Sewing Machines

Jessica Knowlden, my sister's granddaughter and my mother's great granddaughter sewing on my mom's Featherweight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mother sewing on the Featherweight sewing machine that I learned to sew on

 

            

My mother sewed a lot.   All my life I remember her sewing on that little Singer Featherweight.   She made matching "watermelon" dresses for my sister and I.  The bodice (if I remember correctly) was pink and the main body of the dresses was a print fabric with watermelon pictures on it,  Very cute.   I remember her sewing away in a big hurry to finishing up the dress I was to wear to school for picture day.

When I was around 10, we (my mom and I) went to the Sew and Save fabric store near our home.  There were panels of fabric printed with Barbie clothes patterns.  All I had to do was cut them out and sew on the lines and there I was- with brand new Barbie doll clothes that I had made myself!

In high school I started to sew a lot.  Most of the dresses I had back then, I made myself.   I loved looking at the fabrics and figuring out what patterns and colors went together best.

My sister used to sew a lot too.  Sometimes I would go to her house with whatever I was working on ans sew it there on her machine.

In eighth grade, in home-EC, we had to first sew a simple apron with a pocket.  Then we graduated to sewing a dress with darts and a zipper.  That was hard!   Even after all these years and all of the sewing I have done, I am still overwhelmed by putting in zippers!

In high school I got a job selling sewing machines at the local Singer Sewing Store.  I worked a couple of evenings a week  and on Saturdays .  Stores were not open on Sundays then.   I have a picture that my dad took of me demonstrating a sewing machine to my step mother.

 

Me at work showing my stepmother how I sell sewing machines

My mom's Featherweight seems to have gone back and forth between us.  I remember having it in our house in it's special card table when we were first married.  Maybe I gave it back when we started to travel?  I don't know I just know that my mom had it and I got it when she went into assisted living.

A couple of years after we got married, we lived near a different shopping center from where I first worked.  But this new to us shopping center also had a Singer Store.  It's a long story, but the gist of it is, I got a job there as their repair person.  I would make home visits, driving the Singer van and carrying my trusty tool box and I would repair people's sewing machines.  I also on occasion delivered new sewing machines to customer's homes.

While working at Singer I acquired a couple of treadle sewing machines.  That was even before we got married because I remember them being in Nick's apartment.

 

 

One of our two treadle sewing machines

Now I have my mother's Featherweight, my Touch and sew that I bought while working at Singer.   Two treadle machines in cabinets and the head of Grandma Thompsen's treadle machine (the head is the actual machine- I don't know what happened to the cabinet) 

 

Grandma Thompsen's sewing machine

 

 I have a Viking sewing machine that is all  computerized and I am not 100% sure I know all of the things it can do.  I have a serger, also called an over-locker.  And a variety of other sewing machines including at least 4 more Featherweights we bought on online auctions.

For years I made all of my kid's Halloween costumes.  I think that we only had one store bought kid costume that my mom bought.  Aside from that I sewed them all.  October was my stress time and I loved it.   I'll never forget how sad I felt when I was only making costumes for the two youngest.  The only one and then, no more sewing costumes.

I was the day care provider for my nephew's two girls for 8 years total.   I made them loads of matching dressed.  I made a few outfits for their American Girl dolls as well.

Now I don't sew very much at all even though I love sewing and I love sewing machines.   I hope that I can make some cute clothing for my expected grandchild!

(now I knit all the time)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then and Now Nick and Nancy : 1977- 2024

 

 

 

 

In 1977 Nick's parents came to visit us in Bangkok.  They were going on to Indonesia, so we decided to join them.  We all visited the Borobudur Temple.  It was an amazing place and I am so glad we got to see it and climb all of those steps to really have a look.  Here's what Wikipedia says:

 

What is Borobudur and why is it significant?

 

The Borobudur Temple Compounds is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, and was built in the 8th and 9th centuries AD during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty. The monument is located in the Kedu Valley, in the southern part of Central Java, at the centre of the island of Java, Indonesia.

 

 

And here we are more than 46 years later.  Standing in our kitchen with me holding a "bouquet" of radishes that Nick grew in the garden.

We are both a lot grayer and I am a lot wider.  But we are still in love and make each other laugh.

 I look at old pictures of my life and think of all of the places  I have been and things I have done.    Mostly with Nick and often with kids.  

Depending on the country and the ages of the kids, we have climbed and skied and walked and wandered all over the world.

I groan when I get up sometimes.  My knees hurt.  I have other aches too.   Nick and I don't have the stamina we once had.  I am sure some of it is our own doing- lifestyle.  Not getting a lot of exercise. Spending too much time in front of the computer or the TV.

I have a fantasy/ bucket list of going back to all of the places we have lived.   I've done some of it.  Visiting Tromsø and Thailand- both Bangkok and Chiang Mai.    I want to go back to those places.

It would be strange I suspect to go back to Poznan, Poland or Guangzhou, China.    Even visiting Perth Australia would hold some surprises I am sure.

I have been to all of these places.    I gave birth to three of our children in these foreign lands.  

If I never go back, I will reminisce about each place and wonder how it is possible that I have had such a life- so full of adventure.

I am lucky.  Now if only my knees didn't hurt!

Mothering

 Mothering (borrowed)

A mom will text her twenty-year-old child,

letting him know it's going to rain and not to forget an umbrella.⁣

⁣

She calls to see how the first day of school separation went for her grandkids and if her daughter made it to the car before tears streamed down her face.⁣

⁣

She watches her daughter's baby,

so she can shower and take care of her postpartum body.⁣

⁣

She texts her forty-year-old son,

making sure he’s home safe from a wedding because knowing that is still the only way she can sleep well.⁣

⁣

She buys her thirty-four-year-old daughter Wetzel’s Pretzels when she goes to the mall,

because she knows how much her daughter loves them.⁣

⁣

And no,

she no longer needs to do these things,⁣ but she does them anyway.⁣

⁣

Because a mother always wants to make life easier for her kids when she can⁣,

even when they’re capable,

responsible humans and can do all the things for themselves.⁣

⁣

And she always wants to know they’re safe.⁣

⁣

Because mothering doesn’t stop when her kids turn eighteen,

move far away,

or have their own kids.⁣

⁣

It just changes.⁣

 

 

 

Saturday Morning

 

My morning:

I was woken up by Buddy barking like crazy!  Usually if he needs to go out he will whine and maybe bark if he is desperate.  But this was a serious bit of barking.  I reached over and found that Nick was not in bed.   I looked at the bathroom and noticed that the little toilet room door was closed.  Normally we leave it open when not in use, so I figured Nick must be having stomach problems.

Then I went to look at my phone and see what time it was and the doorbell cam showed a large person on my front porch!   I was freaking out. I went downstairs, cautiously.   I saw that the coffee pot was one and I called to Nick.  He was in his study on his computer.   (so who was in the bathroom).  Nick had been up for about an hour.  He had fed Buddy and taken him out.  That's usually my job, but that's nice of him to do it.

 

addendum:  I forgot earlier to say who was at the door.  It was a woman leaving a business card for her cleaning service

It was a little bit after 8:00 am.  I sat down and turned on the TV and watched random stuff- probably animal planet.  I waited till a bit after 9:00 so I could watch CBS Sunday Morning.  It comes on at 9 and since I record it, starting a few minutes late means I can fast forward though commercials.

Well, I went to watch my show and it was not on.  At all.   I couldn't understand it and I was getting upset.  Then I realized that it's Saturday, not Sunday.  Phew!

I think I am losing my mind.

 

Meanwhile, it is snowing in Portland, Oregon.  It has snowed a lot in Maine.  There was about 7" of snow in the part of West Virginia that Chance lives in.

 

We've had a couple of snow forecasts that were actually rain.   Maybe we'll get snow this week? 

 

 

 

 

This picture was taken through a window screen

 

Being a married couple...

 I read an online article that felt so real to me.  It made me think of our marriage- mine and Nick's.   

It has not been perfect.  Neither of us are perfect.  We have hurt each other and have regretted it.   

There have been times when we used to wonder how people could get divorced.  It didn't make sense.  One time, Nick said that he thinks that many people probably still love each other but they just cannot be married to each other any more and they separate and divorce.   I know that we came very close ourselves.

Somehow we got back together.  It was not easy.  But it was worth it.  For us.   

 I probably have posted our Christmas card before. but it has the pictures on it that I want to post.  Nick & I and our five kids and their partners- those who have partners .

'

This is a part of the article that I read:

"Marriage isn’t found at the big wedding, the trendy date nights, or even hours spent together on the couch watching Netflix. Marriage is found in the darkness—with one spouse helping the other during a time that would be humiliating to share with anyone else.

As young girls and boys, we watch movies and read stories about happy endings, blissful beginnings, and comedic in-betweens. But true romance is found when two people need each other, are vulnerable with one another, and can wholeheartedly depend on one another during the darkest times in life.

I sat on my bed, and at that moment, I decided to stop bouncing. I wanted my future to look like my parents’—imperfect but beautiful. My parents’ marriage and my marriage have been full of dips and peaks, but witnessing the true love in their moment will forever keep reminding me that marriage is found in the toughest spots in life—even the bathroom."

 

First Houseguests in 2024

 Maria, Eric Fielding, and their son, Thomas came to visit us in our house in Aldie, Virginia.  They lived in Herndon, VA and are now living in Florida.

The first time I met Maria, Thomas was a newborn and Maria was attending her first La Leche League meeting.  Since Thomas was a newborn, and it was winter, his parents did not want to expose him to anything (germs), so I didn't get to meet Thomas at that meeting.

Maria continued to be involved in La Leche League even joining in when we had remote/ zoom meetings.  I have been lucky enough to watch Thomas grow from an infant to a neat little boy!

Now Thomas is a five year old, bright, inquisitive  and energetic little boy!   We had forgotten how much energy five year olds have!

Maria just sent these pictures that I will attach here to my blog!

And now it is 2024!

 I feel like I have fallen behind.  I have been really busy doing nothing at all!

Courtney organized a Sherwood family Zoom for Christmas Day.  All five kids were on it, but it looks like Darcy left the Zoom before I shot this picture:

I sure love my family and appreciate whatever time I can spend with them- even if it is through a computer screen!

Here's out Christmas Card for 2023:

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Darcy and Jody got married.  This is how I found out- Jody had posted this on Facebook. 

 When I asked Darcy he said "oh yeah, we got married yesterday"  

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I knitted a sweater and hat for my friend Maureen's new grandson and I got to give it to him in person.

When I saw this picture I was shocked to see how fat I am.  I don't feel that big!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kim sent me this wonderful photo of her and Morgan

My friend Shannon has two little girls

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this is Cora Sue with the paper Christmas tree I sent to her

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