I have always maintained that one is never too old to learn something new and I learned something absolutely new to me when I discovered the word “sewist.”
Sewing is not usually at the top of my mind but ever since I’ve had technological problems with my beloved laptop, I had received e-mails that I know perfectly well I would never, ever, not in the dozen years I might have left, willingly signed my e-mail address to receive.
But there they are, every day, four of them, offering me opportunities that will certainly be ignored and won’t be forwarded to unsuspecting friends.
Depending on which e-mail comes first, the subject line reads “I Like Knitting,” “I Like Crochet,” “Food Gardening Network,” and the killer, “We Like Sewing.”
The householders at this address could probably benefit from the gardening network, especially if we wanted to charm our neighbours by “growing greens: kale, asparagus and parsley.”
But let’s go back to the lovefest with sewing, for it is in that promotional material that popped up the word “sewist.” I learned that We Like Sewing is for sewists and quilters, the “ultimate source of projects and instruction for sewists and quilters of all skill levels.”
I was intrigued by this word “sewist,” first because I doubted it existed and secondly, because my computer’s automatic spell checker kept changing it to “sexist.” Shame on me!
According to Google’s research teams, “sewist” is someone who sews and in some areas the term is interchanged with the word “sewer,” pronounced so-er and not su-er, that one meaning down under and containing waste matter.
And stunningly, the word has existed in fashion circles since 1964, right about the same year my Mother finally threw up her hands and suggested I needed to learn other talents, none of which involved knitting needles, a crochet hook or a sewing machine. Getting a finger caught between the fabric and needle sealed the deal and I turned to reading, writing and a bit of ’rithmetic.
Some more material that was supposed to encourage me to spend only $5 per each gold club ($20 maximum) was the statement: “You will never be bored. Create your own stunning projects with downloadable patterns, tips and tutorials . . . home decor to gifts to wearables that will impress and delight friends and family. Sew runway-worthy projects.”
I am amazed the spell checker didn’t turn runway-worthy projects into run-away worthy projects as that’s indeed what they would be considered if I were to take needle or hook in hand. Vewers would be stunned.
It is still a puzzle as to which of my friends or family signed me up or forwarded this knitting, crochet, sewing and gardening link to our computers. Housemate gets them too and as far as I know, he doesn’t knit, crochet or sew but he does garden.
That in no way suggests he couldn’t learn to do all those other tasks, tasks that others of his generation would consider best suited to the ladies of the house.
So to the sewists out there, just be careful when you write home about your new hobby. Imagine your friends’ surprise when they learn you have become a “sexist.”
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
