Daughters and sons hold close, cherished memories of their mothers, whether it be a trip, a celebration, or a note in a lunch bag. Some are lucky to have special sentimental items. Candi Thuringer has kept some beautiful crocheted items that her mother, Melly, made for her two daughters. Each outfit is a piece of the past.
Thuringer said, “My mother crocheted and was a seamstress. Everyone she loved got a beautiful crocheted blanket. We have a special round crochet blanket that is a treasure. She crocheted so many different things for my daughters. My daughters both came home from the hospital in the most beautiful, crocheted blanket woven with hues of soft colors and an outfit that mom had made.”
Melly was a dispatcher, and many men in uniform received a crocheted blanket for their children to cherish. Thuringer said, “One of the state troopers came to my mom one day and shared a piece of his past that he still had. He sought her out and told her, ‘I still have my blanket.’ My mom had worked with his father and had made the blanket for the son who now was a state trooper.”
Melly also made ornaments for everyone every year. “My mom just kept buying fiberfill anytime she found some on sale,” Thuringer said. “Fiberfill was a key material in mom’s crafting ornaments, and its abundance in the garage was a testament to her dedication and passion. Everyone she knew and worked with got a different ornament from her every year, a small token of her love and appreciation. When cleaning up her garage, we found boxes and boxes of fiberfill. We would joke about it – kidding each other, asking, ‘What could be in this box.’ The fiberfill became a source of laughter and fond memories. At one point, we were laughing so hard we asked my mom if she would choose to be stuffed with fiberfill instead of getting embalmed.”
The Thuringers had two daughters, Erica and Robin, each received many dresses their grandmother made. Melly’s sewing and crocheting were not just hobbies, but a way for her to express her love and creativity.
Thuringer said, “My mother had four grandchildren, three of whom were girls, and they all had beautiful dresses, not only crocheted but sewn by my mother. Her creativity was her passion, and it left a lasting impact on our family. She was meticulous and very creative, and her creations continue to be cherished by us.”
Now Thuringers’ granddaughter, M.J., wears the beautiful outfits made by her great-grandmother. “I hoped my daughter would have a girl so these outfits could be worn again.”
Thuringer has a scrapbook of photos of Erica and Robin outfitted in beautiful dresses handmade by her mother. She also saved many handmade sweaters, caps, jackets, and dresses.
“My mom always made dresses for the girls for special occasions and picture day outfits. She even crocheted a jacket sweater for me when I got pregnant so I didn’t have to buy a coat. My daughter wore it when she was pregnant.”
Thuringer has framed photos of her daughters in beautiful pinafore dresses that her mother handmade for Thuringer’s in-laws’ 50th anniversary.
She said, “My mother made dresses for homecoming and proms for the girls. They never had to worry that someone else had the same dress. My mother tried to teach me to crochet, but I never had the passion or creativity she had. She would see an item at a craft show and look at it carefully, analyzing it, and sure enough, she could replicate it for one of her grandchildren. My daughter Robin inherited some of her creativity. She is her company’s Associate Director of Marketing. Seeing Robin’s creative side, I am reminded of my mother and her passion for crafting, a memory that brings me comfort and joy.”
Thuringer said, “When my mom retired, she continued to sew. We had her sewing machine set up in the kitchen so she could enjoy the television as she sewed.”
Thuringer remembers a treadle sewing machine that her mother had at one time. She recalls her mother moving her foot to run the machine smoothly. “I don’t have that machine, but I had seen one. My daughter Erica bought it for me as a Mother’s Day gift, which brought me so much joy. She knew how much that reminder of my mom meant to me.”
