A Poem about UFO's

Where ever I go and teach I run across ladies who say they're worried that our skills, whether heirloom sewing, clothing construction, tailoring, needlework, etc., are being lost. Schools don't teach "Home Ec" anymore which is a real shame because it is a life skill kids need to learn along with basic cooking. Many young, new sewers don't learn the basics of sewing, and therefore don't have the knowledge and skills to really turn out well-made items. Project Runway (and I do enjoy watching the series on occasion) is an example of sewing fast but without basic knowledge and techniques. The series has promoted the sewing industry and encouraged younger generations to try to learn to sew. And that's good!

Those of us in an older generation wonder what will happen to our creations. I sew for my grand children and they have a closet full of wonderful, custom clothing. I still take classes and have the usual UFO's: unfinished objects in a box in one closet. This time of year, after the Christmas rush and bustle, I go through that UFO file box and pick one or two to work on in front of the fire on these cold wintry days (and we have a snow storm approaching today).

The number of projects and kits is starting to dwindle...that's IF I don't take any more new classes! But I probably have more UFO's, sewing ideas and designs in my head along with fabrics, trims and patterns that will never come to fruition. But I keep trying and challenging myself!

I came across this poem that reminds me of so many stitchers and their stashes and uncompleted projects. I thought I would share this. The author is unknown.

"A Bit of Fancy Work"

It was a bit of fancywork
That she had tucked away
A vine and wreath of tiny flowers
To finish some other day.

Her needle, threaded, still was there
Her scissors and thimble too,
All ready to complete the work
When she'd nothing to do.

I found them in her bureau drawer,
Right where she laid them down,
Waiting there month after month
Ready to be found.

I seemed to hear her low, sweet voice,
As thus I stood alone;
Before me was the work she'd left,
The worker now gone.

Her busy hands will work no more;
My tears unbidden start,
I breathe her name and press her work
Close to my lonesome heart.

Oh, when my hour of going comes,
May life's work be well done,
And something beautiful to be found,
By loved ones when I'm gone. 

Hopefully I won't leave a lot of UFO's for my children to have to deal with. They both have many things I've made for them and their families. Here are two photos of UFO's I inherited from my mother and I completed them (our daughter helped with the evening bag one that I wrote about before, the 3 generation purse).

I just sincerely hope that our schools and other learning/teaching venues will bring back and teach the basics of sewing, tailoring and embroidery to the next generations so they too can enjoy and reap the benefits of these wonderful skills!