Learning how to sew...lost art or beneficial trade?

Tailored men clothes is one you should learn, along with the other type of sewing. All sewing is useful.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will make it a priority!

I definitely think it'a worth it, even so you can save yourself money.

The price of things like curtains and drapes are outrageous.
And that's buying them right off the rack,

Things like that you can custom make, with fabric that you really like.

I'm sorry I never learned to make men's suits. And you can definitely make a little extra in alterations and tailoring.

Also, Bride's dresses cost an arm and a leg to have alterations done.

Once you learn, you never forget.

Well, fuck.

A well constructed question about how to better financial stability through a trade resulted in one whopping response. The response was good, thank you!

Does anyone give a shit if I earn my way honestly? I could use my autoimmune disease to get me through life, but I know that there will be no home for me when I get old. Sucking it up and earning a degree plus learning a trade is my insurance for a somewhat peaceful elder life.

I would think doing alterations would be a great side job. There is always somebody around who needs a pair of pants hemmed up or whatever. But it's also fun to make things for your home or to wear yourself. When I was young I used to sew. I recall making a really cool denim vest, very fitted, with lots of pearl buttons down the front. It was styled like a bodice. I was very proud of that. There is a feeling of accomplishment that comes from making your own stuff that is kind of satisfying too.

Interesting topic, OP, thanks for sharing.

my sister and I are both experts,our mother taught us as children
she is retired and rents a studio and makes drapes,cushions,does alterations and upholstery

I sew quilts and toys for the grandchildren and baby gifts for my daughters' friends

you could make decent money just sewing small,unique items for babies and children

Check out Etsy and see what others are crafting and the prices they are getting. That should give you some good information. It seems to me that unique, high quality, artsy products are always in high demand.

It is always good to know how to sew for your own family's good. I've saved hundreds of dollars on mending alone, and don't get me started on some of the very creative Halloween costumes that we have made that would not have been available in a store at any price.

I'll bet it was a beautiful vest, thanks for replying :)

You mentioned a sense of accomplishment from making your own stuff... That's awesome :) That's what I want beyond the career life.

Start small, good idea

I don't mean to be mean, but fuck etsy. I'll use them as a guide if I have to, but they are like any other corporate entity. Fucking greedy.

Good ideas, though I prefer to come up with my own.

You are a business major, yet you are totally anti-business? What gives?

For a person who is trying to get advice, you have been pretty rude to most of the posters here. You seem to think that you already know everything, so good luck with that.

Do you want an honest answer? No, you will most likely not be able to earn a living as a seamstress. I learned to sew as a 5 year old at my grandmother's knee, AND I have several business degrees, AND I was brought up in a family that owned several small businesses. I am creative, talented, and neat in my workmanship, but I wouldn't dare try to support myself or my family with sewing. Would it help out with the bills? Yes. Could I set up a dry cleaners and offer the service? Yes.

Full time? Probably not.

An MBA Mom

Learning to sew is easy. The true art is in pattern making and cutting. If fabric is expensive, practice patterns and cutting on paper first. It's both difficult and fun, like making 3d models from scratch. Challenge yourself to have as little fabric waste as possible. Making the most out of your fabric and minimizing fabric waste is a talent. Find an expert pattern maker and cutter to learn from. Good luck and enjoy!

Tailoring is a sort of thing that isn't being done that often. Off the rack suits and such are fitted sufficiently for the majority.

As the economy has gone downhill, minor amenities like tailored suits has been passed up by the shrinking middle class for things like food.

Back in the day (my day) all men of middle class stature had their suits tailored to fit them. Now its maybe 10% of the population, and that being the upper middle class and higher.

As for making clothing, its going to be real hard to turn a profit. Go, price fabric. Its not cheap.

China can mass produce clothing and sell it far cheaper than a tailor/seamstress can possibly match.

Clothing design may be the best bet. How creative are you? You might be able to get a toe into the door of the fashion industry. However it is an industry, and its highly cliquey.

Mending clothing appears to have ended. Folk just throw things out now days.

Sewing as a hobby is going strong... For profit... not so much anymore.

Nice projection there, hot mama

I was appreciative of the advice I did get. Hell, I even appreciate your sage advice. One question...Did your MBA come from a one of those colleges that puts an emphasis on feelings and not coursework? Your reading comprehension needs some work. I never proclaimed to know everything. If I know everything, why would I bother asking the question?

Just because I'm pursuing a degree in the business "field" doesn't mean I have to love it or be happy about it. I'm not trying to change the world lol. I'll be decent at my job, but due to some forethought on my part (god forbid anyone thinks past the next payday anymore) I was wondering if even a few people would think learning to sew was worthwhile. I could ask my friends, who would roll their eyes and between bong hits tell me to hire someone to take care of that.

Thanks for being a dick. Don't ever change.

Thank you! I've heard patterns are tough, and a lot of people just learn to do without them. The person I'm getting lessons from is a professional and I can't wait to take advantage of her knowledge. :nana:

Wise words, thank you

Of course, there are levels of the art. My Mom taught me (as a boy) to sew. I enjoy just patching things to keep them wearable. I even learned how to use a stitching awl. I used it to repair my jungle boots.

I just enjoy the experience. And, I have read that it induces a kind of Zen state.

Worth the effort to learn, IMO.

Sewers, spinners and weavers, that get good, tend to make money anywhere they land.

In a world of low cost knocks offs and low cost imports , those artisans who create are not only providing necessary goods, because what they're offering us is revolting in foods and in clothing and in furniture, but they're needed. Cottage industries are always valuable and needed.

And these are life skills, survival skills, as well.

And men's? I'm not a seamstress though have sewed. But arthritis would limit sewing. Not a speed sewer and always had to mess constantly with tension on different fabrics.

However, women's clothing, and plus size that you can't even find, and specialty items, are needed.

You look to see what is available in your town or small city and you realize there is a huge gap in the market on what people need.

And when you fill that gap, you'll make a successful business.

Last Edited by Sungaze_At_Dawn on 03/25/2019 09:53 AM

I think of sewing like cooking: Very useful at home but probably not very profitable because of the time/trouble and expenses involved.

Some sewers find a niche and are able to buy bolts of discounted fabric and knock off completed projects in record time. They probably barely break even after all is said and done. The per-hour-rate wouldn't be good. But it's worth it to some people like stay-at-home moms who are home anyway.

Those who can do alterations could make some money, especially if they can alter difficult fabrics like leather and delicates. But you'd have to really love sewing because you're not really doing the fun stuff: selecting patterns and fabrics and completing the full project. Doing alterations would get monotonous for some.

If you're a beginner sewer, it's unlikely someone would want to come to you for alterations anyway.


To be a seamstress or tailor requires a lot more experience and sometimes education than you probably can invest while you're going to school.

If you really want to sew as a side business, focus on that niche.

Last Edited by Elegant Walnut on 03/25/2019 01:21 PM

Also textile artists, from dye studio's, printmaking on fabric or knits, rugs, weavings, home furnishings is always a specialty art and always appreciated.

Search for hand printed, dyed fabrics, yarns. Art batts for wool, handspun, hand woven, and if you're sewing you could specialize in fabric creation or prints.

And in a world where most of what is available is hideous, and mundane, creating beauty that is functional always has a market.

Also there are enough tutorials and videos, that you can get college training of course, but if talented you can learn hand sewing techniques and fine sewing/serging, without college.

Self taught works just as well. I'm not a speed sewer, but my aunt could have mass produced. And some people design and a family member is able to produce and they work as partners.

All hand crafts can be self learned. Its what you create that speaks for itself and stands out from the average.

Skills take time. A number of years.

The rough time invested in getting good at an artisan craft and starting to forge ahead, is usually given as 10 years if you commit time to it.

But its a lot cheaper to put 10 years into mastering your craft/art, without college than to put 10 years into med school with hundreds of thousands of debt.

Last Edited by Sungaze_At_Dawn on 03/25/2019 10:06 AM

Look for nature prints, and natural dyes as well and searches on pinterest can show huge inspirations and tutorials for example.

Just stunning work is being done.


And I don't like high end expensive things. If you can take a craft and price it for the middle class, either in kit form, for them to sew, or at least in lay away, not just credit. Not everyone wants to deal with credit cards in their businesses, at least not locally and lay away for bundles of fabrics or fashion is a nice additive to make beauty affordable.

It's not just sewing, designing and fashion, or tailoring seamstress.

All the fibre arts are interconnected and rely on each other.

And one thing leads to another.

For me, its color and prints, dyes that interest me the most, and fell in love decades ago.

One of my friend's mother made a nice little income doing alterations on women's clothes. The women would come to her house, she'd do the fitting and then alterations. She didn't make a fortune but it paid for things like family vacations and new clothes for the kids. This was in the sixties. Glad to see people still want to sew.