Vintage by maggiemae

Vintage

In 1953 or 1954, I was being taught “sewing”by my mother who was the teacher at this intermediate school! Obviously we had to find a picture somewhere that represented sewing! This is stuck to the opening page on my sewing journal.
Three Good Things:
1. I am still amused by this picture - everyone looks so happy and contented! No iPhones!
2. One day I might bring in my sewing machine from storage - probably just look at it though!
3. In the past, I did a lot of sewing and made my own clothes but not now - attaching an sleeve back to front did not bring a feeling of achievement. My feelings of creativity come from photography now!
Such a homely/cosy scene from the past ,or should I say from my childhood ! The leisure and relaxing activities in the evening - darning,mending , Newspaper reading ,creative pastime eg sewing ! Even the cat enjoying the heat from the black leaded grate ! Not a soul lounging or slumping in front of the telly !! Such happy memories of our life back then !
May 13th, 2019  
This brings back memories for sure. I loved sewing, but honestly I never got really good at it.
May 13th, 2019  
@beryl Unfortunately I seem to have cut off a man sitting on the lady's arm of her chair twiddling a radio which is exactly like the radio we grew up with!
May 13th, 2019  
Love it! I wonder if you had a SINGER sewing machine. Apparently 1in5 homes across the world had these....made in Scotland. There was a fantastic TV programme on just last week. 😊
May 13th, 2019  
@sarah19 I'm sure Mum had a Singer but I had a Bernini!
May 13th, 2019  
I sewed in home ec but found it frustrating and unlike the art classes I loved. My grandma made art with needle and thread, I just seemed to make tangles and jam the machine.
May 13th, 2019  
@pandorasecho Same here - trying to thread the needle drove me nuts - be almost impossible now!
May 13th, 2019  
Lovely vintage image, love sewing as much now as I did when I was 16 and pretty determined did not want to work in an office like mum so I managed to get onto menswear tailoring and loved it and still my favourite type of work. But photography comes a very close favourite too. But I can be in my sewing room for 12 hours happy as can bee
May 13th, 2019  
@bizziebeeme Sounds like you put a lot of effort into sewing at an earlier age, became proficient and now don't have to think of how to do something!
May 14th, 2019  
A lovely old fashioned family scene. You wouldn't see anything like this now. They would all be on computers or phones.
May 14th, 2019  
Oh good heavens, I'd almost forgotten 'sewing', having made a concerted effort to block all memories from my mind. I was, and still am, totally hopeless and failed 'sewing' dismally every year I had to do it.
May 14th, 2019  
@golftragic Would you believe I failed at ironing?
May 14th, 2019  
great photo and who would you sew for?
May 14th, 2019  
Its great that you still have the journal. I love sewing as well and I get torn between photography and quilting. So many projects and so little time.
May 14th, 2019  
What a slice of a moment in time!
May 14th, 2019  
@grammyn Well, now I wouldn't sew for anybody! You can buy the most sweet dresses in the Warehouse for children for next to nothing!
May 14th, 2019  
A wonderful scene which one unfortunately probably does not find anymore. I used to make all my clothes too, and then for my two daughters as well. I also gave it up a long time ago due to osteoarthritis in the fingers.
May 14th, 2019  
@ludwigsdiana Its a lost art really! Except for those clever clogs who fix clothing to suit - or repair!
May 14th, 2019  
It's just a beautiful memorable photo!!! Oh for that simple life. This photo goes so well with the photo I posted on Sunday of 2 toy sewing machines - mum's and mine! I also have my grandmother's Singer sewing machine in a beautiful wooden cabinet that was her wedding present in 1910 :) Thanks for the memories.
May 14th, 2019  
@gilbertwood So good to hear your comments, Denise! Those wooden cabinets are everywhere nowadays - restaurant tables, cafe tables, sideboards etc!
May 14th, 2019  
What a lovely memory - but alas sewing does not excite me. I used to sew all the kids clothes as back then there weren't many choices in the shops, I remember my sewing teacher making me unpick and re-sew the tacking stitches several times as they weren't 'straight ' That white net petticoat became very grey very quickly! It is still a chore and a bore when something needs sewing. Avoidance is my fall back strategy.

I agree - photography is far more rewarding.
May 14th, 2019  
@kiwinanna Oh,do I remember the unpicking! I still had to do that as an adult when nothing seemed to match up!
May 14th, 2019  
@maggiemae Yes - my last project was making duvalays and there was a fair amount of unpicking and sighing - as I recall.
May 14th, 2019  
Bep
Brings back sweet childhood memories.
May 14th, 2019  
Wonderful image that makes one wish for sewing circles for young and old
May 14th, 2019  
Everyone looks busy but happy in your picture. Nobody checking their phone or playing computer games.
May 14th, 2019  
Interesting to take a look back at one's childhood.
May 14th, 2019  
@maggiemae so true. It used to be cheaper the other way around
May 14th, 2019  
Lovely old scene.
May 14th, 2019  
This scene is very familiar to me too. The way our home life was depicted in my young days. Life was very simple in those days. I used to make dresses for my daughter & I can make curtains but I have no love of sewing although I do love a sewing programme on TV called The Sewing Bee. I still have my mums old Singer sewing machine.
May 14th, 2019  
@happypat We didn't have a coal range in our kitchen though so our evenings were spent around the open coal fire listening to the radio!
May 14th, 2019  
@maggiemae Yes open coal fire here too & carpet in the middle & Lino round the edges! Used to get scorch marks on our legs...hot at the front &; cold behind!
May 14th, 2019  
@happypat .... and a fireside mat in front that had holes burnt into it!
May 14th, 2019  
this made me smile - attaching a sleeve back to front is exactly what I did when I made my going away dress many many years ago. I still remember the anguish of sorting it out.
May 14th, 2019  
@helenhall It would have been Ok if your elbow was broken!
May 14th, 2019  
@maggiemae He he exactly
May 15th, 2019  
wow! a blast from the past! wonderful find and treasure.
There is so much to see in this photo, love that oven/fireplace.
You are lucky you can sew - my mother tried to teach me, but without the machine, I gave up hope and never tried it again
May 16th, 2019  
Fantastic memories of a much simpler life! I sure have missed your 3 Good Things!!!
May 23rd, 2019  
@shesnapped Thank you for all the favs, Ashley!
May 23rd, 2019  
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