sewing something Sally is on the trail of a pin
she saw it yesterday, and can match it with its twin
slides her tape measure out of the way
and yells hip hip hip hip hip hooray
is this how I’ll act if I take up sewing? I wonder.
Sewing something Sally is always full of blunder.
She speaks of pin cushions, zippers, buttons and such.
I am not sure I would like this hobby very much.
Grandma used to live in a boat, and she was sometimes rowing
But she got rid of grandpa, who now lives with a gardener who is hoeing.
Grandma is surrounded by thimbles, needles, and fat quarters showing
We always say, “If she is not sewing, then she is sewing”
It might not make sense to you, for you are not knowing
That our grandma is always, and I mean always sewing.
A Beautiful Collection
Artistic. Brilliant colours. Dainty embroidery.
Fragile golden hues in jewelled kaftans.
Light multicoloured needlework on patchwork quilts.
Rich silken tapestries
Unusual vestments with xstitching. Yarmulke & Zucchetto.
Intelligence
Calm and patience
Of the essence.
She fell asleep at her sewing machine again
Don Tee Oh Tee came along with dribble on his chin
Sure he was wearing his armor it looked rusty too
Nothing about the old guy was interesting or new.
Queen of Sewingville came by showing off green threads for hair
There was a moment of expectation that most of us felt in the air.
Don tee Oh Tee was being ignored by most, but I paid attention.
Wishing it had not been so boring at this quilting convention.
These rugby-playing girls -
or women, should I say? -
are so rough and ready,
dashing down that field,
conveying that oval ball
from this end to that,
gritting their teeth.
Oh, what might! Such a sight!
Or do I not prefer
to behold delicate white frocks
on ladies whose fairylike fingertips
hold their tiny needles,
sewing and crocheting,
or simply sitting in silence and smiling
as we fawn on and fancy their fine, fine faces?
Yet would I not receive a slap around my head
for even daring to dawdle on such thoughts?
It is so easy to spend so much time pondering
before I wake in fright:
which sight might I hold tight in my sleeping eyes
moments before I rise - and rise some more?
(19 May 2023)
What are you doing? I asked Little Lee.
I am sewing a new heart, said she with glee.
What is wrong with the old one? Asked I.
It left with a scoundrel, a mean kind of guy.
So you just sew up a new one? I asked with surprise.
Sure, she said. Come see with your hazel eyes.
She was creating a new heart. It said “Jimmy and me.”
We invited him to come visit us that day for tea.
The daughter of a professional seamstress, I am a tactile learner,
I have to feel the possible fabric to make a decision.
If it is rough like linen or denim, I am not a fan.
I like flowing soft, pliable easy materials
Unless I am trying to sew them together
Slick and elusive, velvet, satin and silk fabrics are difficult to maneuver.
And you have to make sure all of the cuts are made in the same direction.
Shiny pieces with beading or rhinestones intrigue and interest me,
But I rarely wear them as they are stiff, hot and uncomfortable.
Plaids are a nightmare to piece together; worse than matching wallpaper.
My twin sister buys fat quarters and makes beautiful quilts.
Her luxury hobby is sewing, she spends hundreds of dollars on it.
I run from a sewing machine in every direction.
Homemaking was a chore, I wanted to take woodworking.
In highschool, my mother used to rip out most of my seams at night,
so I had to start over in the morning.
Mom wanted everything made out of fabric to be perfect.
She was a professional, but this discouraged me.
When I need to create I cartoon, paint or write. I do not sew.
Slip Stitch
gave chase
lost face
Whip Stitch
LaRue
debut
Loose Stitch
sought it
lost it
Old Sewl
pedal
treadle
sewing elf with his knitted socks and his crocheted bibs
sits among the wild flowers, counting neonate nursery cribs.
stitching up mattress covers and fluffy pillows for the young.
he has a keen sense of humor and laughs like a beetle dung.
So and Sew
I sew
it’s so
So Fine
nimble
thimble
Lost Pattern
quilted
wilted
Chain Stitch
lost link
pants sink
Running Stitch
pants torn
forlorn
Stitch in Time
mended
splendid
Long Stitch
I sew
so slow
Prickle
needle
bleedle
Janice set out a variety of fat quarter cottons
arranging and rearranging colors until she was happy
one brown she kept tossing out, then pulling back in
she loved making quilt decisions
she had a new pattern, old to many, new to her
have you started on it yet? Her sister asked.
sis did not sew, could not understand the delight in preparation.
Janice could not be hurried. This was a major project.
it would last her all winter. She was going to take her time.
almost done, she lied, to get her off her back.
Shelly sat watching, fascinated.
her great-grandma was quilting.
making the most marvelous blanket.
this is the largest one I’ve ever made, she said.
would you like to take a few stitches?
Shelly nodded. She was breathless.
her great-grandma watched her put the needle in and out.
then she carefully ripped them out and started over.
devastating Shelly.
Sewing Needle Horn Haiku.
with sewing needle
mother removed my splinter
needed her to do.
A manual sewing machine
Strenuous but beneficial
It sews dresses
Two edges meet
And being stitched together
Passion and reunion in life too
Two hearts meet and stay together
It mends dresses
A hole in life must be patched too
Life isn't easy
Deficiency to be filled
Scars to be healed
Pains to be reduced
Misunderstanding to be unraveled
It corrects dresses
Corrections are made to life too
To suit your expectations and dreams
No doubt
Love, tolerance and wisdom
Are parts of a happy life
Resembling a sewing machine
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