Since I embarked on my sewing journey a few years back, my life has been enriched by my newfound creative outlet and plenty of “Look at this, I made it myself! I’m so proud!” moments.
What began with much uncertainty and bundles of nerves has grown into a much-loved hobby that continues to teach me lessons away from the sewing machine and wobbling piles of fabric.
People start sewing for all number of reasons: financial necessity, social connections, self-expression and more.
For me, it was wanting a creative outlet, to meet like-minded people and to discover whether I was able to make clothes for my children that set them apart from all the store-bought clothes everyone else seemed to be wearing.
As I reflect on my sewing progress, I can see that I have learned much more than *how to thread a needle*. I’ve also gained qualities that help me personally and while managing a busy family household.
In this blog post, I’m sharing with you my top 5 lessons learned via my sewing adventures.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.
5 ways sewing has influenced my life
Patience: The sewing superpower
OK, I’m going to be real here. Learning to sew isn’t an overnight trick. It’s definitely a case of slow and steady wins the race.
Rushing through any step of a sewing project, whether it be choosing the right fabric, cutting the correct fabric allowance or choosing a suitable stitch on the sewing machine, can lead to mistakes and tossing an unfinished project to the side.
Sewing has taught me that taking my time and enjoying the creative journey is totally worth it.
My advice? Take some deep breaths and keep patience as your companion while sewing. 😊
Tip: If you’re super new to the world of sewing and want to take it slow before putting needle to fabric, why not try these sewing practice sheets first?
Embrace sewing mistakes as stepping stones
Guess what? I mess up. Often. 🙈 But, it’s totally OK!
Mismatched seams, snapped sewing machine needles and bobbin thread that doesn’t quiiiiiiiite make it to the end of the line of stitching used to frustrate the heck out of me. Who am I kidding, they still do, BUT….
Remember the lesson above, about deep breaths and patience? Well keeping calm and open to learning will keep you sewing, even when you are making mistakes. I try to think of mistakes as my chance to step back, look at what went wrong, try again and improve my sewing skills.
My frequently-repeated motto when I make a mistake? “I’ll figure it out.” 💪
Tip: Have a look at this list of the most common sewing mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Sustainable sewing
As I continue on my sewing journey, I’ve become more conscious of the amount of textiles that typically find their way to the rubbish dump.
In my small way of helping the planet, I try to take advantage of holding onto the favourite pieces of clothing of our family or practical, old linens to repurpose and create something new and amazing. Win-win!
Being able to sew has given me the chance to make use of all those things that others simply toss in the trash and train my mind to come up with new, creative ideas for the next sewing project.
Tip: There are so many ways you can avoid throwing textiles away! For some simple sustainable sewing projects check out these ways to upcycle old jeans or how to repurpose old towels.
Sewing is creative expression
Aaaaaand following on from creative ways to repurpose the old textiles that any family with kids manages to collect (in masses 😅), sewing in general (upcycling or not) is a fantastic way to express yourself creatively.
For some people it’s drawing, for others it’s crafts with the kids, or even perhaps knitting. For me, it’s sitting at the sewing machine that gives me the chance to experiment, mix-and-match and find ways to put pieces of fabric together to create something wonderful.
As a mother, I’ve also found that inviting my kids to join in the creative journey is a joy to watch as they choose fabrics that match their personality for me to create the thing they had imagined. Take a look at this infinity loop scarf that my kids asked me to sew using fabric leftovers from other clothes I had already made for them!
Or when one of them says “I’d like to dress up as XYZ this Halloween” and I’m left to invent said costume. Psst! If your kids are looking for fun, homemade costumes I’ve got loads!
Sewing opens up endless creative possibilities. Trust your gut and enjoy the ride!
Sewing accomplishments and confidence
When I first started learning to sew a few years back, the very first thing I attempted was a beanie for my son. I was SO terrified of everything I needed to do. Cut the fabric? Are you crazy?!? Thread the machine and dare to put my foot on that foot pedal? OMG, what if I trash the fabric, or worse, the machine?!?
Safe to say, I did none of those things and every beanie I’ve made since then, with patience, has turned out just fine. And each time I finished one project, I would pause to admire my hard work and persistence and give myself a little pat on the back.
Of course, over the years I have learned many more sewing skills that have helped me create much bigger projects than simple beanies. And each new skill is like a step up to the next skill, opening up more sewing opportunities. If I can be brave enough to put scissors to fabric over and over, what other challenges and fears in life can I deal with? 😅
I’ve found it’s always fun to look back at what projects I’ve made, what worked, what mistakes I made, what I would do differently next time, and to keep track of my favourite, go-to patterns that I can (practically) sew on auto-pilot, while also (trying) to stay organised. Have a look at this article to find out more why tracking your sewing projects is a great idea.
As I said at the start, sewing isn’t just about putting needle, thread and fabric together. There’s many more experiences, opportunities for learning and personal growth, as well as joy to be had!
What about you? What’s something unexpected sewing has taught you?
