My mother was a sewer. She created beautiful things out of raw materials - out of thread, fabric, zippers, buttons, pins and patterns. She was a creator of shirts, skirts, pants, pajamas, prom dresses, stuffed animals, Halloween costumes, coats; of a warm, safe home; of a loving family; of a circle of true friends. Mom died on May 29, 1997 from ovarian cancer. I was 20, my sister 22, my father was 50. We were too young to lose her and she was too young to go.
Among the broken hearts that she left was a massive stash of fabric, patterns, books, magazines and notions. I took these things with me - after an initial weeding - when I got married and moved away. I took her Pfaff and her Babylock. I had a lot of plans to sew - I would pour over the material again and again... but would always dream and not do. I moved all this... baggage from apartment to apartment, from state to state, a total of 9 times. And that's what it had become - sacred baggage, but baggage none the less.
Well, enough is enough. I am no longer dreaming, but doing. I am forceably and publicly unlocking my creativity here - I have fabric, patterns and plans for 2 years - 7 seasons - of clothes. This is a crash course in sewing. Self-taught, self-motivated, and utterly selfish.
So here is where I will document what I learn, what I make... and how many times I try to throw my sewing machine out the window.
1 comment:
I also have the 'baggage' of others' lives that I treasure. Lots of fabric, lots of thread and a couple of sewing boxes. I finally got rid of the old Singer my mom had when I was growing up...it just got too expensive to fix. I love sewing and maybe, just maybe, if you're sewing too, I'll find my way back to it as well. I hope you have a wonderful time creating and designing and that you find as much joy in the process as in the finished products.
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