Fourth class

Pocket detail

The apron

I had purchased and washed the flannel I am using for my pajama pants (our next project) and intended to bring that material with me to the class, in case I finished the apron early. I forgot the fabric. And I did finish early. But it's just as well. I was able to cut out the pattern pieces and that was enough when it came down to it.

About three of us chose not to line our aprons. I had initially wanted to line mine but then decided I didn't like the fabric I had chosen for a lining, and that I could use extra practice hemming anyway. The hemming option takes longer, actually, than lining, because there is about double the amount of sewing. It was good, though, to use this finishing technique because it's a good one to know.

The finishing method:

• Sew a line at the seam allowance width. For example, in this case we sewed a line one inch from the edge of the fabric.
  
• Fold the fabric so that the edge of raw fabric meets the sewn line, and press.
  
• Then fold again on the sewn line and press. So it's a double-fold.
  
• Sew close to the inner edge - in this case, about 3/8" in.

I am pleased with my apron but wish I had chosen to line it. The material is a lightweight cotton and extra weight would have been good. We live and learn.

In this class I learned how to turn a tie that is open at both ends, using a safety pin. I had used a safety pin years ago but forgot how I had done it.

There are young girls in this class. The young 'uns are allowed into adult ed classes if an adult is with them, and their mother is with them. The mom is an expert at the sewing machine but said she can't teach her children. I can understand how that might be. The girls are maybe 13-15 years old. Last week one of them was piecing together different fabrics and was going to cut out the pattern from that. I liked the idea and I think it will be cute. But she was a little rushed or maybe unthinking in her execution. She didn't make sure edges were nice and straight and she sewed the wrong side to the right at one point. Her mother, who was in the other room at the time, said "This is why I can't leave her in a room by herself". I was reminded of myself in junior high. I remember making an apron then that I don't think I even finished, and I know I rushed it. It was years before I came to a comfortable position with a sewing machine, but even now I do tend to rush, particularly if the project is a quickie. I need to remind myself to take my time every time.

Third class

I rushed out of the house this afternoon to get to the class. I was feeling so tired that I didn't even want to go, and then I couldn't find my keys so I ended up a little bit late. People do come late to the class so it isn't a big deal. And once I was there I was awake again, fortunately.

Today we cut out our apron pieces from our material. There was a wide range of material and some people are lining their aprons while others are not. I am one who, at the last minute, decided not to line, so I ended up a little ahead of the others. Maybe I'm the only one not lining my apron.

After cutting it out we prepared and sewed on the pockets. Linda, our teacher, prefers a certain way to finish the top of the pockets, different from the pattern description, so she was busy running around, showing each of us how to do it. She doesn't stand at the front too often. Her method is to walk around and find people who need help and direction. In a way it is disconcerting because there are some principles of sewing that she is not specifically telling us and I wonder how everyone will learn them. But I think I do know, actually. She really teaches each of us individually.

By the end of the class I had sewn the pocket on my apron and had created the ties (but had not sewn them on). I will undoubtedly finish the apron next week, so I need to get the material for the project after that. I may get a chance to cut it out.

Linda was able to help a few people with problems with their machines. She fixed a tension problem and a thread problem and I don't know what else. Someone called her the "Click and Clack of sewing machines". She was quick to point out that she can only do these tricks with mechanical machines. The computerized versions (like mine) she cannot fix.

I did one goof today. I wound a bobbin wrong and ended up with a mess of thread. I now think I have the bobbin thing down. Should be good from now on. I need to get more bobbins for the future.

We really take our time here. I rather like it.

Second class

I went to the second class today. I debated whether I should bring material for the apron tonight - it wasn't on the schedule - I ended up washing the material but it wasn't dry by the time I left so I left it behind.

All we did was get familiar with our machines. And that meant we threaded the machine, filled a bobbin, and sewed several stitches on a piece of fabric. I tried out several stitches I had not tried before. They got me thinking about how I might dress up a simple project.

After the stitching, our teacher, Linda, had us cut out our pattern pieces for our first project, an apron. By themselves. In my sewing past I would cut them out roughly, pin them to the fabric, then cut both together. Well, okay, I went along with the program given I had nothing else to do.

One woman cut her pattern out really really carefully. As if it were the end in itself. I wondered if she understood the purpose of the pattern and how it all works. Maybe not.

Sewing class: week one

The beginning sewing class began last night. It's a two hour Adult-Ed class, held at a former junior high school here in town. It appears to be in a classroom formerly used for home ec classes. There is a kitchen attached.

There are ten students! Wow! Two of them are high-school age and the school requires an adult to accompany them, which was no problem. A mother came along. The room has two rows of tables, each with two chairs behind it, but with ten students we can each have a table. Small table, but table. There are electrical plugs all over, designed for the class, there are four ironing boards, and in the kitchen we can lay out and cut fabric and have tea or coffee. I'm lovin' it already.

The teacher, Linda, told us a little about herself and asked each of us if we'd sewn before. A few students have never sewn. Most of us have a passing acquaintance, can get around a machine. Linda has a room on the upper level of her barn that is 800 square feet - devoted to sewing. She has seven machines ready to go at any time and a number of other machines are on shelves just because she likes how they look. She spent $1000 on a restored Singer Featherweight - that was painted a bright blue. She says sewing can be an expensive hobby and she's addicted.

She told us we'd be going over various basic stitches next week. We did no sewing today. She said she can teach us how to do stitches even when the machine is not supposed to offer them, and she can work with any machine no matter how old. She seems just perfect.

One woman asked her for advice in buying a new machine. She said stay away from the $80 bargains but if you pay $200 - $300 you've got a good machine. I paid more but I wanted more.

After we do the different stitches we will get a pattern for an apron. The week after next we start the apron. It can be lined, and I figure I'll line mine. The apron is supposed to take two weeks. The next project will be pajama bottoms, which will take another two weeks. The last week will be whatever we want to make, and she will teach us stuff about mending also.

Some cool stuff: the school gets discounts on notions and equipment. So if we want to buy something we can tell her and she will get it for us. She can get dress forms, which I would love. I wonder how much they are.

And some things we learned:

* Pattern sizes are different from ready-to-wear sizes. A size ten in the store will be a 14 - 16 in a pattern. This is because the pattern sizes have not changed since the 40s but ready-to-wear sizes have. So it's really important to look at the measurements on the pattern. She offered to do quick measures of us at the end and I took her up on that so I'm ready.

* Fabric is also smaller than it used to be and what it calls for in patterns. The pattern will say 45" fabric but you can't even get that any more. You have to get 42 - 44" wide fabric.

* There are some good sources for fabric online: Joann's is one, and Hancock Fabrics. Also ebay! She said she gets fabric from ebay a lot, and it's usually a really good deal. She encourages thrift shop buyers to find clothing and take it apart or just buy it for unusual buttons. And she says don't buy the stuff at Wal-Mart that's $1 a yard. It's like gauze.

* The school also gets a selection of patterns it can order. They each cost only one dollar. So she said we can choose what we want from the patterns posted on the wall and she will get them for us. I ordered four patterns. The patterns for the apron and pajama pants come with the class so that's a total of six.

The class is held in one of the rooms at the very end of the former junior high school. You have to go down two flights of concrete stairs to get to it. Fortunately, you can take your car down to a drop-off place and drop the machine off first, then park and walk down. We were all joking about the stairs on our way down, not knowing that there was that option. Called it the Sewing and Weightlifting Class.

This is going to be fun! I suspect I'm going to want to join the intermediate class when I'm done with this one.

For the doggie and the cup of coffee

I just finished two little projects, neither of which came out particularly well. I had second thoughts along the way and decided I needed to finish them even if they would never go anywhere after that.

The first was a doggie "vest" made from a T-shirt. I intended it for my daughter's dog Floyd. I had measurements for him and originally was going to make him a little jacket from a book of dog clothes patterns. I ran into some irritating things about that pattern so I figured I'd start with something easier. I turned to another book:


I got these two books recently from Better World Books, relying on ratings and price. Of the two, Generation T: Beyond Fashion is the clear winner. Although I doubt I have use for most of the projects in it, the sheer creativity and tips on putting pieces together are worth a lot. You could make most of them without sewing at all, in fact. Most of the fashions are clearly for young women, and hip young women at that. I am not young nor am I hip and I have never been hip. Still, I really like this book and this is where I found the directions for making a doggie vest.

What I produced was this:



And because I didn't measure things very well, I chose not to offer it to Floyd. Besides, it just isn't that good-looking. I did try it on my cat Stretch:


Here's the thing. It isn't a great piece of work but I learned some things along the way. The experience was worth it.

The other thing I made came from a website called the object project. It's a corduroy coffee cup sleeve with a picture on it. I didn't trace the shape of the sleeve as accurately as I could so it isn't perfect. Still, it looks pretty good and I think I actually will give it to somebody. It satisfies my recycling need, too.


Tomorrow I start a beginning sewing class at Adult Ed school. It's six weeks long. I have a lot of hope for this class.