Three male sewists taking the world by storm and showing that sewing really is for everyone
Written by Rachel Bearn Rachel Bearn (she/her) is a Freelance Writer. She lives in the Cotswolds with her husband and two dogs where she is always sewing, knitting and making.
A GOOD READ
Sewing is having a resurgence. More and more people are starting to have a go at making their own clothes and for the first time in years, we are seeing men all over picking up the hobby. We chat to three male sewists who have been having a big impact on the sewing community.
Tony Rea (@tonyr.maker) is a 54-year-old postman living in North Cornwall with his wife and two daughters and one of this year’s Sewing Bee Finalists. “I’m a self-taught sewist, I started around four years ago when I took a gap year at the ripe old age of 50.” He says. “It was then I revisited my crafting and sewing seemed to come out on top!” And the reaction to becoming a sewist aged 50? “When people became more aware that I made my own things, to be honest they were very encouraging. I don’t think there is a typical male sewist mould, so it has been good to show that all men can sew.”
But it wasn’t until The Great British Sewing Bee that Tony really began inspiring other men to sew. “I have had a good number of men congratulate me on the show (after saying their wives/partners watch the show and they’d never seen it before) and a good number of them even say that they felt inspired to give it a go,” says Tony. “Of course, I say get on with it, it’s just another form of engineering and you get to use different power tools.”
ACCESSIBLE FOR MEN
Tony is now looking at ways to make sewing more accessible for men since being on GBSB. “I have been approached by some community groups to try and set up some men’s sewing groups, or pop-up takeovers of existing groups, so watch this space for that.”
Being a male sewist on the GBSB did have its challenges though, “before going on the Bee I hadn’t made any ladies clothes,” says Tony. “It was a real baptism of fire. My mantra was (and still is!) I don’t know what I can’t do until I’ve done it, this stood me in good stead, and I think I showed that.”
But a lack of male sewing patterns and sewing supplies designed with men in mind has been difficult for Tony. “Being a male sewist can be tricky. The number of patterns out there is very limited so you have to look closely at the ones that are out there to see how you can change them up
