Threads of Life: a History of the World through the Eye of a Needle
Threads of Life by Clare Hunter £20 (Sceptre)
Whatever our take on fashion, fundamentally we all have a connection with clothes because we all wear them. Sewing literally touches our daily lives. But it’s about more than fashion it’s more profound than that; sewing expresses political ideas and identity, too – think of beautiful protest banners at demonstrations, slogan T-shirts, the 1980s NAMES Project Foundation’s memorial quilt honouring those who died from Aids. Sewing is a way to be heard.
Hunter says: ‘[Sewing] has evolved, primarily, as the voice of women, who, through the centuries with limited access to literacy, or little assurance that if they did write, their words would be preserved, chose needlework as a medium to assert their presence in the hope that it, at least, might persist and, in time, be heard.’
This book can be seen as an example of a trend of titles on world history as viewed via a single subject but the difference here is that sewing is, traditionally, a more female-focused art. And its practice spans the basic and the beautiful, the everyday and the extraordinary. As Hunter says: ‘It fell to women to spin the thread and weave the cloth because it was something they could do near or at home, It was compatible with child rearing and cooking.’ This area of expertise was also aligned with the female power of creating life itself: ‘Spinning thread and weaving cloth, the bringing of something to existence where nothing had been before was, like conception and childbirth, mysterious to ancient tribes, even magical.’
Historical references to celebrated works like the Bayeux Tapestry and the tunics in Tutankhamun’s tomb are blended with personal reflections that readers will be able to relate to, like the moving conversation with her sisters after their mother’s death on what she should wear for her ‘final journey’, and recollections of her mother teaching her embroidery stitches (something my own grandma taught me).
And in case you’re wondering (or worried), you need no knowledge of how to wield a needle and thread to enjoy this book.
Author Clare Hunter is a textile artist who set up the NeedleWorks project in Glasgow, working with people of all ages to celebrate local culture through sewing, and belongs to a sewing group in the city.
Threads of Life by Clare Hunter £20 (Sceptre)
Adrienne Wyper writes about craft and other good stuff.
Discussion (21 Comments)
sally says:
I hope this book will also be available in the U.S. thank yiu for bringing it to my attention.
Sara says:
I used to make virtually all my clothes when I was working. I found suits (tailoring) much easier than casual clothes. That, together with the virtual total disappearance of shops selling decent fabric ( at least outside London) accounts for my now almost equally total dereliction of my one-time favourite leisure activity. I do still alter shop bought clothes, though with some reluctance, but my wardrobe needs have changed to a far more casual dress. My piece de resistance was a wedding dress( the full white meringue number) for a friend’s daughter that I was then asked to alter the following year for the bride’s twin to wear at her wedding. I only really did it just to know I could! The stress was too great to do a repeat performance, although I had made my own wedding outfit several years earlier – not a white wedding in my case.
Interestingly, I have never been attracted to the needlework side of this and I was initially taught by a sadist at my girl’s grammar school; I put it down to an inferiority complex among other teachers of a far more academic bent. As a consequence, I was made to feel totally useless in what was then called Domestic Science and given little attention alongside the more revered Latin!
My skills are in some part learnt from my mother, who always said she was not good at dressmaking and then sheer dogged persistence because I could not afford to buy the expensive clothes I wanted but I could reproduce reasonable facsimiles. A fair number of garments did go straight to the dustbin but I ended up making for friends too, including a couple of “ mother of bride” outfits. All that while at full time work. Now I ask myself how I did it.
When I now reach for my sewing machine, I frequently get a little nostalgic pang but changed circumstances mean I am unlikely to return to it regularly. Nobody can make jeans as well as the industrial process can, unfortunately!
I can also knit pretty well, but again, am not in love with the home knitted look. If anyone can think of a good cause for which I can knit endlessly, please do let me know. I can knit and read simultaneously, let alone watch TV and knit!
P.S. one of the best tapestry exhibitions I have ever seen was that of the wonderful Grayson Perry, a few years ago. Magnificent! Skill, art and social comment all in one. Now that I wouldn’ t mind a go at………Ann M says:
There are various charities which involve knitting, some of which may be local to you – knitted hats for charities for the homeless, clothes for prem babies, lap blankets for the sick and elderly. Some foodbanks give warm clothes to their clients. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of ideas/causes on Google or in local woolshops and your skills will definitely benefit someone else! There are also free knitting patterns online for the various causes.
Maisie says:
My grammar school had sewing lessons as part of Domestic Science. I was terrified of the sharp-tongued teacher and hated every moment of the lessons. But I did learn the basic skills and went on to love sewing, making my own clothes from dress patterns, in fact most of my friends did the same, there were plenty of fabric shops in the 60’s. When my children were small I would sew while they were napping. Nowadays I rarely make anything but I still get a happy buzz when I take out my sewing machine for some repair job. I also used to be a fanatic knitter, but don’t seem to have patience with it any more, so that dispels the notion that knitting is an old ladies pastime, I did most of mine in my twenties !
Mending and other sewing skills should definitely be on all schools’ curriculum, I think.Corinne Clemson says:
Like many girls I was taught to sew by my mother and also at school. I used to make clothes when there was a paucity of petite clothing simply to have garments which actually fit me. Nowadays there is more choice but I still find it’s an invaluable skill and regularly have to shorten skirts and trousers. As a retired occupational therapist I can also testify to the therapeutic benefits of just getting creative. It’s not just about making clothes; the joy of quilting and embroidery and sense of satisfaction in making something personal is immense. I would also like to highlight the work of Fine Cell Work – a charity who work with prisoners to develop self esteem and skills through needlework. Well worth checking out their beautiful work.
Janet says:
I read this book with interest, as I have sewn , i.e.clothes-making, for most of my life. I remember making a green gingham apron at grammar school in the 1950’s – it lasted until the new millennium, so I must have done something right. My mother made a lot of her own clothes as well as those for me and my sister, a necessity as we lived in Ghana at the time, and European clothes shop were non-existent. Later, back in England, she encouraged us to make our own clothes , and although I virtually stopped when I had a full-time job and two teenage boys to look after, I have recently returned to making a few garments
I thought this was a very discursive book, which reads well, although it is a bit rambling in places. There are useful lists of bibliographic and other resources, as well as a list of websites on which one can view needlework and other embroideries, however there is no index, which makes it a less useful resource in its own right. This is a pity, as it contains a lot of information, especially about the author’s own work in the field.Lesley Ratomska says:
I’ve read this book and would thoroughly recommend it. It’s a great narrative documenting the social and political role of textiles. At times I almost cried at the impact interacting with textiles had on mental health patients, prisoners and community activists. You will never look at or treat, textiles and sewing in the same way after reading this book.
Mrs Tonia says:
I recall seeing patchwork quilted tapestries created by prisoners in a section of the V and A patchwork exhibition a few years ago.
It was significant that this form of sewing was taught as a therapeutic skill and practice. I wonder if this is still the case or was just a one off ?! Any thoughts ?!
Saba says:
From New York State — the Rudolph Steiner schools in my area teach knitting to both sexes from the earliest school years. Knitting improves manual dexterity, teaches math, and so on.
Boadicea says:
Oh how I can identify with martinet needlework mistresses! Were we allowed to actually make something that first year? Perish the thought! First, make your pattern, either a top and circular skirt (ye gods!) or a shift dress for the timid ones. who soon got short shrift (or shouldu that be shift?) from Miss for being such wussies. Anyway, pattern done, now could we make our clothes, please? Certainly not! Now the patterm must be enlarged (presumably to allow for comfort eating during the boring bits). Done that, can we make it NOW, Miss? Still in our dreams. Now the pattern needed altering to a smaller size (for when we wasted away waiting to do proper sewing presumably). So far, one standard pattern made with two alterations and a re-make back to fit the individual. No wonder I dreaded this part of Domestic Science, second only to Cookery when we’d experiment with Fifty Shades of Macaroni Cheese. Finally, finally, paper patterns were laid across compulsorily purchased very expensive material and Real Sewing was allowed to commence. But by that time I’d lost the will to live, let alone sew, so consequently I never bothered to fight for one of the few sewing machines available and chose instead to daydream over a very slow needle and thread much to my mother’s fury as I never finished anything thus wasting my parents’ hard earned money. Consequently, I have rarely sewed since. Hate it, hate it, hate it. But, I do have my darling grandmother’s ancient Singer tucked away upstairs as a reminder that when times were hard she took in sewing (oh, the irony!) And I can’t even thread the cotton on the blessed thing! So to all you sew-ers out there, deep respect.
Sheree says:
I have made clothes for myself on and off for many years. Fabric shopping beats all other types of retail therapy. Any sewer will tell you that ! The pleasure of anticipation when pairing fabric and pattern and hoping for something special is wonderful. The creative process of then making up that garment can be relaxing and enjoyable ( also frustrating at times). Although the end result isn’t always as you hoped, the ones that work keep you interested in carrying on. I do think that it also gives you an appreciation of the work that goes into making an item of clothing. Fast fashion seems so wrong once you have experienced that. Good fabric and slow sewing is my goal and pleasure.
Interesting that some of you know how to sew but don’t. I can really identify with Maisie and Boadicea: I too learnt sewing at school but the teacher was so intimidating that I had a migraine in the evening of whatever day the class was. Luckily an ex-boyfriend knew how to use the sewing machine left in a flat we lived in, and taught me, and soon I was making clothes, which I’ve done on and off since. Such a shame for our first experience of so useful, versatile and beautiful a form of self-expression to be so painful! Next on my I-want-to-read list is Mending Matters by Katarina Rodabaugh https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40134045-mending-matters
Thank you, Ann, for your suggestions. I shall indeed follow them up and thanks to Boadicea for that great account of school Domestic Science, ditto Maisie. Did all such teachers come from central sadist casting?? Seems highly likely..
Cheryl says:
I sew most days for work and pleasure. I also hated sewing at school and can identify with the monotonous project of taking a whole term to make a gingham apron or similar when I was a teenager. But I’d come home from class and sew an outfit to wear that weekend, usually inspired by something I’d seen in Top Shop or Chelsea Girl (showing my age there). I saw Clare Hunter interviewed at Edinburgh Book Festival a few days ago and she was asked if she thought there should be an emphasis on teaching sewing at school and she thought not because of memories of the inspiring classes she’d had. I loved the book.
Ah the gingham apron project. This brings back memories of being forced to make a yellow and grey gingham pinafore at school aged twelve. Counting the squares for pleats. Our uniform frocks were gingham.
That said I really like gingham and checked fabrics and still am choosing to wear them.
Gerry says:
I have just rediscovered sewing as a great way of expressing some creative energy while being more mindful of the evils of fast fashion with the environmental and social implications. For anyone looking for fabric suppliers and patterns to use, Instagram is where to look. There are some wonderful creations posted, often made from some of the new “Indie” patterns. I have had so much inspiration from these posts and a few ideas of what to avoid as well! I have also enjoyed learning about and carrying out of the very fashionable and visible mending techniques on some of my clothes that might have been destined for charity shops previously.
A most interesting post and comments above. I feel most fortunate to have been taught to knit by my mother age six and encouraged to sew in my childhood from a young age. There were plenty of materials, needles and thread in small metal drawers to use. I must have been taught how to use patterns and first sew by hand then by machine by her also. I made dolls clothes, then knitted a teddy bear and made its clothing out of scraps of material.
Although I went to a strict old fashioned girls grammar school after 11 plus I was taught embroidery in the junior school. We used to do this in silence! My friend wasn’t good at it and was forced to unpick her work. I helped her redo it. Glad to have this skill. In senior school we did some basic boring sewing projects. I continued throughout my teens to make my own outfits and to alter clothes. The skill of knowing how to cut and alter patterns and dressmake have proved most useful when I had clothing altered or made from scratch by a trusted long-term dressmaker Carmelina.
I used to knit pullovers when I was a student. Now I only knit scarves and cushion covers which don’t require following a pattern. That’s far more relaxing and goes with listening to music or tv and less good eyesight.
I sew less than I did. Now it’s mostly patching, alterations, taking up hems, and darning. But I enjoy knowing how to do so.
Recently from storage I recovered a long lost quantity of Liberty fabrics : lawns, fine wools and furnishing fabrics. I’m most tempted now to dust off my brand new ( gift a few Christmases ago) sewing machine, get out the pattern paper and create some new garments for myself.
This would be a revival of skills and unused beautiful fabrics and would be a win-win on several fronts.
Book sounds really good. Must check this out.Fine Cell Work as mentioned by Corinne above may well be the organisation responsible for teaching the prisoners whose work I saw displayed at V & A. That was back in 2010 I discover. But the whole show stuck in my mind.
maudie 
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I don’t sew but I know how to sew! My adult daughter is always amazed when I can actually mend something successfully or embroider initials on to a gym bag for my grandchildren. I often have a bash at tweaking charity/vintage items which is great fun but I couldn’t ‘dress-make’ to save my life or knit a jumper from start to finish. I find ‘mending’ very therapeutic and relaxing – sitting with a heap of mending puts me in a time warp of women through the ages with their mending baskets. My nan taught me how to do basic sewing, embroidery and basic knitting when I was little in the 60’s and it is something that you never really forget – and I am glad that I didn’t. I confess ‘though that I failed to show my daughter, who will be unable to show her daughter (children! being sexist here – apologies). I did not do any form of sewing at school as it was not considered ‘academic’ enough at my olde worlde splendid young gals grammar school and so I shall be eternally gratefully to my lovely nan. Thanks, Nan! This book looks a beauty and I look forward to seeing it.