My name is Million and I am here to take you on a journey from the concept to the completion of various design and sewing projects. The purpose of this blog is to reestablish a connection between modern fashion influences and time-honored garment making skills.

Sewing is a practice which compliments sustainable living. Custom-made clothing yields far less waste than mass produced factory goods, which usually results in some amount of dead stock. Custom tailoring has become an ‘endangered’ art form as retail customers value convenience, and corporations view exponential profit to be the measure of success. We have immense power as consumers, especially in North America, and the choices we make directly impact the environment and our society. Learning to sew will improve your appreciation for fine work, ability to concentrate, manual dexterity, self-sufficiency, give you a sense of fulfillment as you master new tasks, and put you in charge of your own personal style.

The sad thing is, many of the most talented and knowledgeable people in this field may be gone in just a few decades, along with them centuries of innovative thought. It doesn’t help that the fashion industry has set a long-term precedent of hoarding knowledge in the interest of maintaining a high priesthood among a few select labels; even if the art becomes lost through secrecy. I have the utmost respect for anyone who is a master in design and/or apparel construction, however that is not limited to known brands. Lack of appreciation on the part of consumers is the driving force behind the shift toward automation: more schools are closing, quality fabric stores and onshore manufacturing are shutting down, leading to increased and ultimate dependence upon factory garments shipped long distances. If you don’t want or have time to sew for yourself then you could find someone locally who does sew and become a customer. With the information available on this site you could custom-design some clothes for yourself, test the pattern, then ask a local tailor to make it for you. If you choose to be that tailor yourself you will eventually be in great demand. For the record, I am also in support of industrial sewing workers and I try to incorporate the best methods from both worlds, but I greatly prefer to support clothing manufacturers who are still working in North America in order to prevent a situation of monopoly from destroying the market here.

You may be a beginner with little to no experience in design or sewing, or perhaps you are much more skilled. In fact you may be way more experienced than I am, and I welcome any constructive suggestions that you may wish to share. I hope you will enjoy the projects I am demonstrating, whether you choose to use the same methods or not. I have attempted to provide continuity throughout the process using photos from beginning to end, since the order of construction is important in creating a garment. For instance, you would not sew on the sleeves before the side seams on a dress. This blog is a work-in-progress. I am constantly striving to improve.

Thank-you for visiting The Silk Road. Don’t forget about me when you sail to America!

The photo on this page is reprinted courtesy of artist Jenn Fleming. All text and images on this website are copyrighted by Million McEachirn. This website is intended for the personal use of people who sew for themselves or for clients on a one-on-one basis. All unauthorized use of the text and/or images is prohibited, including: commercial use, derivative works, and re-posting on other websites without permission. Please contact me if you want to re-post any of the information I have published.