Project Runway could see a whole new wave of competitors if the recent sewing trend continues to, well, surge.

Sewing is the craft du jour, the New York Times reports. Sewing classes are growing, sewing social networks (yes, they exist—check out BurdaStyle or Pinterest) are gaining new members, and sewing machine sales are booming. They are expected to exceed three million in the U.S. in 2012, double what was sold per year more than a decade ago.

“What once was considered a womanly task is now a way of defining oneself,” says Patti Gilstrap, a Brooklyn store owner who offers intro alteration and skirt-making classes. “Students don’t want to reproduce something from Target or Walmart. They want to make something that is unique to them.”

And here we thought we were doing well sewing buttons on shirts. Now, where did we store those McCall’s patterns? We’ve got some serious catching up to do.

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