My First Sewing Machine

The brainwashing started when I was a little over a month old. Oh wait it can’t be brainwashing when you are that young can it? What’s the word that they use when they trick little goslings into believing that a dog is their mother? I have it, imprinting. OK so I didn’t quite believe that the sewing machine was my mother, but I sure do like them.

All joking aside there is a reasonable explanation. My grandmother, Nevilyn, had just purchased a new Singer sewing machine for herself. One of the incentives for making the purchase was that they would give you this little beauty. Well what was she supposed to do with it? At the time her only other grandchild was a boy. Can’t give a sewing machine to a boy can you? I was the lucky recipient.

When I was a bit older, about 3 or so, I remember it sitting up on a high shelf in my closet and every once in a while mom would take it down and show it to me. Then one day I got to use it. I might have been 4? I have a very clear memory of sitting out on the grass in the front yard and attempting to sew some clothes for my dolls. (The other thing I was imprinted with) But you had to be very careful pulling the fabric out from under the presser foot. This silly thing was a chain stitch machine and if you weren’t very careful you could easily pull all of the stitching out in less than a blink of an eye. In fact one of my brothers delighted in pulling out all of my stitching!

Thankfully that one has been replaced by other better and fancier machines. Machines where the stitching stays put for the most part.

The secret of a good memory is attention, and attention to a subject depends upon our interest in it. We rarely forget that which has made a deep impression on our minds. —Tryon Edwards

Postcards for ACS

They are done and ready to mail! These little buggers were fun to make and once again all the makings have come from my scrap box.


The pansies were bits from some kit type fabric that you were supposed to cut out and fuse to a T-shirt or a sweatshirt. Really not the type of thing that “I” would ever wear, but fused to some pretty leftover fabric and beaded, they look perfect. Hmm, maybe I will title them “Perfect Pink and Purple Pansy Postcards”.

Sticking with the purple and green theme I had going on here, I just had to give in and create something in one of my favorite images--fall leaves.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. —Albert Camus

Gone Fishing

Well isn’t that the sign they always put up in the window of those quaint little shops whenever the proprietor wants to close up and take care of other business?

Truth is, it isn’t all that far from reality. I have been fishing. In my scrap box that is. And I did catch at least one fish! I have been working on some postcards for Virginia’s FFAC that will be on sale at the IQF show in Houston.

In other news, another small piece that I donated to Ami Simms’ Priority Alzheimer’s Quilt Auction will also be for sale at IQF Houston. Take a look; it is titled “No Way Out” quilt number 272.

The other thing that I have been working on is my June and July Journal quilts which are also destined for the IQF show. June is done and work has begun on July. Yes, I know it is August, but I needed a tiny little break from the whole journal thing. I will catch up shortly.

Last year I went fishing with Salvador Dali. He was using a dotted line. He caught every other fish. —Steven Wright