WANTED: Your Sewing History & Photograph

Hello, my Stitchery Friends... I cannot even begin to tell you how elated I am at all the e-mails I receive from you with your Sewing History. I honestly get a little sentimental when I read them all. For example, I JUST received an e-mail from a gentleman who told me that he sewed his wife's wedding dress and learned to sew in grade-school. (I adored reading that!) These type of e-mails happen on a daily basis and I would love for this place to be a place of show-and-tell.

I imagine a photo album of sorts... whether you have been a seller, buyer, bidder, watcher, or just a stumbled-upon-an-april1930s-auctioner, I would be honored to read your story and post it here. If you have an old photograph of you sewing or your mom sewing or grandma sewing... whatever holds dear to your heart the memory of sewing ~ I'd like to allow you a place for show-and-tell. Or even a current photo (you with your Sewing Machine, of course) ~ please send it along. Contact me through eBay and we can make arrangements.

Also, please know that I usually only work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and I always try to reply to e-mail on those days.

Information I will need:

Name (provide first only, first and last initial or both first and last ~ whatever you prefer)

E-Mail Address (will NOT be posted - this is for me ONLY and I will NOT spam)

Location ( provide country only, state only, or city and state ~ whatever you prefer)

One (1) Photograph (small files, if possible, and no blurry photos, please)

and a Summary of Your Personal Sewing History

I will be the first to start this album, so you have an idea....

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This is me and my daughter, carrying on the sewing tradition. She still likes to sit on my lap and "help" me... or sit at my side on the floor rolling the tracing wheel back and forth on a little piece of fabric. My son likes to sew, too... here he is sewing one of many "pillows" for his Cowboy Action Figures.

I first learned to sew "child-like" on one of those tiny machines when I was about 7. Then when I was 14, I learned on my mom's sewing machine, making my own clothes. I was the coolest girl in school! (no, not really, but I certainly thought so) Her machine was either a Singer 15 or a 66 ~ I can't recall now, but she still owns it to this day. My mother learned from her mother to make her own clothes when she was young. And, so the tradition had continued... I can't help but hope it continues again with my daughter.

I remember my mom sewing airplane wing covers for a little extra household income (money was very tight on a single-income teacher's salary with four children). They were orangey-red nylon and took up the entire room when she sewed. It was very cold where I grew up, and to prevent frost build-up, these covers were essential for the little planes to have right after landing and then removed right before take-off. She occassionally let me stay up late with her when she sewed them. In my mind's eye I recall the only light in the room being her Singer Sewing Machine light.

I remember my grandma's sewing room very well - the smell, the light coming through the window, even the placement of the furniture. You see, this was always the room where we, as children, would sleep when staying for a long visit in the summer months. There was ALWAYS something neat about Grandma's sewing room. Whatever we needed... she nearly always made it for us. Some of my very first "princess" dresses (because they were so soft, feminine and pretty!) came by way of hours in this little room.

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