How I learnt to Sew

I was always fascinated by my mum's sewing machines and from the earliest age I wanted to use them. My mother owned two machines, the first I was allowed to use as it was an old hand crank Singer and the second I was 'not to touch under any circumstances' as it was an electric machine.

The first time I used the electric ended in disaster but started my love affair with sewing! My mother was frantically trying to get my sister and I ready for nursery whilst getting herself prepared for work and the lure of the machine grew too great for me. I cannot remember now if it was the desire to make something that drew me to it or just a three year old's love of moving parts but I can remember how tantilising the and thought of driving this appliance was. I know I waited until my Mum was totally immersed in preparing breakfast and then I snuck into the room and plugged the machine in. What I didn't expect when I sat down and pressed the foot pedal was the sheer speed of the machine and quite how fast it was compared to the hand crank. I think the penny dropped when my fingers were dragged under the needle and when the needle passed though my nail into my finger. I can't remember screaming but I can recall being worried in part about getting in trouble with my Mother for disobeying the rule but most of all about getting blood on the little dress I was making for my Sindy doll!

So what has this got to do with learning to sew? Simple really, sewing is all about having a passion about something but never, ever sticking your finger under the needle.