My First Pair of Levis

Hey,

I became obsessed with graph paper in 1st grade, (Blessed Sacrament - Denver, CO - 1960's).  Our art project was to make a picture by coloring different squares in graph paper.  I loved art class, graph paper and coloring with markers (I still do today).  I got some money from my dad so I could buy more graph paper from the school store........I could have some for home.

A few years later.....

3rd grade - still in Denver.  My mom takes my 3 brothers and I to Target.  I bought a few different colors of embroidery thread and a little package of flower heat transfers to use as a pattern to embroider something.  I was learning to sew and I couldn't wait to try them out when we got home.

We were on our way home in a beige Volkswagon Stationwagon.  My mom decided to take the back way.  She drove up this steep hill that had a stop light at the top.  The light was green.  She couldn't tell if traffic was coming in the opposite direction or not (they were also at the top of the hill on their side).

She took a left.

I remember seeing this station wagon coming right at us.  I froze and couldn't scream or even shout.

Wham!! 

They hit us.  Our car spun around and ended up on the side of the road - maybe in a ditch (not sure).  My mom was knocked unconscious.  The 4 of of us kids were okay for the most part. My oldest brother was bleeding - his left eyelid was cut clear up to his eyebrow.  The ambulance came and loaded all of us in it with our mom.  She had 'come to' and as we were getting into the ambulance said "This is kind of fun huh?"

The police called my dad and he came to the hospital.  He held my brothers hand while they stitched his eyelid.  My brother was freaking out.

Anyway - our car got totaled (what's new) and my embroidery thread and little pattern were left inside the glove box.  I never got them back and it always bothered me.
The lady next door made us a "get well" cake and put these big Elephant sugar cookies (with light pink icing on them) all around the cake and on the top.  They were my favorite cookie and I wish they still made them today.

A few years later in 6th grade (in Broomfield, CO), I wanted a pair of Levis so bad.  Everyone at school wore them - there was this one girl that had tons of them!  Every time you turned around she had a new pair on.  We didn't have much money but at some point I got a pair.  Eventually they wore out.....I cut them off into shorts.  I bought a bunch of embroidery thread (tons of colors), some flower heat transfers, and some sewing needles.

We were on the road again, moving back to Oregon (or Washington).  I sat in the back seat with my brothers (our little sister was up front with our parents).  I used a hard surface (probably a book) to set my shorts on.  I drew squares all over the back of the shorts.  Lines on the pockets and misc. stuff everywhere.  The front too.  I started to embroider the back pockets first.  Then the squares, then the lines, flowers, etc.......
I can't remember how many years I worked on them.  I wore them while they were in the process.  They were crazy!  I grew out of them by the time I was 18.

They are about 38 years old and I keep them in a frame.

Someone asked my son once what he would grab if your house was on fire or something......
he said "My mom's shorts".  I love him!

He knows I would like to pass them down..........  : )

I found out years ago that one of my great grandmothers was a hat maker.  How cool would that be to have a hat she made!!

: )  MF