Why I love to sew...

I've been revisiting my love of sewing and fabrics of late. Early in my life, when I had more time than money, I made many of my own clothes, made stuffed animals, even did embroidery. Then I went through a long period of working too many hours and being able to buy whatever I needed, so I put all that aside.

Standing in the fabric store the other day, I found myself wanting to buy a multitude of fabrics that caught my eye and started to reminisce... you see, my love of sewing and of fabric was passed on to me from my mother, and I found myself remembering the pieces of fabric she had squirreled away in her cedar chest. When I was a child, we would take them out periodically and think about what they might become one day and then fold them back up for another day.

That must be when I learned to love all the different textures and colours. The vibrant ones make me feel alive and the unique ones awaken my creativity. I can stand in a fabric store envisioning the possibilities for hours. I worked in one while going to school and that feeling never went away, even after a full day shift.

But I realized, standing in the store the other day, how much that feeling is tied to the love I have for my mother. She taught me to see the possibilities and to try new things. Thanks, mom!