Crafternoons and Nights

Hannah has always been a go-getter.  I recall her youth when she would say, "Can I use anything I can find in the garage for my science project?"  She also enjoyed staying at Grandma Clayton's and making a doll with a dress that matched a dress I had made her.  When I have visited her in D.C. she usually has a project to do that she learned about from a tutorial on YouTube!!  She is indeed resourceful.

I especially love that she comes and uses up my scraps to make quilts!! This is a small size crib quilt for Lil' Ham - love the colors - who knew that existed in my scrap bins??

She also designed and executed this little "signature" for her projects.  Her initials - which could also stand of "his or her royal highness" too!!

Things are quiet and tidy around here these days!!

I have been doing some apron sewing this summer.  I keep having these ideas like, "I want to make aprons for everyone in my book group," or "I want to make aprons for all my sisters-in-law," ad infinitum.

I did get these made for my old high school friends - the ones I met with this weekend.  Doing four or five at a time takes some time - and then often in between I need one apron for someone else and so it goes.

I need to go make one for the coach at Curves who is retiring - the farewell potluck is tomorrow night.  At least I signed up to bring bread - courtesy of Vons it will be - so I can spend my time sewing, not cooking!!

Now I need to figure out how to not get distracted by the book I'm almost finished reading!!

More Sewing Accompaniment

I've been making aprons again - it's that time of year - and I have borrowed some DVD's from Donna to accompany me as I do so.

I know I saw this movie when it first came out. And I know the band teacher at our school shows it every year. But I hadn't seen it since the first time I saw it. And the first time I saw it, I was not working as a teacher. I was a sub, but didn't have my own classroom.

That factor changed my perception of the film this time. For starters, I've never seen such a well equipped music room in my life - but then we only have a band, not an orchestra - or music appreciation for that matter. Secondly, there really were no "behavior" problems for Mr. Holland to deal with. Even the best teachers at our school have kids that are pretty disruptive. And finally, Mr. Holland didn't have to deal with NCLB.* That factor alone makes a huge difference.

But I did like the film very much. I always like a "feel good" movie - especially one with some great Gershwin tunes in it - and "Beautiful Boy." And I liked the P.E. teacher's persona. They captured the essence of most of the P.E. teachers I've worked with. I also liked how it scrolled through history - history I remember - like Vietnam, Nixon's resignation, Lennon's death, and popular culture too.

I may have to get my own copy for future sewing projects!

*No Child Left Behind

The Saga of the Sewing Machine

It's a long story, folks, but I think I'm going to tell it anyway!

About 35 years ago, I bought a Viking Sewing Machine - I had a machine that my mom had given me as a wedding gift, but it was a cheaper model - perfect for the beginner I was at the time. I was ready for the bigtime however!

So I made payments on this great Viking - that I quickly outgrew as my sewing skills improved and expanded. Then I bought a really deluxe model Viking that "did everything" except the dishes.

I sewed up a storm on that machine - if it could talk, would it have tales to tell. After about 15 years though, it seemed to be showing its age. When I took it in - we were in California by then - it was going to cost nearly $300 to repair it. But the guy said it was worth it. I waffled - so he offered me a used machine in the store - which was much "newer" and a Viking - and repair of my old machine for a great combo price. (The newer Viking was computerized too.)

So I fell for it - and for many years felt I had gotten the good end of the deal. Two machines came in handy when we did sewing classes with the Young Women or when Phoebe, Eliza or Hannah wanted to venture into the needlewoman's path. Or when wedding or prom or baby sewing took up the dining room at Grandma Clayton's.

Chinks in the armor or holes in the dike, if you will, began appearing. More and more frequently I needed to take my "newer" machine into the shop. And I didn't sew all that often, so I didn't think about it all the time.

Then last summer, they had my machine for over 6 months!! It needed a new circuit board, the machine was no longer being made so they had to find a "reconditioned" circuit board, and then they sent an incomplete one so it had to be sent back!! I had their phone number memorized!

Finally got it back last fall - and two months later it went dead, no power, zip, nada! I took it in and they guy said it was a fuse and charged me $15.

So I've been sewing aprons nearly non-stop it seems - and yesterday I planned to finally get one made for my mom - and I sat down ready to work - and whoa, a dead machine again!

It was a holiday - I was fried! I thought of going to the church and borrowing the ward Bernina - but I don't have keys to our building anymore, and Harry was at work!

I ranted to the walls - and then went for the Yellow Pages! I found a sewing shop in Altadena that has been around since 1938 - why I haven't found it before I'll never know - I've hit all the other ones in the San Gabriel Valley. And the guy answered - on a holiday no less!

I said, "Are you open?" And he said, "For awhile."

So I hustled over there - and he said, "This machine doesn't use a fuse." First clue that maybe I had been dealing with the wrong people. Then he said, "I will have to take it apart to find out what's wrong." So I said, "What do you have for sale?"

And the rest, as they say, is history! I no longer have a Viking - except for my old, wonderful, workhorse Viking from 35 years ago that Phoebe is currently using - but instead have a new mid-line Riccar. It's not computerized - you turn dials and levers to make it work - and it works great - I made two more aprons yesterday - you may all get yours eventually - if you want one that is.

Turns out Viking no longer really makes Vikings - the company that makes Elnas and Necchis and many other names makes Vikings now. And my blue Viking was the first year of computerized Vikings - the guinea pig I guess.

Riccar makes their own - that sold me on the concept.

I am a happy seamstress these days!!

Thanks for listening.