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January 31, 2007
There is a reason...
I've been sewing on my mother's machine. Through a lengthy confluence of events I had found myself for the first time in a while with no sewing machine. [That is not to say that I have a lot of sewing experience. For me sewing has happened in spurts.] But, no sewing machine. And then my mother's machine was given to me and I put it, along with her fabric and her rotary mat and cutter and her quilting supplies, in storage to be gone through at a later date.
When the sewing itch returned I wasn't quite expecting it. I was busy and tired and creatively stalled. Which is probably where the itch came from. When the desire got undeniable I sent K. to storage for the machine. I found comfort in the fact that it had been my mother's machine and that she had made many quilts for many people on it. It was a simple mechanical sewing machine and I felt at home with it quickly.
But as I began to sew on it more, I found myself going over and over the details of my mother's death. How she had been failing for quite some time, but the signs were so subtle as to be missed. How her hands shook and her vision got blurry. How slowly she stopped sewing and quilting, and how sad that was for her and for me. The details swirling over and over and over in my head. How the machine fell silent in that last summer and my mother eventually fell silent too.
It seems that it is too soon for me to be sewing on my mother's machine. Her machine was important to her, and is symbolic of my mother for me. Too symbolic.
Once I realized how the machine was affecting me I didn't want to go near it anymore. It seemed to have an aura about it. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted it around. Finally I told K. And K., being K., instantly said, "Yes, of course you need a new machine. Let's put your mom's machine away for now."
And that is how I found myself last weekend at the sewing machine dealership talking buttonholes and walking feet and dropping feed dogs. I took K. with me, afraid that I would chicken out and come home without a machine. Of course taking K. along brings its own set of problems. And that is how I came to be the proud, and befuddled, owner of this.
I almost cried when I took it out of the box. I couldn't do a thing with it. Nothing. Eventually I figured out how to get the needle down into the fabric (should I need to read the manual to do that?) and sewed two tiny test lines into a scrap of cloth.
And that is why I only sewed my one set of bags this month and did not get around to sewing the second set.
Scandinavia 300, you will not have the best of me!
I am thinking that perhaps my project for the month of February will not involve sewing with a machine.
Posted by grrlTravels at January 31, 2007 9:48 PM
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Comments
It is soo pretty. You'll figure it out. You've seen my machine. I had the same the reaction to it when I first brought it out of the box and it took a while for me to sew on it. I had to sit down with the manual and go over everything, which really sucked. God, it sucked. I hate reading manuals. Your machine does look complicated, but man, is it ever pretty.
Posted by: Shelba at February 1, 2007 9:43 AM
You'll figure it out...and if not, the dealership should give you some lessons. I bought a Pfaff about 18 months ago, and I love it....sometimes, more then my husband. (JUST KIDDING)!!!!!!
Posted by: Stace at February 1, 2007 10:34 AM
Wow - that is a fancy machine. Mine is far less fancy, but required me to break out the manual. Hoping you get it all figured out!
Posted by: Deanna at February 1, 2007 10:44 AM
Oooh a Viking! That is really the gold standard, you know. It is like driving a Porche in the sewing world. You will love it.
Posted by: Rebecca at February 2, 2007 12:34 AM