Sewing or Fabric Tag?

If you don’t like the word “fashion”, some of the artsy-type places I’ve worked at or volunteered at in the past, have used the term “wearables” to include clothing and accessories and jewelry. (Although one place did regularly sponsor a “Trashion Show” where artists would show off wearables made entirely from recycled stuff.)

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Whoa! Lots of interesting ideas and comments. One big thing, actually a couple, comes to mind reading over these. We were so conditioned to be overloaded with tags and such on the old site because we needed them due to the way it was set up. It’s okay to be free here. Lol! Let it all hang out!

Sometime, I think, we need to think of the function, for lack of better word, of the project. Did you sew a tote bag? Yes, but the function is to hold stuff aka purses, totes… I know that using accessories for masks may seem a bit frivolous but at this time it will more than likely stay.

Prayer flags, that is a hard one. I immediately go to hand stitch but as MJ pointed out they can be made other ways so really, those are a kind of listen to your heart.

I am trying to think of something sewn that can’t go into another category or tag. That being said, we are always the-evaluating (seriously, weekly, sometimes daily) to add new tags that will make the site easier and grow.

Give us a chance to look around and take your suggestions. I know I personally love when you guys come up with new ideas. It helps so much and really brings us together, making this site a true community.

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Also, I love the idea of wearable. That is great!!!

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Look at quilting. Thats a tag, but there are quilted bags, mug rugs, prayer flags, pillows, table runners, jackets…

Knitting and crocheting cover lots of wearable, home decor, toy, etc categories too.

Ok, now l am getting dizzy.

So it seems sewing would be an ok tag as well.

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It is okay if you want to put a kitted scarf in fashion instead of fiber or vice versus. Put it where you want to. Seriously guys, have fun and craft. It is okay to put stuff where you you think it fits.

If you quilt a mug rug and want to put it in home decor instead of fiber. Cool! You picked the function over how you made it. Both are okay.

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Also, like I said in the previous post we are constantly evaluating the site and listening to your suggestions. There are a million different ways to post one project, we know that. We are looking at that. We are listening to you.

Can you give specific sewn items that would not fit into a category we have now? I am seeing pouches, prayer flags, quilts, Sleeping masks as suggestions.

Please think specific about this.

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As a maker, I look for categorization based on what the craft is, not the end product. a garment or a cushion or an ornament can be made from fabric, yarn, leather, vinyl, etc. To me, as the crafter, the end product matters less than the craft itself. I can make anything, the end result is far less interesting than the process.

I prefer categories such as:
Yarn with subcategories for weaving, knit, crochet, macrame, etc.
Sewing with subcategories for quilting, wearables, housewares, bags, etc.

The first 4 categories that were chosen to be listed here most usually leave me scratching my head about where to best put my creations. The animal icons and colour coding are cute and I applaud the effort, it’s obvious there was a lot of thought and excitement in the initial design of the site but after using it for a while that just seems overly confusing to me, to be honest.

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Thank you! We love getting different perspectives like this. It is great to see how other members view things. Honestly, my brain is completely opposite of yours. Lol! That’s why we are so rad! Coming to the same place with different ideas.

I just thought of a sewing specific thing:
Question and discussion about how to see something that isn’t clothing. This would be a big one for me because I do not sew very well and would love help.

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I have a question about tags, because I haven’t tried this yet… If I make a crocheted purse, and I add it to the bags & wallets, can I add a crochet tag to it? Because I’d like to put it in bags, but I’d like people who are searching for crocheted items to be able to find it. Or, if I put it into crochet, can I tag it as a bag?

I feel that sewing, quilting, crochet, etc. are techniques that people use to make a wide variety of items, so it feels like sewing should have a tag.

I confess that I tried not to let my sewing brain have hurt feelings when there was a “section” for quilting under fiber and textile, but not one for sewing (as if people who sew but don’t quilt don’t count). There were other broad techniques included (crochet, knitting, weaving, etc.) but the sewing technique was left out completely. :cry:

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I totally get this. Sewing was my first ever craft, and in many ways is still what I would consider my ‘core’ craft. Over the years I too have felt like it was overlooked as a major craft category both here and on Deadster. Some stitchers sew quilts, clothing, bags, and just about everything else under the sun, while others might focus on one particular thing. Sewing itself is such a major category of all crafting. Let’s be honest, most of us use “I’m going to Joann’s”, “I’m going to the fabric store,” and “I’m going to the craft store” interchangeably.

I wonder if part of the root of that feeling left out, was that when Craftster was started during the beginning to the craft renaissance, Knitting/Stitch & Bitch was The In Craft. It was getting so much publicity as an almost act of rebellion. But sewing didn’t get that same media focus, even as things like Modern Quilt Guilds became such a big thing within the craft community.

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If you want specific things to put under Sewing…

Flags, kites, and windsocks
How-to/Sewing questions
Patching and Mending
Quilting
Appliqué
Covers and Containers
Wearables
General/misc (including things like kanzashi flowers, placemats and mug rugs,etc)

This probably is NOT the best list :slightly_smiling_face: but maybe could help communicate the vision.

I think the main thing, though, is that people who sew feel most deeply connected to the over-arching category of fiber and textiles. That’s where they feel their projects truly belong, rather than trying to figure where else their projects “could be put”.

Edited to add that I love @craftADDchick’s Idea of multi-tagging. Not sure if the site setup is capable of that, but it would probably totally solve the problem, if so.

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Yes! Thank you! This is great!

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I used to do some free motion-type sewing pieces on my regular non-embroidery machine as another example. I never knew where to put the finished product. Even if I turned it into something else that made it fit in fashion or decor, my instinct was always to put it under “sewing.”

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As someone who mainly sews, it would be awesome to hop on and look at sewing projects for inspiration. If you knit, crochet, cross stitch, etc you have a board with that specific craft. But sewing is all over the place.

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Oh! This is an interesting point, and I am so glad you mentioned this. You are a seasoned and highly-talented maker. I think this might be the instance with a few other replies here as well, so I would love to expand upon this a bit.

If possible, I would love for everyone to pause and please also try to consider the site through the lens of a brand new-to-DIY crafter as well. I think, sometimes, the variance might be in that lens. Pam, Racky or myself might reorganize the site totally different, if it were to our personal preference. But we have to support not only seasoned crafters, but those entirely new to the DIY world as well. We actively have to remind ourselves to remove any personal connection we have to our own projects, and to consider the overall member base and even readers that are not yet members.

Each category has a description list of projects types that live within it. Could you expand upon which areas are confusing? Is it possible they are not viewable from how you are viewing the site?

The initial design of the site was less based on cute and more based upon research and functionality. The cute was indeed quite fun, though. :slight_smile: For the initial design, I referenced past Cster emails/feedback, trending DIY topics for the current 2-year span, traffic statistics from our old boards and tags, sponsor opportunities, feedback from admins of other currently-thriving forums and DIY sites, and the outline of crafts in general.

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I want to note that I was personally over awed by the amazing Lettuce craft site! And in such a short time. The care and thoughtfulness and fun are wonderful. This discussion on categories and tags just points out how diverse we can be.

I dabble in lot’s of different crafts and like everyone else sometimes have a hard time finding the perfect category or tags for my latest creation. Nothing stands alone, it borrows or uses from every other craft and technique out there.

But my little sewing heart (as several have mentioned) has always felt left out.

BTW have you ever noticed how many snarky sewing memes there are? Just sayin’

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I love your little sewing heart. :heart: I appreciate all of your input! And snarky sewing memes. :laughing:

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Specifically, where should a mini art quilt fit? Since there is not a sewing specific category it could go into art, decor, fiber/textile. I get it, people can choose where best they think it fits and some like that flexibility while others might feel their project doesn’t really fit anywhere.

Prayer flags are almost always sewn with added embellishments. I think the odd crocheted or woven prayer flag might end up in another category but the fabric based ones are in the same situation as a MAQ.

I am sewing a pouch for some seed packets, it’s not fashion but that’s where like items are listed currently. That feels inaccurate so I could choose fiber or maybe textile. Again, it doesn’t really fit anywhere specific.

It’s a perspective thing. There are those who think in terms of “fashion”, “textile”, “decor”, “fiber”. Others might think more in terms of “yarn”, “sewing”, “clay”. I think about where to put a project I’ve created in much the way I think to do an internet search, when I want something made of crochet, that’s the word I put into the search bar along with whatever the item is (pizza, sweater, Cthulhu), I wouldn’t get a very accurate search result with the key words “pizza fashion”, “sweater textile” or “Cthulhu decor”. Or maybe I would, I will have to test that and see.

I did think about the design of the site in terms of a viewer rather than how most of us here now use it, as makers. I appreciate there is a balance being striven for, you can’t please everybody no matter what you do, that’s for sure. That said, I hear a strong call for a sewing category and I know I would appreciate it.

ETA: OH! Pizza Fashion makes for a GREAT google search! Haha, fun.

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I mean, even the word “sewers” can have a nasty, unintended meaning! And when I type “sew” or “sewing”, it DOES keep getting auto-corrected to “see” and “seeing”… Feels like sewing just can’t get any respect, you know? :laughing:

By the way, I appreciate that you shared with us, the kind of research that went into building the categories. That’s cool, and I know everyone worked very hard to make LC the thriving, wonderful community it is!

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