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Happy birthday to our youngest!
Over the holidays, when we were in Savers (the fabulous thrift store supporting charity), our youngest spotted something that thrilled her: a century old Singer sewing machine powered only by a foot pedal– no electricity needed. In the drawer were all the attachments, too.
She craved refurbishing it and using it. My husband was happy to be a help or a resource for that project. She wanted it, and the price was right: low. So we bought it on the spot for her birthday, and took it home, hiding it until today. Yay! Now we get to give it to her. Now it is hers.
I know she is delighted with the prospect of both working on it and working with it. We are delighted that this is what she wanted, and it is reminiscent of the same child who at 13 begged for a food dehydrator for her birthday. Yup, we gave it to her. We also gave her a year ago at Christmas, fabric for the gorgeous quilt she is working on.
Last weekend, she found out that she already got into grad school for a PhD in Physics (complete with $$ WAHOO!)… now she just has to figure out if she wants to go. But regardless what she decides about that, we are very proud of her, and send her love, and kudos, and yes, this sewing machine is here waiting for her to love all over it.
We are so glad Laura came into our lives, and look forward to finding out what the future orbits of the sun hold in store for her. She’s terrific and very loved and so fun to celebrate!
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5 Comments
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Happy Birthday! I too, celebrate my Birthday on this date as well!
Love your daughter’s gift. My grandmother made some lovely little dresses for me
during Summer months when I stayed with her on that very same model.Karl celebrates his in this same month.
Joy to your entire gifted family!
Barbara
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Author
Happy birthday back at you!!
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I Love this story – thank you for sharing! Congratulations to your youngest being accepted into grad school for a PhD – and with a fellowship!!✨?❄️???
I adore singer sewing machines! I have been in the market for one but I’m holding out for just the right deal ! The wife of a church member has a small portable Featherweight Singer she had in college many many years ago and it just hums like a top? She said she has never had to have any kind of repairs or work done on it ! She has had me do a few things for her and I’ve used it I would love to find one of those ! But I also adore the style of what you found for your daughter ! I actually do want an electric machine myself, and the featherweights are electric. I learned to sew in home economics in junior high and just loved it. I started making about half of my wardrobe all the way through high school and then in college I would make Halloween costumes for parties. I also made curtains for a couple of different rooms in our family home, and also once managed to make full length drapes for a sliding glass door. I’m not sure I’d want to attempt that again, although they were a lovely chintz like fabric from Calico Corners when I lived in Acton, Mass. The sewing machine I used was an old Kenmore my mother did not use – every weekend I would walk up to the fabric shop near our neighborhood and pore over pattern books and fabrics and would come home with everything I needed to make something new to wear to school or halter tops for summer. I made aprons one year as Christmas gifts. Also my favorite memory of all was finding yards of pastel flannel – light pink, light blue, light green and making long flannel nightgowns with large ruffled hems, puffed sleeves, I added beautiful floral silk ribbon and white eyelet around the collar and down the front placket as well as around the gathered cuffs. After college I made at least two bridesmaids dresses as well. I made a couple of darling summer shifts for my young niece out of darling Marimekko fabrics. The machine was set up in a cozy spot at the top of stairs leading to my grandmother Florence’s cozy big bedroom. There were two nice French windows which provided plenty of light. I’ve always had a love for and appreciation for beautiful fabrics as well as fabric in general – it is such fun to imagine the possibilities! Sorry this is long! ??. You can see I have a great appreciation for sewing ??❤️?. Thank you Polly for sharing such infinite ways in which you and your family are so very resourceful – such an inspiration!-
Love back at you! My first store bought clothing was for high school… my mother made everything prior to that, so I grew up looking at pattern books too.
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[…] that, and second I’m grateful she enjoys making things so much. (Some of you may remember her getting a treadle sewing machine in 2019, so this new gift was to use with that former one.) It was fun to watch her create her own pattern […]
