It was a fun little session. The woman teaching was a bit of a know-it-all but I guess that's okay, it's not bragging if you can do it. I was really surprised to learn a few things I was doing wrong - button holes for one. But before that, I had to endure a bit of mild humiliation when I set down my machine. I took off the case et voila - Fraulein Peggy:
The teacher asked me if I'd already used my sewing machine and I said "Yes, she's already gotten some gold-stars."
To which the teacher responded "Oh, is this for your daughter in 4-H?"
And I very quietly replied "No... for me."
The mild humiliation came from the realization that I am in fact old enough to have a daughter in the 4-H, and that, well I've just revealed to a complete stranger that I (a woman old enough to have a daughter in 4-H) give my sewing machine stickers when she completes a project. I am so glad I didn't introduce my machine by name!
She showed me how to do free-motion quilting, and quite neatly wrote my name in script, then had me practice. I did pretty well if I do say so myself. Here's a bit I did when I got home.
There should be a bit more of a space between "kicks" and "ass" but you get the idea. ;)
Overall I'm really glad I took the class. I really like teaching myself to do new things, and I feel quite confident in my ability to figure things out. But sometimes it's hard for me to realize that I could actually learn more from taking a class than by trying to learn everything on my own. So I'll have to look into taking a real quilting or sewing class. Who knows? I might even learn how to do a proper zipper!!!
I'm working on yet another secret project. It's almost done, and I hope to post pictures in the next week or so. =)
11 comments:
OK, this story made me smile really hard.
Rebel does kick ass! And I'm glad she's not afraid to free-motion quilt it to the world!!
: )
Hee! Your machine was probably the smartest in the whole class! All those other dumb machines with NO gold stars! You know they were all jealous of Frauline Peggy.
Yeah that lady was totally just jealous that her machine doesn't have any gold stars!!!
Yep, she wanted the gold stars! Good to take a class. I learned a lot on my own, but taking classes once in a while helped me to learn new things!! Nice free-motion quilting there!!
yeah i know what you mean. i'm what you might call a "cheap bastard" and i feel like if i can't learn something on my own without paying someone to teach me, it isn't worth learning.
You guys are so sweet, and you're right -she probably was jealous! Gold Stars all around (or pink, or purple - whatever makes you happy.)
brandy - that's my other issue, I hate spending money on classes for 'fun' when I could be spending that money on the actual materials!
A fresh point of view is sometimes helpful, no matter how lacking in humor. :-(
Hardly anyone ever gets my fun stuff either. Do some people just not 'feel' the magic of life and how gold stars are important?
I've seen it in many child free people, this need for 'cuteness' that isn't fulfilled by kids but substituted by something else. Like naming your machine and giving it gold starts, or having pets, or having a bunch of stuffed monkeys and giving them names and stories, (me ;-). I think we really crave that cute. Other straight laced people (who've had kids) just don't get it.
And some gyno doctor on PBS two weeks ago said that our female response to 'cuteness' creates hormonal stimulation that 'keeps us young', whatever that means. I think she meant it gets the estrogen flowing. The older we get, the more we need the 'cute' because 'cute' makes us care and caring about something other than yourself is important to keeping healthy as we get older. (Do you like my armchair half assed 'scientific assumptions? Hah! ;-)
I love that you can 'sew-write' now!
I'm gland you took the class, and it work out for you! I really should take some class at some point, I know I have like other classes I've taken in the past!!!
i have to say, i'm really impressed that you were able to write something with your sewing machine. isn't that like being able to write something by holding the pen still and moving the paper?
J - Ok, I just tried holding the pen and moving the paper - that's harder than sewing your name. With sewing you have both hands free to move the fabric.
Magatha - I think you've got something with that cuteness theory. I think (most) women have mothering instincts, and those behaviors are either going to come out in reaction to actual children, or pets or crafts or themselves, whatever.
I'm a 30 year old woman with a tropical fish-shaped bag. If the gold stars make you happy, you stick as many of those things on your sewing machine as you can fit.
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