My great-grandmother was a very famous seamstress and according to what I was told, she worked with some of the most famous brands of her time as creative director.
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She could make clothes out of nothing or scrap pieces.
"Oh my! She takes after her great-grandmother," My grandpa had said to me one day when I made a little pillow dress for my doll out of scrap fabrics.
My great-grandmother had a collection of clothes in our house and everyone expected her children to follow in her footsteps but none did.
My mother instead went ahead to study law and my grandpa was a carpenter.
So, from a young age, I took an interest in sewing, and everyone was shocked.
The sentimental amongst them said my great-grandmother had reincarnated to continue her legend.
From the time I was young, I repulsed sewing machines even though I loved to sew.
All my pieces were contoured and carefully handmade.
I made several dresses for my parents, pastors, and soon, the wives of mayors.
When I was about getting into college, I met Sandra who was also a fashion designer like me. But I must say that Sandra loved her machines.
Because I usually hand stitch my clothes, it takes a longer time to get done than when using a machine.
I worked hard and finally got into college to study fashion design with Sandra.
"C'mon Emily, let's get some drinks to celebrate," Sandra said
"I'm sorry Sandra but can we do that later?
I have a fashion competition coming up soon and I have to finalize my design," I declined
We parted ways and I took a cab back home.
On the way, it began raining and soon the car glided off the road and I hit a hard surface.
I vaguely remember a warm sticky liquid trailing down my face before losing consciousness. When I woke up, I was in the hospital and there was a cast in my hands.
"I'm sorry but you can't allow her to hold a needle ever again," I faintly heard the doctor's voice
"Please doctor, is there nothing we can do about it," my dad asked
"Well, she can't handle a needle or do strenuous activities with her fingers, like taking notes for at least a year," the doctor said
"A year," I said loudly and blanked out again.
By the time I woke up, Sandra was by my side and was very worried about me.
For the next couple of months, I was very sober and rarely communicated with anyone. I completely shut them out while dealing with my pain.
I also lost touch with my creative self and was like an empty vessel
"Em, there's this competition I want you to participate in. After checking the eligibility criteria, I discovered that we are both eligible to apply," Sandra said to me a few months after I was discharged from the hospital.
I looked at her suspiciously.
"You know I can't see," I said seriously.
"Well failure and success are in the mind," she said cheerfully.
"Sandra, I know you have been secretly jealous of me and I also know that you are happy seeing me like this so cut the chase and let me be," I exploded
Sandra stepped back in shock.
"Emily, how could you think of me as such? You are my best friend and I...I would never have ill intentions towards you," she said in tears and stormed out.
When my mom came home that day and saw the flier, she was overjoyed.
"I'm not participating Mom," I said in frustration.
"OK Em, but there's something I need to give to you first and then you can make your decision," my mom said
She took me to the room where my great-grandmother kept the prototypes of her clothes and stopped in front of a gray dress.
"She made this for you," Mom stated
"She asked me to give it to my daughter and it was all handmade."
Pause.
" It took her three months to sew all the embellishments to the dress," she continued, tracing them with her fingers.
"And she used this golden needle," she brought out a long needle made of pure gold.
"Since you have decided to walk in her path, it'll be yours from now.
You can use it or ...... throw it away," she whispered the last part.
That was how I recalled my story when giving my vote of thanks. I changed my mind about the competition and came second place while Sandra came first.
We came together and formed our own luxury brand EMSA after lots of apologies from me of course.
I stopped being overly suspicious and became grateful for the people I had in my life.
Till date, I still have the needle and I hope to pass it on to my successor as our heirloom.
