Born This Way?
My friend had posted this picture on Facebook the other day and it resonated with me, even though I didn't "take to" sewing until my thirties. I made a lot of my own clothes and the Stretch-And-Sew movement was a heavy influence as I made shirts, pants, little jackets, pajamas, dresses for my young children as well as three bazillion t-shirts for me and nearly everyone I knew. I made some Hallowe'en costumes and a Sir Walter Raleigh outfit complete with neck ruff for Andrew's school performance.
And in 1987 it all changed when I made a log cabin quilt using the Eleanor Burns method under the tutelage of my relative, Susan.
A couple of weeks ago when I was worried that we'd be cited for some sort of housekeeping violation, I went through the studio. I gave away a Rubbermaid tub of fabrics to Ruth. I discovered a long-lost counted cross stitch piece that, alas, my eyes can't deal with. And I found some Works In Slow Process that really need finishing. Around that time, my [non-quilting, non-sewing] friend discovered a set of blocks she'd pieced back when she thought she might be a quilter and asked if anything could be made of them.
So I made a list of what was needed to set and border these extremely wonky blocks and while I was at it I inventoried other finishing needs. A yard of this, two yards of that, and so forth have been acquired. The wonkies are set and bordered and a back is pieced; this is going to the machinist this week. The modern paper-pieced triangles are being set (with black alternate blocks and side triangles, this is a daytime-only effort) and the Modified Sister's Choice are waiting their turn.
It's all good.
Comments
My mother and I were both born with sewing in our souls. When clearing her attic, I found two very small dolls and the home made flapper dresses my mother had made for them when she was a child! My mother made doll clothes but I made their blankets. In 4-H (suburban Chicago if you can believe that) I made skirts and a blouse before 7th and 8the grand Home Ec. I made a formal velvet dress (lots of pinning) when I was 19, then curtains and clothes in my 20s-30s, along with embroidery, crewel, a failed attempts at crochet and knitting, then counted cross stitch, and in 1992, quilting! What fun.
Enjoy all of the various projects you've unearthed and hope you'll post photos of these WOPs when they're finished to your satisfaction.
Hugs!
I join the ranks here, have learned to embroider at a young age, and then quilting and sewing clothes in junior high--making all my own clothes in high school. Sewed clothing for my children until it was no longer cost effective, and did counted cross-stitch for several years. Then I poured my energies into more quilting. It must be a creative need that finds satisfaction in textiles.