a jumper that could have been $200 in materials more affordable by using my stash yarn first and supplementing it when needed.
Half the fun for me is "what can I make out of this stash item?" That's what really gets the creative gears turning. How short do the sleeves on this shirt have to be if I want to get it all out of this one piece of fabric? I crochet, and those little balls of leftovers get to be colourful darning on my thick work socks, and the cotton yarn I use for dish cloths, if I separate the strands, works for darning my cotton sweat socks. And the knees and butts of most of my work pants now sport some colourful fabric scrap as a patch...I especially like the blue flannel bunny face peeking out of one knee hole...
Lie #6: You have to do a good job. I’m definitely more of an upcycle/ repair sewist, but I’ve been successfully remaking and wearing thrifted clothes for over a decade without actually being very good at it (I mean, without spending the time to “learn how to sew” tm) My occasional, haphazard, quick and dirty sewing skills have seen me through reshaping, combining and sometimes creating clothes that last me way longer (through style changes, wear and tear, etc) and become signature to my look. Most mistakes are invisible from 2 steps back, and unless you’re trying to gift or sell them no one else will care. At all. The biggest dirty secret? Most sweaters will not actually unravel if you cut them. Unless they’re a very loose knit, you’ve got years of slow, cool looking fray on a rough-chopped sweater. And if you don’t want that frayed edge look, a quick blanket stitch is one of the easiest and toughest stitches out there.
I was just about to say something similar, I do make clothes from scratch all the time and my topstitiching has always been wonky and my edges not serged on the inside, but it doesn't matter. No one else is looking that close, and they're not going to fall apart anytime soon ( and if they do, I'll just fix them ). Getting something done in a reasonable amount of time and money matters more to me than perfectly straight seams.
And honestly, depending on the person you're gifting stuff to, some mistakes don't matter even then. I gift my friends stuff I make all the time and as long as the mistake doesn't compromise the aesthetic or structural integrity of the piece, they don't care. Plus, you can also easily cover those kinds of mistakes with some other thing.
I love making my own Hobbit-inspired clothing and getting compliments on it! I'm autistic and a bit chubby, and making my own clothing has helped me be happier and more comfortable with what I wear, physically and psychologically. Not only are sewing and crocheting useful skills for "after the collapse", I like to think that I'm connecting with generations of my ancestors who did the same thing, e.g. my mother sews, my grandmother sews and knits, her mother probably sewed too, etc. It's cool to think that the essentials of something like crocheting hasn't changed over the last two hundred years.
I have a lovely photo of a paternal great-grandmother crocheting. I remember my maternal grandmother and my mum crocheting. My mum owned a sewing machine shop for a while, and the lady she owned it with was like a lovely aunt (and I'm still close to her daughter). I totally feel this vibe of connecting with not only my ancestors but all women, everwhere, who have always tried to make the mundane into something beautiful. Women did not generally ever have the luxurey of a box of paints, a well lit gallery, and time to paint. But we could make clothing a little bit prettier, since we had to make them anyway. I love that we can still be part of this.
@@bossyboots5000 It's one of my favourite thing about crafts. When I'm sewing, or making clay models, or painting, I feel this connection to all the hundreds of generations of ancestors who spent their time doing the very same things albeit with different tools and methods. And it lets me know that we are really the same as the serfs and Romans and mammoth hunters, that we have always been humans.
To anyone who may be worried that sewing/knitting may take up too much time and not give any space to be social: I've grown up with a grandma that was knitting every evening or during trips while having engaging conversations with us and generally hanging out. My mum used to put on a film while ironing and my brother and I would cozy up next to her in the sofa. I have several friends that regularly bring their crochet or knitting to our meetups to keep their yands busy while we are all catching up You can do it ^^
I love eating.,... If I´m sitting with friends and there´s food on the table in front of me I´ll eat it... specially the finger food you share qhen meeting friends or family. So..... to avoid over eating I eat and after that I get my knitting out of it´s bag . I´m still participating in the gathering but my hands are busy . And my knitting is growing by the minute....
I love that you mention the idea of this being a therapy "replacement"! (for the record, go to actual therapy too) There's a ton of studies that have shown that "crafting" - be it painting, sewing, mending, knitting, or paper cutting - lowers cortisol and engages our brains in ways that help create new and stronger neuropathways; because all creative work in the brain is conflict resolution/problem solving! It's also a huge confidence booster to wear a garment you've made with your own hands! The thing about sewing that I think is so magical isn't just the social implications of the hobby, but also the personal development aspects. It's a skill that produces social consciousness around the garments we wear, and develops us into calmer, more creative humans with a shareable skill! I had a job where we were required to wear a very specific uniform that included a hem length on our trousers, and because I was the only person the any of my co-workers knew with a sewing machine I traded hems for coffee/lunch gift cards. A friend of mine now trades me loaves of homemade bread for hemming/mending her kids clothes. I've traded sewing for replacing the breaks on my car! I think people forget the mental health benefits of sharing skills. Skills sharing is community care! Another aspect I could talk for hours about is the generational healing that comes from learning skills like this and passing that knowledge on. Loved this video so much!
Also, mending clothes is even easier than making your own. To be able to sew buttons on again, stitch up a small tear or a singlet strap opens up the possibilities to both exspand the longevity of an item, as well as making it so much easier to buy second-hand. I use my sewing machine and even just a needle and thread weekly to do this, and it just opens up a whole new world.
I recently made a ridiculous space age silver bolero to wear to Eurovision (and every future event ever) and there's nothing quite like the feeling of someone complimenting something you put your heart and soul into, thinking it was something you bought from a fancy brand ❤
Even if you don't make entirely new clothes learning to alter and mend your clothes is incredibly useful. A shirt you love but the fit is meh tweak it and volia! Or putting patches on elbows or knees or a dart in a waist to fix how it fits
I'm gonna add, knowing how to make alterations to your own clothes is also rly good on the sustainability end. I had this dress that I was barely wearing because it just felt too short, so one day I decided to turn it into a top instead and now it's a summer favourite for me. Altering things you've grown tired of/don't really wear is a great way to breathe new life into your wardrobe without actually buying anything new🌸And you don't even need a sewing machine for that!!
One big tip to get the most sewing bang for your buck: thrift your sewing machine! Get one from before the seventies, all metal, that have a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch, and you're all set! I got my machine from a charity shop for 15 euros. It is from 1958 and it works better than some of my friends' modern machines. It does not have any fancy stitches, but it is so sturdy I have not only sewn jeans with it, but even thick plastic (however I will be never doing that again and I do not recommend haha). The only downside is it only sews the posh German thread (but I thrift that as well).
...this is me realising that i only buy Gutermann and that cheaper brands do exist. Oops. another tip for getting a sewing machine for cheap is asking around your local community, especially if you know people who already sew! someone may be eyeing one of those fancy digital sewing machines with 5000 stitches and looking to pass on their old machine. or, there may be older ladies who haven't used theirs in a while who would be happy to gift/lend it to someone who would get some use out of it.
@@Moocow2003 Yeah I got a 1970s machine that was still in its box ($549.99 price tag) for $130 from a friend, and a friend found me a 1960s machine at a thrift store, got it rewired when she had her own machine serviced, and gave it to me for my birthday last year. Still trying to figure out what thread my 1914 hand crank (free from a friend's mother who passed away), it's still a bit silly sometimes but so far Gutermann cotton hasn't been any better than dollar store cotton...
@@Moocow2003 Who can blame you? The first time I tried Gutermann thread instead of whatever cheap 20 pack of assorted polyester spiderweb that Tesco had it was night and day lol. Also, just starting by hand-sewing is an underrated option. It's not hard, just time-consuming, and much cheaper to get going. Plus good hand sewing skills are invaluable for all sorts of clothing maintenance. Biggest issue is that hand needles are crap nowadays.
THANK YOU so much for talking about how all clothes are handmade! It amazes me how many people think clothes just enter some machine as fabric and leave fully made 🪡 These tips and myths you shared to start sewing are brilliant, and I hope more people follow your lead. I taught myself to sew in middle school, and it’s honestly been life-changing for me!
As someone who just graduated from their master's and is literally wearing a top they bought when they were 12, for me, being thoughtful about clothing consumption to avoid chronic buying isn't one of my struggles and I think I would actually end up being more wasteful if I went down the sewing route BUT I really appreciate your bartering skillsets idea! It's definitely something I can work with as I like to garden, cook, and am learning carpentry from my mum. Hopefully these skills can not only be helpful to me but also others as I develop them!
I’m still using my great grandma’s Singer sewing machine, which she bought second hand in approximately 1920 ❤ I also got my own electric one for my 21st birthday, per family tradition! So special to connect with family like that. And great for making things like quilts and little gifts out of your old clothes too!
I started a quilt during the pandemic exclusively hand sewing. I have chronic illnesses, and am often in bed. I wanted to do something that I could keep in a drawer next to my bed, do as many stitches as I was up for, and put it back. I noticed that I started each half square triangle in a different place. My bed, my couch, my van, and decided to make it a thing. I would start each square in a different place, but finish them as I had energy. Went to parks and had picnics, got ready to move, and did a walk down memory lane and stopped by our first apartment, our go to date spot, and took a picture at each location, holding the square up. We drove across the country in the van, 2 cats, 2 people, and a plant, and I started a square in each state along the way. I still haven't finished it, but it is really cool to celebrate getting out, especially in 2021, and acknowledging my limits. Nothing wrong with machine quilting, but not feeling stuck behind a machine is good too.
Plenty of UK towns have sewing clubs, where you get access to all the equipment for a nominal fee while also being in great company with other maybe more experienced sewers! Also, if you're concerned about the financial/environmental aspect of making your own clothes, just buy something from a charity shop that could work for you and alter it! For me that's the comfortable middle ground that works.
I am a product designer, and its very undersold to you in college how much shit is still hand made. even the crappy furnature from wayfair often has human hands building it, carving it, ect. Its nuts looking at it and its annoying trying to explain to people that you actually own hand made items, they were just made by people we see, franckly, as less human.
I really like you mentioning the "when everything collapsed" at the end. I learned mending and sewing and knitting and crochet for that.😂 And people look at me like I'm weird when I say it 😂😂
Nothing wrong with learning transferrable skills is there? 😅 People laugh now but when society collapses they'll be at your door 😅 also had a funny conversation with my vet neighbour about which sewing stitches are transferrable for wound sealing. I was teaching her mending in terms she would understand lol 🤣
So you're sewing for the end of the world? 😂 While everyone else will be worried about ammunition ,you'll be stocking up on yarn and just kicking back waiting for the barterers
I love this video! As a lifelong sewist/knitter/creator I love seeing people discover the joys of making your own stuff! The Closet Historian's video of sustainability is a great video and I'm glad to see other creators promoting it. I do have a few things to add that I've learnt the hard way and/or had handed down to me by my sewing group. I will say on the sewing machine issue - I'd recommend if people are on a budget or not sure if they will enjoy it, putting your money towards a cheap, old second hand machine that is in working order is a much better use of your money than buying new. A lot of cheap, new machines are actually designed with obselence in mind. In addition the mechanics are cheap and can actually make sewing more difficult and hence you might not get a realistic experiance of the hobby. I learnt to sew on a 1967 singer and to this day that is my most favourite machine I've ever used and I miss her dearly. Good questions to ask if buying a second hand machine is "do you know when it was last used" and "do you know when it was last serviced". Even machines that are 100 years old would be worth your money if they've been kept in constant use (even if they haven't been given regular servicings). The porblem arises when the insides get rusty and then they're essentially irrepairable. If someone is using it it means it works and the insides are in working order. A lot of sewing machine repair stores are valuble sources of information as to what machines (new or second hand) are a good purchase, many are very excited to get to talk about this topic and will maybe even have reconditioned second hand machines for purchase. My second piece of advice is to see if you have a local sewing group you can join - even if its not the type of sewing you're into. I got invited to join a 25+ yo quilting group in 2015 and it has been one of most lifechanging experiances I've been blessed with. Being the youngest by MANY decades I've benefited from their lifetimes of experiances and mistakes, but also become a better person in general. Because I have been hanging out with a bunch of women aged 70+ for the last 8 years I feel so much more comfortable about aging, taking my time to learn, but also never feeling too old to try something new. While I am more interested in garment sewing the quilting skills I have learnt have been transferable and I feel more confident sewing clothes. And not to say this is the ONLY reason but a huge benefit has been inherriting more sewing suplies than I know what to do with. A lot of people in that age demographic are downsizing their lives and are usually much happier giving it to an excited young person than sending it to a thrift shop. Same goes for members of your local community who may have elderly relatives who are passing on supplies. Bit of an essay but sewing/knitting ect are amazing hobbies and a great source of community and friendship. 10/10 recommend, yes there is so much to learn but there are lots of people out there who are excited to pass on their knowledge!
You may not need space, but you do need it to not be disturbed during the pricess (ie sewing with a toddler around isn't a lot of fun!) I definitely did a lot more sewing before I had kids, even though I intended to sew clothes for my daughter. So far, I've only really made her costumes for nursery or school, and lots of sashiko style mending!
I started sewing about 5 years ago on a machine a friends' mum was going to take to the tip. For me it kicked off seriously after i had a baby and my body was different in ways i hadn't expected. I went shopping for clothes and nothing fit. I couldn't believe that so many clothes hadn't been designed with post-baby in mind. Sewing my own clothes improved my relationship with my body and fashion. It has boosted my confidence and makes me feel accomplished. Highly recommend people to start!
When I was a child, sewing appeared like something super difficult to me, not like something everyone could learn quite easily (at least the basics). As a teenager, I drew clothing sketches now and then but would have never imagined that 20 years later, I would sew nearly everything myself, including winter jackets and my wedding dress. I made an elaborate lined blazer for my sister's wedding in 8 hours and I had to do lots and lots of alterations to the pattern beforehand. Haven't done shoes yet but I am in the process :D Starting to sew is easy and then you can learn while you go. I started because in the early 2000s there were very few options of clothes for my hobby and I'm super short and wear a cup G which makes it harder. Today, I have to stop myself from sewing because I got so fast that I could sew basically anything in a day and have time left. But I can't count anymore how much money I saved in all those years - my sewing machine wasn't cheap but it has payed off multiple times. I wouldn't recommend a super cheap sewing machine - rather look for an old used one! Where I live, you can get used refurbished machines from a sewing machine vendor and that's the best option (buying from private is cheaper but a little more risky). 20 years is not old for a sewing machines, at least for those made of metal. Lots of machines that are 60, 70 years and older are still running, but I don't know about the newer plastic ones. Mine is from 2007 and still like new, but I can't say how it will perform 20 years from now.
you just gave me a huge ego boost 😂 i'm listening to you while ironing a me made apron (printed by me using linoleum) while wearing a me made blouse and me made shirt and also a me made scrunchie made from scraps 😁✨ i had to claim my bragging rights for once sorry 😅
as a way to complete the above comment: i work part time so i have time, i use my moms sewing machine so i didn't pay for it, and i use a mix between second hand fabric, fabric from the scrap bin at a local shop and mostly either make my own patterns or use free patterns. also, i learned how to sew when i was unnemployed so i had a bunch of time to kickstart it. and i need to replace a lot of my clothes that don't fit right, because they are 10y old and my body changed a lot between 13 and 23 😅 and also im heavier than before and hourglass/pear shape so very hard to find decent clothes that don't cost a kidney...
Yay, congrats on all those me made items! It's a wonderful boost to finish something, as someone who never posts on IG I basically only ever share photos of finished crochet/sewing projects 😅 The way I always think about the time invested in sewing is you will be wearing it many more hours than it took to make 💪
I just found you. I just subscribed because you are the ONLY person who just mentioned the “crochet issue” offhand. (It should be known!) I am . . . Err. . . Rather proficient in crochet. I’m quick. I can do more complex things. I can do it without looking. But even someone like me- who can do it quickly- cannot simply be paid for my work at the prices on the highstreet. (Primark have loads at the moment. Starting at £3) I have a 60’s sewing machine. It is still going strong. I actually prefer it more than my modern machine. Plus- y’know it’s fun to make stuff!
I have a climate related job so outside of work i often feel a bit fatigued of climate content but your videos hit just the right spot. Everytime i watch your videos theu just quietly motivate me to do a little bit more, even if it's not very much or not entirely on theme with the video. This one spurred me to up my recycling game! 💚
I started to learn to sew my own clothes during covid. I love it! I'm nonbinary and want to wear clothes that fit my gender AND my body. Talking about my sewing does open up the conversation to being less consumption focused.
I'm the same! I don't usually see my gender expression in shops (especially underwear), and that's what motivates me to get better at sewing! Learning to make my own underwear that fits my body and my gender expression has made me so happy!
@@smelly-y I'm more about outer wear construction, but I can totally see how undergarments resonate and express you gender. I'm kind of scared of sewing undergarments, they seem difficult!
I use my great great grandmothers sewing machine from 1917 (it’s a treadle machine) and nothing compares (I do have a cheap modern sewing machine). My latest creations were two ballgowns, this machine sews through layers of thick fabric like it’s nothing 😍
One day I calculated out how much I'd have to pay someone to knit my favorite me-made items. And for my very favorite shawl it came to nearly $700!! How anyone owns anything crochet that they or a friend/family member didn't make themselves is both baffling and terrifying.
"I'd personally like to live in a world where Sewists are the problem when it comes to consumption and the planet." This is so perfectly expressed and I got shivers when you spoke those words. Just a perfect perspective. Bravo!
I can’t sew, but I can crochet! It takes HOURS to make something but I’m so happy when a piece is finished 😊 Inspired by you, I went to a tailor for the first time and paid them to fix a hole in my jeans that I would not be able to fix myself! 20 euros for a fixed pants, I’ll happily take it 😊
Loving this, as always! My introduction to sewing literally was out of spite. I have problems finding goth/alternative pants in my size (apparently you can't be goth and have a bum?), sooooo i picked up the little sewing skills i had still left from school and now i'm very good at sewing pants and nothing else (yet hehe)
I love this! Learn to sew for the apocalypse! I also learned to sew clothes during the pandemic and I fend so much pleasure in mending and upcycling old or thrifted clothes. I finding it very empowering to be able to tailor my clothes to my body rather than getting frustrated with my body for not fitting the clothes. It also means a lot to me to reduce waste and use my brain to be a more sustainable person. Thanks for encouraging other to learn to sew! I agree- it’s the best!
I learned during the pandemic too! It feels great being able to alter clothes to make them comfier/get more use out of them! And now if I try on something that doesn't fit right, I can make a better fitting copy!
I actually just started going to a sewing course. Like, I know, it's an even higher up-front cost (my particular course costs more than a sewing machine). But I can afford it and I like learning a structured way, in a class. It's a lot of fun. idk I feel it's a good option. I especially was feeling overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start with sewing, so having guidance is really great. I've seen people in the comments saying they're overwhelmed with like specific things - it might be worth looking into courses, maybe even like libraries or community centers are offering it for free or for a small price.
I'd like to propose that sewing can be even cheaper if you hand sew. GRANTED it takes more time. But I almost completely stopped using a sewing machine when I discovered thread tracing patterns into the fabric, basting the pieces, and sticking my piece into by bag to do in transit. My seams are so much better when I hand sew, because I take the time to really match them on the lines and sew accurately. Might be a personal problem, but I do not sew accurately with a machine. It's quiet, portable, and I can do it while lounging on the couch, or at a coffee shop... And all you need for that is sewing needles, a thimble (i sewed one out of a scrap of leather by tracing my finger), thread, and fabric. I also recommend beeswax to run the thread over, it keeps it from kinking up.
true!! machine sewing is not 'better' than hand sewing by any means. i say that as someone who would've totally quit sewing if i couldn't use a machine LOL. i'm too adhd to be patient and my hands shake too bad to do neat stitches. my limit for hand sewing is finishing pieces (sewing in the ends is sooo worth it) and small projects.
I’ve been trying to start making my own clothes for about a year now, but it’s been a rocky journey 😅 I bought a secondhand sewing machine that didn’t work and haven’t gotten around to fixing it yet, and then I started crocheting and making a large cardigan, but my most recent order of yarn never arrived… so I mostly end up using a friend’s sewing machine when I can. But this video motivated me to give it another real try! 🌻
Having sewn for several decades now I really appreciate how much work went into clothes that already exist. That’s why I do more refashioning/ upcycling nowadays. Rather than sewing from scratch. By the way, inspecting how existing garments were constructed is a wonderful way to learn to sew.
Clothing sewing is still hand done, but it’s in a production line style where a single worker sews a single part of a garment over and over for 100+ items a day. This cuts down the time to switch your machine settings, check the pattern for the next section etc etc. I find mending my clothes a much easier prospect (which still requires sewing skills!).
I don't make my own clothing, nor know if I ever will, but I definitely know how to fix and alter it and I think this is someone everyone should at least attempt to learn. Shoutout to visible mending, I think it can be a big part of more sustainable clothing! It's inclusive for various skill levels and styles and it's a visible reminder that clothes can (and should) be mended when needed.
So many brilliant points in this video. Particularly about needing a lot of space. I know for a fact that some of the most extravagant, detailed, Hollywood movie costumes worn by superstars are made in a spare bedroom because I worked on them 😂 I think like a lot of traditional 'female' skills, people assume sewing is just something you emerge from the womb knowing how to do and not something that is learnt with practice and study
My friend just lent me her old sewing machine and I made a dress from an old table cloth on my already crowded desk and floor. It was so rewarding and I became obsessed with sewing. I also started crocheting a year ago and have made a few sweaters and tops. Its my go to “brain off” relaxing activity. My clothes are not perfect, but if you throw yourself into a project and use internet resources it goes a lot better than you think it will! It’s ok to mess up because you will learn from it!
Brilliant video, Leena! As recently as yesterday, I called up my sister and asked if she wanted to have a sewing day with me. (She’s a more experienced seamstress than me, plus it will be fun). There’s a dress I want to make - no wait, make that several dresses and skirts - because I want to have a “costume wardrobe” for certain events and situations where I’m promoting my illustration business, and it just doesn’t make sense to me to be spending all my money on clothes that will not be particularly suited for everyday life. I’ll buy a jacket, and a nice vintage blouse perhaps, but a skirt? Come on, I can make a skirt!
My sewing machine belonged to my mum, and I wish I could ask her when she got it, but at least I believe it’s older than me, and I’m 26. Still works perfectly fine, and I’m so grateful that I learned sewing at a young age - nothing seems too scary, it’s more a matter of getting started with making room for the process.
I couldnt live without my sewing machine or my crochet hooks. I thrift what almost all my materials . I wear what I make. I really enjoy you and your content. Thankyou for being you , fabulous!
You're so right about the choices we make being great ways of initiating conversations about climate! I became vegetarian just under a year ago, and when I go out for a meal with friends for the first time I like being able to point out that me being vegetarian is a climate change-based decision above all else. Thank you for motivating me to keep doing everything I can (no matter how small) to protect this beautiful planet.
Honestly, when the Ukraine war hit and everything became more expensive really fast, it was the first time I thought about a „swap skill“. My yarn stash used to be so big that I could easily knit several people sweaters before running out. And I taught myself to sew last year as well and have to agree that if you really want to, you can carve out time for anything. During the first week of May this year I hardly slept, because I was obsessed by making/finishing a garment in addition to my full time job. That‘s hobbies for you 😂 Thanks for sharing as always Leena, love your content!
Totally agree that knowing how clothes are constructed is so important as we're so disconnected from the making of almost anything we buy now! It can take me days, even weeks to make an item of clothing, so when I see fast fashion brands selling them so so cheap all I see now is the hours it takes to sew/knit that and how the human who made it probably barely gets any of the deserved profit Side note - because of learning to sew and researching more on the awful impact fast fashion has on the environment, I'm going to uni as a mature student to study Sustainable Fashion to see what can be done about it 😅 Great video as always Leena!
Other things you can look into that might be near you to help you get started on your fiber crafts journey: wool or fabric shops or your local community center may offer classes, its a nice way to meet people and can be helpful to have a person teaching you (prices vary but they will usually have gift cards and that could be a nice present to ask for especially if you’re trying to get people to give you fewer "things"). Local giveaway groups that offer trades may have supplies, or there are starting to be thrift stores just for crafts items (im in the US so not sure if either of these is solely a US thing). Also, you may have something near you called a "maker space" or something similar where you can pay a membership fee for access to space and tools for all kinds of DIY projects if you are low on space (again not sure how common these are outside of the US).
4:30 I would like to say about this section is that you don't need a sewing machine. Everything I sew is hand sewn. And while it won't look as pristine as it would have if done by a machine, I think it looks way better. I like that you can tell I made it myself. And sometimes, on rare occasion, the sewing job looks _really_ good and no one can tell, and then you get to feel extra proud of yourself.
@@happytofu5 So true. The only part I don't like about sewing is repositioning how I sit. But changing your sitting position every ten minutes is just a fact of life anyway.
@@sunnyb73 I started with some easy upcycles and mending. You could start by making a small pouch or something similar to get a feeling for the process. Once you know how to do the stitches, the rest is practice. Before I made the things I really wanted, I practiced with old t shirts and such things, which would have been ripe for the trash anyways.
I've started something as simple as darning. The most sustainable thing you can do is wearing and repairing the clothes you already own. Also, it looks so cute to have these cute, colourful patches allover your clothes! Be a slow fashion girlie, and you can keep your favourite pair of jeans when you tear a whole in the crotch, or rip the armpit of your sweater, or tear a run in your favourite fleecy tights or a whole in your socks! Instead of replacing your favourite garments, stashing them in a spot and taking them out occasionally to repair is so much fun, and at the end of the day you do feel productive.
Like anything, sewing takes time to master. but you don't need to be perfect to make clothes you'll actually wear! Most mistakes are only visible from the inside and the inside doesn't need to look pretty because no one will see it! Make a thing, wear the thing, revel in the compliments, get excited about making more things... repeat!
I've been buying things from thrift for a few months with the intention of re-working them to give them a new life, but I'm not a seamstress. I have a sewing machine but I've been intimidated to actually try making a garment. This video has given me the kick in the pants to actually try, thank you!
I’ve been sewing all my life. I remember my grandmother teaching me to thread a needle and knot the thread when I was about 6 years old. I started by making clothes for my dolls, primarily my Barbie. I got my mother to buy me a Barbie pattern and by the time I was 8 or 9 I was sewing on a sewing machine. I had a great aunt who sewed for the public and she would save scraps for me and I would use them to make the doll clothes. By the time I was in high school I was making not only my clothes but my mom’s too. I’m 70 now and don’t sew as much as I used too because it’s cheaper to purchase the simple everyday clothing I wear most of the time and it’s hard to find fabric where I live. I do still like to make occasional pieces and like to make things for my home. I’ve saved thousands and thousands of dollars over a lifetime by making my own clothing and home decor.
When I started crocheting, I never thought “oh! I’m making my own wardrobe!” I just really enjoyed the process of learning new stitches, looking at things and trying to make them! Now I do think more seriously in terms of it fitting in my life (but also things I enjoy like a new way of construction or a new stitch!)
I've started to try out hand sewing. At first I thought the amount of time it would take to say sew a pair of slacks would be so frustrating but I actually find it completely relaxing! I love that I don't have to bring out the sewing machine and I can take it on my travels and end up with something to wear.
Your videos about clothing has made me so much more aware of my wardrobe! I started knitting during the pandemic and have now ended up in a place where I LOVE the clothes I wear because I made them myself so they actually fit my specific body and nobody else had to spend all those hours knitting them! Also - my screentime definitely went up when I started knitting! TH-cam and knitting are best buddies! 😍
I can really relate to this! I’m a full time mum with a seamstress business on the side doing repair and alterations. I don’t have a dedicated sewing space and sew on the dining table. I don’t have a complicated sewing machine and I love making and repairing things with my skills. It’s brilliant that you point out that all clothes are hand made as so many people forget this and consider home made as a lesser quality.
I have been planning to make a specific dungaree dress for 4 years, and I finally had it wearable last week for my birthday!! I still want to fix bits of it and change the shape a little, but I am so proud of myself!!
Thank you for acknowledging the amount of exploitative labour that goes into fast fashion today! Including the fact that crochet cannot be done by machines! I knit, sew and crochet, I have my grandmother's knitting needles, crochet hooks which were my OTHER grandmother's and a 1956 singer sewing machine that was a gift from my mum. Machines will go forever as long as they are taken care of. Most of my fabric comes from a local charity shop, there are so many free patterns online for all three options. It's a meditative thing for me in many ways and I'll often knit/crochet or do the finishing touches on a garment while I'm taking a break from the degree work (and kids) and watching something on TV with the husband. It's my free time thing and I love doing it. knitting and crochet are known to improve your mental health while doing it, and having something to show at the end of it is it's own massive boost to my mood as well.
One thing that's worth mentioning is hand sewing, its how i learned and still sew to this day! you can get needles and thread for dirt cheap, there are LOADS of great tutorials on TH-cam, and its the way people have been making clothes for thousands of years! Those skills are also great for mending clothes later on.
the condition that kills distressed jean makers is silicosis - inhaling silica dust over time slowly turns your lungs into glass basically. it's horrible.
This! 👆 As a person with scoliosis I was a bit confused. 😅 Totaly different disiease mechanisms, but confusingly close in spelling. Was going to leave this comment myself, but figured someone would have left it by now. Went on a scrollaroo to fint it, and here we are!
I learnt how to sew as a kid and love it, making clothes for my teddy bears and other toys. As I got older my mom saw how much I loved doing that and put me in sewing classes to learn more. I love it and learnt how to make my own clothes and quilting too. I did stop sewing as a teen and in college, just due to a lack time/energy. This year I got back into it again and have made a formal dress and shorts. I hope that one day I can have a more me made wardrobe and re work clothes i have to fit me better. It is a fun hobby that definitely added to my life. Watching youtube videos have also give so much help to elarn new skills in sewing.
Yes, I love that you made this video🎉❤ I am so lucky that I learned to sew as a child because my mom would sew for herself and costumes for me. Now I'd say 40% of my clothes are made by me and I love them ❤ (Also once you've learned to sew you start to understand so much more about materials and cuts and how clothes fit - so you can make more conscious decisions about the clothes you do buy.) And it's so just much fuuunnn 🎉❤
What a great video! About the cost of sewing machines - I learned to sew on my grandmother’s sewing machine. Then I got a refurbished (used) sewing machine for Christmas when I was made 13 or 14. I still remember how utterly THRILLED I was at that machine that Christmas morning. I had that machine for decades, until my mother gave me her old machine with cabinet when she got a fancy new machine. When my children were little I made nearly all our clothes. In 2007 my husband and sisters surprised me with an amazing new machine that I’m still learning all the fancy things it can do. Thanks for reminding me of so many great TRUTHS about making one’s own garments 💕
Got into sewing through living history and re-enactment, so started out with hand sewing and it's still my favourite way of doing things. I don't have a sewing machine but sometimes go to friend's places or the library to use one, but I really prefer to watch youtube or listen to an audiobook and sew by hand. Very relaxing. 100% agree on the new found appreciation for the clothes you already have when you start making clothes yourself.
I'm a life-long knitter and I love that I have sweater and socks and hats that will last way longer than commercially-made ones and that I can wear with pride. That being said, I try to be conscious about stashing - at the very least I need to have a specific project in mind when I buy wool. And obviously buying new wool has an environmental impact. I tend to use mostly natural fibres, particularly 100% wool because acrylic does not feel as nice and will shed microplastics forever. I'm not vegan and I know there's debates about sheep farming but from what I understand, good quality wool comes from well-kept sheep. Does that mean paying $200+ for a sweater's-worth of yarn? yes. But I'll pay it because I have the means to, and if I'm going to put in 40 hours making a sweater, I want to do it with materials that are going to last
I don't know if anyone woll ever read this, but thank you Leena for inspiring a perfect elevator pitch on "Why everyone should start to sew" I will present, in a space where I was just asked to "present anything that interests me" in an effort to practice natural speaking in front of an audience. I will shamelessly use this opportunity to educate people who were likely previously unaffected by thoughts about consuming clothes, on why they should care for what they wear and raise awareness for a cause that is growing more important to me every day. Your points are clear and help me form equally clear talking points in my presentation. Thank you so much. This is an amazing and important video and it should reach more people who are not in creative circles.
I can have a short attention span and get frustrated when things go wrong, which happens a lot when I rush. One of the main things that has helped me learn to sew is to remind myself BEFORE STARTING, that it’s ok for this to go as slowly as it needs to and I will inevitably mess up, and that’s ok. Telling myself I’m going to mess up before it happens makes it so much easier when it occurs. Don’t expect otherwise. Mistakes are literally just part of the process.
I live in a studio apartment, so I need to keep my sewing stuff in one ish area. I inherited fabric and other sewing items from my mom, so I do have things to start with. I am enjoying your vid.
Please do try a knitting machine...they are SOOOO satisfying to use. You can probably find one from the 80s in a charity shop for peanuts. Advantage...unlike traditional knitting, anyone can do it. I made sweaters as a 7 year old. It even had a horse pattern on the front. Waaay easy.
I got a used single bed sheet from a nearby charity shop for an entire £1.50 a few weeks ago and made a pirate shirt with it. Pretty good quality too, so scenario 2 can be even cheaper.
Since I watched your first video where you made your dress from DIY Daisy I have made 2 skirts for me and pants for my gf from her book and ventured onto make pants from the Zero Waste patterns book Seeing you sew is so inspiring! Im lucky enough to have a mum who has always sewed and had a spare sewing machine - but since mentioning it to friends one of my work friends gave me a bunch of his mums old stuff as well 😁
watching this after spending the day with my grandmother, turning one of my old band t-shirts into a dress with her help, I loved listening to her talk about how she used to make dresses and suits for everyone in the family all of the time and how she even used to take her machine into work to sew on her breaks! The machines that we used are about 20 years old and the one I have in my house is even older and still going strong!
I've studied tailoring and can make clothes that are really professionally put together. I typically buy expensive wool and cashmere fabrics, and interfacings, buttons, zippers, linings etc. add up. It's still a lot cheaper than buying high-end designer clothes! I might spend 500 euros on the material for a coat, but a comparable coat can cost 4000 euros in a store. I once managed to thrift a good amount of beautiful grey tweed for 30 euros, so it doesn't have to be expensive. Tips for absolute beginners: Half of the work when you sew stuff is ironing/pressing. You should basically press every single seam when you've sewn it. Also, never ever skip interfacings, they're there for a reason - you'd normally use the fusible press-on kind.
Once again an absolute cracker of a video. :) 😊 Always love how you make my brain stretch. Now I have to go and find your video on ‘what’s affordable?’.
ADHDers/people with learning disabilities listen up! Patterns can be tricky to follow for us, sometimes making your own patterns might be more intuitive. I started by following videos, where simple sewing/drafting techniques got me to understand the concepts. I also learnt by doing alterations to existing clothing. This helped immensely with me intuitively learning construction tecniques by taking things apart and putting them back together. My biggest barrier to sewing was sewing patterns and following instructions and if it feels too difficult for you too that's okay, just start with whatever comes naturally to you. Lots of people tout certain aspects of sewing or knitting being beginners friendly or more difficult. But for me, a beginner scarf is impossible to knit because I have no motivation to learn in that way. For knitting I was motivated by wanting the perfect brown cropped jumper I could never find, and so I started there. I just made a start and learnt the tecniques in the pattern from TH-cam along the way! And that's what worked for me, not starting at basics because it's not what motivated me to actually do it! So if you have an ND mind, maybe try starting somewhere other than where most people start because I find that path doesn't always work for us and we learn in a very different way! Also, done is better than perfect! If you can't see a mistake from a meter away and it doesn't effect the function or longevity of the garment DO NOT BE MAD ABOUT IT! All of nothing is such a common problem that stops ND people from starting. Aim to fail, repeatedly. Aim to do things badly because we literally learn from our mistakes. But adjust your expectations and just aim for wearable and then just keep doing it 🤷♀️ that's my ND advice anyway 🙂
This was such a thoughtful and thorough comment, thank you so much Laura
😊😊 I hope it helps others see that these crafts are possible for them, just the journey might look a bit different to what you're usually told and that's totally okay 💚
Exactly that. ❤
Yes I second that! I had been wanting to learn how to sew for years but could never bring myself to actually learn all the basics and stuff. But last year I got into historical fashion and wanted to create an historically-accurate 18th century outfit, so I started with that. Made a shirt and a pair of breeches. It probably took me much longer than if I had actually learned the basics beforehand, but I now know how to do most things with my sewing machine and I managed to stay motivated because I really wanted the final outfit!
Some of these issues have been what's kept me from finishing the skirt projects I started two years ago and last year. I get to the point where the pieces are together, it looks like a skirt! but I need to do the closure, waistband, and hem, so I just stop working on it for fear of messing up (and the daunting-ness of all the little steps).
"Just like with book buying, buying sewing materials and sewing are two different hobbies" Why you gotta attack me like that lmao
‘Sewing and buying sewing supplies are two different hobbies’ I feel seen and not in a good way! Another brilliant video xx
You're not the only one! 😂
Honestly I do this so much that I’ve gone away from DIY projects altogether. My biggest win with my decades old sewing machine (which is still good as new ) was patching my worn out jeans last year and being able to keep them in rotation!
The worst thing about this is that I sometimes feel overwhelmed by my stash. Like there's too much choice and then I end up not sewing anything but scrolling through pinterest instead.
I've got some free time from work coming up, so my plan is to do to my stash what I already did to my wardrobe: look at everything and if I'm not absolutely in love with it/can't think of a project for it - it's going to the sell/donate pile. Hopefully that enables me to actually *do* stuff with my stash, if I like everything that's in it.
@@Treepwastakeni don’t think genuine minimalism (e.g. not having a stash of supplies) is compatible with creating honestly… Sewing aside I have lots of art supplies (I have like 10 projects at any given time) and like you don’t think about how much space everything takes up until you don’t have a choice BUT to think bout it 🥲
So anyways don’t beat yourself up about it, it’s still doing the better thing for the planet to create your own things instead of buying new…
Saaame! At the moment I'm on a yarnbuying ban, because it works just the same with knitting! I first have to bust my stash before I'm allowed to buy new yarn for new projects (never buy yarn without a project in my mind!)
I found that learning to make my own clothes hasn't magically morphed into a "me made" wardrobe but rather a "me repaired" wardrobe and that's enough for me. I'm hoping to one day have the space and time (you don't need much but you do need some) to focus on building clothes in their entirety but it is so easy and fast, once you have learned the skills, to darn a sweater, fix a split seam, or hem a skirt.
Same! I’m slowly edging towards making a whole garments from scratch, but the fact that I can fix AND ADJUST existing clothes brings me so much happiness. Boob dart needed? I can do it. Vest straps too long and neckline too plungey? I Can Fix It!! Stupid long trousers need adjusting for my 5ft 0in housemate? I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN!!!
‘Not available in your size’?
EVERYTHING is available in my size now!! Mwahahahaaaa!!!
exactly!! even a me-altered wardrobe which is wonderful because you’re inevitably going to get more wear out of things that you have altered to fit you well (and which you can repair should they need repairing!)
Absolutely, that’s where I’m at too and it’s so perfect-instead of feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out how and where to get rid of clothes that had lost an essential button or a strap ripped off, I can fix it very quickly and keep wearing it!
yes! I also had the epiphany that every piece of clothing that I don't wear anymore is not just repairable but also fabric!! If I don't like the style of the skirt anymore but I like the fabric it could be made into a top!
maybe it's very clear to other people but I had a real hard time thinking of old clothes as fabric and taking them apart.
About Rachel Maksy , who was flashed in the video portion about sewing spaces..... Ever since she started sewing, she's been crawling around on her floors cutting out patterns and sits with her machine on the floor....even after getting a studio. Most of her fabrics are from thrift stores and she's been reusing the same pattern pieces forever. She is a poster child for this topic.❤️
My favourite part is how she leans into her mistakes and works with them. I've been sewing since I was young but have very little to show for it cause I'm too much of a perfectionist (though tbf the limited resources of poverty also contributed). But watching her just have a go and still being impressed with the chaotic results has definitely helped me let go a bit. I've made so much more because of it and I wear and use it all
Oh most definitely, I’m an avid fan - I was just using examples of big creators who now work in large spaces. She’s the best x
@@soulsworn13 I beg to differ, tbh. most of the time she rushes the process to fit a deadline or just out of laziness, and ends up with an underwhelming result -even to her-, which means she'll never wear the garment and therefore that the fabric has been, well, wasted. My impression is rather that she keeps making the same mistakes (no making a mock-up, not using the right kind of fabric, not making sure she's got enough of it, etc)
@@AliciaB. Obviously if she gave herself more time she'd likely feel more comfortable taking the extra time and attention, especially with some of her more complex ideas. But honestly, as someone with ADHD I relate to the chaos and difficulty seeing projects to the end without having to cut corners and do things less than perfectly (I typically won't start if I can't be sure I can do it exactly and I know I won't, so I don't end up doing anything and that sucks). She definitely has an enthusiastic "yeah I made the thing and I like it, even though I don't like this part and can see where I could have done better here" energy that is refreshing. She's definitely learning and improving through the process, and at least makes more effort than most to source a lot of second hand materials and use what she already has.
It's definitely far less wasteful to be using local second hand materials and a bunch of your own time thinking and creating and enriching your life than to buy something that looks similar, if made better, new from across the world. It's not perfect, sure. But it's far better than not doing anything at all imo
@@soulsworn13 sure. I don't mind _some_ chaos & imperfection, they're actually healthy things to show in a sewing video. I'm sure there was already some of that in the beginning of her channel, in reasonable amounts and for reasons simply due to her personality, otherwise I wouldn't have subscribed.
But in the last few years it's gotten out of hand tbh. She clearly favours quantity & speed over quality in her projects. She keeps not applying advice her audience has given her time and time again to fix the problems she keeps having, as I already mentioned (MOCKUPS, APPROPRIATE FABRIC, etc) and she even brushes it off in her videos as some kind of cute, funny spontaneity ("chaotic energy") -which it's not, it's just negligence & disorganization.
It wouldn't bother me that much if her approach actually worked for her, if she was satisfied with her creations most of the time, but come on, it's clearly not the case. Recently there's been quite a few projects that have turned out less than satisfactory (transformable dress, jack-o-lantern sleeves, autumn leaf dress, barn decor that she kept re-doing, gingerbread dress, disco ball dress...) and that she will probably discard or never wear, and that's where we enter wasteful territory imo. Also she tends to use really nice natural fabric in pretty colours, which are not exactly ubiquitous in thrift stores and therefore precious to us sewists. She's priviledged to have access to a large choice of secondhand items to choose from AND to have the money to buy pretty much as many of them as she wants, and then she goes and cuts them up to make sloppy clothes that she won't even use... And don't get me started on the durability of some of her creations... Sometimes she cuts so many corners it's pretty clears the item won't survive a few washes/uses (cough cough whisical gaming chair), and I would argue that's a wasteful practice.
Another point that I think is important : the whole "chaotic energy uwu" thing (aka romanticization of sloppiness) has almost become a brand for her channel. I feel like it's what people expect from her videos, and it kinda discourages her from actually improving on her techniques & organization. The appeal of her channel now is more : "watch me attempt to make something, get stressed, rush the process and probably fail" rather than "watch me make stuff Ilike". And she seems to buy into it herself, sadly... it's like she's high on the success that this 'chaotic' character she's accidentally created brings her, and as a result kinda trapped in it.
But yeah, basically, I'm more and more disappointed with her content as it seems to be less and less about self-fulfillment & craftsmanship, and more and more
sure. I don't mind _some_ chaos & imperfection, they're actually healthy things to show in a sewing video. I'm sure there was already some of that in the beginning of her channel, in reasonable amounts and for reasons simply due to her personality, otherwise I wouldn't have subscribed.
But in the last few years it's gotten out of hand tbh. She clearly favours quantity & speed over quality in her projects. She keeps not applying advice her audience has given her time and time again to fix the problems she keeps having, as I already mentioned (MOCKUPS, APPROPRIATE FABRIC, etc) and she even brushes it off in her videos as some kind of cute, funny spontaneity ("chaotic energy") -which it's not, it's just negligence & disorganization.
It wouldn't bother me that much if her approach actually worked for her, if she was satisfied with her creations most of the time, but come on, it's clearly not the case. Recently there's been quite a few projects that have turned out less than satisfactory (transformable dress, jack-o-lantern sleeves, autumn leaf dress, barn decor that she kept re-doing, gingerbread dress, disco ball dress...) and that she will probably discard or never wear, and that's where we enter wasteful territory imo. Also she tends to use really nice natural fabric in pretty colours, which are not exactly ubiquitous in thrift stores and therefore precious to us sewists. She's priviledged to have access to a large choice of secondhand items to choose from AND to have the money to buy pretty much as many of them as she wants, and then she goes and cuts them up to make sloppy clothes that she won't even use... And don't get me started on the durability of some of her creations... Sometimes she cuts so many corners it's pretty clears the item won't survive a few washes/uses (cough cough whisical gaming chair), and I would argue that's a wasteful practice.
Another point that I think is important : the whole "chaotic energy uwu" thing (aka romantization of sloppiness) has almost become a brand for her channel. I feel like it's what people expect from her videos, and it kinda discourages her from actually improving on her techniques & organization. The appeal of her channel now is more : "watch me attempt to make something, get stressed, rush the process and probably fail" rather than "watch me make stuff Ilike". And she seems to buy into it herself, sadly... it's like she's high on the success that this 'chaotic' character she's accidentally created brings her, and as a result kinda trapped in it.
But yeah, basically, I'm losing interest in her content as it seems to be less and less about craftsmanship & self-fulfillment, and more and more about the mere entertainment value of _watching someone make something_ , the _performance_ of it regardless of the practical real-life results... kinda like a 5-min crafts video, to be honest with you
I am paralyzed and spend my days in a wheelchair. I must be able to raise my arms above my head with absolutely no constriction (restriction) from the "shoulder" of a garment. I have caused serious shoulder pain to myself from wearing a shirt that constrained my shoulder movement. I have done alterations on almost every shirt I own to make them "not a danger" to my shoulder joint health. I crudely hand-stitched those alterations, but I am very proud of my comfy clothes.
As a professional costumer, I get a lot of people looking at what I make for shows and clients and going, “oh I can’t sew, I can’t do that.”
I want to stress to everyone, that while costuming and sewing overlap, they are not the exact same.
If you can stitch a line in fabric, you can sew. If you can replace a button, or hem your trousers, you can sew.
I think everyone can do it definitely. But not everyone will like it or invest time, patience and energy into it. Not everyone will have a natural talent and passion for it. But it’s definitely something that you can learn if you have two hands and a healthy mind.
One of the things I have found most gratifying about making your own clothes is being able to make something that actually fits you. I am fairly pear-shaped, and trying to find trousers that go over my thighs and butt that don't then ludicrously gape at the waist is always a bit of an ordeal. Being able to tailor clothes to my own measurements, and actually choose the exact fabric and style I want makes the whole process much more fun than going shopping!
Yeah, me too! I was just at a store yesterday with a big sale, saw some nice brown pants I could've added a couple darts to. But I just made super comfy jorts, so the brown pants gets to stay in my mind, waiting for the right fabric 🧵🤣
My proportions haven't been fashionable since about 1895, so buying clothes (or even sewing patterns!) that fit me is near impossible. I feel so good wearing things that really fit me and that is much easier when I am making them myself.
Do you have any guidance/ tips/ videos for taking in the waist on bottoms? I have a similar shape & am really struggling with that dreaded waistband gape (on elasticated & buttoned waistbands alike).
@@JBUHJBUH I have the waistband gape, problem too! What has helped me is using a curved waistband, there are some videos on TH-cam on how to create one. I've used Miss Matti's video "How To Make a Perfect Waistband Without Gaping At Waist", she explains the difference between the types of waistbands and how to alter them.
I've also just added a couple darts to the back of finished pants. This has helped on a couple I've bought.
@@JBUHJBUH I found this video very helpful for jeans th-cam.com/video/j5v2CN18rDc/w-d-xo.html and then for elasticated waists I usually unpick the seam that is needed to reveal the elastic. Chop a bit off the elastic and sew everything back up. Hope that helps!
The last myth you shared really hit home! I think the push for people to grow their own food, make their own clothes, etc can easily slip into a push for hyper-independence where you do not rely on others for anything. As you said, the reality is that relying on other people and being part of a community is a strength, not a weakness. I love the idea of swapping a 40 hour garment for 40 hours worth of food!!
A tip from one beginner knitter to those looking to start: as with clothing, a higher price of yarn does not mean higher quality. For one of my first big projects, I spent a $hit ton on what I thought was a "luxury" yarn only to find that it pilled immediately. I really love watching TL Yarn Crafts for her yarn reviews, and she has videos on budget yarn options!
Yes, definitely! Another thing I always advise beginners is to move away from chunky yarn as soon as you can stomach the idea of knitting with thinner yarn. Chunky yarn just doesn't last, because of the way it's spun. Plus the garments are almost always too warm, thick or heavy to be functional.
The price is usually reflective of fibre content. Some fibres are simply more expensive. Some acrylics are more expensive because they use a smoother or longer fibre than the cheaper brands. I've found that some fancy yarns do sometimes need to be cared for a lot more deliberately than others - I have a cotton and bamboo blend that turns into the most hideous matted mess if it's not gently handwashed by literal fairies, and it has to be kept separate until it gets washed too, because even lying in the basket with a bunch of other items on top of it will probably destroy it. It was definitely still worth the price, but I think the amount of care we're willing and able to give the finished item should be a major deciding factor when choosing a yarn or fabric. Now that I know this fibre type better, I'd only make special occassion items out of it in future, never everyday garments, so I know I'd only have to do very careful washing once in a while.
Oh my if the UK had some I'd definitely be there
I don't think anyone has mentioned this but in my town we have a sewing cafe where people mend their items and share skills and it's such a great idea. It is free and encourages people to look after their clothes.
Great video Leena :)
I love that! It's also very encouraging and motivating.
Sound cute and fun!! Everyone has small tops and tricks that aren't always the same as online or in a book.
I used to go to one in Edinburgh and absolutely loved it. Until they moved away and now they have it in working hours🙄 so can't go anymore😢
A sewing cafe where people mend their items and share skills? Is that in the UK? Sadly I don't think there is such a thing anywhere in the USA.
That is so cool!!!
My mum still has the sewing machine she was given for her 21st birthday, and she’s now approaching a significant birthday beginning with a 6. She made uni ball gowns, her own wedding dress, and almost every single curtain in my parents house. Take care of your sewing machine and it will take care of you!
Aw that's so lovely - I hope mine lasts that long! I want to sew my granny dressing gowns with it!
My mother's sewing machine died when it was more than 50 years old. All in all that investment paid itself down several decades ago
My mum bought me the same kind of sewing machine that her sister had made dresses for her on when she was in her teens - it's an Elna lotus and I think it will last forever!
My sewing machine is from my great grandma! My mum taught me how to sew with it and I've always loved it over more modern machines I've used. So when mum got a fancy modern quilting machine I called dibs on the old Janome. (It's electric powered but has many more mechanical parts than more modern machines). It requires a little more servicing than newer machines but I've found there are sewing machine serviceman who absolutely adore it when you bring in an old machine 😂
Indeed I'm still working on my Mother's 1976 Husqvarna 2000. And I've been using that same machine since I was 7years old. ✌🏻☺. 👋🏻🇳🇱
Also: If you sew with polyester fibres do not use cotton thread. While the cotton may shrink in the first wash, polyester does not.
With cotton fabric it's always best to prewash the fabric before sewing, no matter how enthusiastically you want to start the project. You can keep up with the most intricate pattern, if everything shrinks even a few percentages it won't really fit.
Unrelated tip: cheap discounter overlock machines are not worth it. Speaking from experience. I personally have zero fun sewing on these monsters. A good overlock starts at around 399€ and is worth it, bc it won't break needles, eat thread or enrage you to throw it all out the window.
‘Sewing and buying sewing supplies are two different hobbies’ This should be on a t-shirt 😅Thanks for sharing!
You've stated that you are trying not to gain a stash, which might be crucial for people living in smaller spaces. However, having a stash that you add to with the leftovers from other projects or that you add to with supplies intended for a new project when it is on sale is a great way to make crafting more affordable. I am a knitter and can use my leftover yarn for colour work, striped pieces or Frankensocks. My mum is a quilter and uses fabric from her stash in every quilt she makes. "Shop from your stash" is something crafters hear a lot and is a great way to make a jumper that could have been $200 in materials more affordable by using my stash yarn first and supplementing it when needed.
yesss, there's always a way to use scraps! if they're small, quilt into one piece, if they're even too small for that, use as stuffing
Half the fun for me is "what can I make out of this stash item?" That's what really gets the creative gears turning. How short do the sleeves on this shirt have to be if I want to get it all out of this one piece of fabric?
I crochet, and those little balls of leftovers get to be colourful darning on my thick work socks, and the cotton yarn I use for dish cloths, if I separate the strands, works for darning my cotton sweat socks. And the knees and butts of most of my work pants now sport some colourful fabric scrap as a patch...I especially like the blue flannel bunny face peeking out of one knee hole...
Lie #6: You have to do a good job.
I’m definitely more of an upcycle/ repair sewist, but I’ve been successfully remaking and wearing thrifted clothes for over a decade without actually being very good at it (I mean, without spending the time to “learn how to sew” tm) My occasional, haphazard, quick and dirty sewing skills have seen me through reshaping, combining and sometimes creating clothes that last me way longer (through style changes, wear and tear, etc) and become signature to my look. Most mistakes are invisible from 2 steps back, and unless you’re trying to gift or sell them no one else will care. At all.
The biggest dirty secret? Most sweaters will not actually unravel if you cut them. Unless they’re a very loose knit, you’ve got years of slow, cool looking fray on a rough-chopped sweater. And if you don’t want that frayed edge look, a quick blanket stitch is one of the easiest and toughest stitches out there.
(Edit: tough meaning sturdy, not difficult)
I was just about to say something similar, I do make clothes from scratch all the time and my topstitiching has always been wonky and my edges not serged on the inside, but it doesn't matter. No one else is looking that close, and they're not going to fall apart anytime soon ( and if they do, I'll just fix them ). Getting something done in a reasonable amount of time and money matters more to me than perfectly straight seams.
This gave me information I needed about cutting already knitted pieces and sewing them like machine made knit garments, thanks!
And honestly, depending on the person you're gifting stuff to, some mistakes don't matter even then. I gift my friends stuff I make all the time and as long as the mistake doesn't compromise the aesthetic or structural integrity of the piece, they don't care. Plus, you can also easily cover those kinds of mistakes with some other thing.
Kudos to you!
I love making my own Hobbit-inspired clothing and getting compliments on it! I'm autistic and a bit chubby, and making my own clothing has helped me be happier and more comfortable with what I wear, physically and psychologically.
Not only are sewing and crocheting useful skills for "after the collapse", I like to think that I'm connecting with generations of my ancestors who did the same thing, e.g. my mother sews, my grandmother sews and knits, her mother probably sewed too, etc. It's cool to think that the essentials of something like crocheting hasn't changed over the last two hundred years.
That's exactly how I feel about hand sewing and mending - it's like a tie to history. There's a sort of ritual to it.
I have a lovely photo of a paternal great-grandmother crocheting. I remember my maternal grandmother and my mum crocheting. My mum owned a sewing machine shop for a while, and the lady she owned it with was like a lovely aunt (and I'm still close to her daughter). I totally feel this vibe of connecting with not only my ancestors but all women, everwhere, who have always tried to make the mundane into something beautiful.
Women did not generally ever have the luxurey of a box of paints, a well lit gallery, and time to paint. But we could make clothing a little bit prettier, since we had to make them anyway. I love that we can still be part of this.
@@bossyboots5000 It's one of my favourite thing about crafts. When I'm sewing, or making clay models, or painting, I feel this connection to all the hundreds of generations of ancestors who spent their time doing the very same things albeit with different tools and methods. And it lets me know that we are really the same as the serfs and Romans and mammoth hunters, that we have always been humans.
To anyone who may be worried that sewing/knitting may take up too much time and not give any space to be social:
I've grown up with a grandma that was knitting every evening or during trips while having engaging conversations with us and generally hanging out.
My mum used to put on a film while ironing and my brother and I would cozy up next to her in the sofa.
I have several friends that regularly bring their crochet or knitting to our meetups to keep their yands busy while we are all catching up
You can do it ^^
Yes for people who can multitask. I can barely mend anything nicely if I'm talking with my son. I need silence and concentration to do a good job.
I love eating.,... If I´m sitting with friends and there´s food on the table in front of me I´ll eat it... specially the finger food you share qhen meeting friends or family. So..... to avoid over eating I eat and after that I get my knitting out of it´s bag . I´m still participating in the gathering but my hands are busy . And my knitting is growing by the minute....
I love that you mention the idea of this being a therapy "replacement"! (for the record, go to actual therapy too) There's a ton of studies that have shown that "crafting" - be it painting, sewing, mending, knitting, or paper cutting - lowers cortisol and engages our brains in ways that help create new and stronger neuropathways; because all creative work in the brain is conflict resolution/problem solving! It's also a huge confidence booster to wear a garment you've made with your own hands! The thing about sewing that I think is so magical isn't just the social implications of the hobby, but also the personal development aspects. It's a skill that produces social consciousness around the garments we wear, and develops us into calmer, more creative humans with a shareable skill! I had a job where we were required to wear a very specific uniform that included a hem length on our trousers, and because I was the only person the any of my co-workers knew with a sewing machine I traded hems for coffee/lunch gift cards. A friend of mine now trades me loaves of homemade bread for hemming/mending her kids clothes. I've traded sewing for replacing the breaks on my car! I think people forget the mental health benefits of sharing skills. Skills sharing is community care! Another aspect I could talk for hours about is the generational healing that comes from learning skills like this and passing that knowledge on. Loved this video so much!
This is so lovely thank you for your service
This is such a lovely comment
Also, mending clothes is even easier than making your own. To be able to sew buttons on again, stitch up a small tear or a singlet strap opens up the possibilities to both exspand the longevity of an item, as well as making it so much easier to buy second-hand. I use my sewing machine and even just a needle and thread weekly to do this, and it just opens up a whole new world.
To me that is common knowledge, like that you should be able to put in a new nail or skrew into your broken bookself.
I recently made a ridiculous space age silver bolero to wear to Eurovision (and every future event ever) and there's nothing quite like the feeling of someone complimenting something you put your heart and soul into, thinking it was something you bought from a fancy brand ❤
Even if you don't make entirely new clothes learning to alter and mend your clothes is incredibly useful.
A shirt you love but the fit is meh tweak it and volia! Or putting patches on elbows or knees or a dart in a waist to fix how it fits
I'm gonna add, knowing how to make alterations to your own clothes is also rly good on the sustainability end. I had this dress that I was barely wearing because it just felt too short, so one day I decided to turn it into a top instead and now it's a summer favourite for me. Altering things you've grown tired of/don't really wear is a great way to breathe new life into your wardrobe without actually buying anything new🌸And you don't even need a sewing machine for that!!
One big tip to get the most sewing bang for your buck: thrift your sewing machine! Get one from before the seventies, all metal, that have a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch, and you're all set! I got my machine from a charity shop for 15 euros. It is from 1958 and it works better than some of my friends' modern machines. It does not have any fancy stitches, but it is so sturdy I have not only sewn jeans with it, but even thick plastic (however I will be never doing that again and I do not recommend haha). The only downside is it only sews the posh German thread (but I thrift that as well).
...this is me realising that i only buy Gutermann and that cheaper brands do exist. Oops.
another tip for getting a sewing machine for cheap is asking around your local community, especially if you know people who already sew! someone may be eyeing one of those fancy digital sewing machines with 5000 stitches and looking to pass on their old machine. or, there may be older ladies who haven't used theirs in a while who would be happy to gift/lend it to someone who would get some use out of it.
@@Moocow2003 Yeah I got a 1970s machine that was still in its box ($549.99 price tag) for $130 from a friend, and a friend found me a 1960s machine at a thrift store, got it rewired when she had her own machine serviced, and gave it to me for my birthday last year. Still trying to figure out what thread my 1914 hand crank (free from a friend's mother who passed away), it's still a bit silly sometimes but so far Gutermann cotton hasn't been any better than dollar store cotton...
@@Moocow2003 Who can blame you? The first time I tried Gutermann thread instead of whatever cheap 20 pack of assorted polyester spiderweb that Tesco had it was night and day lol.
Also, just starting by hand-sewing is an underrated option. It's not hard, just time-consuming, and much cheaper to get going. Plus good hand sewing skills are invaluable for all sorts of clothing maintenance. Biggest issue is that hand needles are crap nowadays.
THANK YOU so much for talking about how all clothes are handmade! It amazes me how many people think clothes just enter some machine as fabric and leave fully made 🪡
These tips and myths you shared to start sewing are brilliant, and I hope more people follow your lead. I taught myself to sew in middle school, and it’s honestly been life-changing for me!
As someone who just graduated from their master's and is literally wearing a top they bought when they were 12, for me, being thoughtful about clothing consumption to avoid chronic buying isn't one of my struggles and I think I would actually end up being more wasteful if I went down the sewing route BUT I really appreciate your bartering skillsets idea! It's definitely something I can work with as I like to garden, cook, and am learning carpentry from my mum. Hopefully these skills can not only be helpful to me but also others as I develop them!
I don't really get your argument. You can make as many clothes as you want. You can mend old clothes and tailor thift store finds.
I love you view on disconnection as a cause of overconsumption. Completely agree.
I’m still using my great grandma’s Singer sewing machine, which she bought second hand in approximately 1920 ❤ I also got my own electric one for my 21st birthday, per family tradition! So special to connect with family like that. And great for making things like quilts and little gifts out of your old clothes too!
I started a quilt during the pandemic exclusively hand sewing. I have chronic illnesses, and am often in bed. I wanted to do something that I could keep in a drawer next to my bed, do as many stitches as I was up for, and put it back. I noticed that I started each half square triangle in a different place. My bed, my couch, my van, and decided to make it a thing. I would start each square in a different place, but finish them as I had energy. Went to parks and had picnics, got ready to move, and did a walk down memory lane and stopped by our first apartment, our go to date spot, and took a picture at each location, holding the square up. We drove across the country in the van, 2 cats, 2 people, and a plant, and I started a square in each state along the way. I still haven't finished it, but it is really cool to celebrate getting out, especially in 2021, and acknowledging my limits. Nothing wrong with machine quilting, but not feeling stuck behind a machine is good too.
Plenty of UK towns have sewing clubs, where you get access to all the equipment for a nominal fee while also being in great company with other maybe more experienced sewers!
Also, if you're concerned about the financial/environmental aspect of making your own clothes, just buy something from a charity shop that could work for you and alter it! For me that's the comfortable middle ground that works.
I am a product designer, and its very undersold to you in college how much shit is still hand made. even the crappy furnature from wayfair often has human hands building it, carving it, ect. Its nuts looking at it and its annoying trying to explain to people that you actually own hand made items, they were just made by people we see, franckly, as less human.
I really like you mentioning the "when everything collapsed" at the end. I learned mending and sewing and knitting and crochet for that.😂 And people look at me like I'm weird when I say it 😂😂
Hahah I’m glad I’m not alone!
😂😂 Haha thats secretly why i sew
Nothing wrong with learning transferrable skills is there? 😅 People laugh now but when society collapses they'll be at your door 😅 also had a funny conversation with my vet neighbour about which sewing stitches are transferrable for wound sealing. I was teaching her mending in terms she would understand lol 🤣
Me too, and the benefit of knowing what un-alienated work feels like. I can also carve spoons!
So you're sewing for the end of the world? 😂 While everyone else will be worried about ammunition ,you'll be stocking up on yarn and just kicking back waiting for the barterers
I love this video! As a lifelong sewist/knitter/creator I love seeing people discover the joys of making your own stuff! The Closet Historian's video of sustainability is a great video and I'm glad to see other creators promoting it. I do have a few things to add that I've learnt the hard way and/or had handed down to me by my sewing group.
I will say on the sewing machine issue - I'd recommend if people are on a budget or not sure if they will enjoy it, putting your money towards a cheap, old second hand machine that is in working order is a much better use of your money than buying new. A lot of cheap, new machines are actually designed with obselence in mind. In addition the mechanics are cheap and can actually make sewing more difficult and hence you might not get a realistic experiance of the hobby. I learnt to sew on a 1967 singer and to this day that is my most favourite machine I've ever used and I miss her dearly.
Good questions to ask if buying a second hand machine is "do you know when it was last used" and "do you know when it was last serviced". Even machines that are 100 years old would be worth your money if they've been kept in constant use (even if they haven't been given regular servicings). The porblem arises when the insides get rusty and then they're essentially irrepairable. If someone is using it it means it works and the insides are in working order.
A lot of sewing machine repair stores are valuble sources of information as to what machines (new or second hand) are a good purchase, many are very excited to get to talk about this topic and will maybe even have reconditioned second hand machines for purchase.
My second piece of advice is to see if you have a local sewing group you can join - even if its not the type of sewing you're into. I got invited to join a 25+ yo quilting group in 2015 and it has been one of most lifechanging experiances I've been blessed with. Being the youngest by MANY decades I've benefited from their lifetimes of experiances and mistakes, but also become a better person in general. Because I have been hanging out with a bunch of women aged 70+ for the last 8 years I feel so much more comfortable about aging, taking my time to learn, but also never feeling too old to try something new. While I am more interested in garment sewing the quilting skills I have learnt have been transferable and I feel more confident sewing clothes.
And not to say this is the ONLY reason but a huge benefit has been inherriting more sewing suplies than I know what to do with. A lot of people in that age demographic are downsizing their lives and are usually much happier giving it to an excited young person than sending it to a thrift shop. Same goes for members of your local community who may have elderly relatives who are passing on supplies.
Bit of an essay but sewing/knitting ect are amazing hobbies and a great source of community and friendship. 10/10 recommend, yes there is so much to learn but there are lots of people out there who are excited to pass on their knowledge!
You may not need space, but you do need it to not be disturbed during the pricess (ie sewing with a toddler around isn't a lot of fun!) I definitely did a lot more sewing before I had kids, even though I intended to sew clothes for my daughter. So far, I've only really made her costumes for nursery or school, and lots of sashiko style mending!
Kids grow so fast too! I'm a slow worker and getting things finished before summer ended and the kid grew out of it was a challenge!
When everything collapses 😂 That's what I always say. Skills!!!
I started sewing about 5 years ago on a machine a friends' mum was going to take to the tip. For me it kicked off seriously after i had a baby and my body was different in ways i hadn't expected. I went shopping for clothes and nothing fit. I couldn't believe that so many clothes hadn't been designed with post-baby in mind.
Sewing my own clothes improved my relationship with my body and fashion. It has boosted my confidence and makes me feel accomplished. Highly recommend people to start!
When I was a child, sewing appeared like something super difficult to me, not like something everyone could learn quite easily (at least the basics). As a teenager, I drew clothing sketches now and then but would have never imagined that 20 years later, I would sew nearly everything myself, including winter jackets and my wedding dress. I made an elaborate lined blazer for my sister's wedding in 8 hours and I had to do lots and lots of alterations to the pattern beforehand. Haven't done shoes yet but I am in the process :D
Starting to sew is easy and then you can learn while you go. I started because in the early 2000s there were very few options of clothes for my hobby and I'm super short and wear a cup G which makes it harder. Today, I have to stop myself from sewing because I got so fast that I could sew basically anything in a day and have time left. But I can't count anymore how much money I saved in all those years - my sewing machine wasn't cheap but it has payed off multiple times.
I wouldn't recommend a super cheap sewing machine - rather look for an old used one! Where I live, you can get used refurbished machines from a sewing machine vendor and that's the best option (buying from private is cheaper but a little more risky). 20 years is not old for a sewing machines, at least for those made of metal. Lots of machines that are 60, 70 years and older are still running, but I don't know about the newer plastic ones. Mine is from 2007 and still like new, but I can't say how it will perform 20 years from now.
one of mine is from 1957, a singer made of steel. never had a problem with it. you have to oil the moving parts
you just gave me a huge ego boost 😂 i'm listening to you while ironing a me made apron (printed by me using linoleum) while wearing a me made blouse and me made shirt and also a me made scrunchie made from scraps 😁✨ i had to claim my bragging rights for once sorry 😅
as a way to complete the above comment: i work part time so i have time, i use my moms sewing machine so i didn't pay for it, and i use a mix between second hand fabric, fabric from the scrap bin at a local shop and mostly either make my own patterns or use free patterns.
also, i learned how to sew when i was unnemployed so i had a bunch of time to kickstart it.
and i need to replace a lot of my clothes that don't fit right, because they are 10y old and my body changed a lot between 13 and 23 😅
and also im heavier than before and hourglass/pear shape so very hard to find decent clothes that don't cost a kidney...
Yay, congrats on all those me made items! It's a wonderful boost to finish something, as someone who never posts on IG I basically only ever share photos of finished crochet/sewing projects 😅 The way I always think about the time invested in sewing is you will be wearing it many more hours than it took to make 💪
@@deenoekuekinjuhuujahaa1804 yes! and having all the creative control over my wardrobe is 👌✨✨
I just found you. I just subscribed because you are the ONLY person who just mentioned the “crochet issue” offhand. (It should be known!) I am . . . Err. . . Rather proficient in crochet. I’m quick. I can do more complex things. I can do it without looking. But even someone like me- who can do it quickly- cannot simply be paid for my work at the prices on the highstreet. (Primark have loads at the moment. Starting at £3)
I have a 60’s sewing machine. It is still going strong. I actually prefer it more than my modern machine.
Plus- y’know it’s fun to make stuff!
I have a climate related job so outside of work i often feel a bit fatigued of climate content but your videos hit just the right spot. Everytime i watch your videos theu just quietly motivate me to do a little bit more, even if it's not very much or not entirely on theme with the video. This one spurred me to up my recycling game! 💚
I started to learn to sew my own clothes during covid. I love it! I'm nonbinary and want to wear clothes that fit my gender AND my body. Talking about my sewing does open up the conversation to being less consumption focused.
I'm the same! I don't usually see my gender expression in shops (especially underwear), and that's what motivates me to get better at sewing! Learning to make my own underwear that fits my body and my gender expression has made me so happy!
@@smelly-y I'm more about outer wear construction, but I can totally see how undergarments resonate and express you gender. I'm kind of scared of sewing undergarments, they seem difficult!
I use my great great grandmothers sewing machine from 1917 (it’s a treadle machine) and nothing compares (I do have a cheap modern sewing machine). My latest creations were two ballgowns, this machine sews through layers of thick fabric like it’s nothing 😍
“Anti-stash”?!?!?!?!?! Said no quilter, ever! Thanks for the video!
One day I calculated out how much I'd have to pay someone to knit my favorite me-made items. And for my very favorite shawl it came to nearly $700!! How anyone owns anything crochet that they or a friend/family member didn't make themselves is both baffling and terrifying.
"I'd personally like to live in a world where Sewists are the problem when it comes to consumption and the planet."
This is so perfectly expressed and I got shivers when you spoke those words. Just a perfect perspective. Bravo!
I can’t sew, but I can crochet! It takes HOURS to make something but I’m so happy when a piece is finished 😊
Inspired by you, I went to a tailor for the first time and paid them to fix a hole in my jeans that I would not be able to fix myself! 20 euros for a fixed pants, I’ll happily take it 😊
You always bring the human perspective into these seemingly ‘big’ issues and I love it. Thank you!
Loving this, as always! My introduction to sewing literally was out of spite. I have problems finding goth/alternative pants in my size (apparently you can't be goth and have a bum?), sooooo i picked up the little sewing skills i had still left from school and now i'm very good at sewing pants and nothing else (yet hehe)
I've started to learn to crochet as a mindless non-screen based activity and honestly it's SO healing and gratifying.
I love this! Learn to sew for the apocalypse! I also learned to sew clothes during the pandemic and I fend so much pleasure in mending and upcycling old or thrifted clothes. I finding it very empowering to be able to tailor my clothes to my body rather than getting frustrated with my body for not fitting the clothes. It also means a lot to me to reduce waste and use my brain to be a more sustainable person. Thanks for encouraging other to learn to sew! I agree- it’s the best!
I learned during the pandemic too! It feels great being able to alter clothes to make them comfier/get more use out of them!
And now if I try on something that doesn't fit right, I can make a better fitting copy!
"Borderline spiritual benefits of knitting." Perfect description! Loved this video, thanks for sharing these thoughts x
I actually just started going to a sewing course. Like, I know, it's an even higher up-front cost (my particular course costs more than a sewing machine). But I can afford it and I like learning a structured way, in a class. It's a lot of fun. idk I feel it's a good option. I especially was feeling overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start with sewing, so having guidance is really great. I've seen people in the comments saying they're overwhelmed with like specific things - it might be worth looking into courses, maybe even like libraries or community centers are offering it for free or for a small price.
I'd like to propose that sewing can be even cheaper if you hand sew. GRANTED it takes more time. But I almost completely stopped using a sewing machine when I discovered thread tracing patterns into the fabric, basting the pieces, and sticking my piece into by bag to do in transit. My seams are so much better when I hand sew, because I take the time to really match them on the lines and sew accurately. Might be a personal problem, but I do not sew accurately with a machine.
It's quiet, portable, and I can do it while lounging on the couch, or at a coffee shop... And all you need for that is sewing needles, a thimble (i sewed one out of a scrap of leather by tracing my finger), thread, and fabric. I also recommend beeswax to run the thread over, it keeps it from kinking up.
Additional notes: i even gave up ironing because finger pressing works fine. :P
true!! machine sewing is not 'better' than hand sewing by any means. i say that as someone who would've totally quit sewing if i couldn't use a machine LOL. i'm too adhd to be patient and my hands shake too bad to do neat stitches. my limit for hand sewing is finishing pieces (sewing in the ends is sooo worth it) and small projects.
I’ve been trying to start making my own clothes for about a year now, but it’s been a rocky journey 😅 I bought a secondhand sewing machine that didn’t work and haven’t gotten around to fixing it yet, and then I started crocheting and making a large cardigan, but my most recent order of yarn never arrived… so I mostly end up using a friend’s sewing machine when I can. But this video motivated me to give it another real try! 🌻
You didnt get all your yarn at the same time? Have you heard of dye lots?
Having sewn for several decades now I really appreciate how much work went into clothes that already exist. That’s why I do more refashioning/ upcycling nowadays. Rather than sewing from scratch.
By the way, inspecting how existing garments were constructed is a wonderful way to learn to sew.
Clothing sewing is still hand done, but it’s in a production line style where a single worker sews a single part of a garment over and over for 100+ items a day. This cuts down the time to switch your machine settings, check the pattern for the next section etc etc. I find mending my clothes a much easier prospect (which still requires sewing skills!).
I don't make my own clothing, nor know if I ever will, but I definitely know how to fix and alter it and I think this is someone everyone should at least attempt to learn. Shoutout to visible mending, I think it can be a big part of more sustainable clothing! It's inclusive for various skill levels and styles and it's a visible reminder that clothes can (and should) be mended when needed.
Love it
So many brilliant points in this video. Particularly about needing a lot of space. I know for a fact that some of the most extravagant, detailed, Hollywood movie costumes worn by superstars are made in a spare bedroom because I worked on them 😂
I think like a lot of traditional 'female' skills, people assume sewing is just something you emerge from the womb knowing how to do and not something that is learnt with practice and study
My friend just lent me her old sewing machine and I made a dress from an old table cloth on my already crowded desk and floor. It was so rewarding and I became obsessed with sewing. I also started crocheting a year ago and have made a few sweaters and tops. Its my go to “brain off” relaxing activity. My clothes are not perfect, but if you throw yourself into a project and use internet resources it goes a lot better than you think it will! It’s ok to mess up because you will learn from it!
Brilliant video, Leena! As recently as yesterday, I called up my sister and asked if she wanted to have a sewing day with me. (She’s a more experienced seamstress than me, plus it will be fun). There’s a dress I want to make - no wait, make that several dresses and skirts - because I want to have a “costume wardrobe” for certain events and situations where I’m promoting my illustration business, and it just doesn’t make sense to me to be spending all my money on clothes that will not be particularly suited for everyday life. I’ll buy a jacket, and a nice vintage blouse perhaps, but a skirt? Come on, I can make a skirt!
My sewing machine belonged to my mum, and I wish I could ask her when she got it, but at least I believe it’s older than me, and I’m 26. Still works perfectly fine, and I’m so grateful that I learned sewing at a young age - nothing seems too scary, it’s more a matter of getting started with making room for the process.
I couldnt live without my sewing machine or my crochet hooks. I thrift what almost all my materials . I wear what I make. I really enjoy you and your content. Thankyou for being you , fabulous!
You're so right about the choices we make being great ways of initiating conversations about climate! I became vegetarian just under a year ago, and when I go out for a meal with friends for the first time I like being able to point out that me being vegetarian is a climate change-based decision above all else. Thank you for motivating me to keep doing everything I can (no matter how small) to protect this beautiful planet.
Honestly, when the Ukraine war hit and everything became more expensive really fast, it was the first time I thought about a „swap skill“. My yarn stash used to be so big that I could easily knit several people sweaters before running out. And I taught myself to sew last year as well and have to agree that if you really want to, you can carve out time for anything.
During the first week of May this year I hardly slept, because I was obsessed by making/finishing a garment in addition to my full time job. That‘s hobbies for you 😂 Thanks for sharing as always Leena, love your content!
I sew most of my own clothing and creating something that fits you really well is magic. ❤ sewing ❤
Totally agree that knowing how clothes are constructed is so important as we're so disconnected from the making of almost anything we buy now! It can take me days, even weeks to make an item of clothing, so when I see fast fashion brands selling them so so cheap all I see now is the hours it takes to sew/knit that and how the human who made it probably barely gets any of the deserved profit
Side note - because of learning to sew and researching more on the awful impact fast fashion has on the environment, I'm going to uni as a mature student to study Sustainable Fashion to see what can be done about it 😅
Great video as always Leena!
Other things you can look into that might be near you to help you get started on your fiber crafts journey: wool or fabric shops or your local community center may offer classes, its a nice way to meet people and can be helpful to have a person teaching you (prices vary but they will usually have gift cards and that could be a nice present to ask for especially if you’re trying to get people to give you fewer "things"). Local giveaway groups that offer trades may have supplies, or there are starting to be thrift stores just for crafts items (im in the US so not sure if either of these is solely a US thing). Also, you may have something near you called a "maker space" or something similar where you can pay a membership fee for access to space and tools for all kinds of DIY projects if you are low on space (again not sure how common these are outside of the US).
4:30 I would like to say about this section is that you don't need a sewing machine. Everything I sew is hand sewn. And while it won't look as pristine as it would have if done by a machine, I think it looks way better. I like that you can tell I made it myself. And sometimes, on rare occasion, the sewing job looks _really_ good and no one can tell, and then you get to feel extra proud of yourself.
I do the same. Its way more relaxing to do it by hand. Sure it takes longer but its not like we have to sew a lot of clothes in a short time.
@@happytofu5 So true. The only part I don't like about sewing is repositioning how I sit. But changing your sitting position every ten minutes is just a fact of life anyway.
@@ElizabethMidfordHatesCops tbh when I still sewed on the machine, the posture was not better
How did you get started with hand sewing? I’ve been interested for awhile but it seems so intimidating!
@@sunnyb73 I started with some easy upcycles and mending. You could start by making a small pouch or something similar to get a feeling for the process. Once you know how to do the stitches, the rest is practice. Before I made the things I really wanted, I practiced with old t shirts and such things, which would have been ripe for the trash anyways.
I've started something as simple as darning. The most sustainable thing you can do is wearing and repairing the clothes you already own. Also, it looks so cute to have these cute, colourful patches allover your clothes! Be a slow fashion girlie, and you can keep your favourite pair of jeans when you tear a whole in the crotch, or rip the armpit of your sweater, or tear a run in your favourite fleecy tights or a whole in your socks! Instead of replacing your favourite garments, stashing them in a spot and taking them out occasionally to repair is so much fun, and at the end of the day you do feel productive.
Like anything, sewing takes time to master. but you don't need to be perfect to make clothes you'll actually wear! Most mistakes are only visible from the inside and the inside doesn't need to look pretty because no one will see it! Make a thing, wear the thing, revel in the compliments, get excited about making more things... repeat!
I've been buying things from thrift for a few months with the intention of re-working them to give them a new life, but I'm not a seamstress. I have a sewing machine but I've been intimidated to actually try making a garment. This video has given me the kick in the pants to actually try, thank you!
Aw I’m so glad!
I started crocheting last year and I'm so in love with the clothes I made! AND I really love that crochet cannot be made by machines, handmade only!
I’ve been sewing all my life. I remember my grandmother teaching me to thread a needle and knot the thread when I was about 6 years old. I started by making clothes for my dolls, primarily my Barbie. I got my mother to buy me a Barbie pattern and by the time I was 8 or 9 I was sewing on a sewing machine. I had a great aunt who sewed for the public and she would save scraps for me and I would use them to make the doll clothes. By the time I was in high school I was making not only my clothes but my mom’s too. I’m 70 now and don’t sew as much as I used too because it’s cheaper to purchase the simple everyday clothing I wear most of the time and it’s hard to find fabric where I live. I do still like to make occasional pieces and like to make things for my home. I’ve saved thousands and thousands of dollars over a lifetime by making my own clothing and home decor.
When I started crocheting, I never thought “oh! I’m making my own wardrobe!” I just really enjoyed the process of learning new stitches, looking at things and trying to make them! Now I do think more seriously in terms of it fitting in my life (but also things I enjoy like a new way of construction or a new stitch!)
This is giving me some serious motivation to learn to sew. I have never been able to find a wrap dress I actually liked, so perhaps now's the time!
stopped at 2:40 just to say - look into no seam knitting patterns! knitting it all in one piece is a game changers. I'm never seaming again!
I've started to try out hand sewing. At first I thought the amount of time it would take to say sew a pair of slacks would be so frustrating but I actually find it completely relaxing! I love that I don't have to bring out the sewing machine and I can take it on my travels and end up with something to wear.
"When everything collapses, you have a swap skill" - what we should all be thinking about as we go about our daily lives
Your videos about clothing has made me so much more aware of my wardrobe! I started knitting during the pandemic and have now ended up in a place where I LOVE the clothes I wear because I made them myself so they actually fit my specific body and nobody else had to spend all those hours knitting them! Also - my screentime definitely went up when I started knitting! TH-cam and knitting are best buddies! 😍
I can really relate to this! I’m a full time mum with a seamstress business on the side doing repair and alterations. I don’t have a dedicated sewing space and sew on the dining table. I don’t have a complicated sewing machine and I love making and repairing things with my skills. It’s brilliant that you point out that all clothes are hand made as so many people forget this and consider home made as a lesser quality.
I have been planning to make a specific dungaree dress for 4 years, and I finally had it wearable last week for my birthday!! I still want to fix bits of it and change the shape a little, but I am so proud of myself!!
Thank you for acknowledging the amount of exploitative labour that goes into fast fashion today! Including the fact that crochet cannot be done by machines! I knit, sew and crochet, I have my grandmother's knitting needles, crochet hooks which were my OTHER grandmother's and a 1956 singer sewing machine that was a gift from my mum. Machines will go forever as long as they are taken care of. Most of my fabric comes from a local charity shop, there are so many free patterns online for all three options. It's a meditative thing for me in many ways and I'll often knit/crochet or do the finishing touches on a garment while I'm taking a break from the degree work (and kids) and watching something on TV with the husband. It's my free time thing and I love doing it. knitting and crochet are known to improve your mental health while doing it, and having something to show at the end of it is it's own massive boost to my mood as well.
One thing that's worth mentioning is hand sewing, its how i learned and still sew to this day! you can get needles and thread for dirt cheap, there are LOADS of great tutorials on TH-cam, and its the way people have been making clothes for thousands of years! Those skills are also great for mending clothes later on.
the condition that kills distressed jean makers is silicosis - inhaling silica dust over time slowly turns your lungs into glass basically. it's horrible.
This! 👆
As a person with scoliosis I was a bit confused. 😅 Totaly different disiease mechanisms, but confusingly close in spelling. Was going to leave this comment myself, but figured someone would have left it by now. Went on a scrollaroo to fint it, and here we are!
I learnt how to sew as a kid and love it, making clothes for my teddy bears and other toys. As I got older my mom saw how much I loved doing that and put me in sewing classes to learn more. I love it and learnt how to make my own clothes and quilting too. I did stop sewing as a teen and in college, just due to a lack time/energy. This year I got back into it again and have made a formal dress and shorts. I hope that one day I can have a more me made wardrobe and re work clothes i have to fit me better. It is a fun hobby that definitely added to my life. Watching youtube videos have also give so much help to elarn new skills in sewing.
Yes, I love that you made this video🎉❤ I am so lucky that I learned to sew as a child because my mom would sew for herself and costumes for me. Now I'd say 40% of my clothes are made by me and I love them ❤ (Also once you've learned to sew you start to understand so much more about materials and cuts and how clothes fit - so you can make more conscious decisions about the clothes you do buy.) And it's so just much fuuunnn 🎉❤
What a great video! About the cost of sewing machines - I learned to sew on my grandmother’s sewing machine. Then I got a refurbished (used) sewing machine for Christmas when I was made 13 or 14. I still remember how utterly THRILLED I was at that machine that Christmas morning. I had that machine for decades, until my mother gave me her old machine with cabinet when she got a fancy new machine. When my children were little I made nearly all our clothes. In 2007 my husband and sisters surprised me with an amazing new machine that I’m still learning all the fancy things it can do. Thanks for reminding me of so many great TRUTHS about making one’s own garments 💕
I'd be interested in a 'sewing machine tour' or a step-by-step guide to how you set up and use your sewing machine X
Got into sewing through living history and re-enactment, so started out with hand sewing and it's still my favourite way of doing things. I don't have a sewing machine but sometimes go to friend's places or the library to use one, but I really prefer to watch youtube or listen to an audiobook and sew by hand. Very relaxing. 100% agree on the new found appreciation for the clothes you already have when you start making clothes yourself.
I'm a life-long knitter and I love that I have sweater and socks and hats that will last way longer than commercially-made ones and that I can wear with pride. That being said, I try to be conscious about stashing - at the very least I need to have a specific project in mind when I buy wool. And obviously buying new wool has an environmental impact. I tend to use mostly natural fibres, particularly 100% wool because acrylic does not feel as nice and will shed microplastics forever. I'm not vegan and I know there's debates about sheep farming but from what I understand, good quality wool comes from well-kept sheep. Does that mean paying $200+ for a sweater's-worth of yarn? yes. But I'll pay it because I have the means to, and if I'm going to put in 40 hours making a sweater, I want to do it with materials that are going to last
I don't know if anyone woll ever read this, but thank you Leena for inspiring a perfect elevator pitch on "Why everyone should start to sew" I will present, in a space where I was just asked to "present anything that interests me" in an effort to practice natural speaking in front of an audience. I will shamelessly use this opportunity to educate people who were likely previously unaffected by thoughts about consuming clothes, on why they should care for what they wear and raise awareness for a cause that is growing more important to me every day.
Your points are clear and help me form equally clear talking points in my presentation. Thank you so much. This is an amazing and important video and it should reach more people who are not in creative circles.
I can have a short attention span and get frustrated when things go wrong, which happens a lot when I rush. One of the main things that has helped me learn to sew is to remind myself BEFORE STARTING, that it’s ok for this to go as slowly as it needs to and I will inevitably mess up, and that’s ok. Telling myself I’m going to mess up before it happens makes it so much easier when it occurs. Don’t expect otherwise. Mistakes are literally just part of the process.
As someone with ADHD and a previous need for an item to be perfect. My now goto phrase is
It will be what it will be. Has made sewing more enjoyable
I live in a studio apartment, so I need to keep my sewing stuff in one ish area.
I inherited fabric and other sewing items from my mom, so I do have things to start with.
I am enjoying your vid.
Please do try a knitting machine...they are SOOOO satisfying to use. You can probably find one from the 80s in a charity shop for peanuts. Advantage...unlike traditional knitting, anyone can do it. I made sweaters as a 7 year old. It even had a horse pattern on the front. Waaay easy.
I got a used single bed sheet from a nearby charity shop for an entire £1.50 a few weeks ago and made a pirate shirt with it. Pretty good quality too, so scenario 2 can be even cheaper.
Sewing up a knitted jumper while watching.
Hearing I have a useful skillset by being someone who can knit and sew has helped make my day ❤
Since I watched your first video where you made your dress from DIY Daisy I have made 2 skirts for me and pants for my gf from her book and ventured onto make pants from the Zero Waste patterns book
Seeing you sew is so inspiring!
Im lucky enough to have a mum who has always sewed and had a spare sewing machine - but since mentioning it to friends one of my work friends gave me a bunch of his mums old stuff as well 😁
watching this after spending the day with my grandmother, turning one of my old band t-shirts into a dress with her help, I loved listening to her talk about how she used to make dresses and suits for everyone in the family all of the time and how she even used to take her machine into work to sew on her breaks! The machines that we used are about 20 years old and the one I have in my house is even older and still going strong!
I've studied tailoring and can make clothes that are really professionally put together. I typically buy expensive wool and cashmere fabrics, and interfacings, buttons, zippers, linings etc. add up. It's still a lot cheaper than buying high-end designer clothes! I might spend 500 euros on the material for a coat, but a comparable coat can cost 4000 euros in a store. I once managed to thrift a good amount of beautiful grey tweed for 30 euros, so it doesn't have to be expensive.
Tips for absolute beginners: Half of the work when you sew stuff is ironing/pressing. You should basically press every single seam when you've sewn it. Also, never ever skip interfacings, they're there for a reason - you'd normally use the fusible press-on kind.
Once again an absolute cracker of a video. :) 😊 Always love how you make my brain stretch. Now I have to go and find your video on ‘what’s affordable?’.