Thank you for all of these recommendations! I'm looking forward to seeing Perfect Days, and I'll have to try to find a way to watch The Great British Sewing Bee -- it sounds amazing. I'm dying to read Patrick Grant's Less. I'm in the middle of so many books right now that it might take me a while before I get to it, but I'm excited.
How did you first get started when you decided to make sewing a hobby? It has been a bucket list item of mine for a while and I'd love to make this the year I get started.
It depends on what you’re interested in, eg repair and alterations or making clothes. For the latter I think joining a class is the best option. I started with a simple class where we made a tote bag and a zip purse… the idea was just to learn to use a sewing machine and various types of sewing techniques. Then I did an intensive sewing course for beginners, where they taught us how to draft patterns, take measurements, and then make two garments (over 8 weeks). It was great and I learnt a lot and I loved having classmates to consult during each class. What I should have done next was to buy a simple sewing machine (so many secondhand ones on FB marketplace) and start sewing but I moved countries and didn’t want to buy one, so I’ve kind of fizzled out… but I’m not averse to starting again!
I do a bit of hand sewing to mend stuff (fix buttons, hems, small repairs) and you can easily find tutorials on YouTube to show you how. It’s very satisfying! This year for example I took an old tank top and turned it into a cropped tank and I did it all by hand.
This is so helpful, thank you for sharing! I think for western clothes my biggest hope is to be able to repair and alter clothes to fit me well. However, I would also like to be able to make Indian clothes from scratch as it would be much cheaper and fit my vision. I think the first step for me would be to find a sewing course and I can build from there.
Agree! I think just any simple course that lets you get some hands-on experience working on a machine is a great intro. not having a machine is the biggest obstacle to me continuing on this hobby so that's something to consider if you decide to take it seriously. I used to live near a public library that had machines for you could hire to use so maybe you can look up something similar too.
Yes! I also subscribe to the filter of almost always buying clothes (and accessories) that are worth and able to be repaired when the time comes. I'm so glad that you're still scuba diving! To find one or a few hobbies that we love and stay committed to is such a gift.
I have to figure out how to watch the latest seasons of Sewing Bee!! I downloaded all of the available seasons early on in the pandemic and loved it but have had trouble finding it the past two years. Renewing my efforts now..
I'm delighted that you're enjoying the Sewing Bee!! It really does make you think a lot about the work that goes into clothes, for such a sweet and easy-to-watch show.
I'm excited to check out that minidoc on kaketsugi - it sounds fascinating. 🖤
It’s a great rec, thanks for mentioning it in your newsletter. It’s such labour of love that doesn’t seem to be about fame or self importance (unlike the fashion-y shows like Next in Fashion, which feel so out of touch). I also enjoy the cottage industry of sewists who recap the patterns and sewing on YouTube!
That’s one of the things I love about it, too - there’s no cattiness about the contestants’ style, which is pretty common in other fashion-based reality shows.
I honestly would never have thought it gets cold enough in Melbourne for a heavy sweater! But I'm so glad it does because heavy sweaters are THE BEST. The weight of them is just so comforting to me.
Re: invisible mending, there is one fellow in NYC who does this as well, and he is truly brilliant. It's a real art!
I don’t know why it feels so cold this year and it’s only June! That said, if I head out, a heavy sweater is too warm for all the walking + overheated commercial buildings, but it’s the perfect thing to hunker down in if I’m working at home at my desk the whole day!
Invisible mending: so cool! These people are national treasures!
They are! My husband's jacket in which we were married was eaten by moths in one place on the shoulder; I brought it to this fellow and he fixed it SO beautifully we couldn't even tell where it was. And he said he was only 70% happy with the result! I honestly could not have told the difference.
I wasn't familiar with Kurino until this post but wow, that man has style! I feel the same about blazers. I have a couple and I always like the idea of them but somehow they just don't feel right when I wear them. I love how he styles them though, so I might have to revisit mine...
Thank you for all of these recommendations! I'm looking forward to seeing Perfect Days, and I'll have to try to find a way to watch The Great British Sewing Bee -- it sounds amazing. I'm dying to read Patrick Grant's Less. I'm in the middle of so many books right now that it might take me a while before I get to it, but I'm excited.
I have been able to watch BBC shows in the past via a VPN, maybe that's something you can consider!
I loved Perfect Days and Godzilla Minus One. The colors in the latter were so incredible to me.
The proportions and fit of your outfits are so perfect!
Thank you!
How did you first get started when you decided to make sewing a hobby? It has been a bucket list item of mine for a while and I'd love to make this the year I get started.
It depends on what you’re interested in, eg repair and alterations or making clothes. For the latter I think joining a class is the best option. I started with a simple class where we made a tote bag and a zip purse… the idea was just to learn to use a sewing machine and various types of sewing techniques. Then I did an intensive sewing course for beginners, where they taught us how to draft patterns, take measurements, and then make two garments (over 8 weeks). It was great and I learnt a lot and I loved having classmates to consult during each class. What I should have done next was to buy a simple sewing machine (so many secondhand ones on FB marketplace) and start sewing but I moved countries and didn’t want to buy one, so I’ve kind of fizzled out… but I’m not averse to starting again!
I do a bit of hand sewing to mend stuff (fix buttons, hems, small repairs) and you can easily find tutorials on YouTube to show you how. It’s very satisfying! This year for example I took an old tank top and turned it into a cropped tank and I did it all by hand.
This is so helpful, thank you for sharing! I think for western clothes my biggest hope is to be able to repair and alter clothes to fit me well. However, I would also like to be able to make Indian clothes from scratch as it would be much cheaper and fit my vision. I think the first step for me would be to find a sewing course and I can build from there.
Agree! I think just any simple course that lets you get some hands-on experience working on a machine is a great intro. not having a machine is the biggest obstacle to me continuing on this hobby so that's something to consider if you decide to take it seriously. I used to live near a public library that had machines for you could hire to use so maybe you can look up something similar too.
Yes! I also subscribe to the filter of almost always buying clothes (and accessories) that are worth and able to be repaired when the time comes. I'm so glad that you're still scuba diving! To find one or a few hobbies that we love and stay committed to is such a gift.
I have to figure out how to watch the latest seasons of Sewing Bee!! I downloaded all of the available seasons early on in the pandemic and loved it but have had trouble finding it the past two years. Renewing my efforts now..
I managed to watch it on BBC player, phew!
I'm delighted that you're enjoying the Sewing Bee!! It really does make you think a lot about the work that goes into clothes, for such a sweet and easy-to-watch show.
I'm excited to check out that minidoc on kaketsugi - it sounds fascinating. 🖤
It’s a great rec, thanks for mentioning it in your newsletter. It’s such labour of love that doesn’t seem to be about fame or self importance (unlike the fashion-y shows like Next in Fashion, which feel so out of touch). I also enjoy the cottage industry of sewists who recap the patterns and sewing on YouTube!
That’s one of the things I love about it, too - there’s no cattiness about the contestants’ style, which is pretty common in other fashion-based reality shows.
I honestly would never have thought it gets cold enough in Melbourne for a heavy sweater! But I'm so glad it does because heavy sweaters are THE BEST. The weight of them is just so comforting to me.
Re: invisible mending, there is one fellow in NYC who does this as well, and he is truly brilliant. It's a real art!
I don’t know why it feels so cold this year and it’s only June! That said, if I head out, a heavy sweater is too warm for all the walking + overheated commercial buildings, but it’s the perfect thing to hunker down in if I’m working at home at my desk the whole day!
Invisible mending: so cool! These people are national treasures!
They are! My husband's jacket in which we were married was eaten by moths in one place on the shoulder; I brought it to this fellow and he fixed it SO beautifully we couldn't even tell where it was. And he said he was only 70% happy with the result! I honestly could not have told the difference.
I wasn't familiar with Kurino until this post but wow, that man has style! I feel the same about blazers. I have a couple and I always like the idea of them but somehow they just don't feel right when I wear them. I love how he styles them though, so I might have to revisit mine...
He does! if you have time, check out his interview on the Blamo podcast...he sounds like an all-round lovely human being and I love his attitude towards style and fashion: https://blamopod.com/blamo-podcast/2024/5/19/hirofumi-kurino