Taking a break
 

I'm taking a break before tackling the last part of a project. DD's friend
called me yesterday to ask if I could hem some dance pants for her. Sewing
buttons and hemming pants...some of the most practical sewing projects but I
put them off as often as possible. It must be my "time" though. DH left me
a jacket on the kitchen table yesterday with one of the front buttons lying
beside it. I promptly fixed it to get it off my conscience.
Last night DD and friend stopped by so I could mark these polyester wide
legged pants. The pants come unhemmed and VERY long. I now have them
marked, trimmed, and the edge serged. Of course that meant I have spent an
hour rethreading my serger after retrieving it from the closet.....where HAS
that manual gone??? (And I DID try to rethread it by tying the new threads
to the old ones....didn't work out this time.) I now can't decide if I
should blind hem or just topstitch the hems. I did leave a 2" hem for any
further adjustments in the future. We marked the pants to her flattest
dance shoes. This girl is quite an accomplished swing dancer and this is
part of a new costume. I'd never make any money with alterations or custom
sewing. Too slow!

--
Kathyl
remove "nospam-" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz

Howdy!
What a neat, newsy post.
Thanks, Kathyl. Good luck on the hemming project.
Story of my life: hemming! G
ooo swing dancing--cool!
Enjoy your break.
Ragmop/Sandy
"KJ" wrote in message
news:Ej9Id.19457$OF5.4920@attbi_s52...
I'm taking a break before tackling the last part of a project. DD's
friend
called me yesterday to ask if I could hem some dance pants for her.
Sewing
buttons and hemming pants...some of the most practical sewing projects but
I
put them off as often as possible. It must be my "time" though. DH left
me
a jacket on the kitchen table yesterday with one of the front buttons
lying
beside it. I promptly fixed it to get it off my conscience.
Last night DD and friend stopped by so I could mark these polyester wide
legged pants. The pants come unhemmed and VERY long. I now have them
marked, trimmed, and the edge serged. Of course that meant I have spent
an
hour rethreading my serger after retrieving it from the closet.....where
HAS
that manual gone??? (And I DID try to rethread it by tying the new threads
to the old ones....didn't work out this time.) I now can't decide if I
should blind hem or just topstitch the hems. I did leave a 2" hem for any
further adjustments in the future. We marked the pants to her flattest
dance shoes. This girl is quite an accomplished swing dancer and this is
part of a new costume. I'd never make any money with alterations or
custom
sewing. Too slow!

--
Kathyl
remove "nospam-" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz

Thanks Sandy...but I can't help to wonder if I was just looking for a
distraction and then bored the group with my musings.
Follow-up: pants are done, used a blind hem stitch with the idea that if
it doesn't hold up, I can topstitch later.
I'm also a little nervous about a job interview (a follow up/second one) DS
has this afternoon. This kid (in college) has the worst time getting any
feedback on applications. I've told him I want to check the next one he
hands in...is it sloppy? Misspelled? Who knows? Anyway, my fingers are
crossed and I'm hoping and praying it goes well for him. He needs the
confidence a successful interview can give him.



" Ellison" wrote in message
m...
Howdy!
What a neat, newsy post.
Thanks, Kathyl. Good luck on the hemming project.
Story of my life: hemming! G
ooo swing dancing--cool!
Enjoy your break.
Ragmop/Sandy
"KJ" wrote in message
news:Ej9Id.19457$OF5.4920@attbi_s52...
I'm taking a break before tackling the last part of a project. DD's
friend
called me yesterday to ask if I could hem some dance pants for her.
Sewing
buttons and hemming pants...some of the most practical sewing projects
but
I
put them off as often as possible. It must be my "time" though. DH
left
me
a jacket on the kitchen table yesterday with one of the front buttons
lying
beside it. I promptly fixed it to get it off my conscience.
Last night DD and friend stopped by so I could mark these polyester wide
legged pants. The pants come unhemmed and VERY long. I now have them
marked, trimmed, and the edge serged. Of course that meant I have spent
an
hour rethreading my serger after retrieving it from the closet.....where
HAS
that manual gone??? (And I DID try to rethread it by tying the new
threads
to the old ones....didn't work out this time.) I now can't decide if I
should blind hem or just topstitch the hems. I did leave a 2" hem for
any
further adjustments in the future. We marked the pants to her flattest
dance shoes. This girl is quite an accomplished swing dancer and this
is
part of a new costume. I'd never make any money with alterations or
custom
sewing. Too slow!

--
Kathyl
remove "nospam-" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz

Keeping my fingers crossed for your DS too! Don't forget to update us --
especially if he gets the job.

More power to you on that hemming project -- I just don't like that kind of
sewing any more, and I put it off as long as humanly possible. On the other
hand, I can sit for four hours straight and hand stitch the binding on a
quilt and be just as happy as can be.

--
Louise in Iowa
nieland4 at mchsi dot com
http://community.webshots.com/user/louiseiniowa

"KJ" wrote in message
news:6NbId.20216$eT5.14989@attbi_s51...
Thanks Sandy...but I can't help to wonder if I was just looking for a
distraction and then bored the group with my musings.
Follow-up: pants are done, used a blind hem stitch with the idea that if
it doesn't hold up, I can topstitch later.
I'm also a little nervous about a job interview (a follow up/second one)
DS
has this afternoon. This kid (in college) has the worst time getting any
feedback on applications. I've told him I want to check the next one he
hands in...is it sloppy? Misspelled? Who knows? Anyway, my fingers are
crossed and I'm hoping and praying it goes well for him. He needs the
confidence a successful interview can give him.



" Ellison" wrote in message
m...
Howdy!
What a neat, newsy post.
Thanks, Kathyl. Good luck on the hemming project.
Story of my life: hemming! G
ooo swing dancing--cool!
Enjoy your break.
Ragmop/Sandy
"KJ" wrote in message
news:Ej9Id.19457$OF5.4920@attbi_s52...
I'm taking a break before tackling the last part of a project. DD's
friend
called me yesterday to ask if I could hem some dance pants for her.
Sewing
buttons and hemming pants...some of the most practical sewing projects
but
I
put them off as often as possible. It must be my "time" though. DH
left
me
a jacket on the kitchen table yesterday with one of the front buttons
lying
beside it. I promptly fixed it to get it off my conscience.
Last night DD and friend stopped by so I could mark these polyester
wide
legged pants. The pants come unhemmed and VERY long. I now have them
marked, trimmed, and the edge serged. Of course that meant I have
spent
an
hour rethreading my serger after retrieving it from the
closet.....where
HAS
that manual gone??? (And I DID try to rethread it by tying the new
threads
to the old ones....didn't work out this time.) I now can't decide if
I
should blind hem or just topstitch the hems. I did leave a 2" hem for
any
further adjustments in the future. We marked the pants to her flattest
dance shoes. This girl is quite an accomplished swing dancer and this
is
part of a new costume. I'd never make any money with alterations or
custom
sewing. Too slow!

--
Kathyl
remove "nospam-" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 15:36:04 GMT, "KJ"
wrote:

I'm taking a break before tackling the last part of a project. DD's friend
called me yesterday to ask if I could hem some dance pants for her. Sewing
buttons and hemming pants...some of the most practical sewing projects but I
put them off as often as possible. It must be my "time" though. DH left me
a jacket on the kitchen table yesterday with one of the front buttons lying
beside it. I promptly fixed it to get it off my conscience.
Last night DD and friend stopped by so I could mark these polyester wide
legged pants. The pants come unhemmed and VERY long. I now have them
marked, trimmed, and the edge serged. Of course that meant I have spent an
hour rethreading my serger after retrieving it from the closet.....where HAS
that manual gone??? (And I DID try to rethread it by tying the new threads
to the old ones....didn't work out this time.) I now can't decide if I
should blind hem or just topstitch the hems. I did leave a 2" hem for any
further adjustments in the future. We marked the pants to her flattest
dance shoes. This girl is quite an accomplished swing dancer and this is
part of a new costume. I'd never make any money with alterations or custom
sewing. Too slow!

One of my (very short!) friends worked out that I have a sewing
machine, and phoned up to ask if I would hem up 3 pairs of trousers
for her. I didn't want to say "no", but I didn't really want to say
"yes" either.... so I said, "I'll make you a deal. I'll hem the
trousers, you show me how to make a curry. Any curry." Sejal is from
Gujurat, India.
So she came round, we made a curry (plus she brought another one she
had made for her & her husband's own dinner) and I fixed the
trousers... while she continually freaked out over Sasha. Apparently
they don't keep cats as pets in India - she'd never heard a cat purr,
for example.
But it was a good trade. Sasha's psychological scars are healed
now. Just.



-- Jo in Scotland

Hi Jo
Sounds like quite a good bit of barter. However, unless you need a lot
more cooking lessons (and psych sessions for Sasha), you might have to
consider helping Sejal to find and learn how to use a sewing machine!!
Smudge

On 23 Jan 2005 07:26:27 -0800, "smudge in oz"
wrote:

Hi Jo
Sounds like quite a good bit of barter. However, unless you need a lot
more cooking lessons (and psych sessions for Sasha), you might have to
consider helping Sejal to find and learn how to use a sewing machine!!
Smudge

I went and bought fresh red chili peppers (I haven't had time to get
to the Indian grocery store for dried red chili) and ginger paste. I
am ready for my next fresh-greens-spicy-curry.
The whole Sasha-Sejal episode was funny (now) and good for us,
because I now realize that not everyone keeps cats as pets, and Sejal
thought the fact that some people do keep cats as pets! So we all
learnt something. Sasha learnt that there are people out there who
think she is a cat, instead of a small hairy child. !
I don't mind helping a friend, as long as I don't turn into the
neighborhood mending woman.
Next time I'm going round Sejal's (Sasha will stay home) and we will
make bhajis and some other delights. I'm hungry just thinking about
it.


-- Jo in Scotland

Hey! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! I love piecing
and appliqué, machine and hand quilting. I love machine embroidery. But
I absolutely hate mending or making clothing alterations. It's fun to
start from the beginning, but I can barely force myself to mend.

A long time ago, I did tell my family that my brand new (then) Bernina was
not meant for sewing up blue jeans hems. At least not my sweet Bernie.

René



"Louise" wrote in message
news:JZbId.20243$eT5.1711@attbi_s51...
(Snip...) More power to you on that hemming project -- I just don't
like that kind of
sewing any more, and I put it off as long as humanly possible. On the
other
hand, I can sit for four hours straight and hand stitch the binding on a
quilt and be just as happy as can be.

I have at times supported myself, and (ex) hubbie by doing repairs and
alterations. Yes I can do it. But........... It is so much more fun to
start from scratch, and often easier too.
I will do hems, but hate doing other stuff like that.
Told DH long ago that broken jean zippers mean a new pair of jeans. It
is just easier and less frustrating. (Unless the jeans are really close
to new. G )

Pati, in Phx

René wrote:

Hey! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! I love piecing
and appliqué, machine and hand quilting. I love machine embroidery. But
I absolutely hate mending or making clothing alterations. It's fun to
start from the beginning, but I can barely force myself to mend.

A long time ago, I did tell my family that my brand new (then) Bernina was
not meant for sewing up blue jeans hems. At least not my sweet Bernie.

René



"Louise" wrote in message
news:JZbId.20243$eT5.1711@attbi_s51...
(Snip...) More power to you on that hemming project -- I just don't
like that kind of


sewing any more, and I put it off as long as humanly possible. On the


other


hand, I can sit for four hours straight and hand stitch the binding on a
quilt and be just as happy as can be.