She's sewing!

I think any mom that knits or sews or paints dreams of doing their favorite craft with their kids some day. I know I've dreamed of sunny afternoons spent at the table with my girls and my sewing machine.

We'd all be hunkered down with pins and pattern paper and pretty fabrics we had shopped for and we'd sew skirts and blouses and sundresses and then we'd have a fashion show in the living room and glitter would fall from the sky and we'd all look angelic in our outfits that matched a little but not too much.

We'd be the envy of the fabric shop and every time we walked through the door there would be whispers and oooohs and aaaahs... "THAT mom... well, she's got girls that sew and look how beautiful they all are in their pretty outfits that match a little but not too much... they're just perfect! And glitter falls from the sky everywhere they go!"

Not. Sigh.

In reality, I collect patterns and pattern books and normally look through them myself and daydream. The girls do love to shop for fabric but the minute we're home they are so over it... and off they go leaving me to pre-wash, cut, pin, blah, blah. They are still happy to wear my creations but they want little to do with the creating part.

One time I convinced Doodle to help me prep pattern pieces and cut some fabric and you'd have thought it was home-detention. But she's a good kid and a polite girl so she trudged through what must have been one of the most boring afternoons of her life. 

I realized then Doodle hadn't caught the sewing bug, at least not yet, and to push her would be to make her more resistant so I let it go.

So imagine how shocked I was when she came home from school last week and asked if she could use the sewing machine. In that moment I was certain I saw glitter fluttering above her head.

"Of course you can use the sewing machine! Have you decided to make skirts for school? Bags for friends? Some lacy valentine craft? Do you need my help?"

"Yea, I need help. I need to sew these juice pouches together."

The glitter suddenly disappeared.

Sigh.

But really, I wasn't disappointed for long. Turns out her Environmental Club at school was inspired by TerraCycle and decided to make some recycled juice bag totes of their own. There was apparently some frustration with the sewing machines in the Home Ec room at school so she brought hers home to assemble.

All I had to do was set the machine for her and off she went. She was sewing. Maybe not pretty skirts (yet) but sewing nonetheless.

 

Ta da!

 

And you can't expect a 14 year old girl to make a project that doesn't include something colorful and fluffy...

 

I bet when she unveils her masterpiece at school today glitter will fall from the sky.

   

Comments

[marissa]

My daughter did it to me recently. "Mom, I want to knit." Proudest moment of my life to date.
She has lost interest, but won't let me put her wip away. That's okay, I figure. I have lots of wip's hanging around, too. I'm half holding my breath for her to pick it up again.
Also- I didn't see glitter, I saw full-fledged rainbows!!

[Chiris in NJ]

Congats to your daughter. Love the bag. Is there a
link on how to make them? My granddaughters who
drink juice pouches all the time would love them...
Directions please....
Thanks in advance.

[Rochelle]

I share the same "daughter's lack of sewing interest" phenomenon. She might help with picking out the fabric and maaaybeee cutting fabric and then she's done. Someday....

[Janet Szabo]

It's beautiful! Good for her!

[km]

That's quite a bag. I'm sure the crafting gene will rub off on her...

[Joan]

I share your ::sighs::.. Neither of my DDs are the least bit interested in needlework. They dabble in other crafts, mainly DD#2 with jewelry. Do you think it's a conspiracy to keep me knitting for them?