My dream skirt

About two months ago I prayed to God to help me find something “fun” to do. I’m a person who regularly takes things so seriously that fun seems to get squeezed out of my life. It was only a day or so when I woke up from a dream that I saw a lady wearing a skirt that fascinated me – and I told her so in the dream. When I woke up my mind went to work on how I might be able to design and make that skirt. I was having fun! I used to sew a lot, but not so much lately. Every now and then I sew something – like the three simple dresses I made when I broke out in a rash and couldn’t stand even the waistband of my pants touching me.

Then God blessed me again. I found a Singer 401a sewing machine that I had been watching since about two years ago – for only $15. This machine is almost identical to my mother’s Singer 500 machine that I used when I was in Jr. high through my college years.

I grew up watching my mother sew and patiently (or not) waited until I was old enough to use a sewing machine. I took 4-H as early as I could and made a scarf and an apron the summer following 5th grade. Mama didn’t want to pay for fabric for fear I would mess it up, so I bought a pattern for doll clothes and she gave me some fabric. I knew I could do it and I did. When I was in 7th grade I took Home Ec. and made a skirt. After that, Mom let me do more sewing.  I sewed many Easter dresses, school clothes, prom dresses, and even sewed an oil cloth dome tent to use as a planetarium by the science club at school. My dad was the faculty sponsor and made the pattern for the dome.

I have an online friend who fixes up sewing machines regularly, so I sent her pictures of my recent purchase (the Singer 401a) and now she is my cheerleader offering suggestions on how to get it up and running smoothly. This turned out to be so much fun that I went looking for more vintage Singer sewing machines – and was blessed again and again. The last two purchases were treadle machines almost like the one Mama used to sew my clothes when I was little – the same one I used for my very first sewing projects at home before Mom bought her new machine. Another of my purchases  was like the ones we used in Home Ec. classes.

I have to stop my shopping spree. I’m now cleaning them up and getting them into operation again. This too is fun – sometimes overwhelming, but I love things mechanical and I know I can do it. The last picture shows several of my machines along with the mess.

Once I get my first couple of machines fully adjusted for sewing, I will start a sewing class/group at my church, making these machines available for people to use who can’t bring their own. I’m so thankful to God for answering my prayer for something FUN to do. I feel so blessed in many ways. Maybe one day we can make Bible quilts at church for children, fulfilling another of my long terms dreams, and having even more fun doing that.

Are we having fun yet? Absolutely! What do you do for fun?

by Janice D. Green, author of The Creation which she illustrated with hand-appliqued quilt pictures.