I've never been what anybody would consider trendy or stylish or whatever. I don't know the first thing about "what's in" or "what's out". I sort of wish I understood what makes something new and fresh versus what makes it old and passe... not because it would really affect me just because it would be nice to know what the big secret is.
It seems that sewing is finally making a big resurgence, just like knitting did, and vintage fabrics are all the rage. I can't even count the number of articles I've read recently about reclaiming vintage fabrics from thrift stores and flea markets. There are also a plethora of fabric companies reproducing vintage style prints and colors.
I'm really fascinated by this whole thing but what I'm trying to sort out is the difference between old and vintage. Trash vs treasure, perhaps.
Case in point...
My mom has boxes of what my sister and I call "ugly fabric". A vast majority of it is fabric that has been passed around since Great Grandma quit sewing. Some of it is just plain scary... old nylon and polyester blend slippery shiny stuff that makes your teeth hurt when you touch it and colors that could blind you on a sunny day. If you need to rough cut a pattern to make alterations before cutting into your good fabric you go to Mom to get ugly fabric and use that to mutilate until the shape is right. She has so much of it that even the kids from 4H know to ask her for fabric when they need it. Mom has an ugly fabric stash that rivals my yarn stash (both are pretty bad).
Well, I have 2 dress patterns I'd like to sew for Doodle (aka Daughter the Elder) and myself for this summer but I know mine will need ridiculous amounts of altercations alterations to fit properly. I'm 6 feet tall, long in the waist and the rise, have a small waist circumference, a small chest, and a round butt/hip area and wide shoulders (at least by the sewing pattern industry's definitions). I normally bypass dresses altogether an go with skirts and tops instead just because its so difficult to get a dress that fits me properly. By the time I find a size that fits around my middle sections the shoulders are too narrow and the lower quadrant of my rear is dangerously close to the hemline. Not good.
So anyway, I'm determined to make myself a dress pattern master this year and went to Mom over the weekend for some ugly fabric. The cool thing was that while we were digging through her stash of fabric (which is organized by color I'll have you know) there were all these "old, ugly" fabrics that I kept coming across that just made my little sewing heart all a flutter. Pretty prints, a few paisleys, some heavy fabrics that appeared to have been some sort of cushion covers at one time, and even bits and pieces that Great Grandma had apparently begun to cut for quilt pieces at one time. Definitely old... but definitely not ugly.
So I ended up coming home with 4 grocery bags full of fabric (it didn't even make a divot in Mom's stash... Dad was disappointed) and all sorts of visions for little quilts and homey stuff dancing around my head. Some of it is destined to be a dress master but the rest is just plain pretty. I'm going to wash and dry it all and anything that lives will go to the sewing cabinet for further thought.
As far as I'm concerned... old is old but if somebody loves it it must be vintage. For me half of it is the pretty fabric and the other half is the fact that it came from Mom and she got it from Grammy who passed it on after Great Grandma passed on. See, I'm a step-kid and by the time I came around (I was a snotty teenager) Great Grandma was well past her prime and though I knew her I never really knew her. Still, this fabric is a welcome treasure and vintage to me.
This discovery of old vs vintage really couldn't have come at a better time, because really, I feel old. I've never really mentioned it here before but I have some medical issues that at times make me feel really physically old. I hate it and it makes me more angry than anything. I had surgery a few years ago that was supposed to fix it but as it turns out it wasn't what we thought and now its back and apparently its something I'll live with for the rest of my life. I've refused a second surgery, at least for now, and instead have a bottomless bottle of narcotics to keep me going. Great... whole foods, organic veggies, and narcotics. Not really what I planned.
Most days I manage and though I'm a bit slow in the morning I can shake it off and keep going. Some days I actually feel really good and can go to the barn myself and take care of the critters and hay bales and feed bags. Today... I feel like crap.
We aren't schooling today, my niece spent the night, a friend is coming to visit this afternoon, and I figured I'd knit a bit in between. I had an entire relaxing, fulfilling day planned, but I'm rather stiff and cranky and disappointed that I feel this way today. Could have something to do with the fact that I moved the sofas by myself yesterday to vacuum.
But, I've decided that today... I am not getting old... I am getting vintage.
Who knew Mom actually had decent fabric in those 25 bins!?!
That was actually a pretty good score. Can't wait to see what transpires.
Posted by: karaj | January 21, 2009 at 08:45 AM
Ahh, Vintage. Yep. I'll go with that :).
I've always wanted to sew...and weave. But, time, eh?
Posted by: Sarah | January 20, 2009 at 05:39 PM
What a great score! I would have grabbed all of the fabric:) I can't wait to see what you make!
Posted by: Jeanie | January 20, 2009 at 12:27 AM
Great definition of old and vintage!
I'm very impressed your mother's fabric stash is organized by color. My mom's is um, well, it's a miracle it's folded on shelves. ;0)
Posted by: bezzie | January 19, 2009 at 04:08 PM