Anybody know how to sew?

[shootingstar]

Mommybird, Classes are a blast. They are like the sewing shop version of the group ride and are a fun social outlet

I never really thought to compare a sewing class to a bike group ride.

During this forum thread development, I suddenly had an eureka moment...that my mother the expert sewer whom I did turn to for help and advanced techniques after finishing 2 Home Ec. sewing courses..she who sewed for family members' coats, pants, shirts with French stand-up collars, cuffs, etc.: I suddenly realized she self-taught alot on her own when she raised us.

She couldn't read any of the pattern instructions since they were all in English. She was the sort of natural sewer who could correct sewing errors and assess a complicated construction of a garment, then change it into a completely different garment.

Duh, didn't realize until ..now. 50+ yrs. later!

I loved raiding my mother's suitcase where she kept brand-new early 1960's dresses and blouses that she couldn't wear after gaining weight. So myself and others took some of that clothing to alter and wear ourselves. Immediate chic stuff!

Tthe manufacture of clothing has cheapened because of cheap labour and hence, has led to people wearing more poorly fitted clothing. But also perhaps loss of sewing skills and understanding tailored fit, means alot more people really don't know what properly fitted clothing should even look like.

As you can tell, I do look for reasonable workmanship and fabric durability when I buy clothing now. Having sewing knowledge can also make one a more quality-conscious consumer. This even extends to buying a sofa....looking for durable fabric for an expensive furniture item, if one doesn't buy leather.