Making your own clothes is sew, sew chic

Any girl worth her salt would be envious of Azure Messmer's sewing prowess. She is skilled enough to design her own patterns, and her collection includes numerous skirts, tops and some jeans. If she has a party to attend and nothing to wear, she might whip something up.

But even Messmer can get skittish about sewing.She once circled a beautiful black-and-white houndstooth fabric for two weeks, fearful of ruining it before she picked up her shears. But a good outcome more than compensates for the nerves.

"It's incredibly satisfying to make something yourself," said Messmer, 25, who lives in South Park. "It does something for the ego when someone says, 'That's awesome, where did you get it?' and I say, 'I did it.' "

Sewing hot again

More people than ever are seeking that rush. In the wake of the knitting boom, sewing is experiencing its own resurgence among young people eager to make their own clothes.

Capitol Hill fabric boutique Stitches opened three years ago with just one sewing class a month. Now, there are six or seven in that same time frame, and they are almost always full.

Sewing instructor Jaime Skolfield sees a lot of younger people in her classes.

"We get a lot of customers that come into Stitches; they are generally more socially aware, they care about the environment, they don't want to support companies making things in China," she said. "It's a lot of artists and a lot of moms, people that want to take things back into their own home and create things themselves."

Sewing has followed the rise in crafting the past few years, said Calla Grimes, assistant manager at Nancy's Sewing Basket in Queen Anne. Bravo's addictive reality design show "Project Runway" spurred even more people to take up sewing.

Sewing does not save as much money as it once did, however, now that national retailers have come along offering cheap, fast fashion. Some local fabric shops have closed in the past few years, Grimes said.

The perfect fit

But more than 30,000 people attended the Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup in 2006, and for the past couple of years, vendors have catered to younger sewing enthusiasts with seminars on eco-friendly projects and with options like more affordable sewing machines, said spokeswoman Rita Farro.

"Sewing isn't about saving money any more," she said. "It's about having your own look."

Grimes is hopeful this wave of interest will sustain local fabric stores.

People often say they start sewing because they have trouble finding clothes that fit well.

"If you have a little bit of skill and do it yourself, or if you have the funds to have something made, it's really worth it," Grimes said. "It's a beautiful garment that fits you right."

Sustainable stitches

Fabric manufacturers also have responded to demand for more sustainable fabrics such as bamboo, hemp and organic fabrics. Modern designers such as Amy Butler appeal to a more youthful sensibility with patterns for handbags, halter tops and versatile skirts. Handbags and cloth monster dolls are popular projects, said Amy Ellsworth, owner of Stitches.

Beginner seamstress Chloe Tay's handiwork isn't a regular part of her wardrobe yet, but she has the sewing bug.

Tay, 33, was converted to the craft by "Project Runway." She became addicted to the show about a year ago. She also hates malls, and sewing seemed to be the solution.

"I thought I would get so good I could sew all my clothes and not shop anymore," she said.

She hasn't quite reached that goal, but she relishes the process, cutting her own fabric, working on her sewing machine and seeing a project come together. Tay took several classes at Stitches, which introduced her to the sewing community.

"It seemed like people were in their 20s and mid-30s, and we were all coming together and working on something maybe our grandmothers would have done, with a funky, fresh twist," she said.

People also have asked Messmer for lessons. She still buys most of her work and casual clothes but sews fun, girlish clothes to wear out. She keeps a sketchbook with ideas and clips from fashion magazines for original patterns and also makes numerous variations on a basic A-line skirt and black dresses.

Sewing can save money, especially for experienced seamstresses. A cropped jacket that costs $200 in a store might cost $45 to sew, Messmer said.

But even when good fabric is expensive, it's still worthwhile to sew for the gratification.

"You pick fabric, thread, notions, the buttons and come out the other side with an awesome product," she said. "You're totally satisfied."

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com

Jaime Skolfield, a sewing instructor and designer, helps Paul Abodeely craft a pair of pants during the beginning sewing class at Stitches, on East Pike Street in Capitol Hill. (ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Azure Messmer, 25, designs her own patterns and makes makes many of her own "going-out" clothes, such as this chic houndstooth coat. (ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Messmer works on her home sewing machine. Left: Stitches carries midweight Japanese imported fabrics from companies like Kokka and Echino. (ERIKA SCHULTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES)