Sewing

I forgot that I like to sew.  I'm not very good at it.  Like many of my pursuits, I'm half-assed about it, but it doesn't matter.  What's important is that I do these things.  Creative endeavors keep me sane.

My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was very young.  Nanny was an accomplished seamstress, and as the story goes, she was known as a fashion plate when she worked in New York City almost a century ago.  She was very proud of that label, and so was I.  Nanny lived in an apartment in the basement of our house, and I spent more time there with her than I did upstairs.  Until I outgrew dolls, we devoted a lot of time to sewing doll clothes, first for my Ginny doll, then my Bubble Cut Barbie.  Even Ken got some hand-sewn Hawaiian shirts before I put my dolls away and started pursuing real boys.  (I still have these dolls and their wardrobes.)

It was standard, back in my school days, for boys to take Shop in 7th and 8th grade while the girls took Home Ec.  Nobody questioned this obviously sexist mandate.  I have vivid memories of visiting the little department store on Main Street to purchase Simplicity patterns, yards of fabric, and notions, which was another word for thread, buttons, zippers and the like.  Once past the apron project, we were allowed to sew whatever we desired.  I tackled a fitted "jumper" in mint green.  It had darts, a zipper, and other complications, but I persevered.  Although I was only in 7th grade, I won the Home Ec. Award at that year's 8th grade graduation.  I was a protege!

And then, of course, my attention was diverted from sewing to boys.  (I must have thought that you can't have both.)

But I was always grateful that I had a basic understanding of how to sew.  I wonder if it is a lost art these days?  My kids, both girls and boy, were introduced to sewing in middle school, but I think those programs are gone now, as technology has taken over the non-academic time.

Sam, visiting here for a brief time, asked me to sew some patches on a backpack and repair a rip in his ski jacket, so I got out my needle and thread.  And then I remembered about sewing.  I'm on my third project now, a desk chair cushion in recycled plum fabric.  I feel like a caricature of myself, sitting in front of the fire, sewing.  I am somewhat redeemed by the fact that I am listening to Spoon and Cracker and Modest Mouse while sewing.

It's nice to fall in love with simple things.