Since opening an Etsy shop in November, I have thought a lot about what I know (or don't know?) about sewing. I am 33 years old and I've been sewing my whole life but other than 3 years of Home Ec in Junior High School, I have had no formal training. I'm entirely self-taught and most of that is through trial an error. I rarely have sewed for other people, I have always sewed for myself - curtains, simple clothing, costumes, bags, purses, aprons, casserole carriers, pillows... whatever I decide I want to make.
What I have wondered since starting this Etsy store is... what DON'T I know about sewing? I don't even know what I don't know! I know I know nothing about interfacing LOL, and that's pretty basic stuff! So what else don't I know? I bought a rotary cutter and cutting mat back in December. I found I wasn't very good with it so I watched a youtube video and got some great tips (such as using canned vegetables to weigh down the fabric while marking/cutting it... weigh down the fabric? that never crossed my mind before!).
Realizing how little I know is making me very self-conscious among other sewers/crafters.
I wondered, are you guys self-taught? How have you gone about learning more about sewing? I've been looking for sewing classes available in my area but many of the classes (all of them?) seem SOOOO basic. Like I don't need instructions on threading a machine. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take those seriously basic beginner classes just so I can pick up those basic skills I've never even realized I haven't learned even though I'm going to be a lot more experienced than the other students. Lucky for me, I have a very good friend who is in the same predicament. She's in her 40's, makes and sells beautiful purses and bags, but like me she has had very minimal instruction so also feels concerned there is a lot she just doesn't know.
