Friday, December 11, 2009

Friday Confession

Garment sewing. Quilting. Crafting. To an outsider, this is just a variation on "I say po-tay-to, you say po-tah-to" - it's all pretty much one and the same. All of them involve working with fabric to create something. But, for the most part, I sew clothes and I don't quilt or do much craft sewing. And I don't think I'm alone in focusing on one of those three...

How about you? Do you enjoy all three or find yourself drawn to one a lot more than the others? Are their similarities greater than or smaller than their differences? What do you think?

16 comments:

CarlaF-in Atlanta said...

I'm a garment sewer. While I enjoy and can appreciate quilting (my Grandmother was a garment sewer and quilter...by hand), I have no desire to quilt or sew craft projects. You could say I'm very focused with my sewing :)

gwensews said...

I've done it all. For several years,during the 80s, I was heavy into quilting. I became a certfied teacher and quilt show judge through National Qulting Association. Before that period, and since, I'm primarily a garment sewer. Sometimes, I do something crafty for my grandons, or sew a home-dec project. But, I'm more interested in garment sewing. There is a huge divide between garment sewing and quilting--attitudes, I mean. Each thinks theirs is the ultimate sewing.

julia said...

I like to do lots of creating from sewing garments to drawing and writing. I don't quilt, but that's because I don't have the patience to be that precise.

Julie said...

Definitely garment sewer. I appreciate a beautiful quilt but it has never interested me. For some odd reason, I don't have the patience for sewing crafts or home decor. For me, sewing my own clothes is more relaxing than the other stuff. Maybe I find it more gratifying because I can strut around town wearing my creation.

Zep said...

If I can think of it I sew like business card holders and all kids of crazy things that don't come to mind right now.

I have made quilts but don't like to because...think about it..you put all that work into it and what do you do with a quilt - hang it on the wall or put it on your bed. I make my mom lap quilts every year as a christmas present. Small enough she can throw over her legs when she gets a chill. I add my kids pictures for each month (iron on t-shirt transfer you can print on your computer) . I told her when she's on her death bed she can throw all these blankets on her to be covered with love LOL. My MIL made works of art with quilts. I have many from her which I'm thankful for because she is no longer with us. They are treasures to me.

Most everyone in my sewing classes wants to make garments - then maybe handbags. I've only had one person make a quilt. I have had a few who sew dog clothing :) Too bad kitties don't wear clothing. I could see you making all kids of things for your little guy.

Anonymous said...

I sew for fashion, which has remained my focus of sewing since it started including bags as well as clothing. While I can sew home dec stuff, and have and likely will again because I can never find what I want, it's not a favorite of mine.
Quilting...quilters have put me off of wanting to do it for myself to be really honest, and I find it boring besides.

I think they are all the same technically to a point, and if you can do one, then you can do them all, within reason. They do take a different skill set to master.

Faye Lewis said...

Although I love to look at the crafts of others and think that they are all cute - RIGHT NOW all I want to do is sew garments. I say right now because there is always a chance I'll add something else in later down the road.

Uta said...

I started with mainly clothes, but how can you not sew home dec when you need it instead of shelling out loads of money? (And there was the perfect toile for the children's room from a market.... the perfect jacquard from London for the bedroom... No way can I just go to IKEA and buy ready-made!) As to craft sewing, I enjoy it for a change from garments. Clothes need to fit, what a pain (sometimes), and how nice to make up some craft while going along! Quilting... I love quilts, but don't really have the time/patience for it right now. Someday, maybe!

Ellen said...

I love to do all kinds of sewing, but tend to focus on one at a time. I haven't made garments for myself in several years, but I'm finding myself drawn into that particular challenge recently. I also enjoy making quilts, but really the smaller size. No patience for the larger ones. And as for craft sewing, it can often be quick, and doesn't have to fit, so there's a lot of satisfaction in that.

Karin said...

I am mostly a garment sewer. I just love, love, love fashion. I love the feeling of wearing well tailored clothing and I love to see my little ones run around in lovingly made items. I did craft some other things also, like things for the children's rooms, but it's just not that gratifying for me as garment sewing is.

Quilting is something I never did. I can love a beautiful quilt, but I don't know if I'd have the patient to make one myself.. Maybe, one day, when my head isn't filled with all the garments I want to make but can't find the time for, I'll try quilting. But I'm afraid it can take a long, long time before that day comes :-)

SunnyQ said...

I can't decide! I do love making bags - I'm not sure if it's the making of them or the finished product that I like more, but I do know I appreciate not having to make adjustments, like for garments. I do like (attempting) garment sewing, though. It just seems a lot more involved (planning, adjusting, re-adjusting, muslin-ing, adjusting again, etc.), which requires time that I don't really have to spare now. Quilting is nice for the same reason as bag making, but I like having something to tote around, so my only non-bag quilting attempt is still in progress (over a year or more in a holding pattern).

I look forward to a time in my life when I have more time available for sewing so I can get more playful with bags and more serious about garments. :)

gMarie said...

I love making garments - but when it gets frustrating, I pull out my crafty stuff. Bags mostly and embroidering tea towels - but that's just picking colors. g

mamafitz said...

i would say i'm a garment sewer at heart -- that's what i enjoy the most. however, i do like to make quilts quite a bit; more than i thought i would when i first started. it's so mindless and 'zen' for me. i also like bags and other 'crafty' sewing. knitting is wonderful because it is so portable (while i have brought garments to cut out during my son's gymnastics practice, i have yet to bring my sewing machine and iron. i knit instead). i like to do hand embroidery and have played with smocking. i don't get into paper crafts (scrapbooking, card making). i love the way they look and the great ideas, but i tried it and it just didn't click.

oh, i sew home dec, but i don't like it. b-o-r-i-n-g, but you can't beat the $ savings, so i do it.

Anonymous said...

I have been a garment sewer from the very start, though those first garments were for Barbie. ;) It is still my primary focus, though i enjoy quilts for the color and pattern I don't use in garments, and I do home dec for my home because it lets me have what I want at a price I can afford.

Lois K

Becky said...

I'm primarily a garment sewer at heart (and purses by extension)--having a unique style was always important to me, and I like being able to custom-make clothes exactly how I want to. Although I will make home dec--actually, that's pretty much all I'm doing right now since I'm in the midst of a bedroom remodeling. Which actually includes a quilt. (Not that I've had much time to do the sewing for it yet, since I've been too busy moving things and painting furniture! I'm already getting twitchy and wanting to sew clothes again! Augh!) I tend to think of crafting as mostly non-clothes sewing stuff, like the home dec, or my other crafty hobbies like scrapbooking or making jewelry. (Though I guess the jewelry is kind of a fashion thing too, isn't it?)

Unknown said...

I would say I am a garment sewer who dabbles in the other things...
I have made and designed more garments, but I also do the necessary home decor type of things and the fun things that can become crafty. But really, garment sewing is what got me started on all of this..I wanted to make things I would love and wear, and be able to draw on the traditions and benefits that come with something handmade.