Sisters?...sisters...

"...there were never such devoted sisters...". Anybody been watching the old Bing Crosby movie "White Christmas"? I have, and of course that song keeps running through my head *VBS*We are sisters...but devotion wasn't part of the picture, in any sense of the word. I was almost 7 when my middle sister was born, in 1947. I don't remember welcoming her with open arms. By 1951, when sister #2 came along, I was nearly 11 and DEFINITELY did NOT want another sister(or brother for that matter. Much falls to us oldest daughters...too much in my opinion.
Being so much older, I was grown and out of the home while my middle sister was in the early grades. My youngest sister was 7 when I married. I had little to no part of their growing up. That probably explains alot. Or maybe I wasn't a natural born caregiver.
But sewing is what is on my mind today. I come from a maternal background of NON-SEWERS. My Mom didn't even do buttons or patches on my Dad's pants..he did them himself.
My belowed Gram Lottie, who lived with us, didn't sew either. Neither she nor my Mom did any kind of needlework. I was the kid at school with store bought mittens, and longed for a pair of homemade ones. I finally got them from a friend at age 46. I still have them and treasure them....I was very much a lost kitten with no mittens, but I have some now.
I had a disasterous 9 weeks of sewing in 7th grade. I was in a Jr. High setting and we got 9 weeks each of cooking, sewing, art and something else I've forgotten. We made a gathered skirt. I blew it on day ONE by buying a border print fabric, which obviously could only go ONE WAY. I got reamed out royally by the teacher. The skirt was a horrid disaster that I NEVER wore beyond class.
And again in 8th grade....9 weeks of sewing. We made fitten(tailored) blouses. I chose pale blue. I suppose it turned out ok but I hated it!! I never wore it either.
After that I was on my own....no sewing for this artsy gal....only drawing and painting...ya!!
But that was at age 12 and 13. The summer I was approaching 15, I began to realize I needed more clothes than my parents were able to provide for me. I begged shamelessly and my Dad bought me a sewing machine. A nice little machine- about $50- from the local furniture store, Mason's. They put their own brand on it and Dad even bought me the cabinet for it. I figured out that I could make a soft pleats skirt with about the same yardage as a gathered one(which looked terrible on me), and I did. I put in the zipper and put on the waistband, following a simple skirt pattern. Next I tried a sleeveless pull over the head blouse with neck and armhole facings. It zipped on one side to give it shape. Now I could have a full cotton skirt and blouse to match for summer dating *VBS*. I never looked back. I sewed for myself a fair amount off and on through high school. After I married(at 18) I made curtains and then moved on to make nighties, slacks, shorts, dresses and even coats. I taught myself to knit and to crochet. I even learned to cook....LOL
But that sewing machine from my Dad, back in 1954 or '55 is what really changed the course of my life. I became accomplished at something that meant something to me. Not the same as taking shorthand or typing 60 words per minute.
For most of my married life, I made nearly all the clothes I wore for work and then baby clothes and much of my childrens clothes.
Quilting didn't figure into my life(other than sewing squares together) until 1977 when an elderly aunt got me started piecing a quilt by hand. A few years later and another move across the state, brought me to a friend who taught quilting. I signed up for a sampler class, and was almost immediately in trouble for not doing things "by the book". I've never looked back. I credit her for getting me on the path of 1/4" seam allowances and having triangles that actually have "points"(for the most part...LOL) She taught me the hand quilting part, which is my true love...running the stitches....line after line. There is a passion involved, just ask Tonya, or anyone who is a "hand quilter". There's nothing quite like it...I suppose applique comes close, but quilting gives you the 'definition' of light and shadow. The depth your eye sees when you look at a quilt.
I've been sorely missing my sewing time this week. It tends to make me a bit grumpy. And while I am truly looking forward to my children and grandchildren gather at my home....part of me is just itching to get back to my projects *VBS* Happy December 20th everyone.....shortest day of the year tomorrow....we'll be turning towards the light again soon.