The red velvet material was hard to work with, it pulled, and the style my mother had chosen was not easy either. She was not really a good sewer. She liked to make things; that is different. Whenever she could she tried to skip basting and pressing and she took no pride in the fine points of tailoring, the finishing of buttonholes and the overcasting of seams as, for instance, my aunt and my grandmother did.
The narrator reflects on their mother's attempts to sew with challenging red velvet fabric, highlighting that it wasn't the most manageable material. The chosen design complicated the process further, exposing the mother's lack of sewing skill. Unlike the narrator's grandmother and aunt, who took pride in the details of crafting, the mother showed little interest in the meticulous aspects of tailoring. She seemed more focused on creating rather than perfecting the techniques essential for high-quality sewing.
This contrast between the mother's approach and that of her relatives illustrates a key theme of the narrative: the differing attitudes towards creation and craftsmanship within families. While the grandmother and aunt embodied precision and dedication to finishing touches, the mother’s casual attitude towards sewing reflects a more relaxed and carefree approach to creativity. This dynamic may reveal deeper insights into family relationships and the value placed on tradition versus personal expression in the act of making.
