A Stitch in Time
A tale of nostalgia, curiosity and love of creativity: the sewing machine
Bidding farewell to her trusted treadle sewing machine was a difficult decision for an 85-year-old woman surnamed Hou in Korla City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China.
Almost like a family member, the machine had been a companion in her life for nearly six decades. Earlier this year, when she needed to move to a new home to be closer to her children, she decided the time had come to let it go.
For Hou, this goodbye also marked the end of a lifestyle. Waking up early in the morning and working late into the night to make shoe insoles, her days went by to the accompaniment of the machine’s rhythmic humming. With the ticking of the needles no longer echoing through the room, she had to adjust to a new routine.
Hou used to be a street vendor, selling miscellaneous small items, including homemade shoe insoles. Despite having a comfortable pension that easily covers her expenses, she felt the need to stay active and engaged in society through her vending business. It was more about finding meaning and fulfillment through her work than about making money.
The old luxury
In February, before the move, her granddaughter, known online as Chunchungan, recorded a short video capturing her grandmother’s daily routine.
In the footage, Hou said that purchasing a sewing machine 60 years ago was a significant expense for a household in China. With an average monthly salary of about 30 yuan ($12 at the exchange rate at the time), the cost of a sewing machine, which exceeded 120 yuan ($48), required careful consideration. “We even borrowed 50 yuan ($20.6) to buy it,” Hou recounted while carefully oiling the machine.
Despite the high expense, the sewing machine proved to be a valuable investment. It was used to create almost all of the family’s clothing, as well as household items such as quilts and pillow covers, and became the soundtrack of their home.
Treadle sewing machines began to disappear from Chinese homes in the 1980s as the number of clothing options in the Chinese market grew and mass-produced clothes became more affordable. However, Hou continued to use her sewing machine until this year, making it the most frequently used piece of equipment in her family.
Her homemade shoe insoles proved popular, selling well at the price of 5 yuan ($0.7) per pair.
The video of Hou that was uploaded on Chinese social media received over 100,000 likes. Many netizens commented she reminded them of
nd their own grandmothers and shared similar qualities such as diligence and thriftiness.
The young seamstress
It was also earlier this year that Ding Mingyue, a 32-year-old mother from Cangzhou, Hebei Province, bought a new electric sewing machine to make clothes for her daughter, who was under 1 year old at the time.
“My family used to have a treadle sewing machine at home, but since it was rarely used, its hardware was stored in the cabinet under the table most of the time,” she told Beijing Review. “My memories of it are mainly of using it as a desk to do my homework.”
The birth of her daughter ignited Ding’s passion for sewing. “I’m so happy to have a daughter, and I want to dress her in clothes I make,” she said. “It feels like dressing up a Barbie doll, like I did when I was a child.”
As has been the case with some of the hobbies she’s developed in recent years, such as baking, Ding isn’t sure if her newfound love of sewing will last. But so far, she seems to have delved deeper into the hobby than she’d originally anticipated.
In March, she invested 600 yuan ($84) in a new sewing machine. Learning to sew is now
more convenient than ever, with many free online resources available, including patterns in a myriad of styles.
Ding downloaded and printed a few patterns and began working on her first project: a set of pink pajamas with strawberry motifs. It was easy to make and she completed it in a day, even creating a matching set for herself.
Ding was very satisfied with her “initial projects” and decided to take on more complex designs, such as layered skirts. She documented each step of the process on social media and has since gained around 30,000 followers across different platforms.
In a group chat with other sewing enthusiasts from across the country, Ding was surprised to meet so many people who share her passion for sewing, as few of those around her pursue this hobby.
In June, she quit her job at a real estate company. While working there, she was only able to spend an hour or two a day sewing, but after leaving the company, she had significantly more time to expand her crafty horizons. Sharing sewing videos on social media has attracted large online traffic and also brought her income.
“Buying a sewing machine is just the beginning,” she said. “You always want additional equipment to optimize the process of clothes-making.”
In late October, she spent 800 yuan ($111) on an overlock machine. This type of sewing machine has been designed to create neat and professionallooking seams.
These tools do not only demand financial resources, but also more space. In late November, Ding and her family moved into a larger apartment, giving her an extra room to dedicate to sewing.
“I’ve immersed myself in it more than I ever could have imagined,” she said.
Her shopping habits have adapted accordingly, shifting from ready-to-wear clothes to all sorts of fabric. Many fabric sellers in China today conduct their business online. They often present their wares via livestream and offer enticing discounts.
Ding shared a video on her social media accounts detailing how she crafted two lambswool coats, one for her daughter and one for herself, using just 40 yuan ($5.6) worth of fabric.
“You can personalize the coat with colorful buttons and accessories of your choice, resulting in a
warm and stylish garment.”
The affordability of homemade clothing holds an undeniable appeal. But while the cost of the fabric may seem cheap, when you factor in the total cost of the machines and their accessories, it becomes clear that it is not as economical as it may seem at first glance.
“The true joy of sewing at home lies in the creative process itself,” she said, revealing another benefit of sewing at home is the enhanced focus it provides. “Sewing creates a sanctuary for me, allowing me to detach from other chaos,” she said.
Maybe Ding’s needles will stop ticking when her daughter perhaps no longer wants the clothes she makes or develops a preference for more fashionable market options.
“A mother who sews may become a nostalgic childhood memory for her, much like my memory of doing homework on an old sewing machine as a child,” she said. BR