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A dying art...
November 14th, 2005 02:59 pmHow much does it suck to be the "Mom Who Can Sew"? Well... it sucks sometimes, anyway. It would help if I could keep my own mouth shut, wouldn't it, because they wouldn't *know* I can sew if I didn't keep offering to help.
Right now I'm in the midst of my own little production-line sweatshop, creating fifteen (15!) Victorian-era, Dickens-reminiscent skirts to be worn over hoops, for all the girls in Kidlet's singing group to wear when they go Christmas caroling this season. Yards and yards of red and green taffeta plaid, or woven burgundy and green, or solid colors. I spent all last weekend on the draft sample (Kidlet's), which came out very nice, and then went into production mode. My three-day weekend was a lost weekend and *not* the good kind, but they're all cut and stitched, and I've started putting in the gathering threads for the waists. Tonight at sewing class I hope to finish all the gathers and start attaching waistbands. Then a final fitting for each girl before putting in velcro closures and hems. All to be done by Thanksgiving.
So while in production mode, I've been musing on the millions and millions of women who have done this all their lives throughout time, and the garment workers of today. Even composed in my mind a little letter of appreciation to the ladies' garment workers union. And as always, I can't help but wonder about all the moms who *can't* sew -- younger than me, I guess, those who came up after the junior high required sewing classes were abolished. And what a pity it is. Seems fewer and fewer women... or people in general, not to be sexist... will have this ability, except the professionals in the industry. They'll miss out on making their kids' costumes, and they'll have to shell out big bucks if they ever take up theater or, say, belly dancing.
Okay, so it *doesn't* suck being The Mom Who Can Sew. It's actually quite a wonderful thing, and something to be glad of.
Right now I'm in the midst of my own little production-line sweatshop, creating fifteen (15!) Victorian-era, Dickens-reminiscent skirts to be worn over hoops, for all the girls in Kidlet's singing group to wear when they go Christmas caroling this season. Yards and yards of red and green taffeta plaid, or woven burgundy and green, or solid colors. I spent all last weekend on the draft sample (Kidlet's), which came out very nice, and then went into production mode. My three-day weekend was a lost weekend and *not* the good kind, but they're all cut and stitched, and I've started putting in the gathering threads for the waists. Tonight at sewing class I hope to finish all the gathers and start attaching waistbands. Then a final fitting for each girl before putting in velcro closures and hems. All to be done by Thanksgiving.
So while in production mode, I've been musing on the millions and millions of women who have done this all their lives throughout time, and the garment workers of today. Even composed in my mind a little letter of appreciation to the ladies' garment workers union. And as always, I can't help but wonder about all the moms who *can't* sew -- younger than me, I guess, those who came up after the junior high required sewing classes were abolished. And what a pity it is. Seems fewer and fewer women... or people in general, not to be sexist... will have this ability, except the professionals in the industry. They'll miss out on making their kids' costumes, and they'll have to shell out big bucks if they ever take up theater or, say, belly dancing.
Okay, so it *doesn't* suck being The Mom Who Can Sew. It's actually quite a wonderful thing, and something to be glad of.
