I suppose most folks in the sewing community have heard that Claire Shaeffer, author, educator, pattern designer and source of much inspiration, passed away a couple of days ago.
That was just 5 days after she posted a you-tube video with plans for 2025. I haven't heard cause, but it appears to have been something sudden.
I have several of Claire's patterns...haven't gotten brave enough to try any of them yet. I have a couple of her books...she was a wealth of information. The you-tube channel was a fairly new thing; she doesn't appear on it but does voice-over narration. Or, at least that's been the case for the videos I have watched so far.
So we have lost another of the major influencers of home sewing enthusiasts...one who knew and taught the classic techniques. I'm encouraged by the younger faces now appearing with instruction on social media...some have done much work and research and are well worth watching. But we are losing some of the folks who sustained us during the years when home sewing was rather scorned. Now the creative potential is beginning to revive, along with an interest in clothing as investment, which was a Thing of the Past for so long.
I feel much gratitude for folks like Claire Shaeffer, Nancy Zieman, Cynthia Guffey, Clothilde, and others, who kept the education going when universal sewing instruction in home ec class slowly faded away. I have I have learned much from these ladies over the years and my sewing is better for it.
Mayhap I should pull out one of Claire's Vogue patterns this year and challenge myself to learn from her some more....
Thank you for posting this as I had not heard about it. You are right, these ladies have all contributed to adding to my skills and challenges over the years. I know there are many younger people that share their adventures and love in sewing and I appreciate them so much. But, sometimes knowing the long way around is better. I had the pleasure of meeting Cynthia Guffey in a class at an expo one year. Such a wonderful person and so, so patient in her teachings.
ReplyDeleteCynthia was a delight, and, if I'm honest, the main reason why I went to the sewing expos. Her in-person classes were so different that the videos; she's all teacher in the videos but those classes were full of her stories, dry wit, and plain speaking. Here's one quote...'Everyone should go to Mardi Gras once. And once is enough for everyone."
DeleteThank you for letting us know, Lisa. You said it perfectly and I agree that this may be the year that I finally screw up my courage and tackle on the the Claire Shaeffer patterns that I have collected over the years.
ReplyDeleteVery nice tribute. Claire’s specialty was couture, and even though I have a washer & dryer kind of life, I learned from her the beauty and usefulness of considering the function of every small detail - from the type of seam and seam finish to the use of stays and more.
ReplyDeleteYes! Even though Couture doesn't fit my lifestyle, I was still inspired by the lovely things she both studied and created.
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