Delilah's Hokey Pokey

Meet Delilah:

Since I was eight years old I had been working with my baby Brother. I remember the first thing I ever made...it took an entire weekend - a half apron made with vintage cowboy print. My mom helped me and Sarah (bridesmaid) make them. It was quite a sophisticated first project, but I remember being pleased after I bandaged up my seamripped and pin-torn hands and stopped crying in fury because I still didn't know how to make a straight stitch.

I trust that my baby Brother was a great machine. He got me through hundreds of projects and I recall even making my 7th or 8th grade dance dress, which is when I learned how to make a ruffled flounce, darts, and install a zipper, and increase the hem. I wish I had saved that dress. I remember it being suprisingly good (then again, I might have cried enough that my mom made most of it for me "showing me" how to do it.) I can hear my mom still saying "before you start that next project, you need a new needle and to oil up your machine." I'm sure I did my required maitenence as directed, but I'm not so confident that I took care of it as well as I should have: dust, wretching at the poor thing when thread became bound up in the machine's insides, and for the life of me, I can't remember where I had it stored which makes me think not in a good place. But, he got me all the way through age 28 when I realized..... I've invested the last 20 years into my sewing. It's the one thing in this world that I know I'm very good at, so why is the proof not showing in my work!" Come to find out that my Brother is growing old and his timing is becoming slow. He forgets a stitch here and there, and his feed dogs are no longer graceful. So he sits in a closet where I have memorialized him.

Then I met Delilah and my mom's phone stopped ringing. I'll always love my Brother, but Delilah has made me a better person, a better sewer, and a better daughter. There's no more of me screaming my point of the phone in frustration: "what do you mean I need a new bobbin! I just made ten of them!" Yes, I've rethreaded my machine, a new needle, and it's spewing oil!!!! Click."

The only over sight that I have made with Delilah so far is that I have been much too excited over the last two years to really dig in and find out what she's all about. She is capable of taking my sewing skills beyond my years, but what else can she do and what did I miss out on during all these years making new bobbins and detangling knots from my Brother?

It's starting to prove as I have taken on the project of sewing my bridesmaid dresses. For the first time ever, I sewed with chiffon and felt confident. But best of all, it came out as it should have. No stretching tearing, shifting, or sliding. Her dress is goregous and I can't wait to hear how it fits her:

Beatrice - The trusty, not so busty mannequin

Trial by fire at age 12 or so taught me how to install a zipper like no other. If I take my time, they come out quite perfect. However, this is where me and Delilah need to read things over. My zippers haven't been installing like I want and I'm make-shifting my installs. They come out pro-status, but I'm not pleased that I'm doing a work around. Still hestitant to use what looks like the appropriate foot because it ivolves a nut and a bold (agh!), I try a new foot and it's magical. What the heck is this thing though:



Anyway, it's called a blind hem foot. Shoot, gotta go look that up now too. I don't care what it is. It does the job and it's amazing. Invisible zipper complete!

So, until I decide that I have more time to get to know Delilah, I'll continue to play her Hokey Pokey and pull the straight foot out, and put the hem foot in.....

I know, I'm a nerd. Good night. :)