The world we live in moves at such a fast pace. Instant this, drive through that, and I have to have it now! One thing that seems to have been lost in recent years is the ability, or desire, to make something yourself. But if the blogs I’ve been reading lately are a sign of things to come, crafting and sewing might just be making a comeback.
Sewing used to be a skill that was passed down from mother to daughter –teaching her to make her own clothes and things for her home. Boys were taught to build things with their hands – furniture, barns and houses. These were things that my parents were taught. My Dad built my parents first home with the help of his uncles. He filled that house with pieces of furniture that he built by hand – a cradle, a dining room table, a hutch, a desk, a Grandfather clock. My Mom and Grandmother learned how to sew and quilt. My Mom has made quilts for each of her children, grandchildren, and siblings. One of my most prized possessions is a quilt my Mom made and gave to me when I was about to leave home to attend college in another state. That quilt was made with leftover scraps of fabric from the many outfits she sewed for me as I was growing up. You can’t buy that in a store!
When I was about 12 or 13 years old, my Mom signed me up for sewing lessons at the local Singer store and I haven’t stopped sewing since. Barbie doll and baby doll clothes, blouses, pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, curtains, pillows, my wedding veil and the suit I wore as my “going away” outfit at my wedding are all things I’ve sewn. I remember being so proud when I modeled something I had sewn for my Dad and he would ask me, “Did you build that yourself?”. Or if I started sewing something on Saturday to wear to church on Sunday he might ask, “What are you building?”. If you think about it, sewing is very similar to building. You are taking individual pieces and connecting them to make a finished product.
My daughters have encouraged me this past year and a half as I’ve started Francie Beth Boutique and sold handmade signs and picture frames. Even my husband and son have pitched in and cut and sanded signs and slapped on a few coats of paint. Now, I hope to share my love and knowledge of sewing with others who might want to learn to sew with Just Sew! Studio. If your mom tried to teach you to sew, but ran out of patience after threading the machine for you for the 10th time in 10 minutes or if the pattern instructions were too confusing, give sewing another try. In March I will be offering two classes teaching you how to make a decorative pillow. The class will be about 3 hours long and you will leave with a finished pillow. It’s a cute project, you’ll learn a few basic things you need to know about sewing, and you’ll go home with a pillow that you can tell everyone, “I made it myself!” and no one else will have one exactly like yours! For more information please visit here.
