Is there a sewing revival underway?

A few years ago sewing was looking very much like a dying craft.  It seemed that most women weren't taught sewing as a matter of course any more - and there was little imperative to make your own clothes given busy lives, the cheapness of clothing and the lack of inspiring fabric shops.  Even the people I knew that used to sew had stopped, citing lack of time. 

Once I got a letter from my favourite fabric shop with a rather heartfelt explanation from the management advising that the shop was closing down as women simply weren't sewing any more and they couldn't compete with the cheapness and choice of ready to wear clothes.  

I thought that one day I wouldn't be able to find patterns and fabrics (my excuse for stockpiling a lifetime supply in my wardrobe!).

BUT....

I may be imagining it but there seems to be a resurgence in sewing and other crafts such as knitting and crocheting, particularly amongst young women.   It is different from how I learnt - at school and from my mum and in a fairly traditional way.  What I am seeing now is a more freewheeling, creative, often self taught way of doing things.  It is great to see!

My ears pricked up the other day when the following piece came on a prime Australian current affairs show.   A niche magazine ‘Frankie’; ‘featuring kitsch and crochet’ according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, is said to be bucking the trend of declining magazine sales.  It is described as thriving 'in a world where 'nanna' culture is revered, where quirky is the new cool and handmade is the new haute couture'.  

The video is here:  tp://abc.com.au/news/video/2010/06/08/2921938.htm

Now, I've never tried adding a video so the story is Here if the above doesn't work.

I'm definitely outside the demographic for the Mag but I liked the news story and I like the idea of it.  Like Burda Style and Etsy and news stories that the sales of sewing machines are booming - I'm really happy that sewing clothes isn't a dying art and that it is being taken up by a new generation. 

May it continue and thrive!