What Do You Love MOST About Sewing?

What is it that you love about sewing?

On September 26, 2015, the topic of my blog post was what do you like least about sewing?

In it, I listed four things that I didn't much care for, with most of them centered around the fact that — for me — starting a sewing project is extremely time-consuming before I even get to the sewing part.

Almost eight years later, it's finally occurred to me to ask the opposite question.

As usual, I did a quick check online for what others have already covered on this topic. It was illuminating to see that perhaps the most common response had nothing to do with the actual activity of sewing.

Perhaps not surprisingly, most people says it's the sense of satisfaction, pride, or accomplishment in the finished product that they love most about sewing.

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While some sewers may express a love of selecting the perfect materials from an extensive fabric stash, or of sewing up row upon row of patchwork squares, many more of us are likely to gloss over the specific aspects of the craft.

One person's response on Quora was particularly noteworthy in that she declared that she didn't know what she liked best, considering that there were many steps in the process of sewing that she really didn't like, period. (Cutting fabric was her first dislike, which is also my number one.)

Do you love selecting fabrics for a sewing project?

It made me think that if I were asked to pick something about sewing that I particularly liked to do, I probably wouldn't know, either. Quite honestly, none of the required steps from start to finish qualify as something that I love doing.

For example, do I like the process of selecting fabric for a project? Not really. Unless I have a fabric in mind for something (like this), this step can be a mind-bending exercise for me, sometimes taking longer than the actual sewing part. And I don't even have a large fabric stash to weigh in on the decision.

Do you love laying out and cutting fabric for a sewing project?

Do I like the painstaking process of laying out templates onto fabric? (You already know I don't like the cutting part that comes next) I suppose I could say that it can be very a mindful exercise that focuses the brain and chases away other problems, but liking it? Can't say that I do; no.

Do I like applying interfacing? No, it's a finicky process that requires a certain level of precision... not exactly relaxing. 

Do I like prepping the sewing machine? Pfft, just having to re-thread it is a pain in the butt sometimes.

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Do I like pinning pieces together before sewing? Not particularly, and I avoid it when I can get away with it. How about pressing open seams after sewing? It's usually a necessary evil, but oftentimes, it's disruptive to the whole sewing process to have to divert to the ironing station.

 

Might you love pinning?

When I drill down like that, maybe the answer is that what I love most about sewing is the sewing. You know, the vroom vroom of pedal to the floor and seeing pieces being joined together to become more than the sum of their parts.

As soon as two pieces are sewn together, I feel like I'm making progress. It's as though the project doesn't officially begin for me until thread is dropped into fabric. It's probably why I felt a bit of a high when — after hours of cutting and fusing and prepping — I finally sewed the straps of the Professional Tote back in October of 2012.

Or do you love fusing and pressing?

While I know that "sewing" covers a lot of ground — simple straight line sewing, curvy sewing, sewing through thick layers, sewing pieces that start flat but turn awkwardly 3D — I do enjoy tackling the variety and usually end up liking any unexpected challenges. Although, admittedly, they're sometimes hard to appreciate in the moment. Conquering them is always satisfying, even if the seam ripper has to make an appearance.

Actually, having just typed that last sentence, I think I might have an answer to this question: maybe what I love most about sewing is that it is so easy to fix! I may have shared this before, but in a response to someone who kept asking for advice on how to proceed with a section of my Crafty Cosmetics Caddy, I finally had to tell her just to go ahead and sew... because sewing is not like laying concrete.

I mean, if you think about other hobbies which aim to "create something" — from carving to painting to woodworking — many don't have the equivalent of a seam ripper tool to make mistakes go away.

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All that aside, my final response is probably in line with those who say the sense of accomplishment in the final result is the thing they love most about sewing. Another person on Quora was quite explicit in saying that she doesn't find sewing relaxing or particularly enjoyable, but does appreciate finishing a unique project.

Do you love learning from failures?

That I can take fabrics and produce something one of a kind and useful out of them is something that never fails to make me happy. (Like this vase of tulips that greets me every morning.) And one of the primary byproducts of a hobby should be happiness.

Of course, I mustn't forget these other benefits that I've mentioned in the past: I do like that sewing engages and stimulates me on several levels. Physical dexterity is tested in measuring and cutting and working with small things like needles, pins, snaps, and fasteners. On the mental side of things, the use of math and spacial thinking that's required to dream up new designs (or customize existing ones) keeps the brain sharp.

What do you think? Having gotten to the end of this rambling stream of consciousness blog post (which it totally was; I admit it), what do you love most about sewing?

'Til next...