I made this wallhanging vignette for my Grandmother's 90'th birthday, on 3 July 2004.
She used to make all our clothes when we were little, and we had the most gorgeous dresses.
Of course back then my biggest desire was to have a store-bought dress. :-)
She also made my wedding dress when she was almost 80, as well as those of my 2 sisters.
The fabrics that I used in the cupboard (a "Michaels Hutch"), are leftovers of the real fabrics
that she used to make dresses for us 40 years ago. My Mother had it
in her sewing cupboard, and after she passed away, I added it to my stash. See, never throw
anything away! Ouma always used to give me little cut-offs of the fabrics she used to make
gorgeous evening gowns for people. I still have some of the bits I used to make my doll
clothes with. It can be seen on the top shelf, on the right. The white fabric on top of that
stack, comes from my wedding veil.
Diving into her remnant bags was my idea of heaven, and my Barbie dolls were the best dressed
in town. Not that they were real Barbies, they were the cheapie plastic models, but
well dressed nevertheless. I made them bell bottom pants, jackets, ponchos (remember those?
) and hats. And evening dresses of course. I got my love for sewing from her.
She could make any outfit from a picture, and made many brides very happy.
Oh, I also remember how I she would prick me with a needle if I wouldn't stand still if
she was trying to pin a seam. And how I giggled when I tried on a dress, and she would take her
huge black scissors and try to adjust or cut away something while I had the dress on.
Those scissors were so huge and cold, and I was so ticklish, that she never got anything done.
The picture of her on the left was taken at my wedding, and the other one is a picture
of my grandfather and her on their wedding day.
My Grandmother passed away on 16 April 2005, 9 months after her
90th birthday.
