So, something kind of miraculous has happened. I’m teaching my husband, Jaime, to sew! He’s seen me do it for years and never expressed any interest in learning about it. Then, I got him to look at one of my old mechanical Berninas and he was enamored with the machine. He started tinkering and decided he wanted to get into fixing machines. I said if he wanted to fix machines, he should at least know how to sew something basic. We had a couple of lessons and now he’s hooked. He has completed his first garment, (a Paxson from Seamwork magazine) and is already planning his next projects. I am astounded. We are having so much fun.
Since Jaime is now starting his own sewing journey, I thought he could add something in his own words. I think it’s good to have a man’s voice in the sewing world.
I’m A Man, and I Like to Sew
To be a male sewist means to be nonconforming. It means rejecting the idea that something is frivolous just because women do it. It means seeing beyond the narrow confines of masculinity and caring a little less about what other people think. — Sarai Mitnick
After years of trying, my wife has finally convinced me to start sewing. To my surprise, I like it. Here’s why:
I like the machines. Vintage sewing machines are mechanical wonders.
I like the fabrics. Quality fabric makes you want to sew sophisticated, well-fitting clothes, and wearing sophisticated, well-fitting clothes makes you feel like you’re excelling at life.
It’s therapeutic. Going slow. Concentrating. Handling cloth. Creating. Enjoying the contrast as a sharp, rigid object pierces into a soft, malleable one. I enjoy these sensations and I’m not ashamed to admit that.
And anyway, one can rejoice in the “gentle” arts and still be quite masculine. See, for example, Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary Japanese swordsman who, in addition to vanquishing roughly sixty opponents, also sculpted, practiced calligraphy, and painted.
For more on the joys of being a male sewist, please see Ashley Kan, Ruth Singer, and David Moore.
