madtam

Having been a Sewing teacher in the schools for over 48 years, I am sad to hear in so many of the comments above, that a Jr. High SEWING TEACHER, was the reason so many stopped sewing or became discouraged in the formative years.
My first rememberance of sewing was sitting on the floor in my Grandmothers Sewing room, making the tredle go up and down on her Singer . She was a wonderful seamstress and quilter. She even had the honor of making the dress that First Lady Patricia Nixon was buried in. They lived on farms across from each other in Artesia, Calif and my Mother also an accomplished seamstress was a childhood friend of Mrs. Nixon.
I started making doll clothes at 7 or 8 and then at about 10 years of age, my mother helped me make my first pair of coulottes, as we called them then. I was lucky to have been given the tools to create garments and never really had a purchased garment until late in High School. I have loved to sew forever it seems, and continue now in my retirement years designing, Wearable ARt,teaching sewing classes at a local Sewing store and designing in my head day and night. I find it so relaxing and enjoyable that I now have accumulated about 6 Sewing machines, 3 sergers, 2 Embroidery machine and just last week got a Felting maching. I was able to make a wonderful living with my Sewing knowledge, meet wonderful students,encourage so many to be creative and have had so many wonderful years doing what I love the most.
Thanks Mom HELEN and Grandmother Grace!!!