apprenticeship

Last time I went to the doctor, he had a new medical student. While she was taking my blood we got to chatting and she asked the question dreaded by many a stay-at-home mom (or at least, by me), "So, what do you do?"  I dread this question because it's not really a one-word answer anymore, it's an explanation. "Now I'm home with my kids but I used to be a teacher and sometimes I'm and actor and eventually I'm going to...." No one really wants or needs this much information. This time it came out "I'm a seamstress which is great because I work from home." I didn't even think about it, it just came flying out of my mouth. My dear friend Amber who recently abandoned me for the mountains, and is a master seamstress, is laughing her head off that I claimed to be such a thing. Who do I think I am? It's like this. All of the sudden I sew for money. People call me and tell me what they want, we take a few measurements and I make it. I do alterations and zippers and blind hems. I can even do embroidery for a little extra. I design many of my own patterns and alter most of the commercial ones I use. I sew most days and much of what I make is for my little business. It's kind of a lost art and while I haven't been doing it as long as some I have really put a lot of time and effort into learning the ins and outs and secrets of this craft. I am by no means a virtuoso yet, but I am more than competent and I am proud of the work I do . Proud to claim a piece or a design as my own. Proud to do something pretty well that many don't do at all anymore. I may not yet be an Amber-caliber seamstress, but perhaps good enough start growing into my new-found profession.