Photo of my late grandmother's sewing needles and wooden cases, one marked with a bit of silk moire fabric. The embroidered baby handkerchiefs were a French flea market find.
For One Deep Breath's legacy prompt, I want to tell you about my late grandmother, Lucille. She could sew like nobody's business. She could take one look at a photograph and make an almost identical garment. Considering that she had few resources for fabrics, notions, etc. in our small Southern town this was a remarkable achievement. Once she made a dress for me exactly like one on the cover of Seventeen magazine. When I was living in New York, she created an elegant dress like one in a photo torn from the designer pages of Vogue.
Grandmother made numerous other dresses and outfits for me, but the magical confections I treasured most were made not for me, but for my doll. One Christmas Grandmother made a beautiful wedding trousseau for my Barbie, complete with the finest, tiniest stitches and buttons and bows and ribbon details. She even made a satin and brocade wedding gown out of my aunt's wedding dress!
Grandmother was always resourceful, managing to devise amazing designs from whatever materials were on hand. After my little brothers had done their damage with my toys and dolls, I remember Grandmother taking the head from a favourite doll - named after my Aunt Sue - and fashioning a beautiful evening gown "pillow" so that it looked as if the doll were once again whole.
Grandmother took great pride in her appearance and sewed most of her own clothes, which were beautiful and elegant. She taught me the basics of sewing and she kept sewing until her eyesight faltered. By the time Jordana was born, Grandmother had suffered a series of strokes caused by diabetes. When I took Jordana to see her and said, "Grandmother, this is my baby," she exclaimed, "My, doesn't she have such pretty eyelashes!" Unfortunately, Grandmother died less than a year later. I miss her still.
While I can sew, my attempts would never do Grandmother's legacy justice. So I am thrilled that Jordana has inherited her exceptional sewing skills. Grandmother would have been proud.
These haiku are meant as one continuous poem:
Such beautiful things
my grandmother made with love,
a needle and thread.
If she had been French,
Chanel would have come calling;
great skill in her work.
No pattern needed
for that dress in the window
exacting eye knew
how to sew a dream
like the magazine's pages
for her granddaughter.
No fancy fabrics,
patterns or notions, just sheer
natural talent
Brilliant seamstress
creating the best garments
with few resources
other than her eyes,
skill with the sewing machine;
desire for beauty
to make a young girl
happy with a pretty dress
her friends would admire.
Legacy of love,
mantle of talent assured:
a great-granddaughter
using sewing skills
physics and flair for design
to carve a career.
I love stringing haiku together too. Your theme carried well throughout.
Posted by: Bice | 02 December 2006 at 09:25
Beautiful memories and beautiful poem
Posted by: harmonyinline | 01 December 2006 at 23:49
How lovely Tara. You were so fortunate to have her with you as long as you did. She sounds absolutely remarkable. What a wonderful gift she gave to you.
Posted by: Rosa | 01 December 2006 at 13:52
Wonderful words and image!!
Posted by: tongue in cheek | 30 November 2006 at 12:15
Beautiful. You're a master at the haiku.
And I love this play on words:
"exacting eye knew"
Posted by: Michelle | 29 November 2006 at 17:21
I miss my Nana too and she had strokes from Diabetes - also dying not long after my eldest daughter was born. I love the name Jordana!
And this story - wonderful, wonderful xoxo thankyou so much for sharing it - blessings xoxo
Posted by: miss*R | 29 November 2006 at 06:35
A lovely tribute to your grandmother - my grandmother didn't sew, but my mother was taught by her grandmother, and she passed it on to me - it just skipped a generation. My daughters aren't so interested, it is too easy to go and buy cheap clothes imported from China.
Posted by: Catherine | 29 November 2006 at 04:50
Lovely post and it made me think of my grandmother who tatted. Still working on the post. My mother knitted clothes for my Barbie. Your piece evokes wonderful memories.
Posted by: Jone | 29 November 2006 at 03:11
Very touching story about your gmother. Reminded me of the pink wedding dress my mom sewed for my Barbie.
Posted by: my backyard | 28 November 2006 at 20:59
A lovely tribute to your grandmother, Tara. I spent many happy hours learning to sew from my grandmother - quilts, in her case - and also the occasional Barbie dress, which I'd forgotten about until reading your poems. Thanks!
Posted by: Neasa | 28 November 2006 at 16:11
I'm a lover of everything related to needles (ha!) and this is a beautiful tribute to your grandmother. I wish I was as crafty.
Posted by: kristen | 28 November 2006 at 14:54
I can't sew or write beautiful poems. Both leave me feeling totally frustrated. A lovely photo.
Posted by: Linda | 28 November 2006 at 14:10
When I taught my young niece how to sew recently, we phoned my mother during that process. (It's her Bernina we were using, which she handed down to me.) She was so THRILLED that I was teaching C. to sew...and told me later, "That makes 3 generations." I was like, "Wha...?" She kept talking about how I'm passing on the legacy. I was a bit taken aback that she viewed sewing as a legacy...maybe because I hate to do it, so find no pleasure in it. :) But reading this post, I suppose I can see my mother's point. I'd have never thought of sewing in those terms were it not for her comment...and your beautiful tribute to your grandmother.
Posted by: Marilyn | 28 November 2006 at 13:43
Lovely story. I wish i could sew well!
Posted by: Crafty Green Poet | 28 November 2006 at 09:29
My aunt on my dads side was the same...and my mothers one large expenditure in her youth was a Singer sewing machine....it's must be at least sixty years old and I still have it. Much too dear to part with. When I was young I sewed on it, now my daughter uses it on occasion. Such a heartfelt poem...thanks again for the memories....you always seem to do that with these beautiful posts. Thank you again Tara....this was a lovely gift today!
Love to you from a winter wonderland
Sherrie
Posted by: giggles | 28 November 2006 at 08:23
What a lovely tribute and how wonderful that your daughter has been blessed with the same skills. Thanks for sharing your memories and poetry with us!
Posted by: Kim G. | 28 November 2006 at 08:06
ah such lovely words and thoughts... I still have my grandmothers crochet hooks... and several items she made for me... your words brought back such sweet memories... thanks !
Posted by: diana | 28 November 2006 at 05:21
Love this poem. What a legacy. You are blessed.
Posted by: helen Sattel | 28 November 2006 at 05:05
Ah, dear Tara, what a brilliant tribute to the legacy of your grandmother - the talent, the love, the beauty of soul and creation. What a give that you shared that with us ... much peace and love, JP
Posted by: JanePoe (aka Deborah) | 28 November 2006 at 03:45
Oh you take me back to those early years of my grandmother knitting; I can still hear the click of her needles. And your haiku tells the story with grace and charm. Thank you for such wonderful, warm, and heartfelt memories, and tribute to your lovely grandmother who left you with her legacy that you will pass on as well.
until next time,
sage
Posted by: sage | 28 November 2006 at 03:42
Paris - you have made me so weepy as
my grandmother did the same!
She sewed me matching dresses for me and
my barbie - and fur coats for by barbie
with beautiful buttons and ball gowns and
stoles and a wedding dress!!!!!
It is so terrible as i don't have any
left - my mother gave them away:(
beautiful poem and the post was sheer
delight for me...
thankyou!
Posted by: sophie | 28 November 2006 at 01:11
That was such a gorgeous photo Tara, I couldn't stop looking at it. So much to see and such lovely words of your Grandma. Great post.
Posted by: rach | 28 November 2006 at 00:00
My Norwegian Grandma knit beautiful intricately patterned wool sweaters for pocket money. When she passed away the minister reminded us that Grandma had given each of her grand daughters hand crocheted tablecloths, that each grandchild (all 11 of us) got a "granny square" afghan all made by her. My tablecloth is used for every special occasion and always makes it feel like Grandma is with us still-though she passed away 24 years ago. Your story was lovely and your Grandma sounds amazing!
Posted by: martina | 27 November 2006 at 23:55
This was nice, and I am sure your grandmother is smiling!
Posted by: Sandy | 27 November 2006 at 23:07
A magical story, which you've woven beautifully into poetry. I have no talent whatsoever for sewing, but I have worlds of admiration for those who do. It is an art form of its own. How fortunate you were to have this legacy from your grandmere :)
Posted by: Becca | 27 November 2006 at 22:17
Truly BeaUtiful! I still have my gram with me(she's 89 now) and I remember that when I was a kid, she in my eyes could do, could fix and could help me be anything I wanted to be! grandmas like that are a gift...I'm in love with this story about yours, and of course your writing makes it feel so real...glad ya found me again;o)
Posted by: berrie | 27 November 2006 at 22:12
What a beautiful series of haiku. I loved hearing about your grandmother and how her special talents created a legacy for you. You're a wonderful storyteller, Tara.
Posted by: Star | 27 November 2006 at 21:56
Lucky you, chère amie, for having such a grandmother. My maternal grandmother studied and loved the French language, as I do--she wrote me letters in French when I was in college. I just recently found out that she'd taken gourmet cooking lessons when she was a young woman, something very rare at the time, so we had love of cooking in common, too! It is thrilling to hear that Jordana is carrying on your grandmother's seamstress tradition! I loved reading about this aspect of your life.
Posted by: Laura | 27 November 2006 at 20:10
That was such a lovely tribute to your grandmother, Tara. I am grateful for the time I had with mine too. I miss our talks, and I am at least thankful she was able to meet my son before Alzhiemer's took her mind.
How fun it must have been for you to get all those doll clothes from her! Did you keep them?
Posted by: Chelle | 27 November 2006 at 19:36
Beautiful photo, story, and haiku. : )
Posted by: Jodi | 27 November 2006 at 18:38
a sweet sweet story of grandma; what a wonderful tribute. It always amazed me; those tiny stitches would end up in something as delicate and unique as the photo you provided.
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | 27 November 2006 at 18:01
I still miss my grandmothers too, but I feel privileged to have been loved by them.
Wonderful tribute, Tara. x
Posted by: bb | 27 November 2006 at 18:01
How lovely, Tara. I wish I could sew like that! It is such a lost art! My grandma use to make quilts out of about anything.
I once bought a machine so I could learn, but I have never used it, and that was about twelve years ago! LOL. I did it because I knew this lady who made the most amazing dresses and outfits for her little girl, Anna. With matching hats, and bags, too! I just thought it was so cool.
What sweet memories of your grammy!
Posted by: Amber | 27 November 2006 at 17:51
Wow, what amazing talent. How wonderful you had her in your life so long
Posted by: Pearl | 27 November 2006 at 17:27
Tara,
a poem stiched
like a grandmother's garment
talented artists each one.
rel
Posted by: rel | 27 November 2006 at 17:02
A wonderful story and poem! Thank you!!
Posted by: jzr | 27 November 2006 at 16:37