Simpler Singer Stuff for Saturday

I remember long days ago a machine just like this one, owned by my grandmother. I never saw her use it and unfortunately it was destroyed by a house fire years ago. But memories will stay forever. I remember playing under this machine about the age of 5 and because she had little space in the house for sleepovers, I would make my pallet right under the Singer machine. I would touch it and concentrate on the foot pedal until my little brown eyes went to sleep.

I would touch it and hope one day that I could use it. Even though that day never came for the old one, I have a sewing machine that I use sometimes, mostly to finish off pillows or occasionally making curtains or pillowcases. Fabric has always been something that makes my skirt fly up and I indeed have way too many fat quarters of it now, stashed away in an old, cupboard.

I wish I had better sewing skills and one of my goals one day is to take sewing classes. There are a few places within 30 miles from here that offer them from time to time. I hope that I can take a good class because I would love to sew more things that looked professional.

Sewing or stitching are grounders for me.

 I often reflect on why this is so. In deeper thought, I believe that stitching provides an opportunity to visualize beautiful fabric, stretch the imagination, and make choices that I can always undo if it turns out now to work well. Life situations seldom provide such choices.

In life, I think there are few things that provide such satisfaction as stitching. Some days I don't even have the energy or forethought to make myself sit still to stitch and then there are days I don't want to stop.

Creating something that reflects my perception of things is sometimes so much easier than putting a sentence in words.

Also, when finishing a sampler, my heart sings as I admire the collection of colors and how each is important for the final sampler.

I feel very thankful that I have this as a grounder for good and bad times.

It's a way to share with friends ideas, finishes, and color.

I can make choices for the colors, threads, linen.

I can start over if I see that it's not overall a good thing.

I can restart or even start something entirely different.

So when I feel that life is going in a million directions and there is no stability to ground me, I always find that my stitching can provide that repetative, soothing, pleasure that provides some degree of certainty that I have choices, I have ideas that are important in formulating the project, and I can share with folks who understand.

I have been blessed by meeting the sweetest, kindest people through this blog all over the world. Personal emails of encouragement, sharing ideas of stitching, supporting and praying for one another through good and bad, are priceless. I feel very fortunate today.

This is one thing I can know for sure.

Just as I chose as a little girl at my grandmothers, to make my pallet right under the old Singer machine, I'm still comforted as an adult by the wonder of creating samplers, using threads of all colors, and linens.

Even though my sewing abilities are not the best, there is room for much growth, learning, and more days of creating something worth sharing.

I hope that your Saturday is filled with something or someone who makes you feel special, grounded, and loved.

Till later,

Jennifer