Why is it that people who criticize you almost always post as anonymous? After my post on Mood I got this comment: "Hi, I am couture trained and find it interesting that you contradict others advise when you are predominantly self taught."
I can only speak for what works for me when I sew and couture trained or not I've been sewing for a lot of years which brings to bear a lot of experience. BTW, the training I have had was a year of couture sewing lessons. Most of us who write sewing blogs are pretty opinionated and we sew for pleasure and are not professionals. but, that doesn't mean we have to agree with everything the so called experts say on a subject. There are lots of ways to do something in sewing and in my mind no one right way, only the way that works for you.
When I was taking Kenneth King's fitting clinic I got to ask lots of sewing questions. One of them was about, as he was fitting a princess seamed dress, Roberta Carr's book on couture sewing. She asserted that the side panel, or weaker side was the side to have on top when sewing a princess seam. This was contrary to everything I'd heard or read. The side panel should be down against the feed dogs to ease in extra fabric often drafted into that seam. The other was that the stronger or more stable side should be the side on top. He paused a moment and said, he thought that Carr had often only absorbed part of what she had been taught, and no he didn't agree with her. He was also rather disdainful of another highly regarded couture expert. She doesn't sew was his comment.
There have been a lot of books published on sewing lately and as with anything else, some are good and some just not worth your time or money. Experts also contradict each other all the time. Read some fitting books, like the one I just reviewed and then listen to Peggey Sagers and they have very different approaches to fitting. I feel quite justified in having an opinion on a technique that contradicts some expert if it doesn't work for me, and I feel free say loud and clear.
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That's what I love about sewing. There really is no wrong way. There are many different ways to do things and I love figuring out the best way for my project. I have taken pattern drafting classes and I see people do things that I would consider to be "wrong". But who am I to say what works and doesn't work for others.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I love sewing and love seeing others perspective. That's the whole point of blogging, to talk with like minded people. I love reading your blog to see your perspective. And you have some stunning projects to back it up. Sorry, you had to deal with silly criticism.
This is your blog. And you have a right to voice your opinion about whatever you want on whatever subject you want. This is still America, I presume. I agree with you also, that there are many ways to skin a cat. As for your sewing, you are right up there with the best of them. Keep sewing, keep blogging. And forget criticism that you did not ask for.
ReplyDeleteYou have my vote of confidence, Nancy. Say whatever you want -- I'm always interested the wisdom you share!
ReplyDeleteSorry my english isn't good, I write in french. FELICITATIONS POUR VOTRE BLOG, même si je ne comprends pas tout j'aime venir m'y promener souvent.
ReplyDeleteà bientot
claire
Nancy, I am new to your blog (predominately because Sigrid mentioned you a few times when I was in the Netherlands) - to add my two pence worth here, surely at the end of the day providing the end result is what you want, then does it matter how you sew it, and if you have an alternative way of producing the end result and want to share it then that is a bonus for those that want an alternative method.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many roads that lead to the same destination. Knowing that you have options allows you to choose the road you will follow. My approach is to try out new options - some work well, others don't. ...and the longer you sew, the more options you learn about. I don't think that there is any real right and wrong, so long as the result is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100% regarding techniques and what works best for you with your machine/fabric/equipment/project. Most of us are self-taught and have similar experiences. I have had and continue to have a quibble with self-taught bloggers who chose to use incorrect terminology in their tutorials. Persisting in calling an apple, an orange instead isn't helpful to the common sewing cause at all, IMO.
ReplyDeleteLike anything else, sewing techniques have evolved over time. Sometimes a new way works and sometimes an "old fashioned" method does the trick. Whatever provides the desired result! For example the Lutterloh and SureFit systems don't work for me because I don't have the correct mathematical proportions, but I certainly would not criticize anyone who has used these systems to obtain well fitting garments. I like your blog as you have many of the same fitting issues I have experienced and I enjoy reading about how you deal with these challenges. Keep up the good work!!
ReplyDeleteI posted anonymously because I didn't want to get skewered by others about Lutterloh and SureFit. I had made a post on sewing pattern review and was electronically tarred and feathered because people misread what I had written. That ended my posting on that website. Kudos to you and others for maintaining sewing blogs despite the occasional rude remarks.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of "The King's Speech" when suddenly the king becomes aware that the only person who has been able to help him isn't an "expert", doesn't have a degree, wasn't taught by anyone. Of course he wasn't, he was a poineer in his field. He was the person who invented these new therapies. Just because you weren't taught by someone doesn't mean that you aren't doint it right. It could mean that you are the first person to do it right and other people can now learn from you.
ReplyDeleteEven experts disagree. I enjoy reading blogs with a strong clear voice and an opinion. It's more interesting and informative. It's also nice to read a variety of opinions because sometimes different techniques work on different projects, and it's nice to have more than one way to approach a problem when trying to complete a project.
ReplyDeleteJust don't worry about. I think about it in terms of mothers disagreeing with teachers and doctors about their children. There is intuitive knowledge and learnt knowledge. Both have their place.
ReplyDeleteHave you "arrived" as a respected bloggist when you receive a snarky comment from Anonymous? Wear it as a badge of honor, I say! :) And please carry on with your very valid and valued opinions :)
ReplyDeleteI take grave exception to people who think that they know everything because they went to a school and have a piece of paper to prove it, and thus diddain other people who may know as much or more and who gained their knowledge "in the field" and not in a classroom. It takes MORE determination to stick with something and develop expertise when one hasn't the forced discipline of a classroom regime, plus i have seen for myself how one can be severely limited by school-type teaching, and end up thinking that that is 'the last word" on the subject and any deviation from the techniques is, by definition, "wrong". So, just IGNORE the critics; "the proof of the pudding is in the tasting.".
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how Anonymous is unaware of the difference between advise and advice. Pet peeve. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteI am confused who or what you were contradicting in the Mood post. I don't know what anonymous was talking about. Or am I missing something. You go ahead and contradict anyone you want. Anytime.
Nancy, you know I value your opinion as much or more than the opinion of any "couture trained expert". Those nasty anonymous comments. Forget them. I love to read your blog and many other blogs, and the opinions about a way of working as well. At the end of the day there's only what works for you. And that might be something else than a trained person might do it. As so many have said in the comments already.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jilly Be. A snarky comment from Anonymous is a badge of honor! Should I be worried? The Snarky Anonymous comment I got wasn't even about sewing.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to being a loyal reader of your blog, we've met and had face to face conversations. I respect your knowledge, no matter how you got it!
Amen, Nancy! Your knowledge is well respected, including highly respected by me. Since when does being self educated in a craft preclude you from opining on a subject? 'Scuse Me!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how these comments are always anonymous? That right there tells you something. Anyone can anonymously say they are couture trained. Give me a break!
For a long time, sewing was taught out of the philosphy of the home economics movement. There was a sense that there was a scientific one way to do any task.
ReplyDeleteWhile the home economics movement helped to make people take "women's work" seriously, it also imposed a rigid formula on aspects of life that are best not approached in a rigid manner.
If you read child care manuals from the 1920's you will see advice such as not touching your infant except for feeding and changing them. ( and don't feed your infant aside from every four hours or you wil spoilo them) shake your child's hand before sending them off to bed.....
Just as that sort of an approach is not always necessarily the best for raising healthy children, it also does not always work for sewing. Most American women over the age of 50 were taught sewing from this very rigid perspective.
Sometimes those ryules work...but not always. you need to have a cetain willingness to problem solve when you sew garments. The best couture designers certainly achieve greatness by bending the rules, playing with what is the usual way to do things. So Nancy...do what makes sense and let the rules followers follow the rules.
I agree with you Nancy and that's why I've been sewing for almost 40 years! Someone else's OPINION will never change that fact or point me in any other direction. I like the style in which you chose to respond to this individual (not sure if I would have). However, I believe if you don't agree with someone's post and just have to say something, there is a way to say it without making the blogger feel they have to go on the defense in the first place! Nothing personal meant to anyone!
ReplyDeleteI actually replied because it related to the topic, which I'd been wanting to write about for awhile.
DeleteHi- I am also new to your blog but felt compelled to come out of lurkdom after reading your post. I read the comment on the other post and I have to say that the comment makes no sense whatsoever to me. You were discussing the web site so what advice were you contradicting??? I thought you handled the comment gracefully though because instead of blasting the person,your post contributed to this facinating discussion.
ReplyDeleteI am a education junkie and have taken many sewing classes from "experts". Sometimes I find that they contradict each other. Once I took a class with an expert and her advice contradicted what I read in David Coffin Pages books. When I questioned the instructor about this, she just said "phew-he doesn't sew". So I had to laugh when I read your comment about Carr!
I've been reading David Page Coffin for a lot of years, not just his books, but his writing when he was an editor at Threads and I think that he really does sew. But, again not everything he does works for me but when it does, I use it.
Delete"Couture trained" sounds like total BS to me.. If they were, they'd be working in couture, almost certainly, and not lurking on sewing blogs pretending to be giving advice. Which they'd probably be spelling right as well :-). Don't take trolls seriously, it only encourages them.
ReplyDeleteYeah I wondered if the poster knew that difference between advise and advice too.
DeleteNot the anonymous you are lambasting, but I do think it's unprofessional to bash other sewing professionals in front of students/classes. David Page Coffin certainly does sew and has the DVDs and videos to prove it. To assert that another sewing professional is somehow lying is more a mark on the person spreading the gossip. If you are good at what you do, just do it and don't worry about what everybody else is doing. Everybody has a different work style.
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