partytime_pam

Part II: I forgot to add that my grandmother worked in San Francisco's Chinatown in the garment industry. On Saturdays we would go get her at one of the many sewing factories where they paid "piece meal". My dad would take us to pick her up after her shift with all those Chinese ladies sewing at the industrial machines whirring loudly. They would say in Chinese, "Are those your grandchildren? How cute they are!" when we ran up to her to see her. The machines were so noisy! It was truly a cultural experience! Everyone in my family says I got my sewing abilities from my grandmother. I take that as a huge compliment since she made so many things for us as children. She was an amazing woman, raising 9 kids on a single income with no college education. I miss her terribly!

My mom taught me to sew when I was about 8 years old. We cut out a dress together and she would give me instructions on what to do one step at a time. She would be in the living room doing something while I was at the sewing machine. On her direction, I would sew what she told me to sew, bring her the what I had done, she would tell me what to do next, I would sew it, bring it back to her and we went back and forth like that until she had to show me something at the machine or I was done. She would often buy a dress for either me or my sister and then she would MAKE a dress just like it for the sister that didn't get the purchased dress. So we ended up having "sister" dresses! She made many outfits for us growing up in the 60's.

I went on to take many tailoring and advanced sewing classes as an adult but will always cherish my memories learning from my mom.