Monday, April 30, 2012

I learned to sew watching my grandma and her friends make quilts(they called them quilting bees).My grandma's sisters were tailors and seamstress and many times I went to work with them. As a young girl I was so impressed with all the black sthiney sewing machines with the fancy metal work treadals underneath that made them work.To this day I can't help but smile and think of my great aunt sewing away every time I see one of those machines.The only time you see those old singers now is in antique shops and  museums.
  Not surprising I grew up liking to sew. What is surprising is I was awful at it.I mean really bad. My grandma just couldn't figure out why,my mom was just as confused as to why I couldn't knit either(hated it thats why). I blamed my it on being left handed and not being able to make things work right like a sewing machine made for right handers,  even the bobbins where right handed. My hand stitching was bad to and I say because everything was taught to me backwards. Grandma would always say hog wash her mother was left handed and an accomplished seamstress. I never had a come back to that.


   Until I was 30 something and sewing up a storm,I made everything for my home right down to my formal dinner napkins.Even my pot holders were made by me and they where an absolute matter of pride, because grandma made and sold pot holders as long as I knew her. The come back of coarse was that My great grandma was over 30 something when my grandma born so grandma never saw her mother struggle to learn how to do things left handed that were being taught right handed.Grandma never saw all her moms disasters as I am more then sure there was. I never did get to answer my grandma back,but I did have the pleasure of hearing her praise  over my work when for Christmas one year I sent her a complete table setting and pot holders. Believe me she would not have praised if it wasn't good.
     So now I can sew and do it well. I enjoy trying new things and trying to figure out how to make things with out a pattern. I love quilting but don't really have the patience to make an entire quilt. So I am always looking for ways to use quilted fabric that I seem to always putting together. When it comes to quilting small quick projects suit me the best.
  I don't limit my self to quilting I enjoy a verity of sewing projects and this year I am about to venture where I have feared to go.That would be clothing,I have never tried my hand at clothing other then aprons,and vest. Now with my granddaughter in my life I just can't help myself. Some of my favorite dresses growing up were made by grandma. I loved that little tag in side each dress that said "Made especially for you by Grandma Fyie" Not sure exactly what my tag will say,I just know I want her to feel that same special feeling I always felt putting on one of my dresses from grandma.

2 comments:

  1. I am so jealous! I was just telling my husband last week that I want a sewing machine for my birthday this year. The apron you are sporting in the top picture is my fave. Great work!

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    1. Thank you I love that apron as well I gave that as a Christmas present to some one very dear to me. I hope I look that good when I am her age the model in this photo is a neighbor and she is just short of 80. I hope you get your birthday wish, they have such cool ones out there now. I am a singer fan.

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