Making and mending clothing was a valuable skill for a family to have access to, and it was primarily the responsibility of the women in these family’s to cultivate that skillset. In each of the “Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture of the Province of Alberta” from 1906-1939 there is a section entitled “The Women’s Bureau” where they outline different courses and initiatives that were put out by the province to promote women on farms having a variety of useful skills, including sewing. During the Great Depression this “Women’s Bureau” seems to be subjected to budget cuts and there are less courses available, however, every year they mention the high level of enthusiasm these courses are being met with.

In Lara Campbell’s book “Respectable Citizens” she has a section about how sewing added value to families in a variety of ways. One of these ways was by increasing the respectability of these family members and their ability to dress properly despite tight funds, and by extension feel confident in their appearance.