Sewer vs. Sewist

Merriam-Webster cites the first usage of the word "sewer" meaning "one that sews" in the 14th Century.

Photo: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, M-W.com

This may be opening a can of worms, but I'm curious. How do Threads readers refer to themselves in terms of their sewing hobby? Are you a "sewer" or a "sewist"?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and others, the first known use of the word "sewer" to mean "one that sews" occurred in the 14th century. Over time, a variety of terms have evolved to describe those who sew garments. Sewer remains the dominant term, but sewist (combining "sew" with "artist") appears to be gaining popularity, especially among sewing bloggers.

It may seem like a newfangled word created merely to provide a hip label, but the earliest printed usage of sewist was in 1964 in Annals of Science, Volume 18, published by the British Society for the History of Science (although it was not used in a positive light). "Sewist" does not yet have an entry in any dictionary, but when has that prevented a word from being adopted into common usage?

Many people who sew dislike the word "sewist". The reasons I've read and heard vary, but most seem to strongly believe it to be a non-word and a hack-job on the English language. But language is in a constant state of evolution. New words and terms are coined and adapted to help us describe various aspects of our rapidly expanding cultures, societies, and technologies.

Perhaps the sticking point for the anti-"sewist" sewing population is simply that a term describing people who sew is already in widespread usage. Do we need another one?

Those who prefer "sewist" might argue that they do, even if you don't. Perhaps "sewist" infers a more contemporary approach rather than a traditional one? There is also the close resemblance in writing between "sewer" and a word of the same spelling that means "a subterranean conduit that carries off sewage." "Sewist" at least can't be mistaken for that word.

Luckily, there's room for us all, whether we identify as "sewers" or as "sewists". We all love to create through sewing.

How do you describe yourself as a person who sews and a sewing enthusiast? Are you a sewer or a sewist?

Stephani Miller, associate editor
Posted on Oct 11th, 2012 in sewing, sewing, sewer, sewist

Comments (19)

Musicat writes: I agree with Serral. I've always used the word seamstress. Sewer is too easy to confuse with the word of another meaning and sewist sounds silly to me. I've been around long enough that I'll just stick with what I've always been.
Posted: 6:11 pm on October 25th

BJ_sews_on writes: Seamstress, sewer... and now sewist! I'll take any of them as long as I can keep sewing. This argument reminds me of an old art school debate on whether crafts were really art. Artists often felt that anything that wasn't an original creation couldn't be described as art.

So often, we put our own creative spin on an idea we've seen and it evolves into something new. That's the best part of being a sewing artist, so I'll accept sewist as another apt way to describe what we do.
Posted: 9:49 am on October 19th

Djonee writes: Honestly this is the first time Ive read the term Sewist. Though im living in modern times, there something to be said about historical terms..I like seamstress,and sewer .And i too like the motto @trixienoe.
Posted: 3:56 pm on October 17th

georgiana writes: I really dislike the word sewist. Fabric artist is much better. I don't know how anyone can mistake sewer (one who sews) with sewer (drain). One has to look at the context of the sentence.
Posted: 5:23 pm on October 16th

bakertoo writes: I like sewer. I like the medieval origins of the word. It can have the unfortunate similarity to the drain analogy, and I kind of think that is funny, a little fun word play! I have an annoucement from a gallery near me that I have tacked to my cork board above my sewing table, that is for a fabric artist, having a show of her stuff, and it simply says Sewer, in black letters on a dingy grey background! It makes me smile when I look at it, and I like that it reminds me of the way we define ourselves and how we can break out of the box a word or a term can enclose us in. Sewist is fine too, and I don't think just because it isn't an official word and not in a dictionary, it should be disregarded. Language evolves with us and by us, and it takes to a new place in defining who we are. It makes me think of the first quilters, who took the quilt to a new place beyond the utilitarian, and made quilting an art form. That was a hard sell to people(I would say mostly men at the time), but it is a given now-art quilts are the norm. And I think I like seamstress too! I guess I like anyway a person defines themselves, as long as they keep on sewing!
Posted: 10:54 am on October 16th

Serral writes: My grandmother was a professional seamstress. I like the word because it connects me to the history of the craft that I continue to learn. Historically sewing guilds were considered valuable craftspeople. The artistry of good sewing, regardless of the final product, has always been evident.

We don't call master carpenters a new name despite the evolution of new tools and techniques so why do i need "sewist"? The sewist term seems part of a linguistic trend that includes the redundant and increasingly ubiquitous "istic" and "esque".
Posted: 5:37 am on October 16th

wolfkit writes: I have a problem when anybody puts an 'ist' or an 'ism' on the end of any word. It makes them look like the narrow minded extremists that most people are who use these terms to describe themselves.
Posted: 3:04 am on October 15th

Trixienoe writes: While reading recently I happened across a very old word for seamstress, or one who sews...Sempstress. I like it! My Motto: "Yes I sew, No I don't fix broken zippers or hem pants. I'm an Artist".
Posted: 8:41 pm on October 14th

kathyann writes: I can understand the issue people have with "sewer," but I'm with elizabethdee above who says "sewist" seems too self conscious. If I were to tell my kids I was a sewist, they'd roll their eyes at me, and most people I know wouldn't know what I was talking about. When someone asks about my hobbies, I tell them "I like to sew clothes."
Posted: 3:42 pm on October 14th

beadfisher writes: Seamster. I like it that it sounds like a rough tough teamster rather than a wistful wishy washy sewist.

Posted: 7:23 pm on October 13th

ReontheRoad writes: I like sewist. It's modern and as kmarsden says, it is good way of combining and describing one's skills as an artist who sews.

As a free-lance writer for several sewing publications, I do to use the word sewer, but hate typing and seeing it in print. I automatically think smelly, stinky. I do proudly state that 'I am a person who sews' and of course, if someone asked if I were a sewer, the non-smelling kind, I always answer yes!
Posted: 4:38 pm on October 13th

user-2130114 writes: Seamster.
Posted: 3:59 pm on October 13th

kellybird1954 writes: Simple - I sew, she/he sews, they sew. It's easy to conjugate conrrectly and there is no question about what is being done.

Sewist sounds contrived and sewer can be misread.
Posted: 3:52 pm on October 13th

NancyinA2 writes: I use "seamster." I really dislike "sewist." Maybe "sewwer"?

Posted: 3:05 pm on October 13th

Juleo writes: I'm with @elizabethdee on this one. I refer to myself as someone who sews, never a sewer. I'm interested in the word 'sewist' though, I wouldn't mind seeing it catch on but for the moment it feels too new and contrived for me.
Posted: 2:05 pm on October 13th

elizabethdee writes: I don't like either word. "sewer" is too easily misread for its other meaning, and. "sewist" sounds (to me, this is just a very individual reaction) self-conscious . And no way am I a fabric artist. I prefer to rephrase: I sew, she sews, a group of people who sew.
Posted: 12:49 pm on October 12th

Sewinator writes: I like Sewist. When I write the word Sewer, it always reminds me of a drain, and not a good smelling drain. The drain that runs off the house and carries away household waste is also known as a sewer.

I am a Sewist, or a fabric artist.
Posted: 12:21 pm on October 12th

2boys2dogs writes: I prefer sewer over sewist, but I wouldn't use either to describe what I do. We used to use seamstress, but I'm not fond of that either - seems a bit old fashioned and geared towards someone who sews just clothing. I actually think we need another term to describe what we do - fabric artist? textile artist? There has to be something better.
Posted: 10:47 am on October 12th

kmarsdenjohnson writes: I like the idea of sewist, an artist who sews. What is the definition of seamstress?
Posted: 7:15 pm on October 11th

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