Sew What?

[Subdeacon Joe]

1909.

 

 

[South-Eye Ned]

No doubt there’s a corset under all that.  Btw, Butterick still makes sewing patterns.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Back when women still sewed.
I read somewhere that men regard a woman as more feminine if she is seen sewing.
Mom used to take us over to high school band practice, she'd sit and wait on us, more often than not she'd take socks to darn or other small sewing jobs.

It irritated my little brother terribly that the guys would flock around her:  "Hi, Mom, what'cha doin'?" and she'd look up with a big grin and tell 'em she was darning or replacing buttons and then she'd say "See, like this," and they'd bend over with their palms on their kneecaps, studying the swift magic of a woman's fingers and a steel needle towing thread through material, and they would collectively marvel.

[Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795]

Other than a hobby, sewing is basically non-existent anymore. Some of the ladies on here exempted of course. My wife hated to sew as her home-ec teacher really soured her on it in high school. She will only do it on occasion. Myself, I've been known to do a few buttons at times

[Trailrider #896]

Fifty-three years ago, on our first anniversary, I bought my wife a Sears sewing machine.  It has served me very well since then! I use it for odd jobs, including hand-cranking it through very thin layers of leather and cloth!   She has never touched it!  I learned to sew about five years of age.  Just simple stitches, for repairing stuff...nothing fancy.

[Cactus Jack Calder]

I learned to sew on a machine at about 5 years also. My Mom was making a dress and I must have pestered the heck out of her so she taught me to operate her Nechi. As time went on she enjoyed teaching me to sew more complicated pieces. 
 

When I went on active duty in the US Navy our ship had a tailors shop but no tailors. The machines sat unused. I was an Electricians Mate, but I asked if I could access the tailors shop. No dice, so I bought a portable machine and set up shop in the Lighting Shop after hours. I repaired torn dungarees, sewed on patches and tailored regulation dress uniforms for that sexy form fitting look. I never had to look for work once the word got out to the crew I had more work than I could handle sometimes.

 

When I returned home from active duty, my wife found out I knew how to sew. She didn’t, so that became my job. I made her some cloths from patterns. I believe it was a Butterick pattern I used.

 

CJ

[Finagler 6853 Life]

I learned to sew at my mother's knee, literally.  On a Singer treadle machine no less.   Butterick and Simplicity were common names at our house.   If something needs to be sewn around our house, I get the honors.  Wife won't touch it.  Buttons, seams, hems, pleats, elastic, darts, notches, etc.  Inseams, outseams, single stich, double stitch, top stitch, french seam, chain stitch, lock stitch.  Needle gauge, thread size and grade.   Came in handy for work as well.  Learned to develop and make patterns, sew on industrial grade sewing machines and do upholstery.  If anyone in the family needs a backpack, tent, boat cover fixed, they come and see Uncle Finagler.

One of my favorite stories to tell visitors as they go through our sewing shop.  In high school sewing class, there was always someone (girl) that would get their finger stuck by the needle of the machine.  Quite painful I'm sure but it was just a needle stick.  With our industrial machines, those will do complete stiches.  Sew your finger to the work piece.  It doesn't happen very often but when it does, everyone knows about it.

In the US the majority of sewers are female.  In Mexico and other countries it is about 50/50, female/male.  Just something about gender roles in the workplace that is unique to the US.

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

Copper Queen still sews lots of gowns and alters all the clothing she buys. Worked in a courtier shop to pay her way through the first few years of college. The Delineator magazine advertised in the photo was the Absolute Bible on clothing, manners, etc. etc. of the age. CQ has a few years worth of them. They are extremely rare and valuable. She uses them for costume judging and designing.

[MizPete]

I'd love to get my hands on some of those old patterns.  I sewed A LOT for several decades  but nowadays most of what I do is altering & mending.  It's too hard to find decent fabric at reasonable prices these days.

[Subdeacon Joe]

29 minutes ago, MizPete said:

I'd love to get my hands on some of those old patterns.  I sewed A LOT for several decades  but nowadays most of what I do is altering & mending.  It's too hard to find decent fabric at reasonable prices these days.

 

Ain't that the sad and sorry truth!  Are there even mill ends stores anymore?  In my early 20s and into my 30s I'd go in and buy bolts of cotton/wool blends, or wool/poly blends for under a buck a yard.  Did a lot of sewing for SCA and sewed a few square dance dresses for my ex.    

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129]

My wife teaches Sewing to the Ladies in Northern Uganda, when we go there pretty much each year for the last Dozen years ... With the exception of 2020 the Covid Year ....

I teach Welding and over-see various Building Projects ...  And fix the sewing machines needing repair .

 

Both of us know our way around a Sewing Machine, I started on a Singer treadle ...

 

Jabez Cowboy 

[Finagler 6853 Life]

1 hour ago, MizPete said:

I'd love to get my hands on some of those old patterns.  I sewed A LOT for several decades  but nowadays most of what I do is altering & mending.  It's too hard to find decent fabric at reasonable prices these days.

A couple months ago, I watched my mom, now 95, sorting through a box of patterns that had to date back to the 60s. I'll see if she still has them and what she plans to do with them.

[MizPete]

3 hours ago, Finagler 6853 Life said:

patterns that had to date back to the 60s.

Thanks, but I probably also have some dating back to the 60s when my Mom was sewing for me.  I meant the ones in the picture - could use them for shooting in today.

[South-Eye Ned]

My grandmother used to work as a cottage-industry dressmaker; meaning, she made evening gowns for the wealthy ladies of Memphis.  She still didn’t make much money at it.