Is needlework a thing of the past?

I do needlework, but not as in sewing, I do a lot of cross stitching. Well I do when I get the chance although these days that is not very often, as for ordinary sewing, well I would rather not!! I did used to like embroidery as a child though and that was okay, but I do get bored of that rather quickly.

The cost of buying the materials to make your own clothes and such has risen and the cost of cheaply made clothes has dropped so it's now often not worthwhile to make your own items unless you're looking for something really special. I repair my own clothes, although I'm not terribly good at it. I darn socks, sew on buttons, sew up small rips & patch jeans & my son's trousers. My sewing isn't really good enough to make my own items yet, though I've just bought a sweing machine so when I learn to use it I'd like to make some curtains. I do agree that needlework of any sort is becoming a bit of a lost art. There's really not many people who can be bothered any more, and those that do do so as a hobby rather than by necessity.