I managed to sew a beard on a Santa

I had an unusual experience this afternoon, I went along with husband to his shanty practice – not to join in of course, but to meet up with another shwag (shanty wag) She goes every week to their practices and I think she wanted company! I thought we’d sit in a corner and have a chat, but she brings something along to occupy herself.  Not a book as I might have done, her hobbies and pastimes are more practical with a product at the end! She is an expert knitter, needlewoman, crafter, and what she had brought with her were some decorations she was getting ready for Christmas.

What she had made were colourful felt pieces cut into the shape of Christmas stockings. I guess they were about eighteen inches high, and she had pinned on other shapes – Father Christmases,  snowmen, robins, reindeer, stars, trees etc, and her task this afternoon was to sew them on. I hadn’t realised, but she thought I would like to share in the activity, and had also thought for some reason I knew how to sew. I can sew a button on, or just about sew up a bit of hem which has become unstitched, or attach a name tag to a piece of clothing, but only in the most rough or ready fashion!

Well, I gave it a go, I managed to sew a beard on a Santa, and something on an angel, trying my hardest to do tiny, invisible stitches. She meanwhile had attached a robin to a snowy roof, given a reindeer a cheery expression, organised Mary and Joseph with their baby, and positioned a shepherd or two and a couple of sheep. We were chatting away and half listening to the shanty buoys discussing the set list for their next gig, and we caught up on our various pieces of news. I told her that although I’d not done any sewing apart from buttons and hems since I was at junior school, and I certainly didn’t confess I had no real interest in it, but I did tell her what a good needlewoman my mum was.

Mum used to make nearly all our clothes, including shirts and pyjamas for dad. I realise now that it was because it was cheaper than buying them as well as the fact that she was a brilliant and creative needlewoman. Each year from us being very small children we went to the seaside and stayed in a holiday camp – think “Hi-di-Hi”. There was always a fancy dress competition, and mum would make our costumes from crepe paper. My sister liked to be pretty things like fairies or princesses,  I was a cowboy or Robin Hood, and on one occasion a convict! (Yes, I was an odd child) Mum made my dad’s pyjamas and shirts as well as our clothes. At school we were in school plays and I was the May Queen and mum made my dress. Later, at secondary school, she made our summer dresses, whatever was fashionable at the time. I went to Singapore when I was in my twenties and came home with some lengths of batik cloth  – of course she turned them into dresses for me. She had such vision and imagination, as well as excellent skills. I guess I have creativity, but not in a practical way!