If not now...

This may sound odd but....  my dad liked to sew. 

 

My mom would sew too.  Mend clothes, attach badges, etc.

But my dad? 

 

He liked to sew. 

 

 One of these days I'll dig up the pictures of the quilts he used to make and they'll astound you, I'm sure.  I have so many memories of watching him cut the fabric, lay out the pattern, rip out his mistakes, lay out the batting in the basement living room, accidently pinning it in the shag carpet all the while waiting, wishing, hoping for the day he would start my quilt. 

 

Oh my quilt....  how I loved it.  I still used it up until about a year ago when I finally felt the need to retire its ragged seems to the cedar chest.

 

On few and rare occasions I would be allowed to sit at the sewing machine and tinker around with some scrap material.  I learned how to thread the machine and how to ever so gently push the pedal to sew, very slowly.  At that point, I never made anything.  I just had fun playing around.  My time of learning how to make something tangible came in middle school as part of Home Economics class. 

 

Now I am all grown up and I too love to sew.  The harder the pattern the more tears and frustration that flow but the reward of a finished quilt out weighs it all.  And even better yet, I have a set of little eyes watching my craft, yearning to learn herself.

 

 

 

So it was time.  I cut two sets of material for a rice heating pack, sewed one in front of her as an example, and then turned her loose. 

 

She was frustrated - rightfully so.   There is a learning curve that comes with a sewing machine.  Someday she'll get the hang of letting the foot do all the work, how to guide the material, and where to place the pedal to have the best control. 

 

My advice for her?   

 

Just don't give up, baby girl.   

 

Right now may not be the best time in your life to learn how to complete a project like you so desire.   Learning to sew takes patience.  It takes mistake after mistake.  It takes tears and the humbling words of having to ask for help.  But I'm glad you are starting.  I love that you want to take part in a gift that was handed down to me.  Overall, the biggest thing I want you to remember is:

 

 

There is a set of little eyes watching you.