Sew Much Love

I fell in love with sewing as a little girl while watching my mom sew beautiful clothes for us.  Back then I don't think I understood how special those clothes were but I knew they were so beautiful and unique.

I saw the other day a little girl walking by the side of her mom, holding her hand.  It seemed like a normal thing to see while strolling around in the city but somehow this little girl brought me back in time to when I was little…the reason…her cute denim pants.  She had the most cute denim pants, flared at the bottom, patch pockets on the front, elastic at the waist, not the nowadays tight jeans, these were relaxed, loose, they flowed from her waist so pretty, they look like they were made with a soft and dark denim color, she had a nice striped t-shirt tuck in, she had a cute 70’s vintage flair. 

As I followed them behind, (I was not stalking them!) we were going in the same direction. This scene of mom and daughter holding hands, made me think of my mom, and a little me. And the many times that I probably walked side by side with my mom and probably wearing something she had sewn for me. 

I did not grow up going shopping for clothes.  Pretty much everything I wore was either a hand me down from cousins or my mom makes.  I never mind it not having store bought clothes because to be honest I always felt my clothes were so much prettier than other kids.  My mom put so much effort and detail in the garments she made for us. She did not study color theory or had a background in textiles but she could pick wonderful color combinations and textures plus her amazing expertise at sewing and you got this beautiful piece of clothing that I knew no one else had! I felt special! So I did not care about going to the one mall in my city to go shopping as others did!

I can remember my mom stopping at a window display, she would pull any paper and pen out of her purse and standing there she would start sketching.  Sketching! I wish I could have all those sketches she did.  Yes, she was copying designs but she will then put her own twist by buying a similar fabric or maybe not so similar. At the end the inspiration was there but she turned it into her own design!  My mom was a designer but she never gave herself that title as I do not tend to do it because it sort of feels too big, just like being called an artist.  Though I am embracing both more and more.  I wish her work would have been valued much more.  But in Ecuador a seamstress is not looked at as a person that creates art.  It is just a seamstress.  How wrong is that?  She would sew clothes for us but she had no time to sew clothes for her.  I also remember her complaining that she dressed others so beautifully but she left herself at the bottom of the list usually not having a new garment to wear or even worse to go buy!

That day walking behind the little girl and mom just got me all those warm feelings of treasured memories that I know live in my mind and my heart.  Sewing connects people and sewing is art.  I am grateful to my mom for inspiring me to sew and for all her love.

This story is a work in progress, thanks for reading! Besides my love for sewing I also love to write. But I know I need to practice more writing in English as this language is not my native language.

Thanks!

Isabel