Kiss the machine.

My my, the things you take for granted. Thank you Howe and Singer and all those who contributed to the sewing machine.

So, these are the practice stitches. (the long running stitch, the over stitch and the back stitch). That's as far as I'm going to go at this point. What more do you really need to put garments together? Even that over stitch...I would never use it. I'd bind the seams before using that as a finish. 

 

The Book

I will be using This Book as my guide. (PC: Right click and save - Mac: ctrl + click)

It's the PDF version of Hand Sewing Lessons published in 1905.

The journey begins.

Before the Machine

You know, it wasn't until the 1850's that an actual working sewing machine was produced...and roughly 5 decades later that they were ready for home use.

So how were garments constructed all the years prior to this?
We already know that some of the most elaborately adorned humans existed before this invention.

Very often these garments were constructed by underpaid seamstresses that could hardly afford to wear the items they created. But in an alternate history...that would be the one in my mind, this existence wasn't nearly as bad. The notion is romantic, even. In the least, there's a romantic story in there. Something like "A knight's Tale"...only with seamstresses.
No?
O.K. Maybe not. But it plays well in my mind.

In any case, Thumbbell isn't a fashion or costume project and I'm not going to attempt to recreate history. I'll simply attempt to have fun mixing past technology (this case being the needle and thread) with my present...in hopes that I'll gain a fun pastime along with quiet meditative moments.

Who has the time?

No one.

I certainly don't. This is precisely why I'm beginning Thumbbell. It will be a meditative exercise in patience...a fun exploration in hand sewing.

Why?
Because everything in my life is non-stop. I desperately need time to slow down and digest the important things in my world. Hand sewing just happens to be what I choose to do while I'm doing the slow down and meditate thing.

Thimble

Thumb Bell is the original name for thimble.
The name, pretty much tells its own origin.
The thumb bell is a thumb cover/protector in the shape of a bell.

This device was invented in 1684 by a Dutch metalworker,
to protect the thumb of his sweetheart as she
"engaged with a needle and thread"...or so the story goes.

It was initially worn on the thumb but
that soon changed. So did the name....but only slightly.
It became thimble.