The Curvy Sewing Collective says thanks!

Today’s Thanksgiving in the US and we wanted to share all the things we’re most thankful for, as it relates to sewing.

I’m thankful for the Curvy Sewing Collective community!  – Jenny

When we set up the CSC nearly 6 months ago, our objective was to create a site which would be a welcome place for all curvy sewists, providing helpful information and advice, and a place to gather. However, I don’t think any of us realized quite how popular it would become! We now have a community of thousands of sewists who are so engaged and supportive, whether that’s contributing articles, supporting other sewists through leaving comments on posts, or chatting in the forums. I think it’s really empowering to know that there are so many other women out there just like you, and I’m thankful that we have had such an awesome reaction to the site. I particularly love the monthly Flickr roundup which highlights the wonderful diversity of the community. The reason the site is thriving is all due to the community, and I’m so thankful for each and every one of you!

I’m thankful that I can sew!  -Tanya

I’ve been doing some online and in-store department store Christmas shopping lately and as I’ve been looking for gifts for other people, I’ve been perusing some of the plus-size offerings.  All I can say is that I AM SO GLAD that I can make whatever I want whenever I want and in whatever color/print/fabric that I want!  Not being limited to what retailers want to offer me is so darn exciting.  It makes me thankful everyday that I can sew for my own style beyond any size limitations and grateful that I’ve learned these skills that allow me to do that.  What’s even better is that we have this community of curvy gals who inspire me daily and get me thinking about sewing things that I never would have before!

I’m thankful for the plus size sewers who went before me! – T

Nowadays, sewing allows me to redefine who I am and gives me choice in how I show my personality in what I choose to wear. As someone who spent a large portion of their youth swathed in acres of black, this sewing journey has been nothing short of a revelation! My blog, my rediscovered joy of sewing, and most of all my curvy confidence is thanks in large part to the first brave plus size and curvy sewers who decided to write their sewing blogs. Seeing larger women sporting incredibly creative and exciting garments rekindled my love of the sewing craft. I loved reading about their adventures with fabric and found their posts inspiring, funny and also moving. It gave me the courage to push my sewing further, to make what I loved – crazy dresses with cat prints, teapots or pirates on them, and eventually to start my own sewing blog. I even became comfortable in front of a camera – something I never dreamed was possible. These torch bearing gals changed the face of the crafting blog community, and they are also the inspiration for the Collective. I hope that the Curvy Sewing Collective gives many more women that same sense of empowerment and allows woman to really express themselves with what they wear. Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m thankful for freedom from RTW! – Mary

This weekend, I’m starting my dream holiday dress: black velvet, fit-and-flare silhouette, and a hand-beaded neckline. Six years ago, this is exactly the sort of garment I’d have gawked at in a shop, futilely tried on in a size 12, and bemoaned never finding in my size. Now, not only will it be mine, but the fit will be exquisite! Isn’t sewing the most liberating hobby? I am so thankful for the women who taught me this craft, the friends whose blogs give me inspiration everyday, and the skills that allow us all, no matter our sizes, to make the beautiful handmade wardrobes we dream of. It’s a cherry on top of this whole sartorial pie that I get to share this love of sewing with the Curvy Sewing Collective. The only thing better than having freedom from ready-to-wear is having a community of people who understand this impulse to not only create beautiful wardrobes, but to also create a body positive, inspirational change in fashion and the sewing community.