Getting To Know Your Own Sewing Personality

Sewing is considered both a skill and an art and just like the other artists, we all have our own distinct style or sewing personality, if you will.  You see, it's just like in the art world where Pablo Picasso is different from Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo is certainly worlds apart from Vincent Van Gogh!

sewing personality

A survey done by Dr. Stian Reimers of Univerity College London determined that it is our personalities that largely determine our preferences in art, whether we are art lovers or practitioners. The same survey shows that extroverts tend to prefer art that doesn't endeavor to paint reality while introverts appreciate realism more. And together with experience and emotional quotient, personality drives you to prefer impressionism, abstract art, pop art, surrealism, realism or cubism, and the like. So do you happen to know your own sewing personality?

The Different Types of Sewing Personalities

Knowing your sewing personality can help you practice your art better because, as they say in art school, it will help you find your real voice. In this way, you will know exactly what types of sewing projects make you more fulfilled and happier because, with them, you can truly express yourself.

So to make matters a bit simpler, let me suggest that there are four major types of sewing personalities and they are: the Vintage Lover, the Queen of Quirks, the Thrifty Dame, and the Art Deco Diva.  I'm sure you could come up with more categories of sewing personality but these groups seem to work for me.

The Vintage Lover

sewing personality

If you are always strongly drawn to the character of a vintage dress, its whimsy and uniqueness, consider yourself a vintage lover. You probably use a vintage sewing machine and your last sewing project was Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite skirt. Perhaps you have even worn your grandmother’s wedding dress on your own big day. The thing is you simply cannot resist a vintage sewing pattern because you love sewing dresses from the 1950’s, 1930’s, 1920’s, and beyond since you absolutely do not mind sewing all those intricate details. And when you look at the latest fad, you cannot help thinking that they just don’t make dresses like they used to before. Needless to say, you prefer Classical to Modern art.

For any Vintage Lovers out there, the following article about printing vintage sewing pattern envelopes on a printable fabric purse may be of interest:

I HAVE to make me one of these. Print your own fabric with a sewing pattern envelope and make your own sewing pattern zipper pouch. NEED IT!

The Queen of Quirks

sewing personality

Your sewing room is cluttered and disorganized and you tend to collect all kinds of fabrics and notions. And when you sew, you want to create something that no one else has done before. This is because you are driven by a constant pursuit of your own personal authenticity through your art. This means skipping the usual patterns and heading right on to your peculiar ideas.  One of the reasons why you are sewing your own clothes is precisely because you don’t want to wear the same clothes as everybody else who simply buy their garments from the stores. You are also the type who does not like to throw anything away because who knows, it might just be the right accent for your next creation. And really, nobody will be surprised if Avant-Garde art is your cup of tea.

Quirky Queens might enjoy this article the Cosplay Phenomenon:

cosplay sewing

The Thrifty Dame

sewing personality

You can make dresses out of old curtains and pillowcases because you are a genius at cutting corners while still coming up with fabulous creations. When you start a new project, you either check what you have on hand or rush towards the local thrift shop to find a way to make a sewing project without spending too much. Unlike the quirky dame, your sewing room is more organized but you also don’t like to dispose of anything since turning scraps into a work of art makes you happy. Indeed, you can consider yourself a Post-Modernist and a mistress of upcycling!

For all those Thrifty Dames out there, you may find this article on upcycling kids clothing right up your alley:

Upcycle kid's clothes no hemming required

Art Deco Diva

Untitled design(107)

You like to keep things clean and crisp.  If we go inside your sewing room, we will find that everything has its own designated place. The same is true with your simple and amazing creations. You love to make clothes that are fashionably elegant but understated. So when you choose your next sewing pattern chances are you want something that does not have too much clutter. You tend to stick to the classic style then add your own personal twist because you love the mix of clean lines, the modern and the old, of the Art Deco movement.

If you're in this category, your sewing room may need one of these handy and easy serger scrap catchers:

server scrap catcher

What Is Your Sewing Personality?

So, can you identify yourself in any of the sewing personalities above? If not, leave me a note so we can add more to this list because there are simply so many different kinds of sewing personalities out there. Suffice it to say that creativity makes the world go round!


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Karen
Karen

Thanks for the post I seam to have a part of me in all of them. I just don’t seam to fit into any one mold. I move in and out of them as I please.

Mea Cadwell
Mea Cadwell

I tend towards all the categories depending upon my mood. LOL

Pamela Harris
Pamela Harris

A thrifty dame for sure!

Marta
Marta

I’m somewhere between Queen of Quirks and Thrifty Dame. I’m not good with patterns, I make my own mostly, my sewing corner is a mess and full of things-to-be-upcycled 🙂 and a lot or repair.

Brujy1
Brujy1
Reply to  Marta

Yes yes yes, thats me too, so what are we?

Cheryl Masters.
Cheryl Masters.

Day late and a dollar short for the boxy bag. You sure have a whole lot of great stuff in this email. Thank you big whole bunches.

Bettye
Bettye

I am the Quirky Queen. Probably should get back to cleaning up my creative space.

Gwen H.
Gwen H.

I am the quirky quilter type. I love mixing fabric types and patterns.

Nancy

I’m a combination of a couple of the types, but I just can’t get past that thrifty diva. That woman is much too anorexic to display as any sort of model, especially for young ladies. We really need to see a healthy person as your example.

Lori B
Lori B

I’m a combination of Vintage Lover, Queen of Quirks, and Thrifty Dame. I love vintage patterns and thrift stores. Actually, thats where I buy a lot of patterns. I recently bought a shopping bag full of old sheets for $1. Those are going to be used as muslins. I also picked up 4 1990’s patterns for 25 cents each, A big piece of corduroy and a box of 1960’s zippers and sewing notions.

Now what I bought all that for is a winter coat. I love classic coats but I’m making this one asymmetrical, patch-worked and quilted. It has 8 princess panels and a 2 piece sleeve. Each panel is going to be a different fabric and have unique embellishment. Even zippers can be decorative. It’s a Frankenstein coat but it’s going to be fun.

Rosemary
Rosemary

I think I’m a combination of all of the Sewing Personalities.

Gayle
Gayle

I am most like the Art Deco Diva as I prefer classic, elegant clothes, but my sewing room is so small (or I have too much sewing supplies) that I cannot keep it neat as a pin (though I would like to.) My dream is to have a large, finished craft room in the lower level.

TinaD
TinaD

#4. I hate fiddly details, patchwork, scaling patterns up (or down), and trends. Like everyone else, I do a lot of repair work, fixing hems, cutting down skirts, saving tees with split seams off-season, but that’s because I don’t want to have to spend the time replacing it, not because I dig “”upcycling.” Incidentally, I also like some Impressionists, some Surrealists, and Italian Futurism.

Ann
Ann

Had to laugh! I am a Thrifty Dame. I just remodeled an Old Navy T that had shrunk oddly. It’s now sleeves and a neck neckband on a different T – also recycled. LOL

Annick Geirnaert
Annick Geirnaert

I’m also some kind of all 4.

Rebecca
Rebecca

Oh, gee, I fit all. It’s just too much fun to not appreciate each one’s complexity and simplicity. I just think it’s too much fun!!!

Steve Swiontkowski
Steve Swiontkowski

I am confused about where I stand in this deck of cards. Most of my sewing is repair projects – re-hemming jeans just long enough to shred the original hem and require repair. The occasional project from a pattern is mostly for Halloween costumes. I think I am best described as a frugal dilettante (dabbler). Frugal because I prefer to repair rather than replace a staple garment just because it’s a little worn but not worn out. Dabbler because of the costumes made.

Nancy
Nancy

I prefer to make useful things – bags, casserole carriers, baby blankets, burp cloths, etc. I loosely use patterns. Clothes are a bit too much work – especially to make them fit. If I can’t finish in a few days, I won’t make that again. I also mend, but it’s my least favorite sewing project. Not sure where that leaves me.

Mary Robbins
Mary Robbins

I am a quilter. None of those categories described what I do.

Ann Wallace
Ann Wallace

Quirky am I. lol

Anna Yoak
Anna Yoak

I am definitely a combination of all 4. I love the 50’s clothing styles.
but I am organized and everything has a place where it belongs. I like clean and crisp in my home and sewing room. I love all art. But I am always looking for a bargain and recycle when possible maybe a quality sheet is used because I like the priint. Add in a little quirky liking the odd and unusual. Love giving things my personal touch or twist.

Mikki
Mikki

I’m actually a combination of 3: quirky, thrifty, and art deco. After reading each of them, I thought, “Oh that’s me.” =)

Kristie Hannan
Kristie Hannan

I fall into all the categories. Sometimes my sewing room is mess somtimes neat as a pin. Love all the clothing styles so where do I fall.

Karen
Karen

I am trying to clean up my sewing room, it is a mess. I don’t like to toss much so I have way to much stuff and not enough room for it.Most of my sewing is work altering or making for others.I hope soon I am able to sew what I want.

shris
shris

<– utilitarian. Haven't made any clothes, but I've made quilts and purses and water bottle carriers and fabric boxes for the car and that sort of thing. Sewing area is a cabinet that folds and unfolds, and my stash is made up largely of solids and geometrics.

Jayne
Jayne

I’m definitely quirky LOL it’s me to a tee! And I love it !!!!

Linda
Linda

I’m definitely a mix of all of these. It just depends on my mood, the project, time of year, etc. My projects tend to wander into every room in the house when I’m in the mood to experiment or play or stay neatly confined to my sewing area when I working on that special heirloom project. Thank goodness my husband is used to it and has learned to go with the flow.

pinknanna

I’m a combination of Thrifty Dame and Art Deco Diva. I’m avoiding buying new fabric at the moment and trying to systematically work through my stash!

Deborah D'Amelio
Deborah D'Amelio

I agree. I’m a mix of the 3–like something a little different than others, can make my own patterns and most things have a place and are put away.

liz n.
liz n.

Perhaps a combination of the three…my sewing space is neat as a pin, and I’m just as likely to recycle a garment as sew something new from a pattern.

Fefe
Fefe

I’m probably a mix of “vintage lover” and “thrifty dame”. Fun read 🙂

Tammy

I like this. I happen to fall into the first three categories!