I Could Just Make This…Maybe

When I started sewing five years ago, I wasn’t sure if it was something that was going to stick, because often interests and hobbies just dwindle away over time. However, sewing is a hobby that has stayed with me and I’m glad it did because I find it a very useful skill to have.

Sewing is empowering. (Yes, I’m using the word “empowering” even though this word often annoys me as I think it’s overused and cheesy.) I say it’s empowering because I feel like I have an ability to make things that I wasn’t able to make before. Thus, it gives me more options and the ability to choose if I want to buy something already made or if I want to make it myself.

Nowadays, when I go into a store (selling new items) I often think, “I could just make this.” Yes, when you consider how cheap most items are, it is cheaper and faster to buy something already made, but those things generally don’t spark my interest because they’re often ugly, expensive (for what it is) and low-quality. I usually feel like I could do better than the mass-produced crap that’s flooded the market. And even if it’s not perfect, there’s a sense of joy and ownership I have when I’ve sewn something unique.

Now, while I can’t make everything and I certainly don’t make things perfectly, I do think I’ve improved with time. Things are easier now than when I first started sewing. It still takes me a long time to sew things, but I don’t feel as frustrated as I once did. And I find making simple garments, like skirts and loose dresses, to be a fairly relaxing experience.

But sometimes I fail to make something as I would like—like these red cropped pants. I tried to make these pants earlier this year and they didn’t turn out great. They fit…oddly. I’d never made pants before (other than pajamas—which don’t count as they lack the same fitting issues), so I’m not really shocked that the fit is weird. The success of these red pants is solely that I finished them (which is not unlike my first skirt that wasn’t cute but I also finished). Things often don’t turn out well when you're new at doing them, but improvement is inevitable with time and practice (and practice).