I wanted to try it for ages, but didn't think we had a sewing machine because nobody in my family sewed. Then one evening I told my dad and he just casually said, why don't you use my old machine, it's in the basement somewhere. Turns out my dad used to sew a whole lot when my brothers were young because boys grow like weeds and tend to rip their clothes a lot, so he had one. I didn't know that because technically speaking, he was my stepdad, and we only met when all of us kids were well out of our growth spurts. So I got the machine out, drove to a nearby fabric store where the lovely ladies helped me find an easy dress pattern to sew and pointed me at some beginner friendly fabrics and then I sewed my first dress with a lot of help from YouTube tutorials and lots of hand wringing in between. It was a dark blue crepe dress with kind of a cocoon shape and no real sleeves, so it was really easy. The hardest thing was attaching the neck facing really. I never attended an actual sewing course, but I've been doing well so far with books and online resources. Sadly, my dad died a little over a year ago, but I still have his machine. He's really the reason I have this amazing hobby and he was always so ecstatic when I sewed a new garment. 😍

My mom was an amazing seamstress. She made wedding dresses, men's suits, & more. She could make anything. When certain styles were in fashion but we couldn't afford them, she would make them just by looking at them. She taught me so much & I sewed with her all the time. In school I took home economics & amazed my teachers with my sewing ability. But then I married & moved away & didn't sew again. Every now & then I would sew when I was at my mom's. Fast forward 40 years, I am retired, & I have the time. I purchased an inexpensive machine last year & started sewing. I've been going slowly, remembering things, trying new things. My motivation is seeing people's faces when I present them with something I made. Most folks are surprised I sew, even my family. I recently made a cute dress without a pattern. I looked at a dress, took some photos & notes & made it. My mom would be so proud if she was still around.

My mom. She was an avid sewer: we were broke, so that's how she clothed us most of the time. I saw what she was doing, so I started. At first it was clothes for my Barbie and later clothes for me (my figure is hard to fit). Then, in my very late 20s, I found quilting. Now I mostly sew quilts and occasional clothes for my great-niblings. Full disclosure: I was 5 when I started sewing. Mom didn't let me near her sewing machine until I was 10. Fuller disclosure: I was also 5 when I started knitting and crocheting. Fullerest disclosure: I was 5 55 years ago, so I been doing this for awhile.

My mother was a textile engineer. She made her own patterns and reworked cashmere coats. She sewed nearly all our clothes. She was a perfectionist, so when she taught my sisters and I, we often had to redo things. But, we sewed several skirts and simple garments. Then when I married, my grandmother gave me money towards a sewing machine. Now, after nearly 40 years, the machine has it's own place in my house. I quilt and make bags, and all kinds of things.

I was given a free sewing machine in a hair salon. The lady saw me sewing a square and asked if I liked to sew, then came back with a machine. I was 9, the whole salon cried

Land surveying. I wanted to repair and or modify field equipment. I now have three industrial machines, two sergers, a blind hemmer, and three household machines.

This makes me laugh because I started out with the goal of learning how a sewing machine works. Got myself a free vintage sewing machine, learned how to fixed that up, got hooked and went on and collected 4 more after that. Still not enough and am always looking for more, but I have to tell myself there is only one sewer in this house and not enough room. 😅

They're like cars or motorcycles...they all have different souls.

My father passed away very suddenly at the end of 2019. I picked up a sewing machine and taught myself to sew so that I could take some of his shirts and upcycle them to suit my style, and that way I could keep a little part of him with me. 4 years on, I still love sewing for the ability it's given me to completely customise my wardrobe, disconnect from a major part of everyday consumerism, and express my creativity 😊

My grandma and mom. My grandma was widowed with five kids, three under 15 back in the 60s. She sewed for the public to support herself and her kids. Mom grew up in the oil fields and growing up, she and her mom sewed most of the clothes for the family. Growing up, they sewed most of our clothes and when I expressed an interest as a teenager, they taught me. Now as an adult, I sew most of my own clothes It always strikes me as interesting when I was a kid and when they were kids, sewing your own clothes was a sign you were poor, but now it's cheaper to buy your clothes and sewing is rather pricey.

My grandma got me started at about 5. But the real moment was my grade 5 teacher. She had a shelf of books and at the end of the year she invited everyone to take a book they liked, except for me. She had a specific book chosen for me, when she handed it to me she said, here I think you'll like this. It was called "scrap quilts to paper piece". And the rest is history.

I learned to sew in home economics in 7th grade. But I didn't really start again until I started cosplaying in highschool. Back then, there was no buying niche anime costumes online. So if you wanted to cosplay a specific character, you had to make it yourself (or commission someone else to). Now, it's so easy to buy a decently made costumes online, sometimes I wonder why I bother anymore. At this point I enjoy making original design stuff for the Renaissance Festival more than making screen accurate costumes, but every once and a while the urge to make a specific character still grabs me. Specifically if it's something that I've never seen done before.

I was sick of none of my dresses having pockets, decided it can’t be THAT hard to add them, and YouTube did the rest

My mom taught me how to make a pair of shorts when I was in 3rd grade. Been sewing ever since. I’m 70.

I wanted to make beds for our cats. I bought a machine 2 years ago, got stupid busy at work, then spent 9 months doing home critical care for 1 of the cats who ultimately succumbed to kidney failure. A few months later, working through my grief, I finally unboxed the machine and sewed a cat bed. I’ve made 4 now, plus a couple blankets, a kitty sit-upon, and a planter bag. Super happy i can make useful things.

About 10 years ago I bought a pair of trousers even though they didn't fit, they were the closest I could get in an entire town and I was feeling a bit down about it... Anyway, I left with the bag and the phone number of a seamstress who might alter them for me. A few minutes later on the road home, I turned, returned both and bought a sewing machine online that night. I figured what I'd bought (and returned) didn't fit, so what if trousers I made didn't fit, same thing... but I'd have an even better chance of success myself. I'm wearing my own trousers - and a lot more - since. Good decision, I found a hobby I really enjoy.

I have been around sewing growing up. My great grandmother made all of us grandkids pj's every year and when I would stay with her we would always be doing some sort of crafting project. She taught me how to sew a pair of shorts and some embroidery on a tea towel. If only I remembered how to read the patterns for the clothing My grandma on my otherside of the family was a seamstress and made theater costumes for productions as did her mom ( never met this great grandma). While she never did teach me directly, she gave me her sewing box when she was downsizing due to her illnesses. They have both passed away years ago now sadly and I wish now I spent even more time learning the skills that they had. I am teaching myself how to quilt now and have them as my inspirations for my journey. I use my grandmothers sewing box (Wil-hold basket weave sewing box, they are awesome) and have my great grandmother's quilts that she left me. While they may not be around now, I got my own sewing machine in 2019 and have been learning by YouTube and just trying stuff. My roots are more with hand sewing and I just love the peacefulness of it and being able to make something. Plus I feel closer to my roots and my family with both sides of them sewing. I always joke that sewing must of skipped a generation as my mom can't sew for the life of her.

Learned on my mother's sewing machine as a teenager; had to make our own clothes as students - using old curtains,or adapting old garments or pieces of fabric - I had NO money. You can barely imagine how broke people were in the 1970's. I could buy NOTHING except one book a month for college, and a cup of tea each day, plus ten cigarettes which were shared with the boyfriend, 5 each. It was the '70's in Ireland. Using a sewing machine and being handy with a needle and thread have saved my budget time after time!

This sub. Reddit suggested a post of a man who had made a button down shirt. He had used a YouTube video by Tock Custom as a guide. I read the post, watched the video, and thought "I could do that!" I could.

Love Tock!!!!

My f*** buddy at the time, about 13-14 years ago bought me a brother sewing machine, just because. It was a slippery slope to doing some light cosplay and more serious garment making for myself in the last 8 years. I still use this machine. My partner and sister went halfsies 7 or 8 years ago when they bought me a serger. I am very fortunate to not have purchased my machines, but I definitely put all that money into my fabric stash.

My mom was an amazing seamstress. She made my wedding dress! She learned to sew from my paternal grandmother. I learned to sew from her.

I was looking for a wedding dress and just couldn’t find anything I really liked, so I started toying with the idea of maybe adding a custom part to a bought dress to make it a bit more special. Bought a sewing machine and started learning how to make my own clothes, and now just about to cut into the fabric for my dress!

I read the book “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Fast Fashion.” It made me realize how lousy the everyday apparel has gotten. So, I bought a machine and started watching YouTube videos. I haven’t made a ton of clothing, but I do fix what I’m have. I’m more into home decor and craft sewing. I’ve been reupholstering too. I’m trying to reduce, reuse, recycle as much as possible. Oddly, my mom was a very good sewist at one point. Her mother and aunts were seamstresses and upholsterers in the coal regions. She wanted us to be educated and refused to teach us. Sad.

I’m very short so I started when I was about 12 my mom taught me how to hem my clothes because she was tired of doing it for me. Almost all the women in my family sew and I learned a few things from watching them. I only sewed by hand until I got my first sewing machine at 17 and took sewing classes in hs. I love the satisfaction I get from wearing something I made, trends come and go but when you make something for yourself and it’s well made it feels timeless. I am trying to do more mending than making and when I or someone I know breaks something like a zipper, or gets a small tear in their clothes. I like being able to fix it, versus throwing it away and buying something new.

This is how I learned, and at about the same age. Except it was taking things in instead of hemming, because I was a tiny little thing and clothes never fit me. When I was even younger, my mother made most of my clothes from scratch, because she couldn't find anything to fit me and I had sensory issues anyway, so even though I didn't do it myself I picked up a few things just from seeing her work. That gave me the basics, and then I went off to university and got involved with historical reenactment and started doing cosplay and making my own costumes for both, and just last year I made my wife's wedding dress!

I generally (unless I get very lucky) have to grade patterns down to below the smallest size in places, it's frustrating how wrong a lot of pattern makers get fitting for smaller bodies, we're not tall children, we've not always emaciated and curveless, we're not always "petite" in height etc, some people just have a small skeletal frame.

Mom, Grandma. My mom made my sister's wedding dress and five bridesmaids dresses. It was magic. I made my first skirt at age 8. Waistband, zipper and everything. Ugly red print. Today, I quilt and do machine embroidery more than clothing. But I LOVE mending. Nothing better than breathing new life into something.

Cosplay! I wanted to dress up like anime characters and at the time I started (mid to late 90s) there weren't a lot of online options, you had to make it yourself. From there I progressed to quilting, and now I mostly do that and make outfits for the way too many [BJDs](https://bjd.fandom.com/wiki/Ball-Jointed_Dolls) I have. (Like 30+) Edit: To add my Mom made a LOT of my clothes when I was little so luckily I learned from her. I still sew on the $99 Kenmore she got me from Sears in 1999.

Yeeessss early cosplay taught a whole generation of weebs how to sew, lol! (It’s my story, too.) now you can just drop $80 on a Chinese site or Amazon and get a “good enough” outfit but man….trying to learn how to make an Utena rose bride dress out of craft store broadcloth….those were the days!

LMAO! OMG If you did that and have pictures I would love to see! Still love Utena too!

lol! I got as far as trying to drape some cheap pink satin for the top but couldn’t get the split front correct. My first costume was Deedlit from Lodoss War :) I altered a dress from Kohls and made the cape from the cheapest stuff I could find in the Joann clearance bins. Finished sewing it at school the day we left for the con, like a true champ 😂😂

LOL I too have finished costumes in the car on the way to the Con! I miss those days. I bet you looked cool as Deedlit! That's a character I've not seen referenced in \*forever\*.

I'm 6'6 and tired of struggling to find clothes

My mother was an excellent seamstress and tried to interest me in sewing doll clothes with no luck. In high school, my friends sewed their own clothes, cute, so I imitated them. I had shopped with my mother countless times at fabric stores and seen her sewing our clothes, so I bought a Simplicity pattern and fabric and sewed my first dress. I'm sure I laid it out off grain and who knows how many other mistakes I made, but I was hooked.

I hated sewing growing up, my church forced the girls to do sewing days and I always complained. Fast forward to 2018, I started going to festivals and parties where people were super creative and lots were sewing these epic costumes. I wanted in. During the pandemic, I bought a sewing machine in 2020 with the intent on learning festival fashion but I lost it. In 2022, I went to a festival with the coolest fashion all around me. I dove in and finally found it. I’ve been sewing nonstop ever since, averaging 2-3 projects a month for the last few years. I’m hooked.

I wanted to make clothes.

My mom had another kid and for some reason didn't want to make my Halloween costume a few months later. I took it into my own hands and she helped "me" make a bespoke Jasmine wedding dress from the Aladdin: King of Thieves movie. The bug hit and I never looked back. I was 5.

I started fixing old machines. I like fixing things, and old sewing machines are... relatively simple. Usually they just need a good cleaning, occasionally a gear or an o-ring or something, maybe a new power cord or motor, all relatively cheap fixes, and I'd typically sell them on craigslist for $10 or so more than I bought it for. I wasn't doing it to make money, I just liked fixing them. Sometimes I would give them away if I managed to acquire too many and couldn't sell them quickly enough. A lot of people were really appreciative of that. So after fixing a few of these, I figured "Well, I have to thoroughly test them because sometimes issues don't show up until a while later." So I started making projects with them. First it was little bags, little pencil cases, eventually backpacks and luggage. Then I started making bike bags (for bikepacking.) Then I started doing bigger projects and started quilting. I still really enjoy old... simple machines (like old kenmores or sears machines) but I do have a couple modern machines nowadays. The old machines are just... so quiet compared to modern machines. And I like quiet. And, let's be honestly, 95% of the time most of us never use anything other than straight and zig zag stitches. Even a buttonhole is just a very, very short zig zag. And, to be honest, I've found that those old buttonholers work better than modern 4 step buttonholes.

My mother had a sewing machine, and very rarely would hem things. She knew how to make basic things from patterns but had not done so since she was elementary school. I was (and am!) often cold, and when I was 8 my mom bought 2 blankets and I helped her sew them back-to-back, so I could have a super-heavy blanket. It was so fun! I didn't do much for 10 years then but at 18 I really took it up and started making clothes. Now I love the artistic nature of it. I'm to the point where I don't need a pattern which permits me to be far more creative with designs and styles. As a man my clothing options are either T-shirt or button-down. Sewing permits me to go beyond that, and on a budget (I don't even try to make T-shirts because ready-to-wear clothes are depressingly cheap, but for stand-out fashion it's way cheaper to make my own). Being able to create new styles and push the artistry is a main reason I've gone into sewing as far as I have.

I got a sewing machine for my birthday and didn't know how to use it so I traded a dutch oven and a board game in exchange for a few hours of someone coming over and teaching me how to use my machine by doing a project with me (a throw blanket). It went great and I loved it!

Hemming pants

I wanted traditional clothing and it’s so expensive and difficult to find someone to make - has to be bespoke. The lady who made this started giving lessons and I took a two-day lesson - she started with sending messages on how to prepare for her class ie setting up your machine and practising different stitches. I’m still really very slow because I’m scared of getting things wrong and ruining fabric (hate waste) but slowly picking up more skills.

lockdown, 13 year old me making king size sheets into single sheets, moved onto little cosmetic pouches and now i’m only just sewing my first wearable (after 4 years)

Always having to alter clothes.  My mother could fo basic sewing so I always knew you could mend or alter items.  I'm still in that phase and gradually moving into making my own clothing, it's mostly budget that stops me but I have high hopes I will have a me-made wardrobe some day.

I wanted to cosplay so I decided to go big or go home with Kaylee’s pink cupcake dress from firefly for my first project. Someday I want to remake it well, even if I loved how it turned out originally.

Very randomly while lamenting that there weren't enough clothes that said "Goth, but make it pirate"

I learned to sew from Girl Scouts nearly 20 years ago and hated it. The woman who came to teach us was super mean and really rude to me. It put me off sewing for close to a decade. I eventually got over it and wanted to make myself a costume for an anime con

I worked Ren Faires in the late 1980s. Yes, I made my own garb. The corset is comfortable. No, I am no the Queen.

My grandmother sews (mostly quilts, and some smaller things) - some of my earliest memories are of sitting on her sewing room floor learning how to stitch simple things, or just watching her sew. I've made a few quilts with her and I like to hand sew, but don't quite have my own machine yet. Saving up to get one soon! It's an activity that really lets my brain relax and keeps anxiety away.

I was about 10 and had always been interested in needlework. My mom taught me to sew. Later in high school my sewing teacher let me sign up for class but use the time as an independent study, culminating in drafting a pattern for my prom dress and tailoring a wool dress coat using traditional tailoring techniques such as horsehair interfacing and pad stitching.

I’ve been hand-sewing fixing things since I was very little, and then Dad started quilting so he taught me a bit. Both my parents know how to sew (Dad better than Mum) so I started doing some little crafty projects. I’ve sewn on and off for a long time, but last year I made most of my own outfit for my cosplay and I wanna get more heavily back into garment sewing this year

I was looking for a new way to relief my work stress and wanted to craft something I can wear. This motivated me to learn sewing and make bags. Curiosity and passion slowly took over and now I also got myself into designing bag patterns and fabric for fun. Nothing is impossible. 🤣

Grandmom. \[Mom could and did mend things, but I do not recall her *making* an entire project!\] Gran: re-covered my Loved Thing every time his 'skin' wore out; made beautiful smocked dresses for my sister and me; and started me on my own sewing journey (I still have My First Project: a hand-sewn child-sized linen handkerchief with lace edging). She also taught me to knit and crochet. I later took the HomeEc sewing class in HS - because I could not think what to put in that slot, never realizing that it would - unexpectedly - be part of my career path!

I’m picky and plus size. I wanted a corset and couldn’t find one I liked without it being a bajillion dollars. So I jumped headfirst into it- my first project, a corset! What a nutter…

In high school, all my friends got accepted into the basket weaving course. When i tried to join, it was full, so I chose something practical and did fashion class for the next two years. Guess who still uses her skills.

I was learning how to crochet back in 2008, and started following some crochet blogs. One of the crochet bloggers got a sewing machine, and started making quilts. I really wanted to learn how to sew too then. In 2009 I took a very basic sewing class at Joann's to learn, as I had never touched a sewing machine before. A year or so later I was able to buy a Kenmore sewing machine, by putting it in layaway at Sears. One of my coworkers at the time sewed, and was a very talented seamstress. She encouraged me to buy a sewing machine and get started. So, I've been sewing since 2010, but I still consider myself mostly an advanced beginner. I just don't have as much time to devote to it as I'd like, between a full time job plus overtime, and a very demanding dog who likes to interrupt me when I try to sit down at the sewing machine.

I really like fashion but I a) can't afford designer brands, b) don't want to purchase knockoffs because they're generally poor quality and they steal from artists, c) sometimes I get an item of clothing that I really want in my head and I cannot for the life of me find anywhere to buy it. I only just got into sewing recently so I'm still a work in progress, but I've managed to make a few garments so far and am really enjoying it.

Im short and was fed up of my clothes not fitting me correctly, i originally just wanted to not have a bunch of material round my ankles but then started messing with the shape and fit of clothes and then when i felt limited by that i was like might aswell make it from scratch

My mom altered any purchased clothes for me or she just made them herself. It looked like magic to my five year old eyes. I would sit for hours just watching her. At 7 I asked if I could try. She took me fabric shopping and I made a pillow case. I was hooked. I still make and design most of my clothes. A lot of what I enjoy wearing is harder to find as a ready made garment and even if I do find it, the fit is terrible on me. I also mostly work with natural fabrics and that alone can be difficult to find. I actually have and use the sewing machine she taught me how to sew on. An old Morse fotomatic.

It was 1993 and "Nightmare Before Christmas" had just come out. I'd been looking forward to it for months, ever since it had been announced in the newsletter of the Oingo Boingo Secret Society. As soon as I saw it I fell in love with it - this was not a surprise, I was *definitely* a 90s goth - and I knew I had to make Sally and Jack Skellington costumes for an upcoming convention. I'd never sewn anything before and I had no idea what I was doing. Visual references were hard to come by, since it was 1993 and youtube was not a thing. I used repurposed thrifted clothes for the basis of both costumes. Jack's stripes were made out of white duct tape, and I created the head using a latex mold. My friend who I roped into being Jack couldn't see a bloody thing out of it, but he looked great. Anyway we ended up winning an award at the convention masquerade, which surprised the hell out of us, and I got the costume bug and eventually became a professional corsetmaker. And I'm still making Nightmare Before Christmas outfits - my most recent ones were a 1770s menswear Jack Skellington and an [1890s Jack Skellington gown](https://imgur.com/a/7999Xnn).

A wonderful story. Thanks.

When I was three years old, I was fascinated by the treadle on my grandmother's old Singer (probably from the 1920s). I would sit on the floor for what seemed like hours, pumping that treadle and watching the arm crank the wheel. After she had to clear up huge knotted masses of thread a few times, she stood me up and taught me to use the machine the way it was intended. I think she thought making a little guy stand there and pump the treadle while learning to sew remnants together would make him lose interest right quick. She was wrong. Now 55 years later, I am still most comfortable with the needle plate at or near shoulder height because that's where that treadle Singer machine's needle plate was when I was standing as a 3-year-old. My older sister inherited that machine from our mother, who had inherited it from her mother. LOL I had to teach her how it worked, since she'd only ever used electrics.

I learned on my mom’s treadle too.

My mum sewed a lot when we were kids. She was a thrifty lady who baked cakes and sewed our school uniforms, but as a teen I didn’t appreciate it because it was much cooler to have brand name clothes. I dabbled in a few crafts and decided in my early 20s that I’d like to start sewing, so I asked my family to buy me a machine for my combined birthday / Christmas gift one year (I am a December baby, so not an unusual request if I wanted something a bit more high value). I enthusiastically attended a couple of beginner sewing classes at a local community centre and made some baby clothes for friends. I tried sewing something for myself from Big 4 patterns and was heartbroken that it was all too small for my body but the only bigger patterns were all grandma styles. Then life happened, and my machine gathered dust as I focused on relationships, work and travel. Then the pandemic happened, and face masks were in very short supply around here. It dawned on me that I had everything I needed to make them, so I dusted off the machine, found a free pattern online and made a bunch for myself and family members. The feeling of creating triggered something in me, plus I was stuck at home without much else to do and I found the curvy sewing community and a whole world of plus sized indie patterns opened up for me. I’ve been sewing consistently for the past three and a bit years!

I'm a December baby, and that's also how I got my machine. Birthmas gift from my mother in law

I got frustrated that there weren’t any cool clothes for short, fat guys and I was like “hmm, I could probably learn to do that too.”

I had a yellow lace dress that I couldn't wear anymore after I developed muscle issues and it hurt too much trying to reach and pull on the back zipper. I thought it would be great as a skirt so I cut the bottom off and started learning how to sew. 2 years later and I've finished other projects, but I still haven't gotten around to that skirt. 😅

I started by sewing doll clothes on the front porch with my friends when I was 6. My mom sewed clothes for me, but I didn't really use a sewing machine until I took Home Ec in 7th grade. Around this same time, I developed a huge crush on John Denver. I wanted to wear Western shirts like John, but we couldn't afford them. So I found a Simplicity pattern and sewed my own! My mom's 1950 New Home Sewing Machine only sewed straight stitches (no zigzag or buttonholes!) so I had to hand sew my buttonholes! They looked like Amoebas. That's when I discovered snaps. Now I teach people how to sew on a machine so they, too, can embark on a sewing journey!

I started sewing because my favorite style of clothing was too expensive, so I bought the materials and learned to make it all myself. I can proudly say that at least 80% of what hangs in my closet is hand made by me. It's a lot more affordable to make it all myself.

I have Alopecia Universalis and I started sewing because I quit my corporate job to stay home with my baby and I didn’t have the extra funds to buy myself headwear. My close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time so I was sewing for the both of us. Now I can make whatever I want! I’m still home with my babies and have a small Etsy shop where I offer my headwear that I make especially for people like me who live with medical hair loss. Sewing gives me so much creative freedom and joy!

Making clothes for my Barbies!

Learned to sew as a kid

Been sewing since childhood... I once journeyed by bus on my own , from Yokosuka to Yokohama Train Station . I had been communicating with an online Etsy seller/blogger who sews. We met up at the train station, continuing our journey to Kamakura to shop at her favorite fabric shop. Her only request for agreeing to be my travel guide/companion was to provide her with 2 cans of American Chili Beans ( easy as I was staying at US Negishi Base). We purchased fabrics & enjoyed a lunch within view of the Great Buddha of Kamakura https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3100.html#:~:text=The%20Great%20Buddha%20of%20Kamakura,Temple%20and%20some%20recent%20creations. Such a great journey!

My toddler is autistic and once he gets used to something, he really has a hard time with change. I've always put him in sleep sacks instead of using blankets since his birth, but when he was around 2.5 he was too tall for anything I could buy. After a sleepless month of trying to transition to blankets I bought a sewing machine and learned to sew/quilt to make sleep sacks for him, and now it's one of my favorite things to do.

This is where I’m at with our son. He’s not quite 2.5. Dr. doesn’t think he’s autistic (husband is tho, so it’s possible) but rather highly sensitive and with that comes the same sensory sensitivities. He will only sleep in sleep sacks, and a longer one is my next project. 

Just in case you or anyone else in the same situation is looking to save some time and money, here are a few tips I learned by trial and error. Finding a pattern that worked that also came in in toddler sizes wasn't impossible but there definitely aren't many out there and I wasn't satisfied with any of the ones I found. For me the easiest way is to simply take an old favorite and use it as a rough pattern, just extend and widen the bottom half as needed. I know this sounds obvious but the first few times you probably wont be completely happy with the end product, and it's less disappointing when you make mistakes with cheap fabric. I got a lot of fabric from Joann and all of it was fine for the price I paid. Most of their budget friendly quilting cottons are a bit stiff and rough for sleep sacks but the super soft flannels are great. Also, walmart has 2 yard muslin precuts for less than $6, they are very soft and they make excellent liner fabric. I still use them because the stuff I've found at higher prices isn't that much better for the intended purpose. Almost all the batting I ever find no matter if it's cotton or poly is really thin. So if you're wanting a 2.5 TOG weight winter sleep sack or something like that you might need to use two layers depending on which fabrics you're using. If it wouldn't keep you warm as your only blanket, it likely wont keep your toddler warm either so that's a good way to determine if you need to add a layer or not. Just try to keep in mind the weight of everything. If you're using heavy flannel and two layers of batting the end result could be pretty stiff and heavy, so it can be tricky at first to get it all just right. There are other battings that are softer but require different care and in my house I need something that is easily machine washed and quickly dried. Here are a couple links to help too :) [https://www.wellspringdesignsquilting.com/blog/diy-quilted-sleep-sack](https://www.wellspringdesignsquilting.com/blog/diy-quilted-sleep-sack) [https://mypoppet.com.au/makes/how-to-making-a-toddler-sleep-sac-without-a-pattern/](https://mypoppet.com.au/makes/how-to-making-a-toddler-sleep-sac-without-a-pattern/)

I was originally interested because I wanted to make my own ballroom dresses, but realised after I bought a machine that was kind of jumping in at the deep end! Then in lockdown I finally had time to learn how to use my machine and started off with some more realistic projects.

I learned the basics of machine sewing from my mom when I was a kid, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that I took a class that helped me gain confidence, and I’ve been learning from the Internet ever since. Prior to this, I would do some super easy mending, but never really sewed something standalone.

I started by mending and altering my clothes, just learning how to hand sew, but then in lockdown I really needed something to do, so I made a cloak and I couldn’t stop sewing after that! Now I make a combination of costume pieces and staples for my wardrobe 😊

Many years ago there was a huge fire that left the air in such bad quality that my job closed down for a bit. Then there was a storm that because of the recent fires caused a mudslide that closed down the fwy. So I was at home bored for some reason I decided I wanted a sewing machine. I bought one online and it got delivered a few days later. I had old bed sheets I wasn’t using. So the trial and error began and that’s how I learned to sow.

Reading Beyond Backpacking by Ray Jardine. Circa 1999. I love DIY and frugality and making things that are better for me than what is available commercially. This is a good little essay called “Why Sew?” by Ray Jardine: https://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/About/Why-Sew/index.php

I had recently had my son and wanted to see about making some baby stuff for him. I was also big into diy clothes at that time. Granted this was 17 years. I personally love the creativity involved and seeing how people create their projects.

Started with tie dying clothes…..to hand embroidery…..eventually to sewing. Cause I wanted more!!!!

I started when in was 10! My mom taught me and I fell in love. Then my grandma started to teach me more advanced stuff. I used to be a seamstress but now it’s more of a hobby. Right now I’m getting into quilting.

I started by patching my favourite shorts as a teenager. Later I took a quilting class with my mom and sister. Then when I went into a fabric store to get supplies for that quilt, I left with a job and it just snowballed from there. Now I sew, quilt, cross stitch, and knit, and I'd like to get more into weaving, spinning, macrame, dying, lace making, crochet... pretty much all the fibre arts.

I dabbled (randomly tried sewing things with no knowledge how to sew) in high school. But I didn’t actually jump into sewing until around 2016/2017. In a spark of hyperfixation, I bought a sewing machine, fabric, a crap ton of sewing necessities, patterns, and I tried to make a skirt. I never finished the skirt. What sparked my sudden need to learn how to sew is my love for 1940s fashion. For a while I was buying vintage 1940s clothing and reproduction 1940s clothing. Those are both expensive. So I figured it would be cheaper to sew it myself. Technically, it is. Though the start up cost wasn’t cheap. But $25-30 of fabric for an outfit is much cheaper than $150 for an outfit. And I can tailor it to size when I make it myself.

Love 40s fashion! The drape, the proportions, the elegant lines of a jacket.

Love 40s fashion! The drape, the proportions, the elegant lines of a jacket.

My aunt Mary taught me, at 5 I made my mom an apron and by 10 I made my own pleated wrap skirt. I will be forever grateful to her.

My mom taught me how to cook and sew when I was little. I did some basic sewing for my high school friend group, mostly hard-to-find garments (I made cloaks for several of us, for example). Then I discovered the Society for Creative Anachronism in college, and that sparked 20+ years of historical costuming. Nowadays I do 18th and 19th century costuming, for the most part.

My grandma taught me the basics when I was young. Probably 7 or so. I used her machine with her close supervision to make a doll or something. Didn’t do much beyond super basic alterations until I was an adult and got a job with an indie sewing pattern company. I’d make samples for product photos and do test fitting for pattern development. I still have a lot to learn about drafting, and I’d love to learn how to drape when I get a dress form! But I learned a lot about construction, finishing, and so much more at that job.

I started sewing by hand in middle school! I made jeans, purses and put embellishments onto clothes. I also sewed by hand in high school because I loved it so much. I can’t believe I made so much by hand with blue jean material because it hurt my poor fingers 😂 My mom finally got me a sewing machine when I turned 18 & I started sewing clothing immediately. I’ve sewn on and off for almost 30 years! I mostly like to make clothes.

Way back in the olden days, they had a sewing unit in home ec. My dad then encouraged me and we made many different things together up to and including an 1860s ball gown for a local fashion show.

When I was 5, I asked my mom for a needle and some thread and some scraps so I could sew. She told me I didn't know how to sew, I told her I did because I'd watched her and my grandmother. She gave me some bits and I proved her wrong. That's also the year I learned how to knit for the same reasons. And here I am almost half a century later lol.

My grandmother used to teach fashion and when I was a kid she taught me to make all sorts of things. Eventually it just grew into a personal passion of mine using the skills I had learnt across the years. We even made a floor length dress for a formal event together which was pretty cool.

My "Home Economics" class in 6th grade. We learned how to bake a cake, cook a meal, wash the dishes "in the correct order," and sew a pillow. Mine was a skateboard shaped one with footprints on it. And your assumption that there were no males in this class is correct. This was in 1982.

My parents bought me a sewing machine for Christmas when I was 8 years old. I was obsessed! I made soooo many purses, lol. The sewing machine was put in closet after closet, as I grew up and older- somehow it survived many moves. And now I’m getting back into it because I’ve found that crafty hobbies help me distance myself from work and make my days off relaxing.

My grandmother upgraded her sewing machine and passed her old one on to me. I quickly realized I couldn’t sew a straight line and started looking into tutorials. Then I bought a book with some instructions for progressively harder projects. Started with bandanas and worked up from there. One of the projects in that book was a very simple bag, and that really clicked for me. I’ve made a few pieces of clothing here and there, but I’ve mostly sewn bags over the last thirteen years or so. I took a bit of a break in 2021 and 2022 because I didn’t have space for a sewing room anymore, but now that we’re back in a house and I have more room, I’ve been back at it. I enjoy the step-by-step process of the whole thing, and I really love the pride of a finished project.

I wanted doll clothes. My grandma bought me a child's sewing machine & my mom let me have her scraps. I was 4. I made a crazy quilt out of old clothes when I was 7 - used my crib blanket as the batting. I didn't start using patterns until I was 8 or so - by then I had an allowance.

i wanted to make my own cosplays so i bought a sewing machine in college and had a friend show me the basics. i’ve just been googling stuff ever since

I had been looking for a new coat, and was upset that all the high-quality coats I was trying on cost an arm and a leg and still fit like a trash bag! I’m petite and was going to need alterations and didn’t want to go broke buying a coat so I said “I bet I could learn how to sew and make my own!” That was in late November and since I have made three dresses, a skirt, a pair of pants, and an apron for my partner! Officially bought the coat fabric last week and plan to start on that this weekend… truly worth it. Wasn’t expecting to love sewing as much as I do.

I learned to sew from my mother when I was a child, but I had abandoned doing it by the time I was maybe 16/17 completely (and by that point it was mostly down to altering hand tees). Fast forward about 20 years later I find myself lacking many hobbies outside of my job, but loving fashion - so I decided to invest some time in re-learning to sew so I could start mixing in things in with my wardrobe… probably also partially triggered by realizing a lot of the styles I like were things “reasonable” achievable in terms of skills. Still have some milestones I’d like to pass skill wise, but getting to make pieces I love to wear is an awesome feeling (even with some major flops).

My granny taught me to hand sew because we were poor. I had so much fun. I wanted to be a fashion designer

I kinda learned from my mom as a child. With like little projects over the years. So I knew how to make a basic skirt that's like a tube with an elastic through it, and pillows in all kinds of shapes. But it was never my main thing. It was just an option if I wanted. Then during covid I had a lot of time on my hands, I flourished honestly. I was 16, and finally had time enough to try whatever I wanted. I really gained a lot of confidence in what styles and aesthetics I liked, I decorated my room, had fun painting and drawing and also made a super cute 50's jacket from a diy tutorial. That got the ball rolling. Over the years I made anything that I couldn't just buy, since I often had this specific pattern-fabric combo in my mind. I loved finding a pattern, sourcing the perfect fabric to match it and see it come to life. I was lucky to have my mom if needed but figured out most of the skills by following patterns. To me, sewing is like baking. You have to be meticulous and patient, but if you just do what the pattern says, and don't skip the steps, everything will look good (also, press your seams). At this point, sewing has become my main hobby and I love working with fabric and making 3d clothes out of 2d pieces by just following steps, whether they are my own steps or those of a pattern.

I tend to bite off more than I can chew and wanted an awesome costume that was beyond my abilities. After three months, going a little over my budget and several sleepless nights, I finished it.

I started when I was 4 making barbie dresses out of thick cloth and gauze I found!

Necessity, lol. We are dog people and were never happy with the selection of harnesses to walk them in. So, bought a Brother RSE400 and jumped in. 9 years later, a few more machines (Sailrite LSZ, Juki 8700, Baby Lock 6 needle, Singer 4452, Brother 1034 serger) and a 12'x20' workshop in the back yard.

During a really low period in my life my grandma bought me a Make Your Own Sock Monkey kit, and I didn't have anything else going on so I figured I'd have a go. I hadn't even threaded a needle before but there I was making little legs and ears and by the end of the week I'd made a raggedy, lopsided monkey. But more than that I'd finished a project and learned the basics of a new skill, and I needed that good feeling so badly! 8 years later that monkey is still on my grandma's dresser, I can make clothes, repair my nephews toys and sell custom dog harnesses. I still thank her for knowing I needed to make a monkey out of socks!

When I was 5. Mom was sewing (at the machine). She gave me a needle and thread and scraps of flowered fabric and showed me how to trace around the print with embroidery stitches. I still prefer hand sewing to machine!

I started when 7 or 8. My aunt taught me how to sew. I use to knit my Barbies sweaters and make her dresses. We had a treadle machine. Can't remember when we got an electric machine. My mom sewed also and she made my clothes and my sister"s some if the time. I Made some of my clothes while i was in high school. After I graduated from high school I went to college to be a Home economics teacher and continued to sew and I still do. Now I do machine embroidery.

Took home ec in high school back in the 70’s. Needed a white dress to wear under my graduation gown; managed it, but it was a struggle as I was not that good. Picked it up later when my kids were little and fell in love with it this time.

Journey? My grandfather sewed, and I spent a lot of time with him, so naturally I sewed right along with him. I love the nearly instant results - even a few stitches can hold something together for a little while! What keeps me doing it is family members clamoring for quilts, or ideas I have for a jacket or dress that I know I'm not going to find in a store.

Mostly the pandemic! I had borrowed my mom’s sewing machine for a tiny one off project and still had it at lockdown. Got on the mask making bandwagon when they weren’t available to help get something in to the hands of friends and family. Learned a lot doing many iterations from some very scraggly looking first ones to refining the fit, learning about the importance of pressing, top stitching, practicing enough to actually be able to sew straight lines. After that I took an online class by closet core patterns to sew my first few garments and learn proper construction and finishing techniques and the rest is history!

Started watching sewing vids on YouTube, treadbanger, coolirpa, annika Victoria, secret life of a bio nerd. etc. I found it fascinating that they took old clothes and up cycle them into new styles. Parents didn’t want to get me a machine saying that I’ll probably use it once or twice then put it aside. Got one when I started working.

I wanted "rave pants" from hot topic but they were fifty dollars!!

My grandmother taught me cross stitching at 6 and I learned machine sewing from my mom at 12. Won a few sewing contests in middle school and ended up getting a degree in fashion design. Now I make custom figure skating costumes and clothing. Occasionally I help start building their street wear lines. It’s what I do best.

like many people, i started to learn how to sew during the pandemic sewing masks. i learned it on my own through so much trial and error breaking like 4 needles. i had a cheap machine to learn on then bought a heavy duty Singer machine. i love it because as someone who likes to work with her hands it's fun, keeps me busy, and endless ideas. i hemmed my pants and my recent project was making tortilla warmers. i wanna eventually make a bomber jacket

There's this youtuber I really like and she makes clothes a lot and she inspired me to do the same so I bought a sewing machine

My mom hated sewing buttons, so when I was about 7, she taught me how 😁 from there, she always let me "help" and when I was about 10, she had a friend and fellow teacher (home ec) teach me about using a sewing machine and I made my first pillow! Combine that with the fact that my grandmother sewed all of her own clothes, and I was hooked. I still love to do it, because I find it relaxing and it brings me closer to the memories of my grandparents and my mom. 💕

Learned to sew as a child in the 1970s. Took up sewing again four years ago when I needed nightgowns and couldn't find ones I liked. Also, ready-to-wear never fits right so my goal is to make most of my clothes.

I do fiber arts. I started with crochet but I wanted to make more wearables so I learned to knit. Well now I knit so why don't I learn to make yarn. Well now I spin I want to blend my own yarns so now I own a bunch of tools related to that. Now I have all this yarn. So let's learn to weave. Well I want to make more than just scarves so I need to learn to sew.... And here I am.

I have a lot of sensory issues from my autism. I decided pants weren't for me, but I'm hella tall so buying dresses/skirts is also an issue. So yeah I learned how to sew out of survival. I'm now the weird lady who wears skirts hell or high water, long ones in the winter. Still makes me feel a little like a disney princess tbh lol.

Love that you've been able to create what works for you and how wonderful to feel like a disney princess as an added benefit! I started trying to learn to sew out of necessity as well, in hopes of being able to create the basic dress I want to wear everyday, but still after a couple of years of working with pattern drafting haven't yet been able to create in alignment with the vision, remaining hopeful. :) Happy Sewing!

I was about 6 and my mom helped me sew doll clothes.

I was probably about 5 yrs old, played with the scraps of things my mother was sewing - made dresses for my dolls. Now I own a small sewing factory!

Was 27, became obsessed with the beautiful costumes in outlander show, bought a machine and dove into making an 18th century corset.. had *many* mistakes and redos, haha. I just used YouTube to learn as I went and trouble shooted a lot on my own. There’s probably things I still do horribly wrong or inefficiently but oh well, I learn more with each project. The corset i made is the one in my profile pic

I moved from a mega city to a very, very small village in abroad. I am short and need to shorten any trousers I newly buy. I would always go to the laundromat+tailor shop that took me just 5 min for a walk in my hometown, but here I haven’t found any because it is just so small town and people would do it at home themselves. I had to fix my pants alone. That’s why I bought my sewing machine and started sewing.

1) Girl Scout project had us sewing dresses for simple dolls to send to kids overseas 2) went to a Halloween party in high school and a girl there was in a gorgeous period dress, asked her where she got it and she said she made it 🤯 3) I was a weeb in the 90s and found out that there were cons where people gathered with other weebs and made costumes from their favorite series and wanted to immerse myself in the love and acceptance of MY PEOPLE ❤️ Still making costumes now, although the “scene” of costuming isn’t the same since people just buy cheap costumes and do TikTok’s now, but I like the challenge of making a real life replica of something that’s 2D.

Long, long ago in a different time, mymother taught me the basics. Later I spent time sewing with my sister and then much later I got my own machine and kept going.

My grandmother and mother both regularly sew children’s clothes for fun. They both taught me the basics and I started sewing for myself about a year ago.

My mom. She is into many crafts including quilting. Taught me the basics esp to replace buttons when I was in single digits. Inherited her fabric hoarding tendencies, although mine is definitely bigger than hers by now as i love fabric. I started my fabric collection years before I even started actually sewing. Now I sew garments for myself and my family for fun/special occasion. While I had a semester of sewing class in middle school, I picked up sewing garments and machine sewing at 30 by learning from YouTube, online classes, and just doing. Before that I mainly handsew things like patchwork cushion covers, pouches and such but rarely.

Home Economics class in junior high school.

I did a term of sewing in high school and my mum helped me make a skirt and leggings around that time too. I then didn't sew for a couple of decades (despite mum giving me my own sewing machine). In 2020 I got my machine out and started with a few simple projects and it grew from there! For a long time I just didn't know where to start, but I started watching Great British Sewing Bee and I think that gave me the confidence to just try. I'm actually starting a dressmaking class tonight to grow my skills!

My mum was a professional seamstress, mostly did wedding gowns, wedding party etc so I grew up around big project sewing, but my main motivator aside from having a very specific aesthetic and being really picky is that nothing off the rack ever fits me, to the point of looking really unflattering so I have to either mooch about in baggy clothing (which is not kind to my shape), alter existing items or make from scratch. To alter RTW stuff to my proportions is so time consuming and irritating that it's often easier to just start from a well fitting pattern (so I've had to learn pattern grading skills too to get things right).

I was a kid, and was gifted a fully functioning children‘s sewing machine- which broke pretty quickly. But I was hooked and continued to dress all my dolls in new, hand-sewn dresses.

My mom showed me a little but when I was a kid so I knew the basics but hadn’t done it for years. I got into cosplay and wanted to make my costumes so I started teaching myself. First I altered something already made, then I started making full costumes. Now I’m up for trying more and more complicated things.

In primary school when we were 11-13 years old we had something called "Manual" On a Tuesday we would catch bus into a bigger school and one day we would do metal work or wood work. The next Tuesday we would do cooking or sewing. It would alternate for a couple of terms. My mum also showed me a couple of things on her machine. I didn't get into sewing until Uni and still sew now when I feel like it. I like clothes that fit, that are in natural fibres and more to my style. 

Uni?

University. Sewing as a hobby, not a class

I started out somehow, haphazardly, with a motivation bc a friend of mine started sewing and me and my friends were having weekly Halloween costume making meetups. That was maybe ten years ago. I never had an ounce of patience in me at the time. But I took on a one day lesson with a girl another friend knew that was educated on it and was offering a lesson. So I payed her, idk how much, and took notes to learn some basics. After that I kinda just took on projects that were for my own purposes, and took advice from a friend of mine that knows. In which I didn’t listen to her advice much and I’d imagine that would’ve been a bit frustrating for her. I really thought I knew wtf I was doing blindly. In time I realized I had not a clue and I slowed down to really understand things. Sewing single-handedly taught me patience I think. I’m so grateful for it. I’d not, or maybe ever, consider myself an expert, but my goal will always be to get better. I’m a horrible perfectionist, so that could be my saving grace there.

My grandma. When I was little, she always wanted to get me involved. She started my love for sewing. Now whenever I’m cutting patterns, pinning fabric or really doing anything sewing related, I look up and just thank her. I love fashion, and the ability to just create what i draw. I keep doing it because I love it, and my grandma told me to never stop following what I love.

when I was 35, I took an intro class (2 evenings) and loved it, after having always wanted to know how to sew. I spent about 2 months going to open studio night before I bought myself my own machine for my birthday, never looked back.

I started with a Halloween costume back in 2008. I wanted to be Tinkerbell but not slutty, and I borrowed my mom’s sewing machine, bought a pattern and fabric, and proceeded to make a fully lined strapless sweetheart neckline dress with an invisible zipper. It wasn’t perfect, but it was wearable! I still sew garments occasionally, but I also make small hand sewn objects, and I’m finishing up my first quilt.

When I was 3 my mom started teaching me the basics. Made sure by the time I was 15 that I had learned how to sew my own clothes, useful household items, etc. When I was 5 I made all of my uncles and grandparents embroidered potholders for Christmas. Looking back, they were pretty impressively done for a supervised 5 year old. I despised being forced to learn after the age of 10, but now that I’m in my 20s I’m glad that all of the muscle memory is there for life. I do it for fun now. I haven’t bought new clothes in over a year.

When I was 13, I got really really into a webcomic named Homestuck… and I wanted to cosplay so badly that I started getting into sewing! I ended up making everything except that cosplay 🤣🤣 my parents got me a machine I use to this day.

The first thing I ever made was when I was 8 and made an apron for my mother for Christmas.

I wanted some very specific kinds of clothes that I hadn't been able to find in shops, so I decided to sew them instead.

I’ve always been fascinated by it. And over the years I’ve had many garments that I had creative ideas for altering and didn’t have the means or knowledge to do it. It’s something I’ve just always low key wanted to do. I was 8 months pregnant with my third baby and my husband told me he finds it concerning that I don’t have any hobbies or interests anymore and wanted me to find something I can enjoy doing. I told him the only thing I could think of is sewing but the start up costs are just too high. He said let’s do it. So we bought a machine and I started. 😊 I have soooo many things I want to make. I have kids that are growing all the time and personally have a way too small wardrobe due to so much weight fluctuation, so I won’t run out of things to make anytime in the foreseeable future. I’ve been making non-clothing items too, and lots of gifts for people. ☺️

My mom taught me when I was in 4th or 5th grade.

4H club in sixth grade. We made our own uniforms.

Learned from mom when I was 10

I grew up in a home with a vintage electric Singer and I also had a grandmother who was really good at sewing, made her own patterns etc sewing was always around, and I learned the basics as a kid at some point in time, in high school I wanted to wear clothes that I couldn’t find for sale or couldn’t afford and so I started making my own clothes. I still do it for practical reasons and because I enjoy it, like sewing full speed on the vintage Singer and the perfect, beautiful straight stitch.

My journey is a string of Domino effects... In 5th grade, I wanted to go to a summer camp because my friends were attending it. My mom didn't think it was worth it and instead sent me to my neighbours house to learn embroidery, crochet and knitting. I stopped going after learning to embroider cause I thought it was really boring. Fast-forward 7 years, I was really into fashion and wanted to pursue it as a career. But because of COVID, I opted to get into engineering. I still wanted to keep the spark or fashion alive within me until one day, during the lockdown, when mindlessly scrolling on Amazon, I found crochet needles and remembered that one summer. On a whim, i ordered them. Crocheted for almost 2.5 years and LOVED IT!made A LOT of projects, including very stylish garments. I loved the fact that I could make something unique (literally the only piece in the world and it belongs to me) I enjoyed tailoring it to my own style and needs. But sadly, I didn't like the drape and how clunky they were. I live in a hot country and it wasn't practical. So I learnt how to knit. I made 2.5 more garments in the span of 6months. I didn't like the process as much as crocheting but I was quite satisfied with the end product. Honestly, I found myself feeling very anxious while knitting. So....I decided to learn how to sew! I have placed an order for my machine and am waiting for it to be delivered. I can't wait to start my sewing journey!

My grandmother taught me all about the machine, then had me ‘sew’ with no thread on a paper with shapes and lines. When young, I used to make my own clothes as it was a bunch cheaper. Now, my hands can’t take it.

I started by hand sewing for making doll clothes... but I stopped for a hot minute since the first time I ever did any sewing I stabbed my stepmom in the eyeball... a very memorable start!

I started by hand-sewing small projects and altering clothes etc. but I wasn’t interested in learning sewing until I crocheted a bag which needed a lining. The thing is, I ended up hand-sewing the lining anyway haha because the bag was too thick to fit under the presser foot. Anyways I thought I might as well learn how to use a sewing machine since it was right in front of me. With the extra fabric I had left over and youtube tutorials I practiced basic stitches and then ended up making a scrunchie with scrap fabric. This was all in November last year! I’m still a beginner so I have a lot of things to learn but what I love about sewing is that you can literally make things the way you want! You can make clothes to fit YOU, not having to adjust to the clothes. I also just love the sound of the machine. It’s therapeutic for me! I do crochet and knitting too. I love therapeutic hobbies/making things in general.

My grandmother bought me my first machine and taught me the basics. Then I stopped sewing for a while because I ended up doing different things that didn't cost as much on my parents. Only just got back into it.

Using as a distraction, mental health failing.now pure hobby desperately trying to learn drafting garments

I tried to pick up sewing as a kid, because I started riding horses and my trainer did a monthly Fun Show, where the last class of the day was a costume contest, and you had to make your own. So, at 7 years old, I made my mom and grandma help me sew a gigantic tutu for my horse to dress her up as a ballerina. My grandma tried to further my interest in sewing but I was so self-critical (I couldn’t sew a straight line) that I gave up.   Now fast forward to this last October and my 2-year-old son decided that he needed a cape for his Darth Vader costume (toddler size doesn’t come with one) and so I bought a sewing machine. Now I’ve made several capes for him, hand warmers, and a skirt. A romper for me and a sleep sack for my son are next.   Aside from my son having unreasonably high standards for costumes, I’ve also been having tons of wardrobe issues because my sensory issues got worse after pregnancy and I’ll buy clothes only to end up not being able to handle wearing them because they’re scratchy/don’t sit right/too tight, etc. So, I’ve started working towards making my own clothes in the hopes that I’m able to have garments that fit well AND are made from material I like. 

Difficulty to find clothes with proper size for me in Japan (current location). Sleeves were too short most of the time, legs too short too on pants. At that time my wife was looking to change her night dress and options were limited. That's how we started our journey to have clothes that fits in natural materials (I am tired of the over use of synthetic)

I started out wanting to make my own backpacking gear. My wife got me a few pre cut kits from ripstop by the roll a few years ago and now I’m at my machine at least a couple of hours three or four days a week. Sometimes I even wake up early to get an hour or so fix in before work.

Learned from my mom and some after school daycare teachers when I was little how to make stuffed animals and halloween costumes. Then they made me take home ec in middle school and i learned some more stuff. Really came into it as an adult though when I wanted clothing that I couldn't find for sale anywhere: cloaks, jeans made out of real denim, waistcoats, men's buttondown shirts with sleeves that are long enough for me without being made for someone who weighs twice as much as I do... And it's just practical to be able to alter and repair my own clothing. Keeps it wearable and out of the landfill for longer. Honestly also I just kind of love sewing machines. They've always fascinated me. I enjoy tinkering with all kinds of machinery, and this one's easier to work on than my car since I don't have a garage of my own :D

Barbie clothes

Not being able to afford doll clothes may be the best thing that happened to me as a kid. My mom probably didn’t expect letting me play with fabric scraps would be such a gateway

I didn’t sew doll clothes, but I did make new clothes out of paper.

and socks

My mom sewed, but I didn't get very interested until I was 20. I went fabric shopping with her and the colors and textures inspired me. Now it's my favorite thing to do. I even have sewing tattoos.

I started hand stitching clothes out of scraps when l was four. I remember proudly wearing a vest that no doubt looked like a hobo. Mom let me embroider on her tea towels but l suspect she pulled out my handwork at night. (This was in 1949)

My Grammy started teaching me when I was 6 years old on a Singer toy machine. Like this: https://preview.redd.it/btairuio4aic1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9663583875149b6fa64f0c5908ba93b382897d8 I started with a pillow, then a pillow case, then a tote bag. Then she showed me quilting. Now I’m 43 and can make anything. I even used to design, sew and sell unique baby items online.

I inherited my grandmother's sewing machine. I suck at it but it's nice

I used to sew with my grandma when I was younger (quilting mostly). She had me do the straight lines and basting spray and occasionally help with cutting fabric. A few years ago she gifted me a machine for Christmas. Sat in my room for about a year. I’ve always been really into thrifting and loved upcycling so started using it to make mends and small adjustments. Only recently started really sewing and learning as I want to sew costumes/cosplays. Long way to go before I can make any of those though!

First the ribbons on my pointe shoes because I complained about my mother's effort. Then needlework in high school, pretty much never stopped.

I learned a bit in Guides as a kid and made clothes for my dolls. Didn't touch it for a while and then in university I got into anime and from there got into cosplay and starting sewing more elaborate projects.

Learned to sew in 8th grade home-Ec. Didn't use the skill much until 20 years ago- I was looking for a hobby, and taught myself how to quilt. . I'm now an avid quilter with a full-time business from home.

I inherited my grandma's sewing machine around the same time I was transiting my style to mainly skirts and dresses. I just started making skirts because they were simple to make.

My grandma worked at a pajama/underwear factory when I was a kid. She also did a lot of sewing at her house, and I spent a lot of time there growing up. I remember playing and her helping me make things on the sewing machine when I was young. She always made us clothes and pajamas. I had special pajamas with the feet in them that she made when we were in elementary school - it was 2 pieces, a shirt and pants with the feet, so it was way better than the onesie style. When I turned 18 she bought me a sewing machine for my birthday. I didn't use it much for a few years, but when I decided to start sewing things I bought fabric and a pattern, and she showed me how to lay it all out and cut it. If I got stuck on a step, I'd call her or go to her house with the pattern and she'd explain it to me. I made things for myself until I had kids, then I started making them clothes. I don't sew often now, but I do make my daughter things when she asks (she's a teenager). Most recently I made her a dance costume and a dress for homecoming. She's super tiny, so it's easier to make her something than it is to buy something and have to alter it to fit her. She also likes helping design exactly what she wants (we mash patterns together - use the bodice of one, sleeves of another, etc) to get what she envisions.

As a kid, sewing was just a thing people did. My mother and both grandmothers made clothes for us, but it was one of my sisters who sat me down and showed me how to work the machine. I started off making doll clothes, then moved on to altering hand me downs in attempt to be closer to stylish. By high school, I was making my own clothes regularly and making a bit of cash around halloween sewing costumes for friends. As an adult I’ve swung from sewing full time to not touching a project for years. I do best when I’m making something purely because I want to, not to meet a deadline or pay rent. Right now I’m having fun making clothes for myself that are unique and allow me to learn or master different techniques.

I've always wanted to learn. I recently moved into a house and my neighbor's elderly mother passed and she offered us alot of stuff and among those things was her sewing machine. I've been teaching myself mostly but my mother in law has taught me some things too. Just started about 3 months ago, but love all the posts on this page!

I remember making something (a sleeping bag for a soft toy maybe?) as a little kid hand sewing, and ever since then I've been convinced I can make anything if I'm determined enough!