Miss Huggins was our needlework teacher at senior school. When we had spent endless months working on a simple x-stitch on large count Aida, we finally got to learn how to thread a sewing machine, change a bobbin etc. Then we were "tought" to use the machine (I hated it). We were meant to be making a blouse, with short sleeves and a collar. Well, by the time I had spent nearly two YEARS sewing and then unpicking my tacking stitches every week, I blardy LOATHED it and when it was finally finished, it was too small for me. What a waste of rations she was. Just gone back through time and looked up my old school and see other girls had the same problem!!
Which is why today I am making an absolute horlicks of just cutting out Rosie's little dress. I have managed to work out sewing the first bit of bodice together, but then hit a brick wall when it came to the shoulder strap, which for cutting out was placed on the fold. Well, that can't be right, as now I have one very WIDE piece and not two narrower shoulder straps . . . Plus there is a slight shaping to one side of the strap/s and in the picture they look straight! So, foiled right at the very beginning. I think I will just cut that piece in half lengthways and straighten the bendy edge and proceed. That was for size 1-2 years. Size 3 years shows it pinned to the selvedge . . .
It is still a bit hazy here from the smoke, but doesnt smell as smokey. The one at Llangynidr is almost under control now, and apparently the one at Rhayader is getting under control. Yet as fast as that happens, the happy arsonists set more fires. A couple of random small-at-the-moment ones just out of Llanwrtyd Wells but look to be on farms.
Saw that the Co-op had two steaks and chips on offer for £4 this week, so guess what I'm having for tea. One steak to go in the freezer. Beans from the garden.
Can we see a picture of the dress.? Hint: don't rely on the directions, use your common sense---YOU know what a little dress should look like.
ReplyDeleteThe teacher, ugh! Bad memories. I learned to sew by age 6, was sewing tailored wool garments by age 11 ish. BUT in design school [university] we had to take ''Tailoring". The teacher was all about tacking, basting, steaming, start over etc etc. By the time I got the the collar and lapels on, the beautiful deep green wool and velvet were in shreds. Really sad. Amazing I passed the course....
I feel your pain at the useless sewing lessons. I remember a very similar situation at my secondary modern school. We had to make an apron before we could do cookery and it was not your standard bib apron oh no it was more like a smock with a double yoke (back and front) , a gathered body, gathered cap sleeves, hand sown on poppers and a patch pocket. Then to be allowed to do PE in anything other than huge grey flannel knickers we had to make a gym slip (a grey wool wrap round skirt). As you can see I can remember a lot of detail, I think this is due to the trauma of those lessons with a teacher who expected an un-diagnosed dyslectic girl (at that time,late 60's early 70's, it was thought that only boys could be dyslectic) to follow instructions written in what seemed like a foreign language with her only input being to shout at me when I got it wrong.
ReplyDeleteI have since learnt how to sew clothes following a pattern but it was very much trial and error and anot something I do for pleasure.
Jane a regular reader in Nottinghamshire
My sewing teacher was awful too, an unmarried lady of a certain age! She once wrote in my school report ''if Gillian sewed as quickly as she talked, she would have finished her garment by now''. But as I told my Mum, she kept making me unpick it, tack it again and then when I had sewn it, she just ripped all the stitches out - very soul destroying. Its a wonder I ever took up sewing and knitting later on. Xx
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