“The RoseBouquet”

Way back after I graduated from high school I had a great yen to learn to sew and design my own clothes. So once I had a job I ordered a correspondence course in dress design and bought myself my first sewing machine. Between my shifts as a telephone operator I taught myself to sew. (Mom had announced long ago, that she didn’t know how to teach a lefty like me).

However, this is a skill that has become almost dormant the last few years. Except for sudden spurts of determination to make or mend something, it hasn’t happened much since I’ve focused on my online business ventures. Last year Dad gave me mom’s sewing machine and serger before he died. I set them up on the desk in my bedroom right under the window.

All through the winter I kept thinking, I need a new flannelette night gown; I’ve got that drawer full of flannelette my sister Elsie gave me when I was cleaning up her stuff - so all I need is time! One night, just before I went to bed I pulled out two pieces of fabric and laid them where they would be in the way, hoping that would inspire me to ‘fit in’ a quick sewing session. It didn’t. I found a cotton one and made do with that. I put away the fabric.

Now in spring it occurred to me that I really needed a light-weight knit night gown for the summer. I tried again; putting fabric where I could see it often and be reminded to get aroun’ to it!

Hurrah! Last week it was raining so I couldn’t dash out to work on the yard after supper. I decided that I’d work at cutting out and sewing as far as I could get in half an hour. Besides that, I’d found in the fabrics two outfits my sister Elsie had cut out, but never got to sewing up. I put these all on a pile on my desk, and I managed in one half hour session to get the knit night gown cut out and sewed up.

Saturday afternoon, after I was exhausted enough to sit down, I took to my recliner the gown that needed hemming around the arms’ eyes, and the green skirt Elsie had made which just needed hemming, and I also mended a skirt I’d made years ago, which just needed some repairs at the waist-band. Voila! Three items ready to wear!

Yesterday after supper I managed to get the pants sewn together, and hemmed the top to match Elsie’s skirt that I finished on Saturday. The pants still need finishing, and the other top needs to be sewn together, but I’m enjoying the thrill of some sewing progress!

Don’t you just love the thrill of finishing a project? You can bet I will now get the other items finished soon too.