Week 8 - How Exciting !!!!!

Notes of the Day:

You all need to remember to sign in. If you are working toward a certificate, this is a must. You must be here, 75% of all class hours. If you do not sign in, and there is an hours question, you would lose out because you failed to sign in. The school also needs to keep a record of your hours. If my courses have less than 26 students in EACH class, they will and DO close my classes. It is very important that you sign in.

Please remember that I will not be writing an A-Team email for the next 2 weeks. I have eye surgery on March 19th, and cannot use a computer till the following week. AND then, we have spring break starting March 28th. This means that the next A-Team communiqué will be on April 4th. I cannot do much for 2 days. I will be stuck in the condo. Call me with your questions. Keep me in your loop. I am honored that I have films to watch from Fran, Mark-Allen, and another friend of mine: Suki.

On Saturday, March 13, 2010, the San Diego Creative Stitchery Guild Presented: Once Upon A Stitch - their juried fashion show and luncheon. The clothes and accessories were just so inspiring !!!! We had a table all to ourselves after a little finagling. The Admiral Kidd Club is gorgeous !!! The view of the city is magnificent !!!! Linda, who I brought to the luncheon, took many pictures. When I receive them, I will bring them into the classroom to show you all !!!! So many people were there !!!! I counted at least 3 other instructors: Donna Namdar, Jenne Hill, and Patti Fuehrer. If I could remember all the students I ran into, I would list them here. As you all know, I am NOT good with names. All I can say is A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL !!!!

Remember: The week of March 28 to April 4 is Spring Break !

Class Notes:

Learn to Sew: We now have 3 students who finished their semester project and who will be starting their second project. I want and need to take pictures of you with your project. Lizeth, Ameilia, and Sahana please bring your projects in. I want to take a picture of you wearing your completed project. I will use this to affirm your certificate at the end of the semester. If any of the rest of you are ready…..Let Me Know !!!! I will take these pictures before or after class.

Week 7, we had 2 sew alongs. On Tuesday, we learned how to do the corded seam, the curved seam, and the inset right hand corner seam. Of course, I couldn't do the curved seam without "unsewing" it 3 times. On Thursday, we did thread bowls. It was lucky that I brought extra stabilizer. You need to come prepared to class. It is not all the time that I bring extra. Also, if you are lucky enough to receive product to do the sew along, maybe you should be prepared to stay in the class and actually do it. This was not fair to the other students who just had to sit and watch.

Week 8: This week is all about Serging. On Tuesday, I will be teaching you how to thread and rethread the Imagine sergers. We will practice 2 thread seams, 3 thread seams, rolled hems. On Thursday, March 18th, Paula & Mike Rupley will be coming to demo the 6 extra feet that you can buy with the Imagines. They all come in one package.

Week 9: On Tuesday, sew along with me to explore the decorative and utility stitches that come with your straight stitch sewing machine. You will see that they CAN and DO have overlock stitches. I am bringing in a magazine that shows you how to make your own lace trim !!! I know, we used these stitches to make the thread bowls. BUT now that we know the stitches are there…..let's put them to work !!!!

Designing with Master Patterns: Week 7 we put seam allowances on our curved dart dress pattern. We also slit the back for a 24-inch back zipper or for just a button closure.

Week 8: On Monday, we will make facings and interfacings. We will then be ready to start sewing up our garments during Week 9. Remember: THERE IS NO NIGHT CLASS ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17. Happy St. Patrick Day!!!!

Week 9: Remember to bring your digital cameras, black leggings and tight t-shirts during week 9. I will also be taking croqui pictures during this week, as you are sewing. During Spring break, you will be able to set up your croqui. I promise, I will show you how. (I have a power point.) If you don't have any photo software, you can use the free software that the IT tech, Doug Cruger, suggested: Download Paint.Net on http://www.dougstips.com/PAGES/free_programs.htm. I am sure…that by making the croqui, you will be inspired to design on it. Let your imagination go into the file cabinets of your mind. Start drawing on photocopies of your croqui. Can't wait to see what you can do !!!! Don't worry about patterning your design. I will show you how to do this with the quarter size master patterns I gave you. By now, you should have photocopied these at least 6 or 8 times each.

Links and 2 Student Contributions !!!!!

AN IRISH FRIENDSHIP WISH Thank you Dorma and Mark Allen for this Wish

May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

http://www.abc-machine-embroidery-designs.com/Email_Files/email_specials_100313.html Free St. Patrick Day embroidery.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/mat/1634662705.html Free Sewing Stuff. Thank you Mark-Allen !!!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610699488?bctid=31812464001 This is from a MOM. Thank you Debbie !!!! It's cute !!!!

http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/MainSite/HealthCenter.aspx?Healthcenter=WALT_HC%20Health%20Library&panelcode=BE001883&listcode=178120

The following is from Mary. Good to keep in mind !!!!

Because of recent abductions …………….

In daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation...
After reading these 10 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do : The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2.. Learned this from a tourist guide. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR , LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird.. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. They have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

10. Water scam! If you wake up in the middleof the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is aburst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all youroutside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate andthen attack.Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbors! Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or love one's life