calling all sewists!
 

Sewist! Notice how that word is taking over for sewer? Good news! Have to stop and think each time whether we're talking about a sew-er or a sue-er. Sewist is more clear and ... I don't want to be compared to the sewage system any day! :)

Wonder why it took this long? Ah, the magic of the English language.

I refuse to say that word outloud, as I prefer sewer, but online I tend to use it, because I always read sewer as the sanitary waste system.

Next thing we'll be called "quiltist" and "embroiderist" and "craftist" ???

That's silly. None of those words have the heteronym issue that sewer has. And there isn't another word that works well to describe people who sew- I'm not just a quilter, I'm not a seamstress, I'm not a tailor, I'm a sewer, but I prefer not to be read as a disgusting tunnel of human waste.

There are plenty of descriptive words for people who do activities that end in -ist.
Flautist, biologist, anarchist, balloonist, chemist, portraitist, and many many more!

The language evolves.

Sounds like we have an English Class going on here! LOL I ain't goin to get involved.

It's going to be a long time before using the term 'sewist' to describe what you do is not considered elitist. The term 'sewer' only gets confused when written, and never when used in context even then, so there's no actual misunderstanding of the meaning between people. Refer to yourself however you like; it's just a word, not who you really are.

seamstress is one i use. i won't learn new "words". my brain is full now.

Oh my! Never thought that would be a can of worms! When I first read "sewist" I also thought of it as elitist, but in the written word, I now see it as just more clear. I'd never say it out loud - it would feel silly to me.

Sorry to all - I just read a post that used it and thought it was interesting how often I see it now.

Ha Ha Ha! Look at my name - LOL! I never even thought of this before - now I bet I'll think of it every time I read my name.

So...(sew) LOL...where, pray tell, did the term "sewer mouth" come from? A quilter having a bad day?
bwaaahahahahahahah!!!

Teeler - I laugh at you! Thanks for lightening the mood.

JanTx,
Please keep on keeping on, steady as you go!:D I'm on your side. :) (Call me whatever you want, just don't call me late to dinner!)

But obviously it needs to be noted here that "sewist" is a decidedly "overseas" expression more than it is an American expression......it shows up all the time in the wonderful Aussie magazines, for instance. As does "stockist", by the way, which means one who stocks the supplies/tools/fabrics you seek. Known here as "seller"/merchant/dealer("what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!")/or merely quilt store.

A rose by any other name smells as sweet.:thumbup:

Jan in VA

Too late you already did - wish I hadn't . . . ;0)

I think it's a stupid word personally. It evolved out of the blogging world. The new, young, hip bloggers use it all teh time. While I love the new, hip, young bloggers, I think the word is elitist and well... just plain stupid.

Language is a living art.
peace

I'm with sewist. (My computer doesn't like that word. I'll have to "add to dictionary") We learn new words all the time, and a lot of them sound really strange if not disgusting until we get used to them.

I am a QUILTER, 'cause that is what I do!

Seamstress is the oldest term from the 1600's.with seamster as the male version.

Just leave us alone & let us sew.
We know who we are.

ditto......ha ha ha

Yeps!!!!!!! ;)

ha ha ha ....

.
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LOL Now, I would never have read it that way til you pointed it out! Now, I probably always will!;) ... Shift+R improves the quality of this image. CTRL+F5 reloads the whole page.

Yes to this most succinct expressing of it. It's not a new concept. In 1968 I took a college course on the subject of "transformational - generative grammar" (What can I say - I needed the credits!). The gist of it was that if language didn't evolve we'd all be saying "ugh" and pointing. Almost nobody can even make sense of our own language as it was written/spoken a few hundred years ago. Shakespeare, for example, is obscure without lots of footnotes. Chaucer has to be translated. Ordinary people in their days had no trouble understanding them.

I like the word "sewist" because no matter how well I understand from context that "sewer" is not necessarily a waste conduit, it often distracts me with that silly thought. It got started at a time when "sewer" was more likely to be a spoken word than a written one. With widespread increase in written communications on this subject, such as this forum, it's not surprising that an alternative word that makes better sense when reading is starting to take hold. Maybe 20 years from now people will snort if you type "sewer" when you mean "sewist".

Now THIS made me laugh!!!

Hi, How about 'Fabric artist'

My husband tells people I'm crafty. Quite often they take it the wrong way.

Who knows... In time we may even be known as "needleist" (sp) LOL

Not all sewers are seamstresses, some are seamsters? (guys?) I just figured sewist was being used to be gender neutral.

But, let's pitch all those names aside and call ourselves wha we really are ... Fiber Artists! LOL

(What we really are addicts and enablers!)

LOL. Very funny!

I always hated being a sewer -- what am I, a sewage carrier?? I just saw "sewist" recently and, while I'm still getting used to it, I prefer anything to "sewer."

I'm not satisfied with either of the words. It's true that I sew, but that's just the mechanics. I make drapes, slipcovers, clothes, quilts, and other home dec. All of that requires a lot more that just sewing. Yet, I don't think of myself as an artist as in fiber artist or fabric artist. I can't think of a good word that would include all types of creative sewing. When I am speaking I say sewer, to me it sounds less pretentious. maybe if we spelled sewer as sewor it might look better in print. However, as I look at it now, it just looks like a misspelled word :)

I see nothing wrong with a new word to improve the perception of what we do...