Has anyone ever tried sewing and hated it?

[Love2learn]

I have had a sewing machine for 9 years. I have been trying to learn to sew on and off. I would love to be able to make some cute hippie shirts, and things like that you can't find in stores around here.
But sewing gives me a headache! First you have to cut out the material, figure out what the directions say, and the process just seems to take forever. I have even taken a beginners class. I have the sewing machine set up so I feel guilty that I am not using it.
As much as I would REALLY like to sew, I just don't enjoy it. I wish I did because I really want to make shirts and stuff.
Anyone else like this?

[Kari_mom]

I feel the same way about knitting. I have all the stuff, I love fiber crafts, but I can't find the love for knitting that so many others have developed.

Sewing for me, on the other hand, is a pleasure ( I hate hemming!!). But I have been sewing so long that it is second nature. I don't even have to look at the directions most of the time, and I buy patterns mostly so that I don't have to take the time to draft my own. So the process of creation is streamlined and more focused on the outcome, and that is very satisfying for me. Does that make sense?

I love to sew with groups, it is a rare pleasure. But I love the give and take, the conversation to make the boring parts less so, and the help all around you when you need it. Maybe a sewing group would be good for you?

Otherwise, I would say focus on something that you do enjoy and buy/trade from someone else for what you don't enjoy.

[Jachut]

I'm the same with all crafty things - I only like to do them if there's something useful produced as a result. Forget patchworking, cross stitching, etc etc I have absolutely no patience with it.

I abhor sewing clothes - I think the fabrics you buy nowadays (in Australia anyhow) are rubbish, I will not waste hours and hours producing something I cant try on till its done, and I never like the result. I'd far rather buy the latest fashion at the shops - and for my kids, I'm a label-aholic as well, gotta be the good label stuff. So even though I've had a machine for years, I never touched it.

But I wanted to have a go making diapers, and I've found I love it! I'm good enough at it that I'm making stuff to sell, and I can make Eliza bits and pieces in between.

Now that I've got a little girl, I'm sure it'll be useful for some dressups and costumes, fairy skirts and the like as well.


Knitting - cant be bothered.

[LdyBluNH@aol]

maybe its not sewing itself but rather the process of garment sewing from a pattern

something less structured would be more your thing? or even using a kit so that the hard math is gone?

i have to say that by and large piecing a quilt is straight stitch sewing. as long as the right side of the fabrics are together, you're good (depending on the pattern)

[GatorNNP]

as for sewing - I would love it all the more if I had a little gnome to do the cutting out for me. I made myself and evening gown when I was 9.5 months preggo and nearly killed myself trying to cut out sparkle stretch knit on the floor!

sewing teaches me patience that I lack

[knitting gal]

yeah...I understand about the cutting, reading, all the preparation stuff just wears me out. The actual sewing part is only about 20%. I use to rush through the prep. part only to be dissapointed with the garment. Now I am learning to slow down, read the directions, and take time to enjoy the whole process (crazy huh?) . By the way, my first sewing machine was total junk, sewing was soooo difficult that I nearly gave up. Now I have a viking and love it !

Plus I love knowing that I can create clothes that I want, and am not limited to what's in the department store, or make a copycat for much less ! :

[LdyBluNH@aol]

which viking do you have? i have a 1+ (old machine)

[kerc]

Originally Posted by knitting gal

yeah...I understand about the cutting, reading, all the preparation stuff just wears me out. The actual sewing part is only about 20%. I use to rush through the prep. part only to be dissapointed with the garment. Now I am learning to slow down, read the directions, and take time to enjoy the whole process (crazy huh?) .

YES!!!

umm and I recommend beginning with GOOD patterns. Many patterns you buy are junk -- they don't go together smoothly, etc. I find myself going back to my kwik sew for toddler book of patterns more and more. I can go to the dept store, say "hey that's cute" and take a basic pattern and alter it. Oh, continuing my Kwik Sew rave -- the directions are really clear too.

and finally .... I'm now at a point that I know the basic steps to making most simple garments. So when I make a t shirt I don't necessarily have to follow the order in which the pattern company tells me to put it together. I do it my own way.

[sewingbarbj]

I felt the same way

Beleive it or not when I toke sewing in school I hated it and did terrible. That might not sound so strange except I went on to take fashion design in Colledge!. I only like it now because I got fast at it after 2 years of production sewing training in school. I realy only like the fact that it lets me get the ideas out of my head . The fabric and style you choose makes a big difference too. The projects they choose to teach are not inspireing.Why not find a family member who likes it and trade for something you like to do?

[knitting gal]

LdyBluNH...I have the Lena, ltd. edition. It was on sale and I had been drooling all over vikings for a while, and this model was within my budget. The Lena is similar to a Daisy 315 , or any of the other 300 models. Mine isn't computerized, and doesn't have any other bell or whistles, but it sews like a dream and that can make all the difference for a beginning seamstress (or in my case a wannabe seamstress). Happy sewing!

[lupineperriwinkle]

As much as I love all crafty and art related items there are some things I will never do. If I can't sew a project in a day then I won't do it (my wedding gown was finished in a day but I have to say I am a fast sewer). I feel like if I am not good at something immediately then it isn't for me - this includes painting and drawing. I would love to knit but I can't do that either. i drool over all kinds of beautiful knitted items and have been collecting from Knitty since the start. Don't beat yourself up over it. If you really want to learn you will but you can't force yourself into it.

[3boobykins]

I'm not a big fan of sewing--I wouldn't say I hate it, but I often end up being frustrated with the process and disappointed with the result. It does seem like many patterns aren't well-designed. I haven't made anything in ages, but I just bought fabric to make a sling for the new baby. I get bored with stuff like ironing seams and hems. It also takes forever to make anything when you've got toddlers/young children around. Kari-mom, I feel the same way about knitting--I want to like it, but I just don't. I've tried several times, but I just can't get the hang of it. I crochet really well and can follow a pattern, but lately I'm just not into anything crafty. Maybe in a few years when my kids are older I'll have more time and patience. I might dye some prefolds and flats just for fun, though, in solid colors, just to have something semi-creative to do that is relatively mindless and easy.

[Katie's Momma]

omg! I absolutely DETEST sewing!

My mother was a seamstress and spent a lot of time teaching me how to do it and I think I hated every dreaded moment. I just don't have the patience or skills required for it.

I was also not an easy learner and she would be so, so patient. I thought she'd give up but she never did.

So, I can sew but never do unless I really have to (ie: buttons or a hem).