Learning to sew

I was off to my dressmaking class last night. Making samples was on the agenda. I wasn't sure what kind of samples, but I took fabric and tools. I decided to use the sewing machines at the college as I was too lazy to take my own machine. I have to do some shopping - I need to have my fabric for next week and it has to be washed or dry cleaned or whatever treatment is necessary. I've got homework!

Hmm - that might have been a mistake to not take my sewing machine, but it all worked out. One lady brought her featherweight. What a great idea - I never thought of that. I do have one.

This is what I grabbed from the cupboard. Well, it wasn't my first choice. The first one I got didn't have a bobbin case. So I found a bobbin case. Then one of the ladies cut her finger with her rotary cutter before we even got started so she left and I commandeered her sewing machine. 

My "new" sewing machine

The bobbin had some ghastly thick thread in it. Not that this woman had put in, but more likely what was left from a previous class?

A White 970 sewing machine 

We seemed to have a few different people in the class last night. One person had dropped out and there was a waiting list so someone new came in. I swear there was more than one new person. Anyway - it's exciting to see people wanting to learn to sew. Well, I bet that the older ones know how to sew - they just want to perfect their garment techniques.

There are some younger girls as well and one of them had on a hoodie that she had made in a weekend class. It was very impressive!

I love how the instructor teaches. She is very calm and quiet - that's not my favorite part. I like the fact that she did all the demos at the beginning of the class, gave us all the handouts and then let us work. By this time, it was 8:30 and I begged off saying that I was a morning person and would do the work at home. That was fine. 8:30 is my bedtime - just saying!

I had to laugh though as we had to cut ten rectangles measuring 2" by 7". That was for the seam finishing samples. I think I was the ONLY one that cut the fabric with a rotary cutter. The other lady with a rotary cutter (who had knicked her finger and was on blood thinners) had to leave. Seriously, the rest of the class marked those rectangles out with a pen and ruler and cut them with scissors. I was finished cutting before they even got the marks drawn.

So like a naughty person, I sat in the back of the class, tested the tension on the sewing machine that I never ended up using and listened to my audiobook. I'm so close to finishing The Huntress by Kate Quinn. It's a long book and I've haven't had a lot of time. Well, it's due today and it's an audiobook so it'll disappear automatically. I listened to it in the car on the way to and from class. I listened for a bit before going to bed. I was at the gym bright and early this morning and listened while I cranked out some miles on the treadmill. I have 47 minutes left. I don't normally listen while I walk the dogs, however, our walks last about 45 minutes and it's Sit n Sew today. I have no choice but to listen while we walk. I WILL finish that book before it goes back even if it kills me.

If you haven't read it, you should. Well - if you like that kind of book. This is NOT my genre of books to read. Not even close, but I'm expanding my horizons and I'm good with that. I'm just so glad that we didn't have to live through the horrors of the war. However, we have different horrors today.

Here's something else that I'm learning. How to use a drawing tablet. Oh - it's totally crazy. I'm sure this is how someone feels using a stiletto (quilter's awl)for the first time when they are sewing. This is a very old tablet (2005) - there are newer ones on the market, but they essentially do the same thing so I'm keeping the old one. The drivers didn't work when I got it. After a quick online chat with the folks at WACOM, they sent me the new driver and it's worked like a charm ever since.

Drawing tablet

You'll see next week why I'm learning how to use a drawing tablet. I so envy those graphic designers who use one all the time with effortless ease.

I got a customer quilt done yesterday. It's trimmed and will be picked up later today. 

Customer quilt - -DONE

Studio B is ready for the Sit n Sew group that's coming today. I even managed to clean out the scrap box that was truly overflowing. I just have to serge up the opening and I'll have one more pet mat done.

The scrap box is empty!

So the walking thing is out of hand! As if I expected less from myself. I'm now ahead of the pace on both challenges. I said I would do that by the end of the month and here it is - January 23. I'm ahead.

WAIT - before you go and tsk tsk! me - I have to tell you this story. I'm at the gym this morning and intently listening to the audiobook on my headphones. If gives me loads of time to watch other people. I noticed this woman several rows ahead of me. I've seen her before. But from my angle almost directly behind her, I noted how thin her waist was compared to her hips. She wasn't a huge person - maybe about my size. Her proportions were just way out of whack. She looked like Barbie. I wondered if she had a belt thing around her waist, but she was too far away for me to see and she had a jacket on.

I never thought anything of it and went down to the change room. This woman came into the change room. I saw her take off her jacket and then standing in front of the mirror proceeded to undo a very wide belt. It must have been eight inches in height. But once she got the belt off, she then proceeded to strip off layers and layers of some kind of plastic wrap. Seriously???  In this day and age, people still believe that you can target fat cells? I was totally blown away.

Here's the sad part - that cinched in waist made her hips appear enormous. If she left well enough alone - she had a decent figure. Oh well - it's a very strange world! I wonder how she managed to breathe?

Now back to my miles. I needed to pick up some groceries so I grabbed the two girls and we were off. NO reusable bags with me. ACK!!!!   Nope - I had other plans. It was time to buy my Longo's backpack.

The Longo's insulated backpack

It was less than $20 and I was a bit worried about how comfortable it would be. I managed 2L of milk, a big container of yogurt, two containers of hummus (it was on sale), some cheese, a big carton of strawberries and bananas. It worked just fine. I'm going to be using this a lot. Thanks, Rose for letting me know about it! When do I need more groceries??

It was great because it allowed me to have one leash in each hand and I could still control the monsters and carry the groceries home at the same time.

So it's Sit n Sew today. Yeah!! I have a few things set out to sew, including putting the binding on several quilts that have been hanging around for quite some time. It'll be good to get those out of the way. More finished items for 2020!!  Not that anyone is counting.

Oh - for my samples, we also have to make darts and tucks. I'll be checking out some information that Linda sent me! But how hard can darts and tucks and seam finishes be? Especially when I'm using my good sewing machine. 

On that note, I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!