What The Future Holds

When I had my hip replaced, I went in knowing it was highly unlikely I'll ever pick up shoeing horses again. I had stopped working in June, so it wasn't so much of a blow by the time the surgeon expressed his doubts about doing it. He thinks I'll be able to do it on a limited basis, but the risk of ruining the implant is pretty significant.

So, what to do?

I am in the fortunate position of being married to a talented man who is making enough money to support us while I explore. He also doesn't mind doing so. It's an enviable position, I know.

Late last year, I received in the mail a copy of the brochure for Grossmont Adult Education. I flipped through it, and found a few classes caught my eye. One was a gluten-free baking class. I was a little conflicted about taking it, as it occurred at a time which would prevent me from attending choir rehearsals for a few weeks, but I decided to take it anyway in the spirit of self-preservation. A second was gardening. I have a fantasy of gardening. It turns out I kinda suck at it. The third was sewing.

Sewing? Well, I had done some before, and one of my ideas for a future career has been making biothane tack. So a sewing class sounded like a good start.

I started out by measuring a couple of windows in the house and designing very plain curtains. They're horse print, naturally, and of course they didn't come out quite right, but they're pretty okay. They'll do.

In the meantime, I found a couple of patterns for things I kinda liked. Every Sunday I've been on to perform at church for the last couple of years, I've had two color choices: black or blue. It was getting boring. So I found a pattern for a top and a pastel purple fabric. I had the shirt made in an afternoon.

My daughter was home for Julian's Celebration of Life, and we were going through some pictures my mom had sent home with her. We found one of me, my daughter, my son, a friend's two daughters, and someone in my ex-husband's dragon costume (I don't think it was him; whoever it was isn't nearly tall enough for my ex). My daughter was perhaps 3 years old. We were all in our Halloween costumes. Three of the costumes I had made.

Holy crap. Evidently I used to do this quite a bit!

Now I've been able to recall more. When I was in Junior High, my friend's mother helped us make dresses for 9th grade promotion. I still remember the things she taught me. Amazing.

Since all of this, I have made:

These silly heart-shaped zipper pouches.

The top I mentioned for me.

A top for my daughter.

Yet another top for me. (I did two of these; one is black and I couldn't get my camera to take a picture of it):

And a skirt for myself.

I still have another top to make, and I will be making a dress for my niece for the Youth Choir Concert in June.

I've also acquired quite the collection of sewing machines. I have two modern Singer machines. One I had purchased to replace the previous one, which up until recently I thought was toast. It turns out the older Singer just needed some intensive TLC. It will still bind up if I go too fast, but it sews just fine.

Another is a table-mount White machine of indeterminate vintage, surely 60s or earlier, I was given by a friend. It was in the house she and her husband purchased. The previous owner's wife had used it for many years, but the machine has sat in less than ideal conditions since her passing. It sews reasonably well, but it needs a little service, as the clutch will release if the machine is run in reverse.

Lastly, I brought home my grandmother's 1956 Brother machine. After replacing the belts, it's working pretty well. When the new Singer machine was binding up and I didn't want to take the time to service it, I moved to the Brother to finish sewing the skirt, which was my latest project. I do need to have it serviced, as it will drop the bobbin stitch on zig-zag and the feed drop won't release. Still, it works pretty well, and there's something about having a piece of family history.

I have purchased a ridiculous number of patterns. Patterns for horse blankets, saddle and hay bags, fly masks, half chaps and full chaps, and Australian outback jacket. Who knows where this could lead.

I am so totally excited.