My Kitten and the Treadle Machine

When I was in first grade, I colored a little kitten, It was so cute, I was so excited to be in school. I had never had colors or paper to draw on. We could not afford a luxury item and those items were luxury's. If the older kids had crayons we were not allowed to use them.
In school in Arkansas, the students provided everything for their classes, right down to the pencils. And you better have them or you were made to look like a very poor kid and admonished in front of the class.
I had a book satchel, I still love satchels, sort of like a brief case only with buckles and one compartment. I was so proud of my first satchel. I got my own box of crayons and a tablet, with one pencil and a pencil box. I thought I was the richest kid around. I can still recall crying when one of my crayons was broken. They were not easy to come by.
So when I came home from school, on that fall day, We lived in a small house on the Benton Highway, (that is how we often described our homes, where they were located). My Mom was at her sewing machine, a treadle Singer, not electric, I ran in and showed her the picture I had colored, she loved it. She took that little child's coloring page and made it into a quilt block. I believe I have that same kitty on a block I pulled out of her stash. It is embroidered but still looks like my kitten.
mammas sewing machine was purchased for 20 dollars at 5 dollars a month. She told me at one time, they were short of money and Uncle Floyd offered to pay for it and keep it for Aunt Bertie. My Mama said no way was she getting rid of her machine, they would find a way to pay for it. And they did. I tried to sew on that machine, but I never could get my feet working at the same time as my hands, LOL. Just ask your
dad laughed at me one time while I was trying desperately to sew. By the time I was done we were all laughing. The belt on that machine often broke, Mama would patch it, and they would sew more, as I said, I was not good on that machine. When I think of some of us sitting at the machine I smile, We have a video of Roy working on that belt, You can see it on our home video.