The Sewing Machine that Could

My Mom in Rockefeller Center circa 1965. I guarantee she made that dress!

Wow!!! It's been a long time since I've posted an entry! I was about to put something on Facebook and was inspired to write about it here instead.

I took out my mom's Bernina sewing machine last night for the first time since I've had it to work on a Martha Stewart tree skirt pattern. It always looks so easy until you actually sit down to do it. My first mistake was changing the type of fabric, (Martha recommends felt). I should have known not to mess with Martha. Anyway, I got some beautiful fabric at Purl Patchwork in Soho that I thought would look perfect. It wasn't until I got ready to start sewing that I realized I should have used felt! The fabric was too thin and started to fray. It all worked out in the end. The skirt looks beautiful under the tree, just don't look too closely.

I loved using my mom's machine again and I think her spirit is in it somehow. The machine is over 25 years old and really beat up from Brazilian humidity. I had serious doubts that it would even work, especially since she had mentioned that it needed some repairs. Anyway, I held my breath and pushed the pedal. It started with some grumbling noises and then took off! To my surprise it was still running beautifully! Thanks mom!

The special sound of the machine brought back wonderful memories. My mom was always sewing. I remember learning how to thread the machine and making small projects. I never had the patience to do anything serious though.

I read in the New York Times today that the soap opera As the World Turns was being cancelled. That was one of my mom's favorite shows! She credit's CBS's soap opera line-up with her learning English. That might be a slight exaggeration, but she always had them on while she was working.

Using the machine last night was like being home, being with my mom. I thought about all of the beautiful things she created on the Bernina. She always said that the only machine she knew how to operate was a sewing machine, and she was right! : ) I don't think I'll ever reach her caliber of workmanship, but I'm happy to be doing a few sewing and embroidery projects, which bring me closer to her. I also feel like I’m contributing to the family legacy. My grandfather was a tailor, my mother and one aunt were designers and seamstresses, I had an uncle who designed everything from shoes to shopping bags, another uncle who’s a draftsman, and a cousin, who also works as a seamstress and designer. My dear late aunt Belinha was a master at embroidery.

Here's to the beauty my mom created and inspired!

Babies

When you reach a certain age it seems as though everyone you know is having a baby! The past year has seen the arrival of some extraordinary little ones. 

The most recent is the pending arrival of Tyronne and Kate's baby, which inspired a couple of creative projects. One was a cake that I made for their baby shower/bbq and the other was a swaddling blanket that I made out of double gauze fabric designed by Heather Ross www.heatherrossdesigns.com

I'm really excited to be taking two classes with Heather this fall; a modern trousseau (embroidery) class and basic sewing class where we learn to make a skirt. So, look out for embroidery projects and more! 

Remembering

Every year at this time I think about where I was on 9.11. My clearest memory is of talking with my mom, who was in Brazil at the time. She had a mild stroke that day, she was so overcome with worry. I never thought that she would succumb to another stroke so early in her life. I lost my mom this year on April 7th. It's been 5 months already, which feels like an eternity some days and just yesterday others.

Lamparina was inspired by her. She always said that one day she wanted to live on a farm and live as people had in the "old days." Part of her vision was using a lamparina for light. She talked about this so often that friends started giving her actual oil lamps. She hung them from the entrance of her apartment in Salvador, Brazil. When I was going through her things in April I found another that had never been opened.

Thank you mom for always encouraging and insprining me to be my best, to seek out new things, and for teaching me how to be creative and above all resourceful!

a first step

Welcome to lamparina creations! I don't consider myself a blogger, but a friend inspired and encouraged me to go for it, so I am!! This is a place where I'll share my newest creations from cake decorating to new home improvement projects! Stay tuned for the first post coming soon!