Sewing for me started out because my group of friends talked about things called anime conventions, places where nerds could meet up, dress up, and talk up about their favorite series, characters, or video games! I quickly found that is was a positive and helpful community that convinced me to sew more than I ever thought I would!
The first thing I ever learned how to sew was stuffed animals, I still have the one I first made all those years ago! It was thanks to the online sewing community that I learned how to think in a three dimensional way. An online community like Cosplay Amino is a place where you can share, ask questions, and learn from the wide amount of people who also love to sew and create (this one specifically is usually just for cosplay creations). I have also joined many Facebook groups like Cosplayers of New Hampshire where we would discuss what was going on in our sewing lives.
I personally think that it’s important for people to learn how to sew. It doesn’t have to be with a sewing machine specifically for those can be pricey and sometimes tough to start learning (I know I had a hard time learning to how use one by myself), but I think it’s important. I don’t think people should have to go to a seamstress and spend a ton of money to fix a rip or hem some pants when those could literally take seconds to fix at your own home not wasting as much money. My roommate asked me to re-sew her button on her clothes one time, I happily did it, but I wouldn’t have had to if she knew how to do it herself.
It’s not even hard to look up how to do some of these simple tasks, people use the internet to search so many things why not this? I understand that people are busy, but that’s why this is a hobby and then something that could help with the tear in your pants later on in life.
I’m not saying get into sewing so you can get into cosplay and such, those are very big steps. Those are steps I chose because I am a nerd and I loved dressed up on Halloween and thought hey, why not be able to dress up more often than just on Halloween? And found out there were tons of people who felt the same way. That was a risk I was willing to take, I get strange looks but I also get compliments from strangers and often random little girls getting pictures taken with me by their mom who doesn’t know who I am but I am wearing a fancy dress so I must be some character their child loves. I do think it would be cool if more people tried this, but I am not at all saying “get into sewing so you can get into cosplay”, getting into cosplay was just my reason for learning how to sew properly.
I’m saying learn the essentials of sewing. If you like it? Great! Keep at it and make it a hobby! If it extends to more like it did for me? Great! Go find that community you can fit into! If you learn the essentials of sewing but don’t like it? That’s great too! You tried! That’s what matters. You now know how to sew kind of and can fix things if needed.
Some of the people I watch when it comes for just entertainment now and not educational sewing tips would be someone like Micarah Tewers, a youtuber who will literally see a couch on the side of the road and make a dress out of it. Another would be AnyaPanda, someone who often gives storytimes of her cosplay experiences, reviews cosplays she bought online, as well as shows behind the scenes to her photo shoots.
These people inspire me to want to create more when it comes to sewing and making outfits, and that’s what I want to do with these blogs for other people.
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