I have been sewing since I got my first toy sewing machine at age 7. Neither my mother or grandmother sewed at all (well my mom could mend and hem by hand). I don't sew a whole lot nowadays, and the reason is that I rarely can find decent fabric. There is only one real fabric store in my town - there were 3 when I moved here 15 years ago. And that one store, Joanne's, has turned into more of a craft store than anything else. Most of their fabrics are geared towards quilting and crafting. It is hard to find anything resembling fabrics in ready to wear clothing. Most of my sewing now is done for my home.

itsawrap,

(love your name- and it reminds me of a shop WB has in Burbank where they resell clothes from different shows! Much fun to be had)

I grew up watching my grandmother quilt and my mom sew. We always work on a project when we get together and it's been a great bonding activity for us. Even though we live far apart from one another now, we mail each other bits and pieces from our various projects and then pick up something for one another when we can.

I don't hear much about sewing anymore, but I do see a lot of knitting circles, etc. I still think it would be a great thing to do with your daughter if she is interested:-)

Great question! Very thought-provoking.

My mother sewed various small things such as doll clothes for me and my sisters, but she didn't have a sewing machine and did it all by hand! Even so, she did amazing things, and I still have a doll clothes case filled with all the different things she made for me. She was the first exposure I had to sewing, and she also taught me how to do basic embroidery. My neighbor lady 2 doors over when I was a kid was very sewy-crafty and she taught me how to use her sewing machine, among other skills. And then one of my older sisters bought a sewing machine when she was in high school, so I had access to that early on when she wasn't using it. I don't know if I'd have taken up sewing if it had not been for my mom and then my neighbor taking the time they did to show me how to do the basics. It does seem as if it is a passed on skill.
Do you still sew? Maybe if your daughter saw you working on something she might become interested.

My grandmother taught me to sew & then had home ec all through jr. high & high school.
Not only do I love to sew but want to pass that love on to DD. I think all the the domestic sort of crafts are falling by the wayside. Very sad in my opinion. I personally derive so much satisfaction from many such activities & hate to see those arts lost.
In my new home I have a sewing room and am very excited to be able to work on projects and not have to put everything away because we need to use the kitchen table.

I don't really like sewing for myself but do like to sew for children and babies. I am in the process of teaching myself how to smock.

I think all these things should be passed down as much as possible. It ties generations together and keeps the domestic arts alive.

I think you are all on to something. She doesn't see me sew. Over the years when it became so busy with kids and work and life my sewing has dropped off.

I remember when the kids were little and I made their Halloween costumes they would "help" me by sitting under the table and pressing on the foot pedal.

Years ago we had an Au Pair from Switzerland who was extremely talented in making just about anything. She decided to learn how to make quilts and taught my oldest son how to use the machine.

Very good points, it's so true that no matter how old the kids are, they learn by example.

Of course, my machine has some issues !!!! I do need a new one. Any recommendations for something just to use for light and occasional sewing?

When my DS was a freshmen in high school and joined marching band, my DD felt a little left out with all the time we were spending with the band. I enrolled her in a class at Joann's to sew clothes for her American Girl doll. She was 10 at the time. Now she is a freshmen in high school and in marching band, but she knows how to sew!

Problem is we have no where to put the sewing machine right now. Working on redoing the office/sewing room, it will be a few months before we can sew, unless we use the dining room table!

Like most of you I watched my mom sew on her green Singer and took classes in high school. I don't sew much for myself, but make baby rag quilts with remnants of flannel I have too many of! Made DD a duvet for her bed a few years ago, won't do that again! Too big!

I started making doll clothes by hand at age 5 (very simple things!) and at six I started using my mom's Singer Featherweight machine. The first garment I ever made from a pattern was a dress for my little sister when I was about 13 and then I made a couple of jumpers for myself that I absolutely loved. I've made lots of clothes for my kids and myself, plus dolls, stuffed animals, stuff for the house etc. I love to sew. Never took Home Ec, just got help from my mom and learned a lot on my own by doing.

I have two daughters and a son. I taught them all how to use the machine starting when they were six or so. My son loved all the electronic stuff on my later machine and would make pointy hats for his stuffed dogs. The girls made little quilts. My older daughter lost interest in doing handwork but the younger one, now 23, has taken up knitting and sewing. She wasn't disciplined enough to use patterns at first--she would just improvise wildly and the results were very hit or miss (mostly miss). Now she has discovered that patterns and instructions are her friends and she's turning out stuff that looks pretty good and that she likes to wear. She's also made a lot of cute pillows and curtains and stuff for her first home.

Anyway.

I think sewing could make a comeback the way knitting has among young people. The problem is the expense of having to invest in a machine for what might turn out to be just a passing interest. Even cheap machines cost way more than a pair of knitting needles!

I think that Martha Stewart and the home dec tv shows have helped keep sewing alive but I do wish that more people would do it. It's so satisfying to make stuff. Over the years I've heard many people say "oh, i can't sew a stitch!" but I think the truth is that they just aren't that interested in learning how. That's ok, just don't mistake it for lack of ability. I think most people can learn to sew if they want to.

I've been sewing for about 35 years! I love it, too. I quit sewing clothes because it is cheaper to buy them than to make them (pattern and fabric prices are awful!). I've always done needle work crafts. I cross stitch and embroidery and have multiple projects started. About 7 years ago, my dh bought me an embroidery sewing machine. I've really enjoyed that. And about a month ago, I started taking quilting classes. I'm really addicted to that! I already have 3 quilts started with a stack of projects that I want to start. My favorite so far is applique quilting, Baltimore Album style (still learning).

Growing up, my mom worked midnights and couldn't help me, but in our apartment complex there was an older English woman that helped me with my sewing. But growing up, I really wasn't exposed to it very much. My mom did knit and she taught me how to do that. My dd is only 5 and really hasn't show much interest in the hobby yet. I'm hoping one day she does. My son's always asking me to sew him something (he's big into super hero's and is always needing a costume).

In our school district, ALL students (boys and girls alike) have nine weeks of sewing.
They learn how to sew a pillow, a locker buddy and a pair of boxers, as well as how to do repairs.

I think it is a valuable thing to learn.

I started sewing at the age of 8 and never stopped. I don't do a lot of clothes, but I wouldn't dream of buying drapes, table runners, placemats, napkins, slip covers or anything else for my house. I LOVE making it all. This is apparently infectious because both of my daughters-in-law have started making things for their homes too. I gave them the pep-talk and showed them the basics and off they went. I think they will stick with it too. They like getting exactly what they wanted as opposed to settling for someone else's design.

One issue with young adults is that expert sewing requires patience, something many young people don't have. Sewing doesn't qualify as instant gratification. I sure get a lot of pleasure out of it though.
Diane

It seems like I have always sewed. I learned in 4-H and also saw my mother and grandmother sew many things. My daughter got married last summer and I made her dress (whew). She never really showed any interest in sewing when younger. But now that she is married and making her own home she wants to learn! I'm really happy but she lives 5 hours away now and I won't be able to teach her--she's on her own. I have refurbished her grandma's old "wizard" machine and will be taking it to her on our next visit. Maybe sewing talent is inherited!?

lafonda_ranch, I have made a few Baltimore Album-style quilts. If you ever get a chance to take a class with Elly Sienkiewicz, do it! She is a lovely person and her work is drop-dead gorgeous. My quilts were very non-traditional but I used a few of her techniques in them.

Her books don't do her things justice even with great photography. In person they are just stunning.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elly Sienkiewicz

I wish I could sew, but it's my own fault...... I was a big tomboy and hated the things that separated girls from boys in school--namely, Home Ec. It had been a requirement for girls at school up until my first year in high school (late-70s), so the natural rebel that I was--given the chance--I opted out of it. My mom said I'd regret it, and I do now.

My own mother, who is 89 now, sews by hand and only mends or hems things. She didn't learn from her mother either who, in turn, didn't learn from hers (yes, it's a generational thing in reverse!). That great grandmother of mine died leaving 5 kids, the oldest being my grandmother, aged 12. She "got" to raise her younger siblings, which didn't leave time to learn to sew. However, her younger sisters did learn--courtesy of some aunts. So, sewing (beyond mending) stopped with that 12-yr-old who became my grandmother. LOL....and even mending has ended now with me. I would only touch something with a needle and thread that doesn't show or mean a whole lot--which tells you I don't do much!

So, I drool with envy when you all talk about (and show!) the lovely things you make with your own hands.

Tracey

I sew more often now than my mom does. But I can remember her making us dresses for holidays and things like that. I tend to sew more for our house - curtains, pillows, etc. I like that I can make something completely original for our house and when someone asks where I got it, I can say "Oh, I made that."

I have three friends who say they wish they know how to sew. And to each one I always say "I'll teach you. Let me know when you're ready." Not one of them has been ready yet.

Like someone else said, I think sewing might be making a comeback. I would credit blogs for having a big part in the comeback. People see all these great projects online that others have done, and it really inspires them. I have a big list of blogs saved in favorites so I can revisit often.

At the very least, I think having some basic sewing skills is just a smart thing. Not everyone will chose to make their own clothing but knowing how to repair a torn seam, hem a pair of slacks or make a simple curtain means you are not dependent on someone else for absolutely everything. My neighbor once commented to me that she never learned how to thread a needle, replace a button or iron a shirt - this is a grown woman with kids!!!! Her reasoning? She said if she learns, someone might EXPECT it of her, yet she cries poor me at the cost of everything she has to hire out. Can't even wrap my brain around that kind of logic. Needless to say, both my boys can iron their own shirts, and have some basic sewing skills ;-)

I also had it in school, plus mother sewed, made beautiful clothes for me while in school, I made many things for our new home prior to moving in and after, have often said, I'm so glad I can sew, many of the young women today may regret not learning and knowing their way around a sewing machine one day, if they become domestic types at all?..How could I ever forget my home economics teacher drumming into our heads...spindle, guide, tension, take-up, guide, guide,guide...needle...LOL

I sewed many of my clothes when I was in HS because it was difficult to find pants to fit womeone 6 ft. tall. Now that isn't the issue. But I still sew for home dec., made halloween costumes when the girls were younger, etc. I dabbled with quilting.

Both of my girls know how to sew from school and 4H. My youngest has developed a taste for fabric. She is bad about talking me into by projects! Oh wel,we could have other vices! :-)

I realize they will most likely never make their clothes, but I'm fine with taht. I wouldn't either. But I do think they should be able to make simple home dec projects, do repairs, and make their kid's costumes. They both have a love for quilted wallhangings and small projects.

I was forced to learn.

My mother forced me to sew a dress. It was a horrible experience. The pattern confused me, the machine would mess up, and I cried nearly the entire time.

I begged to get up, but she stood over me and refused to let me move.

Once finished, I had to wear the dress to church once. It was an embarrassing experience, but no worse than anything else I had to wear.

After that, I didn't touch a machine until my husband and I bought our first house. In truth, I didn't remember anything from my horrible experience, so I had to teach myself from the beginning.

If I may make a suggestion, take your daughter to the fabric store. Encourage her to feel the fabrics, especially the fancy dress fabrics (always with a "Wow"). Sit down at the pattern books and let her look at a book too. If she still doesn't seem interested, point out a beautiful dress that would look beautiful on her.

Oh, and pick up some dress trim. If that doesn't get someone excited then nothing will!

And trying on clothes at the mall is a great place too! After trying something ill-fitting, tell her that she could make a wardrobe that fit absolutely perfect --if she only knew how to sew.

I can't sew and never had an interest in learning. We were required to take sewing in middle school and maybe high school too.

My mom and grandmother both sewed and made me clothes when I was little. I remember getting fitted in my grandmother's sewing room. My other grandmother knitted all the time and I have a sweater that she made for my brother 40 years ago and a pink and white afgan that she made for my 10th birthday.

I wish now that I would have been interested in learing from my mother and grandmother but I was just too much of a tomboy.

I hope it is not a lost art. I was at JoAnne fabric a few weeks ago and there were lots of people there and the store is very large so someonw must be sewing.

I'm not a seamstress, but can sew a straight line and have made a couple of pieces of clothes in my day, but it's not my forte'. My mom taught me how to cook, not sew. She struggled just to sew a button on. What's so funny is she has a sister who use to sew up a streak. I think some people are just gifted with that knack. You know the ones who can look at something and make it. Kind of like a woodworker or artist. Well, I think sewing is art.

I just hired a young lady to do some sewing for me. She came by today to take measurements for the guest bath curtains. She said she learned how to sew from her aunt and she never learned how to use a pattern initally. She'd just make her clothes from her memory of what she liked. I don't think I have to worry if my curtains will be looking good or not. I did buy patterns for her of course to make things eaiser on her. I can't wait to see them finished.

Do they still teach home economics to girls in junior and HS anymore? I remember our cooking class. Boy, was that a mess. LOL Thanks goodness my mom taught me how to cook because I sure wouldn't have learned in that class.

As for the sewing class, that was another waste of time. It took us something like 8 weeks to make one skirt and I might add, a skirt I wouldn't be caught dead in. HA!

Growing up my mom always made our Halloween costumes- those are great memories for me.
Now that I'm a young mom I've carried on that tradition. My mom showed me the basics (she's no expert either) and then I just taught myself.
I only make costumes, princess dress-up clothes, etc. So if it doesn't look perfect- who cares!
Not many of my peers sew (or even own a machine). But I enjoy it and don't want it to become a "lost art"!

I wish I knew how to sew.
My mother did not sew although my grandmothers did.
But, I didn't become interested in house stuff until I was in my 20's (and when it hit, it hit big time!) and the clothes grandmother made for me were so "homemade" looking that I didn't especially want to learn how to make ugly clothes!

But now, I would like to be able to make pillows, drapes, simple seams. I have thought about taking lessons some day, but I have a woman who make pillows for me -knife edged, I supply materials- for $3.75 a pillow so I think why bother?

I do think if she knew how much I spent on the material she would raise her price!

Both my mother and I have always disliked sewing but she and my grandmother did show me the basics when I was little. Since then I have made a few clothes and almost all my own home dec stuff, simply because it is either too expensive to buy ready made or because I can't find what I am looking for in any store.

I purchased a used sewing machine on the strong recommendation of the sewing machine store owner because "They don't make them as good as this any more" and have had years of frustration with it! It weighs a ton, is difficult to thread, and never seems to sew properly. I assumed it was me! Finally I went to Sears and bought a little machine for less than $100. It's light, it's simple to use, and it sews beautifully!!!! I am now actually enjoying sewing!

I am teaching a nephew how to cook. Perhaps I should also teach my nephews how to sew!!

I've sewn since I was old enough to thread my own needles.
I taught my kids.....2 boys and a girl.
My DD never really showed much interest in it TILL she went to college. There she got a minor in costume design!

My sister never took interest in sewing however she owns and runs her own very successful craft business and much of it involves making dolls. She still asks me to do her draperies when I visit. LOL

Yes, I believe sewing is becoming a lost art, and I, too, agree thats sad.

I come from a long line of seamstresses. Had Home Ec in school, had to sew several shirts, I wasn't too thrilled about it, but now I'm able to make things like curtains, table runners, placemats, general things like that. I wouldn't attempt a set of drapes though LOL.

My grandmother was an avid hand-quilter and my mom still quilts weekly at the church. Now that seems like a lost art to me, hand-quilting.

I was never interested in quilting but I have been handed down some 20+ quilts made by my great-grandmother, grandmother and mom. Every stitch was made with love. I display a few of them, but am a bit chicken to actually put them on my bed. Some are 70 yrs old.

Sewing for me is a lost cause. I nearly didn't survive HS Home Ec (in the 70s) because of it. My mother was great at sewing and had to give me a bit of help to get me through the class. Thankfully she didn't force me to try harder. I just hated it. I still remember that stupid skirt.My mom and I had similar interests in other areas such as cooking and flower gardening, but I couldn't stand sewing and to this day can barely manage a buttom or hem. Sad but true.

I just remembered something funny: when I met and married my husband, *he* had a sewing machine that I was able to use. He was the director/curator/exhibit designer-constructor of a small museum and had it on hand for use in the museum. He could sew something requiring simple straight lines, but that was about it. I hadn't had access to a machine for some years, so I was really glad to adopt it!

I just finished this for my son's room. I am considering making a quilt with the entire alphabet.

I learned to sew from my mother who and made most of our clothes and all our doll clothes. She saved a piece of the cloth of everything she made for us and my sister and I are now cutting all those pieces into squares for a couple of quilts. We laugh ourselves to tears in the process. We were all in 4-H.

We also sewed in home ec. Now, however, we would never be able to have machines at the middle school level due to parents' safety concerns, but the home ec teacher still teaches kids to sew by hand. They make stuffed animals and do cross stitch. I teach my 6th grade art students to weave, and we all make woven bags with twisted cord straps.

That being said, things that we learned at home are no longer common. I am no longer amazed by how many kids don't know what their clothes are made out of, or have absolutely no idea how to thread a needle (that pointy thingy), they don't know yarn from string, they have never heard the word "stitch" and it is not unusual to have one not know how to tie a knot (velcro shoes you know). Before I started teaching I would have never imagined I'd have to demonstrate to my classes how to take the end of a piece of yarn and start rolling it into a ball, but now I do it all the time. Amazing. Bravo to you all who make stuff with your kids - I suspect you read to them to!

My mother sewed, and when I had a chance to take Home Ec in HS (70s), I took it. I gather I learned a LOT of bad habits - our Home Ec teacher was great at teaching cooking, but not so wonderful about sewing. But I enjoy it - still do, though I don't always take the time to sew clothes.

Like many here, I've been disappointed at the fabrics available in our area. Wal-Mart has a tiny selection these days, Joann's is mostly crafts and home stuff with a little fabric thrown in, and I believe Yardage Town is out of business in Mira Mesa.

This said, I'm going to have to make some new clothes this summer, somehow. I desperately need some new dresses and haven't found anything I really like in the stores that I can afford. But I'm successful at finding pants and tops, particularly at Ross and Kohl's, that fit and are reasonable.

DonnaR/CA

A long time ago, when he was in the Navy, my cousin married a Japanese woman who taught me how to make clothes for my Barbie - by hand!

She taught me an appreciation for detail and those things that go unseen by most. One thing I never forgot was learning that a garment should look as beautiful inside out as it does right side.

A boyfriend's mom had an old treadle machine and I learned how to sew on a machine using it. Later I bought myself a simple Brother machine and kept it forever. I sewed everything with that machine but always took great pleasure (and pride) in hand finishing everything I made. I never made anything without finishing the seam edges with binding and hems with tape.

I tried to teach my daughter how to sew but she really wasn't interested enough to give it her attention. Now that she has a little kiddo, she's interested again and has bought a machine.

I haven't sewn in a very long time but plan on starting again after we move to our new home.

In answer to the question - No, I don't believe it's a lost art at all. Needle arts of all kinds are very popular now, sewing included. Take a peek around Etsy - alive and well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Etsy - Your place to buy and sell all things handmade

"I was forced to learn.
My mother forced me to sew a dress. It was a horrible experience. The pattern confused me, the machine would mess up, and I cried nearly the entire time.

I begged to get up, but she stood over me and refused to let me move."

I had a similar experience. As a middle schooler, I had very little clothes, not because we couldn't afford it, but because my mother just didn't understand why I would possibly need more than 5 shirts. As a 12 year old 7th grader, this was devastating to my self-esteem.

So, she made me a deal. I could have as many clothes as a I wanted as long as I sewed them myself.

I tried making a few things, but they never turned out to anything close to what I really wanted. I've not been a fan of sewing ever since. She ruined it for me.

I do have a sewing machine, but only out of necessity - hemming/mending things, and sewing on scout patches.

Beyond that I'd rather go naked than make my own clothing.

i started sewing just a few years ago. i don't make clothing...i just do big squares...pillows, curtains, quilts etc :) my favorite thing to play with is a crazy quilt. making one gives me an excuse to purchase hundreds of different fabrics and trims....which i love :) textiles have always been fascinating to me and this hobby just allows me to have fun with so many more than if i purchased pre made items.

My mother taught me to knit when I was 5 years old. When she got her new sewing machine in the '60's and took lessons, I was the one that caught the bug and started sewing for her. I was fortunate to have a semester of home economics in the 7th grade that included basic sewing. Lacking that, I don't know if I would have had the confidence to pursue the joy of sewing on my own. I'm sorry that schools don't teach sewing now, but the opportunity to learn is still out there if we can help young ones to learn to sew and to enjoy the experience.

hab, very cute pillow. A quilt with the entire alphabet would be awesome. Don't forget to post a photo when it's finished.

For anyone who wants their daughter to learn the art, this is how to pull them in:

"Growing up my mom always made our Halloween costumes- those are great memories for me."

Same here. We also made halter tops and handbags made from old jeans.

I didn't keep up with it, but I feel confident I could pick up pattern, fabric and thread tomorrow and do a fair job. I do a lot by hand, but don't own a machine. Soon maybe though, I should check Craig's list ;-)

I find it a lot cheaper to buy clothes than make them, especially since I am not a seamstress nor a designer. When a dress costs $40 or the trade off is 12 hours of madness, I'm going for the $40 bucks.

As a teen ager I took sewing in school and learned the basics. I have an old Kenmore sewing machine, green, a real tank, solid metal, in good shape and well maintained. It must weigh 50 pounds! It was my moms'. Mom can sew anything, including clothes, but it wasn't something I needed to do, beyond making those letter pillows in Home Economics class.

A few years ago I tried to make a cute jumper for my toddler daughter. It was a disaster. I threw it out and gave up on clothes forever.