“All garments are hand-made, it’s just about whose hands and whose skills we value.”
Historically, sewing was a social activity – groups of women hand-stitching, conversations flowing. However, in the 1900s, as sewing machines became standard home appliances, these communities dissipated. Interest in sewing increased significantly during this time but large, heavy machines transformed sewing into a solitary, home-based activity. Women still machine-sewed in groups at classes and at their poorly paid jobs, but speaking over the loud machines was near impossible.
Indeed, sewing was not a hobby but rather an essential skill for women – making and mending clothes was part of daily life. During World War II, while sewing machine factories were retooled for war production and fabrics became scarce, government campaigns in the UK encouraged women to “make do and mend”. Women repaired clothes, made slimline dresses from minimal fabric and, after the war ended, made underwear from parachutes.
Post WWII, sewing remained a popular activity, but in the 1970s, as more women
