21 July 2011

We Have A Winner!

I know all three contestants have been on pins and needles (how appropriate, right?) to see who would win my vintage Singer attachment giveaway. Well, the waiting is over, the random number generator came up with number 2 so the winner is Tors, of Girl Meets Wolf! Hooray! This is only fair, and restores balance to the universe, because I won a contest on Torie's blog (when it was Welsh Pixie) and have been using the bright handmade bag I won to hold my knitting (and unknitting and reknitting ...) lately. But I didn't cheat, I really did use the random number generator, although I'm too techno-lame to publish the proof here.

Now, I think vintage Singer attachments are the greatest thing since sliced bread, but maybe the thin turnout for my giveaway indicates they are an acquired taste? I'll try to come up with something of more general appeal for my 100th post. After I come up with 29 more posts, of course.

Can't have a post without pictures, so here's my grandmother:Ella

and my generation of her descendants from our recently concluded family reunion.
P1010044 2

01 July 2011

Learning All The Time

One of the wisest things I've ever read about teaching--especially teaching law--is that it is very good for a professor to take lessons in something difficult in one's spare time--a new language, piano, auto mechanics, etc. The idea is never to lose touch with what it is like to be utterly bewildered and unable to master a new skill despite great efforts to do so. I think sewing might fit the bill for me. Today's example: I have now made Simplicity 2580 three times, each time using the same traced version of the pattern, each time without major mistakes. The only real difference among these three versions is the fabric:

Opus 1: a hearty cotton jersey:IMG 0039
Does she have her hoodie on back to front?

Opus 2: a much thinner, limper cotton-poly jersey:IMG 0065
Look! That was supposed to be a cowl neck! Who knew?

Opus 3: silk jersey from yesterday:IMG 0171
This one's only decent because I tucked it into my bra--otherwise it sags below my underwear.

So, just as when my students ask me a question about law and I answer with a question, the answer to "will this fit?" is "what are you making it out of?"

Sigh.