
One of my favorite students graduated last year. I cried at the ceremony. He is a very bright young man. Six feet tall. A big guy who just happens to love sewing. He spent so much extra time in my sewing classroom that the principal had to remind him to focus on the classes he needed to graduate.

Every year we give away a donated sewing machine and one year he got the sewing machine. He used to sew on the floor in his room because he didn't want to have to explain his unusual hobby to visitors and have to deal with their comments. Once his machine jammed and he took it on the bus to bring it back to school for repair. The sight of a very large African-American teenager carrying a sewing machine on the bus caused quite a few stares. Undaunted, he turned to one kid and said "What, you haven't ever seen a sewing machine before?"
That young man knew the value of good tools. As my intern, he earned the privilege of using the "good" Gingher scissors. This was a right that he guarded judiciously. He happily told the other boys in class that they weren't "ready" for such a serious tool. When he graduated, I gave him a pair of Gingher dressmaker shears, engraved to say "Congratulations. Be Careful."

What is it about good tools? The good hand sewing needles, the good, sharp pins and the Schmetz machine needles? The Rowenta irons? The quilting cottons that are so soft and smooth that they are a pleasure to use. I thought I knew about most of the good stuff in sewing...until last Wednesday when I visited The Patchwork Garden. The shop carries Cosmo embroidery floss, which I have read recently, is great smooth floss that doesn't tangle.

They also carry Aurifil thread. I have been reading people's stories about how this thread sews like a dream for piecing. Apparently it doesn't create lint in the machine and doesn't EVER break. Yipee! Broken thread is such an annoyance.

One of the owners of The Patchwork Garden told me that grey Aurifil thread is the only thread she uses to piece. I debated, but with such a recommendation, had to try it. I'll let you know...The Cosmo floss will be used for some simple Day-of-the-Week embroidery, compliments of Laura Bray. Her blog Katydiddys is really sweet. I like her food watercolors. When I retire, I shall do watercolors...Too scared to try until then. So, I hope this finds you eating cake and watching sweet movies....
Tell me about the tools you love.
Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.