Treasures

I have material to make curtains for the kitchen. I have a sewing machine. The two have not yet been introduced. Today, in preparation for the big sewing day, I sat down at the machine, turned it on, and sewed a seam on some scrap fabric. This is big news because this is a machine that hasn't been used in a solid ten years, and maybe even longer, and yet it worked like a dream. It's my mom's old machine that my dad bought for her in 1968. There are a lot of memories associated with it, starting with its purchase. Dad asked me to go along and help him pick it out, because he would like the company. I remember this being a new and interesting idea, that I could be company for someone. I recall that I tried to rise to the occasion and have a grown-up conversation, though I don't remember what about. I was ten years old, and this was a big deal for me.

I learned to sew on this machine when I was in junior high, and all through high school with the help of Eula Jean Meier, my home ec teacher. And now, forty years later, the aqua Singer is in my possession, and it works beautifully. That is so sweet to me. Today when I sat down to use it, I opened the big drawer on the cabinet and realized it needed a clean-out. And when I did, I found these treasures. There were plenty of other things that I didn't photograph, such as the stockpile of shoelaces (need any? there were at least 35 pair). Shown in the picture are the button tin (formerly a candy tin), manual for the machine, plaid (!) shoelaces, something called mending wool, and cool leather laces. Oh, and the exposition item, which, when opened, looks like the second picture - full of needles!

And pretty soon there will be pictures of curtains...