When I was four years old I got the measles and my mother sent me to my Grandma's house to keep me away from the rest of the kids. Grandma taught me how to sew on a sewing machine. I made doll clothes, not Barbie's, my dolls were more like real baby size. I loved it and every time I went to Grandma's after that I made myself clothes. When I was seven years old, in second grade, I made all my clothes for school. I wore a lot of dresses, but I made pants and tops and slips too, and panties even.
My mom also sewed a lot of clothes for me as well as the rest of the kids. So when I was home I had to share the sewing machine with Mom. I didn't get my own until I was in high school. I was thinking I got it for graduation but, it must've been earlier than that, maybe confirmation.
In 7th grade home ec I had a sewing class. Now you'd think that I'd have aced that class, but you'd be wrong...I got a D of all things. The thing was, I completed all the assignments just fine, and the finished product was well made, but I taught all my shortcuts to everyone who wanted to listen, and the teacher didn't like that at all. I never stay stitch anything, only baste when I'm doing gathers, rarely pin seams to sew them (again, gathering is one exception). I can't remember all the stuff I taught them at the time, but that teacher must've been pissed. I was an A student, but that particular quarter of 7th grade was my rebellious period, I got two other D's that quarter, one in art and one in English (don't ask). I spent a lot of time in detention that quarter.
When I was in nursing school I sewed some, so did my roommate and several of the other girls in the dorm, but I did more knitting then than anything else.
When I moved back to California by myself, for the first year I was going to school and working so much that I didn't have much time for crafts. But I quit school, got a full time regular job and moved into my own apartment where I had a lot of time to myself. I lived right next to a strip mall and I frequented the TG&Y there. They kept me stocked in patterns, material, crochet thread and more. Every week for several months I would buy material for a new outfit. I'd cut it out on Saturday, stitch it up on Sunday and wear it to work on Monday. Oh, I really miss those days, no distractions for a whole weekend. I really don't understand people who don't like being alone, I can't get enough of it.
Well, I lived in my apartment for only six months. I moved in with a friend and have lived with someone or other most of the time since then. It's really put a crimp in my sewing especially. I've made a few things for my nieces when they were little, made some dresses for myself when I was taking ballroom dance lessons (the only other time in my life when I've lived alone). I have a funny story about one of the dresses I made for dancing, I'll have to write about it for the confessions section...one of my brilliant ideas that backfired.
It was during the dancing period that I decided I needed a new sewing machine. My old $100 Kenmore still worked, but I wanted "a real sewing machine". I bought a Husqvarna Viking. I've only used it a few times and am itching to get it up and running again.