Back to Normal..is there such a place?
Last week was
spent on holidays from the other job and I spent most of the week helping my
mum sew, we stayed indoors to escape the heat, opened Nays Place for Wednesday and Thursday whilst I was home and met some lovely new people who came to visit and shop during these days whilst I was open.
My adventures with mum. Let me tell you that my mum taught me to sew - I remember I must have been about 7 or 8 and we were living in Bordertown. I can remember cutting up squares (well they kind off looked like squares) in Mission Brown, Burnt Orange and Lime Green (guess what era I was born in) sewed them together to kind of make a 'patchwork' cushion and carried this with me for a while. In fact I still have the lime green sewing box and scissors my grandparents bought for me. Yes you know the ones I mean - the plastic Birch ones.....like this but Lime Green..
Anyway digressing - my mum has always sewn - clothes etc you name it, she knits, crochets everything but she has never ever made a quilt. I still have a dress she made for me for my mini deb ball when I was 6. Here's the dress and me wearing it.... 40 years later the dress is still going strong.
Then and Now....
Firstly curtains that she has had the fabric for 4
years and finally decided that it must be done - think I have convinced her to
buy them readymade next time...Fabric was striped and patterned and guess what
the pattern didn't match anywhere!!!!!
Then; and only once the curtains were finished; could
we start with her FIRST EVER QUILT.
Mum and I have a similar love for cats and
she has been collected cat fabric for some years.
Well we finally started on a
quilt which will showcase her fabrics (that and the fact that dad has said no
more fabric buying until you start using what you have - think we have all
probably heard that before). So after a day and a 1/2 - pattern sorted, blocks
cut and 2 rows complete and of course it's big enough to go over a double bed.
Booked in another day after Christmas to try and finish it - happy to say her
sewing area at home is getting set up and revamped so she can sew sew sew to
her heart's content when able.
Another great aspect to come out of my week off is
that I got to meet two new fabric reps. Please to say that in the new year I
will be stocking Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler and Tula Pink fabrics as well as
other designers from XLN. I also meet up with the Two Green Zebra's rep and
have ordered some gorgeous fabrics, Anne Kelle, Japanese Prints, Flannels,
Christmas fabrics for delivery next July - that was really really weird and
confirmed that the Gail Pan Range I ordered will hopefully be here very very
soon. Was promised November but there is only 6 days left so not hoping.
What a great day
spending 5 hours ordering fabrics - WOW - can't wait.
Then on Saturday I went to a clearing sale for a local who isn't very well and had a canvas and leather goods home business. He was selling all of his stock and industrial sewing machines - thought since my husband has a lot of old vehicles and is looking at new seats, new canvas covers etc that I might be able to pick up an industrial machine. What I hadn't counted on was the 4 gentleman from canvas business who had the same idea. Whilst I didn't walk away with an industrial sewing machine I did walk away with two others - domestic machines - one apparently not working but hubby spent some time with it today gave it a good clean WD40 and polish and it runs really well.
Slowly gathering machines for when Nays Place becomes more of a reality than a day a week business for me. My idea is to have sewing machines set up for people to come in and hire for their own purposes or to sit n sew items for charity.
Still planning - the more I think, talk to others and dream the closer the reality becomes..
One Day.
Keep sewing
Nay
