Many old sewing books begin by making some sort of statement to the effect of, "It is good economy to be proficient at sewing." Let me state right up front, if you think you are going to learn to sew in order to save money on making your entire wardrobe, you are dead wrong. The time, materials and equipment needed to learn to make all of your clothes from panties to overcoats far out weighs the cost of smart shopping in the first place. The proliferation of cheap ready to wear fashion has changed the balance of the equation for "Will I save money if I learn to sew?" The answer is sometimes.
Learning to sew requires investment in time and equipment and an ability to self-evaluate one's own limitations. It can be a fun and rewarding hobby and sometimes, it can save you money.
Here's what I have learned about saving money and sewing.
Sometimes there is a time and a place in your wardrobe for cheap clothing. For example, a sports team tee shirt, or gardening clothes are examples where a sale at a discount store or a rummage through a thrift shop will be far cheaper than sewing your own. A fashion fad or holiday wear to an exotic climate are other examples. I will not be sewing my ski anorak or my swim suit; they was purchased inexpensively at a discount sports store and are worn only during a two week holiday once a year.
Sometimes high quality retail goes on sale and is well worth the cost. Blazers, overcoats, and tailored slacks, all fall into this category. It is well worth learning enough about clothing and clothing construction to be able to recognized good quality at retail and consignment shops. Thankfully, the modern Internet provides a lot of information about how good quality clothing is constructed and how is should be finished. This allows a savvy buyer to make informed decisions about their wardrobe without actually sewing any of it.
Sometimes sewing make perfect sense. You can save a lot of money by learning simple repairs. Learn to sew on a button neatly. Hand stitch a small rip in a seam. Secure a fallen hem. All of these will save you money and extend the life of your garments. These sorts of repairs only require the kind of equipment that will fit in a small box and they will pay for themselves easily. However, repairs do take patience, time and practice and yes...the button sewn on to your coat with dental floss in the airport lounge will look exactly that ...sewn on by a left-handed drunken monkey, but you will not have lost the button. Take care of it properly as soon as you can.
Learning some simple tailoring will save you money. Learn to hem pants and skirts. Shortening and lengthen blazer sleeves is well worth the time, if you have purchased a garment that can be altered in the first place. Moving buttons, shortening and lengthen skirts and adding adjustable elastic to waistlines will help with extending the life of children's clothing.
Sometimes there is no other choice but to sew if you have a figure that is hard to fit. For me, blouses and fitted dresses fall into this category. I prefer the fit of blouses that do not gap at the bust nor drape over the shoulder line, to get this I sew.
Sometimes sewing is well worth the investment. Home decor is still by far the easiest place to make a high impact on your budget. Curtains, duvet covers, pillow shams, table linens are all easy projects that at most require patience, accurate measuring, and straight line sewing. This is a great place to get started to see if you like the creative sewing process and build your bank of sewing skills before moving on to clothing. Even in this area you should be honest about your skill level. Cotton valances in a child's room, a bed skirt, or a holiday table runner are great beginner projects. Velvet lined two story drapes for the drawing room and a plaid slip cover for the lounger in the den are not the place to start.
Sometimes you need to sew to exactly what you want. Style and fashion is dictated by store buyers. What happens if this season's colors and styles are not yours. Do you prefer eggplant when the world is wearing lilac? Are hem lines just too short? I know my middle aged knees need a bit a fabric to my skirts, but heaven help me if the hemlines are thigh high at the retail store. This is when I sew.
Remember that sewing will bring you high quality garments that can far out last cheap ready to wear. If you find good quality cotton sheets at a consignment shop, nightwear made from these will last for years and still look good after many wearings. A fully lined wool tweed pencil skirt should not be compared in price to a polyester-blend Worthington woman's suit from JCPenneys. It just isn't in the same category. It should be instead compared to an item in a high-end designer boutique or from a custom atelier. It is only then, when comparing apples to apples that savings are made by sewing.
Finally, do not walk away from reading my first series on learning to sew thinking that I have purposely set about discouraging you. On the contrary, I think everyone should learn the basics of sewing. I think everyone should read information about how clothes are constructed and what makes good quality fabric from bad. I think everyone should be proficient with small hand sewing repairs and simple machine alterations. I also think many people should learn to make or at least alter simple curtains and other home furnishings. But do I categorically, believe that you will save money by sewing your own clothes over shopping smartly? No! It is a balance in which your own love of sewing with its emphasis on creativity must be greater than the money saved on each and every project. Sewing is my hobby, I spend time and money on my hobby, just as someone who paints watercolors or scuba dives, and sometimes I save a bit of money on my wardrobe.
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