How To Go About Sewing

I’ve been sewing since I was about 14 or 15 – at this moment that means I’ve been sewing for 15 or 16 years.  That is a long time to develop skills and techniques.  Unfortunately, people don’t think about this when they realise I’m wearing something I’ve made.  Yes, I can put together a summer dress in half a day and I once made a wedding dress in two weeks but I couldn’t have done it if I hadn’t had all those years of experimenting and errors behind me.

And there have been many errors and failures.  I made a pretty little Tudor French gown with a beaded placard two months ago and just last week I messed up a coat of wool/cashmere blend.  An expensive failure and yet the French gown was an expensive success.

The first thing I tell anyone who wants to get into sewing is start simple, get the basics and work from there.  It’s boring, true, but if you really want to make something good it’s worth it.  And never forget that sometimes mistakes happen and there’s no why or how – unpick it or chuck it and start again.

There will be tears, there will be blood, and if you sew in summer, there will be sweat.