National Sewing Month

Happy National Sewing Month all you sewest and seamstresses out there.

President Ronald Reagan designated the month of September as National Sewing Month way back in 1982. This year’s motto is “Sew for the Beauty of It.”

As a fellow seamstress (notice the two parts of this word, seam and stress), I want to celebrate with you, as we are all deeply misunderstood. We are the kind of people who understand a birthday card that says, “The one who dies with the most cloth, Wins.”

Yes, without cloth where would we be? Whether it is 100 percent wool or 80/20 polyester with a little spandex thrown in, it is all about the cloth. There can never be enough. Don’t even get me started on sewing thread.

Being a seamstress does get rather stressful at times. Alterations, altering an off-the-rack piece of clothing from its original size to fit the wearer, be it from a size 10 to whatever size, usually larger. There are no longer any extra fabric in those seams, so alterations have to be creative.

These days basic sewing is basic, no zippers, buttons, or darts like in the old days. My training started 60 years ago with my grandmother, Della Oakley, teaching me to sew on her Singer treadle sewing machine. What a life-long gift she gave me!

Each year there is a sewing convention in Atlanta. Unbelievable, right? How therapeutic it is to be with others who are addicted to still making sure your seams are 5/8 inch wide, know how to make French seams and blind hem and who share the passion to take a simple piece of cloth and create.

You know who you are out there, now, go sew something. Or as my husband says when I tell him I am going to sew, “Sew what.”