Yes

by S. Linda Jensen

Created on: May 16, 2010   Last Updated: May 17, 2010

Do you wonder if the world’s greatest male fashion designers think sewing is just for females? How many engineers that design equipment of one type or another must also use sewing techniques to make covers or parts that move? Somehow it seems almost laughable to think of sewing as a skill only valuable to girls. In fact has there ever been a time that men didn’t sew?

In ancient times men helped make sails for ships and they were involved in making furniture and upholstery, rugs and fabric. Early man sewed skins together to make shelter and clothing. They made shoes and other items for safety and comfort.

Native American men sewed and made beautiful head dresses and leather accessories beaded with designs as pretty as any squaw could make. Teepee structures were sewn together to form a shelter.

Men are capable of sewing beautiful clothing; they sew and design space suits, hats, shoes, gloves and many items we use daily. Women sew; they make lovely dresses and are involved with all kinds of fashion designs. Both men and women are excellent with a needle and thread. Creativity is not limited to one sex of the human species.

Boys that sew contribute to all manner of creative careers that demand knowledge of stitches. Doctors and veterinarians sew. When a chef stitches a stuffed bird together he is sewing.

When you have your car re-upholstered it is often a shop full of both men and women that do the work. Saddles and tack for horses are sewn by men more often than women. Many fine carpets are not glued together and the finished edges are sewn.

Once we felt women should stay at home and be home bound housewives. They cooked, cleaned and sewed. Women patched the holes in the torn or worn clothing for their families.

Even during this time a good number of men that had no wife or mother learned to sew on buttons, darn socks and hem pants. Sewing is not something that makes a man less a man. Only a male that is very insecure would find fault with sewing.

Boys and girls should learn to sew as part of their education. Parents should teach this simple task to the children, regardless of gender. Perhaps you might be teaching a future surgeon or fashion icon one of the important tools of the trade!

Maybe the time it takes to teach sewing will help teach something else such as character, discipline, and creativity. The lesson of sewing could be a time of bonding between the person teaching the art of sewing and the boy or girl that is learning to sew.

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