Why is this concept so strange?
Anyhow, it shouldn’t come as a surprise since I have said it before, as well as often. I mean, is a chef expected to enjoy gardening, an architect bricklaying, a winemaker whining … hmmm. Well, you get the idea.
In fact I’ve been sewing for about 40 years now and have never really enjoyed it. Though I do enjoy the results, because I’m actually very good at it. But there are people who sew much faster and better than I do and, frankly, I prefer to leave it to them when I can. The thing I do love are the materials and colours and turning them into something lovely. But I am far too much of an impatient perfectionist to take any joy in stitching up each seam, gathering, top-stitching, hemming and what-have-you. Every time I make a garment I sweat blood over every stitch, my shoulders end up in knots and I feel totally exhausted.
But it is that time of year once again when I look through my summer wardrobe and go … shit. So this past weekend I cut out a few things. I’m being practical rather than worrying about “street image” and starting off with a couple of comfy linen dresses and two light cotton nightdresses. You know, in case the next PET scan doesn’t come out as hoped and I end up housebound again this summer. And as I suspected, it’s been hell. But hey, I’m going to end up with some new clothes that didn’t end up costing me anything but time.
As you can see, Loki has been lending a helpful (not!) paw…
casa azahar 
When I was in High School we had to take a semester of home economics. I was absolutely terrified of the sewing machines. I would jump away from that needle instantly. When it came to cooking, there was none better, but needles, especially when they poke stuff all by themselves, just scared me to death.
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What you said. I did not take home ec — no one made me — but it took an interested man to show me how to sew, eventually. I never could shake the feeling that that damn needle was going to punch right through my hand, even though I went on to assemble a lot of medieval garments in my goofy Society For Creative Anachronism days.
These days I stick to gym clothes or lingerie. 🙂
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I took sewing in home ec, but I think I had already learned how to sew by osmosis. My mother was a seamstress and I guess I used to watch her a lot. In any case, it came naturally and didn’t feel mysterious or like I was actually learning anything new.
Really, it would be kind of difficult to sew your fingers – you’d have to be seriously not paying attention. Loki doesn’t share your fear of moving needles, unfortunately…
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When you have eyesight (or lack of it) like mine you don’t trust your fingers to be in the right place relative to much of anything.
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ah – the moving needle. I was never afraid of it, and I’ve never hated sewing, but for me it was always more a means to an end, and I kinda like the relaxed feeling it gave me.
Totally envious about your machines, Az – I’ve still got the one i bought while I was in college. 😉
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I bought the sewing machine shortly after I moved to Sevilla (in 1993), but that serger came with me from Toronto. Damn things are so expensive that I couldn’t imagine ever being able to afford another one. So it’s almost 25 years old by now, but (touch wood) is still running great. It’s a bugger to thread but it makes such a difference with finishing seams. Wouldn’t bother sewing at all anymore without it.
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I absolutely hate sewing and I am no good at it so I can escape it 🙂 I remember trying to “sew” clothing for my Barbies. Essentially, they ended up dressed in cloth bags. I did make a pillow in home economics but I was less interested in the project than in the hidden relationship between the home ec teacher and the football coach; they regularly flirted in plain view of the pupils.
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I’m a good seamstress, learned at my mother’s knee. I don’t really “like” sewing, not enough dirt involved.
Loki is a typical kitten. The only thing my cats loved more than sewing was knitting.
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I envy your skill – I can’t sew for toffee, in fact I’m useless at anything “crafty”. However, I freely admit my lack of skill is partly down to my lack of application!
Deb
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Sewing is one of my deepest aversions. I’ve never liked it. Full stop.
I did the mandatory classes in school, but switched to carpentry/woodwork as soon as I could. Unfortunately I was forced to do sewing during my last year in elementary school. I changed year in the middle of a semester, and was told there was no slot for me anywhere else but in sewing. The teacher didn’t like me – and that feeling soon became mutual – so I spent most of that year embroidering an ugly butterfly pillowcase. The teacher wanted everyone making baby outfits and other items “good girl” needed to know. At fourteen I was less than thrilled about propagating, and preferred making cutting boards or other sensible things you actually needed.
When the kids were young I learned to mend their clothes because it was necessary, and I actually made myself a -very simple – dress when I was pregnant with my 3rd.
Curtains are another aversion. I have them. Mum used to make them for me. The only ones she permitted me to do twenty-five years ago was subsequently remade, which was good I guess since they were not well sewn. I’ve bought ready made new curtains for my living room, but they need to be shortened – hopefully I can talk one of the kids to deal with that.
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Ufff, don’t talk to me about curtains. If there is a HELL it would include being forced to make curtains all day long … long tedious HEMMING and SIDESEAM STITCHING that always goes a bit wonky.
If you bought your new living room curtains from Ikea then chances are you just have to wash them … I bought some light cotton ones for my bedroom door last summer (hanging ceiling to floor) and they were about a foot too long. After washing they were perfect. I couldn’t believe they shrank THAT much and was glad I hadn’t hemmed them before washing.
The thing about sewing is that if I get into it I can get lost for hours. And I don’t mind, because something rather nice usually results. Like yesterday I decided to try something out and make pretty cotton lace straps for my nightdresses, and also stick a couple of lace inlays in the bodice – took almost as long as making the whole damn dress! I just got into one of those “what if I…?” moods. But as an obligation … once Nog had to wait six months for me to get around to hemming his new trousers. Which took ten minutes.
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And totally unrelated … have you seen this, dq?
Jamie does Stockholm
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He must have been there in late August, which is a good time to go there if you want to experience the light summer nights turning dark and the season bound culinary specialities. But Jamie Oliver needs to work on his pronunciation 🙂
He must be open minded to like surströmming – fermented herring. I grew up with it and refused to even taste until I was in my late teens.
Thanks for the link. az.
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