Heritage

So, for Februarys guild meeting, we are to bring something from our sewing room to share, a tool we use or something we find indesposable.

I have been thinking about this for the past few days, and I have only been quilting about 3 years, though I have sewn my whole life, I feel like I have only really gotten into it the past 5. If I ever met Doctor Who and was offered a ride in the TARDIS, I would ask him to take me and leave me with my grandma and great grandma in 1985 so I could make sure my little self listened and learned all I could when I could. But back to the point, I haven't been at it as long as a lot of the other ladies, so I don't have anything brilliant to share. But I do have a box and jar of items i keep going back to, if anything often for inspiration.

The cigar box belonged to my Aunt Despina, who sewed and knit. The cigar box came from Uncle Sammie, who smoked stogies. Whenever I think of them, I think of Red Pop. When we would go over to visit as kids, she would always give us Cherokee Red Pop. But in the box, which my mom gave me after Aunt Despina passed, is a treasure trove of snaps, needles, and sewing knick knacks. I love this box. and her safety pin tin. When I use something of hers, like the beautiful mother of pearl snaps she bought (from Hills, which went out of business in the late 80's) I have her with me in my sewing room.

I love the box most. I swear I find new things everytime I search through it!

The next thing I always keep handy is the chalk wheel that was my grandma Arla's. I used to sew on her machine, which is now Agape's to learn on. It is a Singer from the 60's, the machine that will never die (my grandkids will probably inherit it one day!). Anyway, this chalk wheel is what I use constantly, to mark hems on stuff for the girls, to draw out patterns when quilting, you name it, this little thing comes in handy. Again, when I use it, I have Grandma in my sewing room. She taught me a lot about sewing, and in college I would go visit and she would let me use the machine to fix things and work on my creations.

I have 2 things from my great grandma Lissa, who was the one who really taught me the basics.

The first is this needle book. The needles in it were made in occupied Japan (as it says on the back) and are still in great condition, I use them to hand sew.

The next is what I will probably take with me.

Her button jar. Now, I had to replace the jar, I dropped and broke the original to my dismay. But this jar holds buttons that have been on items she wore, my dad and granddad, and even me. she was a resuser. You never knew when you would need a button. The jar is full of wonderful buttons. All colors, shapes and sizes. From all over the last century. When Evie was young, and now with Serena, we used to grab a handful and sort them in different ways. Both girls love the button jar. When I have a purse I make that needs "something", I can usually find it in the button jar. When I just need a little inspiration, I check the button jar. The idea for my mom's fruit quilt

came from a red platic button I found in the jar with fruit on it. I love my button jar. My great grandma passed when I was 18. We used to spend summers at her house on Keuka lake in Penn Yan, New York. She would make clothes for our dolls and taught us how to handstich. She would make homemade apple sauce that was divine. She had a "junk room" in her house that was the best playroom ever, had hats and dresses that Chrissy and I would play dress up in for hours. She had an amazingly interesting life, one I didn't understand what she went through until I was much older. But more than that, she was a creative soul. She liked photography, painted a little, knit and would sew. Kind of like me

So I think I am taking my button jar. It doesn't have a great trick I can perform with it, but it is mine, and my sewing heritage.