Just Do the Fun Part - part 1

Half a century ago when I was learning to sew, most people who sewed did so out of necessity. Before the proliferation of Target and Walmart, one could actually make clothes for less than the cost of buying them. More women stayed home and contributed to the household economy by outfitting themselves and / or their children. Some brave and talented women went so far as to tailor suits for their husbands. But the result was sometimes children who were teased about the homemade look of their garments, or siblings with matching outfits as women maximized fabric purchases.

Fast forward to today when sewing may provide better fitted or well made garments, or a more creative fashion statement, but it doesn't save money. Unless one is comparing it to the cost of couture, it costs more. most of us who sew, do it as a creative outlet or craft. And many of us spend more on fabric and sewing equipment, than on our wardrobes. Living in casual California where comfort and ease of laundering inform wardrobe choices as much as style, I have even less of an incentive to invest time and energy into my clothes. My friends who do garment sewing are generally in better shape than I and have more interesting places to go to display them.

But the main reason I turn my sewing skills to art quilts and bags is that there are more 'fun parts'. We all have enough things in life we have to do. I don't sew because I must, I sew because I like the feel of the cloth and combining the colors and textures. I enjoy turning and shaping this 'plastic' medium. And, of course, it's a thrill to walk into a fabric shop and see the variety of colors and patterns and to choose some to take home. As a landscape quilter, I'm always looking for small amounts of fabric that 'read' grass, leaves, trees, rock, water, mountains, etc. without being so obvious that nothing is left to the imagination. I get to do more shopping and buy fabrics greater in variety. I can use things that won't be laundered or plastered across my behind. My challenges are more creative, more like those of an artist. And I don't concern myself with wear, unless I'm making a handbag.