Sunday, January 27, 2008

What a different world...............

<............ It's funny how things come together sometimes. Yesterday we had a good talk by http://www.ginaferrari.co.uk/ and Judith Songhurst. Titled "Life after City and Guild " they told us how they met on a City and Guild Machine Embroidery course at Missenden Abbey and showed the work they have done since then. About half way through my brain kicked in and I realiesed that Gina was Fan My Flame who has been in my bloglines for a while. We even saw they fan which is on her blog. Beautiful delicate machine embroidery. Judith quoted a piece from a 1949 book on machine embroidery which has us all falling about.

'Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to do... never approach sewing with a sigh or lacksadaisically. Good results are difficult when indifference predominates. Never try to sew with a sink full of dishes or beds unmade. When there are urgent household chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing. When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. Keep a little bag of french chalk near your sewing machine to dust your fingers at intervals. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. If you are constantly fearful that a visitor would drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should.'



What a different world!!!!

We were reminded of the song "Wives and Lovers " by Burt Bacarach sung by Jack Jones

Hey, little girl,
Comb your hair, fix your make-up.
Soon he will open the door.
Don't think because
There's a ring on your finger,
You needn't try any more

For wives should always be lovers, too.
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you.
I'm warning you.

Day after day,
There are girls at the office,
And men will always be men.
Don't send him off
With your hair still in curlers.
You may not see him again.

For wives should always be lovers, too.
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you.
He's almost here.

Hey, little girl
Better wear something pretty,
something you'd wear to go to the city.
And dim all the lights,
Pour the wine, start the music.
Time to get ready for love.

Dim all the lights,
Pour the wine,start the music.
Time to get ready for love.
Time to get ready,time to get ready for love.
Time to get ready,time to get ready for love.


I can remember when my mother was staying with m after my daughter was born and my mother would send me to "tidy youself up" before DH came home!!!!


What a different world!!!!!

Today Joanna of http://serenityisbliss.blogspot.com/ posted about an article she had written for the Ragged Cafe on Matt Baker and the work he has inspired.
Joanna pointed out how the illustrations promised more than they revealed! I remembered similar romantic comics from my teenage years, which my parents frowned and the occasion when, at about 16 years old, I was about to go out with the shoulders of my sweater pulled down revealing my shoulders. My father sent me back upstairs to change before I was allowed out.

My mother used to say that "sex appeal was not what you could see, but what you thought you could see!!"



What a different world!!!! ............or is it???????????

8 comments:

Debbi Baker said...

Me again Pat - I have had a bit of a marathon catch up on your blog!! Loved everything I read and looked at and this last post was fantastic! I really laughed out loud - in some ways the world has definitely changed...

Joanna said...

How interesting! Funny about how you should prepare yourself to sew. I don't think I am hardly "in order" when I sew. You are right different place we live in now. The retro pictures are great.

Joanna said...

How interesting! Funny about how you should prepare yourself to sew. I don't think I am hardly "in order" when I sew. You are right different place we live in now. The retro pictures are great.

Anonymous said...

If my husband came home and saw the house tidy, and me wearing makeup and clean clothes he'd probably think Id been having an affair not sewing! I think I'll stick to my current plan - sewing first, housework if I remember.

Cyber Fyber said...

Hi Pat

(First...but not foremost...thank you for the comments you've left on my blog)

Second, and definitely foremost...this post is amazing. The ideas swirling in my head will take more than the remainder of the day to unsort. I'll likely dream. I look forward to whatever unconscious memories and visions these dreams might bring.

It is a different world in many respects. It is easier for me to focus on the embroidery...preparing the stitch. I find that I no longer care how I look and I am confident that this is the best approach to the wonderful creativity that awaits at my sewing machine. It is harder for me to focus on the gender roles and the sexual aspects associated with "women's work". Let's just say, I'm never going to apply lipstick for anything...free motion embroidery or a late night in bed...even though I know that Vasoline removes lipstick from the sheets! (The old adage goes something like this..."It takes an oil to remove an oil". Good housekeeping, lipstick, and creative, contemporary embroidery do mix things up a bit!)
Susan
PS The recap...I loved this post!

PSS I just realized that I'm not signed in using my normal name. So, this is Susan Lenz of Art in Stitches and the name I'm currently using is a tip to an adventure I'm officially announcing this Saturday.

Tony Morris said...

Good song, Wives and Lovers first recorded by Jack Jones (1963) and then covered by Nancy Wilson (1964), Percy Faith & His Orchestra (1964), Jimmy Smith (1964), Andy Williams (1964), by Julie London (1964), Frank Sinatra & Count Basie and his orchestra (August 1964), Dionne Warwick (February 1965), Ella Fitzgerald (1966), Lena Horne (1966), Stan Getz (1968), Wes Montgomery (1971), Kiley Gaffney (April 20, 1998) and Wei Wei Wuu (October 20, 2004, my favourite is Andy Williams.

sharon young said...

Hi Pat
What a great post, I think the world has changee unrecognisably since I was born in 1949, but I think there's still a little bit of me stuck in the past!!
Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog.

Dianne said...

Yes, the world is changing, and so much better for us females I think! It's great for a female to look sexy or "nice" (if she wants to), but only if she wants to - not feel like she has to for someone else.... Or definitely NOT for sewing. I love all the old photos you have used!