The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment)

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

When I’m not sitting behind the sewing machine, I work full-time as a psychologist. This is why I every once in a while share a mental health-related post on this blog. Please grab a coffee and join the conversation!

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Which one of you considers themselves a hoarder? An addict?

Add the word fabric and I’m all in.

I’m definitely guilty of having a slightly unhealthy relationship with buying fabrics. I have all the cute postcards, signs and coffee mugs about how fun my fabric shopping addiction is.

Fabric shopping is amazing: I get home from a long and exhausting day at work. I could sew now to feel relaxed, empowered, fulfilled and productive and just generally good about myself. Instead I decide to flop on the couch with a glass of wine, get inspired by Instagram makers, feel bad about neglecting my hobby and then decide to check out some cute fabric online shops for a little inspiration. Browsing through endless creative possibilities I finally feel connected to my favourite pastime again, I get the happy sewing feels, I get a rush and decide to spend just a little more than I planned to spend after I decided to skip not spending anything altogether. Seeing the order hitting my inbox makes me happy. I will sew again, very soon, I promise.

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Fabric shopping – It’s a trap!

Our brain makes us feel happy when we shop. When we buy ourselves things our brain’s reward centre jumps into action and releases neurotransmitters like dopamine, that makes us feel good about what we just did and makes it more likely that we’ll do it again. Like when eating chocolate, or having sex. (Or taking drugs.)

Dopamine isn’t just released when we get a reward, but it’s also actually released in anticipation of a reward. Thus enters the joy of online shopping. It’s TWICE THE FUN! A couple of clicks and we get ourselves a double dopamine hit! First, when we order and second, when our order finally arrives in the mail. So in a way, online shopping isn’t only easily accessible it’s more exciting for our brain than shopping in person.

Finishing a project or buying fabric both triggers a dopamine response reward.

This is the reason why fabric shopping feels just as fun as sewing itself. It’s a pretty good substitute in the short term. But that’s about it. It’s a trick of the mind, and induces the feeling that we’re doing something for our hobbies, when we’re actually just lying on the couch stressed-out and scrolling through online shops. It gives us pleasure, we feel connected to our hobby without actually engaging in it. So it feels like a pretty good alternative when we can’t muster the energy to get immersed in a project.

Shopping for our hobby can feel like a pretty smart shortcut to calming our conscience, upping our mojo, feeling creative and engaged

Problem is, this only lasts for a pretty short time. Long-term – that’s not hard to guess – it doesn’t get us any of the benefits we achieve when we sew, make, create stuff. (Read more about the benefits of sewing here.) In our fast-paced lives we sometimes struggle to find the time and motivation to immerse ourselves in a slow-paced, mindful activity like sewing, embroidery or knitting. So shopping for our hobby can feel like a pretty smart shortcut to calming our conscience, upping our mojo, feeling creative and engaged.

I love fabric shopping. And I’m not saying that fabric shopping is a bad thing. But gaining pleasure from unnessecary and unsustainable fabric shopping instead of getting into action and sewing with the fabrics we already bought last time kind of defeats the purpose of sewing as a mindful and sustainable activity.

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com
The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.comThe Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

‘Lifetime’ stash – pleasure or pressure?

Just to be clear, I’m not talking about having a stash of five different fabrics at home. I’m talking so-called “lifetime stashes”, stashes so huge, we will never have the time to use them up while buying more fabrics in the meantime. I’m a fabric hoarder myself, let’s get this out. I buy fabrics because I like them, not because I need them urgently for a particular project. Lifetime stashes are fun. We pride ourselves with them on social media. I tell myself I’ll never have to leave the house or wait for an online order, because I always have everything I need for any project right at home with me. Does this keep me from adding to the stash? Hell, no! The sad thing is: I started to feel pressured by it. It’s not a trophy, more like a silent reproach. It’s a constant reminder of all the things I haven’t made yet.

Fabrics are not environmentally “neutral”. Polyester fabrics are one of the major sources of oceanic pollution and microplastics in our waters.

Furthermore, I turn my sustainable hobby into a hoarding business. I bought more than I will ever use (if I don’t stop buying). Fabrics are made from natural, animal or artificial fibres. They’re not environmentally “neutral”. Demand determines supply. The more fabrics we buy, the more fabrics are produced, using cottons, wool, all sorts of fibres and – sorry to break it to us – non-recyclable materials and a lot of microplastics. Polyester fabrics especially are one of the major sources of oceanic pollution and microplastics in our waters. But even natural fibres – cotton, linen, wool – are made by cutting down plants, animal farming and exploiting poorly paid workers in developmental countries.

I always took pride in the fact that I am independent from having to shop for my own clothes, that I support slow fashion and sustainability. Instead, I have been fooled by my own laziness and my brain’s reward centre into hoarding materials.

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Realising this, I have done two things:

First, I stopped buying fabrics. I actually haven’t bought any fabrics in almost a year now. More than a year, if I do not count the fabrics I bought as mandatory souvenirs on my last holidays – but I do. Instead, I’ve only used fabrics from my stash to sew and have been able reduce the amount of fabric in my sewing corner to some extent (probably only visible to my eyes if you ask the Mister). It feels really freeing to destash and I got inspired by the limits I set myself to up my creativity game. More often than not I feel happy going through my stash before the next project instead of feeling guilty. I try to be more conscious about fabric choices and and my own impact on the fabric industry.

Second, not being able to online shop instead of sewing, I finally had to tackle my inner conflict when I was just too lazy or tired or exhausted to sew and felt bad about it. That was interesting! Why do I feel guilty about not engaging in a self-imposed activity that is meant to promote relaxation and general well-being? I had to learn to tell myself that it’s ok to take a break from a thing I love every now and then. It doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped loving sewing and need to get stressed about it. It just means that I do not feel like sewing and not need to get stressed about it.

Since I stopped substituting sewing with fabric shopping, I haven’t actually sewn that much more. I read a lot. I knit. I took up spinning wool (it’s amazing!). It’s been a lot of fun!

The other day I wanted to make a dress and didn’t have the right kind and amount of fabric I needed at home… I made something else instead.

The Fabric Shopping Trap // Why buying less fabric is good for your mind (and the environment) by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Allowing myself to do what makes me happy and to take a break from it when it doesn’t make me happy reduced some of the time I spend sewing or taking pictures of finished projects. Instead, I’ve been really enjoying blogging some other content, posts like this one and articles about mental health.

Are you enjoying reading these? What’s your relationship with fabric shopping like?  I’d love to hear from you and get some feedback!

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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Makeshift Masks and Mental Health

Makeshift Masks and Mental HealthMakeshift Masks and Mental Health

When I’m not sitting behind the sewing machine, I work full-time as a psychologist. This is why I every once in a while share a mental health-related post on this blog. Please grab a coffee and join the conversation!

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Hello there! I hope you’re all healthy and doing fine considering the circumstances. It’s hard not to lose the spirit these days. 

I’ve been thinking long and hard about chiming in on the handmade face masks topic. I had a pretty divided opinion on this and the (scientific) benefit of using them until I was asked by my employer to make some for our team. This quickly spiralled into making them almost full-time for the care workers and children and adolescents in our institution. 

You cannot sew face masks full-time without believing in it if you want to stay sane. 

I tried to find as many articles and input by virologists and medical personnel on the topic as possible and read as much as I could. I don’t want to go into too many details on the medical side of things other than that wearing a mask, even a makeshift cotton face mask, is better than wearing none. 

I could go on endlessly about the benefits of sewing in general, but today we will talk about making face masks. If you want to learn more about how sewing impacts your mental health, I’ve written some articles that you can find here

Makeshift Masks and Mental Health
Makeshift Masks and Mental Health

Grab a coffee, here we go!

So, let’s talk about the psychological effects on sewing and wearing makeshift fabric masks. There are some seriously brilliant benefits of sewing/wearing your own masks! I’ve also included some critical thoughts though, as I believe looking at an issue from as many different angles as possible is more valuable and helps to gain a more holistic understanding.

The benefits of sewing your own fabric masks:

  • Get away from the constant feeling of helplessness: In a global crisis like this, we can easily feel overwhelmed and absolutely powerless. Actively doing something gives you a sense of control and self-empowerment. You’re not stopping the crisis by making a handful of masks, but being able to help even the tiniest amount, can be really beneficial to your own mental health in the current situation.
  • Feeling productive! A sense of accomplishment is invaluable for our self-esteem. If you are out of work right now or working a lot less than before, major changes in daily routines and productivity can lead to stress and feelings of anxiety. Getting involved in easy, fail-proof little projects like sewing some fabric masks can really make you feel a little better. Obviously, if you are really struggling with your workload right now, it might not help to add even more to-dos! If you are interested in reading more about how sewing increases mindfulness, reduces stress and might help with your self-esteem, have a look at an article I wrote about the mental health benefits of sewing in general. 
  • Active solidarity can really help lift up your mood: Take part in mask sewing actions if you feel like it! Any solidary action will also make you feel a little less alone. This can really be helpful when living in constant isolation.
  • Give some away to the elderly in your family, your parents and friends. I’ve gotten some really great feedback. No matter whether they wear it or not, everyone loves a little care package.  Being pro-social and helping others reinforces your sense of fulfilment and purpose as well as relatedness to others. Altruistic behavior has been proven to help with depression. Your brain’s reward system causes a neurotransmitter release that makes you feel happier and more content. Our brain is amazing!
  • De-stash and declutter your fabric pile! Use up all those cotton scraps from your last quilting projects or summer blouses. Decluttering frees up the mind as well as your home. I find heaps of material and huge fabric stashes really stressful. They’re a constant reminder of what I haven’t done yet! I also struggle getting rid of scraps and smaller pieces of (perfectly good) fabric. These fabric masks are perfect for that!
  • Let’s make the current situation a little less scary! Making your own masks, you can use whatever print you like. I’ve made a point of using only very cute or funny prints for the masks I’ve sewn for the kids at work. It’s a scary time for kids that have difficulty understanding the circumstances. Special needs kids or adolescents with mental health issues might really struggle right now.  Making your own masks gives the opportunity of making them fun and not-scary. They might give a little comfort in a very uncomfortable situation. Getting kids engaged more easily by having fun masks makes it a lot easier to educate them on necessary hygiene rules and social distancing.

 

Things to keep in mind: 

  • For everyone who wants to donate:
    Before donating any masks blindly to hospitals or other medical institutions, please ask for specific requirements for materials and construction. Some of them might not accept makeshift masks, some of them do. Get as much information as you can!
  • Please do not feel pressured into sewing masks, just because you’re a sewist. It’s absolutely understandable if your resources are needed elsewhere or you simply don’t feel like it. Just because you know how to sew, does not mean there is any obligation to jump on the mask-sewing bandwagon.
  • Sewing a lot of masks can feel very repetitive and draining. Stay realistic about how many you can and actually want to sew. Take breaks, be creative with colours and prints, take good care of yourself (e.g. stop if you feel physical discomfort or pain!). 
  • Also don’t forget: Making your own masks will help prevent systemically relevant workers from running out of much needed protective wear. The worst thing you can do at the moment is buy up medical protective equipment for your own personal use. If you’re part of the at-risk group and rely on PPE for some important reason – wearing a makeshift fabric mask over your PPE can help getting more wears out of it.

Makeshift Masks and Mental Health

Whether you’ve made your own or not…don’t forget to wear them!

Although wearing makeshift masks isn’t even nearly as effective proper PPE masks, there are some really helpful psychological and social benefits that you should know about:

  • Wearing a mask yourself is a helpful reminder at all times to not touch your face and keep your distance.
  • You are a constant reminder to everyone around you that we’re in a very serious situation at the moment. People will automatically keep more distance from you and be more careful when they interact. Try it! You’ll be surprised how many people will steer clear of you in the supermarket aisle. At the moment, this is a good thing! 
  • When you wear handmade masks with fun prints you will make yourself and others smile! Again, any comfort helps in this uncomfortable situation.
  • Someone who is very scared and anxious to go out at the moment, but might have to leave the house urgently might find wearing a mask a little more reassuring.
  • Peer pressure might be good for once! Wearing a mask, you’re immediately an example for others. The more people wear masks in public, the more will follow. This simple concept of peer pressure can really help right now.

 

Further thoughts on wearing masks and some downsides: 

  • Wearing a makeshift mask can give you a false sense of security. Be aware that these masks are not equivalent with proper medical PPE. Washing your hands regularly and keeping your distance is still the most effective way of staying healthy right now.
  • For those of you struggling with anxiety: Seeing others wearing masks or wearing one yourself can be a constant reminder of a very anxiety-inducing situation. It might be very difficult to stay calm and focus. Getting used to breathing through one or more layers of fabric is not easy. Especially for people with panic disorders this can trigger panic attacks. Try to get used to wearing them before you leave the house the first time. Take something to distract you – e.g. play a game on your phone or do breathing exercises while you have to wait in line.

By the way, losing you sewing mojo over sewing face masks non-stop is a real thing. I haven’t touched my sewing machine at home while I was sewing at work. Don’t worry, your mojo will come back. Don’t stress about it! 

Makeshift Masks and Mental Health

What are you doing for your mental health these days? Are you sewing up a storm  or have you lost your sewing mojo? I’d love to hear from you!

Stay safe & stay home.

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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Sewing quietly – Prioritising self-care.

sewing and mental health - prioritising self-care. By thisblogisnotforyou.comOh, hi! It’s been a while!

I’m back from yet another random blogging break. I wanted to start right back with a fun little project post, but now that I think about it, I’d rather talk a bit about shifting down a gear and putting self-care first. It’s such an important topic and it shouldn’t be brushed over by just going on posting the next cute outfit.

I have to disappoint you, there’s no big reveal or good excuses. I just took a while off blogging and social media because other areas in my life were a bit busier than usual.

Did you read my post a while back, about why we should stop making our hobbies stressful?

Well, I just basically followed my own advice! Since I started a further training course last year, the work bit of my work-life balance has a bit more weight to it. I have to study or go to seminars on weekends and have a bit more on my to-do list at work. Also there are times when my daytime job as a psychologist is more stressful and demanding than usual. This is why I took the “worky” bit out of my hobbies for a while. For me this sometimes also means blogging. As much as I love it, it can sometimes feel a little bit like work. To be honest, it IS work in the way that blogging for me is also a side business that needs to be run. It’s a very small business, but a business nonetheless. Emails, calls, project planning, taxes and all that. Editing pictures, writing content and managing social media is more or less the “fun part” of the business.

sewing and mental health - prioritising self-care. By thisblogisnotforyou.com

It’s hugely important to have the courage to prioritise self-care when needed. It does not mean being a selfish person, but looking after oneself, when your body and mind tell you to.

I’m a perfectionist and I take everything – including my hobbies – quite seriously. Feeling like I cannot live up to my own standards stresses me out endlessly and can be a source of anxiety. I love my blog and I’m fascinated that there are, oh, so many lovely people out there that have been following this little blog’s adventure for ages and still are enjoying content that I create. Taking a break sounds easy enough, but I noticed how much courage it still costs me to make a conscious decision that IT IS OK. This is the part you should always keep in mind: It is OK to self-care. 

The frozen blog had been a nagging thought in the back of my head before I consciously chose self-care before an overly organised hobby. It just felt so disappointing that I couldn’t make the time or have the energy to blog at the time. At first I thought I would disappoint blog readers if I just stayed quiet like that. I now know that it was rather my own feeling of disappointment over my lacking standards.

It’s hugely important to have the courage to prioritise self-care when needed. It does not mean being a selfish person, but looking after oneself, when your body and mind tell you to. Being anxious that others  might think you’re selfish makes it sometimes really hard to stand up for your own mental (and also physical) health.  When you actually find the courage to do so, the feedback in most cases is one of appreciation and understanding.

Now that I feel like I really want to – not should – share the next project, it’s a good time to ease back into blogging! During my offline-time I explored some other hobbies (like book-binding, knitting and crochet) and also delved into projects that I usually wouldn’t consider “bloggable”. (That sounds awful, right?) Mostly projects for kids or little personal gifts that I do not see fit to put up on the blog. I had a lovely but quiet creative time. I would even say it was therapeutic in a way, that I could use my hobbies again as counterbalance to work-related stress and immerse myself in funny little crochet projects and sewing for my friends’ babies.

Although I’m now swamped with emails of people almost aggressively offering guest posts, I feel like this break was more than worth it. Instead of adding to the stress, I could explore my hobbies as something incredibly refreshing and therapeutic. It helped to clear my mind and busy my hands on very stressful days.

Quiet sewing time is a source of calm and peace. Take it when needed.

The same applies to self-care in general. Just as you rest when you are physically exhausted, you need to allow yourself a mental-health time to balance things out again. I’ve been making the conscious decision to cancel an engagement in favour of self-care more often over the past year. I now also let other people know that I’m cancelling not because of time issues or scheduling conflicts, but because I feel stressed or drained that day and need to look after myself. So far, not a single person could not understand this. In most cases I even got very endorsing and supportive reactions. It showed me once again being anxious about other people’s opinions and reactions is wasted time.

sewing and mental health - prioritising self-care. By thisblogisnotforyou.com

Have you made similar experiences? Do you sometimes struggle with self-care or stressing out about even your own hobbies?

Please chime in, if you feel like it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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The Impact of Sewing on Body Image

Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.comWhen I’m not sitting behind the sewing machine, I work full-time as a psychologist. This is why I every once in a while share a mental health-related post on this blog. Please grab a coffee and join the conversation!

***

This isn’t a scientific research article. As there is very little research to review on this topic, information given in this post is largely based on my work experience and training as a mental health professional. 

For a long time I have been wanting to write about making your own clothes and its relationship to body image. While sewing encompasses our skills, tools and materials, our bodies are the foundation when it comes to making and wearing garments. I myself feel like I developed a healthier body image of myself since starting to sew my own clothes. There are many other sewing bloggers who have written about how they feel sewing affected their perception of themselves. (I’ve put together a list of blog posts I could find at the end of the article.)

Why is that? And how can sewing help to see ourselves in a more positive light?  First, let’s have a look at the term “body image” to know what exactly we’re talking about.

Body image is the mental representation you create of yourself and the way you look. It consists of the mental image you have of your own physical body, meaning your size, shape and appearance, as well as your personal attitude toward that physical self. Your attitude is made up of your thoughts and feelings and also beliefs about your body. All this together is your “body image”. And, this mental image of your body does not necessarily represent reality.  It is also not super stable and can change as it is subject to all kinds of distortion from moods, perceptions, feelings as well as a number of social factors.

Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Healthy body image has to do with self-acceptance and self-compassion. It means you are comfortable with the body you have, even when you do not think that you are perfect. It is about accepting flaws, embracing the body that is given to you and caring well for it.

When someone has a negative or unhealthy body image they find it very hard to accept and think positive about the way they look. They might be very preoccupied with perceived flaws. They might experience discomfort, disgust and shame, as they will also believe that others think about them in the same way. Severe dissatisfaction may result in a constant desire to change their body, even when such changes are not achievable. Negative body image may contribute to low self-esteem, unhealthy eating behaviour and therefore might affect your well-being. In severe cases unhealthy body image might cause severe distress,  contribute to depression, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, self harm etc. In those cases the help of mental health professionals is needed as it seriously affects functioning and quality of life.

Healthy body image is not synonymous with healthy body weight. It this case we’re  differentiating between physical and mental health (although these two are very much connected). Even if you’re over- or underweight, it is important that you find ways to accept yourself the way you are, whether there is a need to get to a healthier body weight or not. A diet or lifestyle change will be more successful and long lasting if you do it out of self-love and self-care instead of disgust and self-hate.

The term “body positivity” appears to be now used interchangeably with the term body image, whereas body positivity sounds “trendier” and appears less connected to mental health problems such as eating disorders and body image disorders, self harming etc. I am a bit cautious using both terms as synonyms, as body image is a very complex term consisting of many factors and variables, whereas body positivity mainly focusses on loving yourself unconditionally. Your body image will always contain negative perceptions, too, as it is normal to be critical of yourself. The extreme promotion of body positivity seems to lead to a converse trend of not allowing body negativity. People that are “objectively” perceived as beautiful (if there even is a chance that we can speak of being objectively beautiful…) are often openly and very harshly reprimanded on social media for “attention seeking behaviour” when they open up about not liking themselves. But this isn’t my topic today (I’ll save it for some other time, though.)

Many of skills we use when sewing a garment for ourselves are similar to certain therapeutic techniques used for building positive body image.

In my profession as a psychologist, I used to mainly work with eating disorder patients for a while, a group suffering from one of the more severe forms of body image disturbance. There are various methods and techniques to try and help someone change their perception of themselves. I’ve noticed that many of these techniques that focus on observation, non-judgment, neutrality, acceptance and self-compassion are  similar to certain skills we use when sewing a garment for ourselves.

I found this very exciting, as I’ve shared the opinion that sewing changes body image in a healthy way, but there is pretty much no research on this topic so it is hard to pinpoint the causalities and correlations.

When sewing, instead of rejecting your body, you are working with it.

It’s hard to reject your body when you sew. As it is our foundation, we have to work with it. Working with instead of rejecting it means we are a big step closer to embracing our bodies and what we look like. To make a garment fit your body, you have to go beyond the “I don’t like the way it looks on me” or “my body doesn’t fit the pattern”. You have to take a step back and look at yourself from a more objective angle. You’re looking at general forms and thinking in shapes instead. You’re on a very different level of judgement. Instead of judging the way you look and whether or not you like the overall image of yourself, you’ll be judging whether one shape matches the other shape and if not, where and what you have to mathematically tweak in order to make it fit. This is a healthy way of observing yourself in a more neutral, constructive way and taking a step back from judging yourself in unhelpful ways.

Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.com
Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.com

We tend to compare ourselves to others all the time. This is reinforced through social media. The sewing community is no exception, but it’s certainly a „slightly healthier crowd“ to compare yourself with. It’s about achievable goals, constructive skills and support. You might notice that almost no one has a perfect body. Everyone has to make adjustments. It’s a very rare thing to fit into the ‘average size’. Reading about other people’s experience when sewing a certain pattern and learning about their struggles with fit, can help to develop some self-compassion toward your own body shape.

There has been research on the link between body image and self-esteem and the link between self-esteem and creativity. Body image and self-esteem are different concepts, as self-esteem focuses more on personal strengths and self-worth which can be valued on more factors than just your physical appearance. According to research, body image and self-esteem are linked, but the direction of the relationship is not clear. They affect each other in many ways. Making your own clothes certainly influences the way you gauge your self-worth. Making and wearing handmade clothes might lead to higher feelings of self-efficacy as well as self-sufficiency which are quite empowering. This, in turn, might influence, but it doesn’t necessarily need to lead to, a better body image. There is good cause to believe that having a number of different things that you value about yourself leads to a more stable and solid perception of yourself and your self-worth.

Research definitely supports the hypothesis that creativity and self-esteem are directly linked (even stronger for females than for males). Our creative skills might also help us to deal with body dissatisfaction in other ways. For example, let’s look at fluctuating weight and sewing.

If the clothes don’t fit you, put your energy into changing the clothes, not your body.

Obviously, when we sew garments, we have to measure ourselves regularly. One inch more or less makes a difference. Changes in weight and shape are much more noticeable. But there are also many more options of dealing with those changes. We sewers have a very empowering set of tools!
Sewing blogger Tasha says “When I’m standing in front of a dressing room mirror and no pair of pants I try on looks good or feels right, I think that encourages me to feel like I need to change, like my body is not right” But, with making your own clothes, you have the tool to change the garment, not your body. Your body is fine as it is – the clothes do not fit! And that is changeable. You know how to do that: you can cut out a size bigger or smaller, pick more flattering shapes and fabrics, let out or take in some seam allowance, etc. You have a set of skills to make body changes count less and make self-efficacy count more.

Sewing clothes instead of going shopping saves us from exploitative marketing strategies that feed on women’s body dissatisfaction, self-consciousness and low self-esteem.

Being able to make your own clothes also saves you some really frustrating shopping trips. Clothes sizes play a major role in pigeonholing ourselves into “good or desirable” sizes and undesirable sizes. What makes this even more frustrating is the fact, that there is no standard for sizing when it comes to women’s clothes. Unlike men’s clothing, there are no direct measurements, but categories such as a “size 6/32”, a “size 12/38” etc. Different countries, and even different brands, use different sizing for those categories. Unfortunately, consumer culture shows an unhealthy trend of making those categorical sizes smaller over time. That means a woman with a size 12 might be a size 14 after a while, without gaining a single pound. As clothes and beauty ideals are very much connected, so are clothes and body image. Women tend to see clothing size in direct relation to their body size. The size she is wearing might very much affect how beautiful a woman feels. To make this even more confusing, there are marketing tactics such as “vanity sizing”, scaling down clothing sizes, so that consumers suddenly fit in smaller sizes. This strategy feeds on women’s body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem – counting on women to pay more for a smaller size.

Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.com
Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.com

By the way, there is also no consistent sizing when it comes to different sewing pattern brands. But size becomes less important and “just a number” once you start seeing through this system. We are also able to cut between sizes, merge sizes or alter patterns altogether. I mainly use sizing as a rough guide to cut out a pattern. I often cut out one size larger and take in the seam allowance where necessary. So, when making garments, we do not sew a Size 10 or a Size 36, we sew a “my size”. Decreasing the overemphasis on size and numerical identities boosts confidence and satisfaction with self. Furthermore, this helps to focus more on individual style and personal traits as key components of beauty. So let’s create some garments at home and save us some frustrating shopping trips!

There are various ways in which making handmade clothes can help with a healthier body image. Sewing might not necessarily lead to 100% self acceptance and uncompromised body positivity, but it might help to develop a more holistic, stable mental image of yourself and your body, that is less prone to quick fluctuations.

After all this talk about positive body image … don’t forget: It’s ok to feel body negative, too. It’s hard when we look in the mirror constantly and don’t like what we see, it’s hard when your handmade clothes suddenly don’t fit anymore, it’s hard to run around with a measuring tape all day. It’s hard if you feel like a pattern you love looks better on everyone else. It’s hard to have to cut out a larger size. There will be days like that, too, and sometimes even sewing won’t change that. And that’s ok.

All in all, sewing is good for you! It is not only a fun, creative hobby, it also helps in unexpected ways. It’s healthy and pays off in all kinds of good ways.

Sewing and Body Image by thisblogisnotforyou.com

So next time you feel guilty for spending too much time behind the sewing machine, remind yourself that sewing may be a little like taking a trip to a spa – and what can be wrong with some spa time?

***

If you found this article interesting, I think you might enjoy reading the following posts:

Interesting articles by other sewing bloggers on the topic:

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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Research & Further Reading:
Ronald E. Goldsmith & Timothy A. Matherly (1988) Creativity and Self-Esteem: A Multiple Operationalization Validity Study, The Journal of Psychology, 122:1,47-56, DOI: 10.1080/00223980.1988.10542942
Tiffany M. Stewart (2004) Light on Body Image Treatment: Acceptance Through Mindfulness, Behavior Modification, Vol 28, Issue 6, pp. 783 – 811, DOI: 10.1177/0145445503259862
Kinley, T. R. (2010), The Effect of Clothing Size on Self‐Esteem and Body Image. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 38: 317-332. DOI: 10.1111/j.1552-3934.2009.00027.x
Kumar Tiwari, Gyanesh & Kumar, Sanjay. (2015). Psychology and Body Image : A Review. SHODH PRERAK: A Multidisciplinary Quarterly International Refereed Research Journal. 5. 1-9.
Grogan, S. (2008). Body image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women and children (2nd ed.). New York, NY, US: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Blogging and Body Positivity and a Silk Cami Dress

Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com
Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com

When you like the garment but the model sucks

Hi everyone! I haven’t shared a proper garment post in ages. I can’t even say this is my newest make, because I sewed this little number last autumn, when it was way to cold already to actually wear it. Anyone else into off-season sewing?

The pattern is the fabulous Sew Over It Silk Cami, which I simply lengthened into an awkward not-quite-a-dress-but-too-long-for-a-top length. And I actually really like it! I looks really good paired with skinny jeans or even leggings. I’ve been wearing it to work like this a lot recently. I will definitely make it again – but lengthen it to a more appropriate hemline and maybe add some darts in the back. The Silk Cami is a fantastic little pattern to play around with. You can  check out my project gallery to see some other versions that I have made.

The fabric is a  lightweight polyester with a lovely peach-skin feel to it. I found it buried in my stash, so I am not entirely sure when and where I got it. I suppose it’s a survivor from one of my Goldhawk Road shopping sprees years ago! Well, I’m glad past-self bought it back then, because I really love this top/dress!

Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com
Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com

Sew Over It Silk Cami Dress by thisblogisnotforyou.com

As nice as this project turned out, I wasn’t too keen on blogging it. And I thought I’d share why, because I feel that many of you might relate:

There are days when I hate myself in pictures.

I say days, because there are also days when I’m really into a blog shoot and love the pictures we took. But many times as on this particular day, we take 50-100+ photos and afterwards I find it really hard to find enough pictures for the blog post that I like. It can be really unnerving, because I do love most of my me-made garments and feel great in them and proud but it doesn’t always transport into the picture. Sometimes it even chips away at the initial joy a finished project brings.

Well, I’m a maker, not a model, but this is part of the job, when you choose to share your makes online. Some days it just takes so much more courage and self-acceptance than others.

Recently, sewing has more and more been connected to body positivity and as a mental health professional I can only applaud that. Generally, I think sewing helps a lot with body positivity. Wearing something that fits you well, suits your body shape and style and on top of that is handmade, is simply amazing. But I think we have to separate sewing from blogging-about-sewing in this case, because sharing pictures of yourself online is a whole different story. I’m not sure if it helps with body positivity or rather pushes insecurities. What do you think?

I will write a more in-depth article on sewing, blogging & body image and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

xx

Charlie


Happy sewing!

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