Sewing and memories

I enjoyed reading your blog page! That business about trying to stand still while your mom pinned up a hem really brought back memories.

Do you still have your sewing machine? I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm about the one you just bought for your daughter, but many times very inexpensive machines like that one are problematic and she really might get a better start using an old but basically well-functioning machine.

I don't know about patterns, but from experience with my DGD can recommend the "I'll Teach Myself Sewing Machine Fun" series of books from Possibilities. They are just great for beginners. There's a short review of the first one here:

My mom never sewed, but my grandmother sure did! My grandmother taught my sister and I how to sew, on her Singer 66 "RedEye" treadle which I now have. Later she had a Singer 185j electric machine. My sister has that one.

I have very fond memories of sitting on her knee, guiding fabric as she treadled away. Later, my older sister and I we confident enough to experiment, and sewed up all our jr. high and sr. high school outfits, from blouses to prom dresses. What fun!

I've since worked with two of my neices, teaching them the basics...they have both really gotten into it.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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No, I don't have my machine anymore, unfortunately. I've read the online reviews of the one I purchased for her, and it seems as long as you use good thread, it can work pretty well. It's a Euro-Pro Shark - I got it for about $30.00 at Target.

If she shows real interest in it, we can upgrade later. It seems that machines have come way down in price in the last 15 years or so. Of course, being a geek, I'll probably want to get a really high tech one with all the fancy embroidery stiches and computer readouts.

That book looks fun! Thanks for the recommendation.

Cherish the time you spend together. Even if she decides later that sewing isn't for her, at least you will have spent time together and hopefully she'll get the basics which is always useful. My now 8 year old is very curious about sewing and when I was making her winter clothes at Easter (I'm in Australia) she made herself a skirt, with a lot of supervision. Two squares, a hem and waistband with elastic. Some of the seams could be straighter but she is so proud to wear it and tell people she made it. Precious moments indeed.

BTW I learned to sew at school - my mother had no interest in sewing, but she did teach me how to do some great knitting - aran, fairisle etc.

I have very fond memories of learning to sew with my mum (and knitting too). I can remember making a skirt when I was around 12 and being so proud of it. We werent very well off and getting anything new was exciting, but the thrill of actually making it myself stayed with me. I now have two daughters and two stepdaughters. The eldest (age 14) shows little interest in sewing but the others are coming along well! The 13 year old has made the odd skirt etc, but it is the youngest two that enjoy it the most. A few months ago I was making a top for my 11 year old on my Bernina. She sat on another side of the table making a teddy on my old janome, followed by clothes for Stanley Wigglesworth as he soon became known. On the third side of the table sat my 8 year old with a Singer 99 handcrank (she is a little wary of electric but quite happy turning away). Im not too sure what she was doing, but bits of material got sewn together and she was happy! Im sure the memory of that afternoon will stay with them all their lives as it will with me. Snowy