No need to hide the fact that sewing can drive you nutz…

Very hot tips for sewers:

“I hate sewing!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, while my mother in horror, watched me throw the scissors and my unstitched cowboy vest on the kitchen floor. With all the force my little teenage body could muster, I then started jumping on the poor vest like there was no tomorrow.

I was 13 years old, loved everything with polka dots and didn’t want to dress like anyone else.
At night I dreamt about haute couture from Paris and during the day I was walking around with pouty lips whispering ”Bonjour… Bonjour…” to myself in the sleepy little town where I lived.

It’s OK to hate sewing. But at some point in your life you might want to start working on yourself and that is what I´m going to talk a little bit about now. Because when you are sewing there are actually a few brilliant tricks that can come in handy to avoid the idiosyncratic behavior described above.

Tip 1.
Make sure that you have a large and clean surface as your working station. While working, try to tidy up the threads and fabric waste along the way. This helps you to keep a good overview of your work and to avoid confusing vital small parts with waste.

Tip 2.
Breathe regularly, at least 15 breaths a minute and, if possible, take a few really deep breaths every now and then.
Tip 3.
Music is a big Yes-Yes! Pick your music according to how your work is progressing. If you are in a very difficult and tricky stage, some Mozart would probably be a better choice than Beastie Boys. But overall I would say that any funk, soul, house or 80s synth pop would be a great way of keeping the sewing spirit HOT!

Tip 4.
Do the robot dance between the sewing machine and ironing board to make sure to get all the sewing aggressions out of your system.

Tip 5.
Try working as calmly and orderly as you can and do not rush through any of the steps.

Tip 6.
Munch.

Tip 7.
To make sure that the power of the seam ripper doesn´t interfere with your (inner) harmony, just give it your warmest smile and let your inner feelings become one with the beauty of that smile.

Tip 8.
Have a drink.

Tip 9.
If you start feeling a bit tired – stop immediately! I REPEAT – put down your fabric, needles and scissors RIGHT NOW! Turn the lights out and go to bed.

I don´t know how many times I have heard people say – “Oh, I can´t sew” or “I wish I could sew too.” But I have never really understood why they would not be able to sew. Of course they can! It doesn´t matter if the result isn´t perfect. Let’s just skip this idea of what´s right and wrong while we´re creating, ok? During my years as a designer some styles became even more interesting just because of the misunderstandings between me and the factory. Designing and sewing are living processes that need their breathing space. Trying to keep it correct and perfect takes the soul out of the project. Creativity is not about right or wrong. It’s about letting something else within you take the lead and trusting that journey.

The basics of sewing are surprisingly easy to learn and before you know it, you´ll be sitting there making stuff! No joke! If the sewing machine breaks down or the thread is messing with your inner calm, just wait it out and invite patience. It´s totally fine if you want to scream and curse for a little while or maybe get some fresh air before you get back in there and talk some sense into that little machine. You can do it! The show must go on!

I truly believe that making your own clothing is going to be huge in the future. Through this process you are able to meet all of your needs in design, function and fitting. You will be the one setting the terms for how the item will look and feel. I guarantee that you will take better care of something that you have put time and effort into making yourself compared to something you bought in a rush at a disco-pumping mall.

I would say that sewing something for yourself is a great luxury. It symbolizes heart, self-confidence and personality.

Maybe we don´t need all the clothes that we fill our closets with. Maybe instead, we need a few beautifully fitted, comfortable items with personality that we really like and therefore take really good care of.

Imagine not having to cleanse your crazy packed wardrobe every fifteen minutes. Imagine that you have the exact number of garments that you actually need and that you wear each and every one of them on a regular basis. Maybe that is not as far away as you might think? The satisfaction of having made something that you truly like, all by yourself, is really something else. It´s something that I, with all my heart, wish that more people could get a chance to experience.