A sewing life, told in draped chapters

My sewing life has had so many phases, it resembles patchwork with ragged edges.

The first phase was when I learned, officially, to sew in Mrs. Betty Calkins’ home economics class in 1962-63. In those days, armed with skills she’d stitched into my brain, I made for myself cotton shift dresses that zipped up the back. I also recall making a black cotton circle skirt with a swirl factor that was to die for. That skirt became a staple of my wardrobe during my “black” period, the year I wore nothing but black – flats, tights, straight skirts, turtlenecks and Bobbie Brooks blazer.

A few years later, in the mid- and late 1960s, my sewing life was dominated by wool. Wool was woven in Guilford then and yardage could be purchased for a few dollars a pound. I made fitted wool dresses, pleated skirts, jumpers and even a sports jacket.

A big innovation at that time was “bonded” wool. A thin, shiny knit lining, usually black, was heat-sealed to one side of the fabric. I made from it a bright red wraparound skirt for myself, and a navy blue plaid coat for my mother. But it didn’t have the drape of regular wool and I was glad when that innovation was passe.

I flirted for a few months with polyester fabrics when they came into vogue in the early 1970s. I remember making a minidress in a purple and white print. It had a little white collar, a swingy skirt and puffed short sleeves. It was very “Twiggy.” I wore it with white patent leather shoes sporting square toes and chunky heels.

The selling point for polyester fabrics was that the cut edges wouldn’t ravel and nothing, not even a night spent kicked into a corner, could induce it to wrinkle. Sadly, it was then that those of us who sewed began to shun fabrics like wool, a move that heralded the decline of demand for natural fibers.

When my children were small, I turned to sewing clothing for them until they became newly minted teenagers, and turned up their noses at my efforts and wanted only Levi jeans and T-shirts emblazoned with rude sayings or goofy cartoon characters. But when they were small I made for them corduroy overalls with patches on the knees and snaps up the insides of the legs. When they were a little older I made for them Western-style shirts with snaps up the front.

Making things for my home was always a part of my sewing life even when clothing construction was my main concern. I made pillowcases, embroidered them with sprays of flowers and edged them with crocheted lace. I made drapes, cafe curtains and cottage curtains. I made a few quilts and discovered I didn’t have the patience for such intricate and large projects. I made crude door quilts to keep drafts out of the old houses I lived in. I even threw together a few tablecloths and place mats just for the hell of it.

When my sons were grown and neither they nor my house needed hand-sewn things, my sewing life became increasingly self-centered. These days, I sew fitted jackets of silk or wool, practical but pretty cotton sundresses, tailored cotton eyelet shirts with three-quarter-length sleeves and simple A-line linen skirts.

I’m not sure where the next phase of my sewing life will take me. Not knowing is part of the fun.

Snippets

A By Hand reader has a stack of vintage knitting and crochet booklets available for adoption. If any knitting or crochet groups, or shops that maintain libraries for customer use are interested in giving some of these booklets a home, call me at 990-8153.

Textile, fabric and quilt artists Catherine Worthington of Brunswick, Natasha Kempers-Cullen of Topsham, Katherine Harmon Harding of Freeport, Stephanie Green Levy of Brunswick and Mary Allen Chaisson of Harpswell will display their work in Augusta in the office of Maine Senate President Beth Edmonds through mid-August. The public is encouraged to visit the display in Room 328, Maine State House, adjacent to the Senate chamber. To obtain information about open hours, call 287-1500.

Interweave Press launched www.KnittingDaily.com, a new online knitting community. The site offers free knitting, felting and crochet patterns, a daily blog and an e-newsletter. It also has launched www.BeadingDaily.com offering free beading and jewelry-making projects, blog and e-newsletter.

Call Ardeana Hamlin at 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.