Do it Yourself: Re: [DIY] RE: Jan / Sawing vs Sewing- banter

02 January 2013

Re: [DIY] RE: Jan / Sawing vs Sewing- banter

Here in Podunk USA the only "Fabrics" available are for the most part at Wal-Mart unless we drive 60 miles to Hutchinson. Once again the other shops went out of business because of price and patronage. Wal-Mart tried to close out their fabric department as well but local public outrage kept it in place though selection and quality are typical of the chain. We have a large Mennonite and Amish contingent in this area that specializes in quilts which they auction off once a year to raise thousands of dollars for their charities. I've noticed that even at the state fair there are not nearly the entries of clothing that there has been in the past. 4H keeps a part of the craft alive, but even the local high schools do not place the emphasis on sewing I seem to remember from the years of my youth. I guess a lot of the working mothers don't have the extra hours in the evening to make coats and dresses, but many still do needle work and we have several quilting clubs that are taking advantage of the experience of some of our highly skilled seniors.

Dale in the Flatlands.

John and Carmen Stuart wrote:

I so much agree that to be able to make something by yourself means it is done to your own taste and needs. The exploration of the craft is at least half of the fun.

I treasure my free time so much as it allows for this hobby, keeps my brain and hands active and you end up with a gift that I usually could not afford to buy for myself or a friend.

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On Jan 1, 2013, at 11:32 AM, Jan Flood wrote:

Don't speak too quickly Dale, while I agree with you in general, there are still women who enjoy sewing for the pleasure in creating a quality original. Yes, the cost of fabric has gone up - yard goods? you're showing your age :) If you added up the cost of my machines vs my husbands...it's no contest as to who spends more, LOL. When I got married I bought my own sewing machine from Sears, bought a Viking 20 years later and a new one in '86 which I'm still using. I prefer doing needle work by hand and treasure the pieces that have been handed down from my grandmother. Today it's called Couture or Handmade rather than homemade but sewing is still alive; if you don't believe it hit a fabric shop on the day of a big sale! In fact, I fought the crowd at 6am on Black Friday to get a sewing machine for my 8yr old granddaughter for Christmas. I wanted it to be a surprise so told no one, wrapped and shipped it along with the family's gifts. My son sent a picture Christmas morning and said she got so excited they thought something had happened to her.

I would bet you derive a great deal of pleasure from building things and/or DIY; I doubt there are few things that give more satisfaction than creating something with your own two hands!

On Jan 1, 2013, at 8:45 AM, Dale S wrote:

Now that I recall those visions from the distant past, there are a lot of similarities. Women can't afford the yard goods anymore, and those who can don't need to make their own, so I guess that is just another in the long list of individual skills that are going by the wayside. Now it is machine embroidery and quilt making.