nana2

Sewing seemed to just happen in our family, really out of necessity; and for a long time it was possible to make your own clothes for $$$$$$ less than the ready made ones. Also, I was tall and skinny and found it hard to buy clothes that fit (none small enough). That all changed with middle age. LOL As a child my dresses were made from feed sacks, our dish towels were made from white flour sacks. (Still have some of the ones my mother made for me from my grandmother's stash -- dish towels that is) Pillow cases were made from some of the white flour sacks, as well as the printed feed sacks and the kids were taught various ways to decorate the hemed area. One of my fondest memories is a day when my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother (and of course, me) made aprons. Great-grandma was having a difficult time seeing the eye of her needle to thread it. She came to my mother with needle and thread in hand asking for help. Well being the industrious 3 year old, I told her I could see the eye of the needle and could thread the needle for her. She had her doubts, but turned the needle and thread over to me and watched as I threaded up the needle and handed it back to her. That was my job in the apron making project for the rest of the day. That was more than 60 years ago and I still LOVE to have fabric in hand and now hear the hum of the sewing machine instead of the pumping/bumping of the old treadle on which I learned. My mother did not own an electric sewing machine until after I graduated from high school. I was able to advise her on the purchase of that machine and now have that machine and on ocassion still sew on it. Actually my FM looks much neater on that machine than my fancy ones. This is the only sewing machine she ever bought (the treadle was given to her) and she took care of it like a very precious and rare tool. Thru the years my sewing skills have improved greatly; this can be attributed to all the tools we now have as well as all of the teachers who have T.V. shows that demo so many techniques as well as all of the good info available on this board. I now make more quilting projects, but grandkids are wanting something towear that nana has made. This will be a good thing this Christmas with the economy as it now is. My generation was green before we knew what being green would some day come to mean. (LOL) I guess those of you who have read all of this post now know that asking me about sewing is as dangeous as asking a grandmother if she has pictures of her grand children. LOL

BrendaK

:D Ah come on 50 is not old it's middle age. I will be 70 soon and I don't feel like it's old.(Well... most of the time I don't feel old). Age is just a number. I have been sewing for a long time, can't remember when I started. Like many here my mother sewed clothes for the kids (5 of us). Started 4-H when I was young. Sewed there. So I have been at it a long time. Did take breaks. Always felt better when I started sewing again. It's such a creative outlet. BrendaK

mhollifiel

When I was 9 or 10, Mama threaded her treadle and put me to hemming dish towels. My paternal grandmother gave me some scraps to start a quilt but, since she and Mama worked at cross purposes (to put it mildly), I never got to put it together at home.
My undergraduate degree is in home ec ed but I never taught it a day much to my parents' disdain. However, I pointed out to them that I used it every day of my life none the less.
So, been sewing for half a century plus and quilting since I needed to put the sewing scraps accumulated to some good use, I started finally piecing quilt tops. Mama supported this and helped me find folks to quilt and bind my tops in our rural section of the south. I didn't have time, space, or inclination for that part since, back then, that was the HAND work . . . my least favorite part. Thanks to the TV "pioneers" and PBS, I have ventured on and still love piecing the old patterns and scrappy quilts. My favorite people in the world are longarmers!
My late DH was my cheerleader and, when I lost him I could not quilt. I met current DH who sends me back into fabric stores because I haven't bought "enough" so, as you can see, I am back to quilting every day I can with my new cheerleader. Two magnificent men, great kids too and fabric to quilt. God has blessed me beyond all imagining!

Treasureit

I started in HomeEc, but I watched my mother sew beautiful clothes for us. She helped me make a suit for my sisters wedding with lining! I was so proud of that that I continued to sew. That was in the 1960s. I made bell bottoms for my 2 year old son because the patterns didn't come that way. I didn't sew much for about 10-15 years in between though. Now it is my escape from boredom and a way to express myself!

grammy17

Thank you for posting this. It is so interesting to read how everyone came to our craft.

I had a neighbor from Germany many years ago. She sewed all of her clothes for work--she was a banker --so suits and blouses. I asked if her mother taught her to sew. She said, "No, during the war my mother had only one needle and she kept it carefully. We would be in real trouble if we touched it. She used that needle for all the family sewing."

I think of all the needles I have and that woman. I am so spoiled.

onthemove

I started with needlepoint. The boring continental stitch was mundane and the wool was itchy. I walked into a shop one day and found out there were a million new stitches being done and threads were infinite. However there are just so many pictures and pillows you can make before they stack up in the drawer just "done". sooo onto counted cross stitch, knitting, a bit of crocheting and then the kids came along. vHalloween costumes made me a REAL Mom. But I'm not good at clothing so I drifted to quilts. No pleats, gather, sleeves or waistbands. AND... EVERYONE wants one so I get to just keep going!

BettyGee

As far back as I can actually say I remember would be about age ten when making clothes for my doll was so much fun. When my son was born I started making him pajamas and then more and more. Anything to do with a needle and thread has always fascinated me. Quilting didn't hit me until around 30 years ago and I have to say it has become a passion. There is just something about working with patterns and fabric that is calming. Right now I'm trying to teach myself how to do paper piecing. I have a new admiration for anyone who does PP. I like it very much, but just when I think I've got it and stitch the seam - well I'm just glad I have a very good seam ripper.

Grace MooreLinker

Well I think I was born to sew. My Mother taught me at the age of 5 how to sew scrapes together for her on a tredle singer machine. I'm retired after 35 years full time working.
I would not trade that sewing time every. I have made clothes for any one that wanted them , have 5 girls sewed for them until they were grown, now they get quilts from me. the 2 sons love my quilts also. I can loose the time of day very easy at the sewing machine. thanks for sharing your storeies,

lillybeck

I started sewing at 14 and that was 50 years ago. I used to make all the kids clothes and mine and even their coats and such. I started quilting about 46 years ago and I learned to crosstitch about 2o years ago. I am still not great at that. All in all I aqm probably a better seamstress than anything else but my quilting is getting better.

OmaForFour

I cross stitched for 30 years and then switched to quilting although I still have a lot of cross stitched stuff I could do here. I also love hardanger.

I have been sewing since 7th grade and I am 72 yo. Lately I have only done one sewing project which was 6 skirts -- 3 each for my GD and her BF.

However, I did make all my own clothes when I was young, made my wedding dress (full length satin) and my trousseau. Made loads of clothes for my girls including Little House on the Prairie outfits for several occasions.

Out of it all, I love quilting the most.