Anybody know how to sew?

[Tuckervill]

I had home ec and the first sewing project we did was a shirt with interfacing! yikes. Then I made some gauchos. lol.

Our local high school has home ec classes, but they also have an agriculture program.

I can't remember when I couldn't sew, though. To me, it's just like following a recipe. I have quite often just free-styled what I needed (not clothes!). I'm getting ready to make some insulated bags for my new business, if I can find a good fabric for them. I've already constructed them in my mind.

Karen

[PscyclePath]

I taught myself to sew about 10 or 12 years ago... making Civil War uniforms, believe it or not... using museum patterns and picking up the little details from looking at original items. I use a machine on the inner seeams that don't show in the finished product, but everything outside (topstitching, buttonholes, etc.) and that shows on the inside is handsewn. I started out with some simple stuff like little bags or "poke sacks,", then started working on shell jackets and shirts. Trousers are probably the most fun, once you've figured out how to put in the fly ;-) (no zippers allowed. I haven't tried those, so I'm a little clueless with those...) Frock coats are probably the most frustrating garment to try. Single-breasted is tough enough, but double-breasted is a booger.

It's a lot of fun, and very calming in stressful times to simply be able to sit there and stitch. And they look better, more real, and last much, much longer than the stuff you can buy commercially.

Tom

[shootingstar]

There are probably more men interested in or doing sewing than just the guys in the design/fashion world.

But it's hidden or under the guise of repairing tents, sails, pack sacks or furniture ulpholstery or making furniture coverings/working in interior design areas or leathermaking products.

In connecting all the dots of my mother's natural strengths in this areas in the past day , she also had a natural mathematical ability to calculate in her head by looking, how much fabric was required to design and make fitted slipcovers for a sofa and armchair set. This is one area I would take more time than she to do the calculations.

Yet despite her tailoring, advanced sewing techniques, she did not have artistic sense of choosing inspiring colour combinations and textures for outfits. These are areas I know came more naturally to me.

[MommyBird]

My favorite shop used to have a man working there who was an avid sewer. He made dresses for his daughters. His wife hated sewing. He also quilted but his forte was French Sewing and smocking. A very popular southern style for little girls and toddler boys.
A style never to be worn by my boys though!