Friday, May 04, 2007

Oh, for the joy of sewing!
"The stitch is lost unless the thread be knotted" Italian proverb

"A stitch in time saves nine" American proverb

"Me thinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied.”
Written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, 1859


This week I helped a 5th grade class of girls do a craft project that involved sewing. I heard that some had sewn with Mother or Grandmother or Aunt but some had no experience or sewing mentor. I tried to challenge them to take up hand sewing.

Just think, almost every woman for maybe 6000 years has spent significant time sewing! Even queens, princesses, and the wealthiest women spent time with needle and thread. If they had no need to construct garments, tapestries or other fine embroidery was the women’s work.

Of course much time was also spent spinning and weaving or preparing animal hides. I have read that the cost of the fabric in time or trade far outweighed the expense of the time spent hand sewing. Clothing today is relatively inexpensive and that is good, but it is sad to think of the loss of skills. I honestly think there will be, or may already be, a resurgence of the textile crafts among young women. See the number of knitting books available in book stores these days! Just a few years ago I could not buy double pointed needles in my city. Now they are available even in the large craft stores!

All this thought inspired me to find a stack of quilt squares started some years ago and sew them together, with the machine!

8 comments:

gunnelsvensson said...

Yes Molly, I think you have so right! I newer sew my cloth anymore, I think it´s no idee, I can buy so cheap. And I think it´s much more fun to create other textile art. But it´s important to learn the young who to do. But it´s very fun to see how all that came back. My daughter want to sew to her child, but she has so little time..........and here in Sweden is so many youg women who knit. We have a lots of knitscafe.

And I have to say: I just LOVE the vintage card with the buttons! They are so very cute!!!

Beach Girl said...

Hi! :-)

Thank you for putting me on your link list. I'm so glad you like to come to Yahweh's Retreat; I love coming here.

I wish we lived closer, as I could learn from you. I am so very textile impaired but absolutely love to knit (which I don't do well), would love to learn to sew w/o tears, wish I could quilt, and the list goes on. With the craziness of raising 3 boys alone, I don't have time to try to learn these things by myself. Maybe one day.....But, hey, I sing very well;that's where my artistic ability lies. :-)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Vanessa

Barbara said...

What a surprise! Are you a teacher? I am an elementary teacher! And i see a lot of things like you !

Jeanette Nord said...

Hi!
Thank you for commenting on my blog about my pictures. So glad you like them. I don`t live on a farm but my house has a small garden where I grow rubarb and unfortunately not much else. If you don`t count the weeds :-)

Sorry to say that I haven`t any felting to show you yet. I`ve had a trying time since our last contact. My parents very old house ( 1780) burnt down during easter.The whole family was there gathered for the holidays and we stood helpless and saw it burn to the ground. It`s going to be rebuildt but it`s so very sad anyway....

I`m planning to do a felt inspired by the old house. Hopefully I will have time to start in the weekend. When I`m finished you will be the first to know :-)

I would like to link your blog to mine. Is that okay with you?

I think you are so right about sewing. My youngest is very in to sewing but not many of her friends. Sad really.

Will look in again soon!

Jeanette

Jeanette Nord said...

I but a picture of one of my needle feltings on my blog. I haven`t done my parents house yet but hope to get started in the weekend.
Jeanette

molly jean said...

Jeanette,I am so sorry about your parents' home. I can't even imagine the loss you must feel!

I have a recent loss, not as devestating but still sad, when we had to sell my grandmother'a house and farm. But we did not loose everything in it! She had lived in for 65 years. She is 90 years old and still quilting but could not live so far from us all!

thank you for putting a link to my blog!

Jeanette Nord said...

Inspired by you I have started a second blog called Handmade ( jeanetteshandmadestuff.blogspot.com). I have linked you to that blog to. I hope thats okey.

Beach Girl said...

Hey Molly~

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY my sister in Christ!

Vanessa