day 8: sewing

hand-stitched brooch for my MeMaw

Finally made it to a craft.  Today I am thankful for sewing and every role it has played in my life.  My MeMaw (mom's mom) was a professional seamstress and my mom continued that legacy by making all my prom dresses and sewing many of my costumes when I was younger.  I was so blessed to grow up in a home where sewing played such a huge role.

I didn't get the sewing bug until I got to college, but when I did I got it hard.  I started making all my purses and pillows.  I've stayed away from sewing garments, too stressful for me, but I love making bags.  It's gotten to the point where I feel guilty buying a purse from the store, since I know I can make it just as well.

Hand sewing is a craft I've come to appreciate more in the last few years.  I have 3 sewing machines but I still love sewing with my hands and just a needle and thread.  It's so cool to start with materials and then watch them become something beautiful just because I manipulated them with my hands. 

Sewing enabled me to make my wedding exactly what I wanted it to be.  My mom altered a store bought dress with a brand new skirt exactly to my liking.  It was beautiful and polka dotted!  I was also able to sew a glittery, feathery, felty, sparkly, belt embellishment because I knew how to harness my sewing skills.  I was also able to make my entire wedding bouquet by sewing felt, buttons, and tulle. (I realized I never did a wedding picture post, I need to do that soon!)

It saddens me to see how much sewing has fallen out of our culture today.  I'm always surprised when someone doesn't know how to sew a button or even thread a needle.  This used to be something every girl knew.  It's such a basic skill to me an I can't imagine not knowing it.  I fully intend on passing the sewing legacy down to my children, boys or girls and I hope it sparks something in them that it did in me.

Thanks mom for teaching me!