This has been one of those days. I've been puttering since 6:30 am and haven't really done much. All in all it was a great day! I was still thinking about kids learning to sew, this "kid" in particular, and decided to dig out my first sewing machine, still a prized possession. I got it for Christmas when I was 4 years old and sewed up a storm from day one and I've been sewing ever since. My mother wasn't really a seamstress though she had a that great Singer Seamstress machine,mostly she mended, the thought of which will send me to find chocolate and a trashy novel and wait till it's either out of style, or no longer fits the owner. Gran'ma didn't sew, she did do beautiful hand work and embroidery and passed that on to me. Her real contribution to my sewing was to sit with me and read directions and give me lots of encouragement.
I also remember that you could send in the wrapper off the Rick Rack pack and tape a dime to it and then you'd get a big fat envelope of end trimming of all kinds of lace and neet-o trims a few weeks later in the mail. Perfect for dolly clothes.
I had a Betsy McCall doll and a beautiful Miss Revlon 18" doll that I sewed for with this little chain stitch machine. Boy, did they have extensive wardrobes, much easier to sew for than Barbie if you are a little kid. I also made some aprons for Christmas, I found one still wrapped in tissue after Gran'ma passed away, I can still see her wearing it and telling everyone how brilliant I was.
My very favorite thing to do was spend my 25 cent weekly allowance on a little naked storybook doll at Woolworth's and make really outrageous costumes. I was hooked on "movie clothes". I remember gluing sequins and feathers on scanty "showgirl" clothes and then coating that little plastic body with glue swirls sprinkled with glitter. I brought one out to show my mother and some of the neighbor ladies having coffee and they almost had heart attacks! They just knew I was doomed to a life of sin and no good! LOL I think it's too bad Bob Mackie and I didn't live next door to each other, we would have gotten along just fine.
I took pictures of my little Singer SewHandy. Even with all the use it still looks like new, boy did I love that little machine. My brother was just astounded when I told him I still had it and the case he made me for my birthday in his wood shop class.
Being nostalgic, Val Machine pictures at this link;