things we're thankful for, day one

Each day this week we'll be sharing stories and ideas, and talking about what we're thankful for in our lives.  I hope you'll help me welcome a new guest!  Capi from Chosen Sisters is here to share her "sew full of thanks" story (and a giveaway too!). 

Hello, I'm Capi!  I am "sew" full of thanks for my mom, a woman who knows how to bestow wonderful gifts. One of the best of those came from her having the courage to put a needle in the hands of a five year old, giving me a gift that brings me joy daily.

Dearly loved Mom, between the daughter she taught to sew and the granddaughter she  helped make her  first quilt. 

Watching my mother sew must have piqued my interest, but I don't remember that.  What I do remember is sitting on the floor with a cigar box full of buttons, choosing "flowers" for the front of my needlecase.  This is one of my earliest vivid memories.

Mom had found the pattern in the Salt Lake Tribune, circa 1962, and had decided that felt and buttons and needles and perle cotton were a good place for a budding seamstress to start.  She cut the flower pot and stems from black felt and I cut the purple and black felt rectangles for the cover and inside of the needlecase.  The evidence is in the finished product, still in my possession and among my most special treasures.  I know I kept embroidering because I monogrammed handkerchiefs for my dad and godfather for Christmas gifts when I was nine.  My godfather was still using his eleven years later even though they were, as my grandmother used to say, "thin enough to spit through."

When I was ten I had the privilege of learning to use Mom's Singer sewing machine.  I started with placemats and napkins then moved to shorts and sleeveless tops (we lived in the tropics).  One of my clearest memories, probably because it was repeated over and over as I learned to sew, is sitting at the sewing machine with my mom at my side, chatting while she and her handy seam ripper picked out my mistakes.  Lumps and bumps in seams bothered this first-born perfectionist.  Somehow Mom knew that had I had to sit and pick them out, I would have given up in frustration.  So she did it for me, saying, "Here, let me take that out for you and then we will just pin it and you can sew it again."  Brilliance and grace all in one.

Mom's gift of teaching me to sew has brought me immeasurable pleasure.  The satisfaction of seeing finished projects inspires me to keep sewing.  I could go on for pages listing the things I have sewn over the last fifty years.  And I could go on for pages listing ideas I have for projects I hope to finish over the next fifty.  My great-grandmother lived to be 105 and kept her wits, so I think there is hope for me.  "Sew" thanks, Mom, for having the courage to put a needle in the hands of a five year old.  I will always be grateful.

by Capi Cloud Cohen

My friend and chosen sister, Deb, and I are hoping to have our blog up and running soon. One of our earliest entries will be the directions for making this needlecase so you can share the gift of sewing with a child in your life.  

Our etsy shop is home to some of the things we have enjoyed making over the recent months.  We invite you to visit our shop or our facebook page to see other things we have made.  Leaving a comment here about your favorite item in our shop, or "friending" our facebook page will enter you in a drawing for one of our covered tape measures, or one of our "learn to sew" kits.  The winner can tell us which she would prefer.  (you'll use the rafflecopter widget below to record your entry)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  

My first sewing project, the needlecase in the post above, is the inspiration behind the "learn to sew" kits featured in our etsy shop.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ChosenSisters

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChosenSisters

We are "sew" thankful to Tammie letting us introduce ourselves to you on her blog.

And I am "sew" thankful for you sharing your story!!  Your mom sounds like an amazing woman!  Thanks for letting us get to know you and your mom, and for sponsoring a giveaway too!