Sewing Misconceptions – 5 Myths about Sewing and the People who Sew!
Myth #1: “Sewing saves money” – “Why buy it for $7 when you can make it yourself with $92 of craft supplies”. I literally laugh so loud at this sewing meme because it could not be closer to the truth! There’s a huge misconception that sewing “saves money”. It’s probably the most common sewing myth out there. If approached with a frugal mindset sewing does have the potential to save money. But the reality is most of us spend way more on fabric, notions, patterns etc. than what it would cost to buy a similar garment in ready to wear shops. Fast fashion companies, such as Forever 21, ASOS, Charlotte Russe, etc. sell clothes for such an affordable price and it leads us to believe that sewing clothes must be relatively “cheap”. Most home seamstresses do not have access to wholesale fabric and notion prices, so cranking out a dress for $7 is usually not our experience!
Myth #2: “Sewing is not a youthful hobby”. –Many people (including myself before I started sewing) assume that only elder people sew. This is another really common misconception. People think that sewing clothes is a skill left only for grandmothers sitting in a rocking chair or for factory workers in some place far away. These thoughts are totally untrue! Once you open your eyes to the world of social media sewing communities like, Facebook groups, Instagram accounts etc. you’ll be amazed at how much of the youth population actually loves to create with their own two hands. Sewing in general is a really gratifying hobby that is becoming more “mainstream” for people of all ages.
Myth #3: “You Sew? Do you want to hem my pants”? – The answer is no. Okay, I can only speak from my personal perspective but I have noticed most of us do not enjoy the tedious parts of sewing, like hemming. We sew to be creative and expressive and we value every bit of time we get at our sewing machines. So when you ask us to hem a stack of pants, don’t be surprised when we look at you like a deer in headlights while we quickly try to figure out a polite way of saying, no! You will hear, or have heard this request at least once in you sewing journey. Some seamstresses may actually want to do this to please their loved one, or may thoroughly enjoy it. But I’m speaking for myself and for the majority of seamstresses I’ve met and we can all agree that hemming pants is not fun, and just because we know how to sew, does not mean we want to hem your pants.
Myth #4: “We all sew to sell”. – Not all people who sew have the desire to “sew for hire” or make clothes to sell them. In fact many who have tried, will quickly stop because the price people are willing to pay is much less than the work, materials, and time put into it. People are used to fast fashion and would end up paying 10x the price to make a fair exchange for a handmade garment. For that reason, and for many others, not all of us wish to sew clothes and sell them. Personally, I’ve never had any interest in spending my time or energy into sewing garments just to hand them off to someone else. Many people assume that we snap our fingers and a dress magically appears! They lack the appreciation towards the garment and what actually goes into sewing them. So, most of us sew only for ourselves and occasionally may get into a mood to sew a handmade gift for a loved one. If you’re lucky enough to get a handmade garment made with love, then know that you are really special!
Myth #5: “Wow you made this! I could never do that”. – When I started to gain an interest in sewing I would stare at finished garments and try to understand how the heck someone could put that together on their own. The truth is, sewing is not hard at all. There are regular people behind machines, sewing beautiful clothes everyday. Once you grasp the basics of sewing with “right sides together”, and understand simple construction methods. It’s pretty much a thrill ride of trial and error after that! If you’re interested in learning to sew I recommend easy beginner sewing projects, like a simple bag. This will get you familiar with stitches and give you a chance to get to know your machine. Whenever possible follow along with video lessons to help you along in the process. Most importantly, you have to get out there and try it!
Did you enjoy this list of 5 sewing myths? Do you have examples to share with us? Share this article and comment below! ❤ – XO Rosy
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I too, sew to save money. (at times) One of the cheapest sources of fabric is the secondhand shop, lightly used plus sized clothing can be re-made into smaller versions of the same style, or made into something else entirely. Saving money by sewing, means careful planning. SoZo sewing blog tests free patterns, and I’d recommend that list to newbie sewers who are hoping to save a few bucks.
But yes, this list is pretty accurate. Someone once had the gall to ask me to completely re-make her detailed, fitted, trousers a size or two smaller. (might’ve considered it, if they’d been simple) I managed to say no politely, and explained that this would actually be more time consuming than making them from scratch.
Love this post, you are one of my favorite bloggers and everything is so true! I laughed out loud at #3, you can not believe how many people in my family ask me to ALTER their RTW garments, so annoying, I turn them down, even my daughter who I dearly love. They just don’t get it!
Ha ha! I agree with all except for #1. I personally do sew to save money. And most often I try to make clothes under $10 especially since the majority of wardrobe items I make are under 2 yards & I buy my fabric at an awesome shop with excellent prices! The owner has a wide selection of fabrics ( 60” ) for 1.99 or 2.99, including knit jersey, lace, stretchy denim, other fashion fabrics, home decor etc. Much cheaper than using coupons at Joann’s. Maybe I’ll do a blog post to share for those in Southern California.
Marsi, can you please share where you shop? I’ve been on the hunt for inexpensive fabric stores. If you do post a blog, I’d love to read it!
Great article, Rosy. I found myself nodding along as I read this! Really liked your points about fast fashion too – it really is a world away from sewing your own clothes.