Nadine Williams

Bowl of cherries

I heard about Polish-born Maria Witkowski from a friend  who had marvelled at the sewing handiwork of her neighbour, one of Maria’s students and in a flash of enlightenment, I knew I wanted to pick up a forgotten skill. I enrolled in one of the sewing classes run by the designer/sewing teacher. Her vast garage in her Reynella home had been transformed into a workroom outfitted with three sewing machines, an overlocker and two large  cutting tables.  Shelving was lined with Burda pattern books dating back 10 years,  hanging space for many brown paper patterns hooked onto coat hangers and bench space neatly arranged with myriad tape measures, scissors, pencils, pins and every known sewing gadget. Two full-length mirrors were a reality check underscoring why I could no longer find anything in retail stores which fitted my fulsome body.  “We will begin by making patterns to fit your body,’’ says Maria. “Your clothes will fit like a glove; They will hang beautifully on your curvaceous body.’’ I instantly know I will like this Polish woman, who came here as a migrant with her husband and their two young sons, now adults.  She is a glamorous, youthful  50-something widow, whose husband died three years ago of cancer.  She lives alone in Adelaide while her sons and their wives live interstate. She has a lover who lives in Poland and travels each year to spend time with him. There is no question she would consider uproot her successful 15-year-old sewing school for love.  The two must coexist on either side of the world, she says. “We talk every day by Skype,’’ she says.

I have learnt much more than sewing from my newfound sewing circle – and much more juicy tales about the sex lives of suburban women than I ever learnt from 20 years of press releases concerning women’s lives.

Our sewing times together remind me of the unfolding women’s  stories in the film How To Make An American Quilt. My fellow students’ stories  peppered my morning lessons with similar spicy real life stories of  marriage breakdowns, affairs,  reconciliations, divorces and re-marriages, of cheating husbands and unfaithful wives, of mistresses and troublesome mother-in-laws,  of  the trials of ageing parents and the issues surrounding adult children.  Sewing became an extraordinary social experience.

Importantly, I have learnt to make my own patterns and I made smart Capri pants, a stylish, fully-lined day dress and a silk cocktail dress…just like when I was young.

Most students are over 50 and we all agree  that our grandchildren are a wonderful joy at our stage of life.

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