Sew In Love

About two years ago, when I moved back up to Atlanta from Jacksonville, my grandmother (Maw) bought me a sewing machine. I was staying with her, practically hibernating after a particularly horrific break-up and wasn't really interested in leaving the house or socializing with other people (or going to work or eating or showering). 

So she bought this cute little Singer sewing machine for me because I had mentioned I really wanted to learn on my own and I needed something to do while I was in isolation from my own self-imposed emotional rehab. 

I had no idea how to sew, but I'd been cutting patterns since I was little. I remember Maw and I in the dining room at her house, my eyes wide as she fed the fabric effortlessly into her own sewing machine, creating perfect seams every. single. time. I'd cut the patterns for her before she sat down to sew. 

We had the most amazing talks while she was sewing a dress or clothes for a Barbie or fixing a shirt or creating a Halloween costume. She was (and still is) the absolute best storyteller and I'd stand at the table or right over her shoulder completely rapt as she'd recount that one time when she kicked that guy in the you-know-where or when she poked that girl with the hat pin. And her advice about boys was (and again, still is) second to none. 

We'd go thrifting together too, and she'd always let me dig through bins and bins of vintage Simplicity and Butterick patterns, indulging my lofty ambition of actually using one to create a piece of wearable clothing. I loved looking at the illustrations on the front and unfolding the pieces of tissue-thin pattern paper. It's still one of my favorite things to do even now.

It's one of those things that's always comforting because there are such good memories associated with it. Maw and I just hanging out and talking like girlfriends, bitching and gossiping and saving the world in between racks of corduroy pants and perfectly worn t-shirts. There's no better time than that, I tell ya. 

I think I want to try and sew more this year, and for that matter, make time to see Maw more. Maybe I'll enhance my vintage pattern collection with some of these beauties: 

In case you were wondering, I was able to actually use the adorable sewing machine she got me to make a 50's inspired black and white house dress with a bright red sash. Miracles happen everyday people. 

xo.

all images courtesy of google images and weheartit.