General Discussion

Doremus

(7,273 posts)

137. Her sewing machine was my mother's most cherished possession

Fri Feb 28, 2014, 11:18 AM

Feb 2014

She made all her children's clothing, sometimes much to our chagrin (my brother's naru jacket 4th grade picture a case in point), but mostly with appreciation for her awesome talent (new upholstery for the '31 Ford and the best Halloween costumes in town!).

All my special dresses for school dances, my brother's wedding, even my own wedding dress were stitched by my mother on her 50s-era Singer. She taught me to sew on it too. I crafted some memorable outfits for high school home-ec class, lol. Once, while making a cute pants suit for her Mother's Day gift, I managed to get my finger under the needle and it went right through my nail. She ran downstairs to get the pliers but couldn't bring herself to pull the needle out. I took care of it then promptly passed out. LOL

Mom's gone now but her sewing machine will stay with me until I rejoin her.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

137 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

If you sew, here's some sage advice from the 1949 Singer Sewing Manuel! [View all] MoonRiver Feb 2014 OP

I love the sound of a sewing machine madokie Feb 2014 #1

My mom sewed too, as I do. MoonRiver Feb 2014 #2

I think it had more to do with the PotatoChip Feb 2014 #8

I think that kind of advice was ubiquitous back then. KitSileya Feb 2014 #9

"wives and lovers" niyad Feb 2014 #23

No, that was nice. PotatoChip Feb 2014 #4

My Mother Sewing hootinholler Feb 2014 #6

LOL, my mom had a Singer Touch and Sew machine, which we called the Touch and Cuss. winter is coming Feb 2014 #12

It was a Singer hootinholler Feb 2014 #18

Sounds familiar. 100 needles. Yeesh! winter is coming Feb 2014 #19

Actually, you should change needles out enlightenment Feb 2014 #34

Good to know. I do change them from time to time, although perhaps not that often. winter is coming Feb 2014 #90

I've had a needle break and a piece fly out and <tink> against one glasses lens. Nay Feb 2014 #107

Yeesh! Sounds incredibly scary. n/t winter is coming Feb 2014 #109

I have my mom's sewing machine and you just described it! :) nt Mojorabbit Feb 2014 #60

Aw, that brought back memories. polly7 Feb 2014 #7

I wasn't bored. Your post was a pleasant memory. HappyMe Feb 2014 #11

We still have Grandmother's Singer in the family. sdfernando Feb 2014 #63

I have one, too. Ms. Toad Feb 2014 #89

Me too! I associated it with grandma and mom loving us and doing things for us. nt Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #79

You won't bore me. My mom sewed, too, but she didn't consider herself Nay Feb 2014 #105

Bwaaaaaaaah malaise Feb 2014 #3

What do you expect when you get advice from a Spaniard? hootinholler Feb 2014 #5

OMG BrotherIvan Feb 2014 #41

I have officially watched too many Fawlty Towers episodes hootinholler Feb 2014 #55

Que? BrotherIvan Feb 2014 #58

The British comedy Fawlty Towers hootinholler Feb 2014 #62

Que? BrotherIvan Feb 2014 #65

heheh eShirl Feb 2014 #86

Is he, by chance, from Barcelona? Arkansas Granny Feb 2014 #74

Don't mention the war! BrotherIvan Feb 2014 #96

I'm showing that to my SO. RC Feb 2014 #10

I love sewing. DamnYankeeInHouston Feb 2014 #13

Welcome to DU DoBotherMe Feb 2014 #32

Thank you and thank you. DamnYankeeInHouston Feb 2014 #71

which brand of machine did you choose? northoftheborder Feb 2014 #59

I got the bottom of the line Viking. DamnYankeeInHouston Feb 2014 #70

The Kenmore I have runs like a top. grasswire Feb 2014 #75

My best friend has one of those, and I have to agree. n/t winter is coming Feb 2014 #99

That's because it's fifty years old. DamnYankeeInHouston Feb 2014 #131

the best machine I know demigoddess Feb 2014 #97

I've got a machine with a crapload of stitches, and only use a handful of them. winter is coming Feb 2014 #98

Which brand do you use & like that is computerized? northoftheborder Feb 2014 #102

I've got a Viking 1100. winter is coming Feb 2014 #104

My first appliance was a Domestic sewing machine, the last metal one before the plastic deluge catrose Feb 2014 #115

I don't think I'll be following that advice Mark Baker Feb 2014 #14

you nearly owed me a monitor! niyad Feb 2014 #25

Hah! RBStevens Feb 2014 #91

"a little bag full of French chalk' sounds delightful amuse bouche Feb 2014 #15

At one point in my impoverished and zanily interesting life, I bought a cheap, really cheap, treadle JDPriestly Feb 2014 #24

Oh the memories pipi_k Feb 2014 #37

Memere? French? JDPriestly Feb 2014 #52

Yep. I had a Memere too. nt laundry_queen Feb 2014 #69

you can do anything on a straight stitch machine Alameda Feb 2014 #56

I dragged around one of those for years amuse bouche Feb 2014 #61

I wondered if "French chalk" was a euphemism for cocaine. n/t winter is coming Feb 2014 #100

No. Talcum powder. jmowreader Feb 2014 #123

LOL. Ever have one of those mark-your-own-hem gadgets? winter is coming Feb 2014 #128

No, never made anything that needed it jmowreader Feb 2014 #135

That is from a time when one income could afford someone to stay home and raise a family. Lochloosa Feb 2014 #16

I am laughing so loud my birds are beginning to sing. Mira Feb 2014 #17

Priceless! I learned to sew in jr. high. I was awful. But I love to sew. JDPriestly Feb 2014 #20

Lipstick & age are handcaps fadedrose Feb 2014 #21

What, you no have an automatic threader? MoonRiver Feb 2014 #35

Longevity fadedrose Feb 2014 #42

Sounds like you're still going strong! MoonRiver Feb 2014 #44

I'm of two minds about this My Good Babushka Feb 2014 #22

I concur, and think there are times and places to make a small effort. MADem Feb 2014 #33

Manuel Who? navarth Feb 2014 #26

Better advise from Betty Hutton whistler162 Feb 2014 #27

Many, many nights I fell asleep with the sound of the old Singer singing down the hall NBachers Feb 2014 #28

+1. My mom made all sorts of things, but one of my favorites was a light quilt for the couch. winter is coming Feb 2014 #101

What are 'urgent housekeeping chores'? Having a sink full of sinkingfeeling Feb 2014 #29

Well OK 4Q2u2 Feb 2014 #30

I did it professionally from home for a time HockeyMom Feb 2014 #31

So did my mom to help make ends meet. whistler162 Feb 2014 #49

I love that advice for all creative endeavors... magical thyme Feb 2014 #36

It's kind of like preparing for your first child. MoonRiver Feb 2014 #39

I love sewing but I don't look good in a dress or lipstick, high heels don't come in size 13.5 and uponit7771 Feb 2014 #38

You'd be surprised. GoneOffShore Feb 2014 #45

lol... I stand corrected uponit7771 Feb 2014 #47

Or wobble on six inch heels corrected. GoneOffShore Feb 2014 #68

that is the dumbest advice I have ever read snooper2 Feb 2014 #40

I think you're confusing instructions for sewing with instructions for frying bacon eridani Feb 2014 #125

I've got one of these - Moms'. It still works great. toby jo Feb 2014 #43

Whoa. ananda Feb 2014 #46

I fancy myself as mechanically inclined lumberjack_jeff Feb 2014 #48

be kind to that 130!! KT2000 Feb 2014 #77

I sold it lumberjack_jeff Feb 2014 #82

I took up sewing to make my own vests TlalocW Feb 2014 #50

After completing 9 Christmas stockings, I'm making my husband a reversible vest. MoonRiver Feb 2014 #83

I don't know how often (or if they even do) recycle pattern numbers TlalocW Feb 2014 #88

The secret is following instructions! MoonRiver Feb 2014 #94

I'm not wrapping my head around how buttons would work... TlalocW Feb 2014 #95

It's been over 20 years since I made a vest. MoonRiver Feb 2014 #113

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever use Vogue. Ms. Toad Feb 2014 #92

I used to make costumes for the movies.... AlbertCat Feb 2014 #51

Awesome. How cool is that? You must be incredibly taleented. nt okaawhatever Feb 2014 #67

Congratulations. I did children's theater costumes. Can only imagine doing it professional KittyWampus Feb 2014 #110

Sexism to be sure. Put on a clean pair of pants! Coyotl Feb 2014 #53

"advice," NOT "advise" OldRedneck Feb 2014 #54

Total empathy for you; the spelling and grammar online is annoying and sad. northoftheborder Feb 2014 #66

I will happily flame you amuse bouche Feb 2014 #73

No flames. I changed. I am usually very grammar astute. But that one slipped by. MoonRiver Feb 2014 #84

Do I really have to wear lipstick and powder my face? Fearless Feb 2014 #57

Yes, you do! MoonRiver Feb 2014 #85

Pearls and clip-on earrings too jmowreader Feb 2014 #122

I sewed piecework at home to help pay bills when my kids were young. vanlassie Feb 2014 #64

Vintage Singers are superior to today's home machines. Some progress since then, much regression. nt Romulox Feb 2014 #72

Kenmores, too. grasswire Feb 2014 #76

Nice. Every blog I read when shopping for a machine said to go vintage. Romulox Feb 2014 #78

My mother bought a Necchi when my sister was born in 1954. Laffy Kat Feb 2014 #81

I learned to sew on a Necchi. Ms. Toad Feb 2014 #93

Me too! My mother bought her Necchi in about 1954 as well- paid for it by sewing drapes vanlassie Feb 2014 #116

Make sure to oil it every now and then. LeftyMom Feb 2014 #117

Guess it already has. Laffy Kat Feb 2014 #121

Well here's what happened to Moms. She took impeccable care if it for years. vanlassie Feb 2014 #136

I learned to sew on vintage Singers. No way would I trade my Viking for one. n/t winter is coming Feb 2014 #103

*In the same price range* there's no comparison. Sub $500 in a modern machine is junk. Romulox Feb 2014 #112

Yes, computerized machines are expensive. I used a manual White machine several years ago that winter is coming Feb 2014 #114

My Singer treadle is 98 years old and works as well as the day it was delivered. LeftyMom Feb 2014 #118

Agree! CountAllVotes Feb 2014 #130

I'm glad it's not 1949 again... Rider3 Feb 2014 #80

I love to sew and do other hands on projects... glowing Feb 2014 #87

I sew the same way I read DU - in my pajamas! csziggy Feb 2014 #106

Those are really adorable. polly7 Feb 2014 #129

Making them helped me work through my grief csziggy Feb 2014 #133

I bet they did. polly7 Feb 2014 #134

...If you prick your finger, under no circumstances say the word "Rumplestiltskin" Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #108

I sew... jmondine Feb 2014 #111

Sewing while listening to baseball in the radio, in one's pajamas, while nursing a soy latte, LeftyMom Feb 2014 #119

That's the thing I love about my little local sewing studio Kennah Feb 2014 #120

I sewed professionally for years.... zabet Feb 2014 #124

I spent one of my first paychecks on a Singer sewing machine CountAllVotes Feb 2014 #126

I wonder if Katrina Helmkamp has done her dishes and made the beds? Ms. Heimkamp is the CEO of SVP lostincalifornia Feb 2014 #127

Can someone please define to me Le Taz Hot Feb 2014 #132

Her sewing machine was my mother's most cherished possession Doremus Feb 2014 #137