by Stephanie Humphreys

Created on: June 03, 2008

Sewing is a vital skill to our society, yet one that often seems to be on the decline. As those who learned at the feet of mothers and grandmothers find themselves working to make ends meet and raising children who are busy with multiple activities, sewing takes a back seat.

Before the twentieth century, almost every woman sewed. It was the best and cheapest way to keep a family clothed. Girls were taught from young ages to use a needle and thread, and completing a sampler was part of their education. Some samplers surviving today were made by girls as young as four years old. The stitches learned in these samplers helped them with their dressmaking skills and served them well as they grew to adulthood.

Even sixty years ago, most girls took home economics in school and learned the basic art of sewing. It was still cheaper to make clothing and alter items than to follow the new styles. As the years progress, fewer young people are learning the art of sewing. Schools don't offer the comprehensive programs they used to and parents find themselves busier than ever, with no time to pass on the labor intensive skill of sewing.

I learned to sew from my mother, grandmother and a good home economics teacher. My own daughters have learned the basics at home, but the home economics class they take now seems more like a time-filler, rather than a class designed to teach young people a valuable skill.

With the constantly changing fashions and women spending less time at home than ever, most people can't keep up. Without the right training from their mothers or home economics teachers, most people don't understand how to fit clothing properly and find themselves frustrated with the measurements and fit of the patterns they buy. As the price of fabric and patterns continue to rise, fewer and fewer women will take the time to sew their own clothing. Many women who do sew have stopped making clothing because they can buy ready-made much cheaper, and many seamstresses have taken up the art of quilting as another way to use their sewing skills.

And yet, those who do spend time at a sewing machine creating a wardrobe understand the power of being able to control exactly how an item looks. They can control what materials are used and the quality techniques that set the item apart from something similar on the rack. They can also control the size and cater to bodies that are hard to fit. Sewing is also a life skill that should be learned even in its most basic form. I've sewn for women who can't hem their own pants and skirts, or even sew on a missing button.

As I sew for my own family, I value the skills passed on to me by generations of women before me and accomplished teachers. Those of us who sew should take the time to pass on our skills to the younger generation and even those of our peers who want to learn this valuable art.

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