"Three girls were grouped together in a pleasant corner of the Red Cross room sewing . . . One was running the sewing maching gaily, putting together tiny garments for the other two to take over and finish. The second girl was opening seams, and ironing them flat, and then finishing them off with delicate feather-stitching in pink and blue, binding edges of tiny white flannel jackets and wrappers with pink and blue satin ribbon. The third girl was buttonholing scallops with silk twist on tiny flannel petticoats . . . And because these three girls were used to having all things lovely in their own lives, it never occurred to them to sling the little garments together carelessly. They set their stitches as carefully, and made their scallops as heavy and perfect as if they had been doing them for their own family. Others might sling such outfits together by expeditious rule, but they must make them also beautiful."
--Grace Livingston Hill, A Girl to Come Home To
I love that scene. It also reminds me of Laura Ingalls, who could make buttonholes at the rate of "one a minute." I complain if I have to hem a pants leg, for heaven's sake.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing--I'll have to pull out that book and read it again!
--Barbara
I have recently just discovered Grace Livingston Hill's book {and also her aunts}. I have only read 4 so far and really love them! I am so looking forward to reading many more! Thanks for another title!
ReplyDeleteI devoured Mrs. Hill's books as a teen and often felt that I had been born too late since I longed to step into those pages. I was shamed into giving my entire collection to charity by a friend who scoffed all works of fiction and particularly anything involving romance. Now that I am no longer schooled by such misguided snobbery, I long to have my collection back. So many pleasant hours were spent thinking of the nobility of those dear characters. So uplifting and enjoyable - thank you for the reminder Anna!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of these books (probably not easily available in the UK) - are they like Louisa M. Alcott's books? I loved her books when I was young.
ReplyDelete