Sewing Skills... Without them we're naked!

Sewing[1] is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. 

It's one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. and needles were invented before yarn spinning or weaving. 

It is believed Stone Age people across Europe and Asia sewed fur and skin using bone, antler or ivory needles and “thread” made of various animal body parts including sinew, catgut, and veins to sew clothing.[2]  (Wikipedia)

For thousands of years, all sewing was done by hand. The invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century and computerisation in the later 20th century which led to mass production of sewn objects, hand sewing is still practiced and fine hand sewing is a characteristic of high-quality tailoring, haute couture fashion, and custom dressmaking, 

The first known use of the word 'sewing' was in the 14th century

With all that history attached to sewing, just think If the humble needle hadn’t been invented way back in the stone age; we wouldn’t have the finely hand stitched clothing of the past or the machine sewn garments of today.

For such a pivotal invention, we take the needle for granted and unfortunately the skill of using it on the decline in our younger generation.

For women aged 30 to 40 there has been an upsurge of hobbyists taking up the needle and sewing again Creating Cottage industries.

Fabulous but what about our younger generation?                               Don’t they deserve to know how to use one of the oldest inventions in the world?

By teaching our young generation and getting this core skill back into the classroom we can begin to reintroduce a workforce with practical skills, although I studied Fashion and in the process worked as a machinist in a couple of factories, I also secured a job as a Phlebotomist because my employers knew I would have a steady and accurate hand. Who knew it would hold me in good stead to get a job like that!

It’s not just about teaching children to sew, it’s about hand eye co-ordination, Maths, English, Geography, History and technology. It’s about encompassing everything and applying it in an all round sewing project.

Keep calm and get dressed ;-)

Karen Cross