I'm not sure what the official definitions are of sewist and quilter. I grew up when anyone who sewed was a seamstress (back when men didn't do home sewing, or if they did it wasn't talked about). I like "seamstress" as I have had quite a few seams that caused me stress! Sewist and quilter are definitely more inclusive. These words open the crafts/arts to anyone without worrying about a label. Well, except the quilt label which, I've learned, is kind of a big deal.
I enjoy the heck out of making quilts! As I've said before, quilting feeds my soul by providing creativity and purpose in my life. However, I've had opportunities to use sewing skills for other things that were unexpected and useful. Curtains, of course. Who hasn't made a curtain? Or maybe just us poor folks are curtain makers. Lol! Some other projects have been:
* Tiny panties. My great niece CeeCee was a micro preemie and didn't catch up to the growth charts for a few years, unlike her other development. She was potty trained but the smallest panties were a size 2. I altered them to fit the tiny hiney and she was so happy to have big girl panties and not pull ups.
* Tiny baseball pants. Same niece for t-ball. I also resized her size small tshirt.
* Wedding party clothing for family weddings. Ack! That wasn't nerve racking at all. (Lie.)
* Halloween costumes. Yu Gi Oh characters, bride dress for my nephew, Frozen guy, Kick Buttowski, a dress for one of the emotion characters from a movie, and more. Some of the costumes could have been purchased except my great nephew wanted his dad to wear a matching costume. Costumes available in a kids medium don't come in an adult 2X. Ha! The bride dress was also for that nephew. They're realllly into Halloween and costumes.
* Falsies. Yep. My friend fought breast cancer for years. The prosthetics were painful so I made soft ones, then modified tank tops by adding pockets on the chest to hold "them." It allowed her to keep some femininity and minimize the discomfort. She eventually lost her battle.
* Underarm pillow and bag to hold drain tubing for my cousin to use after mastectomy. The patterns for both are on Pinterest if you know someone who needs them. Both added much comfort post surgery.
* Weighted blanket. My neighbor's dog is terrified of thunder, fireworks, and gunshots. July 4, New Year's, and storms reduced him to a shivering mess. I read about weighted blankets helping children so thought it might help a dog. They're a little spendy so I made one using plastic pellets and an old denim shower curtain. It has changed this dog's life. No more shivering terror!
* Before retiring from Tyler Junior College athletics department, I repaired countless football, baseball, etc, uniforms. I saved the taxpayers hundreds of dollars. You're welcome! Lol!
Those are just a few of the ways I've used my sewing machine for good and not evil. Lol! I would love to hear about your unique sewing experiences if you have any. Or share your best quilt making story. Y'all inspire me!
-Angie Clemons
Choosing kind (one day at a time!)
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