One little girl's dream.
On the top of my 5 yo GD's Christmas wish list was sewing things, basket; needles; etc.
Now this was right up this Grandma's alley and I set about to find her a special sewing basket (of the vintage kind) you know the type... real cane, pretty, large enough to grow with her, pink. The kind I always dreamt of having but never, ever, did get.
After I had searched the local super sewing stores and all the smaller haberdashery stores and saw my hopes, of providing "the perfect" sewing basket, all dashed in a parade of plastic and tin containers and fibreboard school-case look-a-likes.
What on earth was a Sewing Grandma to do? Was I doomed to fail after being assigned this most precious of tasks?
A girl's FIRST sewing basket should be special, shouldn't it? Not any old basket will do, right?
It has to evoke a desire to delve inside to find the hidden treasures of buttons and ribbons and pearl topped pins, pretty laces, fancy tape measures and pin cushions and thimbles and the smell of new fabric waiting to turn into a dress for a princess of unusually busty proportions.
Where on earth could I find such a special basket to deliver all these promises?
With time so short, would it arrive if I bought one online?
I guess I really had no other choice but to search Ebay for this Pandora's box to hold such delights.
With days running out I found it!
Now to win the bidding then pray it arrives on time????
That shouldn't be a problem, after all, we postponed our Christmas with the kids until the following week so it should get here in time and it's sure to be a winner as there aren't many little girls (here in Aus) who can say their Grandma got them a sewing basket all the way from France.
Well, here's the anti-climax, it didn't arrive in time because the seller forgot to put the crucial postcode on the package!!!
Still this Grandma thinks on her feet so after rounding up everything to fill a sewing basket, I found a gorgeous Denim backpack with butterflies embroidered on it and I filled it to bursting with all the vintage sewing goodies, including a hand made pin cushion (from Aunty Polly) and a hand made Needle case from Grams.
It was wrapped in pretty paper and placed under the tree, with great expectations of it being "just what I wanted Granma"
Well maybe it was this (the writer's) little girl's dream.
On the day, my GD didn't appear to be very enthusiastic about her gifts, in fact I got the distinct impression it may have been her Mum's idea of a wish list more than my GD's. Even Ray was disappointed but suggested that maybe her Mum was looking to start her on a hobby.
I was totally deflated. I don't know what I had envisioned, certainly not the unhappy little face with the disappointed eyes that I saw before me.
(see second post)
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Looks like your little GD will like sewing after all. Hope she keeps her first little project for ever. You'll have to send photo's of her when she receives the lovely basket. I still have my sewing baskets from childhood & one looks very similar to your GD's. I now have bears sitting on them in a collection of bears.
12407Don't give up. I have a GD Taylie, that has been my shadow since she was tiny. We are soul mates. She is the youngest member of our garden club. She comes over and we watercolor together. Today she just finished painting her dog spot. We are making our family calendar for next year together.
Show her how much fun that sewing basket can be. The time you spend together will be priceless.
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3809What a beautiful story. She might just be your sewing buddy in a few short years. Betty
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6622Meganne, You had me from the word go, what a wonderful find..perhaps Sophie had a picture in her head of this sewing box, she will treasure always...what a beautiful little girl so proud of her achievement, even with the bandaids. Hugs Sally
24342Oh Meg so sorry to hear that the basket didnt arrive in time, Glad to hear tho that you made up a tempory bag " which can be used for something else " I am very proud to have contributed to Sophias' collection even thou you put the finishing touches to it. Cant wait to hear how she loves her xtra gift. Hope you are feeling better. Ho Hum off to work i go talk soon ")
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42046What a darling child with a beautiful smile! She sure does look happy to me! I still have the very 1t XXXstitch set that my Mom bought for me to do. It has the date of 1956 stitched on it so I was 10 yrs old. It was a place mat with 2 napkins. Mom never cut them apart and hemmed them. When I ran across hem again yrs later, I decided to leave them in their original condition. They were very tiny (for a tea set) and I was way past that stage. My guess was that my Mom did not know what to do with them. She had no one to show her what or how to do with anything like that. She was raised in the Episcopal Church Orphanage from the age of 4 or 5. She actually lived there until after she graduated High School and went to work with Southern Bell in 1945. She was very timid and quiet so she did not get alot of attention. She also had 2 older sisters there but they left as soon as they were 16. They went to live with an even older and married sister that had a farm and needed help. Those were hard times and when their Dad died and their Mom was sick the county took all of the children and placed them in homes except for the baby boy who went to live with a wealthy aunt. I was always proud of my Mom because she turned out to be a very nice LADY that was always ready to help anyone that really needed help. She had a big heart!
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24961When I was there last week I got to see all the gorgeous things that were going into the basket. Sophie is one lucky little girl. You rock Meg!
Love and blessings Chris
P.S. so glad she likes it.
234500Look at that smile!! Love it! I bet she'll LOVE the sewing basket too! Great job & she's only 5! I see a future sewing gal in the future!
35675What a wonderful story - I love it - bless her heart and yours too!!! Hugs, Laura
96279She is so beautiful, and the basket is so perfect, I never had a sewing basket, she is so lucky and I am sure she is going to treasure it for along time. Hugs Geeta
6030Hopefully in the end it will start her off on a super hobby.
57801What a wonderful story and you did a great job telling it! That looks exactly like the basket I gave my oldest daughter (except it's not pink - don't think I've ever seen one with pink) and she still has it! Way to go Gramma!
38558She sure does look happy with her project. It might have been just too overwhelming of a day for her to have a reaction to your gift. I remembered having to leave my presents home and head off to grandma's till early afternoon and then to the other grandparents for the rest of the day when I really just wanted to be home playing with my new things.
89895This is such a heart warming story..I am so happy that after all the effort you put into acquiring such a unique gift, your GD loves it..it's wonderful when you realize that someone you love so much loves the same thing you do..she will never forget all the love you put into making this gift special for her, thanks for sharing this story.
21593Glad to see that all worked out well. She is an adorable little girl....and Grandma, some day she will understand and appreciate. I would print out your story and save it for her...Hugs!
40397What a beautiful story, Meganne. I can imagine your disappointment as the backpack was opened but that would have been nothing compared to the excitement
you would have felt when you saw the photo of Sophia with her little cushion made 'all by herself'. Just look at the pride in that smile.
Earlier in the year I had hunted high and low for a nice sewing box/basket for my 21 year old grand-daughter and could find nothing suitable. Finally I settled on a cardboard trunk-style box with handles. As Christmas drew nearer I grew more and more ashamed of it and I still have it - I'm still hunting for a 'real' sewing basket for Georgia.
AlmaG.
2 comments
by meganne
05 Jan 2012
Try doing a world wide search on Ebay Alma. You just have to be careful of condition and postage can be a "rip off" by some sellers, but mostly it is so worth paying a bit more to get what you want.
17214Lovely story, lovely granddaughter and a very proud grandma.
Love it
Hugs
Michelle
64451What a great story. You should be saving your short stories for your grand children. When your granddaughter is all grown up this story would make that sewing basket extra special! Your grand daughter is a cutie.
19282Your story and granddaughter are darling. With three grandsons, I'm hoping our son will give us a granddaughter, but I'm not holding my breath.
Thanks for sharing.
Love,
Jacqueline
70914Oh, Meganne, what a wonderful story! And your sweet little grand daughter is adorable! It reminded me of my "bestest Christmas gift ever" ~ a small sewing kit and a book on embroidery. Still have the book -the kit went missing long ago as a result of our many moves when I was a kid. Thanks for the memories! Hugs and *'s and a big "WAY TO GO GRANDMA!", Deb
70755What a nice but sorrowful cliffhanger. You got me there. I'm so glad you posted the second installment in the same thread - otherwise I would have been obliged to look through all the posts to find it.
Such a happy face, you must be one happy grandma!
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by meganne
04 Jan 2012
Oh Martine you have no idea how disappointed & unhappy I was until I received that photo. Sophia is such a Sweetie, as are the other 2 GK's, but they're very quiet children & methinks their noisy Grams still scares them a little.
145304What a nice story, and lovely, happy picture of your grandchild. If you see the smile all your troubles and hassles just melt away...
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148927Meg, when are you gonna publish your book??? You had my full attention, I could FEEL your story, waiting for the next episode, love them, hugs S*
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19823Meg - you dear lady - you had me from the 1 word - clear to the end - I believe you have the makings of a child's book or at least a Grandma book for the sewing center's to sell. What an adorable basket and your grand is so presious - what a smile - I love it. Now I will go grab a tissue.
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211079Now I know one should never lose heart and below is the photo I received today, of my beautiful 5 year old granddaughter Sophia, with her very first sewing project.
If you think my tears didn't flow, just look at that smile.
13 comments
by meganne
04 Jan 2012
PS, note the bandaids on those tiny little fingers, God bless her little heart. I can hardly wait to drive up and give her her sewing basket.
by asterixsew
04 Jan 2012
Oh Meganne what a great story. Your granddaughter looks so happy with her achievements. The sewing basket reminds me of my youth, many friends had baskets like this but I didnt. Sewing boxes/baskets are great and one just keeps adding to the contents. I have my mothers and grandmothers too, they are great for a trip down memory lane
by aussiequilter
04 Jan 2012
what a beautiful story Meg , I still have the very first sewing basket my mum bought me 50 years ago.
by christief
04 Jan 2012
What a wonderful story and the basket is just so cute! Perhaps yyou can even show your GD the pictures you posted here on Cute?!
Christie in Germany
by meganne
04 Jan 2012
I have never had a real sewing basket Monika. I think maybe it's time I went and filled that horrible void and bought myself one. Ebay here I come. :-)
by meganne
04 Jan 2012
Thanks Christie, maybe one day , though I'm not sure her Dad would approve of me posting pics so openly
by hightechgrammy
04 Jan 2012
What a wonderful story. My grandmother gave me my first sewing basket and how I wish I knew where it is now! You described each of the notions so perfectly you made me drool!
She is gorgeous!
by dlonnahawkins
04 Jan 2012
What a great story - and love that smile on her face. And you chose a very nice sewing basket for her. I remember my mother's like that from years ago.
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