Friday, February 10, 2006

Sewing fun!

By default, I ended up teaching a sewing class today! Our pal Melodie (who taught us to quilt last year) was supposed to help a group of kids work on one of their 4-H sewing projects, but she couldn't make it at the last minute. Out of the 3 adults there, I was the only one who knew how to "sew" (I use this term loosely as I am completely self taught and not very good!). Luckily I brought my serger and the 4-H book and we worked through the first steps of the project as a group. It was hard because each person didn't have their own machine and then one of the machines we did have, didn't want to work (or should I rephrase it, it wouldn't work when Julieanne used it, it only wanted to sew for me!). If we had given any thought beforehand, we would have tried to coordinate fabric/tread so that each person didn't need a different color (it is so hard to change a machine back and forth in the middle of a project)

The girls were so cute, listening to the directions and trying their best to do what they were told. Most of the girls got about 1/2 way through making their environmental tote. The Ridimans had to leave to get to gymnastics, we stayed and Emily managed to finish hers. She was so proud of how it turned out, she used it to carry her clothes to dance class! We plan to have everyone else finish up the next time we get together!

Sophie wants me to finish her bag so she can put her "stuff" in it! Once you know what you are doing, you can make the tote in about 30 minutes. They are fairly cost efficient (I got the supplies to make 2 bags for less than $5...but don't as Kas how much she spent on fabric!). I think that Emily might end up making some and trying to sell them at a craft show next winter...by then she should be able to perfect the technique!

Hopefully the next time we sew, we have enough machines for all the girls...and hopefully Meolodie is there to lead the charge!

2 comments:

hestiahomeschool said...

Thank the Good Lord you were there since I have had that sewing machine for over twenty years and it has only been used three times. The first time I used it I sewed my finger and had to go to the ER. LOL You know how accident prone I am! Tabby is SO PROUD of the partially finished tote bag. Her father was very impressed with it, too, so he quit mumbling about all the money we spent. (It was the embellishments that were so expensive.) We checked the KY 4_H and they cannot use them for their sewing project...ours are a laundry bag that has a drawstring. Still, the girls were so happy to make it, and I think you were a saint to spend so much time with other people's kids. Shelby fell asleep as soon as she was in the van. She has had such a rough fall with all my surgery/cancer/tests, the molestation of her sister (and the loss of a very close friend and important person in her life) and all the stress it caused, her own surgery, watching the two kittens wither away and die, that it is really coming out in her stress levels. She is sensitive and high strung and spoiled rotten to begin with. I am hoping it will all taper off soon. Tabby is much happier now, and did not need antidepressants, thank God. Mandy will still be going to therapy soon to deal with The Incident. I took pictures of the sewing and will upload them as soon as the camera recharged. Your hair looks so beautiful--like a river of shiny red.

love,Kas

Laura Riesenberg said...

I think Julieanne's machine "infected" mine, it refused to sew right once I got it home. I think I have it behaving again now, but refuse to bring it out to play with Julieanne's machine again!

I ended up making Sophie a bag and Hannah made a couple of small ones for her (for carrying her treasures).

Sewing will be much easier at Melodie's since we will have the extra machine....plus I may be getting one from my mom that I can bring (if it works, it has been sitting a while).

Bring the directions for the laundry bag, maybe we can work on making those...I know Em wants to make some smaller drawstring bags to put her dance shoes in, so maybe your girls could make the laundry bags and Em the smaller ones, I have a feeling the directions are the same, just the measurements different....