Sewing

I believe that Mom could sew anything. Some of the things I remember her making are Christmas Pajamas, and Easter Dresses. Sometimes I did not like the things she made.... like my pink easter dress (the year dad was back east). Robyn had a green one. We wore these dresses in the only family photo that we ever had taken. They had lace around the neck and sleeves that was soooooo itchy... and the skirt of the dress was so straight.... not at all conducive to a tom boy's life style. I remember that after mom getting after me a few times for not wearing it more often I finally wore it to school one time the next fall. This dress ruined recess because it was impossible to wrap my leg around the monkey bars so that I could twirl - well unless I hiked it up around my waist. And I had to take small steps... so running was out. Anyway, that day after school, I missed the bus and had to walk home. On my way down North Union avenue before I took the Canal road short-cut I stopped where the road bent. There was a ditch there and I was awful thirsty. I got down on my hands and knees to get a drink and as I bent over to get my mouth down closer to the water I heard a ripping noise.... Ask me how mad mom was when I got home. One of the few times I remember her calling me Susan.
I also remember mom trying to teach me to sew.... not always the funnest of occasions. I was always wanting to take short cuts. Specifically i hated to "set in a sleeve" I always wanted to sew the sleeve in first and then sew the side seam. I also hated to put in the understitching so that the facing would lay flatter. But now I know that those things add just a bit more of a finished look to things.