Would you like to take a peek at my grandmother's sewing table that now lives in my sewing room? My aunt passed this down to me on Thanksgiving day. I don't recall Mema being much of a sewer, but like many women of her generation - she sewed out of necessity. My mom might know more about specific pieces that came forth from this machine... probably some of her own clothes as my mother sewed (and designed) much of her own clothing in high school. I imagine some of that work was done here... thoughts Mom? But Mema, she would have used this space for functional reasons, an elastic or zipper replaced. A child's seam let down to add a little extra life to a dress. And certainly, most certainly, this was the place where every button was removed and saved from each article of clothing that had been deemed old, tattered and no longer of use.
Mema's sewing things are still inside.
Of course there are buttons in an old prescription bottle... but electric scissors? That was unexpected - maybe it was a green stamps reward, seems like the sort of thing that would come from there. Does anyone remember going to the green stamps store? I have a memory of going with my mom, she was armed with her book full of stamps... I so wanted the easy bake oven but mom needed to get something really boring like an iron or coffee pot instead. Electric scissors could have come from there, definitely.
Thanks for peeking, I really feel that I can't capture with words what this table and opening it's drawers for the first time means to me. But I think you all get it, that you all might feel the same way. That words aren't really necessary, and perhaps the right words don't even exist.
Now... I must run along and get back to work, Mema's apron strings are tied (given to me by my other aunt), and holiday lists and gifts are waiting to be made. I would give anything to have the kind of energy Mema had and her ability to accomplish countless tasks in a day - you know, like have the beds made, two loads of laundry on the line, breakfast dishes washed and dried, a friendly hello to a neighbor, shopping lists made, all before 8am. That was Mema. I'm hoping this apron holds some of that good, tireless, grandmother energy... that would be so helpful.
