You’re probably wondering why I’m not asking, who am I? Do you remember that deep, existential question we used to ponder as teenagers? Please tell me I’m not the only one who did that! I remember writing a poem about it. Decades later, I found it among Mom’s things. I’m thinking she kept it because it was obviously so profound!
Anyway, back to the question - What am I?
Am I a Seamstress, Sewer or a Sewist? It’s confusing.
To me, the term ‘Seamstress’ feels like someone who is a professional - makes clothes, fixes zippers, does alterations etc. and likely for a living. This isn’t me.
Then there’s the term ‘Sewer’ but you see what’s wrong with this word, right??? I am not and never will be a sewer. Yes, sometimes I have a potty mouth but come on! I know it sounds ok when you say it: SEW-ER but if you ever see it written, well then it’s disgusting. Because let’s be honest - your initial thought when you saw ‘Sewer’ was the sewer system, am I right?
For these reasons, I reject ‘Seamstress’ and ‘Sewer’ in favour of ‘Sewist’ for my newfound passion.
The term ‘Sewist’ refers to someone who sews as a hobby. Bingo!! That’s me. I am now a Sewist!
Ok now that we’ve got that out of the way, let me tell you what I’ve been up to for the past few months.
Sewing, of course.
I’ll start at the beginning because that’s where all good stories should start. I learned to sew in high school. My first class project was the tiniest mini skirt one could ever imagine. It was a psychedelic mix of blue and pink colors. When I brought it home, my dad just looked at me and said - No! Not! Never! Forget it! I really don’t know how I pulled it off, but I wore it to school a few times. I was pretty proud of it and not only because it showed off my legs and almost my butt, but because it had a zipper and a no-waistband waistband, kinda thing. Pretty good for my first school project, if I do say so myself!
Oh oh oh I must tell you this story - Bren and I were standing at the bus stop waiting for our school bus. As we’re standing there, I feel a breeze up my skirt. I stop talking and grab Bren’s arm. I stand there in total silence, eyes as big as saucers. She’s asking if I’ve forgotten something at home? You could say that! I whisper, which is weird because we’re alone, but it’s hard to say it out loud. “I don’t have any underwear on”!! She bursts out laughing, but I’m mortified. The bus is fast approaching. Should I keep going or head home to put on some underwear? I decide that it’s one thing if someone sees my underwear but it’s a whole other thing if they see my, you know, hoo-hah!! I’m sure you can guess what I did next—I rushed home, put on my pretty pink underwear, and caught the late bus to school.
Ok back to sewing.
I’d been feeling the need to sew. But I didn’t have a sewing machine, and purchasing one was risky because what if it’s just a phase and I lose interest? Which is not out of the realm of possibility for me. I lose interest in things pretty quickly.
And just so you know, I’m not the most patient person. So, if I make a mistake—which we know that’s happening—I would just toss the sewing machine out the window. And forget about using a seam ripper. Seriously, who has time or patience for a seam ripper? Just toss the damn thing out the window with the sewing machine. This hobby is getting expensive!
In 2022, I had a sudden stroke of genius. I asked Brenda if I could borrow her sewing machine. This way, I could try sewing a few things to see how it goes. And if I didn’t like it, well, no harm, no foul, and no major financial commitment.
I bring it home filled with hopes and dreams, only to let it sit there. It turns out I didn’t have the energy to sew. My mind was willing, but my body was exhausted. Brenda was busy writing her book, so she didn’t want it back. It’s been sitting here ever since, staring at me!
In June, something shifted, and I pulled out the sewing machine. But here’s the kicker - now I’m not interested in sewing clothes. See what I mean about losing interest? Honestly, I even make myself crazy. I still want to sew, but don’t know what to sew. YouTube to the rescue. Do you know that not only can you find easy to sew projects, but you can find ten different ways to do them?
I’m now hooked on sewing baskets, totes, crossbody bags, and envelope clutches. Who knows how long this will last, but for now I’m enjoying myself immensely.
Sewing can still be a bit of an expensive hobby, so it’s been fun trying to mitigate some of these expenses. Did you know you can sew baskets from dollar store table runners? Or those stiff t-towels? And don’t get me started on Goodwill. I bought 7 yards of this stunning fabric for the amazing price of $4.50. It’s sure been fun looking for ways to make this sustainable.
Here’s what has surprised me the most! I am making mistakes! Like lots of mistakes and yet I’m not swearing my head off. Remember my potty mouth?? So that’s why I’m called a Sewist and not a Sewer. You get it now, right? And get a load of this - I’m using the seam ripper. And sometimes 2 or 3 times on the same project. That’s right, sometimes I have to take it all apart and sew it again. And again. And again. I have a limit, though. Once in a while, I will just live with the mistake. Let’s not go crazy. I’m no engineer, after all. Not like some of my friends, right, Henry, who would never finish a project knowing there was a mistake in it. But that’s me - I’m calling my projects - Perfectly Imperfect. And I’m perfectly ok with that.
I’m loving this new found passion of mine. Everything is fun about sewing. From finding the fabrics, to choosing what to make, to learning how to get better.
It suits my personality. I’m much more a hands-on learner than a book learner, so sewing works for me.
But what has surprised me the most, is that I continue to have patience while making many mistakes. And it’s been so rewarding because I can see the difference in my sewing. I’m getting better. All the while keeping my cool. I’m a new and improved Debbie Dunne! When you see me next time, I’m sure you’ll notice.
While sewing is an amazing creative outlet, what I may like about it more than anything is that it offers instant gratification. It’s pretty cool to imagine a tote bag and then voila, there it is. Plus, it’s the perfect getaway when you’re having a rough day. It’s got everything a girl could want. Well, you know, almost everything! Wink wink!
Brenda’s sewing machine has been a godsend, and I am so grateful for it. Every. single. day. How lucky am I?