The Sewing Gene

I come from a long line of seamstresses. Personally, I know it goes back 3 generations, maybe more. My grandmother was born in 1900. She was quite the fashion plate in her prime, and often told the story of going "downtown" with her mother to window shop. She would spot a dress in a store window, and her mother would then duplicate it for her, just by looking at it.

My grandmother, Leah Marie, was quite a seamstress as well. She made the most exquisite clothing, including this dress she wore as the mother-of-the-bride at my mother's wedding.

It is truly a work of art. I love to pull it out of the closet every once in a while to admire it. The details are amazing.

Sometime in the 1950's both my grandmother and my mother purchased Singer 301 sewing machines. My mother purchased hers to take to college with her, and still uses it to this day.

When my grandmother passed away in 1993, we decided that my cousin should take her sewing machine. Both my mother and I had nice machines, and my cousin thought she might give sewing a try.

Fast forward 17 years later...my cousin has never used the machine and asked me, out of the blue, if I would like to have it!! Ummmmmm......YES!!

The only hitch is that she lives in Wyoming and I live in California. We're working on a plan to get it to me, but I probably won't get it until Thanksgiving. In the meantime I have been doing a lot of research, I downloaded a manual, (60 some pages!) and I purchased a buttonhole attachment from Barbara.