Sunday, October 24, 2010

If there's a sewing gene, I got it from her

Photo explanation (to respond to some confusion in the comments):  these 6 young women are my grandmother (second from left) and 5 of her sisters.  The picture dates from sometime in the 1920s.  The oldest sister is on the far right (born 1888) and the youngest on the far left (born 1910).

My mother's mother (second from left) and her sisters sewed.  It was a practical necessity but my grandmother made much more of it.  She made many of her own and her 5 children's clothes.  For my mother and aunt, she made play clothes, school clothes, suits and beautiful prom dresses.

To the right, she's captured in a happy moment with my grandfather in the year before they married.  She was 24, wearing a coat of (perhaps) her own design with fur cuffed sleeves and a matching fur muff.  I would kill for those shoes!

To the left is a picture of my mother (taken when she was in her teens), wearing a gorgeous strapless dress that my grandmother made for her.

I never saw that one in real life, but clearly remember the fairy-princess white strapless ballerina-length prom dress that my mom would sometimes let me try on.  It had a  heavy satin "crumb-catcher" bodice with basque waist, a boned under-bodice with crumpled tulle scattered with rhinestones and seed pearls at the upper centre, and multiple layers of frothy tulle skirt.

It must be a gene that I inherited, because we never lived near my grandparents so she couldn't teach me to sew.

But my non-sewing mother did what she could (thanks Mom!) to encourage me and nurture what I seem to have inherited.

From my grandmother, aside from the sewing gene, I have souvenirs.

Her well used featherweight which replaced the treadle that may have been just like mine.

A length of celadon green silk brocade.

A gorgeous beaded sweater.  Taking it out of its annual summer storage yesterday made me think about my elegant and talented grandmother.

14 comments:

  1. Love the photos and the story, Kay. It's too bad you didn't get to be closer to your 'sewing grandma' but you definitely inherited those genes!

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  2. Great pictures, Kay! Thanks for posting.

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  3. Wonderful story Kay - I love reading about family sewing history!

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  4. Thank you for the story and pictures.... As for the shoes, I have an adresse for you: http://fattomano.com.ar/ They ship to Canada. I have shoes from them... bought on the spot though

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  5. Hello Kay! In the 1st photo, are all the girls your mother and her sisters? LOVE the different personalities that shine through their faces!! The 1st and only photo that I've seen that ;)
    What a wonderful memento for you!
    Rhonda in Montreal (PR)

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  6. I learned sewing from my mother and grandmother. I hope to pass it on to my daughters, someday. Nice article!

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  7. Lovely story and thanks for sharing the fabulous pics

    Christiana
    sewamusing.blogspot.com

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  8. Wow! What a lucky gal. To have a gene like that in your family pool. It's a wonderful love that if you can pass on is a true gift. Great story and love the pictures.

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  9. I love trips down memory lanes- or familial lanes. Thanks for sharing those beautiful shots.

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  10. What a beautiful group of women...clearly you inherited their looks and their sewing gene.

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  11. How kewl that you have such wonderful pictures to go along with your remembrances!

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  12. You sure do have the gene. Nice story.

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  13. I'm as intrigued as Rhonda: 5 sisters plus Mom, or 5 schoolgirls plus ma'arm? It's so hard to decide (though I'm leaning towards the former). Do tell!

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  14. Wonderful photos and story! My grandmother was also an avid sewist but my mom has never sewn a stitch (no interest whatsoever). Thank you for sharing!

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