Sewing is an extremely precise art form. Cutting the fabric an inch short or ripping out the seams too many times entirely compromises the integrity of the item. Even though the art is traditionally exact, my approach to sewing has always been a little more unconventional. Instead of creating patterns and taking measurements, I let my ideas unfold at my machine.

 Growing up, I took weekly sewing lessons, where I had to create concrete goals and ideas for what I wanted to make. Often, I was urged to use pre-existing patterns or base my ideas on what my instructors thought was easy. While I’m grateful for these classes and the foundational skills I gained through them, they were often limiting. True creative freedom comes from just winging it.

 “Finding a piece of fabric in the middle of its story permanently changes its trajectory.”

 One project that comes to mind is a white lace skirt-and-top set I created for a family photo shoot a couple of years ago. I drafted a rough sketch of the outfit before purchasing fabric and thread, but I didn’t create a pattern or have an exact idea in my mind.

 Throughout the sewing process, I encountered several roadblocks. Late one night, in a delirious state, I sewed the skirt shut three times in a row, resulting in the tedious process of delicately picking thread apart from the dainty lace. Another day, after I tried shimmying into the skirt and it wouldn’t go on, I had to install a zipper, something I hadn’t initially accounted for. Just as I thought I was done with the project and tried it on for the final time, it felt a little loose. I added a bow to the top to secure it better, took in the skirt with a few darts and the outfit was finally ready to go.

 When I wore it to the photoshoot later that summer, my family and friends were unaware of the many setbacks I had gone through. They instead marveled that I had created it all on my own.

 The zipper, bow and darts were never meant to be there. While some might see these additions as errors, I don’t think it’s possible to make mistakes when sewing. Minor missteps lead to invention, and improvising while sewing is vital.

 The reason I love to sew is because it’s an opportunity for me to create without inhibition. Mistakes allow for reinvention. The beauty of fashion and clothing is that they can always be reimagined. Finding a piece of fabric in the middle of its story permanently changes its trajectory.

 As I was rummaging through my closet in search of an outfit for the first day of senior year, I stumbled upon an old dress of my mom’s. It was a little large, and the ’90s print was a little intimidating, but with some minor adjustments, I transformed it into a breezy minidress.

 Sewing has a kind of honesty. Nothing stays exactly as it first appears — not fabric, not outfits, not plans. With a needle, some thread and a willingness to work through obstacles, everything has the potential to be transformed, even in the most unexpected ways.