Author and iconic fashion designer Doris de Pont gave a talk on the history of home sewing in New Zealand followed by a sewing lesson at a session at Birkenhead Library…
Author and iconic fashion designer Doris de Pont gave a talk on the history of home sewing in New Zealand followed by a sewing lesson at a session at Birkenhead Library.
The public lecture and sewing workshop was hosted by Birkenhead Library on Auckland’s North Shore today as part of NZ Book Month, in celebration of her latest non-fiction work, Home Sewn.
Doris herself wore a gorgeous skirt she sewed from the Starfish pattern in the book.
The audience were buying up copies of the book and getting them signed by Doris de Pont. I own a copy of Home Sewn and recommend everyone buy one, whether they sew, or not. Without sewing it’s a fascinating read on the social and cultural history of home sewing in New Zealand’s past. With the added benefit of sewing, it’s got the advantage of ten patterns inside the back cover that you can trace off and sew modern patterns from New Zealand designers Company of Strangers, Cybèle, Katie-maree Cole, Lela Jacobs, Papercut, Starfish, TK Store, twenty-seven names, Vaughan Geeson and WORLD.
I happened to be wearing the dress I made from Home Sewn; a pattern by twenty-seven names (which I added sleeves to) and Doris recognised it and had me stand up to show everyone and receive applause which was funny – I really don’t think my sewing is applause-worthy! What a kind audience.
Doris showed the crowd of more than forty guests how to hand stitch a universal hem (herringbone stitch blind hem) on fabric they handed out.
Next we learned how to sew a button using crossed pins to create a raised false shank effect and to use four threads by threading the needle with a doubled thread. We also learned a cool way of tying a knot (pushing the needle up through thread wound three times around the needle) and how to start or finish with three tiny stitches in the same place rather than with a bulky knot.
After the talk and workshop, we enjoyed wine and nibbles and I got to chat with some fascinating women, some of whom have been in the industry for years. What a great way to share knowledge and hear one another’s stories. To read the stories in Home Sewn, you can buy it at the NZ Fashion Museum website www.fashionmuseum.co.nz for $45 by emailing dianne@fashionmuseum.org.nz
Words and photos, Megan Robinson
3 March 2013
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