Marilyn Bossert | Past President , ARTA

At one point in my preteen years growing up in rural Alberta , my mother decided I should join a 4-H sewing club . She believed in the importance of my learning to sew . This was no small undertaking on her part — transporting me to meetings and workdays in the next town , teaching me how to operate her antique treadle Singer sewing machine , monitoring my progress , and gently prodding me to complete the projects when I would rather read a book .

Little did either of us realize at the time that this would launch a series of lifelong learning experiences culminating in my passion for quilting . But quilting was not in my immediate future .

My aversion to Mom ’ s sewing machine minimized that connection . High school , university , and a new career took precedence . Life marches on .

Ken and I were engaged before one Christmas and set our wedding date for the end of June . However , I could not find a wedding gown that was even remotely close to what I would wear . The lace , embroidery , and ruffles popular at the time were not me . What to do ?

Why not sew my own ? I thought . I can do this .

Challenge # 1 : I had no sewing machine and no business in my immediate rural area sold sewing machines . The closest I could come to the Amazon of today was the Simpsons-Sears catalogue . My new machine : a basic Kenmore that was much less temperamental than my mother ’ s .

Challenge # 2 : In less than six months ,

Ken and I would plan our wedding , purchase and furnish our first home , continue teaching — accomplishing all that was necessary for year-end in a classroom — and I would sew a wedding gown on a machine I had no experience with . Not all of that story needs to be shared , but the result was more than favourable . Well after the confetti had landed , I very carefully laundered my gown . To my horror , I learned the risk of not prewashing

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