Posts
Time seems so fluid these days, I can't believe a month has passed since I last posted.
I was thinking the other day about how the pattern making process is a mystery to a lot of people.
I don't take the process for granted, yet I am at a different vantage point regarding pattern making than the average or even experienced home sewist. I have almost 30 years of experience doing this, intensive years of learning how to draft, how to fit different bodies and how to adapt the information provided (measurements and design) into a paper pattern.
There is always something to learn, problems to solve, and I enjoy that aspect of the work. In the absence of a lot of work (Covid issues), I have tuned in more to the home sewist platforms and their particular challenges.
Yesterday I read a post on Instagram (blog post here) about a sewing wiki. I found it interesting that these two women were considering this, but I think they have made a wise choice in not going forward. I cannot imagine trying to curate the information! The thought makes me ill 😉.
The internet has opened up a lot of information to so many people in such a positive manner, but unfortunately it also has let loose a lot of misinformation. I think it is mostly misguided, not malicious in any way. I think there has been a generational gap (or two) of knowledge and learning in the area of pattern making and sewing, and now that the art and craft of it is seeing a resurgence, the gap is showing.
In the age of social media and the loyalties it engenders, I have noticed a certain interesting embracing of failure. It sometimes seems that people identify with the struggle and sharing the struggle, often to the point of dismissing or disregarding sound advice. I am all for figuring stuff out on your own, but why not accept good advice or pointers in favour of failure? Eventually with time you may realize that you have been reinventing the wheel.
I guess I am just seeing it from a much different perspective than most.
Anyway, I could go on and on about it all, but I am sure that would be too much for both of us.
I was going to post about my coat pattern here today, but this is already too long. That will be another post.
I would be interested in your opinions on this,
cheers.
Once home economics were dropped from middle and high school curricula as "too expensive," there are several generations of people who have no idea how to approach simple systems to handle what used to be everyday life problems. (How to plan a meal, how to organize kitchen implements, how to sew for one's family, etc.) Therefore, I try to share my vast knowledge about how to fit a paper pattern as kindly as I can. It was a revelation to me to learn how patterns are drafted from scratch, a nifty puzzle that can be solved over and over again for the rest of my life. I like to spread the joy to others. Pattern-making and garment sewing can be as easy or as complicated as you want to tackle, every day, every project. Thank you so much for the knowledge YOU impart through this blog. You state things very clearly, and your illustrations are most helpful.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, yes! The dropping of “home ec” is a big factor! It could have used some updating when I took it (mandatory for girls) and I think later on it became mandatory for both sexes, before it was dropped.
DeleteLife skills were dumped in favour of saving money or pushing university as the preferred option.
Thanks for your kind words.