--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mother had bought a sewing machine for…" description: "\"My mother had bought a sewing machine for me. When I went away to college, she gave me a sewing machine, a typewriter and a suitcase, and my mother mad..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/alice-walker-347_away_my-mother-had-bought-a-sewing-machine-fo_883445.png" --- # My mother had bought a sewing machine for me. When I went… ![“My mother had bought a sewing machine for me. When I went away to college, she gave me a sewing machine, a typewriter and a suitcase, and my mother made $17 a week working as a maid 12 hours a day, and she did that for me.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/alice-walker-347_away_my-mother-had-bought-a-sewing-machine-fo_883445.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/alice-walker-347_away_my-mother-had-bought-a-sewing-machine-fo_883445.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/alice-walker-347_away_my-mother-had-bought-a-sewing-machine-fo_883445.png) > “My mother had bought a sewing machine for me. When I went away to college, she gave me a sewing machine, a typewriter and a suitcase, and my mother made $17 a week working as a maid 12 hours a day, and she did that for me.” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mother’s sacrifices and gifts symbolize resilience and the drive to succeed despite hardship. **In simple terms:** Mother’s sacrifices inspire perseverance. Key Takeaway Honor her effort by striving. Themes family resilience hardship determination Mood reflective grateful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - education - career advancement - financial planning - personal growth Key Concepts social mobility generational support Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to repay such sacrifices? - How can you break cycles of hardship? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers to success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) [Bought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bought/) [Bought Sewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bought-sewing-1075046/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Gave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave/) [Gave Sewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-sewing-1075047/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Maid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maid/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Bought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-bought-1075048/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Sewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sewing/) [Sewing Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sewing-machine-730308/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Suitcase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suitcase/) [Typewriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typewriter/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Working Maid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-maid-1075049/) ## Related quotes > [I come from a family of musicians. Even the sewing machine is a Singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/i-come-from-a-family-of-musicians-even-the-sewing-machine-is-a-singer/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [I don't collect things per se, but I do pick up things as I go. Like, in my studio I have an old sewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-don-t-collect-things-per-se-but-i-do-pick-up-things-as-i-go-like-in/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-sewing-machine-joins-what-the-scissors-have-cut-asunder-plus/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I have a very old sewing machine, and if I spot something I like in a magazine, I want to see if I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/i-have-a-very-old-sewing-machine-and-if-i-spot-something-i-like-in-a/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [I have a sewing machine that I adore, and I spend a lot of time sitting in front of it when I'm not working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-de-beaufort/i-have-a-sewing-machine-that-i-adore-and-i-spend-a-lot-of-time/) [India de Beaufort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-de-beaufort/) > [I actually did an upholstery course a little while ago and have a brand-new sewing machine with my name on it, ready to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-outhwaite/i-actually-did-an-upholstery-course-a-little-while-ago-and-have-a/) [Tamzin Outhwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-outhwaite/) > [In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/in-seattle-you-haven-t-had-enough-coffee-until-you-can-thread-a/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [From about eight years old I was always making things on the sewing machine. Friends would see me making dresses and costumes, and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-george/from-about-eight-years-old-i-was-always-making-things-on-the-sewing/) [Melissa George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-george/) > [I actually wanted to be a fashion designer. I did a lot with the sewing machine at home - - for Barbie or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/i-actually-wanted-to-be-a-fashion-designer-i-did-a-lot-with-the/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [A good use for me is to let me go away with my sewing machine and come back with some really new stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsey-johnson/a-good-use-for-me-is-to-let-me-go-away-with-my-sewing-machine-and/) [Betsey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsey-johnson/) > [Once I was finally liberated from my Kansas background, the first thing I did was get a sewing machine, because it's 1972, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-baker/once-i-was-finally-liberated-from-my-kansas-background-the-first/) [Gilbert Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-baker/) > [I am certain that a Sewing Machine would relieve as much human suffering as a hundred Lunatic Asylums, and possibly a good deal more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-am-certain-that-a-sewing-machine-would-relieve-as-much-human/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I remember an old Singer sewing machine at home that belonged to my grandmother. It had a pedal. My mom taught me how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibhu-mohapatra/i-remember-an-old-singer-sewing-machine-at-home-that-belonged-to-my/) [Bibhu Mohapatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibhu-mohapatra/) > [My mother did like to make clothes, and in I think the worst picture I've ever seen of myself - I must have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/my-mother-did-like-to-make-clothes-and-in-i-think-the-worst-picture-i/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [When I moved out of my mom's house at 18 I was almost as sad to leave her sewing machine behind as anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/when-i-moved-out-of-my-mom-s-house-at-18-i-was-almost-as-sad-to-leave/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Remember this-- say it & know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More Away quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-just-say-the-word-and-i-ll-make-the-rest-of-the-world-go-away-i/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Beauty fades away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beauty-fades-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't kind of take away, you either do or you don't. If you kind of take away something you're a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/you-can-t-kind-of-take-away-you-either-do-or-you-don-t-if-you-kind-of/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Please don't go away. You--you matter. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/please-don-t-go-away-you-you-matter-to-me/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) [Browse all 4,933 Away quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My mother had bought a sewing machine for me. 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