Historical three basic stitches for hand sewing clothing, video

packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
Faroe, I see she's using a stitching pillow, I love this idea, do you use one? If so did you make your or purchase one already made. If purchased where did you purchase your pillow?
 
F

Faroe

Un-spun
I've always heard of it referred to as a tailor's ham. She could be using something different, but my mother had a *Pillow* which looked just like the one in the video. She always used it for pressing over darts and curved seams, It had some give, but wasn't squishy, and it would have worked for hand sewing. I frequently sew over a pillow set in my lap for height, but have never thought to anchor the end of the fabric to it.

Will have to try that.

Since the Gansey is done, I was project-less. (not good!) Bernadette inspired me to drag out the unfinished quilt, and get going again. Remains to be seen, how long I last with that.
 
J

Jacki

Senior Member
They have a clamp that attaches to a table, and a clamp that attaches to the cloth being sewn, and a cord that can swivel between the clamps. It works the same way as the ham in those videos. During Victorian times they got very elaborate.
Mine is modern, but still works the same way.

Jacki
 
M

Martinhouse

Deceased
I just watched the video. Thanks for posting it. I must be pretty historical myself, as I have used these stitches most of my life when hand-sewing most things. No one showed me, I just figured it out. Slip-stitching and back stitching stretch enough so that my seams in fleece have never snapped and felling seams just about guarantees that there will never be any raveling even with rough use or laundering.

I've often anchored my work with the foot and needle of the sewing machine for ripping seams, but never thought of anchoring for stitching. If I can devise a way to anchor the fabric off to the side instead of in front of me it would greatly help keep my fingers from knotting up when holding fabric to keep it taut, so, again, THANKS!
 
M

Martinhouse

Deceased
I got to thinking and thought I'd mention that when I said I must be historic, I didn't mean I was patting myself on the back. I meant that it sounded a few steps beyond elderly. Hope I didn't turn anyone off by the comment.

I have figured out that if I sit at right angles to my desk, I might be able to anchor my sewing to the front edge of it with a small spring clamp. Or maybe even just shut the end of the fabric into the kneehole drawer of the little desk. When I thought about it more, I remembered that I have anchored fabric before using heavy books. And once even with a small cutting board weighted down with a bag of potatoes!

I think sometimes I must be a very weird person.
 
R

rosepath

Member
Ha, Martinhouse, no weirder than the rest of us :) Most of our culture not only can't sew by hand, but would never imagine wanting to learn. The old skills are valuable, and any way that works to get the goal accomplished (brilliant, shutting the fabric end into the drawer) sounds good to me.
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
AlaskaSue said:
Goodness, didn't realize Nancy had passed. I loved her vids, she was always great to watch! :( Agree with you on her site; it's a winner :)
Click to expand...

It was about this time last year. I got to meet her in 2004 at the International Quilt Festival, she was one classy lady!
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
Martinhouse said:
I got to thinking and thought I'd mention that when I said I must be historic, I didn't mean I was patting myself on the back. I meant that it sounded a few steps beyond elderly. Hope I didn't turn anyone off by the comment.

I have figured out that if I sit at right angles to my desk, I might be able to anchor my sewing to the front edge of it with a small spring clamp. Or maybe even just shut the end of the fabric into the kneehole drawer of the little desk. When I thought about it more, I remembered that I have anchored fabric before using heavy books. And once even with a small cutting board weighted down with a bag of potatoes!

I think sometimes I must be a very weird person.
Click to expand...


Not weird at all, I think most of us have tried these techniques in the past, I myself have also used tape to anchor a piece of fabric down for hand stitching. I'm going to make myself a tailors ham.
 
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