My Grandma Hixson was a driving force behind my early sewing. She attempted to teach me to use the sewing machine but a debilitating stroke made that very difficult. Grandma was very determined, though, and she made a few things with one good hand to get the work done. This is a photo of Grandma, my mother, myself and older brother, in earlier days.
(I was not quite old enough to sew, as yet!)
Grandma is wearing a dress she made for herself in this photo. Nothing exciting; Grandma had zero interest in fashion. I have a length of the fabric from this dress and once commented to mom, ‘Grandma must have loved this because she bought so much of it!’ My mom laughed and said, ‘Oh, it was probably a very good price and she knew it would be ‘serviceable’.
There’s a good ‘ole word we don’t hear much anymore!
This photo is also precious to me because it is one of only a few with Mama and Grandma together. When my mother was failing with Alzheimers I once asked her if she could name the people in this picture. She nodded. ‘That is me. and my mother, and Jimmy. And that’s the baby’.
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To say that Grandma wasnt much of a saver would be an understatement.
Family members lamented that she ruthlessly tossed a civil war uniform,
among other momentoes.
For this reason, the things I have that remind me of her
are important to me.
I have many of Grandma’s old sewing notions, most well used. One special thing is this leather case of sewing shears.
My mother used her very first paycheck to buy this set of Wiss shears for her mother. It was special to both of them. I will confess that I tend to throw my sewing tools around rather wildly when I’m working. Grandma, on the other hand, always returned everything to it’s rightful place. I saw her use the various scissors and shears in this case many times. They were always neatly stowed away when a sewing session ended.
That missing pair? Grandma would’ve tanned my brother’s hide over that. I keep hoping that pair will turn up in a box of miscellaneous!
Ah, but how many memories I have of things that Grandma made!
Here is the little stuffed horse she made for me, complete with a knotted crochet thread mane and tail. It’s perfect for dolls modeling western wear.
Here I am, age 3, in a sweet shift that Grandma made for me. Mama requested the little ruffles on the short sleeves. The dress is long gone, but I still have the heart pin I am wearing here.
I still have this crazy hair, too, neither curly nor straight.
It prefers to stick out oddly, here and there, just for grins.
I celebrated my fourth birthday in another little dress that Grandma made.
It was a bright water-color floral cotton and I loved it.
(I requested fried chicken for my birthday dinner and you can see I got it.)
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Ever wonder if fabric quality is as good as it used to be?
I have a few wash clothes that Grandma made for the birth of my brother.
I use them regularly.
My brother just turned 58.
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These days, we are all anxious to de-clutter,
clear things out,
minimize our belongings.
In my quest to do this I’ll have to find things that bring me less joy than these items do.
Clothes that make me feel fat? Yes!
A heart shaped baking pan I used a time or two? I can let it go.
My stuffed horse? No way.
My memories? Never.
These things I will keep.
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Very enjoyable read! My paternal grandmother died when all 3 of her sons were in the army during WW2; she had a stroke while dealing with laundry on the clothesline in the backyard. In her 60s, reportedly she had given birth to 11 children, only 5 of whom survived infancy and my dad was her youngest. Her treadle machine had a place of honor in the kitchen until my grandfather passed away about 20 years after her death. My maternal grandma’s sewing machine had a place of honor in the dining room. She passed when I was almost 4; I barely remember her. All I have of either grandmother is snapshots. I hope they are proud of the sewing skills I have developed — Jane, you are a valued teacher who got me to approach sewing knits with confidence!
aw, Linda! I love your story, too. While my Grandma Hixson loved to sew, my paternal grandmother did not. I didn’t know this and so, lugged her old machine home from Oklahoma where it sat like an enormous paperweight! I did not need it, do not collect antiques, etc. My mother said, ‘You know, if you wanted to keep something of Grandma Howell’s that was important to her it wouldn’t be this! She hated sewing and only did it because she had too!’. LOL. I researched the machine, thinking that it might have value. Nope! It was one of the most common machines Singer ever made and it was literally worth about $12. It did have a fairly pretty cabinet. I sold it for $25 to a woman who wanted to use it as a hall table. Instead of that I kept a Hoosier cabinet of Grandma Howell’s. It was the first piece of ‘real’ kitchen cabinetry she had and she had used it 50 years. Tom painted it red and it houses fabric in my sewing room.
Loved reading this and seeing the photos. ❤