Sewing was to be as important a skill to me as ant farming. I never could think inside out and could only dream of the gorgeous clothes I would never have because I could not sew.
What a wonderful read. You summed up the contradictions of the times -many of which continue- brilliantly. I come from families of talented seamstresses and tailors but didn't inherit the sewing machine gene. I can & do mend well enough. But my Dad made my Brownies uniform and did my highschool domestic science sewing machine projects homework for me. I prepare similarly to you sans lipstick & mascara although I too have lipbalm stashed throughout the house and how-many-lipsticks/balms-does-one-woman-need in my handbag plus my long fine hair needs resecuring in its scrunchie topknot multiple times a day. I cannot get on with a creative or writing project unless the rest of the house is in order and preferably dinner prepped, hence I mostly write in the afternoon with a thermos of tea and jug of water at hand which means I at least have to get up for bathroom breaks. I used to have a writing chair that sank but bugger that life's too short so I bought a better chair... plus a cushion which plugs into the USB port on my laptop powering fans inserted within to cool my toosh!
Goodness me! A cooling cushion! I might have need of one when I get to Melbourne. My sound studio is in the shed! I ha e a thermos of tea for my morning writing too. It is lovely!!
Hi, thanks so much for linking my Campfire Story about George Takei, and for the compliment about the writing! I appreciate the work you do. And you have a lovely blog. :)
Aw…I’m obsessive, at writing things I’m passionate about, and promoting creative projects, especially. I was just talking to a writer, yesterday, Marc Tyler Nobleman, whose obsessive work over many, many years uncovered the story of the uncredited co-creator of Batman, Bill Finger, and through that kind of obsessive diligent creativity, was able to uncover the deceased co-creator’s son (also deceased), taped confessions by Bob Kaine, who spent most of his life denying Bill Finger’s contributions and insisting he was the sole creator of Batman, and a surviving granddaughter who could assert the rights of an heir. I asked him for tips managing the obsessiveness, but, I guess not surprisingly, he really had none.
This was such a fantastic read, Cecilia. Thank you for sharing it. Tying the Singer sewing machine book to your writing process is a stroke of brilliance.
The idea that tools given to us for one purpose can unexpectedly transform us.
PS I couldn’t help but chuckle at the lip balm saga.
Don't you think it is marvelous how this one idea - out of all the information I read in that year - this is the one that stood out for me. Clearing the decks. Getting prepared. Then proceeding with the work. It is similar I think to 'mise en place' which I love to do as well!
My grandmother had a treadle. She lived with us. My mother had a Singer and loved to sew. Being the middle girl, I did not--having sausages for fingers. One more reason I never fit in. My dear older sister, long deceased, presented me one Christmas with an Afghan she knitted, square by square. This, after having borne and raised 10 children--seven boys, three girls. This very Afghan I blanket my husband with every single night. (He loves cold at night but also snuggling under.) My younger sister loves crafts of all kinds.
I can completely relate. My mother can sew though, she could make a dress from scratch (and never did for me!) so I get her to adjust bits and pieces quite often ;)
I have a Singer. All metal. Olive-beige? My mother let me play on it a bit growing up. She wouldn't teach me what her mother had taught her. Too much stress in that. But she did hire a woman to teach me to follow a pattern and I made myself some shorts at the age of 9 or so. And then nothing after until an attempted prom dress at 16 or so. And then nothing until a quilt and a quilt and a quilt in my 20s.
She bought herself a fancy new machine right before my 20s and let me bring her lovely old beast along with me as I moved far away. A few years later she asked if I wanted to trade her for her "fancy new one." I did not - ha!
And now my children sometimes play on the same machine. Clothes for their stuffed animals. Mending a favorite blanket. And it waits reliably for their next foray into fabric interests.
But none of us tidy our selves or our space any extra before we being it out. It joins in the living of our lives how it fits.
Those old sewing machines were a marvel of simple engineering. And nice and heavy. I bet your mum misses it. At school we learnt on treadles! Treadles - imagine. Which I still love the sound of.
I love that your machine is still going. Do you still make quilts?
I have put a pause on making quilts for quite some time. We lived in such a warm place for so long and my husband's grandmother made dozens a year so we already had too many from her annual gifting.
Plus I made one that was too giant to quilt on my machine so I started hand-quilting it... And now too many years later to count, I'm slowly working on it again. But my 8 year old needs a bigger quilt so I hope to make him one before the growing season takes off.
The sewing machine looks like the one my mom still has. My wife has a little bit of a newer model.
A few years ago, my wife and I were headed to a doctor's appointment when we came up on a huge Blank Angus bull that was being headed down the highway at a slow pace. My wife knew the farmer and asked what happened. He told us the bull was going to be moved into the pasture with the cows in a couple of days, but he couldn't wait. He just walked through the fence crossed the road and walked through the gate to the cows. They were taking him back to the barn to fix some cuts.
I still love sewing machines - they are lovely pieces of machinery but I cannot thread one for the life of me! Like my Mum - I am better using a needle and thread!
Great Post. I can relate to the crazy weird contradictions in life, and errant cows helping themselves to scarce feed. Once had a pen of pigs destroy a tonne of bagged feed.
Hi Cecilia, I'm new here. Lois T introduced me, and I'm glad she did.
I loved this piece. Brought back memories for me. My grandmother had a pedal Singer that she had had refurbished with a motor. That's the one I "learned" on. Not really. For some reason, junior high school put me directly into an advanced clothing course. I sewed my thumb. The final project was... something elaborate (I don't remember, probably a school bag), but my grandmother made it for me to turn in. That was the only class in my life in which I got a D. Wish they'd offered car mechanics for us back then. Would have gotten a better grade, I'm sure.
The other thing that rang true for me was getting other things done before you start writing. At uni, my apartment - and the freezer - was spotless if I had a term paper due. Something about not having anything else to do, so you might as well start writing.
Cows. How I wish I could help you with yours. There’s a goat and a sheep down the street from us, and we go to say hello sometimes. We have a (very) tiny farm in back of the house. The neighbors have lawns. We have just enough space to make veggies for us to eat in summer and winter, and that’s enough.
Welcome Louise and thank you Lois! I can’t believe they gave your grandmother a D! Ha!! That is too funny - how did she take it? Having just enough back yard to grow your food is just enough! Good job. I am soon going out to Melbourne to help my daughter and she has a tiny backyard. Sandy soil. Hot. It is going to be a challenge! You will be giving ME tips!
Well, my grandmother was fit to be tied with me. I was such a hard-headed and rebellious child. She was born in 1896 and had her set of values (which I obviously didn't agree with). I don't remember what she said/thought, but my guess it was complete exasperation!
Good luck with the Melbourne experience. Get to know the earthworms there and what they like!
Yes! That is lovely simple good advice. I think I will be conditioning the soil quite considerably- (i have already set up a worm farm there - next is a compost barrel- ) but i bet the soil will grow good onions and carrots.
What a wonderful read. You summed up the contradictions of the times -many of which continue- brilliantly. I come from families of talented seamstresses and tailors but didn't inherit the sewing machine gene. I can & do mend well enough. But my Dad made my Brownies uniform and did my highschool domestic science sewing machine projects homework for me. I prepare similarly to you sans lipstick & mascara although I too have lipbalm stashed throughout the house and how-many-lipsticks/balms-does-one-woman-need in my handbag plus my long fine hair needs resecuring in its scrunchie topknot multiple times a day. I cannot get on with a creative or writing project unless the rest of the house is in order and preferably dinner prepped, hence I mostly write in the afternoon with a thermos of tea and jug of water at hand which means I at least have to get up for bathroom breaks. I used to have a writing chair that sank but bugger that life's too short so I bought a better chair... plus a cushion which plugs into the USB port on my laptop powering fans inserted within to cool my toosh!
Goodness me! A cooling cushion! I might have need of one when I get to Melbourne. My sound studio is in the shed! I ha e a thermos of tea for my morning writing too. It is lovely!!
Hi, thanks so much for linking my Campfire Story about George Takei, and for the compliment about the writing! I appreciate the work you do. And you have a lovely blog. :)
Thank you, Lois. The blog is our mother ship! So many years of writing in there - and photographs but your writing is something else - such research!
Aw…I’m obsessive, at writing things I’m passionate about, and promoting creative projects, especially. I was just talking to a writer, yesterday, Marc Tyler Nobleman, whose obsessive work over many, many years uncovered the story of the uncredited co-creator of Batman, Bill Finger, and through that kind of obsessive diligent creativity, was able to uncover the deceased co-creator’s son (also deceased), taped confessions by Bob Kaine, who spent most of his life denying Bill Finger’s contributions and insisting he was the sole creator of Batman, and a surviving granddaughter who could assert the rights of an heir. I asked him for tips managing the obsessiveness, but, I guess not surprisingly, he really had none.
This was such a fantastic read, Cecilia. Thank you for sharing it. Tying the Singer sewing machine book to your writing process is a stroke of brilliance.
The idea that tools given to us for one purpose can unexpectedly transform us.
PS I couldn’t help but chuckle at the lip balm saga.
I hope you do have a fun week ahead. Stay warm.
The lipstick before you start to sew has followed me all my life! It makes a strange kind of sense to me. Have a great evening!
I could relate to so much of this. And I love having a name for it. "the Singer effect" is going to be part of my vernacular from now till forever.
Don't you think it is marvelous how this one idea - out of all the information I read in that year - this is the one that stood out for me. Clearing the decks. Getting prepared. Then proceeding with the work. It is similar I think to 'mise en place' which I love to do as well!
You have to remove the distractions if you want to get something done be it writing, sewing, cooking, etc. I understand.
Yes! And get yourself firmly in the right mind. Good morning , Jim!
My grandmother had a treadle. She lived with us. My mother had a Singer and loved to sew. Being the middle girl, I did not--having sausages for fingers. One more reason I never fit in. My dear older sister, long deceased, presented me one Christmas with an Afghan she knitted, square by square. This, after having borne and raised 10 children--seven boys, three girls. This very Afghan I blanket my husband with every single night. (He loves cold at night but also snuggling under.) My younger sister loves crafts of all kinds.
10 kids is a LOT of children! How lovely that you still have the afghan. I bet it is full of warm memories.
wow, an organized cow rebellion! and I have never been able to sew one seam so I get this!
I am very attracted to the idea of sewing (I love to design clothes) but it just never took off! Have a lovely evening, Beth!
I can completely relate. My mother can sew though, she could make a dress from scratch (and never did for me!) so I get her to adjust bits and pieces quite often ;)
Can I meet your mother ?
I think we should all descend on her and her sewing machine.
Yes! We’ll collect @Neela on the way!!
On my way!!
I have a Singer. All metal. Olive-beige? My mother let me play on it a bit growing up. She wouldn't teach me what her mother had taught her. Too much stress in that. But she did hire a woman to teach me to follow a pattern and I made myself some shorts at the age of 9 or so. And then nothing after until an attempted prom dress at 16 or so. And then nothing until a quilt and a quilt and a quilt in my 20s.
She bought herself a fancy new machine right before my 20s and let me bring her lovely old beast along with me as I moved far away. A few years later she asked if I wanted to trade her for her "fancy new one." I did not - ha!
And now my children sometimes play on the same machine. Clothes for their stuffed animals. Mending a favorite blanket. And it waits reliably for their next foray into fabric interests.
But none of us tidy our selves or our space any extra before we being it out. It joins in the living of our lives how it fits.
Those old sewing machines were a marvel of simple engineering. And nice and heavy. I bet your mum misses it. At school we learnt on treadles! Treadles - imagine. Which I still love the sound of.
I love that your machine is still going. Do you still make quilts?
I have put a pause on making quilts for quite some time. We lived in such a warm place for so long and my husband's grandmother made dozens a year so we already had too many from her annual gifting.
Plus I made one that was too giant to quilt on my machine so I started hand-quilting it... And now too many years later to count, I'm slowly working on it again. But my 8 year old needs a bigger quilt so I hope to make him one before the growing season takes off.
Quilting happens in its own time!
The sewing machine looks like the one my mom still has. My wife has a little bit of a newer model.
A few years ago, my wife and I were headed to a doctor's appointment when we came up on a huge Blank Angus bull that was being headed down the highway at a slow pace. My wife knew the farmer and asked what happened. He told us the bull was going to be moved into the pasture with the cows in a couple of days, but he couldn't wait. He just walked through the fence crossed the road and walked through the gate to the cows. They were taking him back to the barn to fix some cuts.
Bulls! They can be very bull headed!
I still love sewing machines - they are lovely pieces of machinery but I cannot thread one for the life of me! Like my Mum - I am better using a needle and thread!
Great Post. I can relate to the crazy weird contradictions in life, and errant cows helping themselves to scarce feed. Once had a pen of pigs destroy a tonne of bagged feed.
Oh no! Those pigs! And yes - at this time of year I am counting out every bale. It has been an unusually cold winter.
Hi Cecilia, I'm new here. Lois T introduced me, and I'm glad she did.
I loved this piece. Brought back memories for me. My grandmother had a pedal Singer that she had had refurbished with a motor. That's the one I "learned" on. Not really. For some reason, junior high school put me directly into an advanced clothing course. I sewed my thumb. The final project was... something elaborate (I don't remember, probably a school bag), but my grandmother made it for me to turn in. That was the only class in my life in which I got a D. Wish they'd offered car mechanics for us back then. Would have gotten a better grade, I'm sure.
The other thing that rang true for me was getting other things done before you start writing. At uni, my apartment - and the freezer - was spotless if I had a term paper due. Something about not having anything else to do, so you might as well start writing.
Cows. How I wish I could help you with yours. There’s a goat and a sheep down the street from us, and we go to say hello sometimes. We have a (very) tiny farm in back of the house. The neighbors have lawns. We have just enough space to make veggies for us to eat in summer and winter, and that’s enough.
Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Welcome Louise and thank you Lois! I can’t believe they gave your grandmother a D! Ha!! That is too funny - how did she take it? Having just enough back yard to grow your food is just enough! Good job. I am soon going out to Melbourne to help my daughter and she has a tiny backyard. Sandy soil. Hot. It is going to be a challenge! You will be giving ME tips!
Well, my grandmother was fit to be tied with me. I was such a hard-headed and rebellious child. She was born in 1896 and had her set of values (which I obviously didn't agree with). I don't remember what she said/thought, but my guess it was complete exasperation!
Good luck with the Melbourne experience. Get to know the earthworms there and what they like!
Yes! That is lovely simple good advice. I think I will be conditioning the soil quite considerably- (i have already set up a worm farm there - next is a compost barrel- ) but i bet the soil will grow good onions and carrots.
You're well on your way, then. Remember the coffee grounds. Good luck!