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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Clickety Clack: Threads of Love






















This piece is dedicated to two women: 1) my Mom, and 2) Marlene at DisguisedAsAGrownUp.
As you may know, I lost my mom to colon cancer 25 years ago this past March. (Mom was 49, and I was 18.) I have warm memories of Mom with her sewing machine. That's me wearing a dress she sewed for me. (I'm the bigger chick.) When Marlene posted the card above, I simply commented that it reminded me of my Mom. She immediately decided to gift me with this card. I am very, very touched. Thank you, Marlene, for showing me the depth of caring that happens through the written word.
[By the way, you really can’t appreciate Marlene’s cards through a picture. They are so multi-dimensional. There’s actual thread on this, a gold needle, etc. It's quite a work of art.]

She spent a good portion of my childhood sitting at the beige Singer model 305A. Each clickety clack brought me closer to my newest dress. Mom took me along to pick out the fabric. We perused the kits at JC Penny’s and Woolworth’s, and I was drawn to the most girlish of patterns. When the envelope boasted a pretty picture, I had to have that one.

As soon as were were home, I sat on the family room sofa in observance. I watched Mom push the fabric through the machine, pumping her right foot mechanically. All the while, I heard nothing but a continuous clickety-clack.

Occasionally, Mom stopped. Silence pervaded the house, as she meticulously navigated a piece of thread. Mom placed the end into her mouth and licked it. She picked up a shiny silver needle and managed to push the thread through its hole, always on the first try. Mom sewed in and out, and in and out, for several minutes. The next clickety clack broke the silence.

Finally, Mom finished, and I got to try on my new dress. We were both thrilled that it fit; it always did. I liked the fun feeling of twirling in it like a ballerina. I loved all the details, like tiny yellow ribbon along the waistline. Mom added those special touches, lovingly.

I wanted to wear my new dress all the time, at least until the next clickety.

29 comments:

  1. Great post, Robyn. Loved it. Very touching.

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  2. Awww....thank you so much for the acknowledgment in this beautiful post. I'm so happy I was able to give that card to someone who would appreciate it!

    Your memories of your mom sewing you pretty dresses is so sweet. That pic of you as a child is adorable!

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  3. A very nice tribute to your mom Robyn. It was indeed touching. Eighteen had to be a tough stage of your life to lose her.

    And you are right, that Marlene is an artist (and a nice one too).

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  4. oh yeah! I almost forgot to mention how cute you are in that photo with the chick.

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  5. So sweet! Such a heartfelt tribute to your mom. This was great, Robyn. And you look so cute in your little dress! And you are right, the card is a work of art. Marlene did a wonderful job on it.

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  6. This is wonderfull Robyn what a tribute to your mum, and Marlene is such a wonderful warm person it does not suprise me at all that she gifted you the card

    Hugs Janette
    Stamping Dragon Designs

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  7. Thanks for that. It was so sweet!!

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  8. Aw Robyn, that's lovely. Thanks for sharing. I'm very sorry you lost your mom, especially at such a young age.

    There's something so special about having something made for you and being sized and pinned for it. It makes you wonder what the sewer is scheming and also you can talk while she measures. My Grandpa used to make my Halloween costumes. Did your mom do that for you?

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  9. Thats very moving Robyn.. I'm sorry about your mom..that must have been very hard for you at that age... 49 is way too young..

    a lovely tribute..

    xo

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  10. What a wonderful piece of memory. She passed so young - I'm really sorry. But you could feel her love for you through those words. You were so cute in the dress too!

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  11. This is really touching Robyn. Great job.

    Marlene is so cool. She deserves a card for your card.

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  12. A very touching beautiful post. Bless you always.

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  13. Gorgeous, touching tribute.

    Love that Marlene.

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  14. John, thank you! I'm so glad you're still around, too. xo

    Marlene, you are a dear. :-)

    Pat, yes, I had just moved out to start college. Talk about having to grow up fast. Thank you for your sweet comments! xo

    Tgo, thank you kindly, friend. <o:

    Dragons, great to meet you and any friend of Marlene's. Thank you for visiting. xo

    BabySis, you're welcome and thank you. ;-]

    Loveable, we were more into Purim (the Jewish Halloween) than Halloween. That was a fun dress-up time, but my mom didn't sew our costumes. They were usually store bought or thrown together. Thanks! xo

    Anthony, hugs. d-:

    Sarah,that's really sweet. I appreciate it.xo

    Cheeseboy, I wonder if Hallmark makes one for this very occasion..? Thanks. ;o)

    MMH, bless you too. Thanks so much. xo

    BB, thank you! Yes, that Marlene is so darn lovable.

    xoRobyn

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  15. What wonderful memories of your mom!! Love the pretty card! That was the sweetest thing sending it to you!

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  16. I loved the sound of the sewing machine, but what I always found more comforting was the clicking of knitting needles! How a ball of wool could become a beautiful jumper almost over-night was truly magical!

    I think that we all hold precious memories of our Mothers, and they never go away...something always comes back to remind us of them. Maybe they never really left, but live on in us and what we have learned from them.
    Loved this post!

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  17. What a lovely post. That card is beautiful, Marlene certianly has a gift in making them. That was so sweet of her :0)

    I love the memories you have of your mother. well said Robyn.

    Hugs,
    Marnie xx

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  18. Except for my last blog entry (thanks for your response, BTW), I am not blogging... but I am still watching! :-)

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  19. very touching post, my mother is/was a sewer too.
    BTW very cute "chick"

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  20. this was really so very lovely.
    thank you for sharing.

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  21. aww..very sweet. Such a lovely memory.

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  22. Lovely story. Kinda have similar memories of my Grandma sewing for me at Easter as a child.

    thanks for your kind comments.

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  23. i too, can remember the sound of mom's sewing machine. the love your mother showed you for creating the masterpiece of a dress, and having you participate in looking at material was warm and caring. Keep your memory so whe you get sad about your Mom just think of what she did and spent time with you. Rose

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  24. U used to take my mom's sewing needle and out it through the skin of my hand or fingers for fun. It didn't bleed, it was just the outer skin.

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  25. Gayle, thank you. Yeah, Marlene is sweet like that. :0)

    Alice, thanks for your sweet message. The clicking of knitting needles is a wonderful sound too. xo

    Marnie, lots of hugs back to you. Thanks. [-:

    John, good. I'm glad I'll still see you around. xo

    Baygirl, thanks. I like hearing that others had moms who sewed too. ;->

    Margg, thank you, hon. Great to see you. xo

    Julie, it's also great to see you too. Thank you. {-;

    Carol, I'm glad you have similar memories. They're special ones. xo

    Rose, thank you. That sound stays with us, doesn't it? (In a good way.) :o}

    PTM, I'm glad you've found new ways to occupy your leisure time, my friend. I'll leave it at that. xo

    xoRobyn

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  28. Slapping of own forehead continues..What a Klutz (with a capital "K"), I am. DDG left the most beautiful comment about memories being like flowers in the winter..I can't begin to recreate it. It was very profound and poetic. I saw that I misspelled a word in my comment back to her. In attempting to delete my comment, I deleted hers. OOPS!
    I still love you, DDG. If you remember what you said, please rewrite it. It was so lovely! Thank you! Sorry. Slapping continues.
    xoRobyn

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  29. Hi Robyn - hope all is well, Please check your e-mail asap and look for the message from me. Thanks!

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