After eight years, Sewcialists is saying goodbye!
We absolutely adore this community we’ve built, and we are so grateful for all the volunteers and readers like you who have made it possible. But eight years is a long time to run a sewing blog, and we need a break.
When will Sewcialists finish?
We plan to host our final theme month, All Butts Welcome, and then spend June rounding up our favourite posts. Our relaunch in 2017 began in mid-June, so June seems like an appropriate time to come to an end.
What will happen with the blog and Instagram?
The blog will still be here, with all our past content. Our Instagram account will go dormant too, but you never know, we might pop on there from time to time if there is something really important to share.
Will Sewcialists ever come back?
Never say never! Sewcialists was founded in 2013 by a bunch of friends, and we ran it for two years before stepping back for a break. During that break, I (Gillian) was an Editor on the Curvy Sewing Collective. I came back to Sewcialists with a fresh focus on intersectionality and identity, which we have continued for three or more posts a week for the last four years. It’s totally possible that Sewcialists will come back in a different way in the future!
Why is Sewcialists shutting down?
Running this blog and the Instagram account takes a team of 15-20 volunteers, and it is a lot of organization and management behind the scenes. Planning theme months, finding guest authors, writing posts and getting them edited is just the start… then there are Instagram feed and stories, emails, replying to comments, and always moving on to the next big thing! We all have day jobs and families, and Sewcialists is a pretty time-intensive hobby that leaves little time for actually sewing.
The great news is that the sewing community is a very different place than it was even four years ago! When we relaunched Sewcialists in 2017, our big focus was the Who We Are series, which explored how identities like age, size, skin colour, ability, and nationality affect our sewing experience. Those discussions weren’t happening widely in the sewing community back then, but now they are everywhere! We feel happy wrapping up knowing that we’ve played our small part.
But don’t leave yet! We have two more months of content coming your way, and we are determined to go out with a bang, not a whimper. Stay tuned!
Gillian is a cofounder of the Sewcialists. She loves cats, colours, and sewing communities, and blogs at craftingarainbow.com.
I’m so sorry you are leaving. I have learned so much reading your blog. Best of luck with your new adventures, and thanks once gan. You have made a big difference in my outlook on life in general, as well as on my sewing. The lessons I have learned from your blog will stay with me for ever.
Thank you so much Célinie, it’s a sad time indeed, and your comments are really valued as the main aim of the Sewcialists was to educate and inform whilst creating a vibrant community of practice. Thank you again!
The Sewcialists has built such an incredible community and has fostered incredible conversations. Thank you so much for everything you’ve all shared and for leaving the blog live for people to use the resources!
Thank you, there’s so much valuable information and it’s nice to know that people will reference it into the future.
You’ve done so much to share different stories and perspectives on our shared hobby—thank you always, for everything! I guess I had better start planning for all butts welcome!
You have done a lot of good! Thank you! You will be missed.
Thank you so much!
I found out about this place about 3 years ago. I’ve read posts and comments that gave an angle on issues in the sewing world (life in general, actually) that I’d never have thought of. Things like biases, exclusions, and wrong assumptions based on size, race, age, abilities, gender… And then there was the actual sewing information to boot. I had no idea there were so many people volunteering behind the scenes. Thank you all, and enjoy your well deserved break.
Thank you for the lovely comment Gail!
Have appreciated reading about fitting issues for all shapes and bodies…plus getting some AHA moments as well. Thank you for all of your efforts…
Responding on behalf of the Sewcialists team: Thank you so much Marie!
Thanks for all you’ve done with this!
Thank you so much!
It always surprises me that many people don’t seem to understand how much energy it takes to keep a blog active and relevant. You have done a spectacular job and I will surely miss the inspiration! That being said, I wish you all many blessings and some much needed rest and time to explore your personal goals! Thanks so much for your hard work💕
Thank you so much for this heartwarming comment, Marie!
Thanks for your service to the sewing community it’s very much appreciated.
And each and every one of our followers has been appreciated along the journey too. Thank you!
This is sad news, but I understand needing a break.
Thank you!
Thank you for building and maintaining this precious, precious space in which we could show up as our whole selves. This space has been a safe space to discuss identity, intersectionality, abilities, and health in the very best way. While I will miss you, taking good care of ourselves is essential.
Thank you for this very insightful comment.
So much love to all of you. Thank you for leading the way in creating a caring and fiercely inclusive community.
Thank you so much Allie, such a lovely comment!
Thank you for everything you’ve done, everything you’ve taught us about. People forget just how much work goes on behind the scenes of a blog. Here’s to more time to sew! 🙂
Thank you for the thoughtful comment, and it’s lovely to know that we are leaving a lasting legacy.
Thank you all for taking the time to share the amazing stories of sewists all around the world of every shape, ability, race and nationality.
thank you Abbey, it’s been so lovely to have you all follow along with us.
Gutted to hear this but completely understand your reasons. This has been one of my favourite blogs over the last couple of years as you come up with such a great mixture of fun, interesting and often thought provoking content which many would shy away from discussing or highlighting.
I’ve rarely commented but please know I have thoroughly appreciated it all. Wishing you all a well deserved rest and all the best for your sewing and future endeavours.
Forgot to add the obvious: thank you!!
Thank you so much for this lovely comment Jo, and it’s very heartening to hear that we have been one of your favourite blogs and why.
Thankyou Sewcialists! You have got me sewing again after years of dormancy. My (adult) kids and their kids are now all wearing home made clothes ☺️
Best wishes,
Sarah
That’s a wonderful and heart warming outcome, thank you Sarah!
OH NO, I can’t believe this is ending when I just found you today! And, on top of that, I am writing an ethnography for my Anthropology class that will research sewing groups. I am so sad! ;(
Well don’t worry, we have 3 posts a week for the last four years, so that’s… 600 posts? Ought to keep you busy 😉 Give us a shout at Sewcialists@gmail.com if we can help with your ethnography at all!
Literally just got here 15 minutes ago via the article Menswear Patterns for Women. Bummed to find you’re shutting it down. Grateful there’s loads of content to explore and will be able to continue to do so. Thank you for your many contributions.
I’m kinda sad to read this. Although I fully understand how draining it can be to pour yourself into something like this. It’s something I struggle with on a daily basis.
What you’ve built here is truly valuable. The 2017 relaunch is something that I’ve always looked at with a sort of puzzled envy and sheer amazement and admiration of how you managed to build a real community.
That takes a lot of work and commitment, and that you’re doing it with a loose-knit team of volunteers only adds to my respect for what y’all accomplished.
So thank you for everything you’ve done, and (once this month wraps up) enjoy a well-deserved break.
love
joost
Thank you for all you efforts. You have been a class act every step of the way. Having blogged since ’07, I appreciate all of your hard work and I address that to all who have participated in this major group effort. Thank you to all.
oh no but thankyou for all your great post so sad :((
Oh No! I just discovered you today, the middle of October 2021. I will have to start at the beginning and savor your blog posts as they come.