Notches! I don't Need No Stinkin' Notches!

Not only do the Jedi have Librarians but they have Sewing Instructors and they both think they know everything.

Sewing class tonight had me facing off with the Instructor on "notches." I don't use notches. She said I had to in her class. "They will make it faster and easier." "Not if you know what you are doing." I said under my breath.

Both Liz and Barry told me to just be calm and humor her. She was also not too sure about my pattern choice especially since I had already cut most of it out (without her guidance)and said that I would not be using a lining.

She made Liz draw a diagram of the curtains she is making for Toad's room, but Barry charmed her and got away with no problems.

I did get to use the serger tonight and so far like what I have done. We will see how this goes but I refuse to use notches. Just because.

Next week we tackle "markings." I Don't use those either.

alas, i completed my first curtain - singular - despite having to sit through a lecture on cutting out patterns (i would have completed both if not for that). humor the old lady and use the machines, that's what i say.

*stands firmly in the....just say no to notches camp*

they just get in the way.....either that extra little.....blip...of fabric....or that little...cut....both are just totally in the way.....

*soft snicker*....i shoulda taken this class just to see if i could make this woman's head spin around in circles.....my philosophy is....the pattern is a guideline...not an ironclad contract that must be followed...or cut along for that matter.....presactly the way it was printed......acourse....i also don't use..."standard"...seam allowances....they just don't work for me....specially since (unless i'm in a hurryanditsgottabedonelikeyesterday) most every seam i do....is frenched.....

have fun....challenge her....knowledge.....don't hesitate to be....You....and all that stuff

meow.....




me*

troublemakers, the lot of you

>>>.....my philosophy is....the pattern is a guideline...not an ironclad contract that must be followed...or cut along for that matter.....presactly the way it was printed......<<<

Amen!...I listened to her talk about cutting out the patterns and just know that we would have come to a "disagreement" about this also. Both Barry and Liz would ask for my help or opinion, which I was happy to give, but I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure that Madam Jedi Sewing Instructor was not glaring.

But I will try and behave so I can experiment more with these machines. />

Notches are my friend! I like the use of notches, I can appreciate anything that will help me in lining up corresponding patterns. But I too have encountered notches that refuse to line up for me when the edges of the patterns do. In that case I try to find a happy meeting place between the two or I try to find out why the notches arent' matching up (i.e. fabric elasticity). But more than not I usually always side close to the alignment of the notches, if not with the notches.

From a teacher's perspective, she's probably trying to teach the class(as a collective unit) the "by the book" conventional rules of sewing she's required to in order to have that job. Usually a class' first assignment is an introductory assessment that allows her the opportunity to observe what varying degrees of sewing skills the students possess. However, as she interacts with everyone and the classes continue, she should begin to realize those varying degrees of skill amoung each person and will hopefully allow certain people more creative freedom and assist with instruction only when and if necessary...again, from a teacher's perspective!

From a Bounty Hunter's perspective... do you want the bounty dead or alive, it makes no difference to me!!!

I wish I could be in the class with you guys? It sounds really fun and I love being creative with sewing!

As I do understand that there are students in the class that know little or nothing about sewing (okay, most of them) The JSI -Jedi Sewing Instructor- is also aware that I have more experience. The class is a mixture of begining and advanced students. To crash I had to sign up for the begining class but there is no form as to which is which except in her mind, it seems. I told her from the start I was there to learn about using a serger and to pick up anything new since my last sewing class as a Freshman in High School.

I do see her point if I had chanllenged her in front of the class but this was one-on-one, and she was sooooo serious. It really was funny. I guess my Sithish nature has been ruffled by this JSI. Didn't she see the movie? Doesn't she know about the New Order?

So Bounty Hunter...dead or alive? Well there is always Order 66 to consider......

>>>So Bounty Hunter...dead or alive? Well there is always Order 66 to consider......

i would second that in the instance of this evil JSI. she is annoying. i wish she would just leave me alone and let me sew. as i recall, i had exactly the opposite problem with her 5 years ago. anyhow, as i was griping with my friend today at work, i just think she needs to come to terms with the fact that everyone is going to have a different style, and if we screw up, then SEW be it - it's our time and money. i really see her as more of a guide than a "teacher." i don't need anyone to teach me how to use scissors.

The course catalog for the term should have had a course description that explained what the class would entail. You guys were probably better suited for an advanced course taught by a Sith. Except for Barry that is, he could charm any lady instructor. He's already worked his magic on my wife, and she just loves him...

JSI=

Move over Jerry, cuz I think Barry is this group's "Don Juan".

Barry has always and will always be the group's don juan.

>>> The course catalog for the term should have had a course description that explained what the class would entail. <<<

Yes but it is held in one class room and she does not consider you to be advanced if you have not taken the course before at the school, as in my case. The best she has done is placed the advanced students in the back of the room near the sewing machines while the rest of us are trapped in the front.

>>>You guys were probably better suited for an advanced course taught by a Sith.<<<

Liz, like Barry, is learning to sew.

>>>Except for Barry that is, he could charm any lady instructor. He's already worked his magic on my wife, and she just loves him...<<<

I know. The man could charm the robes off the Statue of Liberty.


Move over Jerry, cuz I think Barry is this group's "Don Juan".

I read this too him and he has offered to give lessons. His head gets any bigger, between this and Liz saying he is the better Captain, it will either explode of he will never fit throught he door.

Last nights class went well with Barry charming the Jedi Sewing Mistress (Barry believes that Mistress is a better title so it has been changed) from the begining of class.

We were forced to watch her thread a bobbin and the sewing machine. Before anyone says anything, I understand that for those that are new to sewing this is an important step, but I threaded the bobbin and machine last week with no assistance and I still had to "join" the group. (Maybe Sith are not joiner's, if that is a word.) We were then given a little time to work on our projects then had to watch a video on textiles.

At the end of the evening Liz had finished her curtains and Barry had notched, marked, and pinned his project and even sewed one seam on the serger. I was able to sew in my darts. Two and one half hours to sew a few darts. Not large darts, just about 3 inches. Yet between JSM and her threading, video, and I forgot, demonstration on how to gather, and the young lady next to me that could not figure out how to thread the sewing machine let alone sew a seam, I did some darts.

Oh, and she made me notch my darts

notched darts??....ok...one question.....what if you don't want/need...the darts exactly as per the notches??....dunno about you??...but myself...and pretty much everybody i've ever sewn for i've gotta make adjustments....on pretty much everything....in a pattern so??....da notches get in the way.....


*still firmly in the...no notches...camp.....*


meow.....




me*

Amen!! These were small darts at the bust line and when she came by to see what I was doing i explained that I measure my darts and place pins and chalk marks depending upon the fabric. She moved a pin and snipped in a notch sayng that was easier.

I can't imagine what she will do with long darts.

***shudders at the thought***

It is official. JSM loves Barry. He has charmed her completely which is not such a bad thing because she is not bothering me as much. I was left alone and did get a little sewing done. Yet the serger that I like to use had the black thread removed and brown put on in its place. The other serger with black thread was being used by a woman sewing a white night gown. Although I never saw her actually sew she was there at that machine all night, or at least most of her stuff.

I helped Barry with interfacing and he sewed on a regular machine for the first time which is another reason I did not get a lot done. I had it set up with black thread which was what he needed. I realized tonight that the trousers he is making are a little more complicated then I thought but they will be great Pirate pants with a flap front.

The same young woman that sat near me last week and had such trouble threading the sewing machine and stitching a seam was again near me tonight and I discovered that she talks to herself. I'm talking conversations. The best part; her name is Ophelia. I keep expecting her to begin handing out flowers.

Liz was unable to attend class tonight so I guess JSM saved the second half of the 'textile' video for her return.

Oh before I forget. She wants us to notch our fabric before sewing in a circle, hems, etc...

yes, but, to be fair, Ophelia is originally from another country or something. her english isn't so great and you can tell she's really trying to make friends and such. she knew my name at the beginning of the second class and i didn't even remember seeing her ever before.

yay, another video. how wonderful.

anyhow, my grandma is out of the hospital and doesn't appear, for the time being, to have anything more serious than a bad bug. they thought she was having another heart attack originally, which is why i was so upset, and didn't make it to class.

liz, glad your grandma is OK

hope to see you saturday, i'm ready to let you hit me with a stick. gently.
and it looks like the RPG is on.
hope jerry can make it as well!

i'm definitely there. and jerry too, he's off saturday. sounds like a plan!!!

Liz, me and the Wizard are glad to hear that your grandmother is doing better. I hope this is something she can throw-off quickly. And we did miss you last night.

thank you, i missed you two as well, just as i will miss you both at our little gathering on saturday.

on the other hand, i am becoming quite the seamstress all by my onesies. i completed pajama bottoms for toad today, as well as the top of a peasant dress for her, which i'm basically making just for the practice. and as soon as someone shows me how to do the front/buttons on that cape, it will be done as well. so kiss that JSM.

my grandma is doing much better, she said she felt 100 times better today and they think she just had a nasty bug. i was just really worried because she has had heart surgery before, and is a diabetic (who frequently forgets meds, healthy food, etc), and their first assumptions were either a) another heart attack or b) diabetic shock. so yeah, very happy that is wasn't either.

Well next week I will help you with the buttons and the arm slits if you have not done those yet. I have to do some modifcations to the Dooku cape tomorrow because those shoulders are just too big. I hope I can find some fabric soon. I am also making Sid'ious a little Dooku cape, but don't tell Cheryl. Barry wants him to have his own lightsabre also. He has become our adopted son so we can now see how a Sith Lord is raised.

Have fun on Saturday and I guess we will see you on Tuesday.

yes, Tuesday shall be the day.

and scratch the top of the ren dress, i finished the outer portion of that bad boy. the mind was alive with the sound of sewing machine humming until the wee hours...

< I am also making Sid'ious a little Dooku cape, but don't tell Cheryl. grin Barry wants him to have his own lightsabre also. He has become our adopted son so we can now see how a Sith Lord is raised. >



just remember... no opposable thumbs.

Well class is over and the three of us did very well, I believe. It turned out to be a fun class and I learned the joys of serging. In fact I now have a serger so let the sewing begin.

I know that the Wizard and I got an "A" and I believe that Liz did also considering that she did a few more projects then either of us. Although I had to give up sewing time last night to put in a lap zipper to show JSM that I knew how to do this little feat. The Wizard however did not do any zippers nor even work with knit. (I made a bathing suit I will never wear.) Yet as points were being added up for grades he had one project counted as two, and given credit for a couple of other things until at the end he was 5 points short of an "A" when JSM decided that the gathers around the neck of his pirate shirt were so good they deserved 10 points.

I told him he would get an "A" no matter what. He just gave me the "what me?" face. Meanwhile the other ladies were asking if he was planning on taking the class again and he gave them his best smile and said, "of course."

I would take the class again and with Liz there we can whip up costumes as the Wizard charms JSM.

Oh, and Liz's new Barriss costume is looking really good. I just hope the machines are working.