OMG! It occurred to me last night as I was sewing half-square triangles and thinking of my sewing history - things I used to sew and what I sew now - that I have been sewing for 40 years! I learned in eighth grade and have been sewing ever since. I remember the first dress I sewed was a scoop neck with wide puffy sleeves that gathered at the wrist. The fabric was brightly colored flowers on a bright orange background. Hey, it was the '70's, and I loved that dress! I also remember making a red polyester pants suit for a New Year's Eve date that stood me up. He may have lost out but the pants suit was a winner!
I started with garments for myself and basically sewed much of my wardrobe during high school, until senior year, when my social life interrupted and my mission was boys. Fast forward to when my daughter was born and I sewed for her, and in between sewed small home dec - curtains, pillows, placemats. When son was born I sewed for him, but the selection for boys isn't as grand as girls. For some reason when they got older and I had grown tired of garment sewing, I picked up dollmaking. Oh, I love to sew cloth dolls! Then came quilting, probably for a spot for my lovelies to rest upon. Now I have a delightful grandson and as I type this am working on a second changing mat for him then a really cute quilt with owl fabrics. I'm finding that I love owls!
I wish I could remember what enchanted me about sewing, but I must love it to be doing it this long!
What about you - do you remember what it was about sewing that grabbed you at the beginning? Or what keeps you going now?
2 comments:
44 years and going strong! I remember my mom teaching me to sew by drawing lines - straight, curved, zigzag - on a piece of paper and having me sew them until I could follow them perfectly. My first project was a pair of pink, white and yellow striped shorts with an elastic waistband when I was 8 years old. After that I was hooked. All through school the agreement was that my parents would buy me all the fabric I wanted for clothing I made myself. Back then, it was much cheaper to make your own clothing than to buy it. When I was first married I sewed for my husband as well because money was so tight. I sewed for my three boys until the money situation eased a bit. Now I spend most of my sewing time on quiltmaking although I want to branch out into dollmaking as well. I had great fun making Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls as a teenager.
Hi Julie! I really love dollmaking once I get past the stuffing part. It's so much easier to alter the patterns or the hair, and since I've learned to make fingers, toes, and ears they are like little friends...they just sit and smile and listen and don't complain when you redo their hair or accidentally prick them with pins, lol.
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