Sewing in the Fifties
A good friend of mine bought a book for me from a car boot sale on Sunday. It’s the Singer Sewing Book, published by McGraw Hill in 1954. It’s hilarious, and I just have to share some of it with you. My favourite are the tips on sewing successfully, especially the paragraph about your physical appearance. It says, “When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress”. Are they kidding?!! No, it goes on to explain just why this is so vital.
“Looking attractive while you are sewing is very important because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at regular intervals, and you can hope for better results when you look your best. Again, sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are (WAIT FOR IT!!) constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should”. Heavens alive.
I’m seriously glad in this regard that times have changed, and that in 2008 I’m able to sew in my pajamas, with no makeup and un-brushed hair. Even if my boyfriend is at home. There are some bits in the book though, which make me realise how glad I am, and how important it is, that we are experiencing a revival of handmade things.
The books says, “A person with a hobby is a person whose life is interesting. Psychologists say that the development of an absorbing hobby, particularly one involving the use of the hands, is one of the most important elements in leading a well-balanced and well-integrated life. When the mind and the hands are occupied with the creation of something useful and attractive, there is no room for discontent, boredom, petty worries, fears and jealousies, and there are few pleasures to equal the sense of accomplishment of holding in one’s hands the skilfully finished product of one’s own efforts”.
Written by: Sarah
Filed under: Handmade Things on April 8th, 2008
