SOLSC March 14: Sewing a Dress

 

            I’m not sewing. I am helping my daughter, C.M., make a dress. I taught her elementary sewing when she was young (she’s now 50), and she has a sewing machine. But she hasn’t used it in quite a while, and this dress she wants to make is tricky. So a few months ago she asked if she could bring the materials over and could I help her. Sure!

            The pattern is Butterick, circa early 1950s. C.M. found it when her husband was cleaning out his sister’s house after she died. C.M.’s figure is more suited to certain ’50s styles that hark back to the hour-glass figure of early 20th century.

            I am hating Butterick patterns. When I sewed, a lot in the ’60s and ’70s, I used Simplicity and Vogue, which were detailed and told you exactly what you need to know. Butterick, I’m noticing, assumes you know certain details, so doesn’t always explain clearly how to put pieces together. Another Simplicity feature is to note on each pattern piece how many you will need to cut. Butterick does no, or at least did not, do this — thus C.M. had not cut enough pieces for the skirt. She had to buy more fabric, and rather than try to find the same fabric she already had, she decided to try something contrasting. I think the final effect will be very striking.

            Today we worked on attaching the collar to the bodice, putting the bodice facing pieces together, attaching the facing to the bodice, then sewing the final bodice pieces together — the sleeves and bodice are all one, with a front and a back already stitched together, but sleeve and side seams still to be joined.

            This doesn’t sound like much work. But there was a lot of explaining to be done, both for her (what exactly is a facing?) and for me (which bodice front is the left side, where we have to leave a bit of side seam open for the zipper placket?). I actually had to drape the bodice piece over C.M. to make sure I had the correct left side.

            And while all the pinning and sewing and pressing were being done, we had lots of conversation, about her life, my life, our relatives, her former supervisors, politics — every bit as much fun and useful as the sewing. We’ll be back at it her next day off, perhaps.

            When C.M. mentioned to a co-worker that she was meeting her mother for sewing help, the co-worker said, “But isn’t she a feminist?” There’s an assumption out there that feminists hate to cook and don’t do any of the traditional feminine crafts. False assumption. I love to cook. And I sew, knit, crochet, have even done patchwork (though not the quilting to finish a project). I made most of my own clothes in my 20s so I could have exactly what I wanted in the colors or pattern I wanted, and only gave that up when my work became more interesting. I’m passing on these passions and skills to C.M. Feminists can do anything.

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I’m participating in the 16th annual Slice of Life Challenge over at Two Writing Teachers. This is day 14 of the 31-day challenge.  It’s not too late to make space for daily writing in a community that is encouraging, enthusiastic, and eager to read what you have to slice about.  Join in!