Why I Sew

I had a draft post in my dashboard with this tittle since May 28th. I guess, time would just go by and eventually I would forget to edit it and post it. But recently, I have seen this popping in a few blogs I follow and I thought it was about time to share "why I sew" too. 

Note: this will be longggggggggggggggggg and full of bad and old quality photos ... just saying... 

me and my sister

my mom knitted the sweater I am wearing

I remember my childhood days, when mom would sit with me and my older and only sister, by our door entrance, in lovely afternoons and teach us how to hand sew. She was never a master in the field herself, but she knew the basics, enough to help us make our dolls clothes. Sometimes, we would spend hours there, she always crocheted and knitted (things she still does much better than sewing), I might have tried that a few times, but what I really liked was the sewing. 

I kept making my dolls clothes until I would no longer play with them. The seamstress where my mom used to go, knew me so well, she would always keep a bag - or a few - full of scraps for me. I would spend hours sewing instead of playing outside like the other kids. At about 12 or so, I decided I would sew an outfit for a friend. Poor girl, she suffered. Unfortunately for you and luckily for her, I have no photos of that. 

my first two pieces outfit - sewn by hand

Then, when I was about 17-18, I had my own taste in clothes. And it was expansive! I couldn't afford buying most of the clothes I liked because they were mainly fitted corsets and bustiers, since I developped a thing for the romantic gothic style. Of course, sewing my own clothes was something I thought would be a good idea. And so, a friend borrowed me a long black skirt and I tried to copy the pattern pieces on my own and recreate it. I didn't even have a sewing machine and I made it all by hand. I somehow managed to make a top to wear with it. Oh gosh, these pieces were no where to be perfect, not even close to it, but I felt so special, proud and happy every time I (shamelessly) wore them. 

first time I tried to use my machine, although it was a Christmas present they didn't have it in the store and I had to wait until March to actually get it

I kept trying to make my own clothes, so my family decided to give me a sewing machine for Christmas that year. Best gift EVER I can tell now, that nearly 12 years have passed. I still own the same machine. I got two more but this is the one I use daily. 

First Fashion Show - a collection created by me and 4 other designers from the same class

I then decided I had to learn more and searched for some classes. I was lucky and found a class of 5-6 people only with two teachers. It was supposed to last for 3 months and I thought I was going to learn a lot. One of the teachers had worked in a sewing factory for a few years and she could sew, the other one had studied fashion design and thought she was a great designer... well, honestly she was not. I never liked one collection of hers, and all she was worried about was having a fashion show. We didn't learn that much, bit by bit people were giving up because we were drawing more than we were learning to sew and the classes didn't go through the full 3 months they promised us. 

But it was good for me anyway, because I kept contact with the seamstress teacher and she gave me (and another girl) a few classes on our own, and although much was left to learn, I finally felt like my skills were improving. Before the classes were over, we were also able to have another fashion show. I had already sewn some clothes of my own pre-classes, and made sure they would allow us to show our own clothes instead of the ones we made in class, which were not personal from each of them. They agreed and I was able to show two outfits plus the one I wore myself, which was also the one I made for my Prom (not on picture above). 

In that show someone saw my clothes, liked them, and invited me to make a show of my very own for an alternative club and so I did. The clothes that were used are the ones above. Some were poorly finished, most of my sewing was self taught. I learnt how to use a pattern from magazines like Burda, with that seamtress I mentioned above, but most often I would draft them myself, using other garments that were already made. 

Check more of my older clothes HERE. 

I kept sewing for myself for many years. There's so many clothes I made and love, and once I figured out (for myself again) how to properly use the patterns and follow the (poor) instructions from those magazines, my garments started to look, at least, better finished. 

Fair stand in 2009 - I guess

In 2008 I started blogging. Can't even remember what were the first sewing blogs I followed, but I was mostly blogging about small sewing projects, and every now and then some clothes. This blog you know, was created in 2012, a few months after I had my first daughter. Right before she was born, I had a partnership with someone else, she was paying me to sew her line of baby items such as slings, breastfeeding pillows, and other. I did a lot of those, and then in June 2011 I had my baby girl. 

here

I became a mom. And my passion turned into sewing for her. (I had done a few baby/kid wear for my nephew and niece before). She was already two months when I got back to sewing, and I made her first outfit (I had done many things for her before she was born, but they were acessories). It was a top and bloomers and I loved it so much. And then I just couldn't stop. Most of the things I've done after that are documented in this blog. Are they perfect?! Of course they are not! But I've always felt proud of what I did. 

So, what was the first question anyway?! Why I sew? That's simply... I sew because it has always been a part of me! I love, it's my passion, it's what really keeps me happy and my mind occupied. I get to make things no one else has, and that is one of the greatest feelings ever. I get compliments from other people, and I feel like I am improving all the time. Besides, because I refashion a lot, I've been saving fortunes by sewing our own clothes!

And no matter how many years I have been sewing... there will always be new techniques to learn, there will always be mistakes, I will learn from people that sew for such a little time, I will be able to sew someone who's just beggining. Sewing, is a continuous learning process for me, and this online community has been wonderful. It has pushed me to do better all the time. It has supported me in so many ways you can't imagine, has teached me, has shared so much. I am so proud of being a part of this world, and I wouldn't change it for any perfections. 

I don't make a matchy outfit for so long... guess it's about time, right? We'll even have a wedding to go later this year! And now I am wondering if anyone had the guts to read it all?! lol