My personal sewing story

Today I would like to share something very private with you. My personal sewing story.

Or better: My personal journey into the sewing adventure.

Actually, it all started much earlier

My sewing story began in 2013. Although it actually started much earlier:

My mother was incredibly talented when it came to needlework (and many other things). And everything I wore was handmade. Homemade, hand-knitted, hand-crocheted. Pullovers with elaborate openwork - a school enrollment set consisting of a white and turquoise flecked cardigan and turquoise blue flared trousers (plus a bright orange school bag with cat eyes: the 70s could be tough) trousers, skirts, dresses, blouses. Coats, parkas, jackets (asymmetrical in the style of the 80s!) - there was no escape when it came to sewing.

My mother even sewed my work uniform when I was a young nurse. Very cool: tunics with a full-button back and carrot trousers in soft pink and light blue (needless to say, I wore the brightest striped socks I could get my hands on with them, right?). :)

But sewing myself? Never ever!

Being creative is everything

Macramé, crocheting, knitting, painting, knotting, playing music, crafting, writing songs, Fimo, homemade cosmetics, writing poems and stories: in my childhood and youth, there was practically nothing in the creative realm that I hadn't tried and loved.

Being creative was and is my elixir of life.

Fun fact on the side: When I recently needed new boho-style hanging planters, my fingers remembered all on their own how macramé knots work. Amazing, isn't it? And that after more than 40 years! :)

My mother's sewing machine

Sure, I tried sewing a few times. On my mother's wonderful old sewing machine with a fold-out solid wood cutting table. However, not much came of it. A dress made of light blue floral cotton fabric with a touch of smocking at the neckline (which I wore exactly twice and hated every time) and a pair of trousers that I spent a lot of time on, but which remained unfinished (Maybe they still exist - somewhere out there? Please get in touch!).

The first sewing machine

When my children were small, it would have been an ideal time to start sewing. And one day, my husband actually arrived with a machine - for starters - from the discount store around the corner. "For curtains and such." Perhaps I should mention at this point that there have never been curtains in my four walls in my entire life? :)

So the sewing machine stayed where it was: locked away in the farthest corner of the storage room.

The first steps into sewing happiness

Until... - yes: until I rediscovered it there in 2013 - and set it free.

At some point during this time, I had started looking for handmade items on the internet. At first only half-consciously, then more and more purposefully. Gradually, I identified what I liked, which style, which colors, which fabric types. And which projects. But until then, I hadn't sewn a seam in almost 30 years. And I kept it that way. For the time being.

Until I entered a fabric store for the first time. Oh wonder! This selection! These colors! These possibilities!

So I made my first fabric purchase. With trembling hands and sweat on my forehead. All that money! And not really an idea in my head! And then the saleswoman's question while cutting: "What do you want to sew with that?" And me, stammering: "I don't really know yet."

Should I have told her that this fabric was to line the first step on the way to sewing happiness? :)

One day I had everything together that I needed: quality-wise it wasn't anything great, some things were from the discount store, but it didn't matter at all: the experiment could begin.

How it all began

It started at my sky-blue kitchen table with a tissue pouch (the TaTüTa by the wonderful and knowledgeable Gabriele from Congabären, from whom I learned a lot, especially at the beginning) and a fabric bundle from Buttinette, a bit of ribbon, lots of scraps, and a first sewing evening of pure bliss.

Truly: I was completely hooked. Next came bunting. For my sewing room that was about to be moved into.

I had chosen our little-used conservatory as such:
Light, air, freedom - and a place where I could simply leave things I had started without feeling guilty.

Every day I had time to sew was a good day for me: I enjoyed every single seam!

The first cushions were added (embroidered with insects, like this one), small cosmetic bags for our children, pencil cases - well, and then the first owl potholder announced itself.

The thing about the owls

What an effort it was until the finished pattern lay before me! Hour after hour of experimenting, unpicking, trimming, binding, correcting, trying again, swearing, complaining, redoing, unpicking, and then: joy! Ha! Pride, happiness, success, endless satisfaction! When Henry & Hobbes lay before me for the first time in all their sassiness, I was in sewing heaven (and that, even though I find owls dreadfully silly, as you can read in the corresponding article at any time).

With all this, I have to say that this is only one side of the coin. The second side: Of course, I also have a profession and a job that fulfills me and gives me great pleasure. Here, too, I experience moments of flow and satisfaction with the results achieved.

New challenges - this time at work

However, my professional life was going through a really challenging phase just when I started sewing.

Everything was turned upside down - and me most of all. What really helped me ground myself were my family - and sewing.

While everything was upside down, one thing was going straight ahead, even if sometimes in a zigzag stitch.

What I have learned

This strength that I draw from my colorful sewing life encouraged me to also dare to try new things professionally and take risks. Which I then also successfully implemented.

Ultimately: no matter how bad a day was. No matter how poorly something went: I could and still can go into my project workshop in the evening and sew the most idiosyncratic creations from the most wonderful, colorful fabrics, and feel the same sewing happiness as the first time. Okay. Sometimes you have to give luck a little nudge: not everything succeeds. But the more resolutely I bin unfinished projects (Hello trousers!), the faster my brain and my cutting table are free for something new.

Little by little, I bought higher-quality equipment - as soon as I knew that my love for sewing was not just a flash in the pan. My wonderful spouse supported me here too - and when the idea of my own website came up (Blogs! There are so many blogs! But not MINE yet!), he helped solve technical problems, advised me, kept asking questions - and was ultimately the one who invented the name SewSimple.

Does the world need another blog?

Because that was exactly what I wanted: Just sew. See beautiful things come into being. Without a lot of fuss. And show others that they can do it just as well as I can.

Of course, I had doubts at the beginning whether the world really needs another sewing blog. But it's like everything: every person has similar experiences in their life. But everyone processes them in their own way. Some write music, others paint pictures, others still dance their hearts out - and then there are some who sew. And everyone does this in their own unmistakable way.

Because it is THEIR expression of creativity.

Why don't you do something creative!

The word creativity had such a negative connotation for me for a long time. Because it sounded like Fimo ashtrays to me. Like "Why don't you paint something beautiful!"

Yet creativity is the motor that drives everything. Projects that I conceive, plan, and realize in my sewing workshop (because that's what it is now) radiate their energy into the rest of my entire life.

When sewing, I look for open questions, for possibilities, invent solutions, and crack puzzles. And all that with a wonderful material that stimulates the senses and is addictive. The joy of being good. And of getting better.

And the satisfaction that comes through the play of possibilities and the feeling of competence and self-efficacy also radiates back into my professional life: solutions are in demand here too. And the thought that there is something good and useful in everything that needs to be sought, identified, and strengthened.

With the desire to sew came the joy of life. Added to that is the fun of being alone with myself and my ideas and then again, realizing things together in a team. To conjure in my sewing room all for myself - and to share the results with you.

Great that you're here!

It is so important to me to know how you are getting on with my instructions, whether you are happy with your sewing results. And what your personal challenges and questions are regarding sewing. Comments on the blog, on Facebook, or Instagram are therefore an important indication for me as to whether there are topics or which blog posts could help you. Because that is exactly my concern: that you can further develop your favorite hobby with fun and joy.

At this point, I would therefore like to thank YOU especially for taking the time to read, share, and comment on my posts - it's just nice that you are accompanying my sewing adventures! :)

And I want to give you the certainty that if I can do it, you can too.

Dare to seek, find, and experience your own very personal sewing adventure - and enjoy every second!

If you like, come closer and listen to my sewing podcast "Näher dran"!

Happy simple sewing,

your Sabine

PS: By the way, I would be very happy if you told me about your personal sewing story as well. I cordially invite you to tell me about it in the comments.