My Great Grandmother sat me down at the age of 9 or so.. and first showed me she could make tops out of bits of fabric and no pattern! I was amazed. I had been given for Christmas a Singer sewing machine.. hand crank..

she sewed on an old treadle machine. she had me cut small 3"squares.. and sew them together.. and make a doll quilt for my Barbie doll. then she taught me to embroidery.. a skill I have always enjoyed. In fact in high school started a fad of embroidering jeans!

next sewing project would be a few years later in 7th grade, an apron and a blouse.

Pattern reading came easy to me.. or maybe Grandmom taught me well .. can't say.. but it came as easy as walking… in 10th grade I took another sewing class(easy A) and when you had a question you put your name on the board.. and waited. I never put my name on the board.. I never needed help. well a few of my classmates discovered I knew what I was doing, so they would ask me and I answered their questions. Didn't think much of it; did the same in other classes.. as long as it wasn't a test no one ever seemed to mind. Most teachers were grateful. Anyway apparently I was getting more questions than she was.. don’t know… couldn’t tell you .. if someone asked a question I answered it and went on with my sewing.. but all of a sudden, out of the blue.. she yelled across the room in front of Juniors and all that she "was the teacher of the class" not me.. and I was "not to help another student." Well I was floored, embarrassed and had no clue there was a problem.. ... I felt bad for my friends.. well it lasted a week.. then they would sneak over to me.. and ask a quick question. LOL

This teacher and I didn't get along too well you might guess. even as a kid I wasn't about to waste fabric.. so I laid the pattern out, on grain of course, but no wasted fabric... "that wasn't right", she would say.. so I used to lay the pattern out as the pattern suggested, until she "okayed" it ....move the pieces and then cut out my pattern... I wasn’t’ wasting that fabric.. I could make a matching purse if I had enough left over!

Then one year I wanted to make a grey corduroy skirt.. but I wanted the direction of the wales to go around the skirt rather then vertical.. Oh My Lord! She had a fit.. I didn’t know what I was doing.. I knew I wanted it to be different. (I am a product of the 70’s.. LOL) she fussed but I made my skirt.. Yeah I made something to satisfy the grade requirement.. but I made my skirt!

anyway.. I sewed off and on over the years, often changing something on the pattern.. to make it suit me. then I had kids. and my creative spark arrived again.. I made all their Halloween costumes for years.. they picked them out of a magazine or catalog... and then I went to the store bought fabric and started cutting and sewing until I had what they wanted. it was fun.. and it didn't have to be perfect because it wasn't for the prom.. I made some pretty amazing costumes.. then they grew up.. LOL

as I have gotten older.... and see that others can't work a needle.. or a sewing machine.. I am EVER GREATFUL to my Great Grandmother.. who I think said to herself one day, that another generation would not be lost to sewing, embroidery.. and crochet.. so she taught me.. and I have taught my daughter.. and I hope .. the next generation when it gets here. Will also learn.. great skills to have.
Catherine.