A Special Box of Memories

      This past week I decided to start a new project and sew a white eyelet skirt for myself. Sounds simple until you take into consideration I have never made clothes!  I actually have not sewn in years and even back then made curtains and simple home items. With everything I attempt, comes a saga and yes this one actually reads like a Romance novel  that takes us from Florida to SanFrancisco to Sicily to England and then back to Florida. Ok ... Hopefully I have you hooked and you'll read on.
      Let me start from the beginning.....I purchase a simple pattern, beautiful white eyelet fabric, elastic for the waist, thread, and receive lots of well wishes from the girls at Joann Fabrics. Next I come home and set up the sewing machine on the kitchen table and lay out the Pattern . This project is so easy, theres hardly any instructions. Im already envisioning wearing the skirt to Dinner that night! That is till I realize my scissors aren't sharp enough to cut butter!  I call my nieghbor Addie and she says come over and we'll look through her stash of sewing supplies. Thus starts the travel in this excursion.
       I walked next store and she's in her Garage taking out boxes and going down Memory lane. You see her Aunt was a Seamstress who had lived in San Francisco.  When her Aunt passed away she brought her sewing supplies that had been at her station where she had worked, back home to Florida.  We looked at her scissors, and an extra set of eyeglasses that were in there as well as assortment of pins, needles, markers, etc. that brought back happy  memories of how creative she was.  Of course a few more minutes of conversation ensued about Sicily (where her Aunt was born) San Francisco and the magic of simply sewing in such beautiful places and how desirable it must have been.
      At this point we walked back to my house and she helped help cut the pattern. Well again, being that it was so easy makes it that much funnier that we kept second guessing everything we did. You create problems when you rethink everything believing it has to be more involved.  We finally cut the pieces and I'm ready to sew when I lose the thread from the bobbin. Next comes out you tube for a video of how to rethread the bobbin and the saga continues. Ok done... and I stitch the sides. Im thrilled and next open my sewing basket for needles to pin the hem. I immediately look at all the pkgs of hand sewing needles I have that had been my Grandmothers and all of them were made in England. Of course this led Addie and I into another round of memory lane for me talking about my relatives in England and how we both could'nt get over the pride and detail even in the pkg of simple needles.
I also shared with Addie the memories of when I was growing up and all the beautiful curtains and items my Mom made for our house. Now you are getting the picture as Im weaving so many details of this story and one of two things has happened:
1) Many people have clicked off out of OMG this one has too much time on her hands!
or
2) Some are praying that the conclusion is coming fast....Right ;)
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Well.................Im happy to report Addie pinned the hem for me and I finished it today!   But wait...............one last thought
     In closing......  Im so happy that a simple summer project to sew, led to a special memory for Addie and I to enjoy. A[place in my mind was able to go back in time and feel like an afternoon spent with those who meant so much to us. Thanks, Grandma Charlotte, Mom and to Addie's Aunt Connie!  We were blessed to be in great company!