I've had the goal of learning to sew for years (literally!) and decided that 2010 is the year that I start working toward this goal. I made the shorts above as a project at a beginners sewing workshop I took here. The 2-hour class cost $40 plus the cost of fabric (which they sold at the store) and included usage of a sewing machine and materials like thread, measuring tape and scissors. At the end of the class you have a project completed. I opted to make shorts instead of pants as the instructor initially suggested.
I definitely plan to go back and take a few more classes to master the basics and am toying with the idea of eventually taking some classes in knitting as well. The imperfections may not be apparent from the photo above, but I'll definitely need to work on mastering sewing on a machine in a straight line : ) Threading a bobbin without help will also take a little practice.
So what is the value in spending my money on things like sewing classes when I have no aspirations of becoming a Project Runway contestant?
- As a creative person, it's worth it for my personal happiness level to learn skills that are both useful and creative. Sewing fits those requirements.
- I hope to master sewing well enough to do most of my clothing alterations and even make some basic items for myself like skirts. This would save me a lot of money over time because as a petite lady, a lot of my pants and other clothing require alteration before wear. As a result of the extra money required to purchase pants, I rarely buy them these days.
- I like the idea of giving more hand-made gifts. Hand-made gifts can also be cost-effective in many cases if the materials required to make the gift are inexpensive. For instance, I could make a baby blanket for the next family member or friend that is expecting.
Learning to sew proficiently won't happen overnight, but I feel positive that it's an attainable goal with some instruction and a little practice. I plan to track how much money I spend on learning to sew and on the cost of materials during and after the 'learning' process.
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3 comments:
those look nice. I also have a goal to master sewing. Sadly, I can sew - my mom grew up doing it so I've made blankets, altered clothes and made pillows over the years. I'm being a mix of lazy and cheap with it.
I'd like to sew some skirts. I've been buying skirts since you did a post about how you hardly wear pants and I noticed all that I wear are pants. In hot California at that.
@Falling into Favor Thanks! Sewing is a handy skill even if you only do it sporadically. I spend way too much money to alter my clothing so it fits properly. I'll post photos of sewing projects I work on : ) maybe you'll do the same when you sew too? I'd love to see what you've worked on.
Ooooh THANKS for the info I definitely want to learn how sew I'll be looking into this. How are you enjoying the DC area.
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