This is story #25 in the series “Where Exactly is Home?”. The author recommends you read them in order.
Introduction:
“Where Exactly is Home?” follows the story of my parents, my two younger brothers and me, Susan, who emigrated from war-battered Britain, in the mid-late 1950’s, to Southern Rhodesia, Africa.
The effects of this move on our family were huge, as we struggled to adapt to such a different way of life. Only after further upheaval, and more long-distance travelling, did our family eventually settle in the city of Salisbury, Rhodesia.
However, we did not know then that we would not remain there for the rest of our lives, either.
When the family first went to Africa, I, Susan, was 9 years old. My two brothers, John and Peter, were almost 7 and 4, respectively.
Nowadays, as seniors, John and Peter live in England. I live in Canada. Throughout our lives, we have both benefitted from, and suffered because of, our somewhat unusual childhood.
I, for one, still sometimes ask myself which country represents home to me.
This is a series of stories under the title “Where Exactly is Home?” – I recommend you read them in order, starting with story #1.
26. Hobbies and Interests
During my teenage years, I spent many hours, especially during weekends, with my mother making our own clothes, the first step of which involved purchasing a suitable pattern to follow. We went to a local store and pored over huge books of possibilities before making our choice. Then we chose a fabric which had to be washed as soon as we got home, to prevent later shrinkage. Next step was to dry and iron the fabric before we began pinning on the pattern pieces as designated by the instructions. Cutting out these pattern-and-fabric pieces was a satisfying task because I felt as if we were getting somewhat nearer to a finished garment. I disliked the fiddly process of sewing by hand tailor’s tacks in any place where two pieces of fabric were meant to match perfectly when sewn together, even though both had to be separated in the process of being prepared. Darts in bodices were one such place where tailor’s tacks were required. Once all the patten pieces were prepared and cut out, we often left the sewing of the garment till another day. It was a painstaking process, and it was not always that easy following the instructions in the plan, either. However, at least we had a second-hand sewing machine, an old Singer, which had its own wooden carrying case with a handle on top. I have always been grateful that we didn’t have to do everything by hand as in times of yore.
