I got a really interesting comment from Xan this morning on the McCardell Update I posted a while back:
As always, I totally support anyone's right to be appalled by what I wear, and to be vocal in their disapproval. De gustibus, and all that, but I did want to respond to this comment, and not just in the comment thread.
(First, I wanted to clarify one thing -- the silk was not sprayed with sizing, it was treated with Sullivan's Fabric Stabilizer Spray, which is washed out before wearing. The Sullivan's makes the fabric easier to cut and sew, but doesn't affect the fabric's "hand" after washing.)
This is the part I really wanted to respond to:
It is the fear of encountering this snobby attitude that I think keeps so many people from sewing, and I think that's such a shame. Yeah, that dress was not the best I ever made, but -- so what? I did wear the dress (to a wedding) and I got some nice compliments on it (from people who didn't know I made it, btw).
More importantly, I learned something from making that dress. It was an experiment. It was an exploration. You learn a lot more from trying something new than from doing everything in the "respectable if not correct" way.
I'm not saying "throw all the rules out the window!" (I wouldn't have made that dress out of plastic grocery bags or polyester double-knit) but I'd rather live my life trying new things (which are not always guaranteed to work) than making sure I only did exactly what's been done before, what's "respectable and correct," and nothing else. If you're only going to follow a recipe, why not invest in a few paint-by-number kits? (This is why I always ignore those "Copy Ready-To-Wear!" articles in sewing magazines. If I wanted "ready-to-wear", I'd BUY "ready-to-wear," people.)
It's the garments I make from weird fabrics, in fact, that have made me the happiest. Camouflage and stripey skirts, and curtain-fabric dresses, and on and on.
But, really -- "gut-wrenching"? If seeing other people's not-quite-right (by your standards) efforts gives you actual intestinal pain, you might want to take some deep breaths and repeat "This isn't my problem" until it goes away.
The designer of the pattern, Claire McCardell, was herself an innovator. She pioneered ballet slippers as shoes, which would have been neither respectable nor correct in some people's eyes when she first did it -- but she didn't let that stop her.
If you're just starting to learn to sew, and you're worried about attitudes like Xan's, think for a minute about what you want more: Making something that's "perfect" by someone else's standards? Or the experience and pleasure of planning, sewing, and ultimately wearing something that's a reflection of you, and not the equivalent of packaged cake mix? I know what my answer is.
First, it has been with great difficulty that I have found time to finally comment on this post.
A real travesty indeed-silk charmeuse sprayed with sizing for this Claire McCardell dress? Not only does it give me the willies, I bet the fine designer of the pattern is rolling over in her grave.
I have had the gut-wrenching experience time and again seeing sewing projects online over the last couple of years borne from people sewing something just to sew something rather than do it in a respectable if not correct manner.
Yours here is obviously such a project. I understand wanting to sew from one’s stash of fabric, but first to mutilate charmeuse with spray sizing and then to do so in order to ‘shoehorn’ it into a Claire McCardell dress pattern for which limp, draping fabrics were never meant, what’s the point? What happened to taste? Do you go anyplace wearing this dress? Is it usable as a garment?
Never mind the fact that the print was not matched along the centerline of the front as San Antonio Sue pointed out on Nov.13-it is simply awful.
As always, I totally support anyone's right to be appalled by what I wear, and to be vocal in their disapproval. De gustibus, and all that, but I did want to respond to this comment, and not just in the comment thread.
(First, I wanted to clarify one thing -- the silk was not sprayed with sizing, it was treated with Sullivan's Fabric Stabilizer Spray, which is washed out before wearing. The Sullivan's makes the fabric easier to cut and sew, but doesn't affect the fabric's "hand" after washing.)
This is the part I really wanted to respond to:
I have had the gut-wrenching experience time and again seeing sewing projects online over the last couple of years borne from people sewing something just to sew something rather than do it in a respectable if not correct manner.
It is the fear of encountering this snobby attitude that I think keeps so many people from sewing, and I think that's such a shame. Yeah, that dress was not the best I ever made, but -- so what? I did wear the dress (to a wedding) and I got some nice compliments on it (from people who didn't know I made it, btw).
More importantly, I learned something from making that dress. It was an experiment. It was an exploration. You learn a lot more from trying something new than from doing everything in the "respectable if not correct" way.
I'm not saying "throw all the rules out the window!" (I wouldn't have made that dress out of plastic grocery bags or polyester double-knit) but I'd rather live my life trying new things (which are not always guaranteed to work) than making sure I only did exactly what's been done before, what's "respectable and correct," and nothing else. If you're only going to follow a recipe, why not invest in a few paint-by-number kits? (This is why I always ignore those "Copy Ready-To-Wear!" articles in sewing magazines. If I wanted "ready-to-wear", I'd BUY "ready-to-wear," people.)
It's the garments I make from weird fabrics, in fact, that have made me the happiest. Camouflage and stripey skirts, and curtain-fabric dresses, and on and on.
But, really -- "gut-wrenching"? If seeing other people's not-quite-right (by your standards) efforts gives you actual intestinal pain, you might want to take some deep breaths and repeat "This isn't my problem" until it goes away.
The designer of the pattern, Claire McCardell, was herself an innovator. She pioneered ballet slippers as shoes, which would have been neither respectable nor correct in some people's eyes when she first did it -- but she didn't let that stop her.
If you're just starting to learn to sew, and you're worried about attitudes like Xan's, think for a minute about what you want more: Making something that's "perfect" by someone else's standards? Or the experience and pleasure of planning, sewing, and ultimately wearing something that's a reflection of you, and not the equivalent of packaged cake mix? I know what my answer is.
Thanks for posting your response to the comment where we couldn't miss it. I learn so much from your blog and this response is full of the encouragement I need. Now, I think I need to go sew!VirginiaBy the way - I love the dress in question.
Posted by: vakessen | 12/10/2008 at 08:59 AM
Didn't we explore the learning process in your previous post on Nov. 16 titled "10,000 hours"? We'll all get it right if we just get it wrong enough times.
Posted by: Jen | 12/10/2008 at 09:11 AM
Yeah, I color outside the lines, too, and never use boxed cake mix unless I'm about half dead and someone's threatening to shoot me if dessert doesn't appear. So, I guess that commenter has the right to her opinions, but, as my Granddad said, opinions are like (select a gross body part): everyone has one. I like that you try different things, too! It gives us all more courage.
Posted by: Marjie | 12/10/2008 at 09:19 AM
One of the things I have learned from reading sewing blogs such as yours is to try something new, something scary. I have accomplished much more this year in sewing because I have dared to try. Your attitude has kept me from being terribly discouraged as in the old days. If something does not turn out right for me I donate it so someone can enjoy it, and then I sew something else.
Posted by: Anonymous | 12/10/2008 at 09:20 AM
Erin, I totally agree with you. The reason I sew is because I want to be unique and not a copy cat of whats on the runways. If there are any really true rules of sewing, I have probably broken every one of them at some time or another. It was years before I learned about grainlines and bias. I just would lay out a pattern based on instinct and what my gut told me was right. In my tailoring class back in 1976 (yeah, Im old) I learned about grainlines, drape of fabric, bias, padstitching, etc. Until then, I was clueless even though I took home ec in jr sr high school. I could out sew the teacher so she just let me do my own thing. We didnt have text books filled with rules. Sewing is supposed to be fun and rewarding. When you take away the fun of exploration, it becomes a boring chore. So, go have fun today and sew something special for yourself!
Posted by: Marty's Little Corner | 12/10/2008 at 09:22 AM
Your post has made me go back to my pile of things I'm not happy with to see what I can do to fix them (or if my opinion has changed). Sewing isn't brain surgery-if something doesn't work out, oh well. Thanks for posting this.
Posted by: simbelmyne | 12/10/2008 at 09:25 AM
How dull life would be if all we worried about was doing things the "respectable and correct" way! Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but this post made me extremely thankful that I was born with a mind that appreciates creativity both in myself and in those around me.
Posted by: Alli (One Pearl Button) | 12/10/2008 at 09:26 AM
I think that dress looks great! And silk can be annoying to sew with, it can be so slippery! The stabilizer sounds like a great idea. I don't love hand sewing (and I don't like basting at all) so it sounded like a great technique to try to me. Trying new things is great - not all of the things I make turn out, but I made them and learned from them...It seems like this person has nothing positive to say although at least they are coherent. I'm just not sure what positiveness we can get out of this type of comment (besides discussion)! It is really quite cutting. Sigh. I like the dress and I don't think you should be at all ashamed about wearing it!
Posted by: Dalila | 12/10/2008 at 09:29 AM
Wow, I am flabbergasted. My mom would say to Xan, "who made you Queen of the World?" I wonder what this self-crowned arbiter of all that is correct in sewing would say about the tablecloth jacket that I made in high school (it was awesome), or the top I made out of Christmas ornament fabric (also fun). There are no rules in sewing and just as there is more than one way to cook a recipe, or paint a portrait, there are many ways to sew something, and since the sewist is the artist, ALL of the choices are correct.
Posted by: Little Hunting Creek | 12/10/2008 at 09:30 AM
Well,this blogger certainly doesn't know much about design history...if Chanel hadn't thought outside the box we'd all still be wearing corsets. Now, I have worn corsets, by choice, and enjoyed the experience, but a daily diet of such would not be a pleasant experience. Bravo to any of us sewers who takes the chance of using alternate choices in fabrics, trim, etc...individuality is a virtue, in my very humble opinion.
Posted by: Kathyg | 12/10/2008 at 09:32 AM
Erin, one of the things I love about your blog is that you are not a professional, you're an individual following her own tastes and interests (obviously legion). But this is someone who finds sewing that doesn't please her, 'gut-wrenching'. Obviously not a standard perspective. Oh noes, indeed.My mother curates a significant costume collection and despite being able to handle real Schiaparellis and use them as teaching models, keeps encouraging me to take sewing shortcuts (more than I like to) because 'no-one will ever notice'... it's a big world, we all have our priorities.
Posted by: Sara Catterall | 12/10/2008 at 09:33 AM
Sew on, sister!It would be such a shame to refrain from sewing--or any crafting--simply because the outcome might not conform to some snob's definition of respectable and correct. Like you and other commenters have said, How can you get anywhere if you aren't always trying, experimenting, and doing?What a joy to wear an appropriate and lovely handmade dress to a wedding, and to receive compliments on the dress.
Posted by: Knitika | 12/10/2008 at 09:35 AM
I just got "things i wish my mother had told me" in the mail and am reminded of a quote that you actually put on your blog when you recommended the book:only small people get offended. don't be afraid to wear/sew/make something because you think someone else won't like it. If it's fun for you, and makes you happy, then do it! The snobbery of strangers should not affect what you do with your day. Or your fabric.
Posted by: Kristen | 12/10/2008 at 09:41 AM
I find the only travesty here is that Xan's opinions were shared in a rude way.It doesn't matter if I like the dress, and it doesn't matter if I would wear it. Erin obviously does, and SHE is the one that should be happy with it.Xan reminds me of the old women in the sewing shops that have to brag their machines cost more then my car and are utterly appalled when I reply that I sew on my 1927 Singer 66 treadle. I like my machine, and if I wanted a newer one I'd get one.I was taught the "correct" way to sew was to make sure it didn't fall off of you when you wore it and "respectable" meant nothing was showing that shouldn't be, or wearing night clothes or undergarments as outerwear (my mom's old fashioned, what can I say?). The rest is technique and even there, so much depends on which source you read. What happened to "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all"?Xan will not be getting my patronage. It is not that I am siding with Erin, or that I don't believe Xan should not have an opinion, but the fact is it could have been said with less superiority and been nice about it
Posted by: sewducky | 12/10/2008 at 09:43 AM
Erin-Words fail me....You are sublime.
Posted by: MRegnar | 12/10/2008 at 09:45 AM
One of the reasons I am drawn to sewing and drawn to writing are the similarities found in these two creative processes. Just as there is no one writing process, no one way of approaching a writing process, there is no one way to approach a sewing project. I am lucky that I get to switch in and out of socially constructed rules in both writing and sewing through understanding in both processes of purpose and audience. I write for fun and I write for money. I sew for fun and for clothing myself. I can stretch my mind and my work.Hurray for finding your way! How wonderful is it that the author has the confidence to share the right way and the wrong way of reaching creative satisfaction. Too bad these processes don't apply to all of us - then, we could all be happily boorish.Seems to me, there are far more important things to criticize on the web than a supportive sharing group of creative sewers who like to sew out of their decade and out of their comfort zones.www.deniablydomestic.blogspot.com
Posted by: (un)Deniably Domestic | 12/10/2008 at 09:49 AM
Huh, all that snottiness after you sent your readers to here place of business. Astonishing.
Posted by: Tracy | 12/10/2008 at 09:52 AM
Amen, sister! The dresses I make and wear are probably pretty appalling to a lot of people, and sometimes I stop and worry about that. But then I remember how much fun I have making and wearing these things, and how they're a reflection of me and not a cookie-cutter piece out of a factory, and I remember your blog, and that worry disintegrates.
Posted by: Ashley | 12/10/2008 at 10:10 AM
I'm a perfectionist, I like rules, I like following instructions. Main reason... I'm afraid of 'ruining' things and if I follow someone else's instructions and do exactly what they tell me and it is still a disaster I can pass the buck!I admire your courage, spirit and joy in things Erin, that's why I come here. Sometimes you rant against something and I nod in agreement, sometimes I don't, but your opinions are always so beautifully expressed and respectful of the existence of other viewpoints that I ALWAYS find them worth reading.There is a 'right' way of sewing, but that isn't the end, it's the jumping off point for creativity. Long live stunt dresses from curtain fabric!!I do disagree about the copy-RTW articles though - they are aimed at people who want RTW but don't fit into the manufacturers' standard body shape and are therefore quite useful to them.There are a great many ugly things in the world. Gut-wrenching being a good word for them, but really, spending one's precious time classifying others' sewing projects as such? My reaction on seeing (on a blog) someone's homemade cover for an IKEA chair was 'Man, that's ugly!' but it never even occurred to me to look for the comment button and say so! The content of her post was how happy it made her to see this chair in it's cover. Why knock happiness?Cheers,AJPS whenever commenting here, I always worry about my apostrophies, but I guess you'd rather hear my thoughts than have me keep quiet for fear of making a mistake!?
Posted by: xstpenguin | 12/10/2008 at 10:14 AM
Thanks so much for this post Erin. I am probably the worst sewist in the world - self taught, impatient, frequently clueless about basic construction. I live in fear of "real" fabric artists seeing the horrible job I've done on most of my projects...but I love my projects anwyay. Its all a wonderful learning experience. The time spent planning, cutting, stitching, and even ripping apart and starting over is the best time of my life. It important to be reminded every now and then that its perfectly alright to enjoy the act of creating even if the result is not "correct" in some people's eyes.
Posted by: Gabriella | 12/10/2008 at 10:14 AM
HA HA HA!! You poor thing.... How insane is it to stalk someone's blog and have so little time on your hands to leave a comment such as Xan's... Seriously... I've been sewing for over 20 years (and I'm 31.. btw) and have started my 6 year old sewing... the point of trying new ideas is let imperfections help you learn and grow... if you criticize someone on those, they will either give up or get mad... I'm usually the latter.. HA! Keep your chin up, girlie. I love reading your blog and I wish I were as brave as you to "put yourself out there"... in fact, I just used you as an example to my husband last weekend... that I wished I was brave enough to sew my own clothing and take chance with bold, fun prints and styles. More power to you!!! You are truly my hero. Even if your roses aren't matched perfectly. HA HA!! (btw.. I had to go back and check out the dress, because I didn't remember that at all... ) OH... and I so rarely look at the back to see the "recommended fabrics"... I was raised to think outside the box... and the envelope backing. HA! HUGS!!!
Posted by: -- | 12/10/2008 at 10:17 AM
Rock on, Erin and all of the commenters not afraid to have fun with sewing!Playing and fighting with a project is often the best part. Changing things up and doing something different when you encounter a problem, or starting out with the intent to do something new, is what makes sewing (or any other project) fun, interesting, and challenging.Breaking the rules is what fashion is all about!
Posted by: Leizel | 12/10/2008 at 10:24 AM
Having just made a blouse with silk and cursed my way through its slipperiness, I would have LOVED to have had it stabilized first. Thanks for your reply to the sewing police comment. I have sewed my own clothes for more than 24 years (and I'm in my thirties) I honestly believe that there is no wrong way to do things. The end result justifies the means and if the end result pleases, so be it.Keep on, Erin, you are an inspiration, to say the least.
Posted by: paisleyapron | 12/10/2008 at 10:34 AM
I wasn't really struck with the dress either, but I wouldn't have been so rude as to say so in such emotive terms. And anyway, I figured it probably looked a lot nicer 'on.' Any chance of seeing what the dress looks like with you inside it, Erin?BTW, Ms. Xandra has a lengthy list of 'Favorite Blogs' on her own blog, and doesn't even mention A Dress A Day. How can we give any credence at all to her opinions!?
Posted by: *Sandra* | 12/10/2008 at 10:39 AM
Hi Erin...I've been writing a blog for 2 1/2 years, and every once and a while this type of comment comes up. While initially my Irish temper goes haywire, if I give it some breathing room for a few hours I find that this kind of smack-down commentary had nothing whatever to do with me. If the naysayers were as brave, creative, and experimental as those who were publishing their efforts, then I'd actually give them some consideration. Overall though, they're just giving cheap shots. Keep experimenting, innovating, publishing, creating, and being brave! That's what it's all about!
Posted by: Ms. P and C | 12/10/2008 at 10:45 AM