Sunday, September 21, 2008

Someone recently asked me when I started making creative things?
I can’t remember the first time I made something. My mother was always busy making creative works with her sewing machine and using all sort of materials. And as a small child I’d like to be around her making things to.
I even don’t know what I created first but when I was about 7 years old the Dutch Sinterklaas (santa) gave me my first sewing machine. A Singer,

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Since I was a real doll mommy, I spent many ours making little skirts, shawls etc. on this sewing machine! And I collected every fabric I could find.
As a little girl I often went with my mom to a great-aunt. And on one time I found an old hand- sewing machine, full of dust, in her shed. Lucky me, she said, ‘you found it, so you can have it’!

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My mom cleaned and greased it. I learned to sew on it! The great thing is that it belonged to my great-great-grandmother.

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You see her here in the middle on her 50th wedding anniversary. She got it when she married in the year 1900!
Later my mom allowed me to sew on her big fast Pfaff . And when I married I had my own Pfaff. You see down here.

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On this dear mashine I spend many ours, and today I finished these 3 new autumn bag's! (I'll show more on my next post.)

autumn bag

Well, this was a little of my sewing history.
I wish you all a good start of the week!

18 comments:

Dotty said...

OMg i love your story about your sewing history.
And all the lovely pics that go along with it.
The bags you have made a beautiful!

Kitty said...

That was really interesting - thanks for that. The bags are gorgeous. x

LiLi M. said...

Ik hou altijd zo van die dingen met een geschiedenis. Die foto van je overgrootmoeder (of was het nog verder?) vind ik ook mooi, zo'n typisch tijdsbeeld. Ik heb een industriële Pfaff uit de jaren '50, loopt nog als een treintje, waar ik zo'n beetje op rondfröbel. Mijn moeder zei altijd: Een Pfaff is àf! (en een Singer is een wringer!). Ook een goede start van de week!

Jenny said...

Loved reading about and seeing your sewing history. Your great grandmothers machine is just so special.Love those bags!

sewkalico said...

What wonderful history in those machines and you have looked after them well.
The bags look great too!

Unknown said...

beautiful..i have the 2nd sewing machine..and have yet learn to sew :D

Marianne said...

Wat een prachtig verhaal. En het moet een goed gevoel geven dat je elke keer wanneer je achter je naaimachine kruipt je in de voetsporen van je moeder en grootmoeder stapt.
En die tassen zien er prachtig uit!
Groetjes, Marianne

Anonymous said...

Wat een prachtig logje. Leuk al die naaimachines op een rijtje met het verhaal er bij. Het heeft in ieder geval vruchten afgeworpen want je maakt prachtige dingen!

Anonymous said...

What beautiful bags.
I am so inspired by your dash of strong colours.
O! Zo hartstikke mooi.
Cheers,
Swee Leng
The Netherlands
www.swiedebie.blogspot.com

Eileen said...

Heleen, This was truly a wonderful story. We had a hand crank sewing machine like that when I was little too.. that is what I learned to sew my first seam on. I don't know whatever became of it. Thank you for the wonderful memories.

Your new bags are awesome!!!!

em's scrapbag said...

Thanks for sharing how you got started sewing. How great to have your great grandmothers machine. What a treasure.

Natasja Cats - Verbeek said...

Love your story and those bags looks great! Can't wait to see the rest of those :)

Anonymous said...

How lovely that you still have your first machine. I wish I still had my mother's old Singer.
And your bags are gorgeous...so colourful!
Margaret and Noreen

dutchcomfort said...

Wonderful story, great pictures of sewing-machines and fabulous bags!
I wish I had not given away my grandmother’s old green Pfaff...

Anonymous said...

Geweldig verhaal Heleen!
Het was genieten!
Alles!!

Splashes of Pink and Mint said...

Wauw, wat fantastisch dat je die oude naaimachine van je overgrootmoeder nog hebt (en die foto, ge-wel-dig!)! En ook nog die uit je jeugd! Mijn moeder had ook een Pfaff, en naaide toen we nog klein waren daar kleertjes voor ons op.
Je tassen zijn weer prachtig, echt in de kleurtjes van nu. (Leuk behangetje ook trouwens, met dat rood!)

pueppilottchens-spielzeug-blog said...

oh, i love stories like this! sew-passion from the beginning :)

i started sewing nearly the same... but my little children´s sewing machine wasn´t a singer and not really good - so i "nerved" my mum that long she allowed me to sew on hers (from "quelle")... and after i get married in 1987, my (ex-)husband gave me a "pfaff" for the first weddingday - i´m still using her...

i like the new bag you made - great!!

*nicola

Chookyblue...... said...

love you machine story.........it is very special and I have some from Great Aunts and grandparents.......