Streams of consciousness, about my mama

I spent a little time updating my About section today and though I tried to keep it focused on the theme of this site, on sewing and working with others, I kept talking about my mom. I can hardly think of sewing without becoming nostalgic. It all comes back to my mom, to wanting to know all the things she knows, do all the things she knows how to do. Every object she touched, cared for or made was better for it. I remember thinking that she knew everything, in the best way. I wanted to be able to do that, too. She made being smart, knowledgeable and fastidious the bar by which I set my life goals. Learn to do something new, learn it well, build on it. She taught me to sew on the same machine she’d made my baby clothes on.

A few years ago I found a Kenmore Zig-Zagger of my own. It just felt like the right machine. I told her I was interested in finding a Singer Featherweight and after she and my stepdad found one at auction, she wanted one of her own. Now we both have Kenmores and both have featherweights and spend 70% of our calls talking about our current projects in progress.

I visited home for a few days last month over my birthday and we began a collaborative project; she’s been picking up hand-embroidery and I asked if she would be willing to do something for me. I thread traced out the shirt front piece of my favorite shirt pattern. We found images online to start creating the motifs and she gave me guidance on what would work and what wouldn’t. She walked me through the transfer process and making sure the embroidery would sit in the right place on the body. I love the finished shirt so much! Even in the planning stages I knew this would be an heirloom and started thinking about what I would do if/when I no longer want to wear the shirt. I want to preserve this object that we both handled so much, that bears our labor of love.

She’s precious and I love her and I am so grateful she’s my mama.