Tuesday, July 12, 2011

A stitch in time... sorta makes me crazy

When I spoke to my sister the other night, I ask her if she could hear me screaming? "What? What are you talking about,Pam?" I said I've been trying to sew... She laughed.





Photos courtesy of Photobucket

I come from a long line of women that sew. When I was a little girl, my grand mother taught me how to sew on her treadle sewing machine. She could mend anything by hand. Gosh, I even learned how to darn socks. I have to laugh now as I think of how I once mended my husband's socks. Of course now, I would just buy new ones. How times have changed for the better. My mother sewed all of our clothes, my sister sewed and then there was me. I did not inherit their talent for sewing. I do very little to get by enough to say that I sew.

Grand mother's hand sewing/mending reminds me of weaving or something very similar. She would cut a piece of fabric from the seam or hem and patch the tear. You could not tell where it was. To this day, I prefer mending and patching to sewing. In my younger days, I sewed curtains, pillows and some kids clothes. I have not sewn in a long time. Only a button sewn on every now and then.






So it surprised me when I wanted to sew a doll outfit for my grand daughter.

My tools of the trade...
I've used this, too.


I've been here...

Used this, too.



You see, my version of sewing is to tape it, staple it or glue it. In the floral business, it is the fastest way to get a temporary solution to a problem. I ironed my fabric, pinned down the pattern, then cut the pattern out. I thought I better do some test sewing before I started to make sure the machine and I knew what we were doing. I forgot how to thread the machine, so I pulled out the directions and familiarized myself once again with the machine. An hour and a half I start to sew. After I practiced all the different stitches I had to adjust the tension and stitch lenght. Now I am so frustrated that I don't want to sew.

I continue on. I made a cute little pheasant shirt for Ali's doll. It is not a great piece of sewing, but I can say that I did it. After all of the preparations, I can honestly say that it cost less to buy the doll an outfit rather than sew. You know me...it's all about the memory I am making. Of course my darling cats had to help me sew and get in the way. Argh! I can't ever do anything without them.





Patience is a virtue...
I forgot to say this most important thing... If you really like something then do not give it up or stop doing it. It is hard to start all over again. Besides you might say a few choice words if you have to start over again. Did you hear me scream?















11 comments:

The Bear's Blog said...

Hi Pam,

First, I love your "new look", very nice.

Oh come on....sewing for that doll wasn't that bad, was it? I couldn't stop laughing about the tape and stapler.

The next outfit will be much easier. There will be another, right? (o:

Hugs

Akelamalu said...

I used to regularly make my own clothes. Most weeks I'd make a new dress for myself to wear at the weekend, then I just got lazy and I haven't made anything for years!

Travis Cody said...

I remember watching my grandmother sew when we went to visit. She used to make her own clothes. Neither my sister or I ever learned to do more than sew a button back on a shirt. I can't even really remember how to do that very well.

Finding Pam said...

Joyce, Can't you tell I am a klutz when it comes to sewing? Hopefully there will be another outfit. First I have to finish this one. Ha. I may use tape, stapler and a glue gun.



Akelamula,I sewed my clothes in college. I forgot how hard it is to sew. If you like sewing then please don't stop sewing.



Travis, funny memories we all have of that treadle sewing machine. I did teach my sons how to sew on buttons. I'm not sure if they remember. The youngest son still brings shirts with missing buttons home to me.

mielikki said...

I can't sew to save my life... I just sit back and enjoy what other people make :)

Xmichra said...

I used to sew clothing and costumes. Now i only sew buttons and the like. I am more prone to the stapler ;)

DeEtta said...

You brought a smile to my face as I read your experience sewing. I have sewed but am not good at it. When I was a child My sister and I had the cutest twin clothes, no we are not twins, that our mother made for us. I never developed the talent but gave it a good try.

Rudee said...

Perhaps it's the age of the sewing machine that's crimping your style. Of course the newer computerized models require a degree in engineering to operate, but that's neither here nor there.

I can't sew to save my life. When I have to sew seams in knitting, I often find myself picking up stitches and doing 3 needle bind offs. It's so much easier to me to knit a seam than sew one.

Anonymous said...

Your post title made me laugh! My mother used to knit and crochet everything from blankets and sweaters to socks and mittens. I never quite got the hang of it either... but I gave it a try :)

Linda said...

It's so cool that you sew! Like you, I love mending, darning, and basic alterations.

Don't you think doll clothes are the hardest? And surprisingly, I always found drapes, jobots, and swags to be pretty simple.

As I was reading this, I thought about your current post and wondered about sewing and self-esteem. Always makes me feel great to see a finished product and know I did a good job.

Does this work for you?

Finding Pam said...

Linda, I would need more than sewing to give me self-esteem. I do like the challenge of doing things that I am not good at. Besides, it's good to learn new things.

This is the first time since I was a child that I've sewn doll clothes. I like it because it is not so tedious and I can finish fast. I am remaking the shirt and vest as I didn't like how they turned out.

Like you I could sew curtains, pillow shams and the like, but not my own clothes. I am amazed at how much I forgot when I stopped sewing on a regular basis.

Thanks for stopping by.