The Perfect Storm

Three things came together this year to create a very happy girl.  The first thing was Brombeere's love of sewing.  Brombeere has long enjoyed sewing; she is happiest when she's sewing things for others, whether with her machine or handwork. In fact, the vast majority of things she sews she gives away.  She's been this way for as long as I've known her. 

Brombeere began this year with an old Pfaff sewing machine that she has had for a very long time. Brombeere got this machine when the local high school decided to replace their stable of sewing machines, used for their home skills classes, and sold them all to whomever was interested. Unfortunately, Pfaff, the company (founded in Germany in 1862) that made the machine, quit making this model of machine over twenty years ago. That was part of why the high school decided to replace them. Gradually, parts became harder and harder to find until a few years ago, the shop that Brombeere usually takes her machine to when it needs attention, told her they weren't going to be able to get parts much longer. They could keep fixing it as long as they could get whatever part was needed but eventually she was going to need a part that was no longer available.  So she began watching "the market", so she could replace her machine.  Last October she found a machine she liked at a price she liked.  Remember, this is the girl who seldom pays full price for anything, she's really good at catching things she wants on sale.

And so it was that Brombeere got a new sewing machine.  And this one actually was brand, spanking new!  A brand new Janome machine.  I'd never heard of that brand before but that's beside the point.  The day it was delivered, she was pretty excited to get it in the house and unpacked.  

Of course, as soon as it was out of the box she had to start playing with it, trying out the fancy stitches it could do and getting to know it.  Technology had changed quite a bit since she last bought a machine and it didn't take her long to decide she was going to like this new toy! One thing she noticed pretty quick was that she could see her bobbin thread; no more learning it was empty by noticing the lack of thread running through the needle as she sewed merrily along!  Happiness! One comment she's made several times as she got sewing with her new machine was that she hadn't realized just how hard it had become to sew with her old machine until she got the new one and found how easy it was to sew with; it quickly brought back all the joy of sewing she hadn't even realized had gradually been lost as her old machine slowly wore out. So that was the first element of the perfect storm: a new machine.  

The second element in the perfect storm was that Brombeere had retired.  She'd been a teacher for 20 years.  Anyone who knows a teacher who loves teaching (and Brombeere loves teaching) knows that it can be a very time consuming occupation.  Suddenly, Brombeere was released from that demand on her time.  That's all the more time for sewing!  Yay! More happiness!

The last element was Christmas - what a perfect excuse to go wild with sewing projects! And, oh how Brombeere loves to sew for her family.  Some people do Christmas baking, Brombeere does Christmas sewing.  Few things give her as much pleasure as pouring over sources looking for ideas of things to sew for her family. It used to be magazines and pattern books at the fabric store.  Now days its Pinterest and other social media where people post their ideas for all to see. She'll see something and think how, with just a few little tweaks and changes, this or that would just perfect for so-and-so.  And thus cool ideas are born and turn into a project.  She's always buying fabric, sometimes for specific projects, other times because it catches her fancy.  Most projects require multiple trips to the fabric store but she's tickled when she can put together a whole project from her "stash".  She has gradually organized her stash into to several cabinets in the basement.  I find it amazing that she knows what's in them, and can usually find whatever she's looking for in just a matter of minutes. 

And so these three elements came together this year to create the perfect conditions for Brombeere to spend a whole lot of time doing something she really loves to do.  That's good for the soul, good for her soul in particular, and especially in this year that has been so crazy with the pandemic and everything else that has been going on to make life a challenge for her and the people she loves. 

Anyway, our family room, in the basement, is a huge room that goes from one end of the house to the other.  On one end we have made an inviting space to be a second living room; couches, end tables, lamps, a TV, and the whole deal.   

Very comfortable and inviting. 

On the other end, Brombeere has arranged cabinets, bins, shelves, and a nice, big, sturdy table to create a "sewing room".  She has turned it into a very nice space for her hobby, sewing.  Everything she has collected over the years is all conveniently arranged to make it very easy to reach and work on whatever project she's got going at the moment.  

There's even a little space in the corner, out of her way, for me to be so I can hang out with her while she works.  I like that part.  

The space in the middle, right now at least, is more or less open and gets used as a play area for grandkids.  It also gets drawn into sewing projects as needed.

This is her ideal space for Brombeere's sewing, her happy place. However, this year, because of some other work we've been doing in the basement (which is a whole 'nother story), she had to move her sewing upstairs to the kitchen table for a couple of weeks. 

Not quite as convenient but still workable.  Actually, it didn't slow her down hardly at all.  So in the lead-up to Christmas, Brombeere has been busily sewing on one project after another.

Whether at her machine or not, she has been designing, cutting, sewing, stitching, and finishing project after project.

This has been a very busy girl.  And the stuff she's turned out has been amazing.

Her biggest project was a big blanket, which turned out very well ...

... very comfortable

She did a couple of pillows, each designed and tailored with the recipient in mind.

And quite a few pillow cases.  It always amazes me how she can turn this ...

Into this.  Most of the grandkids got pillow cases, also custom done with each of them in mind.

         

She made some pot holders, that can double as trivets for hot stuff.

She was trying a new stitch on her machine for these.  I thought they turned out very well.

She made another pillow, not a big, thick fluffy one, but flatter, it could be a wall hanging or on the couch.  Very versatile.

Some placemats ...

And a big table runner.  This she adapted, from a design she saw, into a very unique, beautiful item, again with the recipient in mind.

All kinds of stuff she's turned out in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Again, since so many of these are Christmas gifts, this won't be posted until after Christmas.  

There was just one tool that showed up in the midst of all her sewing that I wasn't quite sure how it was used as a sewing tool. Nevertheless, this has been an amazing season of handmade happiness!  Merry Christmas!