Monthly Musing ~ Be unafraid, be very unafraid.
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April's limited edition kit, 'The Helena,' full of bright, clashing colours and wild prints urged boldness in colour choices and jumping in without fear.
Fear can hold us back from a lot of things. I think there is a common feeling that bra making is a hard thing to do, like it comes way up top of the sewing list of experience and ability, somewhere a long way after making your own jeans and tailoring a double breasted blazer. And I understand that completely. I spent around two years being too scared and unsure to actually start making a bra. I did two years worth of research, which almost confused me more as I didn't have anything tangible or specific to relate it back to. I just kept filling my head with more and more information.
Being fearful and holding back didn't stop the mistakes from happening, it just means I've missed out on two extra years of bra sewing. Think of all the additional underwear I could have had!!
So, fight the fear, jump in and just do it!
Social media is a brilliant enabler for something like this. It's so wonderful to see so many inspiring lingerie makes from people of all sewing abilities. It's so comforting to see people you follow on Instagram etc. those who's other me-made garments and accessories you can relate to, posting that they have made a bra. "If they can do it then I can too!" Or you might see a certain fabric or bra pattern that you just fall in love with and that is what convinces you to give it a go. With the internet there is now instant access to information. Pretty much, the answer to any fit problem or fabric query can be found at the end of a googling session or with a question posed on a specialty forum. And we all know that pretty much everyone in sewing land is genuinely lovely and generous with their knowledge and always happy to help out.
Social media can also be a disabler though. It's easy to become overwhelmed and intimidated and to buy in to other peoples fear. When reading bra making forums, I quite often see comments such as, ‘I’m apprehensive, it looks so difficult’ ‘I’m uncertain about what specialty fabrics and tools I need’ ‘There seems to be so many technical issues in fitting a bra.’ Other people can bring up issues you’ve never even thought of! But it’s about accepting that difficulties and failures are going to happen and that the end result is worth it. Also, don’t worry, you aren’t going to run into every single problem!
My mom shares memories of her childhood and some of my favourites are her sewing stories. She and her lifelong friend, Veronica would catch a bus Saturday morning, make purchases at the fabric store in town, catch a bus home and spend the afternoon sewing with the aim to have a garment completed in time to wear out to a party that night. Once, in their early teens, my mom, Veronica and another friend of theirs decided they wanted to make two-piece skirt suits. So they did! Full notched lapel and all! How’s that for confidence?! They ploughed forward and made what they wanted to and didn’t worry about whether they *should* have been sewing something fairly complex or not.
So what fears are holding you back? And are you going to be bold and just start regardless?