You Are a Pragmatic Sewist
“It is what it is”—a motto you live by. You don’t dwell on what could have been—that’s a waste of time and energy. You know what’s work, and you stick with it. Some may complain that you are too set in your ways. You ways work, don’t they? In life and in sewing, you don’t waste time trying new approaches or techniques if you know which ones are sure to lead to success.
This is why sewing instructions are not that important to you—unless you are unfamiliar with a skill or technique, you stick with what you know. When mistakes happen, you only go back if they affect your garment’s function—after all, that’s what matters, right? You pick your projects based on how well they will complement your wardrobe, and you prefer TNT patterns.
How to develop your sewing if you are a pragmatic sewist
1. Open your mind to new things
Hey, I hear you: Why spend time learning new techniques when the ones that you know serve you just fine? Growth happens when we leave our comfort zone. It is uncomfortable, sometimes frustrating, but the truth is you will not grow as a sewist if you don’t push yourself to learn.
2. Sew a wildcard
You have a very clear picture of how your wardrobe looks, and you sew with the picture in mind. Every so often, though, it is a good idea to select something outside your comfort zone. It will challenge your sewing skills and add some variety to your wardrobe.
3. Hack those patterns
Sometimes, being pragmatic means that your wardrobe is variations on three or four patterns. That is quite okay. If you feel like you are getting bored of your options but not ready to move to a new pattern, figure out how to hack the ones you perfected. This will add more variety to your clothes while keeping the perfect fit you worked hard to achieve.
Hey, there, and welcome—I'm Paula
I’m the sewist behind SewGoth, a blog for alt/goth and other non-comforming sewists who want to create a wardrobe that matches their style and fit their bodies. .
I am a self-taught sewist who began sewing my own clothes because I could not find clothes in the style that I liked that fit my body. I have been sewing for over 15 years. I learned through trial and error, a ton of Internet research, and a few classes (when things got really difficult).
I am a trained journalist and educator, which has been immensely helpful as I write my blog posts and develop my classes. I like to find the questions no one has answered yet and work my way until I find the answer. Then, I share it with the world through the blog or my classes. Sewing has changed my life—I know that I can clothe my body in a way that respects my shape and represents my style.
No time to waste? Check out these resources to get your sewing going ASAP...
1) Follow me on Instagram for lots of inspiration, tutorials, techniques, etc.
2) Visit and subscribe to SewGoth Sewing Channel on YouTube
3) Keep an eye out for SewGoth Sewing School—classes starting in 2024!
