Teaching Advanced Serger Techniques

I taught an advanced serger techniques class yesterday in Missoula for six students. The class had been requested by several of the ladies who took my mastery classes over the past year. I chose Gail Yellen’s Christmas stocking pattern for the class. Although we weren’t able to complete the project in the time allotted, the students were able to try every technique—or see it demonstrated on my machine—and each of them should be able to make a stocking at home. Sometimes, class is not the best place to try to make a project. Some of these techniques require practice and it is unreasonable to expect perfection right out of the gate. Still, we all learned (even the teacher) and had a lot of fun. I wish I had remembered to take some photos.

The Montana Department of Transportation has a major construction project on Highway 93 between here and Missoula, and travelers were warned to expect up to one-hour delays. I left at 6 am yesterday morning even though class didn’t start until 10 am. Even without construction, tourist traffic sometimes adds time to the commute and I wasn’t taking any chances. I got to Missoula in time to make a quick stop at both Walmart and Hobby Lobby before I had to be at the store for class. I picked up two more pieces of fabric from the Walmart remnant rack and snagged a remnant of green Kona from Hobby Lobby. I also bought thread and a few other items at the store.

Class ended at 5 pm, so I didn’t get home until about 7:30 pm. It made for a very long day, but an enjoyable one.

I am helping out at the church this afternoon and all day tomorrow. We need to get the new basement bathrooms finished before the bike tour, so I am going to be taping and mudding drywall. With projects like this, it’s all hands on deck, even the unskilled labor.

[We have a story at church about Margaret Kauffman going on a Mennonite Disaster Service trip. Apparently, when the MDS project director heard that an 80-year-old woman was going to be helping, he said, “And what am I supposed to do with an 80-year-old woman?” Someone from our church responded, “Hand her the tools and get out of her way.” Margaret knew what she was doing. I will be channeling my inner Margaret Kauffman while I work.]

I am going to be working on my own projects on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I am going to pretend that I am away on vacation and make myself unavailable. 😇 I’ll make some huge amount of food Thursday morning so I won’t have to cook for two days.

Also, I keep forgetting to mention Deana’s blog. She has done a great recap of their time here in Montana and she is much better about taking pictures than I am. She has four entries, one for each week that they were here in Montana.

Obligatory flower picture (calendulas):

I need to get out and look at the garden this morning.