#BlogTour-‘The Sewing Machine’ by Natalie Fergie

About The Book

It is 1911, and Jean is about to join the mass strike at the Singer factory. For her, nothing will be the same again.

Decades later, in Edinburgh, Connie sews coded moments of her life into a notebook, as hermother did before her.

More than 100 years after his grandmother’s sewing machine was made, Fred discovers a treasure trove of documents. His family history is laid out before him in a patchwork of unfamiliar handwriting and colourful seams.
He starts to unpick the secrets of four generations, one stitch at a time….

My thanks once more to Anne Cater of Random Things for having me on this blog tour for the wonderful ‘The Sewing Machine’

Natalie Fergie creates a rich tapestry of family life and comnections across 3 time periods-1911,1954 and 2010.

Jean in 1911 is engaged to Donald, both workers at the Singer factory-ostracised and chucked out by her father for daring to stand with her fellow women workers , she is the character that I related to the most . She is trying to effect social change and highlight worker’s rights at a time when women were barely recognised .It takes such courage to stand up as she does for a better life.

In 1954, Connie lives with her mother Kathleen, both mark their days in notations of sewing repairs. Using the family Singer, they make do and struggle on in the postwar era as Connie tries to make a life for herself as a sewer in the local hospital.

In 2010, Fred has been left his grandfather’s flat. Travelling up from London with every intention of selling the flat, he ends up staying against as fate conspires against him and then he finds a battered wooden case with a familiar brand name…

‘The Sewing Machine’ is clearly a labour of love,meticulously researched by Natalie Fergie. She creates a dense fabric that illuminates 20th and 21st century life through the lifespan of a humble sewing machine. A testament to the skills of the industrial workers, it shows how the machine has stood the test of time whilst in 2010 Fred throws the irrepearable modern one in a skip.

The links between the 3 narratives are quickly obvious but the intention is not to create a mystery, rather it is to look into the weft and warp of the fabric created by life experiences,a fabric which is then meticulously stitched together with time and love.

It is a beautiful book which I can see myself reading over again, it is a book to be devoured whole.

*As an addendum, it has totally inspired me to go back to my carboot sale acquired Singer that goes by the name of Pearl. She is long overdue some TLC, my sewjo has gone west and stayed there for some time, so hopefully this book will kick start my creative juices!*

About The Author

Natalie Fergie is a textile enthusiast, and has spent the last ten years running a one-woman dyeing business, sending parcels of unique yarn and thread all over the world. Before this she had a career in nursing. She lives near Edinburgh.

Social Links www.nataliefergie.com

Twitter @NatalieSFergie