A Stitch in Time Saves Nine.

So true in so many ways; and not just as it pertains to sewing.

What, you might ask is she doing talking about sewing?  Good and valid question.

Made by Scott's Gramma



I see so many pretty things out there in Blogland... crocheted goodies in rainbow colors that make me drool.... little ornaments, flags, bunting, banners... cute little stuffed animals, fully jointed, handmade teddy bears, mice, wooly things, blankets, embroidery, quilts, chicken hats (sure they have them for both chickens and humans....) scarves, wrist warmers, amazing socks, tea cozies, fabric art.... It goes on and on. ~ I am drawn to them all like a moth to a flame!

  I want them. 

Made by my father's Mother

I want them ALL ~ In every eye dazzling shade imaginable!

Worse than that, when you are a crafty minded person you want to make them yourself! 

Of course, if you've been here before you know I am a bit sewing challenged.... I kick myself for not taking "home economics" at least one time in high school.  Hind sight is a bugger.  Even still, I have an affection for sewing things... old buttons, sewing boxes, darning balls and those cute little tomato pin cushions with the little strawberry dangling by a string.

Usually it goes like this:  I see a REALLY good idea for something I want to make. ( For example the lovely flag bunting for our tent at the fair a few years back. ) I rummage through my fabric box (yes, oddly I have one of those too?)  gather the supplies.... draw a picture of what it should be like, cut out a cardboard pattern from a cereal box... and then turn the whole mess over to my Mum. 

Similar theory for the tea cozy I had to make, maybe you remember it?  Saw a sweater at the thrift store... loved the pattern, though it was sized for an elf...  I got it anyway and decided to re purpose it a bit.  I even cut out  all the pieces of fabric/wool felt for it... and the marched up the stairs to turn over the goods to my seamstress/Mum.  She wants me to learn to use the sewing machine in the worst way.  Well, me too ~ sort of.  I'm scared of it. That sharp little needle flailing around, a breath away from my fingers.  Makes me a little faint to type about it.  So, "Sit down here" she says.... "hold it here",  points to the tea cozy.... "Now put your foot on the pedal, and press it down...."  "just guide the fabric..."    Fine, I think...  I can do it.  Sure.  So, I depress the pedal... and off I go.  Good for about 3 inches... "getting close to the edge there" she says... I try to steer back, but the tension is getting to me... *snap* goes the thread.  It seems my tension came out my foot; she said my eyes widened, and I stomped the foot pedal to the floor; the machine tried in vain to keep up, but alas ~ it finally panicked too until the thread had the good sense to break.  She finished the sewing... after she pulled the broken thread out, and re threaded the needle.  You can still enjoy my section of sewing if you look close though; it would be the tight, knotted, zig-zaggy spot....

Thrifty tea cozy, and awesome Emma Bridgewater mug



We all have things we are good at... or at least some things we are better at than others.  Should we play to our strengths?  Or play it safe? You wouldn't hand a chain saw to a clumsy person right? There's a fine line between trying to learning new things and sewing yourself to a table cloth.

Wee granny squares, and tiny sewn heart ~ the extent of MY sewing?

I can muddle thru little things, sewn by hand with needle and thread...  small decorative things. And a tiny bit of crochet... Even then, I usually end up discouraged and bleeding from a finger tip, or two.



Made by my Mum when I was a wee lass, presumably with my out grown pajamas?



My latest great idea is to make a little string of birds and beads ~ I keep seeing them all over the place... fun fabrics, fun colors.... little bell on the bottom.  Nice. Got to have one.  

Sure, I could buy one, but why would I want to do that?  Then what would I do with my box of fabric bits? (and what would Mum do with her free time?  Read a good book in comfy chair or something? *pfftt*)

So what I've come up with is this.  Sewing skills can skip a generation, sometimes two. 

My Grandmother, Irene

My lovely Grandmother was a bookkeeper. (like myself)

  She knit exactly one hat, in awful shade of peach... Mum said when she was  a teenager, Grammy bought a sewing machine.  She tried to fix a ripped hem on the sleeve of her nightgown, and sewed the sleeve shut completely. She never used the machine again.

My Mum used it for many years to make clothes for her home economics classes.

My Great, Great Grandmother, Engrid

I remember my Grandmother saying that her Grandmother made all their clothes (not her Mother mind you...) from swimsuits (the long wooly ones) to frilly girl dresses. (Grammy had two sisters).  I never once heard her mention her mother sewing anything.

Rug, made by Engrid

 In fact, I have a beautiful rug beside my bed that my Great, Great Grandmother made... I wiggle my toes when I stand on it, trying to absorb some sewing skills thru osmosis...  No luck as of yet. 

Cross Stitched by Scott

Even my husband can sew.... and has a seemingly endless tolerance for making little x's with thread.

Grampy's sewing box.

Come to think of it, my Grandfather sewed too. 

 The "sewing box" was kept in his room... and when I wore the face off my stuffed monkey, it was he that made Monkey a new nose.

Good thing I wasn't a pioneer woman ~ can you imagine what my clothes would look like?