Scissor Talk // How I got into sewing

A while back, when I did my first Q&A session, Lauren asked me how I got into sewing and refashioning, and I felt that topic really needed it's own post. So, today, I'm going to share my sewing story with you. 

I don't have many crafting memories from my early childhood, but I do remember making clothing for my dolls together with my Mom. We'd cut socks into little skirts and my Mom would stitch up these dresses and vests and what not. And I always loved helping her with it. My Mom is also mostly self-taught, and she would sew crazy beautiful things for us when we were little. Mostly out of necessity, because in the Soviet Union, there was a shortage of everything, including children's clothing. She made jeans for us from her own old pair, and cute outerwear (like a jacket with fun cartoon applications). I guess the refashionista gene runs in the family, kind of. 

My first memory of really being into sewing, and wanting so badly to learn, is when I found out we were going to start having handicraft lessons in school. In Estonia all girls have compulsory handicraft lessons in grades 5-9 (boys have woodwork, and in some schools they switch from time to time). I remember I asked my Mom if she'd teach me how to sew a bag for my crafting supplies. I very distinctly remember the making of that bag. How my Mom helped me figure out the measurements, and cut, and sew. She didn't do any of it for me, but showed me how to do it myself. The bag turned out awesome! And I still use it to hold some of my crafting stuff back at my parents' house. I was so proud of that bag. It was pretty close to a miracle for me. 

As the lessons started, I quickly learned that I loved crafting, but not with that teacher. She was one of those people who could suck all the inspiration out of you in one minute flat. Even back then I didn't really want to make things exactly as she wanted. When everybody was supposed to make a pillowcase, I wanted to make something wearable. When we were supposed to make aprons, I wanted to make dresses. Needless to say, I did what was expected of me (being a perfectionist and a good student), but my creative light dimmed a little during those 2 years.

My me-made high school graduation dress. Hubby guessed I was 12 on this photo. 

Then, in 7th grade we got a new teacher. She was awesome! She was much younger and hipper, and always chose projects that were trendy at the moment. And she was always supportive of students coming up with their own ideas. I remember loving crafting lessons then. I sewed a skirt with Richelieu embroidery on it, knitted a 2.5m long scarf with a lace pattern, crocheted a sweater, and made the embroidered pin cushion I still use, to name a few of my projects back then. Of all the crafts we learned, I always loved sewing the most.

Middle school was a very busy time for me (with all the musical extra curricular activities), so I didn't get into crafting much past the class assignments. And, really, I think that at that time the crafting we did at school was enough to satisfy my creative need. 

Me-made dress from 2010. I had a different blog then, but yes, these are my first attempts at posing for photos :)

My passion for sewing really emerged in high school, when I had the fortune to meet an amazing and inspiring girl named Laura (she has her own Etsy shop now). She came to our class in the 11th grade and I became a fan of her handmade garments very fast. That girl can sew! I remember her coming to school with a new garment she had made over the weekend, and me being oh-so jealous. She encouraged me to give it a try. I borrowed some Burda magazines from her, and then, one weekend I sewed a blouse. And my life was never the same again. It was as if I'd suppressed my sewing urge for years, and could finally let it out. I sewed as much as I could back then, and accumulated heaps of fabric for all the garments I wanted to make. I still have many of fabrics from that period still in my stash (I guess that makes me a really slow seamstress).

A button-down made from one of my Moms vintage night-gowns.

Funnily enough, Laura was also the one that introduced me to thrifting. And, another obsession was born. What initially drew me to thrifting was my student's budget. First it was just buying things I could wear right away, then I found pants that needed hemming, tops that needed shortening, a dress with a stain that needed covering, and before I knew it, I was making a shirt out my Mom's old nightgown (that really happened, just look at the above photo). The more I did it, the more I got into refashioning. I loved it not only for the price, but also the feeling of turning something unwanted into something wearable again. 

And as you know, both my passion for sewing in general, and for refashioning have persisted for many years now. I couldn't even imagine my life without them. 

Gosh, this post was fun to write. I hope you enjoyed this little walk down memory lane.  I'd love to know, what's your sewing/crafting story? Tell me in the comments!

xo. Hanna

P.S! I'm hoping to make talks around sewing and crafting a regular feature on the blog.