“Make It Yourself”: Home Sewing, Gender, and Culture, 1890-1930

by Sarah A. Gordon

Through home sewing, Sarah A. Gordon examines domestic labor, marketing practices, changing standards of femininity, and understandings of class, gender, and race from 1890 to 1930. As ready-made garments became increasingly available due to industrialization, many women, out of necessity or choice, continued to make their own clothing. In doing so, women used a customary female skill both as a means of supporting traditional ideas and as a tool of personal agency.

The shifting meanings of sewing formed a contested space in which businesses promoted sewing machines as tools for maintaining domestic harmony, women interpreted patterns to suit-or flout-definitions of appropriate appearances, and girls were taught to sew in ways that reflected beliefs about class, race, and region. Unlike studies of clothing that focus on changes in fashion, "Make it Yourself" looks at the social and cultural processes surrounding home production. Gordon examines sewing clothing as work, whether resented or enjoyed, and the function of that work for families and individuals from a range of backgrounds.

Another unique element is Gordon's use of an unusually wide variety of source materials, from diaries, photographs, and government pamphlets to tissue paper patterns, dresses, sewing workbooks, and paper dolls. This "hands on" approach, combined with an accessible writing style, connects the reader to the women and girls who are at the heart of her study. Altogether, "Make it Yourself" provides a new perspective on a widespread yet often neglected form of women's work.

188 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Charly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very repetitive and kept reusing sources, but good generalized reading

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good read, with some really intriguing details and a good bibliography. A little bit repetitive in some of the stats and background, and didn't go deep enough for me. But overall an interesting read. For wider variety on this topic, read Barbara Burman's The Culture of Sewing: Gender, Consumption and Home Dressmaking

Something really neat about this book, though, is the online content available. A very effective way to present this kind of information. I think the online version is an exciting addition to the reading experience - lots of illustrations and lots more content that doesn't fit into a book format. Read it online to get the full experience -- 3 stars to book format, 4 to online!