Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Pattern....this one was like a walk down memory lane for me. : )



Which was wonderful!!!

I have very vivid memories of my mother and I heading to the local fabric store, spending quite a lot of time perusing those extremely large pattern books...then heading to the drawers to find the actual PATTERN to purchase before wandering through the aisles and aisles of fabric. I loved that. I loved hiding in between the bolts of fabric.

My mother sewed a LOT of clothes for my brothers and I. We wore many of her shirts and mom still has a picture of the three of us standing in our made-by-mom shirts. Stripes were big in those days! Thinking about mom, spending a lot of time watching her, cutting, preparing, sewing, threading the sewing machine, and hearing the sound of the machine whirring, reminds me of a simpler time. Thanks Mom, for showing me how to sew, knit, crochet, and a whole lot more. You're the best!


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38 comments:

  1. zainahSeptember 29, 2009 at 10:23 PM

    great concept for the illo! very cute

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  2. FrancescaSeptember 30, 2009 at 12:36 AM

    It's always a pleasure to see what you've posted each week Shirley, and this week, you haven't disappointed. I have similar memories with my mum too.

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2009 at 12:40 AM

    Love the story and the illustrations!

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  4. NicolaSeptember 30, 2009 at 1:27 AM

    Hi Shirley!!!

    Love this piece the way you put it all together is just brilliant!!! It never ceases to amaze me just how much detail you manage to include!! Wonderful work thanks for sharing your happy memories!!
    Also I'm so glad that my bookmark reached you finally!!! And that you liked it!!! :0)
    x

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  5. Owl EngSeptember 30, 2009 at 2:31 AM

    It is a heart-warming piece of art!! it brought me a lot of sweet memories of my mum sewing clothes and quilt covers for us...Thanks for sharing!!

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  6. DaveSeptember 30, 2009 at 4:23 AM

    very sweet illustration. My Mom made many of her own clothes as well as for my sisters. Today they work together on handmade children's items. Nice.

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  7. Cheryl LynnSeptember 30, 2009 at 5:49 AM

    OMG! I can't get over how precious this is! These illos are absolutely beautiful. I remember buying patterns and sewing a few things myself for my home-ec class in junior high school.

    I simply love the first illo. It is so reminiscent of mother/daughter relationships and the wonderful memories they produce.

    Astounding! Bravo!

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  8. UnknownSeptember 30, 2009 at 6:53 AM

    beautiful pieces!

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  9. ELLA ELVIANASeptember 30, 2009 at 7:21 AM

    so beautiful and heartwarming! ^__^

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  10. JuneSeptember 30, 2009 at 8:56 AM

    What a happy memory with a charming illustration to capture it too :o)

    I remember unfolding such tissue paper patterns and pinning them out on the new fabric. So fragile to handle, but with all the promise of a new outfit at the end.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your kind comment.

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  11. ConnieSeptember 30, 2009 at 9:28 AM

    I love your lines (like in the sewing machine) and admire your ability with water colour, which is a mystery to me!

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  12. Brandon StarrSeptember 30, 2009 at 9:35 AM

    Very Cute, I hadn't even thought of that type of pattern.

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  13. valerie walshSeptember 30, 2009 at 10:04 AM

    As I read this I could just smell the fabrics, the old butterick patterns, the whole fabric store feeling came back to me and your charming illustrations brought the whole dream to life again! Wonderful and I miss those days :)

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  14. Amy CSeptember 30, 2009 at 10:05 AM

    this is so sweet and all of your memories and sentiments to go with it are just lovely.
    The expression on the little girls face is perfect.

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  15. rmsmiSeptember 30, 2009 at 10:12 AM

    Thats a good idea(s) of for this illustration. Well done!

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  16. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2009 at 10:17 AM

    Fantastic illustration. The colors and details are great. Your work is amazing, congratulations.
    Thank you for visiting my blog :)

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  17. Loni EdwardsSeptember 30, 2009 at 10:59 AM

    How adorable! What a great illustration. I can just feel the love!

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  18. ArtSparkerSeptember 30, 2009 at 11:08 AM

    Sweet and whimsical.

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  19. CathySeptember 30, 2009 at 11:33 AM

    Sweet illos, and it's a shame that dressmaking's a dying craft these days.

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  20. Mike Blake StudioSeptember 30, 2009 at 11:40 AM

    What a cute little girl! I also love how your colors seem to stimulate warmth and comfort, especially in this cherished memory of yours!

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  21. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2009 at 1:12 PM

    This reminds me of my wife as a little girl - so sweet. Nice work by the way!

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  22. josh pincus is cryingSeptember 30, 2009 at 1:51 PM

    you have a beautiful style.
    your illustrations are terrific.

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  23. thedoodlegirlSeptember 30, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    That reminded me of my many trips to the fabric store with my mom! This series of illustrations is SO good. You are amazing.

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  24. Francisco MartinsSeptember 30, 2009 at 4:11 PM

    Lovely illustrations here! I love your style!

    Francisco Martins

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  25. nella gaticaSeptember 30, 2009 at 4:19 PM

    thank you very much!!! your illos are so sweet !!!!,)

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  26. JOSeptember 30, 2009 at 5:26 PM

    wonderful watercolor, and very cute (so are all your illos). And love Piggy and Mouse.

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  27. Silke PowersSeptember 30, 2009 at 6:35 PM

    Beautiful illustrations and such sweet memories!! Hugs, Silke

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  28. Acting JournalSeptember 30, 2009 at 7:50 PM

    Love your work! Brings me comfort! Thank you for the nice comment you left on my blog.
    Kay

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  29. justdoodleitSeptember 30, 2009 at 9:08 PM

    Sweet story, well recounted and drawn :)

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  30. Alissa StaplesSeptember 30, 2009 at 9:42 PM

    The amount you treasure your memories is apparent in your beautiful illustration!! I really love this post!

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  31. Pupu SulaimanOctober 1, 2009 at 12:10 AM

    This is really nice Shirley! It reminds me of my mother back at my home country. :)

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  32. Sohini BasakOctober 1, 2009 at 5:49 AM

    Aww...sweet and stirs up memories, fresh and ol' here too.

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  33. Zelda ZapOctober 1, 2009 at 9:44 AM

    That brought me back to my childhood too. I loved sewing with my mom. Now a day my sister and I have cutting parties, where we break out our patterned and cut out the clothes we want to sew together to inspire ourselves to actually sew. Beautiful image. I love the sewing machine.

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  34. AnonymousOctober 1, 2009 at 4:04 PM

    This is beautiful and very touching!

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  35. doodlegirlOctober 1, 2009 at 6:14 PM

    This is so sweet. Love your style. Grabs me around my heart! :O)

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  36. Vanessa Brantley NewtonOctober 2, 2009 at 1:43 AM

    OOh Shirley, I take one day to work and you are off and running with these beautiful illustrations!!! OMG!!! How fantastic and fun and wonderful and beautiful and oh the love!!! It's super fantastic is what it is he he he! Such a wonderful choice of colors and scene. Yes it must have background. Such a great read your post. Great work.

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  37. WilsonWOctober 4, 2009 at 5:11 PM

    I absolutely love these!! So much storytelling going on and you've done it so well!! Bravo! I love em!! The texture of the watercolor paper showing through like that on the pattern is superb!!!! Love it Shirley!! Awesome!!

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  38. DanetteOctober 5, 2009 at 2:42 AM

    Oooh I have lots of the same memories, my poor mother had a pretty rough time teaching me to sew but today i'm so grateful to be able to make my own stuff! The drawings are sooo beautiful and really takes me on a welcome trip down memory lane!

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