Many of our lives are constantly in motion while we juggle work, life and love. It’s safe to say that we all experience certain levels of stress on a daily basis. I admit working in the fashion industry can be completely exhausting at times, so I work hard to manage stress by monitoring my diet—I follow the “Eat Right For Your Blood Type” diet and in the past I’ve been a gluten-free raw foodist, a vegan, a freegan, and a fish eating vegetarian—practicing yoga and taking time for me to sew.
Sewing is the one hobby I have been practicing since I was a little girl, and it is by chance that it became my profession. In college I would wear my self-made creations to class and my peers would comment on them and ask me where I got them. This led towards concentrating my studies in Fashion Design and creating mini-collections to sell at punk-rock flea markets and music shows at my school. The clothes would get snatched right up! I felt empowered by empowering other women who wore my clothing, as they felt beautiful and strong and I felt that I’d done something good, and made someone happy.
When I joined BurdaStyle as Editor and Creative Director in 2007, I met thousands of other people who share the same passion for sewing and fashion design. For many of us, it is the process of sewing, the journey of creating a garment from beginning to end, that’s so addictive, and the reward is being able to wear it. We all know how wonderful it feels to slip into your favorite dress—but imagine how you’d feel if you made the dress yourself? Chose the fabric and trim to suit your personal style? Made it fit like a glove? The feeling is extraordinary when you can dictate your personal style choices through dress and aren’t limited by trends or what’s available in your size.
You can start small—begin by sewing that hem that fell, or reattaching a button. Try embellishing a simple garment with beads, sequins or rivets. These small, personalized expressions can really change how you feel about a garment, and you can be proud you put your own stamp of approval on it.
Need ideas? Read the excerpt below from our friends at CrafterNews, and if you want more, check out the BurdaStyle website and the new book, The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook.
The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook – Excerpt
