Hilda

I learnt to sew on my mothers old Husqvarna that is as old as I am.  Apparently she was frightfully expensive in her day.  My mum sent her my way again when I was pregnant with my first.  I made a simple cot quilt and some tab curtains, but I was not so much into sewing as I am now, you see, so the Husqvarna languished in the cupboard.  For some reason she came with us to Sydney, and glad I was of this when one day I stumbled upon a shelf full of Amy Butler and knew I wanted to make something.

Back then I did not realise the value of old things.  I thought the Husqvarna was clunky and ugly.  I yearned for a new plastic model.  My mum sent me her old Janome when she upgraded again.  For two years the Janome and I tried to tango, but dance well together we did not.  The Crafty One bought me a new Janome, and while the old one did serve my mother well for a good 5 years or more, the new one died after about 12 months.  Search as I did for the receipt we could not find it.  The store it came from was understanding (I guess they must see this a bit) they offered to take the old one off our hands and sell us another for a (slightly) cheaper price...

However by now I had deemed my Janome days over and requested the Husqvarna be returned.  I researched, I bought service manuals, and by now I had learned that new was not better and that old, well, was something else all together good.

Upon her return I dusted her down, I found an overseas stockist of her missing bobin holder. I wedged her old power point into the socket, I put my foot down, and slowly she clunked over.  I did not desist as I knew she had some clever self oiling mechanism.  What I did not know was if said mechanism had lasted 36 years...Slowly the old girl started running faster and faster.  I played with her tension, I fiddled a little, and soon I had her humming and was running up stitches in no time.

I decided such an old, faithful girl needed a name.  Hilda came immediately to mind and though I have toyed with others, I keep coming back to that most Scandinavian of names.

Welcome back Hilda, you may be brown and metal and corroding, but girl, you can sew!

Trace xx


ps: She needed a cover, one to match her age, so some vintage sheet strips were sewn together and bound, you can see them in the corner.  I promise to post a picture of Hilda in her new coat very soon.