How did you learn to do THAT??

"Gees, I messed it up"
"Just let me do it would you"

"Hey, your really good a sewing!"
"shhhh, don't tell anyone"

"No really, where did you learn to sew?"

Well, I never did use a sewing machine. I don't know how. I don't think I could even turn one one. But I have been sewing by hand since 1981... and I remember how it started.

Grandma, sister and I would go school shopping the end of august. It was the only time we got new cloths. We would get bags of hand-me=downs throughout the year, but for school there was the list

2 pairs of jeans or pants
3 or 4 shirts
2 pairs of shoes
underwear
socks

Now you better not grow over the year, otherwise you were SOL. So everything was at least a size too big.

And this was the 80's!!! It was the time before leggings!!!! How could I have loose clothing???? I was just starting high school...oh how embarrassing....

So I learned to tailor my own cloths. It started with the waist on my jeans. I had a 22 inch waist and I couldn't find a pair of jeans to save my life. I started buying old Levi jeans from the salvation army store. I would take in the waist with a sewing needle, carpet tread and a hard cover book because I didn't have a thimble.

Then, as I went on in high school the jeans were never skinny enough unless you had designer jeans (which i could not afford)

So again I came out with the carpet tread. I would sew the entire inseam. Ankle to ankle. I could barley get my foot into those things! Ahhhh it was great.

I have have the reputation of making any costume by hand too. Just give me a day or two... I've done dinos and birds and pandas and monkeys--- yep all by hand!

So yes... I can sew... but don't tell.... some one might ask me to make something for them!

BTW, i just got a note from a kid i knew in high school, I wonder if he knew how much time I spent sewing my jeans?