Why I Do What I Do

I get asked a lot of questions relating to  my sewing and my blog. Why do you have a blog? Do you make money by blogging? Did you sew all those projects? Did you design this bag project?

I blog because I want to help people learn to sew. I want to inspire people to be creative and sew things. I’ll admit that in some small way I also want to be noticed. Don’t we all want a little recognition? No, I do not earn any money from my blog. I’ve kept it ad-free (I don’t believe in ads and consumerism). I especially don’t want kids exposed to ads on my website, so I try to keep it kid-friendly.  It’s all about the sewing! Although last week I added the affiliate link for Amazon. But I can honestly say this has not brought me any riches.

Yes, I sew all the examples  for sewing classes (except the one project my daughter made). Doesn’t it take a lot of time? Yes, it does. Why do I do it then? Well, it helps me to be a better teacher. I have to re-work patterns sometimes to make sure it’s beginner friendly. And if I want to post it as a tutorial, I want to make sure it’s good. I hate when I sew something from a blog and it’s missing part or has a major design flaw. Sewing the projects a few times helps to avoid those frustrating moments.

Yes, I design most of the projects. This means the students don’t have to buy a pattern and it helps keep the costs down. Sewing can cost a pretty penny, and to get better, students need to keep sewing. Which means buying more supplies.

Why do you teach sewing? It’s fun! Bringing sewing to younger generations is fun! And since I’m not independently wealthy, I’m trying to earn a living at it.

Why do I do what I do? Everyone has their own motivations and goals. I do the blog and sewing classes mainly because it’s my passion. I wrote a book for kids, Sew in Style, because I wish I had a resource like it when I was trying to figure out how to sew for my dolls as a kid. I teach sewing, because I want to help kids feel good about themselves, build their confidence to try new things and be creative. And it works!

I’m so impressed with the sewing club kids! They have pretty much mastered controlling their speed on the sewing  machines. And those heart appliqués had near perfect stitching! They range from 8 years old to 11 in this class. Amazing skills! They are one of the main reasons I do what I do.