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The Conscious Closet: One Team Member’s Journey to Becoming a Modern Seamster

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I started sewing in 2019. I had taken a costuming class in my undergraduate program and enjoyed it. As time went on things started to press on me: 

 

  • The prevalence of human trafficking in the supply chain of my clothing
  • The water and environmental cost of fast fashion
  • The fact that I just didn’t like so many things being sold in stores

I decided I wanted to give it a try. 

Cut to the fall of 2020*. The pandemic was driving on, and I exhausted my options for painting by numbers**. I decided to put more concerted effort into making my clothes. I bought more supplies, patterns, pattern paper, fusible interfacing, the works.

I started with a simple t-shirt, and it went well enough to make want to get better. I gave myself milestones:

 

  • Making a 3-piece suit
  • having 50% of my wardrobe being of my own making

Once I did those, I could consider myself having “graduated” as a clothier (atelier? tailor? seamster?***).

While both of these milestones are still in the future, I have gotten better and better. I’ve made some pieces that I very much enjoy. I’ve made pieces for friends and loved ones. I’ve made shirts and pants, overalls and jumpsuits, dresses and skirts, and cloaks for LARPing. My next project will be a pair of double-knee jeans from a pattern I received from Lorraine Polchinski.

* Many are drawn to the assumption that sewing was a pandemic venture. Was it? It was definitely pandemic related that I did as much as I did when I did, but I find myself clashing with the idea of sewing being my sourdough. I’d been dabbling.

** THIS was my sourdough.

*** This is not my first bout with the lack of a gender non-specific word for “one who sews”. I have not found a suitable option. While it is not necessarily one of the reasons for my wanting to sew, gender subversion is a big influence on my drive to be GOOD at sewing. Therefore, I’m not interested in name that leans toward gender reinforcement. Boo gender reinforcement! 

****Gender Affirmation refers to the phenomenon of individuals, feeling their gender identity is challenged or questioned, exaggerating or strongly reaffirming behaviors and attitudes traditionally associated with their gender, in an attempt to reassert their sense of belonging within their gender category. 

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