My mother is a very accomplished sewer. When I was a kid, she frequently made clothes for us kids. But I was embarassed to wear them and if it ever got out that my mom made an article, it was cause for much teasing.
Now that I’m getting in touch with my inner sewer, I’m still embarassed about telling people that I made something that they complement. My husband is not: “She made it! Just finished it an hour ago!!” Followed by astonishment, more careful inspection of the article in question, and more complements.
What’s different? Has anyone else noticed this?
4 responses so far ↓
1 nee // Mar 12, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Is the embarrassment because it is homemade, hearkening back to the embarrassment as a kid? Or is it embarrassment due to not liking attention or compliments?
2 Miko // Mar 13, 2007 at 1:40 pm
I dunno. I’m proud enough of this stuff to post it online, to tell my friends about it ad nauseum…okay, so it’s prolly residual. I’m always shocked that people outside my inner circle think it’s cool that I wear things I made.
3 es // Mar 21, 2007 at 8:00 pm
My own recollection as a 40-something is that there was a period of time where the home-made was denigrated, because it implied poverty. Especially in certain social strata, where people wanted to show off their wealth by means of what they could buy. Now the hand-made is valued as being original, artisanal and artistic. In fact, people now show off their wealth by being able to afford hand-made items.
4 Miko // Mar 23, 2007 at 7:01 pm
es: I think that must be it, but I think it’s quite a shift. Maybe I’m just in a new stratum…
Leave a Comment