As usual, the hand is quicker than the brain. Sorry for the empty air in the first post, but these things happen when you can't see. My local newspaper had an unusual article in the business section this am. It dealt with the sewing revival which is, it would seem, sweeping the USA. Sewing is being sold as a 'creative alternative to mass produced clothing'. (Quit laughing!!!!) Twice as many sewing machines were brought into the US in 05, as were imported in1999. They note the pattern companies are trying to target "young, fashion savvy consumers". What really caught my eye was the "Stitch Lounge" in San Francisco--a shop where folks can rent machines/sew space by the hour. What an idea! The part which leaves me skeptic, though was the "... many good electronic machines cost less than $200.00." So, am I out of touch, or is the truth being stretched here? "Cause I reeeeely want one of those good $200.00 electronic machines< Reeeeely. At any rate, more sewists means greater fabric supply, which is a good thing for all of us. Cea
Sewing Revival, OOPS!
Nov 02, 2006
6 Replies
"cea" scribbled while perusing news: snipped-for-privacy@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com:
I've heard this also, but can't cite the source. I do have younger people who know I sew (my license plate says I (heart) Sewing) ask me how to do this and that, and am always eager to help. I'd love to see people get out of sewing what I do - a time and "thing" just for me to do with as I please. It truly is a zen thing.
I bought an electronic Singer a few weeks ago for a great niece that has 3 children and her DH is headed back to Iraq soon for his 2nd tour. I didn't see it, but I do trust our Singer dealer. He sent her the machine for about $200 all total. As soon as I got a chance later, though, I went to the shop and tried it; I couldn't believe the ease of using it or the number of beautiful stitches it has. Emily
It's nice to see that there is a revival. It's also nice to see that shops are starting to rent machines. A few years back I tried to rent one just to make some receiving blankets for a new baby in the family. Went to the shop, asked about renting and they acted as if I had two heads. I was 3000 miles from home and didn't have my machine available. Took my material with me and did them by hand. It would have been nice to have the machine because I could have turned out a bunch of them a lot faster. Since then I have found that the sewing store I patronize on Cape Cod will rent machines for a day or more at a time. The only thing is I carry my machine out there with me when we go. Juno
It's also a great way to find out which machines suit you the best. I asked about that in a local shop maybe 8-10 years ago when I was thinking of getting a new machine. They got all indignant and when I said I had rented many machines in the past, they practically accused me of lying. In my home town, they had stores that sold only sewing machines--- no vacuums, no fabric, no major anything else, just sewing machines and their accessories.
I rented every brand of machine available before I bought my first one when I was around 20. I had used several Singers and a New Home (now Janome) before I left home but that was it. Berninas were not readily available here in the US then either. I ended up with a White and it served me reasonably well until I tried to make draperies and it lacked penetration power.
Phae
Many years ago, most machine dealers I knew rented machines for a day, week or month. When the youngest DGD was born, her DM didn't have a machine, so I went to a shop in the town where they lived, to rent one and was treated the same way as you were, Juno. I complained and the owner told me they had a run a few years before when about 90% of machines rented came back unusable. He blamed it on the latest technology and the general public not being aware of how to use it, therefore didn't take the necessary care. Emily
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