In The Beginning

Most rubber stampers - and, in fact, crafters of all kinds - can relate to the concept of accruing tools and supplies and being slow to use them. I have taken this concept to a height so unattainable by most ordinary people that I just had to write about it.

First, I'll talk about craft-jumping and being a Jack-of-All-Crafts. . . . . . . Master-of-None. I suppose it all started back in 1955. I was 6 years old and my beloved maid, Annie, taught me how to sew doll clothes. She was being kind to me and sharing a craft, but also getting me out of her hair for a while so she could clean and cook for the family. Otherwise, I would have kept her all to myself and she would never have gotten anything done. My first sewing attempts were for my Toodles doll, my Ginny doll and later for my Jill doll. Raglan sleeves, no elastic - just gathers at the waist, no collars. I was not a future coutoure designer, however it did put needle, thread and fabric in my hands and I enjoyed the feeling.

By the time I was 10, I made my own Easter dress. It was sleeveless, round necked, gathered skirt attached to a bodice with darts and a zipper in back. The material was 100% cotton and a blue bandana print. Somewhat conspicuous among all the pastel organdy flouncy dresses at church that day, but it was MINE. . . . . my work, my creation, my bragging rights!!!
At age 12, I bought a book and taught myself how to knit. I remember going to Rich's (a major Atlanta department store) and asking questions of the lady in the fabric department where the yarn was sold. My Mother didn't knit and I didn't know anyone who did, so I was getting all my knowledge from a book and from the nice lady at Rich's. For the first couple of years that I knit, I had one (1). . . . . . yes, count it ONE skein of pink yarn. I rolled it into a nice ball and I started to knit. I would knit rows and rows, many feet of stockinette stitch and, when I'd had enough, I would unravel it and start over with the garter stitch. Then, after unraveling that one, I'd start over with something else. By the time I made my first item of knitwear, I really had a lot of practice under my belt. I made a major mistake when choosing my first project - it was a sweater!!! I'm no good at sleeves (remember the sleeveless Easter dress?) and fitting things just isn't my forte. So, all of the pieces of the sweater got knit - increases, decreases, etc. But the sweater never got put together. By the time I got to college, I had learned the beauty of afghans and mufflers. Everything's flat - just miles and miles of lovely knitting!! I made a ton of them. Today, I still knit occasionally, but mostly I collect yarn and patterns and tell myself that I'm really going to make something. And, you know what? I still believe myself!