Stretch Your Dollar By Sewing (with video)

ABC local ^ | 6-9-09 | Patricia Lopez

[STARWISE]

Sewing is making a huge comeback lately. The reason? What else? The economy! It's cheaper to make your own repairs and alterations than paying someone else to do it.

Women of all backgrounds and ages are learning how to sew in order to help stretch their dollar.

In a full class of eager women, each is learning the long lost art of sewing.

"I am a workaholic," first time sewer Tina Noel said. "I don't cook. I don't clean. I just work."

*snip*

Noel says altering every season gets expensive. Pant hems cost on average $12, a skirt hem about $15, and fixing sleeves on a suit jacket is $25. Linda Hayes with the House of Sewing in Pearland has seen a boom in her business from women who want to save money.

[STARWISE]

As a devout, incorrigible and confirmed fabriholic, previously in the craft/hobby biz for years, and a sewing/crafts enthusiast, this is so smart, especially today. I'm happy to see a resurgence in sewing and even basic hemming and seam repair. Why pay someone for something so simple? I couldn't live without my machines, which are always set up and ready to go. Creativity and frugality ...it's a blast, and more and more young adults are entering the fray .. making skirts out of pillowcases, old ties and t-shirts. There's a whole new world of outside-the-box sewing and wardrobe remaking going on out there, and the youngsters are really something. I give Project Runway, etc. a lot of credit for inspiring the new interest in this fun activity.

Take a look of what the 21st century "hippies" are doing. A list of their episodes.

Craftster.org,a great gathering spot for crafty DIYers.

While top of the line absolutely amazing machines that embroider, digitize, upload designs from the internet, etc. can go for up to $10K, you can certainly get a decent starter machine for under $200, or less if you luck into one at a thrift store. There are HUGE amounts of sewing tutorials, videos, craft/sewing/quilting and supply sites, helpful tips and blog sites online, sewing/quilting/needlearts shows, crafty street fairs, to encourage and educate.

Invalid credit card bracelet

Sew fun.

[STARWISE]

~~PING!

[Publius6961]

BUMP!

[twigs]

I sewed my own clothes for many years and today, find it more expensive than buying them ready made. I shop at factory outlet type of stores and couldn’t come near buying the cloth to make them for the money I spend. There are reasons for sewing, but finding inexpensive clothing today is not one of them. If you can do fancy needlework and need it, then yes, it would be cheaper.

[GraceG]

Just this weekend i sewed up the side of a pair of jeans I own, saving me around 50 dollars.

[ottbmare]

I hate articles like this that tell people how to save money by taking up old-fashioned skills. Long before the recession I was already doing all this stuff, so the articles offer me no ideas for savings!

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

I completely agree. One can buy clothing now for less than it would cost to make it. Altering may be another story.

I shop the best stores twice a year. For winter clothing, go in March and for summer clothing, go in Aug.

There are incredible deals. My target is $15.00 and it's doable. My pastor's wife dresses her children beautifully from yard sales, etc.

[STARWISE]

That wasn’t the point of the article .. it
was to open up the hobby to those who don’t
sew or weren’t exposed to it growing up.

eBay’s also pretty good for sewing/quilting
fabric and supplies. You have to know your
stuff, just like anything else, but I’ve
found quite a few bargains there.

[americanophile]

Clothes are cheap nowdays.

[shooter223]

“Women of all backgrounds and ages” ......... not just women ....... Dad taught me upholstery starting when I was about 10 ..... started working with leather later ....... comes in handy ....... currently own 3 machines,including Dad’s old heavy duty Singer(at least 65-70 yrs old)

[STARWISE]

Those Wal-Marts that haven’t eliminated
the fabric dept have bargains. I got
great fabric for $1/yd. There again,
you have to know your stuff. That’s
the place I miss more than any other,
having none near me now.

[Political Junkie Too]

These Texas women's "prairie look" was made fun of when their children were seized. I know they were in a polygamy cult, but they made their own clothes.

-PJ

[rbbeachkid]

Some of the video showed they were sewing purses. There is savings there but more importantly there is a lot of satifaction in making things that are nicer than you can buy.

Clothing does often cost more to make than buy but you are making what you want, with the materials you want and it will fit correctly.

Lastly, sewing in a group enviroment gives women (like the work-a-holic) opportunities to spend time talking with other women in a non-competitive venue. Something we have lost and has hurt us.

I hope sewing does have a resurgence.

[mom4melody]

They need to whip up some homemade makeup....

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

I LOVE SEWING!! It’s easy, fun, creative, fulfilling, economical too. You don’t have to take classes or find a teacher (although that’s best). You can find all the lessons on youtube and a few good sites on the web.
Start on an older machine. IMO they’re more reliable and you get a better feel for what you’re doing and how the machine operates.

[Neoliberalnot]

I had a buddy forward this to my wife.

[armymarinemom]

A spot to watch like a hawk for good deals on used machines. Sew Used.

[latina4dubya]

Clothes are cheap nowdays.

they are... went to JC Penney last weekend and bought summer clothes for my boys... shorts were $4.99 and shirts were $4-6 bucks... i bought two $65 dresses for $14.99 each... that's less than what i would pay at Wal-Mart for a cheaply-made dress... plus i got $15 off the total with my coupon...

i also like to hit the clearance racks at Kohls... a lot of times i see something i like at regular price, usually $20-$40 range, but i'll wait a couple of weeks when it goes on clearance... i often buy the items for $4-7 bucks...

[chris_bdba]

Not a lot art here. I”m glad to see new sewers though!

[ottbmare]

I’m a fabraholic too. The best fun is finding something gorgeous that got passed over by women who didn’t see its wonderful possibilities and is now dirt cheap. She who dies with the most fabric wins! And by the looks of the sewing closet, I’m a contender to win, LOL.