Ball - Little Book Of Sewing

AN ANIMA BOOK

www.headofzeus.com

This Anima book was first published in the UK in 2019 by Head of Zeus Ltd

Copyright Karen Ball, 2019

The moral right of Karen Ball to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN (HB): 9781788546706

ISBN (E): 9781788546690

Cover Design & Illustration: Samantha Molloy
Designed by Lee Simmons
Ilustrations by Heather Ryerson

Printed and bound in Germany by CPI Books GmbH

Head of Zeus Ltd

58 Hardwick Street
London EC 1 R 4 RG

WWW . HEADOFZEUS . COM

To TMOS

My mom taught me to sew when I was two or three, so Ive been sewing for as long as I can remember.
Serena Williams

In my grandmothers house there were two instruments a piano and a sewing machine. As a child, I sat beside her at each of these, watching her hands move across keys or beside stitches. Nanas life had been hard and she found it difficult to show love, even to little girls. But as we sat together in silence, I understood immutably that she loved me. This is the power of sewing.

When I grew older, I was allowed to sew myself at my mothers machine, in the corner of the living room. This was the machine that made school uniforms for three daughters and outfits for dance classes. It was also the machine where I learned independent creativity for the first time.

As a student I did more sewing on a machine loaned to me by an aunt. I still sewed when I first moved to London at the age of twenty-two. Then, for some reason, I stopped. The machine was shoved into the bottom of a wardrobe, lost in a house move, and I probably didnt pick up a needle again for twenty years.

What brought me back? My career proved not to be quite enough having it all felt kind of empty, and I needed a new creative outlet. So I found a secondhand sewing machine on Freecycle (remember Freecycle?). I picked up a heavy, clunky Toshiba with missing instructions and chipped plastic bobbins from an elderly woman in Essex. I wonder if she had any idea what she was starting, the day she handed over that machine.

Sewing has become my life. It has helped me accept my changing body, celebrate lifes small joys, heal when I felt sad, mark landmark birthdays, births, weddings and create a handmade wardrobe along the way. Sometimes, the clothes feel like an added bonus.

I have watched sewing fuel other peoples passions, too. Its helped friends manage anxiety, support partners who are transgender, heal from babies born and babies lost. Sewing has empowered friends to take part on protest marches, make their voices heard, push through failure and come out the other side. Its allowed for laughter, friendship and community.

Between these pages, well explore the full spectrum of sewing emotions with handy practical tips thrown in from threading a needle to fitting a dress.

And you wont only read my story of sewing. With permission, Ive shared quotes from blog readers. Hopefully, youll see how a needle and thread can change all our lives.

Sewing isnt just a hobby; its a passion. Youre about to find out just how powerful that passion can be.

Karen
of Did You Make That

To aspire is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. It gives us purpose, hope, inspiration and a plan for self-improvement. Aspiration puts the hunger in our belly and allows us to dream big. But it doesnt need to start big baby steps are fine right now. You learn how to thread a needle or tie a knot. Thats how it begins. Before you know it, youre sewing a couture evening gown. Be brave in your aspirations, because this is only the start of the journey. Its going to take you places you hardly dared dream of

You will learn:
How to choose thread
How to thread a needle
How to knot a thread

Its sort of comical that you think you made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry, when in fact youre wearing a sweater that was chosen for you by the people in this room.
Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada

For most of your existence up to this point, the high street has curated your clothes. Now, youve decided to do that work alone. When youre stood in the foothills, that mountain peak can look exhilarating. It can also look scary. You ask yourself: Can I really do this? Can anyone sew?

Yes, anyone can sew. YOU can sew. Dont let fear of failure stop you. Just remember

The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.
Amelia Earhart, female explorer

Take it one step at a time. Did Amelia Earhart become the first woman to fly across the Atlantic by looking at a two-seater biplane and whimpering, But I dont know where the brakes are?

No one learned anything by being perfect. You will fail. You will curse. You will bunch your fabric up and hurl it into a corner of the room. Then youll calm down, dust yourself off and try again.

Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn from success.
James Dyson

It doesnt matter if your first sewing project isnt perfect. You made something with your very own hands. Yes, YOU. The world disappeared and for a few precious hours, the only thing that filled your heart, mind and soul was sewing. How did that make you feel? Happy?

If sewing makes you happy, that means you can sew. Thats all you need to know.

Ever wondered what your clothes are sewn together with? Until I began sewing, I never gave it a thought. I mean, seriously, why would you? Thread is one of those details you never consider until you have to.

But the first time you walk into a haberdashery shop, the choices seem overwhelming. Cotton? Polyester? Elastic? Decorative? Topstitching? Upholstery? Clear? And whats even with those giant cones of overlocker thread? I had to phone my mum from the shop for help. Awk.

So what should you choose?

All-purpose : Does what it says on the can. Typically, this is a cotton thread with a polyester coating. The polyester gives the thread a sheen that helps it travel through fabric more easily and makes the cotton longer lasting.