Fashioning Firm Foundations

This blog is dedicated to those ‘who enjoy the feel of fabric, the beauty of textures, the precision of stitches, the smoothness of seams, and who delight always in appropriate fabrics carefully cut and made up for a happy purpose.’

The above quotation appears as a dedication in the Singer Sewing Book, written by Mary Brooks Picken and published by McGraw-Hill by arrangement with the Singer Manufacturing Company in 1954. To me, it sums up everything I love about sewing and everything I hope to share here on the Sew-Not-Mature blog – beautiful fabrics precisely cut and sewn to produce well-fitted, stylish, one-of-a-kind garments.

In these days of fast fashion, with its mass-produced, low quality clothing and disgraceful exploitation of garment workers, I am over the moon that I had the opportunity to learn to sew when I was young. It laid firm foundations which I have been able to build on over the years. I love fashion – real fashion, not fast fashion. I love beautiful fabrics; I am in awe of  innovation and the creativity of designers and the exquisite workmanship displayed in true couture garments. I’m also fascinated by the history of fashion and dress and how this can be used to explore social, political and cultural identity and meaning.

I want to touch on all these things within my blog. I want you to be inspired by great designers; to be able to examine the superior workmanship evident on garments from the past, and to learn to appreciate quality fabrics and quality sewing. I want to inspire you to make your own stylish, well-sewn clothes, rather than rely on fast fashion and I want you to know that you can – and will - look amazing in your handmade wardrobe.

I hope you’ll join me on the journey.