It was made by Montgomery Ward (remember them?) and is almost as old as I am. It's the machine on which my mom taught me when I was a teenager. I should say she tried to teach me. I wasn't a very longsuffering student, though I did manage to crank out a couple pair of bermuda shorts (remember those?) and a dress that I submitted in the sewing contest of our local Junior Miss program.
But though my own skills were lacking, I remember watching in amazement as my mom sewed on the machine, the fabric flowing under the presser foot and through her fingers like water. She's a fantastic seamstress. While I have to push myself to sew something with only straight seams, she's made a little bit of everything, including three wedding dresses.
When we bought our first house and I had a craft room, I found a spot for it. It was still used infrequently, except to sew on layouts. It went back in the box when more babies joined our family and settled in that room.
I know its functions are very basic, but it's a workhorse. And truthfully, I don't think I could ever get rid of it. When I press my foot on the treadle, I'm taken back to childhood by the familiar sound of the machine's motor as the needle moves up and down. It's comforting. And I'm sure no other machine would sound quite the same.
What about you? Do you own something that could probably use an update, yet you can't bring yourself to part with it because of the feelings it invokes?
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On another note, I'm in the middle of a really fun project (well, two projects--same type of item, totally different styles) that I'm very excited to share. Stay tuned!
