CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Clinton Township woman has found a way to continue a lifelong passion for sewing after a stroke left the right side of her body paralyzed.
Linda Thomas rarely lets a day go by without sitting in front of her sewing machine.
See the full story from Clinton Township reporter Evan Sery in the video below
From children’s and adult aprons to makeup bags, oven mitts and other handmade items, Thomas continues to create pieces despite now having the use of only one hand.
It is a skill she has spent more than five decades developing.
Thomas began working for Ford Motor Company in 1973, where she sewed car seats as part of an assembly line.
“You’re in an assembly line, somebody puts a piece together, pass it up, keep passing it up,” Thomas said.
Today, there is no assembly line. Thomas does the work herself from her Clinton Township apartment, which she has transformed into a personal sewing space.
Her husband, Greg Thomas, said sewing has always been important to her.
“She’s always had that desire to sew,” he said.
But in 2020, Linda suffered a stroke that left the entire right side of her body paralyzed.
“Yeah, it was devastating,” Greg said. “To go from being totally active to being a stroke victim.”
For Linda, suddenly losing much of her independence was difficult.
“You get depressed when you’re active and all of a sudden you’re stuck in a chair,” she said.
Sewing eventually became part of her path forward.
Linda said her sister brought her sewing machine up from the basement and set it up. One of the first projects she took on after her stroke was repairing a blanket for one of her sister’s grandchildren.
From there, Linda kept working, gradually teaching herself how to sew with one hand.
Her friend and neighbor Sharon Betts, who also has a background in sewing, said she is amazed by what Linda is able to accomplish.
“I don’t know how she manages because she only has one hand to work with,” Betts said. “She has the patience of a saint, she does.”
Greg said the process can still be frustrating for his wife, but he has watched her make significant progress.
“She gets frustrated at times, but I tell her this is new to you,” he said. “Look at her. She’s gone from having a real tough time to doing it with very little help.”
Linda is now taking her work beyond her apartment.
This weekend, she plans to be a vendor at the Chippewa Valley High School craft fair, where she will sell handmade items including aprons and oven mitts.
For Greg, seeing his wife continue a passion that once appeared at risk of being taken away by her stroke has been inspiring.
“Well, I’m inspired by it,” he said.
For Linda, sewing is more than a reminder of the career she began decades ago. It is something she can continue doing on her own terms, one stitch at a time.
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