Yikes! I’m my mom

With the holidays comes those memories of long ago Christmases. It also brings back memories of my mom. Mom left this world 40 years ago. She left this life while I was just becoming an adult.

Since she’s been gone so long, I don’t think of her a whole bunch. I do have a picture of her and dad in my studio, but it is really this time of the year when she walks through my mind.

Just the other day I was thinking about how when I was a child, I used to go shopping with her.  She loved this neat store, Grant’s, that was just a couple blocks from our home. Grant’s had all kinds of things, but what she loved was the fabric.

She’d spend what seemed like hours “ooohing and aahing” over all of the fabric. I would often mock her excitement to anyone who would ask what we did that day.

Mom made most of my clothes and she was pretty good. In high school, I always had a lot of clothes. Mom would buy a pattern and then purchase a variety of fabrics. She’d make me five or six dresses from that pattern and they would all look different. Well, back then I didn’t think they looked that different. I didn’t really appreciate her sewing skills until prom time came and we’d go shopping for prom dresses. When we found one we both liked we’d leave the store empty handed. She’d go back to Grants, pick up some fabric and sew me that dress. That’s when I became amazed at her sewing skills.

I asked her several times to teach me to sew. She’d say, “No one taught me. You just need to learn on your own.” I took a couple classes locally but I just never could get it. Of course, that was way before the Internet.

I’m still not very good with the sewing machine. Even though I don’t share her sewing skills, I share her love of fabric. I also “ooh and aah” when I look at fabric.

When we were on vacation I bought these beautiful fabrics. When I’m home I scour the thrift stores and the flea market malls for that perfect piece.

Just last week I found this fabric for $1.50. There is over 3 yards. This is the kind of fabric I’d like to design. It’s a heavy weight fabric that would make great aprons, journal covers and even curtains.

Thrift store fabric
Thrift store fabric

I just couldn’t pass up this old linen tablecloth for a $1.

vintage linen tablecloth
vintage linen tablecloth

I bought these vintage pieces some time this year. I don’t remember what I paid for them but I thought they were way cool.

vintage fabric
vintage fabric

We’ve been using cloth napkins for a couple years now. They are so easy to find and they are so pretty. These are some of them that I bought that aren’t being used as napkins.

Cloth napkins
Cloth napkins

In the 60s these “blankets” were real popular. I had several of them and at that time we hung them on the wall and used them on the bed. I love the colors in this one.

"Blanket" made in India
"Blanket" made in India

These are just a few of my bargains I picked up this year. These and all of my dyed fabric grace the shelves in my studio. I really love the hunt for great bargains. I also love dyeing and stamping making a plain fabric my own.

I did put in my first zippers this year making those little bags out of my paint cloth and dyed fabric. So that was a big step. I also made some potholders and bags for veggies. But what I want to do this next year is use my ole Elna more and make lots of things with all of this wonderful fabric. If you have any suggestions for any of these fabrics, I’d love to hear from you. Oh, and what do you want to do more of next year?