Heddle House

07/23/2023

Awoke this morning with the realization that my church was no longer there. It was the church of my childhood, always there. Later, David would become the minister and serve for over thirty years. Now, it's gone. Left to die by the side of the road. My great grandfather founded the church years before the Civil War was fought. I never dreamed it would have to close its doors-certainty not in my life time. When I was a child, a mud road led to the church but the church was full. People walked from what is now Hi69 to enter the doors. Now a highway passed by and homes dot the road but the church stands empty.

05/25/2016

05/25/2016

11/23/2015

Exactly when did sewing become a hobby? Got to thinking about this sometime last night. Walked intoo Hobby Lobby the other day and found fabric and thread in the "hobby" section. "Hobby," I thought. "Since when was sewing a hobby?" In the '40, every home had a sewing machine and that sewing machine was well used. It supplied everyone's clothing. Now men did have the upper hand. Their jeans were store boughten (That's a southern word.) However, their shirts were home made.
Let me share a few memories of making clothes in the '40. Every store - and this often included the grocery store - sold fabric. Cost of fabric? .10 a yard was reasonable with really nice fabrics going for a quarter. When the Sears& Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalogs arrived, the household movement ceased for a while as the women took "just a minute" to flip through the pages and pages of fabric they offered.
Patterns were passed from one house to the next via paper sacks. That is - one woman was able to buy a pattern and other women traced the pattern on paper to take home. Those patterns could travel a long distance!
Straight pins would seem to be anecessity, but WWII saw a great depletion in anything steel so "laying out' the pattern could be a chore. The dining room table was emptied, the fabric smoothed on its surface, and the kitchen utensil drawers were raided. Yes, knives, forks, spoons, anything, were used to hold the pattern still long enough for the fabric to be cut. By the way, a woman's scissors were her own. No one borrowed them. Children quaked in fear at their presence and never dared touch them. Men considered them a spiritual object revered only by women.
Holding the two pieces together while being sewn was the mark of a good seamstress. It was as important if not more important than sewing a straight seam.
My first sewing experience began at 5. Cotton sacks had to be mended and new ones had to be made. Mending them was my first sewing lessons - going back and forth over the tear until it was completely covered with coarse thread. The machine was powered by my leg since it was called a treadle machine. I sat on a box on a chair and treadled away. Thought I was so grown up until I began to grow tired. There wasn't any stopping until all sacks were mended. Later, I would learn to sew the heavy duck cloth that was used to make them. Think about it: I was sitting in the house and that was a heck of a lot cooler than pulling in the cotton sack down the long rows of cotton. I felt blessed
Now everyone knows I love my sister, but I must relate her ineptness that kept her from the sewing machine. For the life of her, she could not keep her fingers from under the needle. After three fingers were pierced on the right hand and one on the left, the bandages kept her away from the machine. To give her credit, she would sit under the machine and pedal with her bandaged hands while I fed the cloth under the needle. We made a pretty good team.

11/19/2015

Good morning! I tend to be an early riser because the skies are so beautiful at this time of day. Well, the Samoyed vest went home yesterday. You've noticed by now that there are no pictures - blame the computer but rest assured that I'm still trying. This is the time that good friends make a difference. They help me overcome by difficulties witth the computer!
Would you believe tears fell when that vest went out the door? The feel of the soft fur sliding between my fingers had become a habit. The softness had kept my hands warm. The halo had given joy! Each individual piece that I create contains a very big piece of my heart. The new owners are such wonderful people. My vest is now their vest and they own a piece of my heart.
So many of you have responded to my wishbone necklace. You know the history of it now and how that simple little ornament figured into the lives of the women. If you would like to have one of your own, save me a wishbone from the Thanksgiving chiicker - or turkey and I will make you a necklace of your very own to hold your special treasures. For the chicken wishbone, the price is $15.00 and for the turkey wishbone it is $20,oo. We just don't eat enough to keep wishbones in supply! Email or call and I'll get right to work as soon as you eat the vittles.
I can't stop today until I relate "chicken killin' "day. Know that sounds awful, but that's what it was! Baby chicks were ordered by mail while the weather was still cold in the spring. That meant that they were probably raised in the house or the smoke house. A 100 watt bulb was suspended over an upside down tub, sides were put up and everyone waited for the mail carrier to come down the road with a very noisy, peeping box. Daddy was a rural mail carrier and many times I have seen him get off his route, muddy from spring rains, and go right back out on his own time to deliver a box of peeping chicks. Raising chicks was usually the woman's job until they grew some. Thier beaks had to be dipped into the water many times -each individual chick- to teach them how to drink. Fingers were scatched on the floor to teach them the same way an old hen did how to eat. After they were a little old, their care was turned over to the kids.They were accountable for the care and welfare of those babies.
Time passed. Then the day came. By this time, the kids were tired of the now nasty little brood and secretly happy that their chores had come to an end. The family gathered
My job was to catch each chick. I used a straighten coat hanger that had a "v" bent in one end - just right to catch an unsuspecting legs. Into the confusions of broilers, I waded glad that I had thought to wear shoes that morning! Each fat broiler was caught and hand over to either Daddy or my brother. Now we didn't have any fancy equipment. Daddy prefered putting thier head under the hoe handle and yanking. My brother prefered the more flamboyant method of swinging the chicken around and around until the head flew off as his method. Now, don't think this is cruel or unusual until you find how chickens are processed in a factory today!
Next the chcikens went to the women. Mother and my aunts stuck the headless bodies into hot water and started plucking. Feathers went everywhere. The whole countryside knew when it was chicken plucking day by the clouds of feathers rising in the air!
Plucked, skinned, and cleaned, the chickens were canned or frozen if you had a freezed.
Many benefits came from these days. Some were rather odd. I'll tell just one. Intestines,gall bladder, craw (do you know what that is:) were thrown in a pot or on the ground for the dogs and cats to fight over. But if we were plagued by a wart or warts, we begged for the gall bladder. Getting it, we retired to a hidden corner and rubbed it on the offending wart. Then it was buried where it could never ever be found and in due time the wart would disappear.
That's enough for this morning. Time to get busy. Too many things to do. You'all have a good day, Thank the Lord your alive and be happy. Freda

11/17/2015

This has been an unusually trying day. First, we had a terrific storm that lasted into the morning. Not good because David had a spinal tap this morning in Sherman. Very scary driving. Many creeks were bank full plus the fact that I am not a very good driver at any time! But we made it safe and sound and the procedure was done. He's sleeping it off now.
Must remain you of Tina's Top. This is the perfect example of the perfect Christmas gift for some one you love. It is truly a work of art made from super wash wool. Dump in the washer and lay out to dry. Over leggings give a super, sophisticated look. Price: $90.
Considering the hours taken to make this top, consider it worth the money!
Now second on the list is a vest - but not just any vest! This vest is made from Samoyed. The Samoyed is a dog that originated in Finland. It is known for its even temperament, intelligence, and loyalty. I was commissioned to spin the fur and knit it into the vest. The fur was soft,wispy, and spun like a dream. I knitted the vest on size 9 and 10 1/2 knitting needles. The lucky couple comes tomorrow to pick up their vest. They will have a forever reminder of their lovely pets.
I do spin dog, cat, and rabbit - no matter the length or texture. Your garment or an article of jewelry can be made from the spun fur. I'll even do the knitting. crocheting, or felting for you! Give me a call at 903 227 9488 or email me at [email protected].
I'm having trouble posting the pictures so will close and post them below.

11/11/2015

Did you see the wonderful mesh top that Tina made? She is an extremely talented artist with her crochet hook! She and I have lots of fun when our needles clash!
Our move is complete - well, almost. I hate the mention all of the unpacked boxes still in the garage so I'll just blame my husband for them. So many funny things have happened but perhaps the funniest is the possum that came to stay until he wore out his welcome.
Every night said possum wondered up to our porch for whatever handouts there might be. He wasn't overly cautious with us so we got to know him and named him Thaddeus II after a previous possum. Unfortunely he found a chickens and made off with the little frizzle rooster. We caught him in the chicken pen at 11:00PM. I wacked him soundly and we placed him under a bucket until the next day fully thinking that we would have a body to dispose of come morning. Nope, next day we found him thoroughly disturbed still under the tub. David took him way down the road to a creek and left him there to think about his downfall from grace. Several days have passed now and something is eating the leftovers again. We're putting an electric fence around the base of the chicken pen.
Please take time to look at Tina's top. It is an ambitious work of art.

07/10/2014

This was such a great day! I had six wonderful knitting students. Two moms and four great young ladies met with me this afternoon. Before the afternoon was over all were well on their way to completing a hat. Their choices of yarn varied so widely! Each had will be uniquely different. They learned two methods of casting on so quickly. Yes, we had our share of mess ups, but rest assured, they were all on their way to success! I get so excited with my students. There's so much that I want to teach them. They teach me too. There's never a lesson that I don't learn as much as they do! It's amazing what younger people can teach you! My problem is: I'm never ready for them to leave!
The second exciting event of today was finding the first blossom on the Mississippi Brown cotton. Next the square. Than the boll. And finally the soft fluffy cotton! Yes, irrigating has become a necessity, but it's worth the trouble and expense.
Tomorrow will be another great day. I will teach weaving and Navajo spinning at Cathy's Critters near Princeton
I have the very best job in the world. I do what I love and meet the greatest people in the world!

07/07/2014

How can a wishbone bring happiness? To some it would be a mystery, but I remember my grandmother and her wishbone. You see, she wore a wishbone every day. It was a part of her getting ready for the day. After putting on her glasses, the wishbone went around her neck. Now this wishbone could come from a chicken that had been Sunday's dinner or it could be a turkey baked for the men working the wheat threshers. Sometimes it was lost. Sometimes a puppy or a kitten found it and the bone was reduced to shreds. That just meant get out the crochet hook and make a new one.
"Why," you ask, " did she wear a wishbone?" That wishbone held her thimble, her needle and a couple of pins. Whatever needed mending got mended right then! She was really good at mending my jeans while I was still wearing them! In Mama's house everything was in order. I still have one of her wishbones and will always treasure it. But I wanted one that I wasn't afraid of losing so I needed to make my own. Hence, when the freezer was cleaned, and I found a wishbone that I had tucked away for just this purpose, I was ready to go. I looked all over the internet for a wishbone pattern like hers but it was no where to be found. I made my own pattern and proudly wore it to Dairy Queen tonight when my son and his wife treated us to supper (Thank you again you wonderful two) . See what you think about it and let me know.

07/06/2014

Oh My! So glad no one can see my face! I've worked in the yard all this week and loved every minute of it! However, I seem to be allergic to something. Both eyes swollen. Face swollen, and just ache. So today has been basically a "do nothing" day. Except - found a wishbone in the freezer - not much telling how long it has been there - but tonight it shall become something special. What do think it could become?

07/04/2014

This has been a very busy and exciting spring. Had so much fun teaching youngsters at Cathy's Critters. Also love getting to play with all the animals! Do let me show you a few things I've been up to. The first pic is a necklace I wove from h**p and used honey locust thorns as the focal point. The second is a cotton boll from my naturally colored cotton with super sparkly bead work. I'm showing them this week end at the Creative Art Center in Bonham. They are having a super show!