Bernina Fan Club Archives

2002

Thursday, May 9


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Date: 9 May 2002 08:35:23 -0400
From: StashAddict  
Subject: knits, denim, Mother's Day etc.

Hi all,

Been sewing up a storm this week and boy does it feel good after a month or
so off!  I'm pretty much on schedule with my big Mother's Day Cabbage Patch
Doll project.  My mom's doll has her maroon-and-grey cheerleader outfit
complete with skirt, top with fused-on "M" and little undies.  My nana's
doll has a very pretty yellow dress with an all-over diamond pattern
stitched on the bodice.  My MIL's doll has a truly fun ensemble of jeans
made from a pair of DBF's jeans, a t-shirt made from one of DBF's t-shirts,
a black polar fleece jacket and a black denim baseball hat.

I still need to make panties for nana's little girl, but I ran out of the
yellow material I used on the dress.  I am going to try to match it at the
shop today but if I can't I'll make a white pair tomorrow and edge them with
some narrow lace I have that is white with a yellow pattern in it.  Despite
bailing out on learning smocking I am really happy with the look of the
dress.  It does sort of give the impression of smocking because the diamond
patterns are common to both.  It definitely brings to mind the little yellow
dress hanging in a closet at my mom's house that I was trying to emulate.
Yay!

I need to finish topstitching one seam on the baseball hat.  Had already
ripped it out once (machine was skipping stitches - need to change up my
needle I think) and decided to leave it since it was after 11pm.  I am happy
with MIL's doll - the use of recycled clothing and the inclusion of a
baseball cap definitely make it representative of her son while the whole
craft/sewing thing is my contribution.  Can't tell I'm still on a quest to
win this woman over, eh?  I was particularly pleased with how well my
Bernina performed on denim.  This was full-weight stuff (an old pair of
Levi's) and my baby sewed soooo smoothly even through 3-5 layers of the
stuff, over seams etc.  I used a topstitching thread and a honkin' big denim
needle and it was lovely.

Also, I finally conquered the evil t-shirt I had had issues with earlier
this year.  It seems that the original material I was using was a ribbing
(came on a huge bolt, say 45" wide, but in a tube not flat).  Cutting up a
real t-shirt I could see the difference.  I assumed that ribbing would come
in a narrow width, say max 10" 'cause you would never make a collar, cuff,
hem etc. wider than that, even folded over.  I guess though that the grain
would be in the wrong direction to package it easily like that.  Live and
learn!  I have soooooo much white ribbing now I'll be able to make little
t-shirt neckbands for all eternity LOL.

Mom's little girl's undies were a challenge as all the patterns I have are
for straight-legged long pants or poufy baby-girl panties.  I needed a slim
fitting short-short pair to fit the cheerleader style.  After a few failed
attempts at pinning fabric to the doll, taking measurements and guessing at
a style etc.  I finally altered my favourite of the pant patterns by
narrowing the waist and shortening them considerably.  The result is
serviceable but I think I will make a further modification before using it
again - those dolls do have chubby little bums and I need to get a bit more
cheek coverage in case they ever bend over forwards in a short skirt 
'course that look should be fine for a cheerleader LOL!

So what do I have left?   Hmmmm, MIL's doll needs a pair of undies and
nana's needs her panties.  All three need socks and the two girls need
shoes.  I am not going to bother making socks - I am headed to the store
today to buy some baby socks.  Shoes will be a challenge but I am hoping to
make some so I don't have to sacrifice two of the genuine pairs I have here
for my own dolls (MIL's does get a "real" pair since I have extra boy's
shoes).  If I have tons of energy and everything goes smoothly tonight and
tomorrow they may all get pj's too - nighties for the girls and pants and a
top for the boy.  Oh, and most importantly they all need baths and grooming.
And on Saturday I have to fix a few missing toes and such, but I'm meeting
with some stitching friends at a stitching shop so I'll have lots of support
for my first foray into sewing the actual doll!

Today though I have to take a bit of time off actually sewing as it is my
first part-day working in the quilting store :-)  On the way over I am going
to buy baby socks and pick up my hand-painted fabric (and a dye kit!) from
the dye store.  So never fear I'll still be immersed in fibres all day long.

If I'm really lucky Connie will let me try the Handi-Quilter they have set
up in the shop with a Bernina 1008 (same as mine).  I am hoping that I will
get a lot of chances in the coming months to play with the contraption.  I
have no space (nor funds!) for my own, but the concept intrigues me.  And I
won't have to deal with the hassles of setting up and taking down the
structure that seem to be one of the chief complaints about it.  If by the
time we move into bigger space in a few years I am really good at using it
I'll be able to convince myself I deserve the treat :-)

Kelly.

PS  Congratulations Phaedra - although I'm not sure if I'm more impressed
about the book or your nerve in going ahead and teaching sewing classes!
You go girl!



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Date: 9 May 2002 13:11:01 -0400
From: Phaedra H 
Subject: teaching sewing class 

Well, that was interesting. I have taught other classes before but never 
sewing. I have a very nice group of six women my age, none have sewed 
before. In my class schedule I planned the first lesson to be getting 
supplies, choosing fabric and pattern, then students take pattern and 
fabric home to preshrink and cut out.
When one of them asked me how many pins to use on each pattern piece, I 
realized I had wildly overestimated their knowledge! Fortunately we had 
time left to open the pattern up, look at the pieces and discuss markings 
and pinning. Whew! I just wasn't in touch with how much I was assuming, so 
that was good to learn. Although it does make me wonder if it's too 
ambitious to make a pair of elastic-waist pants in four 2-hour lessons!
Next week they are bringing machines, some will be using the store's 
machines. I am hoping we can thread the machines, wind bobbins, practice 
seaming and finishing on some scraps, mark the pocket positions and then 
sew the inner leg and perhaps crotch seams. Two of them have new Berninas, 
one a new Singer, one her grandmother's Singer, and the other two will use 
the store Elnas.


	Phaedra H



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Date: 9 May 2002 15:03:50 -0400
From: Marygee 
Subject: Re: Teaching sewing

Phaedra,
Better allow the 2 hours just to make them familiar with their machines.  
Even if they have taken machine mastery classes, odds are they are 
uncomfortable with what they think they don't know and can't do.  You didn't 
say the age range as that will cause their personal expectations to vary 
widely.  They probably have never measured themselves correctly and will 
expect the pants to be a great fit - are you having them make a master 
pattern and the first pair out of muslin just so they can play and correct 
their errors without deciding they have flunked home ec all over again.  Most 
first time students hate the expense of making a muslin (not just for fit BUT 
really for practice) Reality is a muslin costs very little and I have yet to 
have a student that didn't appreciate their own effort and feel more 
confident about digging into the fashion fabric.  Much happier with their end 
results and ready to go on to another type of clothing and new skills and 
techniques.  I agree 4 lessons may be really ambitious, but then again they 
may be really, really motivated and coordinated in handling the task.  Good 
luck in your new endeavor - passing on needle skills never ceases to be 
rewarding.  You can just feel the hand on your shoulder from generations 
past!
Congrats on your book!  Marygabrielle



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Date: 9 May 2002 21:05:41 -0400
From: Phaedra H 
Subject: Re: Teaching sewing

We are not doing a muslin! I know that's risky but for various reasons we 
are not. I did have them measure their waists and hips in the first class 
so that we could get reasonably accurate measurements. I will be devastated 
if someone's pants don't fit! But then maybe I could tell them the 
corrections to make and talk about the value of making a test pattern. Like 
I say, I've never done this before.
These women are probably all in their mid to late 30s.

	Phaedra H

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Date: 9 May 2002 21:51:01 -0400
From: GillianSew 
Subject: Re: teaching sewing class 

Yesit is easy to over-estimate the knowledge of students who have never sewen 
before.  I try to remember what I learned  and my slower learning curve at 
the begining.  Good luck to you,in your class.  Gillian



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