One of a kind:
For today:
My mother was a singer. She had a
good strong voice. Her singing could motivate
a church. She sang to Shirley and me and told stories many nights.
As a
child I played on the floor many times as my mama sewed. I was fascinated by
the sewing machine treadle. On the floor I could see mama’s feet working the
machine pedal that turned the Big wheel that worked the machine.
As my
dad worked on a church or the yard he whistled. As mama sewed she sang. She
could sew or repair anything. That machine was called a Singer. Later after I
learned words, I thought that might be why mama would sing.
Let me tell you, that treadle is
close to the floor there were times my fascination got me too close and I would
yell when my finger was mashed between the treadle edge and the floor. I think
it scared me more than hurt, but of course mama would stop to pet little Jackie.
The
sewing machine mechanics are fascinating. In slow motion not much, but at high
speed it is shocking how the spooled thread fed thru the needle reacts with the
bobbin’s thread below the sewing surface.
I never
thought much of how the machine changed lives until I watched ‘Fiddler on the
Roof’, one small part of the movie dealt with a tailor that was able to buy a ‘Sewing
Machine’ to start a business. That stuck with me.
History of the Sewing Machine is very
interesting. A sewing machine factory was once burned because the people thought the more
machines built too many jobs would be lost. And later Singer lost a lawsuit for
patent infringement. But still continued to make them.
(This is exactly like mama's. The drawers held lots of treasures, like her button home maker!)
Singer
actually changed the world for the better.
Many inventions get headlines, i.e. light bulb, electricity control,
telephones and Radio.
First came
Silent movies, then the talkies, WOW! Then color. Oh yeah, then the TV.
What
advancements do you see as spectacular!
Did you ever have a Black &
White TV?
Do you remember Test Patterns?
Nite Shipslog
PS:
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7 comments:
Mom taught me to sew on the Singer treadle machine. With 5 kids, she did a lot of sewing. She eventually by a Singer electronic machine, and that one was awesome. I sewed most of my high school wardrobe.
Oh my goodness I used to pl ay on my grandmothers!
I have a singer machine that I use as a desk since I don't sew and if I did I'm sure I'd use a more modern, but not as pretty, one. My singer has some fancy scroll work on the front. It was my Mother-in-laws but I don't think she ever used it either. In the drawers are all the parts and thread and such. I'll always leave it like I found it! We had black and white TV forever and when Jack and I married we had a little 12in. black and white one that we used forever too! Not much to watch on TV in those days. We spent more time outdoors and playing games instead. I have to admit I love my laptop and my phone. My first cell phone was huge but when I was on call at the hospital it was a God send because I didn't have to search for a phone when that beeper went off! It gave me the freedom to take a walk or a drive without worrying I'd miss an emergency call.
Yes, I remember the Singer sewing machine. So many great inventions helped the world.
I think the greatest invention ever is the spoon rest. Before that, people did not know where to put their spoon whilst cooking. Some held the spoon in their mouth, or behind their ear. Then the spoon rest was invented. I wish I had invented that and patented it.
God bless.
Oh ya! It was 1960-something before our family got a color TV. And the test patterns! Before going off the air at midnight they'd play the Star Spangled Banner.
It's hard to remember a time I couldn't hold my cell phone (aka computer) in my hand; the internet's pretty amazing, too.
My mother was a wonderful seamstress and made most of my school clothes. (I just wish I'd been more appreciative!) Come high school, I enrolled in Home Economics and was made to learn to sew. The cooking part was okay, but man I loathed the sewing. For our final assignment we had to choose a dress pattern, sew and model it for the faculty. I don't remember if my mother didn't know what was going on or was just going to let me fail, but my BF took it home the night before and finished it. Thankfully, there's no photographic evidence, but I never wore it again; it got donated to the church's next rummage sale.
I do remember the test patterns on our black and white TV. It was years until we got a color TV. I thought the funniest thing of my mom's sewing machine was watching the bobbin be filled with thread.
betty
I learned how to sew on my grandmotheres treble sewing machine. Then when I got married I bought one of those singers and I still have it and it works . I still use it too but mostly for mending things. The machines they have today are too high tech for me. So I stick with the tried and true.
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