Corey's Wish

One of my earliest memories is watching my Grandmother as she would knit. It amazed me that she could watch TV, carry on a conversation and barely glance down at the mounds of yarn in her lap. My Mother was almost as good as Grandma. It was in their blood. Their DNA for working with needles and string somehow morphed down to me in a slightly different way. I was fascinated by my Mother's sewing machine. I remember that it was a New Home and it was new to Mom. She had made my sister and I some matching dresses, other than that, I rarely remember seeing her sew. I begged my Mom to show me how to sew. But she said it was not a toy and it cost far too much money for me to play with it. She also didn't have the time to show me. The machine was kept in our finished basement and I would sneak down there and would attempt to sew anything I could put under the needle. Unfortunately I was very young, maybe 6 or possibly 7. Without having the good fortune of actually watching the machine in use, I broke it! (More than once!) At first Mom thought she had a lemon machine. But when she discovered that I had been breaking it, she was furious with me! After a few repair bills, she finally agreed to let me learn! She enrolled me in 4H. They taught me how to make an apron - of course! My next project was a pair of pj's which I hand embroidered a design on the front. There was no stopping me at that point. Throughout school I sewed for my entire family. I would make material out of scraps, sewing it together until it was large enough to make something. It really didn't matter fi there was enough to make an item, I just enjoyed sewing it all together! I made stuffed toys and clothes for my much younger brothers, a leisure suit for my Dad, all my own clothes and clothes for my sister. I even remember making my brother who was a year younger than me a pair of bib overalls in the 70's! My favorite machine to sew on was my Grandmother's treadle. Sewing and exercise all in one! My most loved class in my senior year was a 2 hour a day block, Clothing Services. That was decades ago!

Over the years I have made countless items for my sons and grandchildren to include clothes, toys, blankets, quilts and Halloween costumes. I was obsessed with making costumes! I have made a number of wedding dresses, including my own. My son's Air Force uniforms I made into a quilt for him. I have sewn many items for my friends and family. If you know me and it's gift giving time, you can bet I will make it! Several years ago I purchased my first embroidery machine adding to my collection of sewing machines, and overlock and a serger. I loved it, as it is with all machines that have needles! I have learned to knit and crochet, but I am way too slow and completing anything seems to take a lifetime.

My son, Corey, had given me some beach glass in the summer of 2013 and told me to make something with it. I asked him what? I couldn't put a needle through it! He assured me that I would make something awesome. Corey had been fighting nasopharyngeal cancer for over 3 years at that time. On January 10, 2015, Corey married his wife, Nicole. It was the most special weeding ever! He chose for our Mother/Son dance, My Wish by Rascal Flatts. Not a dry eye in the house. He lost his battle with cancer just short of five years after we first heard the word cancer on March 10, 2015. He was only 27. Several months later I watched a woman wrap stones at a health fair. It occurred to me at that moment that I could wrap Corey's glass! I taught myself how to wire wrap his glass into pendants. I made pendants for everyone close to us. Every piece of glass that I wrapped had been touched by my son. It was my therapy. Corey was right! I did make something awesome with it! It doesn't require a needle, but it has became a very close runner up to my sewing passion.

I have recently retired, after working the majority of my life as a Group Home Supervisor for disabled adults and as an LPN at a local Nursing Home. I am now able to devote serious time to my passions! My most recent sewing passion is sewing rope into bowls. I am sew addicted! I am starting up a business called Corey's Wish. I will sell my handmade items, that will include baby blankets, burps, embroidered items, rope baskets, etc. and of course jewelry that was inspired by Corey's glass.

I can't imagine living my life without a sewing machine or two,(or more!) set up in the next room. It's in my DNA!

Thanks for reading my story. Pamela Hansen