I have just finished sewing a gym badge onto a leotard, mending a slit in a school jumper and fixing a hole in one of my tops. But instead of feeling a sense of satisfaction I am left with neck ache and a realisation that I am not a natural when it comes to this sort of thing.
My generation was brought up with the philosophy that if something is broken then go out and buy a new one. But at some point during my adult life the ‘make do and mend’ mentality has returned and I feel as though I am supposed to be able to suddenly start making dresses out of an old pair of curtains and similar such things.
During my school days we were taught how to sew, but from what I remember it was more of a token effort, one that meant a box could be ticked somewhere (I also did woodwork but I wouldn’t claim to be able to know what to do if you gave me a piece of wood and a saw). My mum, on the other hand, came from the generation where girls were taught how to be good wives and sewing and cooking featured high on the agenda. If ever I needed anything mended I would ask her and she would do it with ease. I’m ashamed to admit that I went straight to my mum to sew up a hem or stitch on a button even when I was well into my adult life.
It wasn’t until I moved away from home and had children of my own that I needed to call upon those long lost sewing skills; sewing elastic on to ballet shoes, stitching up hems on school trousers and now attaching badges to leotards etc. It is too embarrassing to ask mum to do it and it is frowned upon to throw out perfectly good items of clothing these days, so I’ve forced myself to comply with the trend.
I even got a sewing machine last year thinking that it would inspire me, but all I have managed to do is sew a bunting flag for the Jubilee party and rearrange two old shirts into art aprons. We pretended the wavy stitching line on the flag was done on purpose and I believe the art aprons have never come out of the girls’ lockers due to sheer embarrassment. I haven’t used the sewing machine since because the thread ran out and I don’t know how to change it. I think it’s called a bobbin and the only knowledge I have of bobbins is from a popular childrens song I know. It goes ‘wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up, pull, pull, clap, clap, clap’ but I don’t think that is going to help me somehow.
I envy those people who can take an old rag and make something beautiful from it, or turn their old clothes into something new, I really do. But I just don’t think that’s me. I don’t have the vision or the skill, so I’m not going to pretend anymore or feel embarrassed about it. I will keep on with the hems and the buttons and the odd split here and there, and oh, there will no doubt be more badges, but that’s as far as it will go.
My daughter asked me how to knit the other day . . .
make do and mend has become really popular again, ive been using a sewing machine for just over a year now to make textile art but i dont think i could make clothing without someone showing me. my mum tried to teach me how to thread up the sewing machine lots when i was younger but it didnt sink in until i did a textiles on a course last year. because i was using the sewing machine lots it sank in eventually but i guarantee every time i sit at the machine now ill get tangled up in something, my stitches are never straight or i break the needle! there are lots of sewing classes popping up if u really wanted to keep at it?
I should definitely do a course as it seems such a waste to have a sewing machine in the cupboard that is never used. I will have to add it to my ‘things I would love to do’ list.
i think once u have a bit of confidence in using the machine u will be looking for projects to do 🙂
Brownie & cub sewing badge should be the first thing they do, I have a draw full of badges needing to go on but it is a task right up there with ironing for me! I am also inspired by lovely craft activities I see involving sewing but it will never be my strong point.
Ironing – what’s that? Is that where you smooth the clothes when they come out of the drier?
Oh the badges!! I have so many to sew on with swimming badges and cub badges and it seems to take me ages. Funnily enough, I thought about buying a sewing machine but my husband pointed out that it would be ‘another of those gadgets’ that I buy and never use, and although I was not happy at the time, he was right and I never did.
The intention is still there and mine has a lovely cover so it looks nice!
I envy those people too!! My mother taught me how to sew when I was younger, or at least she tried. None of it stuck except how to sew a button. Which thankfully at least I have THAT skill. I have a board on Pinterest called “Must learn to sew”. I will do things on that board one day!! 🙂 Thanks for linking up!
I think you’re doing pretty well keeping up with the sewing you do! I don’t know how to use a machine either and I wish I would have paid better attention when I had the chance to learn. Knitting, too. My grandmother tried to teach me several times, but I never could get the hang of it!
I’m quite relieved that my eldest daughter gets medals for gymnastics instead of badges. I’m off duty for a while, at least!