I don’t sew.
But in the last two days I’ve recovered four throw pillows, freehanded three tote bags for the kids’ library books, and mended a quilt.
All this because my older sister asked to store and possibly use her extra sewing machine as a favor to her closet space. And also could she offload some of her fabric store?
She collects fabric like I collect yarn and books. As if the tune of a million dreams is woven right into the threads. —Possibility. Hope. Beauty. Transformation. Industry — all in one yard of cotton material.
Well, maybe her fabric doesn’t sing or mindmeld with uppity ambition, but I understand the need to downsize a stash curated with joyful appreciation.
But I digress. I said yes to the fabric, of course. I tend toward thriftiness and love the challenge of using up things someone else chose to make something.
Yesterday inspiration, energy and time colluded and I’ve become something of a free-handed sewist. No patterns as of yet, too many chances to go wrong there, but I could change my mind about those, too.
I could be be a seamstress before I know it. Ok, I’m not even tempted.
But here’s the thing. My declarations about myself probably won’t always be true. I change, I can change, and I will change.
Often in spite of myself.
In little ways and big ways.
Sometimes it’s a long, difficult transformation.
But sometimes all it takes is saying yes to a pile of possibility I didn’t even dream about.
Makes me wonder what else I’ve said I don’t do or tried and written off too soon.
What about you? Are you prone to writing things off? What have you told yourself you don’t do and then changed your mind?
Bonus Material: Sewing vs. Crochet
Points in favor of sewing:
- It’s fast. Relatively. I spent quite a while refilling bobbins, but I threw together a tote bag for the kids in about an hour each.
- It transforms different medium into something useful or beautiful.
- It’s arguably more useful than crochet.
Points against sewing:
- Can be very difficult to undo/redo (less forgiving).
- Takes a machine that can feel finicky and loud (thankfully this one seems happy to sew).
- Requires more dedicated space (thus the sewing machine home outsourcing.
What do you prefer? Sewing, Knitting, Crochet, Any or None?
Erika Shirk 