They were also a way of keeping warm or of celebrating something.

He fixed my thumb. I have no pain, no loss at all.

There is always a new technique to learn. This is a very exciting time to be a fabric artist. The learning curve is huge and the sophistication of materials, threads and teachers is a $2-billion business. Fabric, thread and sewing machines have become so sophisticated that you can draw with them and on them.

She made me a new coat every year.

I loved to go through the fabrics. Anytime I needed something new, I would pick out pieces of materials from the buffet.

My mother's first career was physical therapy, her second was writer, and her third career was president of an organic fertilizer company. And she's driven a tank.