Getting Started

And the human tendency to avoid doing so.

Aug 14, 2026

A hot topic in my sphere right now is confidence, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot.

I’d love to say confidence was permanently instilled in my brain, but for me it comes and goes, sometimes sticking around for a few days at a time, sometimes taking residency only for a few short hours.

That means striking when the iron is hot in a confidence surge and accepting when there’s an ebb that a fair amount of procrastination is likely to occur.

What does this have to do with sewing? Absolutely everything! It means having a brain bustling with ideas but not always having the wherewithal to carry them out. Being easily deterred when a particularly complicated pattern throws up an instruction that I simply cannot wrap my head around or, dare I admit, cutting out the same trouser leg twice in an attempt to be savvy with material - thank goodness for double-faced fabric!

Chanterelle Trousers by Sew Liberated in Merchant & Mills "Finnham"

I think it would be fair to say that my Grandma’s brain works in a very different way to mine. Whilst my daily approach to life fluctuates between completely whimsical to strictly organised, she is steadfast in her methodical approach, making a daily list and just “getting the job done”.

For that reason, she is my perfect sewing companion. I know when I take my pattern and my material down to Grandma’s that we are going to jolly well just get on with it, which flicks my brain into focus mode. She acts as my translator for sewing patterns which quite frankly sometimes read like an unknown language. And once we’re both in the zone, the stubborn family gene really kicks in and hours whizz by as we establish a two woman production line, me on the machine desperately trying to catch my hems and sew in a straight line, and her taking on the “grunt work” (self inflicted I hastily add!) - ironing, reading ahead, unpicking my mistakes …

June Dress by Fibre Mood in Merchant & Mills "Taboo" Indian Cotton

That is of course not how I imagine my sewing journey continuing. But having someone to learn alongside is a privilege I don’t take lightly and whilst I hope to be completely self-sufficient in the not too distant future, I very much enjoy having company and the experience on which to build my confidence.

This isn’t the case for everyone though, and I’m struck by the number of people who pop into Whistlebare to gaze in awe at all of the gorgeous fabrics but who, like me not too long ago, haven’t sewn since they were at school, if at all. During these conversations I often believe that it’s not for lack of desire to learn, but more so a lack of faith.

As Alice mentioned in a post back in May “(there is) something infinitely companionable about working away at a mutually enjoyed activity”, which I find to be the building blocks of confidence. So if you want to get sewing, I implore you to reach out to your friends, a relative, a local group, or a course.

And as testament to this theory, I’d like to share that after a mere 5 months of sewing, I’ve invested in my very own sewing machine, so something must be working! It will be christened later in the week with my next project, a gathered pair of my favourite Harper Pants by Ready to Sew in Merchant & Mills Dalloway European laundered cotton/linen - perhaps ready for an outing to the Berwick Food & Beer festival this Friday evening …

Here at Whistlebare Fold, we’re hosting our next series of Sewing Workshops, starting this Sunday with a wonderful Sewing Machine Basics class. The perfect opportunity to kick start your sewing journey!

Sending inspiration your way!

Becky