Mary Brooks Picken in Singer Sewing Book 1961

"Make an appointment with yourself to sew, just as you would with your hairdresser, or with a neighbour to go shopping. If your intimates enjoy sewing, invite them to come and sew with you from 2 to 5 on a Wednesday, or perhaps for an evening each week. Do not spend your time planning refreshments, but insist that each bring sewing to do.

On the days when you are sewing, make the dessert in the morning, plan a quick-to-get dinner so that your afternoon can be given to the full enjoyment of sewing.

Much happiness and benefit can be had from sewing if you plan what you will do; if you buy carefully; if you choose your patterns for smartness and appropriateness and if you cut and sew in a planned, well-organised fashion.

When you sew, make youself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth - a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag of French chalk near your sewing machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if your are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of your mirror, 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 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. Therefore, 'spruce up' at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy ever part of any sewing you do."

Mmmm, real world!!??

AJ ;-)

That was interesting reading, AJ. I have seen that before, but not in its entirety.

In the 1960s I had started making some of my own clothes, but for years my mom sewed lots of dresses for me and my two sisters. She must have done a lot of sewing at night, because I can't remember seeing her at her sewing machine all that much when I was growing up.

Since I work full time, I do most of my sewing on the weekend. I have found that I have become rather jealous of my time on the weekend. Not only do I want to continue to work on my "projects" but I actually do find it relaxing and enjoyable. Some family and friends around me don't understand why I don't want to go shopping when I have free time. Well....if you don't have a lot of money, shopping is pointless and stressfull. I feel better sewing something worthwhile with fabrics and books/patterns that I already have than spending money on clothing or more "stuff" that I can't really afford or don't need.

I have a couple editions of those Singer books..one was my grandmothers and the other from a yard sale. I love peeking into them and reading the odd bit of advice! The color photos of the then "to die for" rooms is also interesting. Lots of regular good sewing information in them as well....if anyone comes across one just take a peek inside and see what our mothers/grandmothers tried to achieve in their day. LOL....must go now and find myself a lovely frilly apron to go with the sweats and old T shirt I'm now wearing...before I start the ironing JUST incase company arrives.....Teresa I for one would understand you wanting "your time" ...as for inviting another sewer over..can just picture my aunt and I arguing over who is gonna use the serger ....and constantly being pissed when I had to rethread with my color of thread on the machine. *sigh*

When my kids were small,i didn't have a sewing room,so i sewed when they went down for naps,and then again when they went to bed.My kids always had set bedtimes.
Now that they are all grown and gone,and i have a sewing room,i can sew whenever the mood hits.Dh is very good about it,and if i'm working on a project,he'll either fix dinner or go pick something up for us.Used to think this day would never come!!!LOL
Kathi

You are one lucky lady, Kathi! Do you think I could teach the poodle to run fetch me some Chinese take-out or a pizza? LOL

Teresa

Back in the day, I used to do my best sewing until about 2-3am. Can't do that anymore, tho. Now I wait until DS is up and about (he loves to sleep late and was, when we had an RV, disturbed when he heard pages being turned, so you can imagine how he feels about my sewing machine!). Luckily, I only work part-time so usually have Mondays, Wednesdays (all day), and Friday afternoons to indulge my obsession.

I loved the Mary Brooks Picken article too. I have seen it somewhere as well. She would be thrilled to see me sewing, as I often do, in my underwear (easier for fitting), sans makeup, etc.

I still have my old "Unit Method of Clothing Construction" book by the Iowa Home Economics Association from when I went to home ec college. We had to make little bodices, sleeves, etc out of construction paper with different types of alterations. Still have them too, plus samples of different closures, etc.

But I digress...

Now I see better in the daytime, evening is tougher on my eyes.

Mary L

I get most of my sewing done after school, before my parents come home. its easier because i sew in the dining room and they are always watching TV nearby. They hate it if i have the sewing machine on and they are trying to watch a movie. I have to do all my work when no one is in the living/dining room.

I do all my sewing at night!

I am like Mary and sew in my underwear too! And I can assure you hands are clean, yet unpolished and no makeup on! LOL. I sew at night and on Sat. mornings and Sunday afternoons. I sure hope my Mother (Joansews) responds to this cause she sews in the middle of the night. I've mentioned before as a child falling asleep to the hum of the machine.
Susan

When my kids were little, (all 7 of them) I sewed at night and nap-times. I used to sew until 2:00 AM every night.
Now that my kids are grown and gone and I now work full time, I sew after work and on weekends. I can't stay up and sew until 2:00 AM anymore, can barely make it until 10 PM, but I still get a lot done, thanks to now having a serger. I mostly sew clothes for grandkids and I sure wish I had owned a serger back in the day when I was sewing for our 7 kids. What a time saver!

Back when I had little kids and a sewing room in Virginia, I used to put them to bed after dinner and sew all evening. Now, the kids are grown and I have moved to Arizona, where the desert climate is in charge. I sew when it is cool and/or cloudy, as I have to work in a glassed-in room that is otherwise unbearable, although the light is good. I am thinking about moving to New England, though, and I am sewing up a bunch of window treatments to help sell the house when the time comes.

My days start at 3:00 am. By the time that I get everyone out of the house to work, I have accomplished a lot. Love the early mornings - somebody has got to wake the birds!!

When I sewed a whole bunch, at night when things were quiet and if it was something I really wanted to do... I just ignored everything around until I felt I made progress or it was time for a meal. Now that the kids have just gone back to school, I'm thinking of pulling the machine out, maybe doing some comforters for weather coming up. There's also 2 'quilts to be' tucked away around here somewhere that I'd really like to do (its been in the making 10,11 years)LOL...

The last project I did was earlier this year when I made a 'camouflage' dress for DD's ROTC military ball. And last year a Tux for sons graduation, that was a real challenge!

Anyway, I think I may have some free time (after some good cleaning to set up a place to do so). I do miss sewing...

G_M

Boy, does this question bring back memories! When my boys were little, the only quiet time available was after their bedtime. The house was calm and I didn't have to worry about little hands getting into things, little feet stepping on wayward pins or tripping on cords, running boys knocking the ironing board over. I went through many irons over the years. Did you know that irons don't bounce?

Now, boyless, the house is always quiet and I can leave the machine set up all the time, if I want.

Some days I surely miss the madness.

I like to stay in my PJ's and spend a whole day sewing, mostly purses and clothes for the grand daughters. Before my day of sewing I will cut out several projects so I can just sew. I have a small area in my basement with my sewing machine, serger and ironing board all around. I use a pool table to do my cutting on. I do use a cutting mat to protect it tho. Years ago I worked full time on the 11pm-7am shift. I would come home and sew til 2pm, sleep til 9 and jump up to go to work. I have to give credit to my husband for taking care of the family on those days. I wish I could do nothing but sew for my GD now, they would be the best dressed little ones, I just love doing applique on clothes and they can be so cute. I also enjoy taking overalls and embellishing with seasonal stuff.