#2 Self Drafted. No Pattern. Outfit I Made From Scratch From Kente Fabric
Looking at all these beautiful sewing projects, it’s easy to forget that making clothes is a skill many of us don’t have anymore. In fact, a 2018 YouGov survey of more than 6,000 American adults found that 57% said they couldn’t sew very well or couldn’t sew at all.
Only 10% felt they were very good at it. That’s quite interesting when you consider how important sewing has been throughout human history.
#4 My Wife Turned A Vintage Japanese Obi Into A Varsity Jacket, I Couldn't Be Happier With The Result!
#6 I Made An Early 1900s Ballgown Inspired By John Singer Sargent Paintings (Self Drafted)
People have been sewing for tens of thousands of years, long before clothing stores or even sewing machines existed. According to a study published in Science Advances, some of the earliest known needles with eyes date back around 40,000 years.
They were discovered in Siberia’s Denisova Cave and were made from bone. Just imagine how much patience it must have taken to make clothing using such simple tools.
For much of history, making clothes was a normal part of everyday life. People either sewed garments themselves or had them made by someone who knew how.
According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, most clothing in America before industrialization was made for individual customers, whether at home or by professional dressmakers and tailors.
Things started changing during the 19th century, especially as sewing machines became more widely used. They made producing clothing much faster and helped the ready-to-wear industry grow.
By the 1890s, Americans could buy mass-produced clothes from department stores and mail-order catalogs. As a result, people started dressing more alike, making the differences between them less noticeable.
#14 Strawberry Dress!!! Attended A Food And Wine Festival, A Reason To Make A Food Themed Dress
Fast forward to today, and buying clothes has become easier than ever. We can browse hundreds of options from our phones and have something delivered to our doorstep within days.
Fashion trends also come and go so quickly that it can feel like there’s always something new to buy. Unfortunately, all that convenience comes with some pretty serious environmental consequences.
#18 My Husband Was A Bridesman In His Friend’s Wedding So I Made Him A Suit To Match The Wedding Colors!
The amount of clothing and other textiles we throw away is staggering. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the world generates around 92 million metric tons of textile waste every year.
That’s the equivalent of a garbage truck full of textiles being burned or dumped in a landfill every single second. It’s a pretty shocking figure.
