Friday, June 28, 2019
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Read Their Names Bring Them Home MIA Korean War
A post by me on Twitter June 16, 2019:
@SecPompeo @POTUS @USArmy @USNavy @USMC @usairforce @USCG "So US policy isn't to immediately recover soldiers whatever the cost, but the US does have an obligation to recover everyone eventually." 7800+ MIIA Korean War READ THEIR NAMES BRING THEM HOME
https://www.dpaa.mil/Our-Missing/Korean-War/ … @SenMarkey @SenWarren @USRepKeating READ THEIR NAMES BRING THEM HOME
Does the US PROMISE that no soldier will be left behind? When people enlist, and offer to die for all of rest, do they expect that PROMISE to be kept? A Pledge of Allegiance is a PROMISE to always be true-To each of the people or agencies above, where do you stand on your PROMISE that no soldier will be left behind? I have recently faced a huge moral dilemma about using anything Made in China for Veterans quilts-China backs NK, NK refuses to return 7800+ soldiers. Sewing with American products is almost impossible-so I am using my grandmother's Singer-
I can buy hand sewing needles Made in America, can use vintage toy machines- @SINGERCO mfgs in China now, so I thought they were out completely.
Singer never promised to stay in the USA, and what supercedes the name Singer on my machine is my PROMISE to my grandmother. To never give her machine away. Simple. This machine stitched my mother's baby clothes. My grandmother was given it when the seamstress died, and loved it dearly. I PROMISED her I would take care of it - so @SecPompeo and @POTUS and others - WHAT DOES YOUR WORD MEAN?
Singer never promised to stay in the USA, and what supercedes the name Singer on my machine is my PROMISE to my grandmother. To never give her machine away. Simple. This machine stitched my mother's baby clothes. My grandmother was given it when the seamstress died, and loved it dearly. I PROMISED her I would take care of it - so @SecPompeo and @POTUS and others - WHAT DOES YOUR WORD MEAN?
@SecPompeo @POTUS @USArmy @USNavy @USMC @usairforce @USCG @SenWarren @SenMarkey @USRepKeating YOUR WORD EITHER MATTERS OR IT DOESN'T - READ THEIR NAMES BRING THEM HOME
Thank you Alberta Fickett Skinner, wife of Chester T. Fickett, @USArmy , Battle of the Bulge Purple Heart Recipient, for knowing that my word meant, I Promise. Forever.
READ THEIR NAMES BRING THEM HOME
My Video- Sewing American
My American-made Gateway sewing machine's stitches are not consistent enough to use on a Quilts For Veterans quilt, and the Dexter handheld throat space is too short to add the stars to the quilt blocks.
My beige Singer model 20 with the broken handle supercedes @SINGERCO moving to China because I once saved my brother's life with this machine (details withheld). My brother is a @usairforce Veteran-he wouldn't have been, without my Singer model 20.
I now have a hand-sewing needle on the way from Pam Turner, the only woman in America who makes hand sewing needles, a Promise and my grandmother's Singer 99-13 now a handcrank, and a beige Singer model 20 that needs a new handle. I can do anything.
Friday, June 14, 2019
Thank you Joe
People are often generous, as was Joe, a seller on Ebay who sold me vintage wooden spools for my machines. The shipping was more than either of us expected, and well, Joe said, "That's Okay" (my words). Thank you Joe. Each act of kindness is always noticed and appreciated.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Sewing American -Hand Sewing and Hand Quilting
So, what really goes into making a quilt for a Veteran? You would probably guess that it's fabric, batting, time. It has become more than that.
Recently I learned that Singer, as a company, only now manufactures their machines in China or Brazil. China backs North Korea, and North Korea, who we are still at war with on the books in Congress, is refusing to return our war dead. There are over 7800 soldiers MIA Korean War .
The other sewing machine companies that originally would have made my machines are White and Brother. White Sewing Machine Company made my White treadle, but the name is now owned by a holding company, and not used to make machines. In 1986, White Sewing Machine Co. was part of Electrolux of Sweden. Brother is a company founded in Japan, and my Brother machine is made in China. So, for the past week or so, I, yes, have been freaking out, because all my machines, even though made many years ago in America or in an allied country, other than the Brother, are, in name, connected to backing China's economy, which supports North Korea, which is still the enemy.
I spent several days asking other sewing machine "people" what they thought, I spent more days trying to tell myself "once they come through customs as available on the US market, sewing machines become American", right? It's been a very bad week. My father loved and collected antique machines. I had made him at least 3 quilts. It's all connected, and now it's connected to backing China as opposed to the U.S.A.
So, I now am going to hand sew and hand quilt the quilts. But, yes, where are hand sewing needles made? (At this point I am sure my mother would be telling me to just accept the fact that we do not make these things in America any more). And I'm crying. There hasn't been a sewing machine made in the U.S since the 1980s, according to sewing people. Hand sewing needles are mostly made in other countries.
So, does "no soldier left behind" count as a truth or not? If we have 7800 MIA Korean War, and using any commonly available sewing machines or needles mean we are backing the enemy - where exactly does that leave us? If China decides to stop exporting, we are going to have some problems. In addition to the large funds our government borrows from China, why isn't anyone changing this?
Yes, it's been a bad week. I am not sure if it is because I had a seizure or if it's because I read the list of names of the 188 soldiers MIA Korean War from Massachusetts. My father was sent to occupied Berlin during the Korean War, but had his orders been different, he could be on that list. In war, every soldier is a son or daughter of America, we cannot accept that they are left behind.
As of this writing, I am selling most of my sewing machines, and am going back to hand quilting, which I had done exclusively 27 years ago. I told my grandmother I would never sell her machine - it's 1934 Singer 99-13 that I had converted to a handcrank. Until I fully decide what I am doing, I have a motor on it again, preserving it as her machine more than mine.
I looked for hand sewing needles made in America - $5.50 for ONE NEEDLE, while similar needles from Singer made in China or Brazil are $4.54 for 15. That is America's economy problem. I have quilting needles from the John James Company, some of them made in England, and leaning on my grandmother's heritage, who was English and Welsh (James/Cook) will "allow" me to use those.
Is it worth $5.50 for one needle for each quilt? Yes, and I will be changing to Spiral Eye Needles at some point in the near future.
Think about it, please, and encourage your Senators and Congressmen to bring our soldiers home.
Made in America, Spiral Eye Needles
South Korea has started the creation of walking trails in the DMZ - tourists will be walking over our War Dead.
Recently I learned that Singer, as a company, only now manufactures their machines in China or Brazil. China backs North Korea, and North Korea, who we are still at war with on the books in Congress, is refusing to return our war dead. There are over 7800 soldiers MIA Korean War .
The other sewing machine companies that originally would have made my machines are White and Brother. White Sewing Machine Company made my White treadle, but the name is now owned by a holding company, and not used to make machines. In 1986, White Sewing Machine Co. was part of Electrolux of Sweden. Brother is a company founded in Japan, and my Brother machine is made in China. So, for the past week or so, I, yes, have been freaking out, because all my machines, even though made many years ago in America or in an allied country, other than the Brother, are, in name, connected to backing China's economy, which supports North Korea, which is still the enemy.
I spent several days asking other sewing machine "people" what they thought, I spent more days trying to tell myself "once they come through customs as available on the US market, sewing machines become American", right? It's been a very bad week. My father loved and collected antique machines. I had made him at least 3 quilts. It's all connected, and now it's connected to backing China as opposed to the U.S.A.
So, I now am going to hand sew and hand quilt the quilts. But, yes, where are hand sewing needles made? (At this point I am sure my mother would be telling me to just accept the fact that we do not make these things in America any more). And I'm crying. There hasn't been a sewing machine made in the U.S since the 1980s, according to sewing people. Hand sewing needles are mostly made in other countries.
So, does "no soldier left behind" count as a truth or not? If we have 7800 MIA Korean War, and using any commonly available sewing machines or needles mean we are backing the enemy - where exactly does that leave us? If China decides to stop exporting, we are going to have some problems. In addition to the large funds our government borrows from China, why isn't anyone changing this?
Yes, it's been a bad week. I am not sure if it is because I had a seizure or if it's because I read the list of names of the 188 soldiers MIA Korean War from Massachusetts. My father was sent to occupied Berlin during the Korean War, but had his orders been different, he could be on that list. In war, every soldier is a son or daughter of America, we cannot accept that they are left behind.
As of this writing, I am selling most of my sewing machines, and am going back to hand quilting, which I had done exclusively 27 years ago. I told my grandmother I would never sell her machine - it's 1934 Singer 99-13 that I had converted to a handcrank. Until I fully decide what I am doing, I have a motor on it again, preserving it as her machine more than mine.
I looked for hand sewing needles made in America - $5.50 for ONE NEEDLE, while similar needles from Singer made in China or Brazil are $4.54 for 15. That is America's economy problem. I have quilting needles from the John James Company, some of them made in England, and leaning on my grandmother's heritage, who was English and Welsh (James/Cook) will "allow" me to use those.
Is it worth $5.50 for one needle for each quilt? Yes, and I will be changing to Spiral Eye Needles at some point in the near future.
Think about it, please, and encourage your Senators and Congressmen to bring our soldiers home.
Made in America, Spiral Eye Needles
South Korea has started the creation of walking trails in the DMZ - tourists will be walking over our War Dead.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Monday, June 3, 2019
Yarmouth Senior Center Donation
Thank you to the Yarmouth Senior Center for the donation of approximately 5 yards of fabric- I appreciate it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)