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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 22 of 22. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:20:39
I had just put a fresh blade in my rotary cutter, was cutting some binding, then I clumsily dropped the cutter. Jerked my bare feet out of the way, but the iron was plugged in, and the blade hit the cord, slicing through its insulation, shorting out the wires. Shower of sparks and a couple chunks of the steel cutting blade vaporized -poof!-. Everyone, Aunt Tabby says: Respect household current. Now I hafta go to Walmart and get more blades. At least it didn't melt the plastic holder. Maybe I oughtta start wearing safety shoes when I use that thing. Dang.
Posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:23:27
In reply to Freakish electrical sewing disaster, posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:20:39
Posted by gabbix2 on May 15, 2004, at 19:42:26
In reply to Re: (more mishap than disaster really) (nm), posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:23:27
Are you absolutely certain those rotary clippers weren't trying to fly free and fling themselves at your face? I once saw a show on "The learning channel" about how the earth, fed up with the exploitation of mankind, would in the not so distance future use electric household objects to attack human beings and rid us from the planet forever. It showed families being held hostage by flying blenders. (Really)
It wasn't even sci-fi! It was done documentary style by some guy with a very deep serious newscasters voice and was called "When the earth strikes Back" (or something like that)
And was a theory of a few psychics brought to T.V I think. I mean I certainly can't blame the earth for being fed up with us... but that was just plain silly. So be careful with those thing...
Posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 21:47:21
In reply to (more mishap than disaster really) --Are you sure? » tabitha, posted by gabbix2 on May 15, 2004, at 19:42:26
yipes. Now you've made me afraid to run the dishwasher. I'm surrounded by sinister appliances...
Posted by Dinah on May 15, 2004, at 22:52:47
In reply to Re: (more mishap than disaster really) --Are you sure? » gabbix2, posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 21:47:21
Posted by shar on May 15, 2004, at 23:35:28
In reply to Freakish electrical sewing disaster, posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:20:39
Thank goodness you are ok! I am the person who cuts out 4 sleeves, sews one of the two needed on backwards, and have only recently figured out that one starts with the big wad of fabric in one's lap!
Lol! Your experience is really sort of the typical me, when sewing. I am glad you didn't get hurt! And....woo hoo! Fancy scissors! I've always wanted some....
Keep it up! BTW, what are you making?
Shar
Posted by 64bowtie on May 15, 2004, at 23:41:52
In reply to Freakish electrical sewing disaster, posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:20:39
Hope some one is handy at replacing or otherwise fixing Iron power cables. Course Harbor-Freight or Big-Lots is probably selling new Irons for what my Mom payed for ours in the mid 1950's; $7 bucks. ...And there's always yardsales; thousands of yardsales every week.
Rod
Posted by tabitha on May 16, 2004, at 2:17:43
In reply to Re: and safety goggles, toooo........ » tabitha, posted by 64bowtie on May 15, 2004, at 23:41:52
I became adept at patching power cords when I had free-range bunnies in the house. It just needs a bit of black electrical tape. Noooo problem.
Posted by tabitha on May 16, 2004, at 2:22:57
In reply to Re: Freakish electrical sewing disaster » tabitha, posted by shar on May 15, 2004, at 23:35:28
Oh, I've made a few mistakes like that. Got the print upside down on one shirt. A couple times I've cut pattern pieces wrong side up, then I have to re-cut, then I run low on fabric, so the longsleeved shirt ends up 3/4 sleeve. This project is a sleeveless shell, in an insect print t-shirt knit, with a funky wrap-style front I invented, and trimmed in black. So far so good.
Posted by spoc on May 16, 2004, at 5:20:49
In reply to Re: Freakish electrical sewing disaster » shar, posted by tabitha on May 16, 2004, at 2:22:57
Hi Tabitha,
I am as stalked by electrical appliances as they come, so I can be of no comfort since it is quite clear to me that they can be conspiratorial. I try to keep them separated to the extent possible when I bring a new one home, so they don't get to plotting. Maybe it would help if I wore my tin foil hat more often? ;- ) I do seem to short circuit anything I come near, no matter how good the brand. I have no blade-flinging incidents to report yet, but that's only because none of my sharp objects are electrically powered (thank goodness).
But anyway! I actually wanted to ask a serious question. I have always wanted to learn how to sew, but have never had more than a junior high school home ec class where we sewed really bad smocks. It's been quite a few years since then, and I can sew up holes in things ok, but that's about it. However, I am very adept and quite well known for doing a smashing job of "tailoring" my clothes with pins in the areas they tend to fit me oddly in my opinion. And some other strange things, like using this water soluble body glue I found that can hold some annoying little thing in place (fabrics, not body parts).
Anyway! My first interest would be in learning tailoring, whereby I could save many unworn items that languish around here, and I figure also get a better fit out of inexpensive items. Then later, maybe I'd want to learn how to make clothing. So, my question is, is this the kind of thing someone can just teach themselves if they buy a sewing machine? Or is taking some class usually necessary? I don't know anyone who sews or I'd enlist help that way.
Maybe I could replace my computer addiction with a sewing machine addiction! At least that would be a little more active, and might make me want to get out and wear the items instead of slipping into the physical inertness that comes from sitting in front of a computer for too many hours! (Sewing as an increase in physical and social activity. How silly!) :- )
Posted by ghost on May 16, 2004, at 12:23:32
In reply to Re: Freakish electrical sewing disaster » tabitha, posted by spoc on May 16, 2004, at 5:20:49
spoc: whatever you do, don't buy one of those handheld battery operated jobs. what a waste of money!
tabitha: free range bunnies! that cracked me up. btw... i have a few extra pairs of safety goggles lying around... ;)
Posted by tabitha on May 16, 2004, at 14:12:16
In reply to Re: Freakish electrical sewing disaster » tabitha, posted by spoc on May 16, 2004, at 5:20:49
but spoc, the non-powered rotary cutter and the iron obviously conspired. The iron said 'hey, I'm plugged in, and you've got a razor-sharp metal blade-- you just need to wait for the right moment to leap! together we can create chaos!.' and the cutter said 'I am but a simple manual device, I bow to your electrically powered complexity, I do your bidding, master!.'
I only had 7th grade home-ec sewing class too. I'm teaching myself from internet, and looking at the construction of clothes I have, and clothes in stores. I'm not really interested in making tailored shirts, jackets, etc-- I'm just making simple knit tops. You can find classes in tailoring and garment construction at a college that has fashion design. I found a couple good forums-- sewingworld.com and patternreview.com. Just what you need-- more internet resources, ey?
Posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:55:38
In reply to Re: Freakish electrical sewing disaster » spoc, posted by tabitha on May 16, 2004, at 14:12:16
HA! Gotcha beat! I didn't even have home ec!
Please to remember that I come from a really nasty childhood, etc, so don't let the fact that my mother and grandmother sewed make you think that one of them taught me -- how I wish to goodness they had! Same as when my mother 'taught' me to knit: she handed me a ball of yarn, two knitting needles, and a Learn How book. (If you want to learn to knit, though, that Coats and Clarke Learn How book is still available and is the BEST.) I could watch my mother sew, which did help, but I didn't watch much -- that was one of the things that tended to bring out her most violent frustrations. As an adult, I did take a class in hand stitches, but that's about the extent of my sewing education.
If you get one good book -- and there are a lot out there -- it should be a great start. The tricks I have learned that have helped me the most are:
1. Throw out any Teflon ironing board covers. They do not work for pressing anything you sew: they reflect the heat and moisture back up into the fabric, when you want the heat and moisture to be absorbed by the ironing board cover and pad. Cotton canvas is the best, and the hardest to find. If you have any old wool blankets, you can throw them into the washer on hot, and throw them into the dryer on not so hot, to felt them. That makes about the best ironing board pad you can find. (Obviously, don't do this if this is your only blanket, just for wool blankets past retirement.)
2. Get a really, really good iron, with steam. It needs to get really hot, too, for a lot of things. Rowenta, a company I have a huge amount of affection for (an old family friend designed the typeface on their products), does not get very hot. It is good on steam, though.
3. Don't get into a hurry. I hardly think I need to add anything there, right? (Trust me, that explains a LOT of the half finished things in my closets...)
4. Press EVERY seam before sewing any intersecting seams. NEVER sew over an unpressed seam, not matter how tempting.
5. Be accurate in cutting and stitching.
6. In sewing as in life, if you don't enjoy it, don't do it.
And spoc: tailoring involves sewing, but is not the same as sewing. Sewing is pretty easy, tailoring is not. If you're sure you mean tailoring, well, you might be able to learn from a book and some practice, but classes help. Sewing, on the other hand, is a whole nother ball of wax: anyone who wants to learn, can learn. (Operative word is "wants" -- if you only maybe think about maybe someday learning, that's not wanting.)
But, for both of you, most of our local fabric chain stores do have sewing classes. I can't imagine they don't have classes elsewhere, too, so check them out if you're looking to learn.
Good luck, and tell us how things go
Posted by Ilene on May 16, 2004, at 20:00:56
In reply to Tabitha and spoc, posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:55:38
Posted by Ilene on May 16, 2004, at 20:07:59
In reply to Freakish electrical sewing disaster, posted by tabitha on May 15, 2004, at 19:20:39
Many years ago I stepped on the cord of my very old iron and it sparked and shorted out. Quite dramatic. I was wearing rubber-soled shoes, luckily.
I like to sew, but now that I have enough energy to do so I need to devote my energy to moving. I gave away some of my fabric. That was hard. Giving away patterns was not so hard, because you can get them for 99 cents on sale, and they go out of style. I've given away a few books, too.
I decided to buy some African fabric before I move, because I don't think it's as available where I'm going. Self-indulgent, I know.
Posted by spoc on May 16, 2004, at 20:23:43
In reply to Tabitha and spoc, posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:55:38
> Good luck, and tell us how things go
<<<<<<< You mean someone actually thinks I might *do* any of the things I claim to want to (and might be paying attention for signs of progress)??
HAAAAAAA Racer, I am like SO WAY TOTALLY kidding, that was all worth it and very helpful, I can tell already without even parking my butt at the (nonexistent) machine yet! I even printed it out as a show of faith in myself. Now, if I can just extricate myself from this computer...!
Ok, I will, I will post back when I have a progress report to give. So, then, I guess that means I'll be talking to you again when I have a clone of George Clooney for a husband (and heck, why not just clone the kids too), and a genetically engineered, self-washing and chopping Cobb salad garden.
HAAAAAAAAAAA again! I am STILL so way like totally kidding. I really appreciate the info, and am serious in that I would kill to be able to tailor.... yes, *tailor,* unfortunately. But at least I do know there are some classes offered around here. ;- )
P.S. Hmmmmm.... doesn't a Cobb salad sound super right now? Get me to a phone, my delivery dialing finger is heating up!
Posted by gardenergirl on May 17, 2004, at 8:02:45
In reply to Re: EEEEEEEKKKK!!! » Racer, posted by spoc on May 16, 2004, at 20:23:43
> and a genetically engineered, self-washing and chopping Cobb salad garden.
Where can I get one of those? How cool would that be? Especially is it were a garden without rabbits or squirrels, who steal all my tomatoes. Last season I got ONE! ONE!
>gg
Posted by gardenergirl on May 17, 2004, at 8:04:43
In reply to Tabitha and spoc, posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:55:38
>
> 1. Throw out any Teflon ironing board covers. They do not work for pressing anything you sew: they reflect the heat and moisture back up into the fabric, when you want the heat and moisture to be absorbed by the ironing board cover and pad.Aha! No wonder I think ironing now s*cks! I thought Teflon would be great. The old, threadbare thing I had before was better than this piece of junk on my ironing board now. Wait, I thought ironing s*cked before. Hmmmm. Well it's worse now.
Thanks for the advice! I have just the blanket to shrink.
gg
Posted by spoc on May 17, 2004, at 8:21:01
In reply to Re: EEEEEEEKKKK!!!, posted by gardenergirl on May 17, 2004, at 8:02:45
> > and a genetically engineered, self-washing and chopping Cobb salad garden.
>
> Where can I get one of those? How cool would that be? Especially is it were a garden without rabbits or squirrels, who steal all my tomatoes. Last season I got ONE! ONE!
<<<<<< .....rabbits, squirrels, tomato gardens, grassy hills, daisy chains, Green Eggs and Ham... I'm LIKING the way this day is starting! [See, I'm stuck in a concrete jungle myself.... could skip down the driveway of my highrise, but the people here probably already wonder about me enough...] ;- )...sorry for any confusion dear readers, I'm not 'having a moment..' I'm referring to gg's "Inner Child" post just now! :- D
Posted by shar on May 17, 2004, at 11:01:45
In reply to Re: Freakish electrical sewing disaster » tabitha, posted by spoc on May 16, 2004, at 5:20:49
I took classes when I got my sewing machine, but I have lousy spatial ability, so my sewing is at least as much un-sewing as actual machine use.
The classes did help quite a bit, but maybe because it doesn't come naturally to me I needed them more than most. My sister can eyeball something and then go make it. She now has custody of my sewing machine, and rightly so.
I thought your post was hilarious.
Shar
Posted by spoc on May 17, 2004, at 13:05:43
In reply to Classes and good spatial ability » spoc, posted by shar on May 17, 2004, at 11:01:45
Posted by Racer on May 18, 2004, at 1:25:10
In reply to Racer, what's your favorite iron? (nm), posted by Ilene on May 16, 2004, at 20:00:56
This is the end of the thread.
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