I can’t remember when I first started sewing: it’s a skill that’s been ingrained in me from a young age. I do, however, remember the first time I decided to make a garment of my own. Walking into a fabric shop with my mum, aged 12, I was exploring the beautiful fabrics available. When asked about my project, I simply replied that I was going to make my own dress. My mum (rather surprised and a little sceptical) took a few more months of convincing, but finally we went out once again to buy fabrics to make my first garment: a (much simpler) A-line skirt. I still have that skirt in the back of my wardrobe somewhere. Probably quite out of fashion now, and just a bit too small, but I’m still immensely proud of it. I have always loved the idea of making my own clothes. Not only is it more sustainable, but it’s also an incredible way to spend an evening, binge watching your favourite series while creating your very own beautiful garment. Many people nowadays complain about store bought clothes – the bad fits, how quickly they wear out – problems that are easily solved by handmade fashion. You can change and adapt sewing patterns to suit your preferences and styles and choose fabrics based on durability. You’re also likely to get a lot more wear out of them, as you don’t want all the time and effort to go to waste.
“Not only is it more sustainable, but it’s also an incredible way to spend an evening”
Since arriving in Cambridge a month ago, I have met an incredible number of crafters, many of whom have experimented with different styles of dressmaking and fashion to create their own personalised wardrobes. So, to get the inside scoop, I decided to speak to some of Cambridge’s very own crafters.
Jordan, first year HML at Newnham
I met Jordan on my first day at Newnham, quickly noticing her multicoloured crocheted sweater and matching crocheted bag. Seeing her again in the Iris cafe, I note that she is wearing that same handmade sweater, this time paired with a smart, black beret. As we sit down, she takes out her latest knitting project and starts to knit while we talk.
Jordan has been sewing since the age of three and has since taken up crochet and knitting, making many of her own clothes. Including, to my surprise, the knitted green jumper she’s currently wearing, which I had assumed was professionally made. We talk about her love of vintage patterns, especially those from the 50s, which she uses as a base or as inspiration for her own clothes. Currently, she has her eye on recreating a knitted ice-skater Schiaparelli dress from the 30s, which was on exhibition at the Palais Galliera in Paris, earlier this year. As an HML student studying French, Jordan is fascinated by French fashion and its history and has even collected French fashion magazines going all the way back to the 1890s!
We talk for a while about the craft scene at Cambridge and I discover that she’s already been to some of the knitting and crochet society events and has acquainted herself with the Cambridge fabric and yarn stores, such as Sew, Knit, Craft. She hopes that the current obsession with crafting continues, and is even thinking beyond the existing societies and “really hoping we can get … a vintage historical fashion society up and running” in Cambridge.
“She advises beginners to search for fabrics you love and find a first project that really interests you”
Looking through her projects, I find myself stunned by her crafting ability: from a “butterfly dress” to matching, summery outfits for her family Christmas in Australia. And her favourite? A crocheted ballgown she made for a competition, aged 15, which took her 2.5 months of waking up at 6am to finish! From hearing about the enormous amount of time spent perfecting the garments and the “sensory joy” experienced by the “tactile process” of stitching, Jordan’s love of crafting is evident. To conclude, she advises beginners to search for fabrics you love and “find a first project that really interests you” (never start with a scarf – it’s an “awful first project!”).
Lily, third year Historian at Newnham
When I discovered that my flatmate, Lily, sewed her showstopping outfit for the Newnham Garden Party earlier this year, I had to find out more about her passion for sewing. Lily started sewing from a young age, originally creating outfits for her dolls, before sewing her first dress aged 11. Over lockdown, she started fashion sketching and designing, which she explores by adapting ready-made patterns to create the look she wants. She finds sewing a very rewarding experience which allows her to “express her identity” through wearing “really bright colours, quite strong prints [and] textures” and “eccentric” styles.
“She found it a great distraction from revision whenever she was overwhelmed with work”
At Cambridge, she focuses more on fashion and outfit styling, spending her time finding unusual vintage garments. However, last year she spent the entire Easter term creating a full-length dress for the Newnham Garden Party. Her amazing outfit consisted of a voluminous tulle skirt with many fabric flowers stitched onto it, creating a “whimsical” look. Although it took her the whole term, she tells me that she found it a great distraction from revision whenever she was overwhelmed with work.
Looking towards her next project, Lily “really want[s] to get into period costume design,” possibly working on a “late Victorian corset set,” though admitting that the structure, metal and eyelets involved will pose a challenge. For beginners, she advises looking online for easy patterns, also suggesting that YouTube videos and tutorials are also a great way to start. However, most importantly, she advises “don’t be afraid of making mistakes,” as the first things you wear may not be wearable, but you have to “have a bit of faith in yourself” and make mistakes and learn from them. She explains that it’s not a perfect process and you may spend ages unpicking and restitching seams and zips, but it’ll come together in the end.
To conclude, she reflects on how, despite the resurgence of sewing during lockdown, sewing is “becoming a bit more of a lost art,” which she believes to be a “real shame,” firmly believing in its power to “bring together generations” – something which is particularly relevant for me, Jordan and Lily, all having been taught to sew by our grandmothers.
So, I hope this has inspired you to pick up some fabrics and a needle and just get stuck into the crafting process. Who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love with the craft, like so many others. Just be warned: it’s addictive. Do not start sewing a dress the night before you have an essay due. You might just find that you can’t stop…
