People who know how to sew are never limited to their wardrobe. Or the shelves in a store. Their hands can do miracles — they can make clothes themselves.
There's a subreddit called r/Sewing, and it's the place where these skilled craftsmen show off their work. We're talking intricate wedding dresses, umbrella coats, and much, much more! There's plenty of surprises on this 372,000 member-strong sub.
"This is a community specifically for sewing including, but not limited to: machine sewing, embroidery, quilting, hand sewing, tapestry, patchwork, and help/suggestion threads," they say in their 'About' section.
We at Bored Panda have handpicked some of the masterpieces these sewers have created, so continue scrolling and who knows, maybe the photos will inspire you to pick up a spool of thread yourself. Enjoy!
#1 I Did It, I Made A Coat! (McCalls 6800, View D With B's Hem)
Image credits: happy-chickadee
#2 Been Sewing Shirts And Matching Ties For My 5 Cats. It’s Been Fun. Hope You Like Them
Image credits: vjloco
The most popular post on the entire subreddit belongs to user vjloco. It's a collage of shirts and matching cat ties that he sewed for himself and his cats. As of this article, the post has 27,000 upvotes!
"My daughter gave me her old sewing machine at the start of the pandemic. I taught myself with her help and YouTube videos," vjloco revealed the origins of his new hobby to Bored Panda.
#3 I Just Finished My Son’s Halloween Costume
Image credits: MostFlavorfulBond
#4 Self Drafted. No Pattern. Outfit I Made From Scratch From Kente Fabric
Image credits: theeramonkota
"The first successful thing I made was a tie for my cat Kimi." Yes, it's short for Kimi Räikkönen, for all of you F1 fans who were wondering. "He was hiding in the engine compartment of my daughter's car. And he has quite a bit to say," the Reddit user said, laughing.
vjloco's colorful project began when he bought a bunch of old sheets from a local thrift store. He then learned how to make a shirt and even though it took quite a few attempts, he eventually got the hang of it. He was then able to make the quirky shirt and tie combos.
#5 I Made My Wedding Dress (No Pattern)
Image credits: penniee95
#6 In 2020 I’m Planning To Memorialize My Father By Sewing A Book Of His Life. This Is Page One
Image credits: SherlockToad1
"It was sort of backwards, I wanted a shirt for me so I could dress like my furry friends."
"The beige cat, Mr. Nutter Butter likes to leave the house wearing his tie. I can't help but laugh at someone driving out in the country and seeing a cat looking all professional," he added.
"The sewing and cat communities on Reddit are amazingly supportive," vjloco said. "I think most people don't know how supportive Reddit is."
#7 Duchess Coat By Ellie And Mac Patterns For My Spiderman-Obsessed 2y.o. Niece. I Can't Wait To See It On Her!
Image credits: AuDBallBag
#8 Finished My Rainbow Quilt! And A Body Pillow Case To Match. Happy Pride Month!
Image credits: eros0327
But cats aren't the only pets of vjloco's. He lives outside Defuniak Springs, Florida, and unfortunately, people often dump animals on the road behind his acreage. "We have a relationship with a vet and shelter in our area. Currently, we have 5 cats and 2 rabbits," he said.
Since his cats are all dressed up now, vjloco is currently working on a pair of shirts for himself and the bunnies.
#9 (Self Drafted) My Old Lounge Dress Wasn't Getting Much Wear, So I Reworked It Into A Sundress
Image credits: dark_pine
#10 I Made A Maple Leaf Fairy Costume For Renn Faire (B4571)
Image credits: sewing_magic
What's great about this subreddit is that it has plenty of material (and support) for anyone like vjloco who wants to start sewing. They suggest books, share machine FAQs, and plenty of other in-depth tutorials and quick tips, so I think the sub will only get bigger. As it should!
#11 Designed, Sewed, And Modeled This Dior Inspired Trench Coat
Image credits: twink_trash
#12 Bought My First Sewing Machine 2 Weeks Ago Without Knowing A Single Thing About Sewing. So I Spent Hours On Youtube Watching How To Videos. I Made This Myself Yesterday
Image credits: luminoussaid
#13 Made A Non Conventional Wedding Dress! V9296
Image credits: Shanglorice
#14 Completed My Belle Gown (Beauty & The Beast) Self Drafted
Image credits: MacrameOwl
#15 This Is A Prom Dress My Aunt From Nigeria Made For Me Back In 2019. We Designed It Based On Two Different Dresses. The Pattern Of The Fabric Is My Favorite Part! (No Pattern)
Image credits: haveaSmiletoday
#16 Made An Entire 1850's Outfit. Lots Of Work, But Totally Worth It!
Image credits: WhitGoose
#17 I Recreated An Early 1900s Illustration Butterfly Dress!
Image credits: Nerrnerr
#18 I Made A Velvet Dress With Leds To Look Like The Night Sky (Self Drafted)
Image credits: sewing_magic
#19 I Made The Dressing Gown That Bilbo Wears In The First Hobbit Movie (M7875)
Image credits: sewing_magic
#20 Prom Might Not Have Happened This Year But At Least I Can Still Twirl Around In The Ball Gown I Made!! Self-Drafted
Image credits: aliyaahjs
#21 (Self-Drafted) Sewist On Low Budget Recreating Expensive Dresses. I Was Inspired By This Teuta Matoshi Dress
Image credits: Paurovas
#22 (Fo) I Alter Weddings Dresses For A Living, But Suit Alterations Are My True Passion. Here's My Last Suit I Did For Myself
Image credits: billbobful
#23 Coat Made With Broken Umbrellas
Image credits: hero_to_0
#24 I Made Billy Porter’s Oscars Tuxedo Gown (Self Drafted)
Image credits: love_wear
#25 (McCall's Archive Collection Circa 1956 M7478) Took Forever To Finish This Coat, But I'm Really Pleased With How It Turned Out - Especially The Twirl Factor!
Image credits: moseyb
#26 I Sewed A Wedding Dress Out Of Sweatpants
Image credits: jennaphipps4
#27 First Finished Dress vs. First Dress I Can Actually Wear In Public
Image credits: cammickin
#28 My DIY Thrift-Flipped Wedding Dress
Image credits: sarcastic_ginger
#29 Engagement Photo Dress I Designed And Constructed
Image credits: RavennaBlack
#30 Simplicity 8262, Modified To Have A Hood Instead Of A Double Collar. Now To Walk Around Looking Dramatic
Image credits: DanausPlexi
#31 This Is My Prom Dress I Designed And Made
Image credits: reddit.com
#32 Made My Own Homecoming Dress
Image credits: Yasqueena
#33 African Print Mermaid Style Dress
Image credits: sumayyah--
#34 Self Drafted Bomber Jacket. I Saw The Fabric And Knew I Had To Make Something. It’s My First Crack At A Jacket And The First Real Wearable Garment I’ve Made For Myself! I Think I’m Going To Be Making A Lot More!
Image credits: MrMotionTom
#35 Made One Of Those "My Rich Husband Died Of Mysterious Circumstances" Robes And I've Never Felt More Powerful
Image credits: ecosandwich
#36 (Mccall's 7047) I Made A Prototype Wedding Dress Aka The First Thing I've Sewn Since Senior Prom!
Image credits: wedding-ori
#37 I Hand/Machine Embroidered A Starmap Onto These Jeans!
Image credits: -lyrota-
#38 Wish I Was Brave Enough To Wear This Out. Took Me Forever To Make
Image credits: curcutie
#39 (Burdaeasy 2019) Tried To Recreate A 60’s Inspired Dress From The Queen’s Gambit
Image credits: Paurovas
#40 (Simplicity 8578) I Made A Robe À La Française For Halloween
Image credits: eliminatefossilfuels
#41 I Made A Victorian Walking Dress With A Matching Hat And Parasol For A Festival In A Nearby Port Town (B6400, TV1884 Wash Overskirt, Self Drafted)
Image credits: sewing_magic
#42 Finished My Three Piece Suit Just In Time For Fall!
Image credits: JodieFosterchild
#43 Started Sewing Two Weeks Ago And I Finally Made A Dress From Scratch
Image credits: theeramonkota
#44 Self-Drafted Blouse Made From Silk And An Antique Lace Collar. I Love Edwardian Fashion, And I’m Trying To Incorporate That Style Into My Wardrobe More
Image credits: KingHenrytheFluffy
#45 Matching 1950's Style Men's Shirt And Wiggle Dress
Image credits: Gorgeously-Vintage
#46 I Made An Adventure Ready Dress For My Niece. Machine Washable, No Scratchy Tulle, Fully Equipped With Pockets And Pack Pack For Maximum Storage Capacity, And Of Course A Matching Dress For A Side Kick [m7458]
Image credits: sewing_magic
#47 My Husband Gave Me Some Of His Old Band T-Shirts, So I Made A Dress For Our Daughter
Image credits: lieralolita
#48 I Made Some Professor-Y Clothes For The 1890s (Pattern Hacked)
Image credits: sewing_magic
#49 Sewcial Isolation Project I Made Back In March! (Apron Dress By Fabrics-Store (Free))
Image credits: TVAnouvelles
#50 Conjured Up A Last-Minute Dress For Halloween And I Am So Proud Of These Pockets! (Self-Drafted)
Image credits: CarbonChic