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Joy of Sewing

Rekindling a Lost Passion

Rediscovering the Joy of Sewing

Sewing Can be a Chore or a Joy - How to Find the Joy

When I made a New Year’s resolution to free up time for my art this year, I didn’t anticipate all of the benefits that would accrue.

It’s hard to express the joy I’m finding in creating again (in the sense of making unique one-of-a-kind items).

If you’re like me, scrupulously following someone else’s pattern or making one thing over and over again becomes tedious. It sucks the joy out of your creative being.

There have been two times in my life when I didn’t enjoy sewing.

The first was 40 years ago when my hubby needed suits to get a job. I sewed his first two business suits.

Talk about needing to follow a pattern scrupulously! Thankfully, double knits were in style then or I really would have been in trouble.

I swore I would never sew again. My trusty Singer gathered dust for the next 30 years.

Then I started paper crafting. My friends loved my designs and asked me to sew them tote bags, fabric baskets, and dresses, which I then hand painted.

I made some patterns from my friends’ suggestions and dusted off my 40 year-old Singer. Lo and behold - sewing was fun again.

Before long I was swamped with orders, but after sewing hundreds of the same items, sewing again lost its charm.

I turned away from sewing to make jewelry, learn graphic design, do decoupage projects - anything but sew.

However, there was this pile of partially completed fabric baskets and tote bags next to my sewing machine. With the extra time I’ve made for art this year, I decided to finish one of the panadiere baskets as a gift ... then another ... then another.

Woohoo! Sewing is fun again. My Hour-A-Day-Art Resolution is one I’m really glad I made. I have some new designs for sewn items in mind. I’ll be sure to share them with you ;-)

You can view a slide show of the original patterns I have for sale under Artful Crafter Original Patterns, on the Supplies Page of our website.

You’ll find many free patterns I’ve designed in the Sewing Articles Index

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Recommended Reading

These books are excellent resources for sewers of all skill levels.

Sew to Success: How to Make Money in a Home-Based Sewing Business
By: Kathleen Spike

Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book
By: Anne Marie Soto

Sewing for Dummies
By: Janice Saunders Maresh

The Complete Book of Sewing: A Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Every Technique
By: Chris Jefferys

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