St. Regis seamstress has lifetime of experience
Behind the checkout counter at Two Rivers Thrift Store in St. Regis is often where you'll find seamstress, Gayle Johnston. But her favorite place to be is at one of her sewing machines, foot to the pedal, and bobbin whirling. (Photo courtesy/Gayle Johnston)
Since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, or in this case, a Singer Sewer, Gayle Johnston’s remarkable seamstress profession has come together over the years one stitch at a time.
“I pretty grew up underneath the drapery table,” she fondly recalled.
Raised in Kansas, Johnston’s mother worked for an interior décor business crafting draperies, pillows and cushion covers. As a little girl, she would sit below the work table collecting snippets of fabric like a puppy looking for scraps.
Johnston would then take these rectangles of material and do what her mom had instructed.
“Bend it in half and cut a little triangle from the middle fold,” she showed. “Then fold it again a little further out and cut a half-moon shape.”
Laying it flat Johnston described, “There it’s now a shirt for a doll or a stuffed bear. Just stick their arms through, wrap it around the back, and stick a pin in to hold it.”
When she was a little older, Johnston frequented Jett’s Department store in her old hometown to visit the sewing section and acquire new notions, threads, lace, buttons, and zippers.
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