tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post6689611658350469772..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: The Generational Aspects of CraftingGertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-66316017764499748292012-08-05T03:38:45.449-04:002012-08-05T03:38:45.449-04:00My grandmother sewed very well. And did embroidery...My grandmother sewed very well. And did embroidery. And knitted. And crochet. And woodwork. And made shoes! She died before i was born and I know her through the things that she left behind. My mother sews too. I sew for the same reasons they did. To get a well fitting, stylish, well made garment which will be exactly what I want and at a cost I can afford. My grandmother's sewing is ok with me. I wish she was here to teach me.Ro MacDaddynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-54139201452972176162012-05-28T19:29:28.308-04:002012-05-28T19:29:28.308-04:00My beloved Grandma sewed until the end of WWII and...My beloved Grandma sewed until the end of WWII and then gratefully stopped. She became a working woman and was very proud of her job as the person who bought furs from northern trappers for southern furriers. <br /><br />She once told me that she hated sewing, and was in fact the person who taught me every trick in the book (and then some!) to avoid threading a needle. She loved to craft for fun though, and was a true artist with food, knit, crochet, needlepoint, and even embroidery - all of the 'fun' stuff. As far as I know, she was the first generation in our family to be able to do 'the fun stuff' and buy ready-to-wear.<br /><br />My mom writes and that is her creative thing. She is constantly marveling at my organizing, carpentry, sewing, canning, etc... So it's not my grandmother's sewing if only because I actually enjoy it.<br /><br />When I started to sew I learned it all on my own, and a little from my youngest son, age 15, who took sewing and loved it.<br /><br />I must be a genetic sport!<br />The turban is fabulous, btw ;-)<br /><br />RenataAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18397724590726605298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-139777603643560802012-05-08T17:09:33.273-04:002012-05-08T17:09:33.273-04:00I find the idea of "not your grandma's se...I find the idea of "not your grandma's sewing" strange as I think people who sewed back then had to have a better mastery of all things sewing. I'd assume. And it's also strange since retro-type clothes are in style. It just seems like a forced catch phrase.<br /><br />Side note - without make-up and your hair in a turban, you're still adorable. It's a little irritating. ;)AngelCakeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03853143834335442734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-85001540458032224522012-05-07T11:35:32.183-04:002012-05-07T11:35:32.183-04:00Hate that phrase. Also am sick of hearing "ba...Hate that phrase. Also am sick of hearing "back in the day."LinBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15999430801003441981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-9904676328673000382012-05-06T22:59:27.914-04:002012-05-06T22:59:27.914-04:00Personally, I would love to have the sewing skills...Personally, I would love to have the sewing skills that my nanna, and all of my previous forebears had. They had a sense of individuality because every piece was homemade, and tailored to you, in the fabric that you wanted, and the pattern that you had saved up to buy. I remember my nanna saying once that it also meant that you took better care of your clothes once you appreciated how long it takes to mend/ make them. In this day and age, where it costs so little to replace something that would have taken hours to fix, we seem to forget that it was a highly valued skill that women learnt from a young age(and I say that as a femenist, yes - we can achieve true equality and hold onto some useful skills along the way :)) A few of my male friends feel the same way about things they didnt learn (some as simple as learning how to perform home maintenence stuff like fixing leaky taps etc) because they felt that their grandfathers knowledge was obsolete nowadays... kind of like how we shun our female elders as antiquated and opressed housewives when thats not the case. <br /><br />As someone who was actually taught by my grandmother to sew and knit, I'm pretty proud to say that I sew like my nanna does :) As one of the younger generations I feel that they have valuable information that we can always learn from and build on. And we could be losing valuable knowledge because as a society our obsession with identifying ourselves as youthful cause us to shy away from identifying with our (usually) wiser elders.JacieKakeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13353955823628873335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-52073694273814771922012-05-05T02:57:40.804-04:002012-05-05T02:57:40.804-04:00Well put!!Well put!!LLBBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03632600937650570999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-83294277608607846022012-05-04T23:24:58.819-04:002012-05-04T23:24:58.819-04:00Welcome to Denver, it's my hometown! :)Welcome to Denver, it's my hometown! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-28028247858940447272012-05-04T18:11:59.478-04:002012-05-04T18:11:59.478-04:00Sorry about the anonymous post; I ticked Name/URL,...Sorry about the anonymous post; I ticked Name/URL, but Blogger isn't giving me the option to enter them...<br /><br />I meant to add that in my 1930s household manual, a section on crochet is introduced by the words <i>To most people this probably sounds very dull, as they begin to remember the crochet mats and antimacassars they have seen in the homes of their grandmothers...</i>!<br /><br />So let's not forget that our venerated crafting grandmothers were, in all probability, busy looking down on their own forebears :-)<br /><br />Harriet BazleyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24980410038753018302012-05-04T18:08:42.845-04:002012-05-04T18:08:42.845-04:00My grandmother sewed because she had to; she stopp...My grandmother sewed because she had to; she stopped sewing as soon as she could afford shop-bought clothes, which, frankly, were better quality than anything she could produce (she was not one of the world's most domesticated women).<br /><br />My mother sewed our clothes when I was little; she stopped sewing once we discovered charity shops as an endless supply of good-as-new garments (you just have to track down the one in a hundred that was meant for you...)<br /><br />I started sewing as a way of using up fabric that would otherwise have been wasted; I sew 'like grandmother' because I don't have a lot of money to throw at this hobby (why spend money on vanishing ink and glue guns and self-adhesive hem tape when you have yards and yards of thread to mark and tack and hem with?)<br /><br />In one way I sew couture; in another way I sew vintage. Basically I sew frugal, because my time and skill costs me nothing, and shortcuts come expensive. I've been given old thread, old notions, old patterns, an old household/sewing manual from the 1930s - I sew the way they had to sew when they didn't have the option to sew otherwise. I learnt to sew by mending with needle and thread...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-18373963672672289002012-05-04T17:40:08.917-04:002012-05-04T17:40:08.917-04:00I'd be honored to think that my knitting was a...I'd be honored to think that my knitting was anywhere near the standard of the women of my granny's day! They had serious skills on the needles...<br /><br />Great discussion!Juleshttp://www.woollenflower.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-71575388039416670832012-05-04T10:38:50.411-04:002012-05-04T10:38:50.411-04:00I like Eleanors' way of defining 'homemade...I like Eleanors' way of defining 'homemade' vs. 'handmade'. To me, 'not your grandmothers' ______' is naught more than a marketing tool, & I treat the idea as such. Your bow turban is a smart way to travel, especially when arriving very early or very late :)petoskystonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01633621111274495078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-5921805195010320942012-05-04T07:38:14.149-04:002012-05-04T07:38:14.149-04:00I totally agree with you and my ambition is to lea...I totally agree with you and my ambition is to learn old the old techniques. I love the turban, if it's a scarf tied into one, could you do a tutorial for it? I'm rubbish at tying them! You look gorgeous, have a safe trip! XxxX http://thesecondhandrose.blogspot.co.uk/Second Hand Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12937657828552984478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-91783279692605178372012-05-04T06:44:37.731-04:002012-05-04T06:44:37.731-04:00It's a tempest in a teapot frankly. It's ...It's a tempest in a teapot frankly. It's not my grandmother sewing (and also mine for that matter because I learned to sew before Title IV was passed); women who sew today do it because they want to, not because it was something they were expected to learn because it was considered the badge of a good wife and mother and it was their sole option because only boys played sports.Phyllishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04668161467072636784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-89811769932985120002012-05-04T06:36:42.835-04:002012-05-04T06:36:42.835-04:00Depends on who your grandma is/was. For me, it...Depends on who your grandma is/was. For me, it's NOT my grandma's sewing.mimi jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09046101113822427313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-431343104885636762012-05-04T00:14:02.719-04:002012-05-04T00:14:02.719-04:00I completely forgot to add this in my post previou...I completely forgot to add this in my post previously and my husband reminded me. His grandmother was the seamstress that sewed the first astronaut suit for test flights from NASA and her prototypes are now at NASA/Johnson Space Center here in Houston, Texas. So if his grandmother's skills were good enough for NASA then good enough for me!Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12174850080915845389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-27673387325446971072012-05-04T00:01:39.281-04:002012-05-04T00:01:39.281-04:00I hope my sewing is every bit as much "my Gra...I hope my sewing is every bit as much "my Grandmother's sewing"! She made the most wonderful dance costumes, pageant dresses, and other things for her kids and grandkids. She made my wedding dress and I wouldn't have had one from a store for all the money in the world. All the little seed pearls sewn on by hand by my Grandmother, my Mom, my future MIL, and me - sitting in my Grandmother's living room on the sofa, on the floor, sewing and talking for an entire weekend. The marriage may not have lasted, but that dress and those memories will ALWAYS be special! Now, when I sew, it is my grandmother to whom I show my handiwork. I want her to see what I can do since those days of making clothes for my barbies and awkwardly attempting to put together quilt squares as a little girl. It is also my Grandmother that I call when I have a sewing question or problem. It is the tradition of sewing for oneself and one's family that inspires me to continue to sew, create, learn, and do! Love Live Our Grandmother's Sewing!!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14367701800830207212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-15778830348161758692012-05-03T22:58:49.247-04:002012-05-03T22:58:49.247-04:00I always say that I inherited my love for sewing f...I always say that I inherited my love for sewing from my grandma, who passed away two years ago. My mom was never interested, so when I expressed an interest she was surprised, to say the least. I sew (or draw, or sculpt, or create in general) because I love to. Anyway, I've always felt removed by such statements as "not your grandma's sewing", which almost feels more like self-promotion than anything else. Hehe... but this does make me think of a certain <a href="http://www.nataliedee.com/040912/" rel="nofollow">Natalie Dee cartoon</a> :)Stephaniehttp://trufflesngussets.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-29976837254730005212012-05-03T22:01:21.880-04:002012-05-03T22:01:21.880-04:00I think it's an awful phrase and disrespectful...I think it's an awful phrase and disrespectful - and often those that use it most often produce the most mediocre things with no true workmanship. I'm from a family of stitchers and I'm proud of that. <br />When people talk about the breakdown of the traditional family units, I think it's reflected in these wonderful skills not being passed on. Long live our rocking' grannies I say!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-65358826262712988332012-05-03T21:12:19.031-04:002012-05-03T21:12:19.031-04:00LOVE the turban!LOVE the turban!Dianehttp://the2amstitch.weebly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-62260122484014300332012-05-03T14:37:39.059-04:002012-05-03T14:37:39.059-04:00Based on the comments here and @ STC craft, I thin...Based on the comments here and @ STC craft, I think I have had a very different experience than most with crafting. Crafting was something my grandmother HAD to do. She worked very hard to make sure her kids wouldn't have to. My mother sewed a bit when she was young, but never learned to knit, and that was seen as a GOOD thing. She went to college, got her Master's, she didn't need no stinkin' sewing. My grandmother never taught me to sew either, I just figured it out by myself, in my bedroom, with a piece of fabric I bought at a yard sale and the needle I stole from my mom's darning box (hidden away behind the linens). <br />Homemaking in my family was seen as drudgery and suffering. Successful educated people need never worry about that kind of drudgery. What I craft is not at all drudgery. It's fun. It's creative! What I do is definitely not my grandmother's sewing. I do it for the pleasure of crafting, not because I have to, not because I need to clothe my children, not because I can not afford to buy new pants, not because my socks have holes. My grandmother's crafting was work, mine is play.Purple Closet Beautyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00794654929658407205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-35651603679872983532012-05-03T14:33:09.139-04:002012-05-03T14:33:09.139-04:00Hey! I made this turban! :) You look great in it! ...Hey! I made this turban! :) You look great in it! xxAnna Chocolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15853873915928696039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-75768712133767655392012-05-03T14:28:47.212-04:002012-05-03T14:28:47.212-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anna Chocolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15853873915928696039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-89812153786581156992012-05-03T13:47:27.345-04:002012-05-03T13:47:27.345-04:00I don't like the phrase. Of course we all want...I don't like the phrase. Of course we all want to make stylish clothes whether knitting or sewing, but somehow people have to denigrate things to make sure they know it is new and fashionable. I have just started to laugh at some typical UK things - like 'cardigans are back in fashion' frequently crops up. Or, wow, knitting can be fashionable, you don't have to be a granny. Or worse older women in the public eye saying they are not ready for settling down and knitting. etc. etc. I have knitted for years, but only just learned to sew a couple of years back. I have a lovely photo of my mum cutting out her wedding dress c1937, an absolutely lovely bias cut dress - but I got put off sewing at school. It is so great to be able to create something, often looking to the past for style. I think people are so worried about not being cool that there is a need to qualify crafts by saying 'this is different and new'. I sort of understand how people feel the need to do that, but really we shouldn't need to put down others?Claire from Edinburghnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-2784175262790251452012-05-03T09:49:40.116-04:002012-05-03T09:49:40.116-04:00I think it's a heinous expression, full of con...I think it's a heinous expression, full of contempt for older women and their work. I don't have grandchildren myself, but it makes me want to slap their little faces.<br />Good thing I know some very nice young people..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-66337034944489228912012-05-03T09:40:10.702-04:002012-05-03T09:40:10.702-04:00As an older woman (61) who sews, I hate the term &...As an older woman (61) who sews, I hate the term "not your grandmother's." I'm not yet a grandmother, but my maternal grandmother was a couture level seamstress. If I had just the skills she had in her little finger, I would be thrilled!Lynn Mallyhttp://www.americanagefashion.comnoreply@blogger.com