A side hustle I learnt that i have never regretted to decision is tailoring. My mom has always been a tailor right from how youthful days because she learned how to sew when she got married to my dad. I guess I loved the way she makes my dresses and how she navigates the skill of sewing clothes in different styles.
From a tender age, i started using needle and threads to amend my clothes whenever they needed adjustments and I also used to sew baby doll wears back then. You can say that I got my skill by genetics. When I got to the university i wanted to focus on my education for the four years that my course was going to last for, but when I got to 200 level there was a strike by ASUU and this lasted for over 6 months.
This was when I took the opportunity to expand my knowledge in sewing rather than what I had Learned From My Mom. One thing I realizes that if you really want to focus and grow as a tailor you would have to leave your comfort zone and be somewhere that would discipline your brain to focus and learn independently.
During THIS strike, students had to return home because the cost of living in school when activities are shot down was expensive. When I got home, i discussed with my parents and I registered with a vocational center in my community back then. Or do because it was a free project by the community they didn't really take things seriously but I was able to learn the basics of sewing like pedaling of the Machine, using needle and thread to make outfits, running the machine to sew straight and curved lines and so on.
When did strike ended, we returned back to school and continueed the rest of our educational career till we graduated. Anytime I came home for the holiday i would just use my mom's machines to practice and make simple outfits for myself.
It was also a means to brag in school that I can sew and make clothes for myself. After our university education, it took me one year before I was mobilized for nysc which is a compulsory one year service to my country.
I didn't joke with this one year, as I also took the opportunity to register with a bubbling and popular tailor in my community. In doing these, i would wake up by 5:00 a.m. to prepare breakfast for the family before I would head out to work by 7:00 a.m.. The place was so disciplined that you dare not come late as the madam would punish you.
I was able to learn more about sewing because customers would bring different materials ranging from laces, ankara, crape, chiffon, jeans and so many other materials. From this I learnt a lot of fashion skills like sewing of straight gown, breath pad, skirts, blouse, six pieces and so on.
This is definitely one skill I do not regret learning because it has saved me money on many occasions. There was one time i was far away from home, and could not access a sewing machine. I had no choice but to give my fabric to a tailor to sew for me when I got there i chose a simple Style and asked for the price i was surprised when she told me to pay 8,000 Naira for the dress.
In my mind i was so frustrated because if only I had a sewing machine this would not have been a problem for me and I would have spent nothing less than 1,800 naira for the buying of lining, thread, zip etc. I just had to bargain it down since I had no choice.
In conclusion, tailoring is my favorite side hustle.
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Side hustles or part-time jobs you’ve tried—what did you learn?"
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Keep flourishing ma'am.
Tailoring is a beautiful skill. It gives you the liberty to make and sew what you want the way you want it. No issue of daily doing this or that. It's a skill I admire when I see those doing it; and doing it well.