I had a funny experience the other day. My daughter was trying to use my sewing machine, but little kids being little kids, was having a spot of trouble with it. I probably shouldn’t have left her unsupervised for the minute or so that I did–in that short amount of time she managed to get all sorts of fabric and thread hooked up in the foot, and my basket of fabrics was strewn all over the floor. But kids will More
Sewing: what does that word conjure up for you? For many people it – very sadly – arouses a vision of an old woman with a painful-looking hunch-back – come to think of it, I am yet to see one that isn’t painful-looking, but that’s not the point, so let us move on – but in fact, sewing isn’t just for old women with painful-looking hunch backs and a total lack of teeth. I say this because in the circle I sew in there are a number of people who you wouldn’t usually expect to see doing this actually highly fascinating hobby. One of them is featured in the Youtube video below, which goes to show you that not only are sew-ers of all different shapes and sizes, but many of them also love their exercise, too!
The problem with sewing is, of course, its image. Just as leather backgammon sets have always been associated with hardcore gamblers, sewing has always been associated with the old or those with nothing to do.
Yet the reality of the matter is that sewing forms the basis for many crafts and industries around the world. It’s no exaggeration to say that if sewing suddenly vanished off the face of the Earth tomorrow – perish that thought! – the world as we know it would come crashing down in a fury of confusion and horror.
Think about it: clothes, shoes, jackets, and even some plastics rely on sewing techniques. If sewing went the way of the Dodo then not only would Lady Gaga be in a very big heap of doo-doo – to which I doubt even she could smile her progressive smile – but manufacturers around the world would close down and be done for. Jobs would be lost, friendships would be un-done, relationships would be shattered. Indeed, it doesn’t bear thinking about, so please just stop thinking about it. Seriously, right this minute.
My prediction? Sewing is soon going big-time. I mean HUGE-TIME. Soon, very soon, some famous celebrity is going to start sewing – Nicole Kidman, maybe, or even better 50 Cent – and the whole world is going to follow and life will never be the same again. And once that happens I will finally be happy, knowing that sewing is here to stay.
Despite my predictions I have to say, though, that just in case it doesn’t happen for another 50 years I am not going to hold my breath…
Soon, very soon, some famous celebrity is going to start sewing – Nicole Kidman, maybe, or even better 50 Cent
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Weddings are complicated affairs and one of my best mates is getting married. The trouble is, both her and her husband are visual artists and they are always broke. This shouldn’t really be a problem, but she asked each of her friends to pitch in a bit so that she could reduce the cost and still have an event that reflected their aesthetics and their love. All of her friends got together at her house and we came up with a common strategy and theme for the wedding, that would enable us to create something magical.
We chose to go for a Monet inspired wedding. All of the colours would be chosen from a French Impressionist palette. Everything from printed tins with chocolates for brides maids to flower arrangements would be in the soft pinks, purples and greens of a Monet garden. The dress was a greater challenge because she had a limited budget, but wanted something special.
I started looking at dresses featured in different impressionist paintings and thought that Monet offered some simple lines that could be easily duplicated. I found the above image in a Monet painting and the bride absolutely loved it. The trick is to first go to a shop that sells drapery fabric. This is an interesting way to find cheaper fabrics that will have a nice line and fall to them, without having to spend out on expensive silks or brocades. Then, you will need to scour resources for period costuming either at the costume shop at your local theatre or university or online. If you have good connections, at this point, it might actually be worth borrowing a period dress instead of making one, but all brides tend to get carried away and have fantasies about having a family heirloom that their daughters will wear. Taking that into account, you want to simplify the lines of the dress as much as possible, and focus on creating the highest quality stitching so that the dress will stand the test of time. The dress above is perfect. It can be broken down into simple elements that you already know how to sew, but taken together they create a look that is distinctly French Impressionist; three quarter sleeves, full length rolling pleats for the skirt, and a fitted bodice. The slightly high neck is key, it is perfect for a spring or autumn wedding and the modesty is actually quite sexy.
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