Why Learn Hand Sewing?

People often say to me:

“That’s neat that you teach hand sewing classes online.  I wish I would have learned as a child”. 

“I don’t even know how to thread a needle!” 

“I would like to buy that (reduced price item that has a small tear) but it would cost a lot to get it fixed”.

“Does a stitch in time really save nine”?

A few years back, someone was posting on Facebook asking for recommendations for a seamstress to help make some small repairs to clothing.  The person posted pictures of the items needing repair and they were easy fixes that could be accomplished with very basic sewing skills.  Many people commented on the post with recommendations of tailors and seamstresses in our community. This had me thinking about how sewing skills could make a difference in other persons lives.

Sew Easy was born and that is exactly why I started teaching hand sewing classes!  

Historically, sewing was much more prominent in people’s homes when they had to make the majority of their own clothing, home furnishings, sheets, pillows, children’s toys, etc.  As clothing has become more readily available to purchase and more affordable people have not had to rely on sewing skills to get by.  However, you can save money by learning basic sewing skills.  

Money Saving Benefits of Sewing Skills

-You can save money by making simple repairs to clothing and home furnishings.

-You can have the ability to stitch on patches or other embellishments to enliven and personalize your clothing.

-You can make simple blankets for yourself, for pets, or even to give as gifts.

-You can make curtains or other home furnishings.

-You can make toys, doll clothes, doll furnishings, and even stuffed animals.

-You can make toys for pets, pet bedding, pet pillows, etc.

-You can sew to be more sustainable and economically friendly.

-The possibilities are really endless!

Grandma Louise

My Grandma Louise was an amazing seamstress.  She grew up on a farm in Missouri and learned how to make her own clothes as sewing was a necessity in their home.  She continued to make most of her own clothes well into her adult life.  Grandma Louise was the master at using every little scrap all while turning out a fine product.  

As a child I owned a few popular Cabbage Patch Kids.  Grandma Louise made many outfits for the dolls to wear.  She designed, created, and sewed the outfits herself.  My dolls had winter coats, jackets, pajamas, slippers, dresses, shirts, pants, and even little hats.  She added little embellishments such as teeny tiny buttons, lace, rick rack, and decorative stitching.  

Throughout her life Grandma Louise made many quilts.  Some quilts included family history by embroidering family member’s handwritten signatures.  Other quilts were made from scraps leftover from other projects.  And some quilts were made by recycling outgrown family clothing. These quilts are now family heirlooms.

Later in life, Grandma Louise had a decorative cement lawn goose.  She designed and sewed outfits with matching hats for the goose to wear on her porch.  Grandma Louise made holiday and seasonal outfits for every occasion.  Her neighbors and friends enjoyed seeing the goose wearing its seasonal outfits.

Sewing has so many positive money saving benefits, family benefits, and friend benefits. Sewing and the act of creating can also be beneficial to our mental health.

Benefits of Sewing

Stress Relief

When persons engage in sewing the brain releases dopamine (otherwise known as the feel good hormone).  This can be from the repeated motions involved in sewing, progress on the project, and even from project completion.

Sense of Accomplishment

One can have a genuine sense of accomplishment when completing a sewing project resulting in “feel good” feelings.  Even completing sections of a project result in feelings of accomplishment.  I feel wonderful after designing and completing a new project for my students and creating items for my own personal use.

Problem Solving

We can learn how to overcome challenges through problem solving on a sewing project.  Problem solving can be demonstrated by trying to get a pattern on the fabric to match up, how to better utilize resources to minimize waste, or even through project designing. Cutting out the pattern correctly takes good planning skills and requires precision and care. 

Mathematical Applications

Sewing can utilize mathematical skills such as geometry, fractions, multiplication, and the concept of units and measurement. Knowledge of fractions and geometry helps when calculating how much fabric and other supplies one needs for a project. Geometry is used when making something circular such as a hat or a skirt.  There are endless geometric patterns and designs that are used in producing quilts and other sewing projects. Sewing can also involve multiplication when making some items such as a teddy bear.  For example: You might need two pieces of fabric to make each arm and two pieces of fabric to make each leg or you might need four pieces of fabric to create an animal that has 4 legs.

Self-Expression

Maybe you enjoy making up your own creations.  Or maybe you like to change up some ideas on a project designed by someone else, such as color, embellishments, or adding something fun.  Either way, we can demonstrate our own creativity skills through sewing. I am always encouraging my hand sewing students to add their own twists and turns to our projects we make together.

Lifelong Learning

Maybe you utilize basic stitching skills to keep your clothes maintained.  Maybe you want to tackle more complex projects, such as making a quilt or sewing your own clothing. You can take your sewing skills as far as you would like!

Motivation and Goal Setting

Sewing projects can help us to achieve new goals and have feelings of pride and accomplishment when we achieve them.  Gathering materials and organizing a sewing project helps to develop this skill set.

Sustainability/Economically Friendly

Not only does hand sewing help save money, but it also can help the environment.  Repurposing the fabric from old clothing can help minimize waste and help bring down the cost of creating something new.  When buying material you can save money by planning your project to have minimum waste. 

Self-Improvement/Personal Development Skills

Sewing can help one improve their patience, resilience, and help us to understand the importance of learning from our mistakes. In the beginning stages of sewing it takes a bit of patience to learn how to thread the needle.  Once that skill is mastered you can learn more skills.  Sometimes thread gets tangled and that can be quite frustrating.  Patience and resilience are built when working through these types of challenges. 

Building Community

Sewing is a great way to meet new people in both online and in person settings.  Whether working on a project together or interacting while working on individual projects the sense of community is present.  It used to be quite common for folks to gather round for an afternoon of sewing on a quilt.  This is still common practice in some communities.

I love it when my self-paced hand sewing students reach out to me with their progress on a project.  I also enjoy interacting with my live online class sewing students.  The community we build together is so empowering.

Improved Concentration

Sewing improves our concentration and attention to task skills.  Improved concentration happens through designing your own projects and gathering materials.  When you enjoy working on a project that also helps to build interest and motivate your concentration skills.

Building Independence

Sewing can improve your own independence.  Independence can be had by saving money on costly repairs, the good feeling of self reliance, or the feeling of task completion. Sewing could also lead to new career possibilities and opportunities.

Fine Motor Development

Sewing can help further the development of fine motor skills.  The act of threading a needle, pinning fabric together, and cutting out designs all help to develop and maintain fine motor skills.

Self-Care

Sewing is a wonderful and healthy outlet for stress relief and relaxation.  The repetitive motion of sewing is both calming and relaxing.  

Brain Care

Sewing helps keep your brain strong and active.  New sewing projects help to keep your brain healthy.  Not only does sewing improve your dexterity and focusing skills, but it helps ward of dementia.  Studies have shown that persons that sew are less likely to get dementia.  

Do you want to engage in the joys of sewing?  Try out one of our Sew Easy classes!

There are several options for our Sew Easy classes.  We have both self-paced options and live online options.  

In our self-paced courses you complete the project at your own pace. There are several project options to choose from and more being added in the future.  Please check out our available self-paced courses on the Teach Me Truth platform.

In our live online classes we work through the project together.  Our online class options are available on the Outschool platform.  

I would love to have you in one of my self-paced or live online classes!