Sewing is Cool Again (NYT gift link)

my3girls
Sat, 13 Sep 2025 16:17:35 +0000

I know the year I stopped sewing clothes for myself – 1990 – the last garment I made was a pair of mother-daughter matching jumpers for my oldest and myself while I was pregnant with my second. (Yes, it’s cringe.) The cost of fabric and patterns jumped so much that it was cheaper to buy, and we were wearing so many knits that I didn’t have the equipment to sew easily.

Then 30 years later I needed a hobby (if that sounds pathetic to people who have hobbies they love, it is) and took up quilting because I knew I could do it. In the process I also started collecting vintage sewing machines. Now that all the kids and grandkids have quilts I am confronted by “how many quilts does the world need?” and my production has really slowed down. I still love the vintage machines but I don’t have the space to work with them the way I would like.

Then this summer I taught the granddaughters (6 and 9) how to use a sewing machine. We made pillowcases and gathered skirts. They were so excited to wear something they had made.

I also have a niece who sews all her own clothes. They are lovely and fit well. I am in awe of her creations. She’s an engineer whose hobbies are sewing and baking and she brings that love of creation and precision to both. They could have interviewed her for the article!