Sewing Friends

The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you’ve had.  ~Author Unknown

Judy lunching in the potting shed

Hmmmm……I am blessed with fabulous friends, friends with whom I have had some of my very best conversations. But silence was never a part of those dialogues. I’m not sure we could ever sit on a porch without saying a word. My friends are pretty chatty and so am I. Have you noticed?

One of my dearest friends, Judy Day, flew in from Missouri to spend a few days with me. I doubt there was a moment when we were not talking, mostly about sewing. Just ask my dear, understanding husband.

While Judy was here, our chatter was nonstop until the lights were out.

What a delight it was to hear about her projects, to tell her about mine, to discuss new sewing tools and techniques as well as the joy and satisfaction of sewing for our grandchildren.

Judy brought me the sweetest gift–a sachet with my monogram inside a heart outlined with some of her grandmother’s tatting. Judy hoards this stuff like the crown jewels as she  metes it out, striving to make it last through special garments for her own three grandchildren. So not only is the tatting lovely, it is part of a very loving gift.

I gave her one of my favorite books, The Love of Lace by Cynthia Hart and Catherine Calvert. That was appropriate because we both are intrigued by the beauty, variety and history of this delicate adornment and because we spent a good bit of time studying examples from my collection of laces, both antique and contemporary. In my stash we were able to find just the right lace for her granddaughter’s first communion dress.This dress will be such an heirloom for Courtney. Judy is smocking and beading the bodice of the white Swiss batiste dress. At the hemline will be portions of Courtney’s maternal great-grandmother’s curtain panels which had been packed away for years and years. Incorporating curtains into a first communion dress sounds less than lovely, but these panels are exquisite white cotton and feature cutwork and embroidery. Heirloom lace 1 1/4″ wide will trim the scallops at the hemline as well as the sleeves.

Wanda Stewart, Courtney’s paternal great-grandmother, is smocking and beading a matching Bible cover for her to carry for this milestone event in Courtney’s spiritual journey. We’ll have pictures in a few months.

What appears to be a green T at 7:00 is really an upside down L for Laurel.

Judy taught me to use the border hoop for my Brother Innovis 4500D–Yippee!!!!— and I introduced her to my beloved new Hope Yoder button machine. www.hopeyoder.com We covered buttons with monograms for our grandchildren, making zipper pulls for the boys’ athletic bags and cute monogrammed buttons to nestle in the hairbows she taught me to make. I’m all about hairbows now and can’t wait to make more. Check out this bow making video at youtube.

Judy and I had such a good time together. Do you have a great sewing friend? If you are passionate about needlework, no one will understand you as well as she does.