I used to sew in a factory. So you never made a whole garment and you would churn stuff out so fast. So slowing down for me is still fast by others. Now I make the patterns (new for me). Then make the garment checking its fit often. This has slowed me down and I really enjoy every bit. You are so right to slow down.
A shortcut I use all the time: I use my pinking shears to trim my seam allowances around curves. The way I used to do it was to cut millions of tiny triangles with my snips. That's how I learned to do it and I always hated trimming my seam allowances. But I LOVE using my pinking shears and the results seem to be more consistent. My curved seams don't end up wonky. The other day I was making tea cozies with a scalloped edge. I used the pinking shears to trim up the scalloped seams. I made one tiny snip with my scissors into the deep V each scallop. Turned out perfect!
Hi Bianca!! Wonderful topic.. Years ago I use to rush when sewing & found myself making ‘sew’, ‘sew’ many mistakes & was having to redo them.. I spent more time fixing my mistakes that my project was taking twice as long than it should have.. When I was rushing to get sewing done after awhile I felt like I was a robot.. Finally, I stopped & stepped away from sewing for about 6 months.. Slowly started again on small projects this time taking my sewing slower & I have come to enjoy it much, much more.. I even hand stitch the hem line or other things, if I feel like I’m rushing.... 💜💜💜🧵🧵🧵
Love this video, perfect timing for me... Rushing though multiple projects one after another to hit the deadline (self-imposed) resulted in a complete creative burnout, only just started to recover... Thank you for posting this, it's good to be reminded to slow down and savour the beauty of sewing ❤️💖😍
LOL... I have often said to my friends that I don’t do ANYTHING fast when it comes to crafting 😂 I used to be bothered by this because, like you, I would see others that produce many things in a short time. I now know that it is perfectly fine to work at my own pace instead of some self imposed deadline. (I do move a bit faster for certain projects with deadlines.) Now I enjoy the process... if a seam looks too wonky, I rip it out and redo it because I know I will be happier with the end result. I take my time pressing things at every step because I love how it affects the result. I make a lot of bags and it definitely makes a difference! I would say that the only ‘downside’ to taking my time is that I get into the ‘sewing zone’, and other things like cooking and cleaning kinda disappear 😉
I needed to hear this! I have been questioning my process after seeing pictures of beautiful garments literally the day after the patterns are released 😳 I’ve been sewing for only a couple of years and I was beginning to think I’d never improve (or just didn’t have the needed talent)because I wasn’t pumping 5 ( or more!) projects out a month. Thank you
So glad the video helped!! 5+ projects a month would be a dream come true-- I'm happy (and lucky!) to get a few muslins done + a few garments a month, with work and life!
I really struggle with this - I have this idea that I am supposed to finish a project in a weekend. Watching others pump out projects one after the other makes me feel like I am doing something wrong if I don't finish projects quickly. Thanks for this reminder to slow down and enjoy the process.
Slowing down is good. I find I make more garments that I really love to wear. I take a lot more time to plan my makes and I find this helps. I bought a dot journal and I do little sketches of each garment as I'm planning. Everything is drawn in pencil so the plans can change as I refine them. The best garments are a good marriage of fabric and pattern choice. I also finish all my seams so the inside of the garment is as nice as the outside. Sometimes this means lining, Hong Kong seams or french seams. I only use a shortcut when it enables me to love the process of sewing even more and doesn't sacrifice the quality of the garment
I have got to be the slowest seamstress on the planet. I don’t bother setting deadlines because I would NEVER hit them in a million years. That said, I love my me made wardrobe and it’s growing... slowly 😂
Cutting corners have always come back to haunt me; however, if the pattern calls for interfacing and its a sturdy fabric, I might skip it 🤷🏻♀️ Also, if the pattern calles for boning and it is not an undergarment, I might skip it as well and just use undergarments with boning if I want the structure, that way I have the option for a softer garment when I want it.
Great tip on the boning-- and such a good one! The boning makes such a difference on the fabric and practical way that the garment itself will be worn. If it's just not needed, it's just not needed!!
I would call myself a "stress sewist/seamstress". I learned how to sew in fashion school according to their guidelines which prioritizes speed over anything else. So there were no hand sewing steps, no stay stitching (it's been 15 years since fashion school and I still haven't ever stay stitched), etc Nothing to make the experience of sewing more relaxed or easier. Just force it together as quickly as possible and that's how I learned to do it. Perhaps that's why I thought I hated sewing. I started to do more in between steps and hand sewing to make the experience less stressful (but this ads to the time required to make the garment), but I felt as if I was cheating and not good enough at sewing. I noticed though that hand sewing wasn't stressful and adding these in between steps made sewing itself less stressful. I'm trying to change the mindset that tells me I am cheating when I do that. Trying to tell myself it's the neatly finished and beautiful result that's important, not how or how quickly I got there.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I was definitely taught the same when I was at university. It makes such a stark difference between RTW garment construction vs couture-style construction vs home sewing. Something I think about all the time when I get too much into a quick-sewing-rhythm!!
@@VintageonTap I'm at a higher risk of making mistakes (which then need time to be fixed) when I do it the school way. I'm not sure what the term is for that kind of construction standard, but it's only a step above fast fashion quality. RTW seems like a term we could use but there's so much quality difference there between different RTW production standards. I also think the durability of the school standard is much lower than your regular home sewing standard if my home sewing books are a good representation of home sewing. I remember once when my serger wasn't functioning well and needed to be serviced I made a dress that (I improvised) had a type of construction that didn't need a serger (french seams, regular double folded hems, bias strip finish around the neckline) and not only is it beautiful inside and out, it seems practically indestructible compared to other dresses 😁 I need to do more research into making things without a serger that are very durable. I need to change my mindset more overal.
I used to sew in a factory. So you never made a whole garment and you would churn stuff out so fast. So slowing down for me is still fast by others. Now I make the patterns (new for me). Then make the garment checking its fit often. This has slowed me down and I really enjoy every bit. You are so right to slow down.
A shortcut I use all the time: I use my pinking shears to trim my seam allowances around curves. The way I used to do it was to cut millions of tiny triangles with my snips. That's how I learned to do it and I always hated trimming my seam allowances. But I LOVE using my pinking shears and the results seem to be more consistent. My curved seams don't end up wonky. The other day I was making tea cozies with a scalloped edge. I used the pinking shears to trim up the scalloped seams. I made one tiny snip with my scissors into the deep V each scallop. Turned out perfect!
I might have to use that tip myself!! I actually had never considered it but that's definitely one I'll use for my next project!
Oh, I have just discovered your channel. It is so cool!
Hi Bianca!! Wonderful topic.. Years ago I use to rush when sewing & found myself making ‘sew’, ‘sew’ many mistakes & was having to redo them.. I spent more time fixing my mistakes that my project was taking twice as long than it should have.. When I was rushing to get sewing done after awhile I felt like I was a robot.. Finally, I stopped & stepped away from sewing for about 6 months.. Slowly started again on small projects this time taking my sewing slower & I have come to enjoy it much, much more.. I even hand stitch the hem line or other things, if I feel like I’m rushing....
💜💜💜🧵🧵🧵
Great advice thank you.
Love this video, perfect timing for me... Rushing though multiple projects one after another to hit the deadline (self-imposed) resulted in a complete creative burnout, only just started to recover... Thank you for posting this, it's good to be reminded to slow down and savour the beauty of sewing ❤️💖😍
So glad the video was a nice reminder! I definitely understand that creative burn out- been there plenty of times myself!
Perfect timing for this video!
Yey! So happy to hear that!!
LOL... I have often said to my friends that I don’t do ANYTHING fast when it comes to crafting 😂
I used to be bothered by this because, like you, I would see others that produce many things in a short time. I now know that it is perfectly fine to work at my own pace instead of some self imposed deadline. (I do move a bit faster for certain projects with deadlines.)
Now I enjoy the process... if a seam looks too wonky, I rip it out and redo it because I know I will be happier with the end result. I take my time pressing things at every step because I love how it affects the result. I make a lot of bags and it definitely makes a difference!
I would say that the only ‘downside’ to taking my time is that I get into the ‘sewing zone’, and other things like cooking and cleaning kinda disappear 😉
Cooking and cleaning disappear for me, too 🤣 Right there with you!
I needed to hear this! I have been questioning my process after seeing pictures of beautiful garments literally the day after the patterns are released 😳 I’ve been sewing for only a couple of years and I was beginning to think I’d never improve (or just didn’t have the needed talent)because I wasn’t pumping 5 ( or more!) projects out a month. Thank you
So glad the video helped!! 5+ projects a month would be a dream come true-- I'm happy (and lucky!) to get a few muslins done + a few garments a month, with work and life!
That is true with everything we do. Thanks for the reminder🥰
I really struggle with this - I have this idea that I am supposed to finish a project in a weekend. Watching others pump out projects one after the other makes me feel like I am doing something wrong if I don't finish projects quickly. Thanks for this reminder to slow down and enjoy the process.
So glad the video helped! I totally know what you mean about trying to get projects out quickly, especially seeing other people doing the same :(
Slowing down is good. I find I make more garments that I really love to wear. I take a lot more time to plan my makes and I find this helps. I bought a dot journal and I do little sketches of each garment as I'm planning. Everything is drawn in pencil so the plans can change as I refine them. The best garments are a good marriage of fabric and pattern choice. I also finish all my seams so the inside of the garment is as nice as the outside. Sometimes this means lining, Hong Kong seams or french seams. I only use a shortcut when it enables me to love the process of sewing even more and doesn't sacrifice the quality of the garment
This was so helpful
I have got to be the slowest seamstress on the planet. I don’t bother setting deadlines because I would NEVER hit them in a million years. That said, I love my me made wardrobe and it’s growing... slowly 😂
I’ve been sewing a long time, and suddenly realized I just sew so slow there is no point in committing to a date.
Cutting corners have always come back to haunt me; however, if the pattern calls for interfacing and its a sturdy fabric, I might skip it 🤷🏻♀️ Also, if the pattern calles for boning and it is not an undergarment, I might skip it as well and just use undergarments with boning if I want the structure, that way I have the option for a softer garment when I want it.
Great tip on the boning-- and such a good one! The boning makes such a difference on the fabric and practical way that the garment itself will be worn. If it's just not needed, it's just not needed!!
I totally agree , I like more couture technique time involved great sew gab 🏳️🌈😍👌🏾😇🧕🏿🌷
Yes!! Love that you mentioned the couture techniques! It's something I always look forward to when I slow down to sew.
I would call myself a "stress sewist/seamstress". I learned how to sew in fashion school according to their guidelines which prioritizes speed over anything else.
So there were no hand sewing steps, no stay stitching (it's been 15 years since fashion school and I still haven't ever stay stitched), etc Nothing to make the experience of sewing more relaxed or easier. Just force it together as quickly as possible and that's how I learned to do it.
Perhaps that's why I thought I hated sewing. I started to do more in between steps and hand sewing to make the experience less stressful (but this ads to the time required to make the garment), but I felt as if I was cheating and not good enough at sewing. I noticed though that hand sewing wasn't stressful and adding these in between steps made sewing itself less stressful.
I'm trying to change the mindset that tells me I am cheating when I do that. Trying to tell myself it's the neatly finished and beautiful result that's important, not how or how quickly I got there.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I was definitely taught the same when I was at university. It makes such a stark difference between RTW garment construction vs couture-style construction vs home sewing. Something I think about all the time when I get too much into a quick-sewing-rhythm!!
@@VintageonTap I'm at a higher risk of making mistakes (which then need time to be fixed) when I do it the school way.
I'm not sure what the term is for that kind of construction standard, but it's only a step above fast fashion quality.
RTW seems like a term we could use but there's so much quality difference there between different RTW production standards.
I also think the durability of the school standard is much lower than your regular home sewing standard if my home sewing books are a good representation of home sewing.
I remember once when my serger wasn't functioning well and needed to be serviced I made a dress that (I improvised) had a type of construction that didn't need a serger (french seams, regular double folded hems, bias strip finish around the neckline) and not only is it beautiful inside and out, it seems practically indestructible compared to other dresses 😁
I need to do more research into making things without a serger that are very durable. I need to change my mindset more overal.