Seamstress Extraordinaire

My Mother had a talent for sewing.  I am not sure where she learned to sew, for she never said, but I suspect that it might have been from her mother, although I have never heard it mentioned that Grandma sewed.  I just assume so, because at that time girls were taught homemaking skills.  Most folks, particularly those who lived on farms or in small towns where clothing stores were scarce, made most everything they wore.  This was in the Great Depression years and for many, there just wasn't money to spend on clothing.  It was much more economical to buy or barter for fabric and sew what one needed.

Mom didn't make quilts, but turned her talent to sewing clothing.  I don't know what sewing machine she might have had in the early years of her marriage to Dad, but in the mid 1950's while we were living on the farm, I remember that Dad bought Mother a new Singer Sewing Machine.  That was an event in our household.  The sewing machine came in a wooden cabinet.  The lid opened up and the machine was lifted up into place.  The lid folded out so that it provided work space for holding fabric while it was being sewn.  I still have that machine, but during the years it sat in storage, it has rusted some.  I sure would like to get it refurbished, as it worked better than any machine I have had since.

Mother and I were once looking at old photos.  She pointed to this one and told me that she had taken an old coat of hers, ripped the seams apart and used the fabric to make me this little coat and bonnet.  She remembered that it was sort of an aqua blue.

She sewed these little dresses for me as well.

I don't recall having any store bought outer clothing until I was well into high school.  Each summer Mother would buy fabric and patterns on sale and sew my school clothes.  One year when money was really scarce, Dad bought flour in cloth sacks that were printed fabric.  Mom washed the flour sacks and made skirts and blouses for me to wear to school.  At that time schools had a dress code and skirts were required for girls.  Below are some photos of the dresses she made for my sister and me.

After we moved to the farm, my family became involved in 4-H.  Mom had taught me to sew, and she must have had the patience of Job to do it, as I would much rather have been out climbing trees or catching frogs or digging worms for fishing than sitting inside sewing.  But teach me, she did.  My 4-H projects each year were always sewing and gardening.  One of the requirements for the sewing project was to make an outfit, and then there was a "fashion show" where 4-H members modeled their creations.  Mom didn't sew a single stitch in the skirt and blouse that I made one year, even when I whined and cried that I couldn't do it right.  She watched me sew, told me just what to do and made me rip out seams and sew them again when I didn't listen.  That outfit won a blue ribbon at the fashion show and went on to win another at the State Fair.  I gave the ribbons to Mom because I figured that she had earned them much more than I had!

This is a photo of Mom wearing one of the dresses she sewed for herself and Dad wearing a shirt she made for him.

I have always been in awe of Mom's sewing skills.  What seemed to be easy for her were the things that I struggled to do.  I will always be grateful to Mom for having the patience to teach me a skill that I learned to love.  I have spent many happy hours at a sewing machine, and will probably continue to do so until I can't any more.  Thank you, Mom.