As a comment on "moden sewing":
if I can buy a finished garment at Wal-Mart for LESS than I can by the
cheap fabric and notions at the same Wal-Mart, why should I learn to
sew?
I agree about the re-enactment people. Patterns and fabric-WOW!
I joined a Victorian Group that sews and "dresses up" historic sites
and events by their presence. We sewed early 1900s style outfits for
the "100 Years of Golf in Morris County" exhibit. In period attire, we
visited the 5 County Golf Courses last summer, to advertise the
Historical Society's exhibit. We were on hand to present the awards to
the Ladies Golf Winners of each tournament at the 5 sites. Certainly
attracted a lot of attention in our long skirts and straw boaters. We
were asked the inevitable question: "Can you actually golf in that
outfit? " I don't golf. Didn't stop me from making an outfit, though!
I also ride sidesaddle, so I must sew my historically-inspired pieces.
Along the lines of the Golf Outfits: Some of the other Ladies in my
group saw how elegant the Sidesaddle Riding Habits were and said " I
want to make a Riding Habit. I don't want to ride a horse, you
understand. I just LOVE the habits!"
Like many of you, my body type doesn't fit the standard sizes anymore.
I wear sweats at home. So ... period sewing is such fun for me. I can
"dress up" for serious and frivolous occasions, alike.
This group also makes Cage Comforters for shelter animals from our
fabric scraps. (Do a google search for more info.) We received a
LARGE donation of fabric from a clothing company. We have been able to
donate over 300 "comforters" to the unfortunate critters, over the past
12 months. Some of them even made their way to New Orleans for
Katrina's animal victims. Our sewing machines are well used! We feel
great about donating the Comforters, using our leftovers and, of
course, buying more fabric and patterns! We even make little toys for
the shelter animal from our scraps. Some of our members knit and/or
crochet. They make Comforters and toys from yarn. Especially good for
those "practice" pieces that don't quite work out well enough for
Period Attire use.
Susan
"Slow down. The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel
too fast and you miss all you are traveling for". - "Ride the Dark
Trail" by Louis L'Amour
On Feb 24, 2006, at 10:28 AM, Mia Dappert wrote:
actually, Simplicity may be really gald they have you, Martha. Read
that SHOULD BE GLAD.
Down here in North Carolina it seems to be the home sewing market is
really dried up in the past 10 or so years. Nobody is sewing for
children, Nobody is really doing sewing for themselves, There are
really no fabric stores in a 100 mile radius of Charlotte beyond, Mary
Jos and Hancock's, and mostly they have home deck and quilting fabric,
not much in the way of people type fabric. The nearest JoAnns in 90+
miles away. There are several stores at cater to the quilting segment,
and one small one that sell Upmarket/Highend fabrics. A this is an
introduction to Major Patter Companies can't be selling a huge amount
of home sewing patterns. Right now, all I can think of who are doing
sewing are the reenactment/costume folks like us. And these are
people who will go ANYWHERE, Look at everything, Buy patterns that
they don't really need but collect anyway, Have projects in the
planning stage for a long time.
It would be interesting to know how well the patterns do in
comparison to other costume patterns and general run of the mill
patterns vs. home dec stuff.
18c Mia in Charlotte NC, remembering the glory days of being near
Baltimore MD and Washington DC. Remembering G Street Fabrics when it
actually was on G Street DC
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