I thought I might write once in awhile about the people who have influenced me most over the years - the people whose voices still guide me.
Tops on the list, and the person whose voice I hear everytime I take out my iron is my high school sewing teacher, Ella-Marie Pucher. She was Austrian, and had actually studied at the Bauhaus in her own schoolgirl days. Very creative, she experimented with all kinds of textile techniques and passed them on to her students. This was back in the 1970's - we did batik, shibori, nature dyeing, spinning and weaving in her Applied Design class.
She had also been a dressmaker to the stars - Orson Welles' wife was one of her clients. She didn't tolerate any nonsense when it came to sewing - every step of the process of creating a tailored suit had to be done "bee-yoo-ti-fully." But she was wonderfully kind and encouraging, called everyone "dahhling" and was one of the most popular and memorable teachers in the school.
I had the opportunity to visit with her several years ago, when the above picture was taken. My mom tells me that Mrs. Pucher is still going strong, and it's one of my little dreams that she will show up at a Swap-o-rama-rama, and see what her influence has led me to do. I like to think that she would be pleased, maybe even say "Dahhling, this is faah-bu-lous!"
You're high school home-ec teacher studied at the Bau Haus?!Orson Welles had a wife? This is too much for me to take. Why isn't this woman on a Candian stamp?
ReplyDeleteRemarkable how influential some teachers can be, isn't it? You were very lucky.