Some of my favourite childhood clothes were handmade. I remember playing, watching the dust swirl in the sun, as my mum fussed away over straight seams and rolled hems. The results: drop-waisted dresses, aprons, and holly-hobby bonnets. My older sister also made me simple sundresses and a knitted hooded duffle coat - the latter of which is about to go into service again for a soon-to-be five year old.
Homemade clothes were far more common back then. I loved the fact that these things had been made especially for me, with special little details and colour choices.
There were other bonuses too. I didn't go to school wearing the same thing as everyone else.
I also wasn't dressed exclusively in all the shades of pink and cartoon prints so common in today's mainstream girls wear. While there is a vast bulk of cheap op shop clothes around, much of it is in various shades of pink. This is cute in the first instance, but it grows monotonous after a while.
I always hoped to make a fair bunch of my own kids' clothing, and have a suitable stash of second-hand fabrics with which to do so. I'd like to confidently take the hand made pledge as blogger Jorth has done, at her daughter Grumbles behest. However, two active preschoolers don't always make this an easy option. Perhaps this is something I'll try for in another six months or so.
That said, I'm trying to make the time to do a bit more, even though little Sophia stands impatiently by the sewing machine saying 'Dita's turn now'.
I'm very happy with the smattering of imperfect things I've made them: a duffle coat, two toy rabbits, doona covers and patchwork quilts, a couple of summer dresses for Sophia, and another winter cord one made today (picture to come, when the model awakes).
And Nikos and Sophia, for their part, have worn their mum-made things to death. It's very satisfying to see my creative labours in the world, appreciated by the little people I love.
One extra thing I like about making these things myself is that it puts the brakes on the impulse to have too many things. A few lovely things, made with care and love, are more than enough.
I've loved making things for my children and home. I remember my grandmother making me an apron and my amazement as I watched how quickly she sewed together what seemed to be randon scraps to make the most exquisite treasure. And my mother made me a jacket and waistcoat (in the 80s when turn back cuffs and matching patterned fabrics and buttons were all the rage) and her sadness when it was finished - it had taken her so long to make I had almost outgrown it.
ReplyDeleteSo many memories stiched in time.
I've enjoyed following your magazine interest, too (could say minor obsession but I think that probably refers to me, not you). I just got rid of stacks because I was spending what amounted to days looking at the same few "favourite" pages, one in each of about a dozen mags. So I cut out my favourite pics and have them in an envelope to enjoy like secrets when the mood takes me, and more space on the book cases!
I know that sadness. There's an almost finished jumper in my mum's sewing box that was meant for me, but life intervened to prevent it being finished. I'm hoping either she or I will get our knitting skills together enough to finish it off for my daughter. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteThere are more than a few magazine obsesssives out there - we're in good company! I reckon half the appeal of flicking through them is the search for treasure in their pages. This feeling of happening on something intriguing is something that the scrapbook filled with these riches can't quite replicate. Still I'm going to stick with it for a while, and see what happens. And it does liberate some space - getting rid of surplus stuff is fast becoming my new obsession!