Saturday, April 18, 2009

Sewing Memories

I've spent all of today so far with my sewing machine. I will admit, I have not used it in over 3 years. It is a computerized embroidery machine. In fact, the better part of the day was reading the instruction manual as I had forgotten just how to program it. I really should use it more often. I love the ease with which it sews and it really is quite simple if you remember how.

Daughter #1 asked for bags for the grandkids with their names on them for taking to the pool, sports events, etc. I love the embroidery part, but the sewing is something I don't like much anymore.

Back in the 70's, I sewed all of the girls' dresses. Made pinafores and the cutest matching red and white checked dresses with green frogs. For the life of me, I can't understand why they still bring up those dresses with an "Oh, Mommmm". I also sewed coats and jackets. For a while there, I was ordering down kits from a company that would go as far as to cut the material for your order, send the cut pattern pieces, the most complete instructions I have ever seen and the down. The down was compressed into plastic bags. You would sew the channels into the jacket or coat and then put a plastic bag of down into the channel and slowly open it, pinch shut the end and sew it closed. It worked beautifully and the jacket and down vest I made for The Trout were used for many, many years. I also sewed a beautiful teal, lined with black down coat, full length with a belt for myself. I loved that coat and it was so warm for the northern winters. It was only when we moved to Florida that I gave it to Goodwill. I know someone is very warm wearing it.

So, the down arrived in these compressed plastic bags and the whole kit was mailed in a cardboard box. In the 70's we had a breezeway connecting our A-frame home with the garage. We used to keep our beagle, Schatzie, in the breezeway because it was cool for her and she couldn't get out. People could get in though.

The UPS man left a package one day for the jacket for The Trout. Mr. UPS decided to open the breezeway door and put it in next to the beagle. Well, if this wasn't just about the best entertainment that dog could ever want! I guess she smelled the down feathers and since she had such a sensitive nose anyway, it got the best of her.

By the time we came home, the entire breezeway was filled with down floating all over and the beagle is just sitting there with her tongue hanging out as if to say, "I smelled it and I finally got it!"

This was not a cheap kit and I was not very happy. I finally decided the next day, after a tremendous job of cleaning up the down, that I needed to call this company. I explained what happened and the lady on the phone said that she knew I could never make up a story like that, so she resent all the down packages at no cost.

I also was not very good at sewing the binding onto placemats when I took Home Ec. in high school. I could do it so much easier by hand. Anyone been there?

Well, anyway, the grandkids almost have their bags. The embroidery is done and just have to finish the bags. All day it took and I am not done yet. I think I'll get back to knitting as I have a felted purse than needs finishing in the next 2 weeks.


9 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:29 PM

    I love your sense of humor. I know that must have actually happened and that is what makes it even funnier. I can not, of course, even imagine that I would have started that project. rw

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  2. Oh how I'd love to own one of those computerized machines. Which one do you have? It sounds like you'd recommend it.

    I used to sew everything for my kids too, including coats.

    - Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

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  3. Suzanne, I own the Brother Pacesetter PC8500. I would probably go with a Babylock next time even though I do like this machine. I find that it is limited by the amount of cards you can buy with the different designs. Have thought about trading in for another model, brand, but still like this one.

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  4. this is the same beagle who got into my fly tying feathers and ate a big red one!!

    It appeared at the end of her next toilet dropping like a proud sail!!

    the same beagle who followed me faithfully while X-C skiing for miles - she veered off one day to look for a rabbit and lost me or I lost her! anyway she found her way home and was whining at the front door - Schnitzel had bad thoughts what happend to me till I finally showed up frantic myself where the beagle was - thankfully for both of us we were fine!!

    one other X-C episode with the dummy was she went off the trail on the ice for a drink - down she went into the icy water and clawing like crazy to get back up on the ice - I went out on my belly and luckily grabbed her with one swoop and pulled her in - she hacked and coughed all the way home with lungs full of water!!


    we loved her anyway for 17 years!!! Trout

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  5. Susan, you really made me smile this morning. That episode with the down must have been a real sight.

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  6. Awesome! I wasn't sure if you were going to do it. Thank you. Everything I've found is so expensive and not cute at all. This will be great. Has it really been 3 years? Wish we were closer so I could learn on it and make some things to sell. Thanks again. Love ya E

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  7. Anonymous11:55 AM

    Camp Hitaga and sewing: Inge was packing for a week at Hitaga. I said the clothes she takes may be lost so what do you want to take. All the shorts and tops that I sewed for her went to Hitaga. I didn't sew after that. The clothes all came back so no one else wanted them either. czb. :)

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  8. Anonymous12:34 PM

    So you are x-country skiers? When my kids were growing up, we'd go to WI or MN,(the Minneap zoo) we x-country'ed. WI had a mtn top with fireworks on New Years Eve. With Neubauers and Ertz's, Kirk/Linda Setzer. We sure had fun. And we were more fit then too.

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  9. Oh yes, cross country skiing in lower Michigan when we lived there and in the Porcupine Mts. in the UP. A beautiful place, to cross country ski through the Deer Yard. Stopped that years ago when the winter snow was less desirable and just not good for skiing anymore.

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