I dreamt of making handmade clothes for years before I finally jumped in. Like many home sewists and knitters, my love for natural fibers was the catalyst.
It had never been in my budget to buy a RTW piece and the older I got, the less inclined I was to settle for fast-fashion. I knew that handmade clothes were a new hobby I wanted to explore.
Like many others, I jumped into the handmade clothes scene in the spring of 2020. I tried sewing a skirt but quickly gave up. I taught myself to knit by starting with a sweater (I never finished it), then made a couple of washcloths and tea towels as gifts. It wasn’t until 2023 that I decided to try self-made clothing.
Since last month marked a full year since my first handmade garment, I thought I would commemorate it by compiling a list of things I learned in the first year of sewing and knitting.
1. Quality over Quantity
When I first started out, I wanted to make literally everything. Countless YouTube videos were watched. Many of these makers had more WIPs than I could ever think of having on the go at one time.
As a newbie, this wasn’t to have many projects going at once like many of these creators So early on, I promised myself that I would create with intention and work slowly.
My rule of thumb: one sweater, one cardigan, and a pair of socks. I only buy yarn when I have a project in mind and I knit with intention.
2. Lean on your cheerleaders/community
I continue to be inspired by those I’ve met online through this hobby. They encourage me when I have one or two languishing WIPS, cheer me on when I feel like a project is a total failure, and can see how something might or might not work.
3. Pay attention to the details
It wasn’t until I started my handmade wardrobe that I finally learned how important it is to notice how the little things fit into the big picture.
Sure, you could ignore that accidental yarn over or that extra row in your raglan rows, but these fixable mistakes could change the outcome of your final garment. I found that it was best for me to pay attention to what I was doing and learn the craft rather than to speed through and get whatever I was working on finished so I could wear it.
4. Trust the Process
There have been numerous times when I have started a sweater, gotten to a certain point, and thought, “How on earth is this going to work?” 🤔
If I feel lost I do a couple of things –
- Did I make a mistake?
- Did I misread the pattern?
- Is there a better way I could go about this technique?
If none of them solve what could be a mistake, I keep keeping on and hope that what I’m doing will turn out how it’s supposed to.
5. Slow Down
When I sew and grow frustrated, I will literally stop and talk myself through the process and tell myself to slow down. I catch myself saying “go as slow as you need to” as if I’m talking to a child while teaching them how to sew.
6. Have Humility
There’s nothing that gets in my way more than the pride when crafting…
When I was more of a beginner, I would usually continue to work through bias binding thinking I had it figured out instead of taking the time to look through a tutorial to see how something was actually done.
7. Hands that can create are a gift ✨
This is the biggest takeaway from this first year.
I had some time late this summer when I developed some wrist and hand pain. It wasn’t until I couldn’t do what I loved, that I realized just how much of a blessing it is to have hands that even have the dexterity to knit in the first place.
Often, while working on a project, I thank God for these hands of mine that work and allow me to make my own clothes and gifts for others.
These 7 things are a very short reflection on this last year of making with intentionality. I have grown so much in appreciation for slowing down in the process, learning, and finishing projects.
If you had to think of the biggest lesson knitting and sewing your handmade clothes have taught you, what would it be?
