December 12th, 2008 by Sandy
This is the most unbelievable thing I have seen. There isn't much to say that I want to put in writing. May be a good machine but purposes are sad. You'll have to watch the sub-titles because of the language.
December 11th, 2008 by Sandy
I mentioned in my last post that I thought the young were beginning to sew again. Shows like Project Runway and the sponsorship of Brother for that show will go a long way in helping the cause.
I’v
e been following a great website called Threadbanger. It’s more than a website. It’s a network for people who love to DIY, recreate, re-fashion and craft. They do a great deal with recycled clothing and fabric. The great thing about this is that is produced by the young and caters to the young. Or at least the young at heart.
Hosts Rob Czar and Corinne Leigh keep things lively with their chatter back and forth. From the designers and crafters they found scouring the streets and various areas of the city they have managed to show off crafts from the latest making of cape to using coffee ground to dye your jeans. Thread Heads was the first show on ThreadBangers
Tonight I watched a video giving detailed instructions on how to make a cape using recycled clothing or fabric. It was fairly easy although some beginners may get lost once or twice. The only negative that I saw was that pressing while sewing was not mentioned at all. Is this a step that is now out of vogue? If you have a moment or have a teenager, get them to watch it…I think they will really enjoy it.
They have a show during the month of December called Holly Jolly How To. There is a new episode once a week and will give tips for holiday parties or other must haves for the holiday season. If you are a true Do it Yourselfer, then you can’t miss it. It’s refreshing to see the creative mind of the younger crowd today.
They also have a blog, forums, a variety of past episodes that you can watch and I guarantee you won’t be bored. Give Threadbanger a chance and pass on the word. They are really doing great work.
Yes, the young are coming back to sewing, just maybe in a different way than we seen before. The digital age is upon us and Web 2.0 is here! Embrace it!!
December 10th, 2008 by Sandy
In the past, garment sewing was close to being a necessity in many homes. It was less expensive to make your clothes than to buy them, plus our mothers in many cases were taught by there mother. Home Economics courses were a requirement. My mother made all of my clothes and even though she was an excellent seamstress, I got to the point when I hated it. I wanted to shop in the stores like some of the other girls in my classes. Financially we just couldn't afford it.
When I got older and got a job I couldn't wait to go out and buy clothes. Well, that lasted just a few months. I wasn't making enough money to buy clothes like I wanted. So the first line of credit that I ever had was at Singer. At age 18 I bought a $99 Singer Machine. 
My mother was a great seamstress but not a good teacher. So I was on my own. It took me a while but I taught myself to sew and within a few months was making all of my own clothes and proud of it!! I think even my mother was surprised and proud although it wasn't like her to say it.
As I got older and made more money and was busy as a single mother, I stopped sewing. But then as my body changed the ready made clothes just didn't seem to fit right anymore. So I decided to start sewing again. I found that the commercial patterns hadn't really changed either so they didn't fit well either. My next step was to take some classes in fitting and pattern drafting. I'm happy to say I'm sewing again and have been now for quite a few years.
It seems that we seemed to have skipped a generation for sewing. In today's world with the onslaught of stores such as Target and Wal-Mart (not picking on them, really) you can buy clothes pretty cheap. But then as they say, you get what you pay for also. Even the malls have clothing outlets that are pretty reasonably priced. So why sew? We'll never know the real reason why but there are lots of theories.
Due to the price of good fabric today, in many cases it is cheaper to buy ready made clothing. Or has the outsourcing of the labor to other countries because of cheaper labor driven the price of ready made clothing down? Probably a bit of both. Regardless, my belief is the quality of most ready to wear clothing has decreased over the years.
Unfortunately most schools stopped this class for many years. Why, I really can't fathom a good enough reason. Sewing was only a small portion of this class. Of course, with everyone eating out today as much as they do, even cooking isn't the same.
I've heard this excuse before, but to me it is just an excuse. I guess the question is did the fabric stores go out of business because of the lack of sewing or did the stores stop selling fabric because of the lack of sewing? Again I think a little of both.
When I was growing up all major department stores had a fabric department. My mother worked in fabrics at Penny's for years.'(For me that would have been dangerous!) It seems once specialized fabrics stores such as Cloth World 
opened, then most of the department stores stopped selling. Then those stores got heavily involved with other types of crafts and fabric seemed to take a back seat. And it still seems that way today.
In the past few years even some of them have closed their doors. JoAnns is still around but heavily craft. Same with Hancock's. They filed for bankruptcy but finally came out of it this past July. (See related story) And Wal-Mart stopped selling fabric in the majority of their stores.
The price of fabric has gone up also although with some online searching you can find some great deals. I'll save that for another post.
I really think that this has had so much to do with the state of sewing today. Each generation seems to be faster moving than the last and instant gratification is the key. (Example: the telephone...we can no longer wait to get home to get that call. We must have a cell phone and we must have text messaging. Ever hear of a kid today carrying that dime, ok now a quarter or more, in their shoe in case they needed to call home? Even if they did, you couldn't find a payphone.)
Now that I've done all my ranting, I think I can say positively say the sewing is back on the horizon again. We can thank shows like Project Runway for helping drive this back into popularity. It is sewing like we grew up with but nevertheless it is there. Today's generation wants to be more involved in the design of what they wear. They want to have that one of a kind garment, no matter how funky it might be. (Did I show my age by using "funky"?)
That's not all bad though. This means they will have to learn some form of pattern drafting to go along with the designs skills and sewing skills. Garment construction though seems to be taking a back seat at many of the 
fashion industry schools. Hopefully that will change. More and more schools though are putting Home Economics back in the curriculum, although that name seems to be politically incorrect. Today I've heard it called Family Development, Family Life, Sewing Lab or Cooking Lab.. Let's get real...call it what it really is...Home Economics.
My next couple of posts will be about some sites that I have found that cater to the younger crowd. I'm all for it....you can't ask for greater satisfaction than wearing a garment you designed and made yourself.
Somehow this has turned into a rant of sorts. But then to a certain degree, that's what blogging is all about, expressing your own opinions.
November 24th, 2008 by Sandy
I so envy Claire Schaeffer. For years I've read her books and use them religiously in my everyday sewing. Her techniques can take your garment from looking home-made to high end couture. Her books are very well written and contain such a wealth of information. The book below is one of my favorites. Hard to find on Amazon but Ebay usually has a couple. I highly recommend it.
She was recently spotlighted in Palm Springs Life, a very prestigious magazine in Southern California. The title says it all. It great reading..just click on the link.
In True Form
Claire Shaeffer demystifies couture — fortified by 1,100 authentic designer fashions
The fact that someone is willing to purchase these gorgeous couture garment, tear them apart erver so carefully, and then share the secrets of construction with the rest of the sewing word is just unbelievable. I'd be afraid to touch it let along take it apart, but it just goes to show that she is one classy lady.
She has a new book coming out soon that I'm so looking forward to having on my bookshelf. It's called: Claire Schaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide. I'll post a notice here as soon as it is available.
I was lucky enough to meet Claire on one of her trips to Dallas. She conducted a short workshop/demonstration on the princess line in a couture jacket. One of my goals is to take a class from her in Palm Springs. Now if i can just get the money before she decides to retire completely!!
