Mom's stiches...

My mother loved to crochet, When I was young, and her eyesight was good, she would crochet alot of different doilies from crochet thread. In those days Ladies would decorate their tables, end tables, couches and chairs with crochet doilies, of one form or another. I would often come into the front room and find starched doilies stretched out on wax paper, with straight pins pulling them tight, pined to the carpet on the floor. When they would dry, they would be stiff and hold there shape. Mom and her sisters would often give each other gifts of their hard work. They would roll them up on paper,or wax paper and place them inside a tube for mailing or giving as a gift.

Sometimes Mom would let me take her work and add, or learn how to do the stitching she was working on. Latter when her eyesight was a challenge she crocheted with yarn. Finding it pleasing to her, and alot faster, she started to crochet afghans. Her first two were full size afghans. they were given as gifts, placed on couches, sat on, washed over and over, and ruined. From that time on Mom only crochet half the size. So if someone wanted to put it on the couch, it wouldn't be sat on.

Mom liked to quilt. Mom and Dad lived during the depression,and there were times where money was scares. Often the things you had, where what one created with their own hands. I remember 2 quilts she had made from levies. I had them on my bed. Once they were warmed up in the winter, (Utah winter, and the thermostat was turned down to 60 degrees.) you toasted all night. They were heavy, but I Loved them. Mom made many quilts, I would come home from school and Mom would have a quilt set up in one of the bedrooms. RS sister, and friends, gathered for quilting and lunch. I learned the fine art of quilting from her at that time.
I am very lucky to have in my position 2 quilts, 2 afghans Mom had made, and doilies she had crocheted.

Mom also had a Singer treadle sewing machine, just like the one in the picture. It was on Mom's treadle sewing machine that I learned how to sew. Latter on, Mom traded her Singer for a electric sewing machine for me. I have been blessed with the gift of sewing. I have made wedding dress, and formals, being some of the hardest. (I have 4 girls). Although I am thankful to have a nice machine to use, I have always wish I could have kept Mom's treadle machine...