It's nice to read these stories. My parents never sewed, but my mom had a brownish-beigeish ?Singer? that sat tucked away in a cabinet in the dining room. I didn't even know she had it until I announced I wanted to make my own prom dress! I had taken Home Ec the year before, so I thought I could whip it up! Well, then I found out that my mom had some sewing skills, but she hates to sew. Well, no wonder, with her old neglected machine! So when I got into quilting last year, she had mentioned that she wanted this or that hemmed or patched, etc. So I gave her a new sewing machine and started showing her how to use it. I really need to sit with her and spend some time with it.