“I was five or six years old when my mother ordered a pedal sewing machine from Sears. I watched her sew and had to try it myself. When no one was around, I stuck in my material and pedaled. The needle came down and went through my finger. I jerked my hand and broke the needle. Mother wasn’t happy when she got the wire pliers to take it out.

Mama made all of our clothes, which helped during the rationing of World War ll. She cut patterns out of newspaper and made our dresses out of feed sacks — Mama made chicken feed sacks stylish. Elastic was hard to find, so she pulled it from innertubes and made our panties out of flour sacks or whatever material she had. I didn’t have nylon panties until after I married.

My mother and grandmother said we couldn’t do anything on Sundays, but one Sunday, I wanted to sew. I took my scrap box, scissors, needle, and thread and sat behind the chicken coop to cut out a dress. The scissors went out of control and cut the cute green skirt Mama made me. She told me the scissors would grow into my hands for sewing on Sunday. To this day, I won’t sew on Sunday.

I turn 89 in May and have been sewing since I was five.  I worked all day for many years, cooked supper, and sewed after the kids went to bed. I looked at clothes in stores and created something similar. I also sewed for the public to help pay our bills. I could make a skirt in an hour and sell it for $3 the next day. I even made my daughter’s wedding dress. Cleveland and I eloped when I was 16, and I didn’t have a wedding dress. It felt good to make one.

Sewing is relaxing. I can be worried, then I sew and forget about everything. Now most of my sewing is to help others by making aprons that go on walkers.

The aprons started about ten years ago after I broke my hip and got frustrated that I couldn’t carry anything. My daughter-in-law made me a cute little apron with pockets and tied it to my walker. I liked it so much that I started making aprons and giving them to friends who needed them. Most women don’t have pockets, and carrying a purse gets harder with a walker. There is room in the apron for a Bible or Reader’s Digest in one pocket, and a drink or chips in the other.

The aprons took off. My friends asked for some to hand out, so I kept making them. I pass them out in assisted living and nursing homes, doctors’ offices, yard sales, or anywhere I see people who could use one to carry something. People couldn’t get masks at the beginning of COVID, so I also made masks and gave them away.

The aprons are bright, happy colors that make people feel good. One woman said the red and white flowers on her apron reminded her of a trip to Hawaii with her husband.

I keep aprons in my car and look for people who need them. I saw a lady in Walmart struggling with her wallet and walker, so I returned to my car and got her a purple and white checked apron. I handed it to her and said, ‘I just made you something.’ I showed her how to tie it on her walker, and she was grateful. Her niece found me to tell me how proud her aunt was of her new apron.

Every apron is a gift, but sometimes people aren’t used to getting a free gift of love — they think it is a scam or a catch. I reassure them this is just my way to help. I had cancer and broke my leg and hip over the years, so I know how handy the aprons are.

I am a little shy, and these aprons give me a chance to meet many people. It does my heart good to help others get around easier.”

Louise