My mom's Singer was my first love. I sewed my school dresses beginning in my 5th grade year. One of my first projects was a plain V-neck shift. I must have sewn those seams over and over because one day when I jumped down from a swing , the side of the dress caught and I found myself hanging sideways high above the ground. That dress didn't rip, and I had to beg someone to get me down. Most of my friends thought it was pretty funny and just let me hang there.
Every summer of my childhood, when we would go on our customary 2-week vacation to the cabin in the mountains, mom brought the Singer and I would sew my school dresses for the coming year. Good times, good times.
I sewed dresses for dates, school dances. I remember finishing a hem when the my date was sitting in the front room waiting for me. (He didn't have to wait very long, really he didn't.) I even sewed my wedding dress on that machine. I remember finishing it about 3 hours before we had to leave for the temple. (For heavens sake, have I always been like that? Mom?)
My high school graduation gift was a sewing machine. I used that thing until it just wore right out. I sewed most of the things my kids wore on it. School outfits, t-shirts and jeans. Lion and clown, flower and butterfly costumes for Halloween. Pajamas and nightgowns for Christmas.
Greg remembers the muti-colored underwear that I sewed him from scraps I bought for $2.00 per pound. He was in the second grade and was embarrassed because all of the other kids had white underwear. He didn't know that he was really stylin', just 5 years earlier than everyone else.
Easter dresses, blessing dresses, quilts and more quilts, curtains for every window and everyone else's windows. Cushions, pillows, purses, prom dresses, you name it, I have tried to sew it.
The last time I saw my machine was on our trip to Utah this summer. I am sure it was in the car when I came back, I think. The car was heaped to the ceiling with jars of candy for Diana's reception, 85 organza chair sashes, a wedding dress, clothes, and 300 lbes of frozen beef.
Today, there was an emergency call on my message machine. "Our seamstress is sick. If you have time. . ." So with a wedding dress to alter and several bridesmaid dresses to sash and make modest, I will just have to muster up my courage and launch into the frightening space that is my sewing room and look for my dear friend to help me.
If you don't hear from me for another three weeks, send in a rescue party.
I love that you have such a love affair with your machine. It makes me realize why I have mine! I feel a little lost when too much time has gone by without creating something. Maybe I'll join hundreds of miles away in front of my machine and finish up a few projects that have been calling my name for a month ...
ReplyDeletelove you
Knowing that you're going head-first into that sewing room, I consider myself blessed that I reached you not once, but twice via phone yesterday. Your sewing machine has been a non-stop blessing for me. Perhaps if I had a smidge of your sewing talent, I would spend more time at the machine. You really are gifted.
ReplyDelete