How wonderful! I love to hear of young people learning to sew and finding joy in the process. A simple blouse and long skirt could look like a "prairie" dress for Oklahoma! if made from the same fabrics. She could put elastic in the skirt waist then wear a belt for an accessory. I once made a sailor suit for South Pacific without a pattern - it wasn't all that difficult; just plain wide-legged pants and then the top with the sailor collar and tie.

Good for you auntie!
Teresa

My daughter, 18, has been designing and making her own clothes for about four years and is always working on something new. You gave a wonderful, lasting gift to your niece when you taught her to sew.

Annie

it is always nice to hear when someone is willing to help a young person learn something new that will help them in life.. I myself taught myself how to sew when I was young as my mother had to work and then she got sick with cancer and passed away when I was 16. we only had a peddle machine, but I learned to sew on it..and thought I was in heaven when I got an electric sewing machine.. I have made good amount of money doing crafts and selling them.. one year made Time out dolls and made more than enough to pay for all my Christmas and enough for summer vacation.. so it is a good idea to have some kind of talent to fall back on if you need to make a living ..
I think it is just great that you took the time to work with her.and how proud you must have been of her when she made her first pair of pj's
Huggy

I think it is great we all sewed in my family. My older sisters were real pros.When I was in high school I got the benefit of their clothes. We had half year graduations in my high school so I got to go to 5 Sr Proms and 5 Junior proms plus other various dances and had a different dress up gown for each one.

I, too, am self taught. Spent 15 years doing local theatre costuming, so I could be a great help to her, if not in Florida.
Her Mom, my DSIL, asked me how much making the pajama pants cost to make. She was surprised that you could buy them so much cheaper than making them. I told her she could save big bucks on prom dresses tho.
Kathy G in MI

>>Huggybear wrote:...we only had a peddle machine, but I learned to sew on it..

~~Interestingly, there is a renewed interest in people-powered sewing as part of the general hype about "going green". Many of you know that I sew on treadle sewing machines by choice just because I think they are better quality sewing machines than most modern wonders, but I've been getting a lot of e-mails from people who want them as part of an overall life-style change toward using less energy in their daily lives.

Annie

I sewed on my mother's treadle machine when I was young. I would be interested in one now in case the power went out in the winter. I could do sewing instead of just sitting around looking at the weather.

Treadles are pretty easy to find in most parts of the country. I'd recommend a Singer if you can find one just because it's easiest to find parts like bobbins for them. On the other hand, today I'm putting the binding on a quilt that was pieced on a National Two Spool, quilted on a Japanese electric converted to treadle, and I'm now putting on the binding with a Davis Vertical Feed, so it's really most important to just find one in fairly good condition. I have many friends in Washington that use treadles, so if you are really interested e-mail me privately and I can probably connect you with someone that can help you out.

Annie