 |
| Rose |
My mother
who was an excellent seamstress decided it would be better to have someone else
start me on my sewing journey. I made little fashion doll (fore-runner to the
Barbies of today) clothes on my working toy sewing machine but now I was going
to learn to use a real honest to goodness sewing machine. So she enrolled me at
the local Singer Sewing center. I was allowed to pick out my fabric and my
pattern. It was not the easiest pattern but my mother never discouraged me she
just let me forge ahead. Typical of my mother really, she decided to learn to
knit in her 70’s and when she picked out the pattern she wanted to do her
senior center instructor tried to discourage her. But she was determined and she
succeeded much to the instructor’s amazement! That’s just the way she rolled.
So off I went
to the class. The ladies teaching were knowledgeable but when I started to cut out the
pieces they decided to have a gossip feast in the corner of the room. Well when
they finally checked on me they were horrified to see I was cutting off the
hem. I was following the fold line rather than the bottom, an honest mistake
for a 10 year old I think. Well there wasn’t enough room to scoot the piece
over so they just had me use a bias binding to turn the hem up. They had a bit of explaining to do when it came to the judging part. But at least they owned up to it!
 |
| Sleeve detail with trim and covered button |
 |
| Seam edge turned under and sewn |
 |
| Even the gathering was protected from raveling |
 |
| Sweet little button detail echoing the fabric design |
I still have the handwritten critique that I received
and the prize which was a zippered case with three Singer scissors. The case is
a bit ratty and I’m not sure I have all three scissors but it’s still a
treasure to me.
What prompted this trip down memory lane?
Well I was watching Karen in one of her Simply Stitch videos and she had made a printed copy of some of her fabric work and was incorporating it in her paperwork cutouts. I had my little pin pricked fashion illustration dress in mind and the light bulb went on. I could do something like that with my first dress and so now I have another idea to work on to put in my ledger. Oh the ideas just keep coming!
 |
| Close Up of the Fabric |
Be back
soon!
Happy
stitching
Rose
6 comments:
oh what a most delightful story and i am amazed that you still have the dress. looks to me like you did a fabulous job. thanks for sharing.
Thanks Deanna! I try to save the "firsts" of my work so I'm hanging onto this dress. I didn't always do this and am sorrowful I don't have the first embroidery (all though I do have some from my childhood) or the first quilt (that was a gift). But I still have the first thing I ever knitted and the first of my crochet.
Wow! Way to go Rose! Good for you ... I still don't know anything about sewing with my machine really ...and wouldn't ever attempt anything like that ..I did make a couple of pot holders last year ...but, had a mentor/friend sitting right there helping me ... and I"m happy with them....but, honestly....what a job for a little girl..... and what a great way to save something to add to a story ...
I really enjoyed reading this story. How lovely that you still have the dress... What a treasure it must be to you. I love your Mum for having faith in you.. too often we discourage children from trying things we think are beyond them... so good for you and hats off to your Mum for her encouragement. The dress by the way is beautiful!
lovely story Rose and I am so grateful you posted the detailed images of the little things, the seams, the cuff, the button...beautiful
http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/
that is a wonderful story Rose. My first dress wasn't nearly as complicated, but it too was made when I was 10. My brother gave me the fabric for my birthday - an orange toned paisley design. I made a sleeveless, princess line shift - and wore it to school, where I jumped off a bank and promptly tore a hole on a stick! wish I had kept it.
Post a Comment