05/27/2026
Sewing is an art with Blondie…198?
by Avis V. Osland
There's a tiny south room in the residence on 10 North Haugen in Northwood where for fifty years has come an endless number of garments and alterations. It is Blondie Berg's sewing center.
And even yet she continues to “help people out" with their, sewing needs. “I added up my income from my sewing since 1935 and if I could have charged today's naire, she rauated a milion. But Blondie is not a million-naire! She's just been too kind and charitable in her work and probably has never charged enough for her seamstress services. Even her Mother used to say, "Blondie, you never charge enough for your work."
Course she never charged her Mother but Blondie admits she “practiced" on her Mother and herself. Really, her "practicing" began when she was just a little girl living on a farm, half a mile east of Northwood. Object then of her inexperienced efforts was her doll. She especially recalls her first doll - "It wasn't very pretty. We would get a few pennies once in a while and so I saved them.
There was a woman peddler from Crookston, Minnesota, who came to our farm with a big bag, just full of stuff. We were so anxious to see what she had in it. And that's where I got my first doll,* she reminisced. Emma (Johnson) Maristuen was Blondie's early playmate and the making of doll clothes was a deviation from their time spent playing by the creek.
In those early days, Blondie's Mother, Mrs. Peder Amundson, also taught her daughter how to crochet-something which Blondie still does. She later learned to knit and finds that an• interesting art as well.
The Amundson family left the farm, moving to Northwood in 1918. Blondie was then sewing for family members. Others learned of her ability and soon began bringing work to her. It was January 21, 1930, when Blondie added another customer--one in a more permanent fashion-for she married Martin Berg.
Her sewing machine whirred daily as she sewed new garments, altered and even mended for her customers. She sewed baptismal dresses which have continued to be used by family members. These were followed by confirmation dresses and fancy formals for graduation-those were the days that preceded the cap and gown now worn by graduates.
Blondie's last dress for her Mother was the one in which Mrs, Amundson was laid away in 1937. “Mother was ill for so long and I knew she wouldn't last so I made a dress even for that," she sadly reflected.
Good news travels and soon A.E. Skordahl of the Skordahl Clothing Store for men in Nor-thwood heard of Blondie's abilities. He approached her, asking if she would consider becoming his alteration lady in the store. In 1946 she accepted the position and worked for him until 1961 when he sold to Glen Haga.
She also continued when the store was purchased by Chester Engen. When the store finally closed its doors, this chapter of Blondie's work also terminated. Her association with the clothing store ended but many customers whom she had served there, continued to find their way to her residence. "Do you remember me? You fixed a suit for me at Skordahls. Can you alter something for me now?" a stranger asks. She may not remember him but she'll do his work.
Blondie's first acquaintance with an electric machine was at the Skordahl Store. Having always used a pedal machine, she found it difficult at first to adjust' to the quick touch and speed of the modern invention. However, it added to her ability to more quickly produce the work. She remembered that the pedal machine had once been a challenge also-its backward and forward motion was quite frustrating until she learned that her feet could propel it into a smooth continuous motion. "I was about ready to give up many times but after I caught on, I found it a real challenge," she recalled.
She admits that after all these years there still are challenges. Someone will come with an alteration job which seems impossible. "Can you handle it?" the customer hopefully asks. "I'll try," is always Blondie's response.
Like the one who came with his expensive buy way-too-large shirt-could she make it smaller
"Well, I had to rip it entirel! apart, cut it smaller and put it back together again," she explained.
When Northwood celebrated its 75th anniversary, some 20 years ago, Blondie was swamped with the making of dresses styled to yesteryears. There was also a play about an old maids convention, put on by community people, for which she created many dresses. So be it styles of days-gone-by or present-day fashions, Blondie is able to produce them.
Probably her most interesting. customer was the little fellow who sauntered to her door with a torn jacket. "Can you patch this for me?" he pleadingly asked. “Of course, I can," she answered in mother-like fashion. So he left his jacket and she fixed it. "I didn't want to disappoint him, Blondie said. When he came to pick it up he wanted to know how much it cost but her generosity was extended and there was no charge. When Christmas came, however, the boy's mother sent a gift to express her appreciation for a jacket well mended.
"I feel if I can be a little help yet, I'm willing to do it," Blondie commented. Physically, she's not that well but like she says, she's willing to give a helping hand. She summarized it all by saying, “Sewing has always been my hobby but then I consider it a talent given me by God," And after all, doesn't the Bible teach that talents are to be shared not hoarded?
