TOGS FOR TOTS Mainers skirting store brands in favor of designing and crafting their own garment creations

loading...

Donna Abbott learned how to sew on a foot-powered sewing machine. She was stitching basic seams and turned out her first pair of shorts – zipper and all – by age 6. As a teen, the Franklin native would rush home from Sumner Memorial High School and whip out a new outfit for the next day, sometimes staying up past midnight. Any free time was spent sewing and filling clothes orders for her teachers for the holidays.

That was back in the ’60s, when Maine women often made their children’s clothes. Many moms still stayed at home with their kids and one-income households were the norm. Money frequently was scarce and the selection of stores sparse. Venturing to Freese’s and other department stores in Bangor was a major trek.

But by the 1980s, more women were working out of the house. That left no time for making clothes for the family. With both parents employed, more income was available and store-bought clothes gradually became the norm. Maine teens also became more brand-conscious and homemade clothes were looked down upon.

Norma Binan, a Hampden seamstress and member of the American Sewing Guild’s Bangor chapter, started sewing when she was 12. She remembers turning discarded calico grain bags into blouses, skirts and other garments.

“After World War II, moms started to go to work, and the time for sewing decreased. The pride of making one’s own clothes has disappeared,” Binan lamented. “We have evolved from a do-it-yourself to a let’s-let-everyone-do-it-for-us society.”

Donna Abbott is the exception. The 53-year-old Franklin resident continues to sew children’s clothes, wedding dresses and everything else under the sun for family, friends and neighbors. Abbott and at least five other work-at-home seamstresses we’ve discovered love designing and creating garments for others and have forged word-of-mouth cottage businesses for themselves. Abbott’s candy cane-striped pinafore, Margo Audiffred’s Baby’s Bundle, Catherine Adams’ moss-green polar fleece jacket and matching flower-adorned cap, Kendra Haskell’s pompom-fringed dress and Ginger Manna’s China doll-patterned knapsack and hat with earflaps are unique, homemade creations for the fall and winter season.

Adorables

Donna Abbott, Franklin

Prices: Girls’ dresses start at $24 (12 months) and go up $2 per size.

Contact: 565-3361

On display: Hatched on MDI, 334 Main St., Southwest Harbor. 244-9800.

Whimsy

Kendra Haskell, Scarborough

Prices: Dresses $30, sweaters $38, hats $18-$24

Contact: 885-5806 or e-mail KendraHaskell@yahoo.com

On display: Nov. 2, An Evening with Maine Artisans, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 885 Shore Rd., Cape Elizabeth; Nov.4-5, Smart Cookie at Camp Hammond, Yarmouth; Dec. 2-4, Maine College of Art holiday sale, Portland.

Little Inchworm Fashions

Margo Auddifred, Saco

Prices: Baby’s Bundle, including hat, booties and blanket, $40.

Contact: 283-0382 or e-mail mca@xpressamerica.net

Catwear: Clothes for the Independent Woman

Catherine Adams

Prices: Sweater-hat combos $38-$42; flower pins $6

Contact: 772-2668, www.catwear.com

On display: Catwear, 399 Fore St., Portland

Ginger Manna, Orland

Prices: Backpack and hat, $54 each

Contact: 469-2860

On display: Handworks Gallery, 48 Main St., Blue Hill (374-5613); Designing Women show, Nov. 5, Holiday Inn, Bangor.