Fashion or Quilts?

 

Cut Fabric - Vest

Today a friend asked me if I had to choose between sewing only fashion and clothing or sewing only quilts what I would select. That would be a tough choice. There are pros and cons for both. I don't think I ever actually answered and I am sure I would not like to have to make that choice. 

Sewing clothing requires turning a flat piece of fabric into 3D art for the body. Sewing quilts allows many ways to create something artistic using scraps of fabric. They are both creative expressions and there are reasons to prefer either one. It seems to me if you sew clothing it only makes sense to quilt or create doll cloths. It uses left over scraps preventing waste of even very small remnants of fabric.  

The next question was whether it was easier or harder to make quilts or clothing. The truth is this is just a personal choice probably based on experience and interest. I find it harder to make quilts than to sew clothing. There are several reasons, for me probably being more experienced with clothing than quilts makes clothing easier. There are a few other reasons too. Both items require precise accuracy. Quilts have geometric angles that have to match and line up exactly on a flat surface. Clothing has to contour properly on the body with seams, fabric pattern matches and proper fit. 

Clothing has a few things though that make it easier than sewing a flat surface item. Sewing for a body requires darts, tucks, special cuts and gathers or easing to make a proper fit. These places to adjust for fit are just easier to sew than flat surfaces. Small mistakes in cutting, or sewing quilt pieces cause seams not to match and can even create areas that are puckered instead of smooth and flat. 

Do you sew clothing or quilts or both and if both, which do you think is easier and why? 

Quilt top pieced together