Old Dog...

New Tricks...

When I was young, even young in my 30s, I didn't sew more than a button or a hem. And those tasks would takes weeks of planning and prep. Then children happened. All girls, all wanting to know how to sew. It's like a light bulb that flashes on. They learned to talk, walk, knit, and now they want to sew. Being a tomboy, in my younger years all I wanted was to dig a hole to China in my friend's backyard. This concept of wanting to know how to sew is new.

Oh, my mom, grandmother and several home ec teachers all tried, and for the most part failed, except for the button and hem parts -- I did learn that.

Even so, I've had a sewing machine or two my whole adult life. My mother, the expert sewer, quilter, said, "Get one, they come in handy." She'd never steered me wrong before...

Right now in this house I have two. One in the attic firmly attached to a sewing table that takes the Hulk to move, and a portable, (including case), I picked up one day while shopping one of those huge warehouse stores. And when it snows, and we have a snow day, the sewing fairy visits my children and whispers gently in their ears, "Wouldn't it be nice to spend the entire day sewing a quilt, a pillow, a blanket, an anything... just so it is sewing." With sleep nods of their heads they agree and their snow day is set. And so is mine.

We spent the majority of yesterday sewing. The young one is making a quilt of squares, the older one two stuff animals and a blanket. Quietly and with patience we all worked together. Sharing the scissors, the iron, the pins, the machine. It was only when I realized my eyes were crossing from watching the needle do it's up and down dance, that I suggested we go sledding. Reluctantly they went. They might even admit they had fun.

This morning the sewing was back out again. One more stuffed animal is in the works and all the quilt squares are laid out waiting to be sewn. Hopefully we won't have to wait for another snow day.