To wonder if sewing is a dying art?

[NotHerRealname]

The sum of my sewing ability is to;

Sew on a button
Repair a small hole or split seam
Take up (very badly) a seam.

All these I can do to a pretty low standard. About the same as my Dh. We share these jobs between us!

My mother can use a sewing machine, make clothes, invisible stitching etc. as well as knit and crochet! So can my Mil.

I could have learnt a bit more as a child but I didn't really see the value in it. I do wish now though, that I was a bit handier with a needle and thread.

Would it be very nosey to ask how much you lot can sew? and also do you think lost people now just throw stuff away without trying to repair it?

[sydlexic]

My DM could not sew. I was making clothes for my dolls from the age of 6.

I would say that it is one of those things you have a natural talent for or not.

People very rarely repair things these days and clothes are much more affordable so there is no great need for being able to do it.

[MurderOfGoths]

I sweded this

[MurderOfGoths]

Or sewed. Not sweded. What the bollocks is "sweded"?!

[WillieWaggledagger]

wow goths that is amazing!

is it your own dress? if so i would be getting it out to show everyone, even the postman "look what i did"!

if there is a revival i think that it's taking a while for shops to catch up

[CaseyShraeger]

There are a lot of lovely fabric suppliers online. But lovely fabric isn't cheap, by and large.

[wonkylegs]

I'm 34
I can sew by hand and with a machine currently finishing off new full length lined silk curtains. Most difficult thing I've ever made was a black silk full length evening gown without a sewing machine (I was a student at the time, I couldn't afford anything that fitted & my machine was at my parents)
I do fix stuff (when it's worth it) and adjust stuff a lot (I'm a short arse)
I can also do embroidery and beadwork although I no longer can knit, time & arthritis have combined to make that too difficult
My mum gave me the sewing machine but I'm self taught. I'm teaching my MIL how to make curtains & lampshades

[ouryve]

It's never too late to learn.

[WillieWaggledagger]

yy casey, but it is quite nice to feel things in person too. i would like the variety of choice of shops as well as online. but then i know premises are expensive etc etc and other difficulties too

[ouryve]

I've been sewing since I was a child, but haven't had as much opportunity to do it, recently, so I'm a bit rusty. I used to be able to make myself clothes, but I don't really wear the sort of clothes I'd make myself, now. I used to be able to do lovely freestyle embroidery, but my hands aren't so cooperative, these days, thanks to arthritis. I taught myself to knit just 5 years ago and I'm always well wrapped up when I go out in the cold, as a result. I had no real success with crochet because it hurts my wrists too much.

But it's definitely never too late to learn!

[CaseyShraeger]

Oh, yes, I'd like plenty of bricks-and-mortar shops too (I can't really complain as I have several near me that have lovely stuff) but I do think the rise of internet shopping is the reason that the boom in sewing for fun hasn't translated into a boom in real world shops.

[dawntigga]

I can block patterns and create from scratch, The Cub will also be taught these skills. I can also tat which is the most colossal waste of time so I'm not surprised it's dying out, I was taught how to this (along with knitting and crochet) by my grandfather, it was seen as a boy thing to do in his family apparently. I only sew though and DO NOT DO alterations or make wedding dresses, corsets however are a doddle.

PassingOnSkillsLikeABossTiggaxx

[WillieWaggledagger]

i'm sure you're right (i just want it all )

[InMySpareTime]

I did some sewing this morning in a local cafe. I used the time while my cuppa was cooling down to turn up two pairs of trousers and mend a seam.
I can sew on buttons and use a sewing machine. I made a double sided fleecy blanket for a christening present, and appliquéd felt onto a blanket.
Last week I made a load of finger puppets.
I cannot knit though.

[Theicingontop]

I can knit and crochet, but I prefer to crochet. Amigurumi is so much fun, I've made DS an entire play kitchen full of crocheted food.

I know how to sew basic things, making cushions and quilting to a basic standard, as we learnt in school from a brilliant art teacher who was an ex clothing designer. She taught me how to quilt and pintuck, sew in zippers and piping. I'm saving up for a sewing machine so when we conceive #2 I'm going to try and deck out their nursery handmade. I was working so much when I was pregnant with DS that I didn't touch a needle and thread!

And that's the main reason I think, people are busier. I know if I wanted to crochet something when I was working, I'd have to do it on the train to work and suffer the stares from people apparently shocked to see a 23 year old get yarn out of her bag rather than an ipod. Now I'm a sahm I'm getting to enjoy more of my hobbies. Unfortunately not every mother has that sort of time on their hands.

[calandarbear]

I can sew, had my first sewing machine for christmas when I was 9, My mum helped me make some bedcovers.
I can make pretty much anything I put my mind to (except coats they are my nemesis).
I don't tend to bother very often now because the cost of clothes is so low it isn't really worth the effort.

[calandarbear]

Oh yeah, I'm not bad at embroidery, I know how to do tapestry, crochet, etc most handicrafts but I can't knit.

[dawntigga]

We should have a project club

OffToDoSomeSewingTiggaxx

[Squitten]

I can stitch by hand and I do cross-stitching as a hobby. I'm having a craft party for my birthday and we're going to learn how to crochet, which will be great.

My Mum got me a sewing machine but I still haven't used it. It looks scary!

[Bearbehind]

My sewing ability is summed up by the fact my lounge curtains have stapled turn ups at the bottom

[Flisspaps]

Since Christmas I have taught myself to crochet, and cast on knitting. I am knitting a temperature scarf

[Naoko]

I used to be completely hopeless at all 'soft crafts', because my mother, although she learned as a child, firstly never liked it and secondly by the time I was born was no longer able to do it for health reasons. I'm 27 now, and in the last two years I've learned to knit from friends. Same friends have recently been teaching me to sew, and I'm really enjoying that. I really want a sewing machine now! It'd mostly be for live roleplay costuming projects, but of course it'd be really good to be able to do my own repairs and adaptations too.

[Flisspaps]

I've made DD and DS patchwork quilts as their 'poorly blankets', am renovating DD's dolls' stuff (buggy, doll blankets, car seat cover etc) so it all matches and then I'd like to make some skirts. I'm using my mums old 1960s Jones sewing machine that needs a new motor.

Ooh, I made cross-stitch tie backs for DD's room too!

[Flisspaps]

There's an Arts and Crafts board on here (in fun and games) for anyone who'd like to pop over but hasn't found it