Thoughts on Sewing

Thoughts on Sewing

On the wall of our hallway we have this lovely flower/leaf design called “ Collage Impact” It is very skillful embroidered design using various materials. It is one of the things we bought when we went on a return visit to England in about 1971. We were visiting an art exhibition at the local library  in Watford and this caught our eye. It stood out among the paintings and sculptures and we thought it was so different and lovely.

I wanted it mainly as I don't sew and knew I could never make anything like this. In fact I can't sew. I am useless from the basic sewing on of buttons to the type of sewing people do for fun like embroidery.

When I went to school we had lessons in basic sewing and my attempts were dreadful .I couldn't make the stitches the right size or straight . I think I failed that class. You also had to learn how to darn, Why I don't know as I can't remember ever wearing anything that was darned but I failed at that as well.

In High School ,called Grammar School in those days in England , I failed miserably in Domestic Education class. This was a class all the girls took to learn the basics of cooking, cleaning and sewing. In sewing class we had to design, cut out a pattern and then hand sew a garment that you could wear. Now that was bad enough but we had to make a pair of knickers ( underwear/panties). Now just imagine a whole group of 14 year old girls cutting out patterns of knickers .Just imagine the things that were being said and especially as the material we were given to do this ,was a pink flannelette. I think my planning went somewhere wrong in the measuring as my knickers were large enough for an elephant. I can remember that even the teacher tried to hide her smile as I held them up. I was totally embarrassed but I can laugh about it now. The rest of the class certainly did .

Maybe that's why I never got any better at sewing. Anyhow my mum and sister were really good with a sewing machine and they managed to make any dresses that I needed.

So this masterpiece on our wall is cherished. I wonder if the lady who made it, a Mrs Pettiman ever wonders about where it went or who has it now.

I am sure I would.