The question came up with someone wondering why, when I stitch so much, I don't make clothes for myself. It all stems back to a traumatic experience I had in home ec class in high school. One of the 'projects' we were required to make was an outfit we were expected to model at a fashion show for the parents. It made up 50% of our final mark. The teacher (who was seemingly intimidated by my height...5'9" to her barely 5') assigned what we had to make and I was expected to make a tailored suit. Everybody else got to make shorts, skirts, and simple tops. My parents never had much money so it was a real budget stretch to purchase 'good' enough fabric to create a tailored suit. I was very uncomfortable in mini skirts so I made the skirt below-the-knee (picture a person my height, weighing barely 100 lbs and how skinny and knobby-knee'ed I was). Mom helped me a little with the jacket because it really was way beyond my sewing abilities.
Come the dress rehearsal for the fashion show and the teacher took one look at my outfit and promptly took the scissors to the skirt and hacked it off to mini length. I was mortified. However, I needed to pass the class so I wore it to the show. When I got home, my mother (who never threw ANYTHING out) told me to take it off and she mutely held open the garbage can lid and told me to throw it out. All that money, that we could ill afford, lost. I was completely traumatized by that experience and only have ever tried to sew a dress for myself once after that and it ended up looking homemade and I hated it.
There, more about me than you ever
needed, or wanted, to know!
*************
Jocelyn at Canadian Needle Nana shared a link to THIS and the design made me think that it would make fun cards. I had need of a birthday card so I changed the format to using paper and this is what I came up with...
AND - huge excitement here at Chez Magpie
when I saw this...
I haven't seen one in bloom since I
- THIS is such a cute wee hat (pattern is free on the blog, just scroll down). And while you're there, click on the 'free patterns' category at the top and you'll find a number of other great designs.
- Have a look through the incredible galleries of THIS artist! All I can say is wow (and thank you Linda for sharing about this one).
- Have a peek through the gallery HERE - amazing work!
- The whimsical creations of THIS artist are just plain fun.
Here's the quote..."At the end of the day, I'd rather be excluded for who I include, than be included for who I exclude" (think about it!)
I'm outraged by that teacher's actions. Clearly setting you up to fail. What a beeotch.
ReplyDeleteBeeotch indeed! She had it in for me the entire time I was in her class. I seriously think she was intimidated by my height and thus picked on me. Needless to say I wasn't about to take home ec the next year!
DeleteWhat a terrible experience in your fashion show !! No wonder you don't ever want to sew garments...I don't blame you at all...
ReplyDeleteHugs, julierose
Yes, it was certainly traumatic for a very insecure teenager. I have made a ton of recycled denim jackets but in my mind I was able to label them as being a 'craft' and I didn't mind them. Now I have a wee granddaughter and I seriously want to make her dresses so I guess I'll have to suck up my aversion to 'sewing'.
DeletePhew what a creepy teacher... and what damage such a teacher can do!!!
ReplyDeleteYou made a great birthday card.
Great quote!!!
You know... maybe you could try something nice on the sewing machine... a summer top or something :-)) I've started sewing clothes for myself now and it's so much fun ... show that creepy teacher - because you can :-)) you are above it.
Greetings and hugs from Viola.
Aw, thank you Viola! My attempts at sewing clothing are going to be limited to little girl dresses methinks - at least for the forseeable future anyway.
DeleteSorry you had that experience. The teacher had no right to damage your property. Nowadays, she'd be suspended or fired.
ReplyDeleteI think your suit was probably the best outfit there.
Yes, no doubt she would be in trouble nowadays, but back then teachers were next things to God.
DeleteOh my! That was an interesting story, but what an outrageous action by an entitled teacher! My mother would’ve taken her to task (and she would’ve had to pay for that skirt) and read her and the principal the riot act!
ReplyDeleteMy mother let me fight my own battles and this one simply wasn't worth it. I knew I couldn't win - after all, the damage had been done. All I wanted at that point was to get that mark and get out of her class as quickly as I could. It's funny though how something like that can stick with you all these years.
DeleteI love knowing that you were a tall skinny girl. So was I. I am shocked that a teacher would do such a thing. Inexcusable! But, having seen your oh-so-beautiful stitches, I highly doubt anything you have made would be less than perfect.
ReplyDeleteYep, when I graduated from high school I was 5'9" and weighed barely a hundred pounds (and no, I didn't have an eating disorder). I love to sew and always have, but just not making adult-sized clothing. Maybe after I've created a few little dresses for our grandie I'll muster the courage to try again.
DeleteThat's a horrible experience and, I think, is why my mother wouldn't let me take home ec. She taught me to sew and cook and she said that if I took home ec that it would just be the teacher telling me how I did everything wrong. I took mechanical drawing instead and loved it!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have taken mechanical drawing (not that I can draw but it would have been a whole lot more fun than home ec!). Home ec was mandatory here, at least in grade 9.
DeleteSherry of createology: MA Dear I am so sorry you were treated so badly in Home Ec and then at home. That would be heartbreaking and definitely scarring. I am so thankful you are able to do all the wonderful creative things you do. You are amazing and such a loving, kind and generous soul. Blessings Dear…
ReplyDeleteI really wasn't intending to look for sympathy when I shared my experience - it was more of an explanation of why I don't sew clothes. My mother knew I would never wear the suit and the jacket wasn't wearable without the skirt and I know she was as upset as I was so she didn't want the reminder stuck in the closet.
DeleteOh, my! What a terrible experience for a young girl. And yes, certain experiences stay with us. Glad you didn't let that one keep you from showing us your creative side!
ReplyDeleteI suppose it was character building, at least that's how I choose to look at it. We all have things that shaped us into who we are, so I'm certainly not alone.
DeleteJust goes to show how times have changed teachers would not be allowed to traumatise a student like that these days and quite rightly! It's shocking! Love that you have a flower on your Hoya plant, that is very satisfying and I love the card, they are also very satisfying to make. Hugs Christine xx
ReplyDeleteI suspect teachers still do it but are more careful these days.
DeleteAnd yes, I was thrilled with the flowers on my hoya - it was cause for huge excitement, that's for sure.
Adults have so much power for good or ill, and adults in authority positions even more so. I'm glad you had a mother who understood the whole situation and dealt with it, as did you, perfectly. And kudos to you for choosing to pivot into another creative use of needles and threads, in which you are a total STAR!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you Quinn! I certainly get a lot of pleasure out of what I do and hope I can continue with it well into my old age.
DeleteThere's no good excuse for a teacher doing that - sorry you had such a horrid experience. The card is sweet and I love those felt creations. Someone gave me a kit to make little birds and I've just started it. I hope I don't like it too much.
ReplyDeleteThank you for my morning giggle ("I hope I don't like it too much"). I don't normally make too many cards but it's fun to do one once in awhile. This one went to my cousin in AU - she's an artist and always loves handmade things so she usually is on the receiving end of my cards.
DeleteMy junior high home ec classes were terrible -- both cooking in 7th grade and sewing in 8th grade. Despite those experiences I like to cook and sew. For years I made much of my clothing though now it's all about quilting (of course).
ReplyDeleteWelcome Nann! Thank you for the lovely comment. Cooking is not my forte for sure - I cooked (stay at home mom) until Resident Chef retired and he offered to take it over because it's something he loves doing. I certainly didn't let the kitchen door hit me on the way out! I taught both our boys how to cook but they inherited their Dad's abilities, to the degree that our #1 son is a chef.
DeleteLOVE your birthday card!
ReplyDeleteMy heart aches for your teenage self. I would like to go back and slap your teacher's face. I love your mother for her response - it says volumes.
I had a good economics teacher in 7th grade and another one in 8th grade who was snippy to me (she was also the principal's wife). The snippy one had us make a dress for class. I was surprisingly talented at neatly stitching the hemline and proudly took it back to class the next day. Mrs. Dyer took one look at it and accused me of having my mother do it because there was no way I could stitch that neatly. In spite of my protests, she didn't believe me. My quiet mother went to visit her at school and kindly but firmly set her straight. Mrs. Dyer then believed me but never apologized to me. That was 60 years ago and I still smart from it, so I relate to having those types of things still affect you. Thank you for sharing it, because it actually made me feel better - lol!
Yes, you never could expect an apology from a teacher. Sorry you had a bad experience too - it does affect you despite knowing that the teacher was wrong. Good thing we haven't let it stop us from doing what we love!
DeleteOuch - how nasty though I love your mother's response. What a truly awful way for a teacher to behave.
ReplyDeleteThat teacher wasn't a favourite, that's for sure.
DeleteWhat an awful experience. I can only imagine how traumatic that was. And you're right (in a comment above). Terrible things still do happen at the hands of teachers and other education professionals. There has recently been a blow up in central Indiana over several educators abusing a non-verbal special needs student - in a well-to-do school no less.
ReplyDeleteIt's upsetting when you hear about educators abusing helpless children, particularly when they should know better. I hope they get fired (and a little jail time wouldn't come amiss either!).
DeleteOh my, you have woken some memories in me. Not bragging, straight A's reflected my deep love of stitching grades 8-11. I took every class available. I adored my big city home ec teacher. Grade 12 we moved inland to the mountains and my new teacher critised my every stitch and failed me because I think she felt threatened. I also have not stitched clothing for myself but am making a quilted jacket soon. I'm glad there is such a level of scrutiny now because those negative experiences sting for a lifetime. Thanks for sharing. Love your creativity. Stitch on!
ReplyDeleteI dropped home ec as soon as I could and I do think the teacher I had felt threatened by me. Not so much my sewing abilities but my height. Your traumatic experience was much worse than mine - I can't imagine how she could have failed you when obviously your work was above standard. And yes, even though we're adults now, we still hold those feelings in our hearts.
DeleteHorrible thing for a teacher to do. So sorry. Congrats on the Hoya blooming.
ReplyDeleteYes, there was great excitement when I noticed the hoya blooms. I've had the plant for years and never a sign of a flower.
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