After last week’s post about things that annoy me in sewing blogs, I thought maybe I should go for balance and write about some things that I really like when I see them in sewing blogs.
1) I love when sewing bloggers use their local vernacular. Not necessarily that I go looking for non-English blogs, though between Google translate and pretty pictures, I don’t mind “reading” the occasional blog not written in English. Even in English, though, there are different terms for the same thing depending on where one lives. Vest vs. camisole vs. singlet, for instance. My children’s favorite is British “trousers” vs. American “pants”. I happened to mention it one day and they all unanimously decided to call their jeans “trousers” from that point on. I suspect they’ve done that so they can giggle when people say the word “pants”, though they’ve never outright told me so. I don’t know why the vocabulary differences intrigue me so much, maybe because it’s one of those things that just shows up in natural writing or conversation, making blog-reading much less like catalog reading.
2) I love when sewing bloggers post pictures of themselves wearing what they’ve made. Inspiration can come from all over, so pictures of dresses on a hanger or on a dress form are not all bad. When the person who made something (or the person that something was made for) puts it on for pictures, though, that’s when the finished product really shows. This is where, for me anyway, sewing blogs trump fashion blogs. I don’t deny that it takes some skills to put together an outfit out of ready-to-wear and/or thrifted items, but I’ve noticed that in sewing blogs, more often the outfits that are put together look full and complete without having to add a different pair of shoes and a purse each time. One lobster brooch or maybe a hair clip is all they need to accent their outfits; shoes are just a bonus if we get to see them too.
3) I love when multiple people sew the same thing. Whether it’s an interpretation of a theme, a color, or different versions of the exact same pattern, it’s fun to watch this kind of creativity. I know some people feel like they get tired of seeing too many of the same pattern all at once (usually I see this complaint in reference to newly released indie patterns, and usually from people who aren’t impressed by the particular pattern they are seeing). I actually really like this phenomenon, and if I do go through a phase where I’m not interested in seeing multiple makes of the same pattern, it’s pretty easy to skip those postings or to put them off until I’m more in the mood for them.
4) I love when people spontaneously mention the tools they use in sewing. Not the sponsored-post/review kind of thing, but when they discuss their process and happen to mention specific things that work for them (or that don’t), that’s the kind of real-life information that can be usefully applied in my own experience.
5) I love when people call attention to things that inspired them. Links back to other bloggers, Pinterest, or even ready-to-wear sites all might be interesting. Yes, sometimes it can feel like I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole if I start clicking through on multiple links, but it’s fun to see the connections between an inspiration project and what someone else makes. Not to mention that it’s a nice vibe that comes out when people get credit for their creativity and inspirational qualities rather than having to wonder if someone is trying to take advantage of them.
6) I love when sewing bloggers get things “for free”. Not in that “they don’t even write about their own projects anymore because they’re so busy doing advertisements for other people and maybe they’ve totally lost their blog voice” kind of way (which in my opinion seems to happen most often when people start to get over-committed to multiple projects/sponsors, not necessarily because they’ve agreed to connect with one or two companies in an exchange). No, I’m talking about when sewing bloggers get access to materials or something else they wouldn’t otherwise probably have, and that makes them want to put forth their very best effort to show it off. Whether it’s working in extra-nice fabrics, working with interesting pattern techniques, or making the most of a challenge handed to them by someone else, those postings often have a little extra passion behind them, and that makes them fun to read.
7) I love when sewing bloggers make and wear exactly what they want to make and wear. One of the best things about making clothing rather than buying it is the ability to break the “rules” about what is “on trend” or what one is “supposed” to wear for one’s shape and size. Being able to hone a personal style without having to worry over-much about arbitrary codes that might be governing whether the items being sought even exist is an interesting freedom, one that exercised well in the world of home sewing.
What do you think? Are any of these something you have a passionate opinion on (even if it isn’t the same as mine)? Any things I probably love but missed on my list?
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