Sunday, January 30, 2011

Born Sewing

     Welcome to my new blog, Sew Uniquely Yours.  I hope you enjoy reading it, and I look forward to reading the comments you share! 
     I think I was born sewing.  It is a gift the Lord has given me. I can hardly remember a time in my childhood when I was not sewing something.  I had no sewing machine, so I sewed by hand with a needle and thread.  I also never went to a fabric store until I was in my teens, but used fabric from old clothes, or remnants people had given to me.  I suppose I started with doll clothes, but was sewing my own clothes completely by hand by the time I was in eighth grade.  My youngest sister was a year old at that time.  I would take the left over scraps of fabric from whatever garment I made for myself, and make a matching outfit for her.  I made patterns out of old newspapers.  No one ever showed me how to do it, I just figured it out.  I am the kind of person that always wins the "Guess How Many Jelly Beans Are in the Jar" contests.  I can look at you and tell you what your measurements are, for whatever it's worth.  But it does come in handy for sewing.
     My older sister also loves to sew.  When we were in high school, we made a three piece tailored suit for our father for Christmas.  He still wears it.  We also helped reupholster a vintage wing back chair.  My parents still have the chair too, but have since reupholstered it again.  We took three semesters of sewing in high school - that's all they offered.  Our teacher decided to allow us to continue sewing for credit as an independent study class each semester until we graduated.  I loved to take apart dated clothes and remake them into current styles.  Right before I graduated I made my self a four piece suit, which I wore for my first real job interview after I graduated college.  (And I got the job!) 
     Since then, I have enjoyed sewing for my home and my family, and have also made many quilts, both appliqued and pieced.  One quilt I helped to make is in a museum in NJ.  I also work with a friend of mine who has her own design business, and  I help make custom window treatments, bedding, cushions - pretty much everything for the home that you can make out of fabric. I eventually did get my dream machine - a beautiful Bernina (sorry Viking fans).  I always thought, if my house ever caught fire, my Bernina and my photo albums would be the first things I grabbed before I ran.  I am even a member of a Yahoo group for people with the particular model of Bernina sewing machine I have!  I know that is really over the top.
     Well that's a wrap for now.  I hope to link some of my favorite sites, and share new ideas and projects as I do them.  I look forward to reading comments from anyone else who shares a love of sewing, or just enjoys reading my blog!  Thanks for stopping by.  Happy stitching!