"The Beginnings of My Sewing Journey: How and Why I STARTED SEWING"

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To say sewing came easy to me would do a great disservice to any beginner sewist reading this. Sewing is challenging but rewarding at the same time. I was blessed to have an experienced teacher who understood the foundations of sewing to the core.

I never considered sewing until Christmas 2011(ish). My mother-in-law bought our daughters a doll sewing pattern book (marketed as a gift for the girls but I think it was more for her:). After a few glasses of wine, the Christmas spirit inspired me to cave to the ever-open invitation to learn how to sew.

This didn't happen immediately. I began to dread my spirit-led request for my MIL to teach me how to sew. Our relationship hasn't always been the warmest. So much sew (punny, I know) that I had been in deep prayer over our relationship asking god to help us find a common ground.

During the spring of the following year (2012-ish) she obediently reminded me of my Christmas request. realizing I had been praying for a healthy relationship, I came to my senses and realized god was putting this in front of me with a purpose. In her sewing room which could compete with any designer's space, grace, humility, and comrade were the epicenters.

for a few years, I was taught the rewarding craft of sewing. I started with the doll clothes and quickly moved on to more intermediate patterns. with the help of my highly knowledgeable mentor, we decided that we would make my daughter's Easter dresses. My mother-in-law guided me while choosing the pattern and fabric, she made one dress while I followed alongside her making the other dress. the finished garments were more magical than I could have hoped for (see picture above for one of our easter dresses). my girls were dressed in the most unique dresses handmade with love, care, and partnership.

Sewing has always been a challenge for me. I always tell my students it was counter-intuitive. none of it made sense....until it did. I began to realize I could make garments with fewer mistakes. I could see how the garment was going to look by each pattern piece.

What started as an answer to my prayer, became a journey, which led to my passion.

to say that sewing, or any craft for that matter, brings us together is an understatement. The years I had learned to sew with my mother-in-law were magical, to say the least. Just look at the Gee Bend quiltmakers. Their history was founded on a maker's community. craftmanship when done in a community setting can build sound relationships and unite the most unlikely of personalities.