Help Along the Way

Today is Father's Day and I'm thinking about my dad who has been gone almost thirty years by now. I think he would love my sewing machine collection, the mechanics of it, even the sense of adventure it brings. The father of four daughters, he loved sports and music, playing golf, bowling, and his trumpet. It took at bit of growing up before I could see that not every home had live music with a dad who played his horn while listening to his favorite big band music. Here are a few photos I have:

1938 on the farm

1942 in the Army

 So what does my dad have to do with my sewing machine obsession today? In my post about getting a new sewing machine to replace the old White Rotary, I'm sure my mom had to pass this purchase by my dad. We also had a corner of the basement for that machine and frequently spread our fabric out on the floor to cut out the newest project. I don't remember any complaints about making too much noise while sewing but we must have been a real nuisance while he sat at the opposite end of the room watching TV. But maybe he enjoyed watching us labor over these projects, too.

Some old car, huh?

 

Elsie, his mom, in 1968

 One thing I do remember was struggling on a Saturday morning with a sleeve placket, a style I had never done before. I went to my mom who was cleaning the house and doing some laundry and asked if she could help me with it. My mom certainly had sewing skills but I suspect she hadn't done something like that in a very long time and wasn't sure about it herself. She said she really didn't have time for that now but why not ask my dad? She must have seen the disbelief on my face or maybe I was brazen enough to say "But he doesn't know anything about sewing!" She persisted in encouraging me to go ask, that I might be surprised. Well, he always could help with my math homework so just maybe...

Sure enough, he said he needed to take a look at the guide sheet for the pattern and took it from there. I not only put the placket in the right way, but I did it again for the other sleeve, too. My admiration for him soared on that day. Who knew he could read patterns and guide sheets? I really didn't understand what he did for a living but my dad worked in precision sheet metal and read patterns and fabricated parts all day long. That translated nicely into my little problem and I think fondly of that Saturday morning when my mom was too busy but my dad could help me out.

Here's to you, dad, on this father's day you won't get to celebrate with us but one I'm remembering you.