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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Question of the Day, Tue 8/12

We have 2 interesting things today:

Today is:

Sewing Machine Day - Do you have a sewing machine? Do you know how to sew on a sewing machine? Did your mother or grandmother have one? Do you have memories of watching your family members make clothes?

Today is also:

Vinyl Record Day - I'm only 31, but if you read this blog regularly, you know when I was a kid, I used to listen to my Alabama and Oak Ridge Boys records on my Strawberry Shortcake record player. Do you still have your records? What's your most prized record? Do you still play your records?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

on sewing machines...
we do not have a sewing maching, but i do know how to use one, thanks to home-ec. my mom did use one but i don't have too many memories of it...i remember the machine, and the "gas pedal" that is about it

on vinyl records...
my record player was holly hobbie...and although i don't have any records any more or the player...saturday night fever was my fav

Anonymous said...

Sewing Machine Day:

I sew & own a machine. My mother taught me when I was little how to quilt. She doesn't sew anymore. I still do.

My husbands grandmother did and we now own her old Singer machine. It is on display in the house.

My daughter is wanting to learn - so this weekend we are going to be making a sleeping bag for her cat. It relaxes me, I love it.

Anonymous said...

Sewing Machine Day???How will I ever celebrate such an occasion????

Actually, I have a sewing machine and wish I had more time to spend with it! I learned to sew in home ec. class, and find it very relaxing and enjoyable. I just wish this pesky working-for-a-living thing would quit using up all my time!

Anonymous said...

The complete works of Beethoven...

Anonymous said...

I have a small portable singer in a wooden box, its very very old. Looks to be some of the first electric ones. I'd part with it for the right price....

Anonymous said...

Yes, and Yes,

Still sew, but no more suits, evening gowns and kids clothes...curtains, slip covers, my own designer bags.

Records, have every single one, 78, 45, 33's have players for all, dot play them, read the labels from time to time, thought about selling Elvis ones, and Crickets...such fun. Thanks for reminding me.

Anonymous said...

Happy Sewing Maching Day! My family has a sewing machine. I was taught to sew by my grandmother. All of my children can sew, sons included. I too wish I had more time to spend. I remember the clothes that my grandmother sewed for us when I was a kid, especially at family vacation time. Does anyone else remember Lottie Hearn and the beautiful things that she sewed?

Anonymous said...

I'm 50 year old man but Mom did sew with patterns and fabric purchased from downtown JC Penny's basement or Danneman's in the old Mall. This was the ultimate 'buy American'.

As for records, I still have some old Steppenwolf and Herb Alpert albums in monophonic. I had only low-fidelity where you stack pennies on the arm to keep it from skipping.

Although CD was hailed as a godsend I noticed the high frequencies were not as crisp and clear as they were in a good vinyl record and good turntable.

Now, in a way, I do avidly listen to vinyl recods that blogging enthusiasts have burned to an MP3 format. I now listen to many instrumental artists of the bygone era of swing and light jazz such as Si Zentner, Shorty Rogers, Burt Bacharach,Tony Hatch, Nelson Riddle, and a slew of other incredibly talented musicians and conductors.

A good place to start is http://vinylloungehut.blogspot.com

That music is the BOMB!

bob p

Anonymous said...

Sewing machine, yes I have one and the mechanics of them are works of genius.
Records I have trimmed down my albums to about 400 my 45's are probably closer to 500. My prized vinyl means nothing to anyone else but this band was local when I was living in Rockville and made the greatest 45 of all time my prize is the Hangmen doing What A Girl Can't Do. Album wise it's any of my Beatle collection or REMs first EP
Totally connected days: The Beatles movie Help was The film was "respectfully dedicated" to the memory of Mr. Elias Howe, whom in 1846, invented the sewing machine. Her former house is in Dover Delaware.

Anonymous said...

Yes I have vinyl!!!! my favorite two are original 78's Batman themes and other "Batman" tunes including the Batusi. I had a Mickey Mouse player. You always had to put a penny on the arm to control the skipping. Some of my fondest memories are sitting in my Grandmothers chair while she played the Alvin and the Chickmunks Christmas album.

Anonymous said...

My Mom has a state of the art sewing machine. It even does embroidery. I can use a regular sewing machine, but I don't own one, I really don't have the talent, and with a full time job, I don't have the time.

Vinyl records, oh yes. My most treasured would be "Meet the Beetles", that was given to me when I was a little girl. When I was in my teens, I chose my music more by the single, then by the artist, so I bought many 45 rpm records from I believe it was called "Transonic". My babysitting money was spend there quite often. I believe Roger Mason, and Bill Bloxom worked there. Choppy Layton may have had something to do with it.

They even let me bring my little dog Taffy in with me.

Wow, those were the days.

Anonymous said...

I have a machine and used to have a small business making specialized clothing. I remember Mom making Halloween costumes and a few prom dresses on her portable. I have a friend who is an excellent seamstress (as a hobby only) and uses sewing to help her thru the pain of battling cancer. And my sister-in-law is also a whiz with a Bernina my brother brought back from overseas during Viet Nam. That machine is amazing.
Vinyl ruled! My brother had over 4000 records (some "stolen" from me), and my son was a DJ during the techno era. His collection of imports is awesome. Mom has an old wind-up with 78's that I can remember listening to when I was younger. Al Jolson. Wow.

Anonymous said...

I also have a sewing machine that my parents bought for me when I was in middle school (8th grade). Back in those days we had home ec in school and sewing was part of the course that we had to take. I am now 52 yrs old and that sewing machine still works! It has a treddle foot and every part of it sews like wiz!
Pretty amazing as nowdays sewing machines would not last that long.