My mom in no way was a craft lady, no sewing in any way. She did have some artistic ability though, and could draw. The only craft I think I remember her doing was making crape-paper flowers. That was a big thing when I was a child. What she did with them, I have no idea. So, where did I get my crafting, sewing genes?
I grew up in a very, very small country town. In the days where you would let your 7 year old child wander the streets by themselves......... I would head to my aunt & uncle's place a mile and a half away. My uncle had been wounded in the war, WW I, so he wasn't very active, and for some reason, I really enjoyed his company. We would just set and talk in our favorite place, the swing under the big maple tree in his front yard. We would have lunch, and every day at a certain time, he would head in and take his nap. I would stay and play with the neighbor kids, in his yard. Most of the time he sat in his favorite rocking chair, chewing his tobacco, and watching life outside his window. It was my most favorite place to be.
Anyway, I digress again...... Now my aunt was the bread winner. She and my mom did part time wall paper hanging at one point. What else my aunt did, I do not remember. She baked bread a couple times a week, because that was the only bread my uncle would eat. I loved toasted homemade bread from the oven. (Boy, I am betting the ones under 50 right now are thinking this lady writing this is really ancient?) They did have chickens, not a farm, just chickens in their yard in town. LOL Anyway, with chickens you bought chicken feed in "feed sacks". Pretty feed sacks, which would become fabric for clothing. I was the lucky one who would get outfits from these feed sacks. Maybe, "lucky" isn't the word. But I wore them.......they were made for me with love. So, maybe I got my sewing gene from her? Even though she wasn't the "blood relative". My uncle was the blood relative, he was the brother of my great-grandmother.
Now, somewhere along the line I developed a skill for crocheting. I was 7 when I learned to do this. I would walk into town past this really nice "old" lady that used to set out on her front porch and crochet. I remember her being about 90, or thinking she was, when I knew her. LOL She made me a crocheted set of clothing for twin dolls, not more than 1 inch in size. She made them attached together, and into a pin that I could wear!! I still have them to this day, and I don't know how she did it.
So, back to my sewing abilities? I can remember my aunt showing me a couple of times how to sew on her sewing machine. I think at one point in time, I was using her treadle sewing machine. Anyway, I am just thinking I never really sewed again until that dreadful course in Home EC class. I didn't really learn anything much there, my teacher was big on making sure your pins were put perfectly in line in your seams. My outfit was a "straight skirt and white Peter Pan collared shirt. Can any of you identify with this? LOL
From there over the years, I received a sewing machine in my early 20's, and I taught myself to sew. I did some pretty fancy things. When my girls were young, I made many outfits for them. I really enjoyed sewing clothes, curtains, etc.
As a stay at home mom, but working from home in our business, I got into the wanting to learn how to quilt. Now, I think this was sometime in the mid-late 80's......... see, I am old, but not quite ancient!!! (Even though some days, I sure feel like it:) Those were the days of good talk morning TV shows. A lot of crafting and sewing, and low and behold, they were talking about "quilting"? So, I tried a few quilting classes, never completed anything.
We sold our business, children growing and graduating from school, it was time for me to get back into the work force. Just to have something to do, and the money wasn't a bad thing either. The best thing happened, I found a friend that was also wanting to learn to quilt, and we started taking classes. Every once in a while, we still take a quilting class just for the enjoyment (with my oldest daughter, she is a fantastic quilter).
Now the light bulb moment!!!! It took a long time to get here, I hope you are still with me:) The thing is, that you never stop learning, or is it, you sometimes can't see what is in front of your face? So, I had this moment a couple of days ago. I am in the process of working on a monthly quilt challenge for October, from our on line quilt group. I needed to make triangles from a 2 3/8 inch square to make a maple leaf quilt block. Now, the 1/8 inch cuts are doable, but time consuming for me. I have many rulers, which I recently learned, that you shouldn't inter mix them in a project!!!!!! I had to learn the hard way, their markings may be off. Anyway, back to the ruler I have had and really never used much. I'll say this in my defense of my "stupid moment"..... I cut out several squares to set up my string piecing, and for some reason, I needed another block of 2 3/8". I am looking at this ruler, and what do you know? there in plain sight, all nicely marked are all the 1/8 inch markings up and down the ruler. DAH, cannot express that moment!!! But I am the first one to laugh at myself, and not take me to seriously. I just can't wait to see what other "light bulb" moments I am going to have. Never to old to learn new things!!!!!!
Sharon
Those little mini dolls are so cute!!
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