I Am A Seamstress - Rediscovering the Sewing Machine

I grew up in the 50’s, when a little girl spent time learning all the homemaker skills.  I could prepare a pork roast, I could crochet an edging on a handkerchief, I could sew drapes, I could plant vegetables and deadhead roses.  

When I was in the 5^th grade, my mother took me to a Cuyahoga Falls, to the Singer Sewing Machine store where I took sewing lessons and made my first dirndl skirt.  In 1960 I purchased my first Singer Sewing Machine and it served me well.  In addition to my own clothes, I also made outfits for my little boys every Easter, 

Easter 1970 - Michael and Joey in matching handmade sport coats!

curtains for every window in my house and Halloween costumes!  But the years passed and my Singer Sewing machine gathered dust in the storeroom.

Then, about 3 months ago, my brother, Fred, was trying to sell his mother-in-law's sewing machine, a Husqvarna Viking Freesia 425.  So even though I don’t sew anymore, I decided to donate my old Singer to the Salvation Army and buy this more modern machine.  I put the Husqvarna in the storeroom and forgot about it.

Enter my son Marc, in September...  "Mom, is it possible for you to make a Green Goblin costume for Gino for Halloween.  He wants to be the Green Goblin and we can't find a costume online or in the Halloween stores.  Here is a picture of what he should look like."  Of course, my answer as the mother who can do anything, is... “of course, let me work on it.”

A week and four trips to Joann's later, here is the plan.  Charlotte is getting a green long sleeve shirt and green leggings and the mask.  I am making the gloves, boot covers, the tunic and the hat.  

I set up the new Husquvarna in the office.  I find a 45 minute video on YouTube that introduces me, step by step, to my new machine.  Simple patterns for the items were easily found online.  And within about 4 days, to quote Gino, “I DID IT!”

Gino trying on his finished costume.

A week later, enter Marc..."Mom, the Green Goblin needs a messenger bag to wear across his body."  I suggested he use a small cross-body plain purse I have and Marc responded in no uncertain terms!  “NO.  That's a PURSE...he needs a plain messenger bag.”

Another trip to Joann's to buy heavy brown fleece and we have a messenger bag.  Mima fullfils her promise, Gino is happy, and Marc has nothing more to say.

 

Gino on Halloween - front view

Back View - note cross-body Messenger Bag!

But Mima is experiencing an itch.  That was kind of fun.  I wonder what else I could make?  The internet is full of ideas. What about Jessie?  I have never had a little girl to sew for.  I spend a few? hours on Pinterest.  Do you know how many free patterns for little girl's clothing are "out there?"  I download a few.

I make another trip to Joann's and I discover the remnant bin!  AND they are 50% off.  AND there is a lovely pattern of little snowmen and Christmas is coming.

The dress is darling...but it needs some matching bloomers.  And then what about a matching headband.

Another trip to Joann's and some elastic is purchased and the items are made.

 

Jessie's Pinafore Dress/Top can also be worn over a onsie and with leggings!

I save all my remnants neatly folded on my closet shelf.  It is growing and waiting for the next project. (Will this end up taking over my yarn stash?)

Returning to the craft of sewing reminds me of just how wonderful it is to enter the world of creativity.  Whether it is knitting a sweater, painting a picture, planting a garden, baking a cake, or even writing a blog post…when my hands pick up something that is seemingly ordinary and I begin to make something new with it, I enter a different world. I am in the flow.  

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defines “flow” as a state of heightened focus and blissful immersion.  There is a focus that causes time to disappear.  I forget myself, my anxieties, my "shoulds" and "oughts" and I just FLOW as if I am a part of something larger. And when I exit “the FLOW” I am left with this wonderful clarity and sense of being refreshed!  It is a gift I give myself.

At the moment I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude to the women in my life who shared their skills with me.  First of all, to my mother as my role model, who let me cook alongside her, let me participate every Christmas when she painted a large holiday mural on our living-room window, and who sewed all my dancing costumes.  

Patricia about 8 years old - Tap Dancing Costume

Then to my Grandmother, Frances who taught me to crochet and to love to get my hands into the dirt of the garden.  To my friends, "The Achrems" - Janette and Resi, who taught me how to knit when I was a young woman expecting my first child.  All of these dear women shared their skills, their crafts, and their love with me.  And it is the gift that keeps on giving!  I look to Jessie Patricia and hope that in the future, I can pass along some of this along to her.

But right now, I have a slight problem... I am experiencing a little itch! I think I have fallen down a rabbit hole!  On to Pinterest!

I Am A Day-Tripper – An Afternoon in Malaga Cove

Jay and I enjoy our little home in PV Shores so much that we can easily stay within the park for days at a time.  So, yesterday with a shining sun, a beautiful ocean and a gentle breeze, I convinced Jay we needed to go on an outing to Malaga Cove!  As we drove along the coast, the streams of people hiking along the trails were a testament to the Palos Verdes Peninsula scenic beauty. 

I have been attending a weekly gathering of artists and heard of the Summer Art Show at Malaga Cove. My plan was to go, to look and to learn from the art of others.   

I was excited to find my new friend, artist Georgeann, displaying many of her wonderful works.   

Jay was not as excited as I, so I released him to go find a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich while I continued to browse.

On our way back to the car, we spotted a sign and Jay’s breathing began to quicken. A Book Sale at the Malaga Cove Library!  

 So we browsed and he bought.

 

On the way home we stopped by La Venta Inn for a moment of silent pause as we remembered our wonderful wedding here 16 years ago. (sigh)

 

We both returned home quite satisfied with our outing.

TOPIC SHIFT!

I have just finished reading the book, Being Mortal by Atul Gawande.  

It was not a fun read, to be reminded of my ultimate mortality and the reality of aging.  But interestingly enough, I was so glad I read it and was left with a sense of optimism, increased understanding and acceptance.  

One quote that resonated with me was “how we seek to spend our time may depend on how much time we perceive ourselves to have.”  When was young and in my prime, I felt like I would live forever.  There was plenty of time to do all the things I wanted to do.  But now, while I still enjoy an active life, I am aware of my horizon.  As I attend funeral services for my peers, I hear the bell tolling.  While I truly hope I have many more years to enjoy life, I am aware that my future is finite and it is uncertain.  Life can change in an instant.  

There is good news in this!  My perspective is shifting; my focus and values are realigning.   

I cannot waste precious time being upset, carrying a grudge, nursing a perceived slight.  

I cannot waste precious time proving that I am right about every little opinion.   

I am learning that “no” is a complete sentence and I do not have to DO everything.   

I give myself time to just BE rather than Do.  

I find I am choosing differently…focusing on the here and now, to everyday pleasures, doing things that I enjoy and being with people who fill my soul, my family and friends, the people closest to me.

Everytime I write a blog post, I am amazed at how it writes itself and where it takes me.  This was to be a post about a short outing and it ends up being a philosophical blurb about life.  In the end, it doesn’t even matter if I actually post it.  Just writing it has been a gift to me.

Now, I think I will pick up my paintbrush and see if I can add to that view of Catalina Island from my deck!

I Am A Communicator - Speaking A Universal Language

Two strangers meet under a lamppost at the entrance path to a bridge crossing the river.  The first to arrive folds a copy of the International Times newspaper with the date visible and tucks it under his left arm.  The second arrives quickly, wearing a blue stripped scarf and carrying a book showing the title, "The Old Man and the Sea."  After looking over her shoulder furtively, she says in a quiet voice, "The tulips are blooming in Amsterdam."  He responds, "I especially like the red ones."  A connection is made.  They can trust each other.  Communication and exchange can begin.

During our auto trip to Napa Valley last week Jay and I listened to the recent best-selling book by Daniel Kahneman,  Thinking, Fast and Slow.  A fascinating book, it discusses the author's research on the two ways of thinking that each of us possesses, the fast (intuitive and emotional) system and the slow (rational and logical) system and how these systems come into play in everyday decision-making and responding to life's events.  One aspect he covered was how we quickly size up a stranger to decide...is this person friend or foe?  He claims we have an intuitive way of recognizing facial characteristics that tell us if we are safe with this person.  I claim that in addition to our eyes, we can use our ears...and listen for a "universal" language.

Case in point!  I had made a list of places to visit on our trip that included, in addition to wineries, bookstores and farmers markets, any local yarn shops.  I enjoy purchasing a skein of locally spun and dyed yarn from a trip and knitting an item with it that will recall the memory of the trip for me.  In the town of Napa I entered such a shop called Yarns on First.

I was working my way to the back where the yarns were displayed in their little cubby holes

when I heard an elegantly-dressed woman ask the salesperson, "Do you happen to carry Madelinetosh DK?" My ears perked up.  She said "Madelinetosh"... every knitter knows what special yarn this is...kind of like the Mercedes-Benz of yarns...lush, soft, beautiful colors and $$$.  This woman is a true knitter.

I approached her.  I looked at her face and she watched me come closer.  When I reached her, I stopped and said, "What is on your needles now?"  Her face lit up and she quickly went on to tell me about the delicate little cardigan with a lacy edging that she was making for a niece.  She described the pattern and told me where she got it.  She said "Ravelry" another key word in the universal language of knitting.  Every knitter worth her merino is a member of this online knitting community website.  I told her about the Baby Surprise Jacket I often made for little ones.  YES! She had heard of this pattern and also the name of the designer, Elizabeth Zimmermann.   We continued in this vein, sharing ideas and preferences, speaking familiar words.  About 15 minutes later I left the store with a skein of hand-dyed local yarn from Sincere Sheep called Agleam.

It is a blend of washable merino and tencel, in a soft red shade with a slight sheen, named Gung Hay Fat Choy!  There is enough yardage to knit a lace shawl that will have a lovely drape.

Even more wonderful than discovering a universal language of a common interest, is sharing it with another person.  So, an added bonus to the knitting aspect of my trip was beginning to teach our niece, Jayne, how to knit.  She patiently learned how to execute one stitch, a knit, as I spoke of "working yarn," "tension," "front leg of the stitch" and "run around the tree" of wrapping the yarn around the needle.

I look forward to some day in the future, when my shawl is completed, and I casually toss it around my shoulders, and am transported back to Napa, CA, recalling the new friend I made by communicating in the universal language of knitters. 

I will end with some knitting humor that I found on an interesting blog, The Panopticon:

I Am a Knitter - The Slipt-Stitch Knitting Guild

One benefit of exploring new activities in retirement is the constant possibility of making a new friend.  I have been fortunate that my life has been filled with vibrant people who have expanded my experience of life and been there to stand with me when life threw me curves.  As circumstances change, the frequency of our interactions may lessen but it doesn't lessen the appreciation I have for their impact on my life as I pass through my various seasons.

One friend I made in our Learning-in-Retirement organization also happened to be a very accomplished knitter. As I would watch her creating the most interesting, fascinating designs I found myself drawn to trying new ideas in my own knitting.  And like most knitters, Monika was always eager to share her expertise. She suggested I might be interested in the local Slipt-Stitch Knitting Guild and invited me to attend as her guest.  I was expecting to see maybe 10 little old ladies sitting in a circle, their laps draped with afghans in progress.  I was amazed to find this room packed with at least 70 women (and 1 man) of all ages sitting at long rows of tables.

Yes, they were knitting as they talked but their laps were filled with exotic yarns and colors, fingers working intricate patterns.

Where did these people come from?  As I lurked in the background and listened I heard them talking about conferences, workshops, trunk shows, dropping names of knitting celebrities...famous fiber experts and knit designers.  After a short business meeting, members participated in a "Show and Share," exhibiting recently finished projects, explaining the pattern and the yarn.  Items that made me want to run right to the nearest yarn shop to try to duplicate it.  Talk about motivation!

The last half of the meeting was a program where some knitting technique was taught to the group...usually by one of the members.  In addition to monthly meetings this group does other things, like knit for charity, walk in marathons like "Race for the Cure," knit in public by meeting at a park, or a mall, or even on a boat for an afternoon of conversation and knitting and showing the world that knitting does not have to be a clandestine activity!

Since joining the Guild I have expanded my own knitting skills and am less afraid to try something new, like my recent baby sweater.

What I have learned from this experience is that for whatever floats your boat...there is a group of like-minded people who share your interest and that you can join.  There is a knitting underground...just like there is a tango underground, a Learning-in-Retirement underground, a gardening underground and a wine-lovers underground.  Birds of a feather DO flock together and following what interests you provides an entree into a new group of friends.  No one has to be lonely.  Life does not have to be boring and one-dimensional.  All I have to do is step out the door and follow my interest.

I Am a Knitter - The Baby Surprise Jacket

My maternal grandmother first put a crochet hook in my hand around the age of 9 and taught me to crochet edging on a handkerchief.  Crocheting is a craft that Italian woman have handed down to daughters and granddaughters for generations. 

Sicilian women - photo by Jann Huizenga

Never having idle hands, they would gather together in courtyards and around kitchen tables, fingers flying as they crafted edges for pillowcases, doilies for furniture and even potholders, while they talked. My hope chest and those of my cousins were filled with these items. While I knew how, I didn't use the skill until I was older, but the appreciation of doing something useful with my hands and creating something unique was within me.

When I was expecting my first child, two dear friends taught me the basics of knitting.  I began to make what seemed to me to be more practical items such as sweaters, scarves, and afghans for my sons and other family members.

Grandson Nikolas - age 4

Over the years I have continued to find comfort, meditation, relaxation and accomplishment in knitting.

I recall a time when my young son was watching me knit and finally said..."Gosh Mom, you are making that out of a just a string!"  And it is true...a ball of yarn, a ball of string, a couple of needles and a pattern and the result can be a work of art.

Since we began using a DVR, enabling us to record TV shows to watch at a later time, our television watching has changed and increased.  To keep my hands busy so they aren't reaching for chips I like to have a knitting project at hand.  My friend, Monika, introduced me to the most clever pattern I have ever worked.  It is called the Baby Surprise Jacket and was designed by knitting guru, Elizabeth Zimmermann.  It is available from Schoolhouse Press or possibly a local yarn shop.  The pattern is worked all in one piece so there are no separate fronts, back and sleeves.

When it is finished, you just fold it in a unique manner and voila! you have a sweater that only needs the stitching of the shoulder to be complete.

Once the seams are sewn, add buttons, maybe an edging or a collar and it is done!

Once I mastered the pattern, it became a mindless task and I am able to complete one very quickly.  As with every new interest, once it hit my radar screen, I discovered a veritable underground of Baby Surprise Jacket knitters throughout the world who communicate through discussion lists, youtube videos, knitting websites like Ravelry.com and forums...all sharing their ideas for this pattern.

One problem I have is that in this chapter of my life, I know very few people who are expecting babies or have little ones who could use a sweater.  So, I knit for charity and donate my sweaters to various groups that give the items to mothers in need.  This latest one is going to my cousin, Dee, in Ohio who participates in such an organization.  What I love most is that as I am knitting any item, I am thinking of the recipient, so my thoughts, hopes and dreams for them, my love of them gets entwined in the stitches and becomes more than just a garment but a gift of self and a connection to a heart that I value!