Little did I know when I stitched the first dress for my favorite doll, that sewing would be a lifelong pursuit. That simple cotton dress was made under the watchful eye of our neighbor, Mrs. F., using pattern pieces cut from paper lunch bags with fabric from her remnants drawer. Baby doll clothes to Barbie, I tried them all. Soon, I graduated to making simple garments for myself, and at age 14 chose to sew a dress for my confirmation. Mrs. F guided me along as I chose a lovely textured white pique, and in the style of the 70’s this dress featured bishop sleeves, wide cuffs and was several inches above the knee. Mrs. F. was a stickler for precision, and I learned how to “correctly” sew on a button, make buttonholes, and hand sew the button loops that closed those wide cuffs. I was hooked! In high school, I saved my tips from waitressing and bought my first sewing machine, a Kenmore from Sears. I sewed most all of my clothes then, and distinctly remember the Christmas ...
