Serger Showcase

The quilt store where I teach is a Bernina dealer. Dealers are required to host “events” at least once a year—a serger event, an embroidery event, etc. These events often are taught by Bernina educators, although I have taught a serger event in the past. Bernina comes up with the project and makes the kits available. These events are a great way for potential buyers to try out machines and for existing owners to get more comfortable with their machines.

For this year’s serger event, the store brought in Kathy Shalda, a Bernina educator from Texas. I didn’t want to take space in front of a machine that could have been used by a student but I did want to participate, so I offered to come and help as a second set of hands. I worked in the background to make sure the irons were hot, troubleshoot machine issues, and do whatever else was needed to help smooth the way for Kathy to teach the class. Our store was the first one in the US to host this season’s serger event. The first time a teacher teaches a class to a group of real students is absolutely nervewracking. We had a few hiccups, but by the end of the class, almost everyone had completed a tool caddy:

I also received a kit and will put together my tool caddy when I have a moment to sew.

Tera was in the class and wore a denim jacket with a beautiful motif she embroidered on the back:

I had a great time at the serger event. I wish I could help at the second session today (and so does Kathy), but I am committed to running the pie social. This is part of what frustrates me about my schedule—the tail ends up wagging the dog instead of the other way around. I may have committed to organizing and chairing this pie social, but I am also committed to handing pie social responsibilities off to someone else to manage in the future now that the event is organized and everything is written down. (Imagine an event without enough volunteers and with all of the information about how to make it happen riding around inside one person’s head. That has been the pie social up to this point.) Sewing is my business and I need to prioritize that before other activities.

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I visited my chiropractor on Thursday. I haven’t been since 2019 because I haven’t had any issues, but I probably should have gotten in earlier this summer. My right hip and right knee have been bothering me, not badly enough to interfere with my daily activities but causing enough discomfort to be noticeable. The massages have helped, but I needed further care.

The good news is that I don’t have any structural issues. I have no arthritis or degenerative problems. The problem is muscle weakness in the back of my leg that is causing the muscles in the front to shorten and pull my hip joint slightly out of place. The chiropractor gave me some exercises to do to help stretch and strengthen the affected muscles. I think that once I get the hip issue straightened out, the knee issue will resolve as well.

I really like my chiropractor. He is in the same office as my naturopath.

The I Spy quilt top is done; I put a border on it and now it’s ready for basting and quilting. I cut the baby quilt on Thursday afternoon. That one is going to be a simple half-square triangle pattern. Right now, HSTs are about all I can manage. I will be very happy when this weekend is over and the pie social is behind me.