Sewing Machine Mavin: Loving and Being In Love

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Loving and Being In Love

Facebook friends post interesting sites others might be interested in and one that really caught my eye was The Difference Between Loving Someone and Being in Love. A summary of the article is recognizing that there are many things we love and can appreciate, want to have, spend time with and doing things together, but to be in love is when you want to give back to that relationship, seeking ways to please. Ahhhh. That's it, isn't it? So naturally, I started to think about my sewing machines and tried to decide if I love them or am I in love with them?

This sounds a bit silly, but anytime something takes up as much of my time as sewing and sewing machines, you need to give it some thinking time to decide if this really is a hobby, business, obsession, or a love/hate relationship. It's all of the above! What started as a hobby that gave me a creative outlet, became a way to save money on clothing along the way. From time to time my services were paid for as I replaced zippers, hemmed dresses for women without sewing machines, and once even made four bridesmaid dresses in floral taffeta. And decades later I "upgraded" my Kenmore with a Viking and this whole adventure began. I'm not sure I would have continued without my husbands encouragement and support (even though he sometimes complains about "too many I can't even walk through here") as he listens and drives me to far off places in search of an unusual sewing machine. Make no mistake: it is key that you know you are going in the right direction or you can find yourself in financial peril or emotionally spent. I know I could have done this when I was single but I'm having so much more fun sharing it with someone who appreciates what I do.

From time to time I prove that my skills are useful as I alter wedding dresses, make pirate costumes, repair hunting garments, and make mother-in-law's happy with a new outfit for a wedding. This is my way to give back and make my husband happy that he has a wife that is more than a little bit obsessed with sewing and sewing machines.

What are we doing on Valentine's Day? I have two visitors who want to talk about sewing machines, he has a speech to practice for a class so is getting together with a classmate to rehearse. I'm planning a meal with the venison from the 2014 hunt and we might watch an episode of "Call the Midwife." Nope, not too romantic by the world's eyes but through my eyes, I see the man I not only love, but am in love with. I hope you have known this kind of love, too.