Leisure Time

I don't know how I've managed it, but I've been able to sew quite a bit lately.  Vera is always finding new and interesting things to play with in my basement craft corner (yarn, thread, ring tops from canning jars) that she can entertain herself while I sew.  Today I finished a sunsuit for her; she probably won't fit into it until next summer, but at the rate she's growing I can't afford to make her anything that will "just fit" now.  I used a vintage pattern I found at a flea market a couple years ago.  I don't know the year of the design, but handwritten at the top of the pattern is "1 1/2 yards at 50-cent." I can't remember when new fabric was that cheap, not to mention the pattern itself was only 35-cents.  Today one can spend anywhere from $8-17 on a new pattern.  I love using these relics along with vintage fabric.  For this project I chose a combination of fabric from my mom's stash and from my thrifting trips.  As I was sewing today I thought about my mom teaching me to sew.  It started with 4-H projects when I was in grade school/junior high.  After cutting out all the pieces for a garment, but before sewing any of them together, she'd make me finish every edge with a pseudo-serger stitch on her old Singer machine, which I found very user-unfriendly at the time.  This sewing detail was a true pain in the rear then and it certainly never got me a Grand Champion ribbon at the County Fair, but it did get the judges' attention and gave me a much greater appreciation for well-crafted clothing.  I think my mom is an amazing seamstress, especially when she can remotely help me troubleshoot on a project--like with this one when I was having trouble attaching the bias tape around the bib of the sunsuit.  Her e-mailed directions worked perfectly.  I may never be as good as her, but I hope to pass the sewing skills I do have on to Vera.