21st century sew on and sew forth

Weren’t the Noughties meant to be all about being naughty and a hedonistic wealth fueled follow on from the really naughty 90s?

So how come I caught myself looking in a charity shop window the other day?

I was drawn to a natty pair of high heeled hardly worn shoe boots on display, and then I did a double take as I caught my reflection in the rain streaked window.

There was I carrying a huge Argos bag with a new sewing machine so I can ‘make do and mend’.  I just feel transported back to another time and one small step away from buying Butterwick and Vogue dress patterns to make ‘new work suits’.

When I got home, I unpacked my new gadget - sleek, shiny and black to go with my iPod.  I set it up and started sewing and realised with a pang what a dying art this is.  Filling a bobbin, threading the machine, pinning fabric, the chalk markings, the tape measure - it’s complicated but it’s something I want to pass on to Miniminx - what if she never got to do any of this? It scares me…

She was fascinated to watch me perform this alien craft and produce a finished item out of it.

I used to make my own clothes and even tried selling them down Camden Market yonks ago and I was trying to work out when I got the fashion brand bug and dumped my nimble needlework for a credit card.  I can’t quite remember to be honest.

That said,  I walked home from Portobello and spied many a more-fash-than-cash rebranded charity shop.  Oxfam being one of them (see above - shame about the typo huh?).  I’ve tried to get into this whole thing but the shops still smell really musty - and the clothes are very home made looking.

These are such lovely brands - just look at Traid - they’re even doing workshops to help you customise your clothes.  And Fara Notting Hill is totally far out when it comes to vintage designer gear,  I applaud them all - they’re modernising worthiness and bringing a new edge to thrift and frugality.

And there you have it, I’m going to teach my child to sew.

This post was written by Nixdminx, a single mum in London trying to find a work during these credit crunched times.

Photo credit: yesterprints

Comments

[Susanna (A Modern Mother)]

Good for you. I wish I could sew.