Ten Years of Sewing! (and a Fun Surprise)

Friends, I can hardly believe it, but as of this summer, I've been sewing exactly ten years.

That photo up top is my very first sewing machine, which I purchased on eBay in June, 2009.  Back then I knew nothing about sewing machines (What's a bobbin?).  My initial intention had been to buy a cheap machine on Amazon to shorten some thrift store jeans.  But then I stumbled on various sewing blogs that sang the praises of vintage sewing machines and I decided a second-hand, Eighties-era Kenmore (model 158.1212) would be a better investment.

I think all of you know that that Kenmore wouldn't be my last sewing machine purchase.  In fact, by the end of that first year I already owned half a dozen machines: a Necchi Lydia (which you can catch a glimpse of in the background), a Necchi 555 (similar to a Supernova and an excellent machine), a Pfaff 139 zigzagger, a Singer Spartan (perfect little straight stitcher), my first Elna Grasshopper (later sold and years later, replaced), and my very first serger (a Huskylock 535 I was never able to master, thankfully replaced with a Brother 1034D which has never let me down).

One of my earliest sheet shirts, modeled for Pattern Review in August, 2009.

I could write this post solely about the vintage sewing machines I've owned and loved.  But I'd rather write about how sewing came to dominate my life and that here I am, ten years later, still sewing up a storm.  (I did manage to shorten those thrift-store jeans by the way; to this day, however, alterations are something I only do reluctantly.)

I always credit a guy I met through Pattern Review, Brian Remlinger (below), a very experienced sewer, with helping me through my (many) early hurdles.  At the time, Brian's job allowed him a lot of free time, a great deal of which he allocated to patiently explaining things to me.  Even though we lived in different states, we managed to communicate effectively via webcam and gmail chats.  It was with Brian's guidance that I figured out how to read commercial patterns, installed my first pants zipper, and purchased a stable of vintage sewing machines.  Perhaps I could have figured a lot of this out on my own, but I am still grateful for his help, and I always recommend that new sewers find themselves a more experienced sewing buddy.  Brian currently co-owns and operates the Newton Sewing Studio in Newton, MA. 

Brian and I finally met in person at the Sewing Expo in Novi, MI, in September, 2009.

Also deserving of accolades is my then-partner-now-husband, Michael, who has always encouraged me along my journey and never once complained when my sewing hobby started eating up more and more square footage in our apartment. It is Michael, of course, who has taken the lion's share of not only my modeling shots, but also those of my cousin Cathy.  He has amassed quite a portfolio!

Deepika Prakash's Pattern Review site also deserves mention. PR is a fantastic resource that introduced me to a hugely supportive and encouraging sewing community.  It was on a Pattern Revew Day meet-up in NYC in November, 2009, that I met someone who was to become one of my very closest friends (and sister vintage sewing machine enthusiast), Johanna L., as well as Kashi of Metro Textiles.

Johanna and I at Mood Fabrics, 11/09

Since 2009, there have been more sewing projects than I can list in a single blog post.  Maybe I should split this into multiple posts with themes like "Shirts," "Cousin Cathy," and "What Was I Thinking?"  But nearly everything is recorded in this blog, which I began in January, 2010.  I've tried to keep Male Pattern Boldness easily searchable by topic, so do have a look in the archives on the right.

Wildly printed double-knit polyester became this odd ensemble.  What was I thinking?

Sewing has been good to me and I like to think that, in return, I've been good to sewing--or I've tried to be!

The aforementioned fun surprise is that I spent last week in Denver, Colorado filming my very first Bluprint class (Bluprint is the subscription version of what was formerly Craftsy).  I had a blast and was treated like royalty.  I can't wait to be able to share more about the class, which will debut this coming August, so please stay tuned!

Ready for my close-up in my Bluprint dressing room!

On the set, which was decorated just for me (complete with treadle sewing machine).  I'm ready to move in!

Friends, that's it: just a brief acknowledgment of the passing of what feels like a milestone: an entire decade spent doing what I love.

Have a happy holiday weekend and happy sewing!

Unwrapping my Singer Spartan, an early eBay purchase and my first straight-stitch machine.