Taking for Granted...

I have never really thought about how much I take for granted the fact that my mother taught me something that, in my eyes, seems to be a dying legacy.

Sunday afternoon, I got home from work and went down to my craft room.

My family had gone out to go fishing while I was at work, so I had some free time to myself...

...at least for a little while.

I was sitting in front of the computer trying desperately to figure out how to make some tags for my etsy.com items when my family got home.

My husband hollered down the stairs to me that our neighbor wanted to ask me something.

I was annoyed because I was tight in the middle of something that was very important to me, but figured I can get back to it after I talk to her.

I got upstairs and stepped out on the front step to talk to her.

She stated that her daughter was going to the "Heritage School" in a couple of weeks and she needed a pioneer costume. I thought oh, that's easy.

I started suggesting that she just make a long skirt and have her daughter wear a t-shirt, but she broke in and said I already bought a pattern and all of the fabric for a dress, but I don't know how to sew.

Oh boy!

I really didn't want to make it for her, but she asked me if I would teach her how to do it.

At first I wasn't so sure I wanted to do it, but I figured she's such a good neighbor that I couldn't say no.

Thank goodness, she chose a VERY simple pattern!

At least the dress was anyway. We got the pattern and fabric cut out and the dress sewn together all in a matter of 2 hours. I showed her what she would need to cut and how to piece the fabric together.

First I would sew a seam or make the casing for the elastic and then I would have her sew the other seam or casing.

Now all we have left to make are the apron and the bonnet.

The bonnet will be a bit more difficult (for her), because there is interfacing, but I will coach her on it and her daughter will be a perfect pioneer school girl on the 23rd.

Wow, that is Monday! I may need to make the other stuff for her myself!

So, that is my story.

I taught someone how to sew with a sewing machine and using a pattern.

Quite different from the way I learned.

Sewing machine - Yes. Dress pattern - No.

I learned the very basics before I actually "graduated" to sewing clothing and complicated stuff.

Sadly, I think that sewing is a dying art, thank goodness for ecommerce sites like

etsy! Without them, most people would be buying everything from a retail store.