Following the Thread

I've put away most of the old letters, cards and photographs that I've been going through, but I thought I'd share this one with you:

I'm very fond of this faded picture. It's circa 1973, in Northfield, Illinois. I'm 15, and it's as natural a picture of me as exists - doing what I did from the age of six on a weekend afternoon - cutting out a pattern on the living room floor. I especially like it because I'm wearing jeans that I, ever stylish and crafty, had done some elaborate embroidery on; you can just see a little bit of pattern at the bottom of the bell. I loved those jeans. It was probably the last thing I embroidered until just recently.

I don't recognize the fabric that I'm pinning, though. You couldn't really pay me to match plaids today -- okay, it's a recession, maybe you could -- but for some reason I had several plaid things going on then. That same year my father had gone to Scotland and brought back a stunning piece of emerald and black plaid wool for me, and I made a long bias skirt (first bias!) that I wore for years. I later had some clothes stolen from me in an odd incident, including that skirt. My father, like many men, was insecure about his gift-giving skills, but he hit a big home run with that fabric; it was me.

I love that I look so relaxed and at home in this picture. In truth I was a very unhappy teenager, pushed too hard and moved around too much, and out of sync with my peers - I graduated from high school at 16. I felt very alone, even in my own family, and did plenty of experimenting with whatever trouble I could find, or found me. Nobody took sewing very seriously, and maybe that's exactly why it was a peaceful refuge for me.

So that was then. We probably had James Taylor on the stereo, or, well, I had a penchant for Jackson Browne that my brothers sneered at. Everything changes, and everything stays the same.

Comments

[Lainie]

Snap, indeed! I really love that this photo resonated with a few of you and that it brought back that feeling of a peaceful afternoon in the refuge of sewing and stitching. We were part of the last "craft renaissance" in the 1970s, and it's good to see the resurgence today.

[india flint]

there must be a few of us who've lived parallel lives. my hair was a little longer, but i too turned fifteen, had embroidered jeans...and a bias cut plaid skirt [predominantly orange!] in that year. the bit about not fitting in matches up as well, as does being 16 when finishing school [by a whisker, i turned 17 two weeks later].

so snap, honey! and like you, i still play with scissors...

[maggie]

oh yes. i am with pat...that could be a picture of me too! wow, some happy memories in that photo. thanks for posting it.

[jude]

funny to come upon this today as i was just going through old pictures with my mom. i think this photo makes me know you a bit better. i remember using the floor for most everything. everyone used to just walk around me. it is great when you get a perfect gift. i work hard to try to give them. it isn't that easy.

[Lainie]

Hi Pat - thank you for writing - you have a terrific blog.
These old photos are so evocative. I'm happy to share mine with you, as those were great moments of discovering fabric and all that could be done with it. That said, I made some frightening fashion choices early on when I first began to sew - I loved big, bright prints that were a little overwhelming on my scrawny frame.

[Pat]

My goodness, it is like looking at a photo of myself. I had the same dark hair and was slim. There I was always on the floor cutting out some pattern. Since no one ever took a photo of me, I will think of your photo when I go back to that time.
Wouldn't you love to have that wool now. When I went to Ireland, there wasn't any Donegal tweed available because it all was exported.
Thanks,

[Lainie]

Hi Deb - yes it is indeed - my oldest brother went there and I got the t-shirt. Did you go there?

[deb]

Is that "Antioch" on your t-shirt?