Are your nerves ruined by sewing? Are you strained by "working the machine?" Or does machine sewing cause you eye strain?
You could try Dr. A. W. Chase's Nerve Pills -- if you can find them. But since this is from a 1910 newspaper you're unlikely to meet with success. I never see them at the pharmacy these days.
This ad's not very clear because I printed it from a microfilm reader. It's uncommon -- in my experience, at least -- to see a woman at a sewing machine in an old ad. I was surprised and delighted to see it but sad to think that the women of 1910 had such a hard go of machine sewing. I know their burdens were much heavier than ours. We have so many labor-saving devices that hadn't yet been invented in 1910, and I'm grateful for them. Still, machine sewing has never caused the ruin of my nerves. If anything, I find it somewhat soothing, especially if I'm sewing simple shapes together to create quilt blocks.
How about you? I hope machine sewing isn't ruining your nerves.
--Nancy.
P. S. I usually only read newspapers on microfilm when I'm doing family history research. I'd rather sew than go searching for sewing ads in old newspapers. ;-)
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Actually the reverse is true. Sewing small pieces together allows me to enter the zen state. Especially when listening to a good book. Ahh yes, fabric therapy.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, I agree, Gayle. Have the pieces sitting by the machine, all ready to be stitched. Perfect mindlessness state to focus on something else (or nothing at all).
DeleteThis is great, big difference in sewing nowadays because we enjoy it and sewing everything you owned, back then, out of necessity.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true, Missy. Necessity is sometimes drudgery.
DeleteQuilting is my therapy. I get nervous when I don't get to stitch often enough.
ReplyDeleteBut back when I was a teenager and sewing most all of my own clothes, it was nerve-wracking! Trying to put zippers in that looked good, and having to unpick carelessly made mistakes, on top of trying to make the patterns fit my short-waisted body--all of that was very stressful!
Yes, Janet, I think sewing clothing is a different kind of sewing than sewing to make a quilt. And I quite agree -- sewing clothes is nerve-wracking. I don't alter well so even if the pattern looks great, it may not fit well when finished. But sewing quilt blocks is generally a pleasure.
DeleteToo funny! Thanks for sharing. Yes, I guess it is the sewing out of necessity vs pleasure issue for us.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to me, too, Jennie. But I do feel sorry for the lady in the drawing. She looks so pitiful. Yes, sewing for pleasure (quilting) is not as stressful to me as sewing clothes.
DeleteI think I can remember this pill and another called Dodd's Kidney pills.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious when these stopped being available and one wonders what was in them. No my machine has never been an issue; my lack of expertise is worrisome though. I'm more confident with hand sewing. Speaking of sewing, your buckeyes are so pretty. Lovely fabrics.
I don't remember the pills in this ad nor the ones you mention but I remember ones that were [Brand name forgotten] Little Liver Pills. Yes, I wonder what was in them, too, and whether they were really effective.
DeleteWell, lack of expertise is what we all start with (or without) and for some of us, it takes longer to obtain.
The Buckeye Beauty blocks are stitched into a top now. I'll post soon. Thanks for the compliment on them.
I do a lot of family history, too, but I don't think I ever found anything quite so interesting in the ads! No strain here! Those were Carter's Little Liver Pills - I remember the big to do when it was brought out that they don't do a thing for the liver. LOL I find sewing relaxing, but I'm not hand cranking or foot pedaling.
ReplyDeleteYes! It was Carter's Little Liver Pills. I couldn't remember. I find sewing relaxing, too, but might not if I had to hand crank. I don't think treadling would be hard (after having using a spinning wheel), at least not as hard as hand cranking, using one hand to crank and the other to move the fabric (when I often use two hands to maneuver the fabric. The blessings of modern technology.
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