It is interesting to me how there is such a gap in between the generations when it comes to learning how to do basic sewing. The slow death of home economics, the ease of finding ready to wear garments, the issues of class and social status that shift over time… it’s all fascinating. One of the ways I’ve been poking around in this topic is by looking for vintage sewing videos, where I’ve collected them into a playlist. This is the one I’ve been watching tonight. I imagine this was a high tech film shown in class, and it’s a good overview of the names and techniques for finishing the seams of garments. You can find my youtube playlist here.
This is great Mandy! I started collecting vintage sewing books and textbooks for the same reasons, now I have a whole shelf full. I think I was one of the last generation to actually be taught sewing in Home Economics. I had a wonderful teacher who taught me all kinds of things about working with patterns and garment construction! Off to watch your video playlist…
I would love to see your collection someday, Erika! my school had a home ec classroom, but there hadn’t been a class there for years. I learned a ton of useful things just from these few videos, especially Simplicity’s “Pattern for Smartness”. I have collected patterns and techniques, and now I just need to commit to finding fabric and going for it. For some reason, I find that really daunting, perhaps because I have to wear it and want it to look flattering, ha!