It is an icy day in the Ozark Mountains and school was cancelled today because of freezing rain. Today I am doing prep work for tomorrow's classes, and since both the 3rd and 4th grades and the 9th and 10th are making sail boats, I've gotten my daughter's sewing machine out and I'm making sails. This is the first time I've done this much machine sewing since I made seat covers and interior upholstery for my 1930 Model A Ford as a high school student.

I'll take the machine to school tomorrow so the kids can either try it or at least see how it works.

You can tell what is happening in the sewing world by making visit to Walmart. Like a canary in a coal mine, Walmart is a great indicator of what goes on in American communities. They drop the products that aren't selling at enough profit and volume and leave slow selling items to small scale niche marketers. They closed their sewing section and severely reduced their available craft supplies to increase space for more profitable items.

It is just the way of things. It's done. Its over. And those who still sew are required to look elsewhere for supplies.

How do we reignite a creative passion where it is dying to our left and right? Put the tools and creative opportunities in the hands of the young.