Have you ever thrown away a piece of clothing because it was broken? Maybe it was faulty when you bought it and you canât be bothered to send it back? Perhaps youâre on the shorter side and have been putting up with jeans that drag along the floor for way too long? If these problems all sound familiar and you donât quite know what to do, then I have the perfect solution. Iâve been sewing for nearly fifteen years, both by hand and with a machine and Iâll be giving you all my tips and tricks on how you can start too. Sew (if youâll pardon the pun), pick up a needle and thread, letâs begin.
Sewing is one of the oldest forms of textile art and has been documented on record for over 60,000 years. Itâs undergone drastic evolution to get to where we are today. In ancient times, animal bones formed the needles and animal body parts were used as material. Sewing became a profession and those who could afford them would hire tailors and seamstresses, but it was also important to know the skill if you were a woman in the Middle Age household to make clothes last as long as possible. Therefore, despite all of the terrible inequality that occurred in Medieval society, they were a lot more sustainable than we are today.
Eventually, the sewing machine was created. This aided the Industrial Revolution. However, with this invention began the mass production of clothing, leading to the modern-day concept of fast fashion. Many factories are filled with these industrial machines and exploit their workers with bad conditions, long hours and poor pay. Fast fashion is also detrimental to the environment. Toxic chemicals and low-quality materials are used to make these items of clothing, which then causes pollution when high numbers of these clothes end up in landfills due to the rapid changing of trends. Fast fashion is difficult to avoid, it can be very cheap in times when people canât afford to be spending much money on new clothes. But one way we can ensure the more ethical consumption of fast fashion is to preserve it. By learning how to sew, you can improve your impact on the environment.
Sewing opens up a wealth of new opportunities to upgrade your wardrobe and to also experiment with new styles and colours. One way you can do this is by learning how to alter and repair your clothes. Too often Iâve had small holes appear in t-shirts or bought a pair of trousers that frayed because theyâd drag along the floor. A single fold hem and a cross stitch in the latter instance are about to become your best friends. A hem is a folded finish on an item of clothing. Although it will be tighter and more uniform if done with a sewing machine, you can also easily cross stitch by hand. To fix holes in clothing, you have several options. My favourites are to either close the hole with thread, or to patch it using scrap material from clothes Iâve altered previously. Itâs always good to experiment.
The use of scrap material to enhance clothing also leads into the wonder that is upcycling. This is the art of using old items, be it clothing, furniture, interior decorations and plenty of others, to create new products. Upcycling can lead to a wealth of new items being created, but most importantly, unique items. One of the most iconic instances of upcycling on TV is the âtie skirtâ worn by Aria Montgomery in an episode of Pretty Little Liars (2010). It was an unusual garment, but creative; the sewing together of multiple ties to create a completely unique skirt. In Medieval society, clothes that were beyond repair were fashioned into quilts to keep people warm in the colder months. Upcycling isnât supposed to be neat; it is scrappy in its nature. Plus, the amount of money youâll save from not needing to buy new clothes could go towards a wealth of other fun activities. Go wild with creations!
My favourite perk that comes from sewing is the positive impact on mental health. It can be a therapeutic and grounding hobby. Sewing falls into a category of activities that requires intense focus on the hands, which can help distract the mind from everything else that may be causing trouble. We all loved arts and crafts as kids; there was nothing more relaxing than gluing things together or plonking our hands in paint (although I think our parents would say otherwise). This craft is one that does not require a huge investment or leave a mess.Â
Sewing also doesnât just have to be for the purpose of attaching materials together. If you develop your skills, you could also learn embroidery, one of the oldest forms of textile art. This is a complex craft, which involves the creation of intricate designs using a needle and thread. But you can always start small. Embroidering patterns or graphics onto pockets on jeans is one I find particularly fun and very easy. Start by using a coloured pencil or crayon to draw your design, it can be as simple as a heart or a star, and then trace this stencil with your needle and thread in any colour you want. I like using thread that contrasts the jeans, as this is more exciting. The possibilities are endless, as are the mental health benefits.
In an age where fast fashion and microtrends dominate the style sphere, dare to be different. Try to preserve your clothes for as long as possible. Get creative and make new garments. Wear clothes that make you happy and feel rewarded.Â