In a small but cozy apartment above a busy street, Lizzie Glenn sat at her desk with her sewing machine humming. Bright scraps of fabric were spread around her like a rainbow. She had just come home from school and was working on a few custom orders for neighbors. Even though she was only thirteen, Lizzie had already become known around the block for her amazing designs.

Today, she was sewing matching tote bags for a mom and her daughter. The mom had seen Lizzie’s work on social media and reached out through her online storefront. It was her biggest order yet.

As the needle zipped through the fabric, Lizzie’s phone buzzed with a text from her best friend, Maya.

Maya: “Movie night at my place? Popcorn and pizza!”

Lizzie smiled but hesitated. She glanced at the list of things she needed to finish before the weekend. The bags. A patch for her neighbor’s jeans. The flyer for the school talent show she was helping to design.

She sighed and replied, “Can’t tonight. Sewing marathon!”

Lizzie loved sewing, but sometimes it was a lot. Still, she had goals. She was saving up to buy a newer sewing machine and eventually, maybe even open a small boutique when she got older. Her mom said, “If you believe in your dream and work toward it, you’re already halfway there.”

Lizzie’s mom was her biggest cheerleader. She helped her with budgeting, taught her how to manage her time, and even made hot cocoa when things got stressful.

Later that evening, Lizzie’s fingers started to ache. She took a break, stretching and flipping through her sketchbook. She smiled at one of her favorite designs: a hoodie with a colorful dragon stitched onto the back. Someday, she thought, she’d love to sell her own line of clothes.

Just then, her mom poked her head into the room. “You’ve been at it for hours, sweetie. Time for a break?”

Lizzie nodded. “Almost done with one more seam. Then I’ll rest.”

After she finished, they sat in the kitchen together, sipping tea and munching on crackers. “You’re doing great work,” her mom said. “I know it’s hard to balance everything.”

“Sometimes I wish I had more time to just hang out,” Lizzie admitted. “But I really want this.”

Her mom gave her a warm smile. “And you will have it. Just don’t forget to enjoy the journey too.”

The next day at school, Lizzie had her bag filled with fabric swatches and a notepad of ideas. During lunch, she showed Maya a sketch for a new dress design.

“This is so cool,” Maya said. “You’re gonna be famous one day.”

Lizzie laughed. “Maybe! For now, I just want to finish these orders without messing up.”

That evening, while working on the last tote bag, her sewing machine suddenly made a strange clunking noise and stopped. “Oh no,” Lizzie said, inspecting the machine. Something was definitely wrong. She tried restarting it, but it wouldn’t work.

Her heart sank. She had promised to deliver the bags by Friday.

She called her mom into the room. “My machine broke,” she said. “What do I do?”

Her mom looked at the jammed needle and said, “Well, let’s see what we can do together.”

They watched a few how-to videos and carefully opened up the machine. After some careful cleaning and adjusting, the machine whirred back to life.

“You fixed it!” Lizzie said, hugging her mom.

“We fixed it,” her mom said with a grin.

By Thursday night, the tote bags were finished, wrapped up in brown paper with ribbon, and ready for delivery. Lizzie added a handwritten thank-you note to the package.

On Friday after school, the customer stopped by to pick them up. When she saw the bags, her face lit up. “These are perfect! Thank you so much, Lizzie.”

Lizzie beamed. “I’m really glad you like them!”

That night, she finally went to Maya’s for movie night. As they sat on the couch eating popcorn, Lizzie felt proud. It had been a long week, but she had done it. Her hands were tired, but her heart was full.

She looked out the window for a moment and smiled to herself.

Someday, she thought, I’ll have my own shop—with big windows, lots of color, and space to create anything I can imagine.

But for now, one stitch at a time, she was sewing her way there.

_{“One Stitch at a Time” by Nina D. Smith © 2025. A retelling of “LIZZY LINDSAY” from Stories from the Ballads Told to the Children by Mary MacGregor.}