Going to Try Again

It has been 12 years since I closed my dance school.  I don't regret it, nor do I miss many of the aspects of having it.  However,  I do long for the creativity that comes along with choreography, teaching and performances.  Of course, I miss many of the students (I do keep in touch with quite a few of them), but the things I loved about it did not outweigh the burden of running a business. 

 I am so happy to have it as part of my past...in a good way.   Which leads me to...

Sewing. 

I was in desperate need of twirly skirts with color underneath for a piece called "Russian Dervish".  The problem...no budget and I really didn't feel comfortable in asking a parent who could sew for an undertaking like this (I kept favors to a minimum as you never knew when you REALLY needed one!).

So, I bought a sewing machine.  I took some sort of class in it when I was in middle school, but all that was gone from my memory.  I read the manual and went to it.  I made them and the girls loved them...but....I made things that looked stunning from a distance, however I am afraid anyone else with a sewing machine would have laughed...perhaps hysterically.  I made many props, costumes, back drops, etc. in such a fashion.  Duct tape, staples, pins, etc...were favorites.  I usually threw them out at the end :)  Oh the days of sitting at the studio til the wee hours...sewing, gluing and paper macheing (is that a word?).  

I sold the sewing machine when I moved to Alaska, 

BUT NOW I WANT TO LEARN TO SEW...the right way.

Amelia has inspired me.

She received a few sets of sewing cards and just loves them!

Each morning she plops herself on the couch with her sewing cards, pulling her head up to glance at the tv from time to time, then back to the task at hand...she does this for quite some time. I had purchased a little crochet kit of a musk ox when we were in Fairbanks last summer, thinking someday I will do it.  I had to dig it out and start along with her.  Which inspired me to pull out my grandmother's linens...all crotched by her.  

And lately getting hooked and watching all 3 seasons of "Downton Abbey", I noticed a lot of crocheting going on...what would you do in place of the ipad or tv?...apparently crochet! 

I have 2 pieces hung and framed that I have kept and loved for years.  One I believe is my grandmother's doing as my mom had it up in the kitchen on a wooden dowel.  It was too frayed and delicate to do so again...so I opted to frame it instead.

Another was in a box of my grandmother's things.   ABC's crocheted by my great great grandmother. My mother in law spotted the name (Helme) on the bottom during a visit that I never noticed before1  It is very old and worn, so all I did was unfold and frame...displayed out of direct sun.

So...I asked that husband of mine... all I want is a sewing machine.  I think I'll get one :)