What Sewing Means to Me - Part Three

This is the last post in this series and the last post for National Sewing Month even though it's posting on October 1st! I truly hope that you've enjoyed the posts, the discounts, the giveaways and hearing from your fellow sewists. I appreciate everyone who has followed along, entered the giveaways and left comments.

I traveled to Chicago this week for work and tried to write the second installment of this post on the plane, on the fly, and then posted it when I got home. When I went to write this installment last night, I noticed I'd omitted Anita from Anitabydesign. So before you finish reading this post, head back to post #2 and check out what Anita has to say. Thanks!

One more thing...I was writing this post for over three hours last night and ran into obstacle after obstacle. First I came home to no power. It had been off for over two hours then it was another hour before it came back on. After the power came back on, it went off again an hour later. To say I don't know how people lived without electricity is an understatement!!! This is why my final National Sewing Month post is appearing today! 

As I said in my last post, I call these sewing women below my friends...and not just sewing friends but true friends that I can discuss all manner of things with and most importantly call when I need help. We discuss politics even when we don't share the same view! Now you know that's a friend! *LOL*

Before I share their words, I need to say that the sewists in this series of posts are NOT the only sewists that inspire me. However, they are the ones that I reached out to and who replied with their thoughts. Actually I could do a month full of posts of sewists that inspire, encourage and challenge me - maybe next year!

Here is what my sewing friends had to say about "What Sewing Means to Me!"

Marcy/Oona/Oonaballoona ~
"Sewing means I get what I want. I want a metallic brocade party dress?  I get it. I want a faux fur bomber jacket? I get it. I want a subtle, office appropriate blazer with matching knee length skirt? I get it. (Although that last bit is in opposite world.) And the best part of getting what I want is: I enjoy every bit of the getting of it."

Marcy's blog, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest


Gaylen of Gmariesews ~
"To me sewing means many things, the least of which is being able to make clothing that fits me. Through the American Sewing Guild and blogging, sewing has introduced me to several incredible women. I have the ability to travel to different places and meet people I only knew through the computer, in person and nurture those relationships. 

Sewing also allows me to slow my brain while I am working on a project, to problem solve how a pattern goes together when the instructions don't make sense, to encourage and support other women in the local sewing community and ultimately to 'refill' myself.

Finally, sewing provides an opportunity to make clothing for my girls that is appropriate for their careers and which they couldn't afford. Sewing helps me to be a better person."

Gaylen's blog and Instagram

Nakisha or Kisha to me is SewCrafty Chemist (as I was going through my photos I realized although I talk to Kisha all the time, we've never met in person. I'm gonna have to rectify that!) ~

"Sewing means I get to work with my hands. I am a technical person and I adore that aspect of sewing.

Sewing means freedom from convention when I choose...or conforming completely and making things that look like I plucked them off of a rack.

Sewing means connections. I really enjoy being a part of the sewing community. I love seeing what others create. I love the positive interactions - encouragement, cheerleading, advice, etc. And I love reading a story (PLEASE don't stop blogging people!) of how a garment came to be.

First and foremost, sewing is my hobby. I truly believe that everyone needs some kind of hobby - something they can immerse themselves in that brings them joy.

I am an introvert and the best definition of introversion I've ever seen stated that introverts recharge by being alone. I read that statement and my entire life suddenly made sense - I am outgoing and a people person, but I am an introvert (introversion does NOT necessarily equal shy!). So, sewing means I get to escape from the rest of the world for a little while, recenter myself, and do something that brings me joy."

Nakisha's blog and Instagram

Cennetta of Mahogany Stylist ~

"Sewing is a place of creativity for me. It brings me a lot of joy to be able to sit down at the sewing table/machine to create something beautiful (at least beautiful to me). During the very stressful years at U of I, sewing helped me push through those times. I couldn't imagine life without sewing."

Fabric shopping with my girl at Vogue Fabrics in Chicago

Cennetta's blog, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest

Shams of Communing with Fabric ~
"Without getting too spiritual here, I believe that some of us come to this planet with an innate need to create. I have enjoyed many different creative pursuits throughout my 57 years, but sewing most deeply, and most satisfyingly, scratches that itch. My mother, who died at the age of 54 when I was in my 20s, clad me and my siblings almost entirely in her handmade clothing, and our shared passion for sewing was a strong bond between us. Now that I've gotten to that point in life where I don't mind 'looking weird' or standing out in a crowd, sewing has become my strongest form of self expression.

Sewing, and my sewing community, means more to me than most anything else in life, except for my two daughters. And connection to that community is one of the biggest reasons I continue to blog."

Shams blog and Instagram

My new friend Candice - thanks for always checking in on me! ~

"This question couldn't have come at a better time in my sewing life. As I finally feel as though I now understand 'What sewing means' to me.  Sewing, for me, is the opportunity to embrace my creativity in creating different looks with hair, make-up etc. I've realized that this was the aspect of sewing that really motivated me, and that it was okay to just embrace 'your' style of sewing. Sewing also allows me to sew garments that fit as I would like them too, rather than being subjected to 'Ready to Wear' garments, which may not fit as I would always like them to fit."                                                            

Candice's blog and Instagram

Wanett/Nettie Sown Brooklyn ~
"For me sewing means a few things. It's tradition - several women in my family were amazing seamstresses. Sewing makes me miss them and feel close to them in equal measure. It's legacy - the women before me continued what was before them. Black women have left a legacy of handcrafting that continues, today. It's connection - I have met and befriended some of the most amazing women I've ever known through our shared connection of making things with our hands. It's introspection - though I love and appreciate the friends I've made, I require time alone to recharge and renew. Spending that alone time sewing, making, creating fills me with pride & makes me happy, and feel the most like myself in a way that nothing else does."

Wanett's blog, Instagram and Twitter

Sonja of Gingermakes ~

"What sewing means to me, in a nutshell, is community. It means friendship with people from all over the city, the country, and the world, online and in real life. I am grateful every day for the relationships I have with a diverse and amazing group of fellow sewing addicts! Even more so, I appreciate that learning to sew opened my eyes to the community of garment and textile workers around the globe who use their talents to clothe the whole world. The sewing community has given me a new appreciation for these folks and a new career path in sustainable textile development."

Sonja's blog, Instagram and sustainable fabric site - Hellgate Fabrics

I need to say that these aren't ALL of my sewing friends. I can think of at least 10 women that I could have also asked this question to that I speak with often. 

Here are some pictures of other sewing friends ~

I'm going to do a National Sewing Month wrap-up post tomorrow cause there is one more discount y'all! I just need to do a little more sewing today for the grandbabies. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I've spent September sewing for the granddaughters. The photo shoot is tomorrow (Gawd help me!) showcasing the 10 outfits for each girl that I've made.

...as always more later!