The truth is, although I grew up in a household with an avid sewer and spent years of my life struggling to find proper RTW (ready-to-wear) clothes, I never thought about sewing my own clothes until almost three years ago. I saw a beautiful dress online, noticed the shipping cost from the U.S. to Norway and all of a sudden thought to myself “I bet I could make that…”. And BOOM – just like that, I started garment sewing and haven’t really stopped since.
Sewing helped me understand that most RTW clothes are made to sell to a mass audience and not necessarily look good any one body type. And especially not on my 6-foot-tall, plus sized frame. Especially fast fashion – which is most of what shopping in Norway is, unfortunately. And even after over 10 years living in Norway, I still hate shopping here. A lot. So I guess in a way, making my own clothes just makes sense and was about damn time. Yes, I still buy RTW from time to time and even fast fashion once in a blue moon, but most of my wardrobe is me-made.
Sewing is About So Much More Than Clothes
Sewing has been much more for me than a way to make nice looking clothes. It’s been a sort of therapy, empowering my ability to carry myself in the world the way I want – on my own terms. And that is what this blog is all about – learning how to sew on your own terms, no matter what your perceived limitations are, geographical or otherwise.
Sewing has also helped heal me from the trauma of poor self-image resulting from decades of wearing poorly fitting garments, too. I spent years of my life thinking the clothes were fine and I was the problem – but sewing my own clothes has really taught me how easy it is to up the cup size on a blouse or extend the sleeves a bit.
It’s also taught me how to express my own sense of style in a way nothing else has. Imagine never being able to wear blouses (because the sleeves are too short) or wear a suit (because they are too boxy) or even wear a t-shirt without it struggling to contain your jiggly bits or else drowning you in fabric! Sewing my own clothes has opened up the possibility of wearing any garment my heart desires, custom fit to my frame and taste, without compromising on quality if I so choose. I love that about sewing my own clothes – if I want it, I can (with some effort) make it to suit me 100%.
Why I Started This Blog and What You Can Expect to Find Here
Sewing in Norway can be, well, challenging. While Norway has an extensive history of knitting, garment sewing, especially for smart casual clothing can be tough. Most sewing in Norway is done for children and finding sewing tools or fashion fabric which are worthy of their cost is nearly impossible. Yes, I love fun knits just like anyone else, but I’d love a nice double knit wool crepe to make a suit from or a wonderfully drapey silk blend to make a fantastic summer dress. And maybe, just maybe in a fun bright color?
I want to use this blog to help other people find their way in the sewing community, especially here in Norway. So join me as I learn more about sewing in Norway and share my adventures with you.
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