It happens. You make something awesome, and you’re dying to share it online with your community. Maybe you were inspired by something someone else posted and made your own version. That happened to me, and it got me thinking about our creative online spaces; why we share, why we hesitate, and the emotional weight it can carry.

I recently replicated the fabric and silhouette of a woman’s mother’s 1970s large-print floral wedding dress. More on that in a minute.

This is the original social media post of a lady’s mother’s wedding dress that inspired my fabric and dress.

The Negative.

Putting art online takes courage. You can get a hundred kind comments, and the few negative ones still sting. They often come from someone with a fake name and a pet for a profile photo. I’ve had a dress called tasteless, received unsolicited advice, and even body remarks. Those are the worst.

What I’ve learned is this: trolls are not in my arena. They may have never sewn a thing. They aren’t building community. If you respond with “ouch,” they’ll remind you it’s “just their opinion.” These days, I don’t respond. Usually, someone else in the thread handles it.

Sewing groups can also have comparison culture. That can mess with your head if you’re not grounded. Beginners, especially, can feel intimidated. And yes, people can copy your work without credit, even big companies. I once saw a replica of one of my very unique dresses in a Shein ad in my Facebook feed.

I saw this same dress I designed in a Shein ad. 2022

Sharing can also be an energy drain, answering questions you already explained or things people could easily look up.

The Positive.

You may find your people. These groups are full of sewists who truly appreciate handmade work. Add the town you’re from, and you might even make real life friends.

I’ve learned so much, pattern history, fit, construction, fabric sourcing, and connected with people who’ve made the same patterns. There’s nothing better than someone pulling out the 50-year-old dress they made and sharing it with you. It energizes your sewjo.

Other posts can deeply inspire you. That floral wedding dress I mentioned? I shared my inspired version in the GASP Vintage Pattern Archives group and tracked down the original poster. I wrote to tell her how much her mother’s dress inspired me. That’s the good part of the internet.

Such a sweet responce and a great feeling from the original poster.

Nerdy sewing details:

I added long sleeves, omitted the center skirt seam, left off the collar to echo the original, and made the shorter version. I’m short, I sit in a rolling chair, and I crawl around on the floor at work all day. Maxi length isn’t practical for my life. If I owned a dress shop, maybe. Someday.

In almost every case, the positive outweighs the negative.

The trolls will keep trolling. The copycats will keep copying. But the makers? We’ll keep making.

Share your work anyway. Be the one who encourages. Be the one who welcomes. That’s how creative communities stay alive.

Behind the scenes~

Something new is coming… and it might be one of my favorite things I’ve ever made.

I’ve been working on this in between appointments, and it feels really special.

I’m not sharing what it is just yet… but I’d love to hear your guesses 👀

Hint: it’s meaningful 💛

Maker photo gallery.

Thank you for reading,

Tracy McElfresh

Dream it! Sew it!

Tracy McElfresh
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