A needed skill in the post-apocalyptic world – move over zombies! I need a tailor!

Sew! It’s so easy! You ask, “Hey! Why should *I* know how to sew? Who cares about that? It’s old fashioned!”  No! I say, it’s one of the most useful skills you could ever have!

Picture this…You are in a post-apocalyptic world where every retail location and clothing factory has been ransacked tens of years ago for every textile known to man. You might be able to find clothes at the “Market of Doom” where you can trade your skunk hide head wrap or the gold tooth necklace you keep for an acidic rainy day… hopefully the garment you trade for will be in your size but any clothes will do, right? You’d be able to make them fit you… But, ahhh! Remember your Grandma left you her trunk full of quilts and linens? You could fashion a warm jacket from a quilt, and patch together a cool tunic and drawstring pants from the linens, even make your own extra items that would draw a good trade at the market. With a small amount of creativity, you could whip up a pair of foot protection – won’t call it shoes unless you also know how to cobble.  By any means, your skills would keep you doing as well as the trapper, the tanner and the hunter in this type of world! Good thing you bothered to learn an old-fashioned skill from Patti all those years ago, huh?

Of course this is extreme as an illustration but it holds true even in the silly example above.   Until humanity gets to a place where we are okay with nakedness or the need to protect ourselves from the elements, then knowing how to sew will not only benefit you in the short run, by being able to express your individuality through choice of cloth and design, but also refine the skill into something that can get you a job, your own business, or in extreme times allow you to do trade where the lawyer or counselor would have less value for the skill. 🙂

Sewing instruction for all levels of experience

Welcome to my blog spot on the web! I’m relatively new to this, so bear with me as I build up the blog.

I am in north central Texas and offer sewing instruction to all ages and all levels of experience.  If you are at any of the following stages of sewing proficiency and want to increase your skills, please contact me for pricing, location and schedule by sending me an email at li10upnlaff(at)live(dot)com. Individual and group classes are available.

• Complete Beginner = I have never even looked at a sewing machine and wouldn’t know where to start.  I have a sewing machine and have always meant to use it. I want to learn because I have great clothing, costume or craft ideas. I would like to learn how to shop for a project and put it together so it doesn’t look like my dog chewed on it.
• Novice = I have used a sewing machine and ended up with a mess. I can thread the machine and sew a straight line. I need to learn how to use a pattern. I need to know how to shop for sewing – this is indeed a sewing skill too, although being a novice you may not know it!
• Advanced Beginner = I took home-economics or sewing classes and have all the basics down. I want to do project items for myself, my family, my home, friends, co-workers, gifts, etc. and have picked up some cute fabrics for these projects.
• Competent = I sew a lot, easy things are a snap and when I start a more difficult project, I can finish it. I would like to conquer that “Vogue” pattern.  I am ready to adapt ready-made patterns to include my personal sense of style through embellishments or tailoring skills. I want to learn some basic pattern-making skills. I have special fabric pieces specifically for those awesome designer patterns in a box somewhere.
• Proficient = I have conquered complicated designer patterns and I want to make my own through flat pattern or draping methods. I would like to copy my favorite piece of clothing because there aren’t any read-made patterns close enough in design, it’s no longer sold in stores, it has holes or I’ve worn it for so long it has turned into voile. I have lots of neat pieces of fabric on some shelves in my sewing room I would like to use for new projects.
•  Expert = I know lots n lots n lots of stuff but am always expanding my skills and abilities because I need to start using the awesome fabrics I’ve collected through the years… (i.e. The fabric store in my closet needs to be put to good use.)