heaven sent
Elvera told me that she started sewing when she was five. She grew up in the Ukraine and says her mother made her learn to sew because she hated doing it herself. When I asked her if she collected fabric (like I do) her eyes lit up. When she was little her aunt, who was a seamstress, would give Elvera's mother little scraps of fabric. Her mother saved up those scraps and each month she presented Elvera with a little pile of of them to play with. She told me that the scraps were beautiful, far too tiny to make anything from, and she could play with them for hours. I get that because I feel the same way about tiny but beautiful scraps of fabric.
Elvera spent many years teaching sewing in the Ukraine. Today she runs her own business. Her shop is located on the floor below my studio and she is teaching me how to sew. I don't know how this happened. I brought her some pants and a dress to have altered and somehow she decided I would sew things for myself. I say she decided because, well, it seemed that I had very little to do with it.
The first thing she told me to do was to remove the pockets from a dress. So, I dutifully attempted to remove them. A couple of days later I brought her the dress to show her my work. She examined the slightly bulky sides of the dress where the pockets used to be, shook her head and gently ignored my excuses. She laughed and told me in her thick accent, "Vell, it eez a veery straight seam." I grinned, shook my head too and followed her back to her office where she proceeded to take out all of my very straight stitches. While she removed the thread and extra material from the pocket, she told me how when she first came to America, she could buy yards of good material at Good Will for 25 cents each. Not like now. I get that too.
Today, I am following her instructions again and am going to make a dress for myself. When I brought her the pattern I chose she was so pleased. Before I knew it, she'd produced a tape measure and wrapped it around me, showing me how to choose the correct size. She also flipped the tape measure over and measured me in her country's size. Apparently, I am the "perfect size" on top and one size bigger in the hips. Umm, thanks but I already knew that. Ha!
So over the next how-ever-long I'm going to make a dress and I'll tell you how it goes. Well, that's not exactly true. I'm not making "a" dress, I'm making two dresses, because I got a great deal on the fabrics. Oh, and if you don't mind too much, I'll probably share scraps of Elvera with you now and again. They may be too small to make much sense of, but I hope you'll get it because she seems to be a part of my life now.
This little piece of machinery is a mini serger that I got at a thrift store for $15.00. The tag read "works" but I had no idea how to use it. Elvera was intrigued when I told her that such a thing existed and so I brought it to her. She helped me figure out out to thread and use it. :)
How fun! I can't wait to see where this adventure takes you.
Posted by: Maryellen | March 11, 2008 at 04:17 PM
that's a wonderful story ... do keep sharing new chapters with us. and, good luck with your dress!
Posted by: cindy k | March 11, 2008 at 04:20 PM
oops, forgot to mention that serger. i think they're just cool to look at and have enough trouble managing one thread let alone three!
Posted by: cindy k | March 11, 2008 at 04:22 PM
ok...you really are lucky to have such a wonderful neighbor! i can't wait to see where this takes you.
Posted by: erin | March 11, 2008 at 06:50 PM
lucky, lucky, lucky. (mostly about elvera. the serger is good, too!)
Posted by: emily | March 11, 2008 at 09:16 PM
Woow excellent post as usual..U r doing gr8 job buddy..I really like ur blog.Thanks for sharing with us.
keep up the work.
Posted by: Crochet | March 12, 2008 at 04:47 AM
that's such a great story, can't wait to hear more about it ... and those dresses, I'm sure are going to turn out just perfect :)
Posted by: Tania Ho | March 12, 2008 at 04:57 AM
Elvera sounds wonderful - good luck with meeting her standards :)
Posted by: ysolda | March 12, 2008 at 05:16 AM
What a beautiful post! I'll be looking forward to reading about your progress! I'll start taking sewing lessons some time next month, when I go back to my homeland for three months. I cannot wait to learn!
Posted by: Roberta J. | March 12, 2008 at 11:10 AM
I wish there was a little sewing elf to help me. This is such a lovely story. I hope you share all your elvera stories with us in the future--and maybe pass on some of her lessons as well!
Posted by: meg | March 12, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Wow- what a beautiful post. I get all that too. Looking forward to hearing more about Elvera and hearing about your dressmaking adventures. She sounds like a wonderful lady.
Posted by: di | March 12, 2008 at 03:31 PM
She's your sewing fairy godmother! How wonderful!! I love to hear stories about such kindred spirits, can't wait to hear more about your sewing adventures!
Posted by: Island jen | March 12, 2008 at 05:53 PM
lucky you. i wish i had someone to teach me how to really sew, i am such a hack.
Posted by: erinn Johnson | March 12, 2008 at 09:20 PM
That was a great story. I can't wait to see what progress you make. You're SO lucky to have her.
Posted by: patricia | March 12, 2008 at 10:42 PM
That was a great story. I can't wait to see what progress you make. You're SO lucky to have her (coming from someone with zero sewing knowledge!)
Posted by: patricia | March 12, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Lucky Ducky! Your own personal sewing instructor and a $15 serger!? Wow! Can't wait to hear more!
Posted by: Claudia | March 13, 2008 at 12:42 AM
Indeed, heaven sent. :) What a wonderful story.
Posted by: Natalie | March 13, 2008 at 06:06 AM
you are so lucky to have her near you!
i just finished a dress, and it didn't meet my expectations like i was hoping. those darn zippers. does yours have a zipper.
i did wear it, and it felt GREAT! something very rewarding about making a dress. have fun. can't wait to see how yours turns out!
Posted by: leslie | March 13, 2008 at 10:48 PM
I really like your writing, I got caught up in the story and it was very pleasant. What a nice connect you've made and you're getting old school sewing lessons to boot. I didn't really get sound sewing instruction from my mother, she once tried to make me a dress but she sewed the neck shut. I had forgotten that until I read this post. Thanks for sharing your story and reconnecting me with one of my own! Tracey
Posted by: Paper Dolls for Boys | March 19, 2008 at 06:40 PM
I think Elvira will have as much fun teaching you as you will learning from her. And that little serger is cool. I bought a regular sized one a year ago and have been so pleased to have it. You'll love how easily you can finish all the raw edges on your dress.
Posted by: Wendy | April 06, 2008 at 09:30 AM
that's a brilliant gadget! i've thought about getting a serger when i was still sewing more, but always thought there's just no space! and you got such a bargain in the charity shop!!
show us some seams and edges when you've tried it out, will you?
Posted by: Péitseoga | April 19, 2008 at 12:54 PM