Love to sew

I have started sewing again and am really loving it.

I am not a great sewer. When I get out the sewing machine I start by having grand exciting plans as to what I am going to make but these plans are soon slashed as I make mistake after mistake.

But I enjoy the process. I enjoy cutting out the fabric, going over each step in my head, pinning the fabric just so then getting my stitch on and sewing up the fabric. The mistakes are annoying but I enjoy getting pass them and finally achieving.

In this latest stint I have made some underwear, a tie vest top, a blouse, backless dress and an unfinished pair of pj shorts. The latter has got the better of me so need to put it away at the moment.

Although my skills so far have not got me making intricate patterns I am making slow progress and that is good enough for me. I find sewing, generally, a very relaxing process. When the weather is not great or the boys are having a bit of down time and I am not needed I enjoy sitting at the machine and creating something.

My Memere (I couldn’t pronounce Grandmere when I was little) was a seamstress. When she lived in Mauritius she used to sew wedding dresses. She had a quite a rep for doing so across the island. When she came to England she worked for Moss Brothers back in the sixties.

When I was younger my mum used to sew and I would love to watch her and the click clack of the sewing machine. My aunty used to make me nighties and clothes. So I guess for me sewing is nostalgia.

Do you like to sew?

My sons come up and watch me sew. The romantic in me likes to think I am bringing it back in to our family, creating memories for the boys perhaps. Perhaps they will start sewing?

I hope I keep this stint up and it doesn’t fade. That instead of the sewing machine going back in the box it will stay out and just keep being used. For repairs, readjustments and to create. Maybe I will learn to make clothes for the boys.

I was talking to someone the other day and they were saying how life skills are being lost. Skills like gardening, sewing and so on. They are getting lost as they are no longer necessary to learn. Hearing this made me sad as these sort of skills are ancient and surely should not be lost. We need to hold on to them. Not only that but they are good for our beautiful minds, they keep us ticking, active, excite our creative brain and help us to de stress.

At The Clothes Horse we have wondered about doing sewing workshops would this be of interest?