Last weekend I was browsing the "Crafts and Hobbies" stacks at a used book store when I encountered a new-to-me hobby: sweatshirt embellishment. I had to work hard to stifle giggles as I browsed the several (yes, more than one!) books devoted to this topic.
Here's where I keep getting stuck on this topic: If a sweatshirt is too boring for you, then the answer is not to "add stuff to your sweatshirt." The answer is to wear something else.
I think the mistake lies in thinking of a sweatshirt as a blank slate which begs to be decorated. A sweatshirt is a baggy, drab, unappealing garment. This doesn't mean it needs more bling. It means that you probably shouldn't wear it outside the house unless you truly do not give a ****.
Sweatshirts frequently feature a raglan design, which makes both men and women look droop-shouldered and sad. The elastic at the cuffs and bottom hem makes the fabric blouse out in an unflattering fashion. The thick fabric tends to bunch and hang in a depressing fashion. And nothing says "I have given up on life" like wearing a garment which everyone knows only cost you about $8 at Walmart.
Given these numerous failings of the sweatshirt, dressing them up is a project destined for failure. There is no point to it. Best-case scenario, you end up wearing a "fancy sweatshirt." What good is that?
It would be one thing to add a little bit of embroidery to a cuff, or a few lines of Bedazzling. But these books have evidently decided to go for the gusto. The designs featured patches of brightly-patterned fabric, glitter thread all-over embroidery patterns, and - naturally - a kitty picked out in sequins. Wowser.
All I can say is, this is the frenemy of crafts: It only wants the worst for you.
Image courtesy Flickr/cobalt123
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