Serving the Loup Valley for 140 Years
Grause Fills Important Role
One Stitch At A Time
Dolly Grause of Sargent enjoys doing alterations, repairs and tailoring garments for her clients across Central Nebraska.
By Kate Wolf
The days are long gone (thank goodness!) when women had to poke holes in roughly tanned animal hides with a sharp, bone, needle-like awl and tie them together with sinew to fashion garments for their families. The sewing industry has made tremendous strides since then with the invention of the sewing machine which involved many different contributors, improvements, patent applications and legal wrangling. The sewing machine was eventually made famous and practical in 1846 by Elias Howe, Jr., known as the “Father of Sewing” and “branded” by none other than Isaac Singer. The invention eliminated the need for tedious hand work and led to a revolution in the garment industry.
Many older people still recall the days when Home Economics was taught in high schools everywhere. By teaching cooking, nutrition, sewing, home management, personal finance and child care, the class provided a comprehensive education that prepared young women for their future role as homemakers, as well as providing valuable life skills. However, by the 1970s and ‘80s, “Home Ec” declined in popularity due to shifting societal roles for women and changing educational priorities. These days, grandma’s old, antique Singer treadle sewing machine might be found as a unique decoration, possibly supporting a proliferation of houseplants, gathering dust beneath a sunny window.
Now, in more modern times, we are spoiled with choice when it comes to clothing here in the U.S. But seamstress skills are still necessary for repairs, alterations and tailoring. It’s become a lost art. The difficulty lies in finding a skillful seamstress who still wants to do that type of work. In our area, including surrounding counties in Central Nebraska, the most widely known seamstress with such enviable skills is Dolly (Walker) Grause of Sargent and she learned by example while she was growing up.
“My mom sewed,” she explained. “Back in my day, we took Home Ec and we always had to do a sewing project. I also made clothes of my own at home.”
Grause is proud of her decision to be a homemaker and remaining available for her family while the children were young. While she did have a few part-time jobs in Sargent, over the years her devotion and dedication to her family always came first. Sewing was something she enjoyed doing and she was very good at it. She has given private sewing lessons and taught the basics to high school seniors, including the boys who often did better than the girls at operating the new high-tech sewing machines. In addition, for years she sewed between 12-30 jackets for the One Box Pheasant event in Broken Bow, as well as making necessary alterations on wedding gowns, bridesmaid and prom dresses for the Bridal Loft in Burwell.
“Alterations are my favorite thing to sew,” Grause remarked. She gets tremendous satisfaction when a garment she’s worked on fits perfectly. Her least favorite task is….can you guess? Fixing the dreaded heavy duty zippers on men’s cover-alls. “They’re the worst,” she added. “And about this time of year they’ll need it.” I doubt there’s a farm wife anywhere in Nebraska who would disagree.
But she still encourages young girls to learn how to sew. “You get to stay at home with your kids, supplement the family income, and it’s enjoyable,” she said. With the scarcity of talented, experienced seamstresses available these days, it won’t be long before those youthful seamstresses are in big demand too.
To read the complete story, pick up the Oct. 9 edition of The Ord Quiz!
Weather Sponsored By:
44th Annual Bazaar Sunday
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and St. Mary’s Catholic School in Ord invites the public to join in fun, food and fellowship at their 44th annual Bazaar Sun., Oct. 13 at Gorak Hall. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Adult meals are $12, ages 5-12 are $5 and children under four are free. Meal carry out is also available.
Games for all ages will start at 11 a.m. There are great raffle prizes up for grabs including a Henry 22 rifle or $200, Apple iPad, Apple Wireless AirPods Pro, whole hog, Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo family pass and $100, Nebraska T-shirt quilt, 55" flat screen T.V., Xbox console and one year game pass, and a Hoverboard with Beast Buggy attachment. There will be additional items for silent auction bids, a country store, bake sale and snack bar. All proceeds from the bazaar will benefit St. Mary’s Catholic School.
