Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Emma, you're my hero

I hate sewing.

I mean, I really really hate sewing. I loathe, despite, detest, and abhor it from the deepest pits of my being. I don’t believe there are adequate vocabulary words in the English language to express how I truly feel about it.

Don’t get me wrong: I can sew. I just hate it.

I’ve hated sewing since I was a child. My saintly mother, who sews magnificently, could never understand why I didn’t share her delight in creating beautiful garments from virtually nothing. Despite all her patient efforts and skillful mentoring, the mere act of putting needle to thread still fills me with hateful frustration and dripping venom.

So when I came across a photo of this framed antique sampler from 1877, I burst out laughing.

Emma, whoever you are, you're my hero.

8 comments:

  1. Ha! I can relate. Teaching me to sew was a project that left both my mom AND me in tears.

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  2. I hate the chore of sewing, and that when people learn that I sew, the first thing they think of and even ask, is, will I alter a pair of pants for them, or something else equally stressful and not fun. It's not simple, it isn't free for the person who does it, and unless you're a real pro at alterations, you may seriously harm your relationship to that person.

    So really the word "sew" can mean many things. Do I like to set up my embroidery machine and do the things necessary to have it embroider a favorite scripture on pretty fabric for a hand towel or such? Oh yes! Especially because my hands have started cramping up for needlework, which I love.

    Oh, needlework, on good linen! How it makes my heart go pitter patter! But so many patterns and so little time, especially now. Too many things require attention, and the word require and the time necessary means there's not much time left.

    But fabric? I have to confess fabric lust. I love textures and patterns, colors, and uses, and love to create with fabric. Sewing for that purpose can put me in an ecstatic state where I lose track of time. Is this something our Lord has placed in my heart for a reason? Sometimes I think so.
    Here's an example. For several years I've wanted to make some new towels. Terrycloth is nice but it isn't easy to hand launder. Also, back in the day, long ago, I think they used homespun. Well, now, or at least last I looked, there was a plethora of beautiful homespun fabrics. Lust filled my heart to make towels of homespun looking at some of it ,yet here I am, struggling with manual house repairs, fighting a losing war with critters that want to devour my gardening efforts and move into my wood house. I haven't sewn for pleasure in a long time, and that idea was a good one. They would be easy to launder and line dry. It would be a positive simplification.
    Sewing used to be what women did in their spare time not just for practical value but to enjoy, like men do woodwork. Now we have tv, China everything, and families separated and scattered to the ends of the Earth and it's normal.
    Skills don't have to be enjoyed, but it's necessary to have skills, and sewing is a good skill to have.

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  3. For me, you could exchange every instance of the word "sewing" in your post with "PLUMBING." I.HATE.PLUMBING!!! I CAN cut pipe. I CAN sweat-solder. I CAN braze. I CAN handle every type of fitting on the homestead. I STILL HATE PLUMBING!!!

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  4. Yep, we all have our passions, good or bad. I don't hate sewing. I can't do it very well though. I love to cook, but hate clean up afterwards. When I was a mechanic, I hated oil changes. We all have em, every one of us lol

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  5. My Mom finally threw in the sewing teaching towel, when she caught me hemming my pants with duct tape.

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  6. Hemming new washcloths from repurposed material with the string from feedbags. It's perfect.

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  7. She didn't just sew it,she meant it!! Writing slanting downward means a very pessimistic attitude about what you are doing. Slanting upward means joy and optimism.

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