Now I know what I've been doing wrong!
 

I'm reading through the Singer Sewing Book by Mary Brooks Picken from 1949, and I know now what I've been doing wrong with my sewing! It MUST be the reason my points never match and seams aren't straight! My comments are in red.

And I quote:

"When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. (I don't think I OWN a dress!!) Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth-a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of the mirror, and you can hope for better results when you look your best.
Again, sewing imust be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore "spruce up" at the begging so that you are free to enjoy every part of any sewing you do."

:D:D:D I should sell my fabric and machines now...it's hopeless!

Very funny how they lived back in 1949.

Don't you remember Leave it to Beaver, and how June Cleaver always looked made up?
Barri

Well, I'm in trouble. If someone stops in they have to take me as I am while I am enjoying myself sewing in my jammies.

If my spousal unit came home and I was "put together" he'd think I was having an affair while he was gone!! :D

Oh Charlee, I have missed the humor on the SS thread. Thanks for bringing it back. That is hystrical! God almighty, lets just make ourselves a door mat too, while were sewing. Man alive, what were they thinking.

That is a hoot! Oh my goodness! I guess some changes are for the best!

Ya know what, I don't even own a dress.!

Excuse me everyone...I must dash and shower and put on a dress (if I can find one) and do my hair and makeup....back in 3 hours ;)

I sew in my best jammies, does that count??? LOL Charlee your a blast.

yeah right. and how much sewing would you get done if you are constantly picking threads off your clothes? I know I don't own a dress and I am not going to put on the 2 pc that I wore for DD wedding! too high class for that.

I'm not going to get any sewing done if I have to go out and get a dress, make up, and wear shoes while I sew. I can't seem to work the pedal with shoes on.

Just a thought...but if you're sewing yourself a new dress, wouldn't it be better just to sew it while in your bra, panties, girddle, stockings, and lace slip? I mean, if you felt the need, you could do the heels too, guess that wouldn't look TOO silly. That way you're not mussin' up that hairdo and makeup that you took the time to put on before you started so that you could do your best stitching!

Oh, that's so funny. AND. what if someone knocks on the door? Or one of the kids comes over..they never knock! What a hoot!!

That is hilarious. Back when I got married the first time in 1965 I had it in my mind that I would be like June Cleaver or the mother from Father Knows Best. I "woke up" so to speak not too long afterwards! They were TV shows! I was living a real life!!!! As an aside, The Fly Lady, who coaches people on organizing their houses, stresses getting dressed right down to shoes first thing. And she is "modern". Makes me laugh. Shoes are the last thing I put on most days unless I am going out. Thanks for sharing.

Oh my, I must really be in trouble, cause I don't even wear make up anymore when I'm going out let alone at home.
Charlee, I'm with you, my hubby would certainly think something was up...

I had a book similar to that around here somewhere from that timeframe, that told how to be a good wife....
It was a good joke book for today.

Remember the days when the ladies always had to wear their Sunday hats to church? Oh, and white gloves, musn't forget those. Maybe we should sew with those too! lol.

Thanks Charlee for making my day!

The gloves are saved for when you are doing free motion. LOL

:D @ Glenda!!

I have more for later, maybe...my DMIL gave me "The Marriage Guide" from 1917!! I haven't laughed as hard in YEARS as I did reading some of that one!!

Don't forget we might have been barefoot and pregnant too! Going to need a bigger dress!

Oh my word!!! Thank you for the laughs. I've learned that the only 'essential' thing I need in my sewing room, are slippers. Seems I tend to drop pins and boy can they HURT!!! But I honestlly (very red facedly) admit that I have sewn in the 'altogether' many a time!

If DH caught me in a dress and MAKEUP he'd go outside and check our house number--then he'd load the shotgun!

So when did they find time to sew???

What a hoot!

I want to see the 1949 husband come home *today* and see us sewing in sweats or jammies (or nuthin!), no shoes or makeup, hair looking however it looked when we rolled out of bed (OK ... *maybe* we ran a comb through it), sitting in the sewing room with the TV in the background, and dinner? Well hopefully HE picked up dinner at the KFC on his way home from work!!

BTW ... I do own several dresses, but I don't own any lipstick!

Oh, golly gee-whiz, Charlee--you forgot your pearls!

Lorda mercy!! T'was my mother who lived in that time, not very successfully I might add.
I came along as a teen in the sixties and noticed how my peers were fighting to make changes.
In 1969 I was sent to Germany (by my grandmother) with my husband for his just-out-of-college job in a woolen suit and wearing white cloves....
But within 4 years I tried (several times) a "textile frei" beach and got a gorgeous all over tan and then soon moved to wearing (quite!) cut-off jeans shorts to the grocery store. Of course, I was actually half the woman in those days that I am now!!

I almost always wear lipstick now because my lips feel dry, but in the 1960s and 70s we paid the price and we should benefit!

Jan in VA

Don't own a dress or lipstick and the only time I wear shoes is if I go outside the house and it's usually flip flops. We've come a long way, baby.

Thanks for posting this. Very funny!

Thanks for the good chuckle of the day. I was 4 years old and never remembering mom getting all dolled up before my dad came home, and they were married 55 years!

So funny!!!

I enjoyed the good laugh, I was at joanns the other day (hadnt been in awhile) was looking at fabric n about died when I came across fabric that had old patterns on it, have you seen it? my thought was what would you make with it?

Well, ladies I must be in the minority here. I raised 2 boys, so always had to dress, never knew who might walk thru the door after school. By dressing, I mean jeans and a t-shirt. I still do this even tho sons are grown. One lives next door and arrives unannounced. Now days it is usually my husband who comes home from work and says btw - one of the guys is coming by and we are going to ride/work on 4-wheelers. I even put on sunscreen, foundation, do the eyebrows and put on mascara. btw - my skin looks really good these days for a 52 year old. lol

Well dang !!! i see why I always have a million mistakes now !!! GEEEEEEEZZZZZ and here I was soooooo comfortable quilting in my jammies..

I find this kinda funny, but I do remember when I was alot younger, that my mother would shower and clean up , put on a clean ironed blouse, fix her hair and some makeup before my dad got home from work, and beds had to be made when you got up, etc.

It amazes me that more families are not disfunctional after all the 'rules' had to be obeyed slavishly. It's like having the 'quilt police' in charge of our every movement.

That is sooo funny! I can't wear shoes to sew either, glad to see I'm not wierd.LOL
BTW I have friend that come over on Wed night to sew and I am usually in my pjs by the time they get here, as matter of fact, one has started wearing hers over.. It is just too comfy! Lets face it,when was the last time you went shopping and DIDN'T see someone in there pjs and/or slippers? Not me. Just saying........

At least you sew in your BEST jammies! Right now, my jammies don't exactly match - guess that means I won't enjoy sewing until I go buy a dress to wear... Do they still sell dresses..... :shock: I do try to at least comb my hair and brush my teeth before I start sewing - don't want to freak out the mailman- so is that a point for me?

I remember quite well, I was 8 yrs old, my mother wore a "house dress", make up, flat shoes, nice hair-do during the day and when dad come home she had bathed, changed to a regular dress, had supper on the table. She had also sewed all our clothes, canned,washed, starched and ironed , and cleaned an 8 bedroom house than NEVER got dirty. Most amazingly, she never complained and had energy left over to play golf and go dancing and went to church every time they opened the doors. There was a lot of good to say about those years.

Shoes????? The last thing I put on only if I am going out not outside out.......... shopping, out for the evening. And the first thing that comes off upon return. I hate shoes......................

They must have had more energy back then to go thru all that trouble and still have time/energy to sew! Too funny!

Wow! My DH would think he came to the wrong house if I dressed up for him....or he would wonder what I did that he needed "buttered up" for! Hahaha! I'm a jeans and tee shirt kind of girl unless I'm at work.

That is just too funny. I may have to steal that. Thanks for the giggle.