Pretty Fabrics bring back the days of Sewing

This time of year I get inspired.  The craft stores are filled with lots of pretty christmassy type fabrics and yarns.  I begin to think about the time I used to sew.  Today I needed to get another couple of skeins of yarn for a project so I was chasing them down in Michaels and JoAnns.  There was the fabric, all glittery and the colors and textures are just spectacular. 

When I went off to sixth grade, my mom made me a acqu blue dress for the first day of school.  I remember the dress well.  It was pretty special with ruffles on the sleeves.  Sometime after having that dress, my mom began to let me assist her in picking out the fabrics, patterns, pinning and cutting, and eventually the use of the machine. 

From that point on, I was sewing.  As time went along, my talents improved.  Mrs. Burnas, she lived behind us, and worked in a sewing room at Warners would come over and give me a few hints.  My NatNat (grandmother) and Mrs. Palasky (across the street) worked at American Fabrics triming lace off the big machines.  I guess you could say that fiber has been at my fingertips for most of my life.

As with much of my life, I need to improve it so I took to designing patterns myself.  I'd mix and match different pieces to really come up with an original.  I can say that I never went to a school dance and found myself looking at a classmate with my dress on.   

A few funnies:

I'd forget a few pins in the living room carpet - i.e. the cutting room.  Dad would invariably find them at 6am in bare feet with a very loud (&#(*&#(# ouch.

The hem was never finished until the last hour before I was running out the door.

I would ask "Hey Mom - does this look okay as I held up a half finished portion?"  Mom would say " of course it does",  Dad would say "  I guess so" .

Iron the seams - but remember to turn off the iron - oh my goodness such details!

Anyway, it was nice to walk the aisles of many fabrics and notions.  Now I need to invent some real time to be able to continue my crocheting, lace making, and sewing.