Anyone sew?

[navigator9]

Those are definitely some amazing pieces. I recently picked up sewing and while I love having custom clothing the actually fits, the fabric is getting so expensive that it's not so frugal anymore.

So true, but where I live, there's a $1.99 a yard store (that recently went up to $2.99 a yard) where you can find some real bargains. Of course, some times you go and find nothing, but sometimes a treasure! If I go to Joanne's, I always use coupons, Hobby Lobby has them too, I never buy full price.

 

[Saponista]

Thanks cmhaza, I will see if I can find one that isn't too expensive.

 

[Dahila]

I started to sew at very young age, then knit, and crochet. I had to make my own clothes and then children's. Back home we had not beautiful clothes for kids. I made it. I was still making clothes, for me , my son and my daughter. Even the prom dress and graduation from college. Like Deeanna I made tailored suits. Whatever I can make, I will try it.
There is not much, I can not do. I can do even some car repairs. The curiosity brought me here too) I think I am blessed with knowledge I have. What about meds, I make my salves, extracts, I have access to herbs, clean herbs, not chemicals on them , in my garden)
Mending the clothes, I do know how, and I was trying to teach my daughter but she thinks I am old and world works different now)

 

[not_ally]

Dahila, I loved your post. Your daughter may be too young to appreciate your skills now, but in time she will look back and be so grateful and fond, I am sure.

I try to do as much as I can w/r/t repair/building of stuff but it is hard b/c I am truly dexterity challenged. I suspect it is something more than mere clumsiness, but have never really checked it out, a long time thing which is getting worse, but I can still muddle along. It does make it a bit scary to use really sharp objects, though, am super careful w/those I used to do house flips, my worker guys strictly forbade me to use the saws/drills with cutting bits. Dill, how awesome that you can build stuff. If I could afford a good table saw I would throw caution to the winds.

I do love to cook and garden and do both well. I wish I could sew, but that takes skill, and non-trembly hands/fingers too ...

 

[Dahila]

I garden, I cook from scratch, bake my own bread. paint, I am also a book junkie)

 

[navigator9]

I'm always so happy to be around other people who make things and do things for themselves. At work, I was always trying to enlist people to be in our craft fair. I'd ask, "So.....what do you make?" And fairly often I'd get the answer..."Nothing." I'd be incredulous. "Not nothing.....you must make something?!" And they'd shrug their shoulders..."Nope." I always thought that was kind of sad. I always figured everyone has some creative spark somewhere. To never be moved to make anything by hand, to express yourself creatively in some way? It's beyond my imagination.

I guess that's why so many of us end up here, and why so many of us do multiple things, creatively. Maybe it's genetic, and if you've got the gene, you can't help yourself.....you gotta make stuff! Nice to know I'm in good company. :-D

 

[DeeAnna]

Hey, Nav -- SOMEONE has to consume what we make!!!

But, yeah, I agree it is kinda sad to see folks who have never nurtured their creative side. My former father-in-law had pretty much only his job (county sheriff) and his fishing (excuse for heavy drinking) to keep him occupied. When he had to retire, he did not take to retirement very well. You can go fishing only so much.

 

[Saponista]

Neither of my parents are even remotely creative, my mom bakes a little but not very often. I was always given making kits as gifts to occupy me as a child though, I have dabbled in all sorts of crafts. If I have kids I will encourage them to make things from a very early age.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I've sewn forever. Made my first skirt with a zipper in 3rd grade. After that mom just set me free. Made all my own clothes and soon started sewing for my mom, also. Actually we made a deal if I did all the cutting and sewing she did the hand work, tacking down facing and hemming. It was a sweet deal! Worked in a " leisure suit" factory for a short time. I worked in a custom shop making wedding dress, prom dresses... Did alterations for a while as a side job, made a few costumes. Made all my children's clothes in grade school and then I was done. I do not see anything now not for me, not for kids , not for grandkids. However I do quilt and I quilt up a storm! My daughters are always wanting me to sew something and I say sorry I'm a quilter now!

 

[not_ally]

I love handmade quilts, PG. So beautiful, and there are so many different styles.

 

[Dahila]

I think people who do "Nothing" beside watching tv, somehow miss a lot. The satisfaction of creating something even if you just copy, someone's else creation, is enormous. I can not imagine my life, watching tv and do nothing

 

[navigator9]

I think people who do "Nothing" beside watching tv, somehow miss a lot. The satisfaction of creating something even if you just copy, someone's else creation, is enormous. I can not imagine my life, watching tv and do nothing

Exactly! And this is why I had to laugh when people kept asking me if I was going to be bored when I retired. Bored? Ha! I kept thinking that the ones who asked were kind of looking forward to their own retirement, wondering what they would do with themselves. Kind of sad, really. I hope they manage to develop some interests before they get there. I'm thrilled to have enough time to enjoy all the things I love, and to learn all the things I'm interested in but haven't tried yet! Retirement is anything but boring. :smile:

 

[Retropixie]

I sew as well. Love Alabama Chanin. Their clothes are insanely expensive though.
I think they did a book, let me run and check.........

Yup, here are some http://www.amazon.com/Alabama-Studio-Sewing-Design-Hand-Sewing/dp/158479920X
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584796383/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=158479920X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FAMPWXK55F3M5J2Y816

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1617691364/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=158479920X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FAMPWXK55F3M5J2Y816

 

[navigator9]

I sew as well. Love Alabama Chanin. Their clothes are insanely expensive though.
I think they did a book, let me run and check.........

Yup, here are some http://www.amazon.com/dp/158479920X/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584796383/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1617691364/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Yes, they are expensive, and she talks about that in one of her videos. She explains that they are made entirely by hand and some of them take two months to create and she wants people to understand the value of that kind of hand work, and why she made the decision not to outsource the work, to bring the cost down. She says she would also like those who cannot afford the Alabama Chanin clothing line to be able to enjoy wearing them, and that's why she has written the books, which come with patterns for the most popular garments, and you can also download the stencil designs, and even buy the fabric by the yard to make your own version of the clothing. She says she has been criticized for doing this, asked why she would want to offer people this option, and she said she knows that the garments that she sells are not affordable for everyone, but that she would like to offer other options for those who can't afford the finished product, but would still like to be able to wear her designs. I'm not aware of any other designer who does this. She even does a class on Craftsy, showing how to do stenciling and applique. http://www.craftsy.com/class/hand-embellishing-knit-fabric/161 I'm so impressed by her philosphy. And being someone who loves to do things by hand, I also love her designs and I'm going to try something. Her clothing is made with 100% cotton jersey, basically T-shirt material, and I'm going to experiment with some old T-shirts to get the hang of the reverse applique as soon as I get all this bothersome house stuff out of the way! I can't wait. :-D

 

[Retropixie]

I know their philosophy. Most normal people just can't afford it. I by no means meant it was not worth every penny.
I have done the reverse applique on t-shirts for my daughter. I do it by machine and not hand though.

 

[Dahila]

Exactly! And this is why I had to laugh when people kept asking me if I was going to be bored when I retired. Bored? Ha! I kept thinking that the ones who asked were kind of looking forward to their own retirement, wondering what they would do with themselves. Kind of sad, really. I hope they manage to develop some interests before they get there. I'm thrilled to have enough time to enjoy all the things I love, and to learn all the things I'm interested in but haven't tried yet! Retirement is anything but boring. :smile:

Same here, I do not have time to lie down when my back is hurting, there is so much to make) My house already smells with fresh baked bread, I just made the cleaner with de'limonene and surfactants for for bathrooms and the day is not wasted. I have to finish my Lemon balm extract (second pouring) and make a peppermint extract )

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I love handmade quilts, PG. So beautiful, and there are so many different styles.

That's what's so fun!

 

[Deedles]

My Mother was a very accomplished seamstresses so I learned to sew before I started school. She sewed for the public as well as worked a full time job so I did most of the family sewing. When DH and I started dating I made him a flannel shirt. That became a tradition and he still gets new ones for Christmas every year. Just the other day he brought that very old, very thin first shirt to me and wanted it patched...he still wears it!

In my early 20's I discovered quilting. I learned from an old lady in our church who believed if it wasn't pieced and quilted by hand it wasn't a 'real' quilt! Took me several years to start piecing on the machine! Then I was off and running. I still prefer hand quilting but arthritis and bad eyesight has put a stop to that. I have a lady that does beautiful machine quilting who is as much a perfectionist as I am so my tops still get quilted.

I taught sewing and quilting, traveling the circuit teaching at seminars and quilt shows and judging. When I got tired of the travel I open my own quilt shop. I loved it for several years then I just got burned out. I turned my hobby into a job and it was no longer any fun! I sold the shop several years ago and started machine embroidery. DH and I had been scuba diving for quite a few years and I had been making do rags for all my dive buddies. They all talked me into opening an online do rag business. That was great fun for about 10 years. Fun fabrics and embroidery...divers are great customers! Now bikers have been added to the mix! I closed the online business a couple years ago and now do it all only when I feel like it!

Oh yeah, and I knit, too. I test knit for a designers who mostly designs lace shawls and wraps. I love beading the lace and the challenge of it all. So I always have something on the needles, at the very least a pair of socks in a go bag!

About the only thing I tried that I was never at was painting and drawing. I can't draw or smear paint to save my soul!

 

[not_ally]

Creation is really good for the soul, I think, although it sounds kind of cheesy. I grew up as a super bookish intellectual kid, I never believed I could be good at anything creative in a non-wordy sense. I just thought that was the way it was, ie; people who were good at design were born with it, and it was something that I could never do. I did not buy my first place until I was 38, and it opened up a new world for me. I was super, super lucky that my then real-estate agent (now my best friend) is a design genius and was willing to hang out with me and teach me.

I work really hard at learning things that are not instinctive, but it is so rewarding to create things that are beautiful and that you never thought you could do.

 

[Momsta5]

I just mosied into this part of the forum and was very happy to see your thread. I love the clothes from Alabama Chanin! It really is wearable art. I look at the website and drool/fantasize.

I love to sew. My Mom taught me so that I could make costumes for my kids. She used to make all of her clothes and sewed drapes for Broadway. I got hooked after the first project.

Getting ready to cut out Simplicity 1551 for my youngest who has declared that she wants to be an "elven enchantress" for Halloween. Then I want to make Vogue V1376 for myself. Also finishing up some Christmas stockings that I started last year but never finished. Hope to make some soap and fizzies to put in the stockings as Christmas gifts.