Sew, sew, sew impressed with ME!!!!

Sewing is something that I was taught to do as a child by my nan (who you can read a bit more about here) but something I haven't done for a good 20 odd years, that is until yesterday.

I loved sewing as a child, but as a teen and young woman, it lost its appeal to brand names and convenience. Even having a child of my own didn't renew my interest in sewing, knitting yes (boys look awesome in hand knitted beanies), but sewing, no. That was until I had a daughter. All of a sudden craft markets were filled with the most beautiful hand made creations, that cost a BOMB!

I have said many times that I needed to re-learn how to sew. So many times I have picked something beautiful up at a market, looked at the price and thought, pfft, I could do that... all the time wishing my Nan were still here to in fact do it for me. In hindsight, I think part of the reason I had avoided sewing again was due to the feelings I was frightened it would bring up. I adored my nan and I miss her like crazy, each and every day. Its now that I'm a mother, I wish I could pop in to ask for knitting advice, or to ask her to whip something up for the kids, but she is gone, and I cant just pop in to have my needs met. I have so many wonderful memories of watching her create and I was scared that sitting at a machine, attempting to do what she was so skilled at doing, would, well, just make me sad. Never in a million years, did I think that the opposite would happen.

Pinning a pattern, hearing that distinct snip of dressmaking scissors cutting through fabric, reaching for the tape measure, and sitting at the machine gently pressing the pedal to find the 'right' speed, made my heart sing. The knot in my stomach loosened as I sat there, and the joy at it all coming back to me was immense. Sewing really is just like 'riding a bike' you don't forget.

Because I was so young when I learnt to sew (I was first allowed to use the machine at 5) I never really learn much beyond straight stitching, so yesterday, with the help of my friend Sarah, I made these...

...the most beautiful frilly knickers for Stella. Not only am I impressed with how well the colours work, but I'm impressed at just how easy it was and I'm really really impressed with how sewing made me feel.

And with that, I'm hooked. Today I went and put my Christmas present on layby, a brand spanking new sewing machine and I may have bought some fabric while I was there too. I also called my aunty to share my joy and got just a little bit teary when she told me just how proud nan would have been to see me at a machine again. She also happily agreed to lend me her machine to practice while waiting for Santa to bring me mine... and the best bit, her machine, is actually Nan's machine. Sometime this week, I am going to sit at the same machine my nan did and create something for my daughter the same way my Nan created for me.