The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path. Mason Cooley.
My mother is a most extraordinary woman. I say that as a daughter who could not be more unlike her if I tried. It is Liddy who is like her. My mother is a detail oriented, left brained thinker & everything she does she does well. I think I gave up trying early on. How does one compete with perfection?I do however appreciate my mother enormously. Different is good ~ though I'm not always sure she would say the same thing about me ~ or Ditz for that matter! Ditz & I ~ well, we can get most people thinking the pair of us belong in the loony bin. We are good for the big picture stuff, for a riotous giggle when things are at their bleakest & a hug when you need one most but we are not the people to ask when you have a practical need. Oh, our heart is in the right place but, well, the doing comes hard & the end result may not be exactly what you had in mind.
This was certainly the case when Liddy needed something special to wear for her Formal. Now I can sew...after a fashion: straight seams, crotches in shorts & certain sorts of pockets. A ditzy glitzy dress out of shimmery shiny fabric ~ no! That is very definitely my mother's department. I believe she even sewed her own wedding dress. I hope I remembered that right or I will get a phone call to tell me I have remembered yet another bit of family history wrong. Well, if my mother didn't sew her own wedding dress she was more than capable of doing so! And just as well because Liddy is my daughter after all & enough like me to decide, in the end, she just wasn't going to be like everyone else & go for some gorgeous floating gown that would make her look like Cinderella & feel like a prize idiot.
Nope, Liddy wanted something that would make her feel like herself ~ only super special. She wanted something flamboyant & oriental ~ & she didn't have a pattern!
She had material ~ thanks to her paternal grandmother so armed herself with her material & spent a long weekend with my mother to sew up this. She looked absolutely stunning despite towering over her ever so handsome escort. [That's my youngest boy there, proudly escorting his sister!] Just look at that sweet Chinese collar & the nice stiff way the barely a sleeve at all sits. And the clasps cleverly matching! And this material is no joy to sew! Everything, absolutely everything, has to be hand tacked otherwise it slip slides all over the place & frays like nobody's business.
My mother sews beautifully. Everyone wanted to know where Liddy got her outfit but mum's not going into business. I have made it abundantly clear however that she is not to die before I've got my girls safely married off because I just know the pair of them will want something that just isn't to be found in the shops & guess who I will be turning to to run up that little white number? Yep. A girl's best friend is her mum!
10 comments:
So is this the one I was supposed to read, lol I might be ignorant but I don't understand! Also on the way in I was like O planes, done that a couple of times it can't be that bad... Meh I only saw part of the Sydeny airport when I came in aye. It's huge + so much more offical :P man very humbeling. You'd be so proud, the amount of times I've had to actually ask someone for directions and I've done so! Littering your comments section so I'm going to go do a runner ~ btw you promised an e-mail???? Still haven't got one ~ Your Daughter!
I thought you liked reading about yourself. :P
I'll send the e~mail while you have no reception. Heeheehee.
Everything in Sydney is huge...& asking directions is part of being a good traveller ~ traveller, not tourist. ☺
Love you, girl. ♥
Absolutely beautiful. And I know from sad experience how difficult trim smooth little items like this are to sew. Tricky little blighters they are and nary a gather or pleat in sight to make up for a little bit of an error. Everyone thinks the big fluffy ruffly things are the hard things to make but nothing could be further from the truth.... when you've got ruffles and gathers, you can be inches off and you can disguise it. There's no hiding anything anywhere with a garment like this. I bow in seamstress-ly respect to your mother.
Diane: I particularly did this post for you because I knew you would appreciate the workmanship. It is absolutely beautiful & nearly drove my poor mother demented. She swears she's not making wedding garments but I bet if the girls asked....
Fabulously gorgeous! Liddy and the outfit. Your mother is an artist. As are you and your Dearest, as the parents of those very good looking children.
Lovely!
Okay. I can't sew. Not even a little tiny bit. I take everything home to mother. Mums are good like that. Anyhow, that tunic is exceptional. Just wonderful!! Love it!!!
The models aren't half bad either. You certainly make good looking children - even if sewing is not your strong suit, cute kids sure are!
Liddy, everyone gets lost in Sydney...
No phone call... she must have sewn her own wedding dress... :)
Sandra: Hmm...but I'm biased. I think my kids are gorgeous but I have no idea where they got their looks from. ☺
Thanks, Allison.
lol Jeanne ~ even Sydneysiders get lost in Sydney.
mrsC: Looks like I'm on a role...
My mother is the seamstress in my family too. I try, but will never measure up. Gorgeous formal attire and even more gorgeous children!
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