I don't remember this being a part of teacher training!

Okay, so it has been a reallllly long time since my last blog.  And who knows, maybe no one but me has really ever looked at it, but while at school today, I was thinking, "I should really blog about this."


So here goes...


I was lying on the floor under a sewing machine cabinet at school today...yeah that's right...on the carpet amid the hundreds of straight pins that somehow magically fall on the floor, but no one seems to have dropped.  And I was thinking, "I don't remember this being a part of teacher training."


One of the sewing machine cabinets is broken and it's a real pain for the student who gets assigned to sit there, so I finally made myself switch that cabinet for the one that used to hold the "teacher machine."  So after retrieving my metric wrenches from the trunk of my car (we have Bernina machines at my school), I was on the floor trying to reattach this sewing machine.


You know, there is no light under a sewing machine cabinet, and it was really hard to see while I was trying to line up a hole in the cabinet with the hole machine.  I know it must have taken at least 10 attempts to get the thing lined up so the bolt would go through.  And once they were lined up, maybe 10 seconds to actually attach the bolt.  


And I kept thinking...I learned how to write lesson plans (I think I am on at least the 5th or 6th way to do that by this time in my teaching career).  I have studied about how to help students who are visual learners, auditory learners, etc.  I have learned to use 5 different computerized grading programs (I used an adding machine my first year of teaching).  Just 14 years ago, I had an ancient Mac that took a full minute to switch from one page to another on the internet, to an e-Mac, to a refurbished PC (yay!!!!), a newer PC and finally to a laptop 3 years ago...


But no one ever told me in any of the classes I took at Mizzou, UMSL or Fontbonne, that part of teaching included things like this!

Have Fun Storming the Castle!

This has been my last full week off before it is back-to-school time. JJ, "That Girl" (his girlfriend of four years) and I are on a trip to Branson, MO--no, we didn't come for the country music.  I love it, but JJ and I have an agreement that we never play "that kind of music" within his hearing; so we're not here for that kind of vacation.

No, we came to the Branson area to see the castle!  Some time back, JJ came across an article about a French-style castle being built using traditional medieval methods in northern Arkansas.  Road trip!

We drove to the Ozark Medieval Castle in Lead Hill, AR, just about 40 miles south of Branson.  OMG!  It was the most wonderful day, even if it was about 100 degrees outside and there was minimal shade on the site.

We spent about three hours touring the site watching stone being quarried and shaped. The masons were working on the wall and tower construction.  The Belgian draft horse pulled a cart laden with stone and was later hitched to a cart to carry sand for making the cement.  One artisan was making rope. The blacksmith was hammering away at the anvil.  There were several pieces of hand-thrown pottery drying before being fired in the stone kiln.  A weaver was using a drop spindle to spin hand-dyed yarn from wool recently shorn from the castle's sheep.

It was totally fascinating to watch and to talk to the artisans about their work.  I cannot adequately describe it, so the best thing is just to take a look at the castle's website:  http://ozarkmedievalfortress.com/ 

The castle is supposed to take about 20 years to complete.  I made JJ promise me that he would bring me back in 2030 to see the finished castle even if he has to push me in a wheelchair.

Too bad our middle school is more than 5 hours away.  This would be a fantastic and very educational field trip for the 7th graders to go along with their study of the medieval period.  I took about 50 photos and I think I will put together a slide show to share with the 7th grade social studies teachers.

We are on our way back home to the St. Louis area tomorrow and hopefully, back to some last weekend of summer vacation sewing before next week.

To quote Miracle Max and his wife Valerie, "Have fun storming the castle!"

TTFN!  Woohoo!

Vickie

FBA? What Does That Mean?

Acronyms--we live with them constantly.  Sometimes it's easy to guess what they mean, and sometimes not.  I had personalized license plates for my car: "SWS-MS."  My mother's parents were Swiss immigrants; I am a Ms. "SWS-MS" makes sense, right?

Well, one of my cousins, same side of the family, and her husband were trying to figure out my plates and they came up with "single woman seeks more sex"--much funnier than my intended message, but not quite right.

This leads me to "FBA."  In addition to blogs about quilting, I have found some great ones about sewing.  Once you start following blogs, it can become quite addictive.  If I start reading ones about cooking or machine embroidery, I might as well have a laptop permanently attached to my body.

Anyway, I was reading a blog about sewing and the acronym "FBA" was used.  What the heck is that?

Okay, it's been a while since I studied clothing construction at Mizzou, but I do not remember THAT term at all.  Trying to use "context clues" to figure it out, like good readers do, the best I could come up with was "Fat Body Alteration."  Wow!  Right up my alley!

However, I didn't really think it could be that simple, or that, well, such an "un-nice" term would be used for modifying patterns for those of us with hourglass figures that have just a bit too much sand in them.

So, I did a little hunting around.  The internet is wonderful.  You can find almost everything.  Eventually, I came across an entry in the "SewMamaSew" - http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=486 explaining that FBA means "Full Bust Alteration."  Again, right up my alley.  Though, there are times, when I think it should be "Falling Boobs Alteration."  I knew gravity would finally catch up with me.  I remember my mom admonishing me in the 70's not to go braless.  So, now, I guess I have to pay the price.  Anyway, the post in Sew Mama Sew explains how to redraft a princess-line pattern for a fuller bust, which was something I knew I had to do for the top I was making.

I had picked up New Look 6911 as something I wanted to make sometime.  Come on, we all have those.  Just like our fabric stashes.  The things we are going to make someday when we have the time. And with my slimmer body, I am trying to go for a more structured, classic look than my previous big shirt, Earth Mother look.

As luck would have it, I found the "perfect" fabric before I ever got out the door of the fabric store.

The leaves are iridescent gold and I found some large, Byzantine-looking buttons to go down the front.  I can wear this alone with black pants or a black skirt.  I might wear it as a jacket over the new black embroidered sundress I just got from Holy Clothing (an eBay store.)  Well, maybe I haven't given up the Earth Mother thing quite yet.

The process for adjusting for a full bust, which I do now remember from my pattern drafting class, was a bit more complicated than I wanted to do at the time, so I took a short cut, which may have been a long cut truth be told, but my top ended up looking pretty good anyway.  I just have to do the buttonholes and buttons and it will be finished.  From layout to cutting to nearly-completed project all in one day!

TTFN,
Vickie

Getting the Sewing Bug!

I am a bi-polar sewer!

I will go for long periods without getting near my personal sewing machine and then I want to sew non-stop!  This is why I SHOULD have a room dedicated to sewing, embroidery, quilting, etc.,--a room that I could just go into whenever I want.  I wouldn't have to worry about putting things away.  It could all just sit there till I am ready to come back.

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of space.  Maybe that's part of why I am such an erratic sewer...

NAH!  I know better...it's this stinking ADD.  Really!  It is so hard when you really want to be doing ten things at once...well, maybe not ten, but let's see:  crocheting Brandi's scarf, working on Sophie's quilt, working on Gavin's quilt, crocheting the sweater for Sophie, playing around with my embroidery machine, and a few more.  And then I have about a dozen books I want to read:  novels for fun, books on the science of baking, Buddhism, machine embroidery and quilting, stuff for school, etc.

The fabric I ordered online on Monday arrived today.  OMG!  It is a piece of gorgeous eggplant bamboo knit.  Yes, you read right, bamboo!  I had purchased a chef cap made from bamboo fabric and when I saw this, I decided to go for it and see how it sews and wears.

Anyway, this fabric....it has the most wonderful hand--almost like a silk jersey.  And the color is luscious!  I can't use enough exclamation points!!!!!!!!  I just want to drape it over my body.

This picture does not do it justice.  It has more of a fuchsia cast to it.  This just looks like Pacific High purple.

Unfortunately, I can't start sewing yet because although the fabric got here in 2 days, I am still waiting for the pattern to arrive.  I ordered the "Madison Avenue" dress pattern from textilestudiopatterns.com  It is a sleek sheath dress with a vee-neck.  I know I will never look like the model, but I've lost a few pounds, so if I suck my stomach in, maybe it won't look too bad.

Hopefully, the pattern will get here soon, because I SO want to wear this dress!

TTFN!
Vickie

The Process Is Often More Important Than the Product!

As a teacher, I have said this phrase many times, "The process is more important than the product," generally followed by, "So what did you learn by doing this?"  These are not necessarily the words 11-14 year olds want to hear when their cookies come out of the oven looking like something they might want to scrape off their shoes.  Or their bread dough is so tough you couldn't stretch it if it were attached to two 18-wheelers.  Or if their shorts look like...gee, what's the worst I have ever seen?  The boy who cut a small front and a large back?  or the girl with the 1-inch casing at the front and the 3-inch casing at the back?

I stumbled across Rossie's blog the other day about "fresh modern quilts" http://r0ssie.blogspot.com/2010/05/process-pledge.html 
and I was struck by post "The Process Pledge."  In this post, Rossie explains the necessity and the philosophy of posting about the process of quilting, but this could be about anything one is learning how to do. 

I like to journal--about what I am thinking and feeling, things I am struggling with, things I want to do better, etc.  On her blog, Rossie invites other bloggers to take the pledge to blog about the process.  Now if I were computer savvy enough, I might add the pledge, but I haven't quite figured that part out.

See I am blogging about the process of becoming better with the computer.

Anyway, I have been working on a baby quilt for my new grand-niece the past couple of months.  I promised her mother I would have it done before her first birthday, so I have, let's see, ummm, 10 months to go.

Actually I have the top all done...finally.  Hey, I am really good at the sewing machine.  I tell my students I have been sewing for 43 years and I KNOW what I am doing when it comes to a sewing machine, but I will NEVER, EVER (see the all caps thing)  buy a kit of pre-coordinated fabrics again!!

Just look at how cute these fabrics are.  They coordinate so well.  And there are all these cool textures for a baby to touch.  YE-AH!  But they are a sewing nightmare.  Remember, 43 years of sewing.  I have done wedding and bridesmaid dresses, Dumbo and Piglet costumes, a Harry Potter hat, a sequined looking prom dress that broke the needle every 5 minutes, etcetera, etcetera.  Lots of different weights, textures, amounts of stretchiness and slipperiness...But WHO thought it would be a good idea to put ALL these fabrics together in one project and hope for it to end up squared without puckers?   UGGGHHH!!!



The green velour stretches crosswise, but not lengthwise.  The flannel is stiff. The satin frays like it's trying to win a contest for first fabric to totally disintegrate!  The cottons would be perfect if they weren't teamed up with these other dillybops.  So that is my gripe--pairing fabrics that really don't like each other!

Me, who rarely has to unstitch sewing, has finally got the top "sewn" together, though I know where every little pucker and mismatched seam is.  Now it comes to the machine quilting part.  I fear even the stitching in the ditch is going to be a nightmare.  But I will persist.  Hey, I've got a deadline:  May 26, 2011.

What saddens me the most, is that I wanted to create something precious for someone precious.  I didn't realize what a hair-tearing experience it would be.

Sweet Little Sophie, I love you and your momma, Andi.  One of these days you'll get to hear all about the nightmare the making of this quilt was.  And if I end up like your great-great-grandma Virginia, you'll probably hear about it again and again and again.  Then you can all laugh at me for repeating myself.  I won't mind.  Been there.  Done that!

Where Does the Summer Go?

Anyone who thinks teachers just laze around for 3 months in the summer haven't got a clue.  First, we don't get 3 months off--more like 10 weeks, that's if you don't count the days for curriculum writing and summer workshops.  Then if you add in teaching summer school for 4 weeks...well, now I am down to about 5 weeks.  Yeah, I know that sounds like a lot of vacation time, but I am responsible for over 120 middle school students between ages 11-14 every day.  Want to trade?

Anyway, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Leah Day's "365 Days of Free Motion Filler Quilting Designs," and she was talking about all the things she wants to and has to get done.  I know the feeling.

I wish I had the time to learn to do everything and be good at it too!  In addition to wanting to get better at machine quilting, I love to do hand quilting, crochet, cross stitch...  I want to get better at machine embroidery and maybe make some money with that.  Here's a pic of the linen towel I made for my mom:

I want to learn how to do Tambour work, which is a type of chain stitching on netting.

I want to learn to speak Farsi (Persian) and would like to improve my French.  And I would like the opportunity to speak both languages with native speakers.

I wish I had time to read ALL the books I would like to read--books for fun and ones to stretch my brain. I bought  some new ones on the science of baking this summer that I want to explore further and then actually get to make some of the recipes.  This has a professional purpose as well as a personal one.

There just never seem to be enough hours in the day to do EVERYTHING!!  So I guess, then I should just concentrate on doing the things I can do and try to add a few new ones along the way.

To that end, I am off to brouse through my modern Persian book and listen to the CD's.  And maybe later, I will take a look at my "Baking Illustrated" book (or should I say tome).

TTFN,
Vickie

School's Out! The Fun Begins?

I think my mom is the only person who reads my blog--well, maybe a sister or two or three. Yes, I have 3 sisters, 1 brother, 4 nephews, 3 nieces, and 1 grand-niece. I am the second oldest and will have another birthday soon--not telling my age.

Summer school is out and I have had one whole week off. Have I done all I planned to do? Not yet. Who could do it all in one week?

I used to make lists of things I needed to get done by a certain date. Now I make lists of things I want to get done. It makes me feel much better when I don't finish everything. Hey, whatever it takes.

I have done a few things this past week, though. I made a lilac linen sheath dress. I stopped sewing for myself after I gained weight. No fun to make clothes when it seems everything looks yucky on you. But since I have lost about 12 lbs. since June 4, making and buying new clothes has become fun again.

I have a couple of more dresses, a jacket, pants, etc. that I would like to finish this summer. With losing weight (which I plan to I plan to continue doing), I have decided to change my style of dress--things a little more close-fitting--not so baggy.

I cleaned up and reorganized part of the kitchen. Not finished yet. I have new restaurant style shelves and a stainless steel counter to put together if I can get my darling son, JJ, to help me.

My new Brother embroidery machine came and I have tried it out on a tee-shirt. I have a couple of onsies I want to embroider for Sweet Sophie, my grand-niece. I am also considering doing some embroidery to sell at craft fairs. I found some lovely white linen hand towels I want to try this with. (Mom, ignore this, since I plan to do one for you to start with.)
Onesies and linen towels--good start.

I think I will see if I can remember how to add in photos and post pics of the 2 dresses I have made so far this summer.

I have more things on the list of "Things I Want to Do This Summer." Hey, sounds like a good title for my next post.

TTFN (Thanks, Tigger!)