Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Dear Seamstress on your high horse

This isn't directed at anyone person but this has been on my mind for a while and I thought I would share. 

I'm on a few different Facebook groups related to sewing and embroidery. I use these to educate myself and learn something new or make and meet other sewing gal pals. Sometimes it's also just fun to sit back and watch the drama play out that naturally comes when groups of women come together. 

There are a few things that irritate me in these groups. One of these is women who claim to have been sewing their entire lives that trash pattern designers or talk down to others in the group who are asking question they feel are silly or the person should already know. Here's why I think this way: 

  1. I am 100% self taught. I started teaching myself on a machine I found in my parents stuff (that they never learned to use) when I was 9 and have been working at improving myself ever since. The person asking questions may have just opened up their machine today and your snide comments may make them want to box it up and forget about trying again. 
  2. I have never met another person IRL (in real life) that also sews. I know I can't be the only one like this. When I am stuck and I can't YouTube or Google my way out of a sewing issue I ask questions. That's what these groups were formed to do. Help each other.
  3. Paper patterns suck are really confusing. PDF's can be difficult to read too. Sometimes your vision is a little bigger than your skill set. So what!! I'm impressed you are giving it a shot and your should be proud of yourself. 
  4. It's easy to over analyze or over think directions that seem sure easy and confuse yourself. Sometimes screaming kids, lack of sleep or a number of other reasons make seemingly common sense and logical ideas completely impossible. You may ask a question that you read the next day and laugh at yourself. So what! It didn't hurt anyone, I promise.
  5. We all learn at our own pace. It may take you a week to do the same pattern it took someone else 2 hours to complete. You don't know what their schedule is like at home, if they have free time or help or even if they have been sewing for years. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS!
  6. Some designers are self taught and sew and instruct in their own way. Some of us appreciate and even prefer this style of pattern writing and construction. If you are more advanced than the directions and you want to do it a different way, go for it. That doesn't mean a pattern is bad because you find it beneath you.
  7. Some designers write for those who have never made anything ever and not for those or have expert skills. Designers have to start designing somewhere as well. They improve as their patterns go. They get better testers, better writing and improve a ton. Give them some slack. Most of them are moms and have families just like you and me.
  8. If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all!

I think anyone who sews can remember the feeling they got the very first time they made something usable or wearable. It doesn't matter if your first project is at the age of 9 or 99. Even with all it's mistakes it was still perfect to you. If you are someone who is just starting out, don't get discouraged. We all started somewhere. Some people forget from time to time they were once beginners too. It 's better to try and fail then never to have tried at all. 

Happy Sewing  

10 comments:

  1. I can't agree more!! Great post Erin!

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    1. Thanks! Figured I would start the new year off with the right attitude ;)

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    2. Well said! I started sewing 9 years ago but have really just feel in love with it again these last three years. It is a great ride and I hope this encourages others to try,!

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  2. I just looked at your blog yesterday because I hadn't seen you around lately. And I just saw something similar recently. It makes me so sad. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all leaned more toward being a village and less toward judging those around us? This is a great post to start off the new year!

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    1. Awe, thanks for sticking around!! Just been busy with life around here lately. Looking to take my blog back to where I started this year. Hope you continue to stop by. :)

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  3. I could not agree more. I can say I have been sewing my whole life too...except I didn't start sewing clothing items until I had kids so on a good day, they look like what they are supposed to. I don't understand most patterns say so I wing stuff. As long as the kids I am sewing for are happy that's what matters. ;)

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    1. You would just like me! I was only making bags/pillows and blankets until I had kids.

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  4. So glad you wrote this Erin. Some days it's hard and it feels like we only hear the words of the negative people, but it's so important to remember that there are those who are fighting the good fight trying to remain positive alongside of us

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