Sewing has been part of my life since I was 10
years old, beginning, like many of us, by sewing doll clothes. From the first stitch on my mom’s old black
Singer featherweight, I was hooked! I
loved the whole creative process, from selecting my fabric and pattern to
seeing it come to life under the machine, and usually, I would not stop until I
at least knew what my new outfit would look like. I
sewed every spare minute I had, many times neglecting studies and home chores.
I gobbled up fabric faster
than my mom could buy it for me. Remember
crimpolene, that indestructible 100% polyester fabric? I could not wait for the $1.99 a yard sale at
K-Mart so I could spend my hard earned babysitting money on a new outfit. And back in my day, babysitters only made 75
cents an hour, so it took a lot of work to save enough money for a new project.
Another great source of
fabric was my mom’s old clothes. Her
long wool skirts became fashionable mini skirts, her velvet suit was converted
into a funky vest with pants and the belt morphed into a cool choker to wear
with my yellow bubble blouse.
But sewing has changed
radically over the last 25 years. Clothes are less fitted. We have wonderful computerised sewing machines
to make a perfect stitch at the touch of a button. Embroidery machines expand our creativity with
embellishments made easy, and don’t forget the serger that gives the inside of
our clothing that factory made look. Can
you believe there are even machines with a small camera that will feed fabric through
and guide it straight without you even touching it! It’s amazing!!!
Sew…. All you soon-to-be-retired
baby boomers, think about getting into sewing as a hobby to help keep you out
of hubby’s hair. He has his woodworking
equipment, you may as well have some cool toy as well. You can sew for yourself or your family, make
items for your home or try quilting. Sewing
has many aspects to it, not just clothes. So much new is out there, especially if you
have not checked out this wonderful art since high school Home Ec class. Give
sewing another chance!!!
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