As I write this blog in 2024, this first week of October I am now 68 years young. Most of us would acknowledge that clothing fashion is a good indicator of the passage of time. Creativity comes in all kinds of ways. For me, one of the ways I used creativity when I was a young person was in sewing my own clothes.
It is more than 50 years since this photo was taken for my then boyfriend's school graduation (he was a year older). I was 17 years old. And I wore it again in 1974. I remember that I made it from silver lurex material - a halter neck style with an invisible zip at back. I lined it in blue satin and I made a little bolero with ruched sleeves to match. The purse was my mother's.
We had sewing lessons in primary school - initially hand stitching, progressing to using on Singer treadmill machines. My mother was also a brilliant sewer, and sewed for all my siblings and herself, as well as repairing or adjusting dad's clothes.
In my youth, many girls of our age had learned to sew early on. The clothing shops Katies and Sussans were fairly new on the scene. And the original iconic clothing shop Merivale was wonderful to peruse and window shop, but pricing was out of reach of myself and many school friends. So, we created and sewed our own clothes as there was such a plethora of material stores.
And the fabrics were divine. Something to suit anyone and everyone. Those stores were a fabulous place to pass time and dream and then create. Sewing was a skill that I continued to use throughout the years - making clothes for myself and my daughter, as well as many dance costumes throughout the years, using my creativity, until the decades passed and my eyes found it too hard for fine detail and clothing became more expensive to make than to buy any more.There was a time when I ceased to sew because there was criticism of my being too creative (again it was in reference to 'my age' at the time). But I am not going to dwell on that. For I know now that it is so important to do what makes your soul sing for it is aligned with the inner part of your soul. I have learned much in the decades of time.
I would encourage the younger generations to learn to sew. Both male and female. It can be so much fun - and you can virtually create what you really would like to wear and costumes for all kinds of occasions. And it's a skill that you can begin to learn at quite a young age if the child is interested. I still have my own sewing machine that I first purchased when I was 19. It was an Elna Lotus TSP. It was small and portable and called a lotus because it had 3 flaps that folded up. Although now in a battered condition, I keep it for the odd hemming job. Remarkably, when I purchased it, the machine had a 25 year guarantee! Can you believe anyone giving a 25 year guarantee nowadays?
I also made my first wedding dress on that machine, and the three bridesmaid/flower girls dresses. It was indeed a different era.
I wonder what you remember making when you were a child? Was it sewing, or painting - or perhaps you were good with wood and could make or carve little boats, or make go karts and the like? Or perhaps you used your creativity in cooking? Using creativity in cooking and presentation of the food is such a beautiful skill.
Re-visit what you liked to do, and find a way to have the same feeling now. Many skills are transferable into something new. Just like design or art skills transferred into food creation or presentation. I hope you find something to re-ignite your inspiration.
Blessings,
Karen Curran