Joy behind JOYfully Made
Hi! I’m Joy, and I’ve been sewing since I was 10 years old. I remember sitting in my great grandmother’s living room in the hot summertime learning to work her old treadle sewing machine. Granny taught me to sew on that old machine. I think my favorite part was just spending time with her, although I had a lot of fun learning to work that foot pedal. In the beginning, it took both of my feet to make it go! In between picking fruit and vegetables from the garden and swinging on a wooden swing outside Granny’s kitchen door, we made doll clothes and Barbie doll clothes for my babies. The more we sewed, the more fascinated I became with learning to create things—pretty things—things I loved and thought were beautiful from pieces of fabric! I remember thinking that I could spend the rest of my life sewing because I loved it that much!
My mom remembers all the dresses and little slips that Granny made for her and my Aunt. She said that Granny made their clothes from old flour sacks when they were little. Mom also remembers seeing the quilting rack with several aunts and other family members gathered around it making and finishing quilts and that often, old flour sacks were used because money was scarce and women were resourceful, using what they had on hand like flour sacks and old shirts or dresses. Mom remembers that Aunt Grace was one of the best quilters and that her stitches were compared to sewing machine stitches because they were so fine and even.
I will always be grateful to my Granny for her patience that summer, I’m not sure if it was easy to teach me the art of sewing or if I was a difficult student, but I have carried those lessons with me in my heart for more than 40 years. Love, genuine love for creating is why I want to learn more about creating and how the art of creativity has evolved through the decades.
My motivation to continue learning has been what sparked a fire in my heart and knowing that while tools of today are different and change is not always easy, different isn’t bad…it’s a challenge! And I am always ready for a challenge! I will make mistakes and I’ll have to be creative with corrections, but that’s what this blog is about. Sharing my mistakes and what I did to fix them and sharing when I get it right too. I’m so glad you’re here to share my journey. I’d love to hear from you and see your successes.
My Granny’s quilts were made from flour sacks. While I don’t have any pictures of the quilts she made, the picture below is an example c. the 1930’s and is only a representation of the practical beauty and handwork that Granny would have been familiar with.
Untitled (String Quilt Pattern) c. 1930’s Smithsonian Art Museum.
Fabric is cotton and the backing is flour sacks.
My Granny, my cousin, and me, summer of 1985.
Granny took time to foster my creativity when I was just a girl. Sewing became a way for me to honor her and the time we spent together as Granny and granddaughter and teacher and student. I’m thankful for every lesson I learned.