I sewed my first garment when I was 11, a pair of elastic waist pants made from an old bed linen. That got me hooked for life and opened a world of creativity that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. To me, being able to dream up a garment and then create it from scratch is like having a superhero power. Plus, we are helping to preserve a skill that is dwindling in the general population as things get more and more industrial.
Anyways, I thought it would be fun to share some lessons I’ve learned along the way. Plus some vintage photos of young Johanna in her early makes 🙂
Don’t trust your judgment; always double-check
This is a HUGE lesson that I still find myself needing to relearn regularly. I can’t count how many times I’ve inserted the wrong sleeve, attached pieces with one side facing up and the other side down, or forgotten to mirror pieces when cutting patterns on a single-layer fabric.
I love getting lost in sewing, and while that’s an incredible feeling, it’s easy to become overly confident and lose focus in that flow state. So take that extra minute or second and double-check to make sure you are doing the right thing, so you don’t have to rip later.
Don’t assume that the pattern designer can read your mind
It’s pretty obvious, right? Still, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve acted as if my vision of how a pattern will fit and look on my body is somehow perfectly aligned with the pattern designer’s intent. It’s like I believed they created this design just for me—what a grandiose thought! Then, surprise, surprise; the finished product often looks nothing like I had imagined. And really, that’s not the designer’s fault.
If I had done the necessary groundwork—studied the design, measured everything carefully, and ideally made a sample—this wouldn’t be an issue. Because we all have an idea of how we want everything to fit, the ideal amount of ease and the perfect length. However, that vision may not always align with the designer’s original concept or their fit model and sizing.
So, check everything and then tweak the pattern if necessary. If you want to learn how to properly fit clothes and alter patterns, I highly recommend our book Fit for Knits (Amazon affiliate link).
Stay curious and be open to learning
There is always room for improving your techniques, and even after 40 years, I still learn new stuff all the time. So keep learning and search out new tutorials. Sometimes we struggle with a certain technique because it doesn’t quite jive with how our brain works and our motor skills. So, trying another method can really unlock things for us. I also recommend getting a good basic sewing book, my personal favourite is Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing (Amazon affiliate link).
Go slow to speed up
While I understand the appeal, since sewing can be a significant time investment, this marketing can also set up unrealistic expectations about the speed of sewing.
Rushing through projects can lead to more mistakes, especially when you’re trying something new. So, my advice to myself and anyone else caught up in the speedy sewing mentality is to slow down and sew more mindfully. By taking your time, you not only do you improve your skills, you also get faster with practice. Time is your friend, and learning to enjoy a slow, deliberate practice can making sewing even more rewarding!
Don’t buy stuff just because it’s cheap
Cheap fabric, cheap thread, cheap scissors, yes, even a cheap sewing machine might lure us with their appealing price tag. I totally get that, sewing is a pricey hobby, so it is very tempting to try to save where we can. While I believe in being smart with money, sewing is definitely an area where quality is often reflected in the price.
Trust me, I know this all too well. Many times I’ve fallen into that trap of buying terrible threads from supermarket bargain bins and gotten low-quality fabric, hoping to save a few bucks. But it’s beyond disappointing to spend so much time making a garment, only to have it fall apart after just a few washes!
So do your research and look for trusted brands that are known for their quality products. And ask around and read reviews before buying a new machine. If your budget does not allow for top-of-the-line models, consider looking for second-hand machines. For example, I’ve never bought a new regular sewing machine. My current one is a Bernina 1230 from the late 1980’s and it still works brilliantly.
Be kind to yourself
This is really important! It’s so easy to compare ourselves to others and be hard on ourselves, especially these days when we’re constantly exposed to what others are doing. I recognise that I’m part of this problem too, as someone who shares my sewing projects online and strives for good finishes.
However, we all have unique starting points, skill sets, aspirations, and challenges. So, don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t achieve “perfection” or if it takes you a long time to finish a garment. Remember, you are doing great!
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