Whew, what a day. A beautiful day of sunshine (still cold, brrrr) and I’m taking pictures by moonlight.
This will be a short one. I need to get some beauty sleep for my second and final Palmer/Pletsch class tomorrow.
I’m finishing off Giveaway Week with a bang:
- My FreeSpirit rep had an extra set of Tina Givens Fairy Tip Toes panels. There are three here which I’ll split up to share the love. Long story on why the fabric is not in my shop but I adore this collection and was very tempted to just stash these away for myself!
- Moda is an awesome company all the way around. They also make really fantastic promotional materials. I’ve got a bag, 3 sets of charm squares (Bunkhouse, Urban Indigo by Fig Tree Quilts, & Simplicity by 3 Sisters), and a promotional tissue carrier.
- The pattern line up includes Stepping Up & Butterfly Town by Tracy Brookshier of Bento Box fame, Melly & Me Binky, Artichoke Collection Scrap Box, Indygo Junction Yo-Yo-Dachsund, two Pillowcase Pattern Cards by Valori Wells, and the new Amy Butler Domestic Goddess Aprons.
To sweeten the pot I’m throwing in $10 gift certificates to the shop for 10 lucky winners. I’ll draw those names from everyone that has played along and commented this week. The responses to the quilt book giveaway really got to me. I’ve savored every last one. So many thoughtful and touching reasons for your favorite blocks. And the ones related to grandmothers! (I have a whole post worth of thoughts on that, insert tears now).
To be eligible for today’s prizes leave a comment telling me how you learned to sew.
I was six years old when my grandmother taught me to hand sew. I quickly graduated to the treadle machine. I can still smell the scent of the cedar drawers she stored her fabric in. She rolled all her remnants, wrapped a piece of paper around them with the yardage recorded, and secured the paper with a pin. I would go through the drawer and look at each one like they were gold. Guess I’ve finally gotten around to doing what I was always meant to do in my life.
So, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite. See you all on Monday with the list of winners!
I taught myself to sew and to crochet.
Thanks for the great contest!!
As fas as I can remember, my mom taught me how to sew. She’s an elementary school teacher and when I was in daycare she sometimes let me come over to her class (from the neighboring building) for the day’s craft lesson. So I learned to hand sew and later when I started school, I also learned how to use a sewing machine.
I learned to sew from my mother. She had five children, and there was never a lot of money floating around, but I don’t think that had anything to do with her passion for sewing. She made clothes for herself, clothes for me, curtains, table cloths, pillow covers — her handiwork was all around our house. She had three footlockers that were dedicated to her sewing stuff, and I spent many a happy Saturday afternoon with her at the fabric store, acquiring the contents of those footlockers — patterns, fabric, interfacing, lining material, buttons, zippers, hooks, thread. I don’t even remember how old I was when she first helped me make a garment for myself — I’m guessing around eleven or twelve. Long before that, I would hang around while she was cutting her patterns, and follow her into her sewing room, and ask questions about notches and darts, flat feld seams, fitting sleeves into armholes, and turning waistbands. She totally encouraged my love of fabric, and she taught me not just the skills of sewing but the pleasure of making something with your own hands. I am a quiltmaker and these days I hardly ever make clothes for myself — but my own home is decorated with curtains and pillowcovers and tablecloths that I have made myself — sometimes from the contents of those footlockers, which I inherited when my mom died.
My mom taught me to sew when I was very little, but I foolishly gave it for many years. I started to sew again last February, and I’m loving it. Thanks so much for having this giveaway:)
I would always watch my grandmother cutting her fabric for clothes or for a quilt, then I would watch her sew the pieces together. She never got angry when I would ask too many questions and would let me “help” sometimes. My grandmother taught me to sew when I was probably about 9. She taught me to sew simple clothes for my Barbie doll. Together we made dresses, skirts, tops and a blanket and pillow for her bed. When I was comfortable with the basic straight stitch and with using her ancient sewing machine, I was ready to try sewing my own clothes. It was because of my grandma’s patience and love that I’ve been sewing for myself all these years and then for my daughters. I can’t wait to teach my oldest daughter how to sew. Even after all these years, I still love to sew and I think of my grandmother fondly each time I sit in front of the sewing machine. I know she’s smiling down on me.
My mom sewed most of our clothes when we were younger and watching her it seemed so easy. My first attempts at around age six were doll clothing and I remember feeling terribly frustrated because they did not turn out as I had expected. I stuck with it though and by high school was making many of my own clothes. My proudest moment back then was when one of the “popular girls” asked where I’d gotten a particular skirt and I told her that I’d made it. She wanted me to make her one too and soon I had several other orders from other girls.
In my college years I sort of gave up sewing but in my late twenties rediscovered my love of sewing when friends and eventually myself started having babies to sew for.
I learned to sew at 10 by taking a 4-H project. I will never forget the horrid thing. We had to make an elastic waist gathered full skirt and a 36 inch square fringed scarf to match. I chose bright red broadcloth and it was HORRID. Luckily my mother made all our own clothes and I realized there was life beyond that horrid project and by jr. High was making all my own clothes too.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I learned to sew from my mother. I also took Home Economics in school. Those of you my age will remember that class. My mother has always sewen and I caught the bug from her. I learned on her treadmill sewing machine from Sears. I sewed a lot of my children’s clothes when they were young and now I sew mostly quilts.
I learned to sew from my aunt. My early accomplishments included clothes for my Barbie doll. I was a slapdash sewer then – eager for the final product, not so worried about my seam width. I’m a bit more careful now!
I grew up watching my mom to sew……everything. It is one of my strongest childhood memories – walking in the door from school and seeing her at her machine in the dining room. What a comfort it was. She made clothes, costumes, reupholstered, you name it. I’m hoping to pass that on to my girls …. nowhere near the talent or volume yet – but we’re working on it.
I learned to sew first from the neighbor lady across the street, then in 7th grade home ec. I haven’t stopped since.
I learned hand sewing/mending from my mother. But I was fascinated by her friend’s sewing machine. One Christmas Santa brought be a little plastic sewing machine and I was over the moon.
It didn’t stick until 8th grade when I took home ec. I got a real sewing machine for Christmas that year!
I did not take up sewing until after my grandmother had passed. I think I was intimidated by her expertise. I took a sewing class in Jr. high and we made a t-shirt. I was so mortified with my results that it was 20 years before I touched another sewing machine. I so wish I could have all the advice I know she would have given me. Everytime I look up how to sew something it reminds me of what I missed out on!
Love your blog,
Jody
I first learned to sew in High School and wasn’t too interested, more frustrated than anything. After my first son was born I sewed up some receiving blankets and simple items. Over the years I developed an interest in quilts and have been hooked….I love piecing fabric together to make something beautiful and useful. I am expanding my horizons and making totes and more things for around the house. It’s wonderful to look around the home and see items made with love and care. I’ve been enjoying your blog for some time and really appreciate all your tips and awesome posts. Blessings, Heather
I come from a long line of sewers. Both of my grandmothers clothed their children, one entirely on a treadle sewing machine because she lives in a tiny village in Mexico with no electricity! But it was my mom who taught me how to sew, starting off by hand, making pillows and blankets for my dolls. I remember looking thru her scrap bags & boxes, looking for the shiniest, fanciest bits. But my favorite lesson-related memories have to be listening to her heavy Gingher scissors cutting through fabric – the sound was so soothing. Just this past birthday I got my first pair of Ginghers from my spouse – a truly thoughtful and treasured gift!
Not sure if it’s too late. I learned to sew when I was little (my mom would sew us our halloween costumes and outfits from time to time, including a prairie girl dress for a play I was in!) and we took a sewing class at a local store. Then I didn’t sew again until last year when I took a class at the local adult ed center which was great. Even then it wasn’t until recently that I really got into sewing, but this time it was because we just had a baby–now things are back to normal and there’s too many great fabrics out there!
I was raised in the microwave generation where nobody had time in our family to actually *make* something-it was way too much work! Ever since I got married I’ve been into DIY projects and when I had two daughters and found out I was pregnant with a third little girl I started looking at the fabulous world of girls boutique clothing online that I could NEVER afford I thought to myself, “You know, I bet I could make that!” So I asked for a sewing machine that I was gifted for Mothers’ Day almost two years ago and with the help of google and that lovely word “tutorial” I’ve scoured the internet looking for lessons on how to get started sewing. Actually, your water bottle carrier was one of the first things I bought the materials to go out and make!!! So I guess I taught myself with the help of Google University and thoughtful bloggers who have posted valuable tutorials along the way.
I learned to sew by watching my mom, aunts and grand-mother sew. The very first thing I ever sewed was a small bib for one of my cousins. I sewed it by hand using scraps of fabric and yarn en embroydered a small duck on it. But I only go my own machine ten years ago at age 26, after having my sun because I wanted to sew for him.
when i was young, my grandma gave me one of those preprinted kits for making barbie clothes….between my mom and my grandma, i learned a little bit about sewing (i could mostly sew straight lines – think potholders) but when i was pregnant with my second baby, i finally was able to take real sewing lessons…my grandma was always going to teach me (she was wonderful – she always made our halloween costumes and baby and doll clothes) but she never got to before she passed away) and i know she would be so happy to see me sewing now
Both my Mom & my Grandmothers did a lot of sewing …so i guess i grew up knowing the language. However in eighth grade i had home ec and made a lovely pair of colottes (sp), apron and a bag…and i’ve been going ever since!
Don’t know if it’s too late, but I’m going to chime in anyway. I learned to sew thanks to a wonderful ex-boss who, as luck would have it, was also a quilter! It was my first exposure to quilting as well as sewing–I’ll be eternally grateful to her and to our small quilting bee, meeting once weekly to watch “American Idol” or some other nonsense, enjoy one another’s company, and sew! Thanks for the trip down memory lane…
The classic way – creative mama. One of my first projects was a tunic made with fabric I batik-ed myself, lots of orange-brown turtles. I was sooo proud.
My sweet grandmother instilled my love of sewing. She used to make most of my clothes for me. I would get a big box of spring clothes for my birthday in April. I remember she would make me try things on to see if they would fit, but I couldn’t look!
She would sit me down at her treadle machine and we would make Barbie clothes together. I have a little business making bags and accessories – I recently used a treadle machine and felt pangs in my heart – I felt like that 8-year old girl at Grandma’s machine.
I really enjoy your blog and your style!
Robin
I think that I was 7 or 8 when my mom enrolled me in a summer sewing class – we learned to make a nine-patch pillow! The pillow is likely long gone, but 18 years later, I’m still sewing and making quilts, clothes and anything else that strikes my fancy – I actually sew more than she does now. I’m so grateful that she decided that I should learn to sew.
Abby
How did I miss the rest of the giveaway days? My mom taught me to sew on a machine when I was about 8 years old. One of my first projects was a pin cushion that was just recently replaced by one I made her last mother’s day. (I’m 42!) My favorite memories of sewing were when my grandmother would move her dining room table, get out her quilt frame and my grandmother, great-grandmother, mom, aunt and the cousins would do some quilting/tying. I am so grateful for those generational ties.
My mother taught me to sew by hand and then on the machine when I was about 9 or 10. I had a not-so-positive experience in Home Ec. trying to make a wallet with lots of bias tape. After that, I gave up trying to sew for a long time. I picked it up again four years ago and figured most of it out myself with help from Mom.
i learned to sew in a high school home-ec class. sad but true. my mom was not crafty at all but my grandmother was.
I learned to sew when I was ten and my mom helped me pick out a pattern and fabric for a pair of shorts and a top. I grew before I finished them, so my mom had to extend the length of both with a black stripe so my stomach wouldn’t stick out the bottom.
my mother-in-law taught me to sew when i was 21 and pregnant and wanted to make my own crib skirt and bumper
I sort of learned to sew on my own…growing up, my mother made clothes; for me and my brother and also herself (but I don’t think for my dad). But by the time I would have been interested in sewing, she pretty much was buying all the clothes for our family. She did buy me a few embroidery kits (which I LOVED doing) and my aunt taught me how to crochet and knit but no sewing. I really didn’t get into sewing until I was about 25-26 years old (1995-96!) and I asked my mother for her 1970′s singer. I got it refurbished and tuned up and when I finally went kaput last year, I got a viking (with an INCREDIBLE buttonholer!!!!!). I also knit quite a lot and it has helped that have a bit of sewing knowleged when finishing sweaters. I usually don’t do anything more complicated than straight seams, but I do want to start making shirts for myself!