Home made or store bought
Many years ago I used to make some of my clothes. I was fortunate to be of the generation who was taught to sew at school. In the 70's fabric was cheap and plentiful. Knitting I learnt from a lovely old lady I used to visit once a week. I found her when distributing harvest festival boxes to a sheltered housing facility. My school did this every year. Throughout my life there have been key people who influenced me. She was one although sadly I cannot remember her name. She will be long gone now but she left me with the gift of being able to knit. Once a week I would visit for a drink and piece of home made cake and a knitting lesson. At the age of 13 I knitted my first thing, a matinee jacket for an expected baby of one of the women at the children's home. I remember how proud I was. I had achieved something. It progressed easily once I understood how to read a pattern.
The sewing lessons taught me how to use a machine and again how to use patterns. I also did a term of evening classes on dressmaking. My mother in law was a good dressmaker and again helped me. She had an old treadle singer which I inherited when she died. Sadly that is long gone.
In the early days of marriage I invested in my first electric sewing machine and set off on my journey. I made the children's clothes when they were little too.
Fabric became expensive, cheap fashion arrived and life was very busy. I made the occasional thing but nothing much. The knitting continued and I made loads of cardigans etc for my babies. I knitted a shawl for the first one in two ply white wool. I still have it.
Then a cousin was having her first baby and I did not want to replicate my shawl. I found a crochet pattern and bought a small book...learn to crochet ( no dummies books then). I went on to crochet that shawl so many times I no longer needed the pattern!
And so here I am today, able to knit, sew and crochet.
Since moving here I have rediscovered the joy of making my own things. The last few years I have crocheted blankets being sucked in from what I saw Lucy (Attic 24) making. Then I refound my sewing machine amongst all the muddle of stored possessions and was off again.
At the moment I have a half made skirt in a pretty strawberry and royal blue print with a queue of fabric waiting to be made up. I am currently knitting a cardigan with a queue of different wools waiting to be knitted up. I am knitting some socks too, just the toe to do on my first one which I need to get my head around, also with a small queue of sock wool waiting! Then there are the crochet blankets...I am working on one at the moment with one of the blanket kits from Lucy waiting to come to life! I have a stash of blanket kits!
They will all get done but I do not know when.
I would like to think I can make just about everything but time is an issue.
The sewing lessons taught me how to use a machine and again how to use patterns. I also did a term of evening classes on dressmaking. My mother in law was a good dressmaker and again helped me. She had an old treadle singer which I inherited when she died. Sadly that is long gone.
In the early days of marriage I invested in my first electric sewing machine and set off on my journey. I made the children's clothes when they were little too.
Fabric became expensive, cheap fashion arrived and life was very busy. I made the occasional thing but nothing much. The knitting continued and I made loads of cardigans etc for my babies. I knitted a shawl for the first one in two ply white wool. I still have it.
Then a cousin was having her first baby and I did not want to replicate my shawl. I found a crochet pattern and bought a small book...learn to crochet ( no dummies books then). I went on to crochet that shawl so many times I no longer needed the pattern!
And so here I am today, able to knit, sew and crochet.
Since moving here I have rediscovered the joy of making my own things. The last few years I have crocheted blankets being sucked in from what I saw Lucy (Attic 24) making. Then I refound my sewing machine amongst all the muddle of stored possessions and was off again.
At the moment I have a half made skirt in a pretty strawberry and royal blue print with a queue of fabric waiting to be made up. I am currently knitting a cardigan with a queue of different wools waiting to be knitted up. I am knitting some socks too, just the toe to do on my first one which I need to get my head around, also with a small queue of sock wool waiting! Then there are the crochet blankets...I am working on one at the moment with one of the blanket kits from Lucy waiting to come to life! I have a stash of blanket kits!
They will all get done but I do not know when.
I would like to think I can make just about everything but time is an issue.
Today I went to the clothes shop I use as there is a sale on. In France sales are at specified times and the police check on shops to ensure they comply. Much of France is run according to rules Napoleon put in place.
This little ensemble cost me the princely sum of €25. The jeans are a style I always buy now as I like the fit. I could not resist the colour! I know I could not buy the fabric for that price to make the things myself so am comfortable buying. My wardrobe contents now are very small so there is room for this outfit! When sorting out my shoes I found some sandals I had forgotten about. As always they were safely in their box. They are flat silver toe post sandals with a beaded top. Delicate and pretty and I remember being worried they would spoil! Daft! They will now be my summer sandals and will last as long as they last. I am comfortable now that home made and store bought can exist side by side. |