It May be About Passion
Last week I went to pick up a few items in Shopko, and I ran into a gal that I had worked with in the courthouse. LuAnn mentioned she had five more years to go before she could retire. Her first question of me in the conversation was in regard to how I was managing with the long winter? It took me a bit before I realized the time span from fall to now, in February, hadn’t been a concern for me. LuAnn went on to say she had better begin thinking of a hobby, as the last time the roads were bad and she had to spend the weekend at home and it was not easy for her.
I don’t think I ever thought of my love of threads and fabric as a hobby. It came about as second nature as my mom, Lena, had us girls using the treadle sewing machine as soon as we could reach the treadle. There was hemming and seaming and the all important carpet rags that needed to be done. Feed sacks were turned into pajamas and aprons. The better feed sacks were saved in multiples for Mom’s house dresses. I think Dad made it quite clear that he was in favor of the blue chambray work shirts with all the necessary pockets
As Carrie and Kevin came along, there was no shortage of clothing that could be sewn with little expenditure. I think I may have overdone it when I did do a shirt and pants combo for Kevin and embroidered on the shirt and pants. Of all the things that Kevin has taken home from my attic, that set of clothing still remains here. Hmm. For Carrie, all the ruffles and pleats that we could muster were welcomed. Now the cost of a paper pattern is over $10.00 per pattern. The real kicker is that the knit and stretch in all clothing is not all that easy to sew. The seams need to be serged, meaning a final treatment to the edge of the seam to control fraying and unraveling.
I am at a point in my life that sewing is a passion and an outlet for creativity. Nothing gets me going more than a challenge. The larger project I have been working on is at a standstill for lack of several yards of fabric to coordinate the final finish. With that being the case, I dug into my scrap box. 
I am determined to lighten that load. Kersten and Kevin took a huge amount of scraps off of my hands in the form of a king sized scrappy quilt. I found some extra quilt blocks that were not needed in a previous quilt and I have decided that several potholders could be made out of them. I would not ordinarily put that much work into a potholder, but I just am not one to throw items out without trying to re-purpose them first. Actually, the background wallpaper of my blog is from the print of a quilt that these potholders will be springing from.
I did go outside and push off the snow from the driveway to clear my head, and I am now prepared to get after this fill-in project. Every once in awhile when Dennis wanders down into the sewing studio, he marvels at what I save in regard to a scrap. Well . . . I have a pile that would make three inch blocks, another that would make five inch blocks, and also a pile that would work for the old time favorite: the postage stamp pattern. Rightfully called that for . . . well, you get it. The quest to fulfill a challenge is a passion.
I do have time this afternoon to work a bit longer down here in the sewing studio, as there is a pork roast with carrots roasting away, filling the house with oh such wonderful aromas. Dennis is getting caught up after a great weekend of the trade show and is looking forward to a good home cooked meal.