CTArts | Sewing

Sewing

My love of material goes back a long time. Auntie Cath, an enforced tailor for her father, our Lithuanian Grandfather, as soon as she could hold a needle, taught me how to sew on Saturday nights while we listened to the play on the Home Service in the 1960s. The most memorable was a dusky blue wool coat using a piece from one of the miriad of fabric shops in Bradford.

Coupled with this was Miss Feather at St Joseph's College in the second year when she supervised the whole class of 13 year olds in making a dress each which had every conceivable step needed to learn and execute - darts, collar, gathered skirt, tacking, hemming, buttonholing, interlining, stiffening, using a pattern and an electric sewing machine. I was hooked on making my own clothes and still alter and make up things avidly but never to that tailor's standard of Auntie Cath. I am too much of an imperfectionist for that.

I used Mum's electric machine at home but when we married, I could only afford a hand one so for £10 bought one in Halifax Covered Market. I soon upgraded to a second hand machine and dressed our houses with home made curtains, duvet covers, pillowcases, cushions, quilts, covered settees, anything that could be made more cheaply than buying, for we were poor, despite being on two wages, such was the interest rates on a mortgage at that time. But it was also a way of me expressing myself artistically, using my hands and my love of design in my genes would not stay still. I should have gone to textile or art college, not into the police or teaching. Hindsight and all that.

I can't possibly find photos of everything I have made. I have some of the treasured clothes of the children up in the loft, waiting to be used again. But of course, they won't be wanted. Ah, well, they might be enjoyed by the owners to reminisce some day.

And now they are being loved again! Our first grandchild is wearing her Mum's coats and dresses I made around 1988. How great is that!

My first sewing machine This handsome had Singer sewing machine did me proud at the beginning, when I would sew anything I felt like for myself. Many photos of me in little cotton tops show my productivity over the years. With having to down size to come to Settle, I finally gave it up to Ellie, the young Art Teacher at Heathfield who had no machine yet but the thrill of making things. A good home, then.		Sewing machine 2 I graduated to this second hand electric one as soon as possible when I started making curtains, cushion covers, recovering furniture, as well as dresses for me before the children came. It saved me hundreds of pounds but over the years, it began to fail and I would happily take it in for servicing and repair until I realised I was being taken for a ride. It was replaced and finally went west in the move.

Sewing machine 3 I abandoned Singer for this modern, new make plastic £80 one from Argos that went and still goes like a dream.		Name tag Recently, I have done lots of sewing and knitting and have had these name tags made to add a bit of professionalism to my work. I like to sew them onto the item in full view, just to advertise myself to the world!

Tote bag I've always made bags out of remnants. would the family recognise this one? It was done out of leftovers of the suite covers in the sitting room at heathfield Rise. I loved the jazzy pattern and the mixture of colours.		Weekend bag This material goes a long way back. I bought it to cover the piano stool that eventually ended up at Rishworth School for years. I loved the gaudiness of these colours. I keep my shoes in it in the wardrobe now.

Skye Batik remnant bag Beloved Skye Batiks gave me a remnant to alter my old tunic and I made a bag out of it instead to go with my new tunic. The blues in this design remind me of Skye.		Skye Batiks Peggy Purse While trying to alter my old tunic from Skye Batiks, I made a mess of it. Not being able to throw out such loved material, I took the sleeves off it, made it into a waistcoat and made the sleeves into a peggy purse to match it.

Blousy Apron I had an urge recently to make an old fashioned, flowery or birdy blousy apron. So, Skipton Fent Shop has such an array to choose from, I picked up this fent, 2m for £3, and made two such aprons, one for me and one for Rebecca in Hong Kong. Happy cooking!		Quilted Coats Here are coats for Rebecca and Rosie with quilting and applique on them. They were very fashionable at the time! And now, 2020, our little granddaughter, Ella is wearing the small one. How wonderful.

Ella's new coat, pink side This little coat, reversible, showing the applique work I used to do for Rebecca and Rosie in the 1980s. Now Ella, just gone three, loves them too.		Ella's new coat blue side The reverse side of her Mum's coat of 1988.

Rosie's best dress 1988 Ella is now wearing her Mum's best dress of Laura Ashley print I made around 1989. I could only afford remnants so loved making for the girls, or cushions or bags. the leftovers became all the quilts.		That red pinafore dress of 1987 Another keepsake unearthed and re-loved by the next generation was an unexpected surprise last year when this favourite corderoy applique dress I had made in 1987 for Rebecca then Rosie was worn by Ella for VE 75 Day at nursery.

Recycled curtains jacket This most luxurious curtain remnants from Gill were too good to miss. Fully reversible on their own, cream or green were sumptious. So, The Sound of Music fashion, I have created a fully revesible jacket for special occasions.		Recycled curtains - reverse

Reversible curtains tote bag And a reversible tote bag, showing the green side, is so useful.		Denim Jacket After going on the U3A Geology field trip to Anglesey I came away full of images of folds in rocks. Loving patchwork, I cut up two old pairs of jeans and added stylised fold patterns in yellow stitching to mimic the rocks. Much admired, I had time for added thoughts in 2020 Lockdown Covid 19 times, cut down a denim skirt and added sleeves to the waistcoat, used the buttons and made hand sewn button holes. Love it.

Moon Hat This beautiful woven woollen material from Abraham Moon mill in Guiseley is made for the likes of me. The colours and patterns since 1837 are superb. I allowed myself a treat of a scarf a few years ago from their outlet in The Courtyard, Settle. But no hat bought. So I have cut from the centre of the scarf and hand sewn a great, warm hat!		The Duvet Cover sundressses 2021 saw Covid and Climate Change enforcing us indoors. A Cath Kidston duvet cover from son proved too much of a project to be transformed into something. Hence, two sundresses, needing an extra length strip to hide my dumpy calves. Success!

Sundress on the reverse The reverse of the duvet cover proved worth doing too.		The Laura Ashley Dress c 1989 I made precious Laura Ashley material dresses for Rebecca and Rosie in the 1980s and saved those that had pleases me most, just in case I could dress a granddaughter in them. And Ella came along!

The Pinafore Dress Another of my favourite sewing items, a corderoy appliqued pinafore dress was kept, just in case of a granddaughter and Ella looked a real toff in it, age around 3.