Dad

I feel that there hasn't been much actual sewing on this blog lately. I alluded to the reasons for this when I made my tie-on pockets, but this week seems like the time for more explanation. My father has been increasingly ill with heart failure for some months and on Monday he died, very peacefully, in his sleep and in his own bed. After several periods in hospital, with little or no visiting allowed due to Covid restrictions, he just wanted to be at home. Thanks to the wonderful support provided by Severn Hospice, Mum and I were able to achieve this.

Although my mum crops up quite often in my posts (usually as the provider of vital fitting information and fixes for sewing fails), Dad has rarely done so. But he's been a huge influence in my life. I owe my creative abilities to both my parents - Dad was a skilled railway modeller - and my left-handedness solely to him. Albeit more by accident than design, I followed his career path of a geography degree and a working life in I.T. Dad could also be relied upon for practical things such as making the template for my hexagons quilt, and teaching me how to wire a plug*. Even quite recently, he was advising me on how to design a database for some research I want to do. I shall miss him more than I can say.

Dad and me, August 1967

Sewing will definitely be taking a back seat for a while, as I support Mum and deal with all the admin. (So. Much. Admin.) But happily for me, Marie and Kerry are hosting #SewVintageSeptember again, so I'm hoping that will inspire me to pick up my needle once more next month.


* - When I was younger, electrical appliances were often sold without a plug, just with a length of cable sticking out. You bought the plug separately (usually from Woolworths, as I recall), and attached it yourself. In the summer before I went to university Dad sat me down and informed me that he was going to show me how to do this, and that I was going nowhere until I could demonstrate that I could safely attach a plug to any kettles, lamps etc. that I might be buying once I'd left home!