Learning Something New

 Our library offered a free program on learning Sashiko, specifically the mending stitches.  I've done a couple of things as car projects and like how portable it is but I also knew I was doing it wrong.  The back is supposed to be as neat as the front and, well, it's a good thing I backed and quilted my projects so that wasn't seen.  I also didn't quite know how to travel the pattern and did want to know how to do that.  Jenny sent me a Sashiko project that I didn't want to start till I learned to do it right. 

We had two presenters, the talker and the helper.  Both were so patient.  It was a full room, and as I listened to the chatter around me I was surprised at how many people couldn't thread a needle.  In my head I applauded them for being there and trying something new. 

We were given this project.  A tote bag, water soluble small patterns to stick to our bag and our choice of embroidery floss, a needle and needle threader.   I know that embroidery floss is much less expensive than perle cotton and the range of colors is huge but it DID make for more difficult stitching.  I have not been quilting for a week or so to let my hands and fingers tame down a little before retreat but getting the needle through that gummy stick on pattern undid what I had been letting my hands rest from.

BUT I did learn.

The room was all set up for us, we just chose our thread colors and found a seat.  

This was an example of the patterns we were going to learn.  The red squares were what I wanted to learn how to do, the layering, the travelling.

We had good visuals and our presenter/teacher was SO patient.  I had to smile, though.  The class was for one hour and at each step she timed us.  "You have seven minutes to do this step." And when that seven minutes was up she moved on.  No one cried.  

This layering pattern was what I wanted to learn the most and I did have my "ah Hah!" moment.  So the hour was worth is just for this. 

Here are mine.  The circle patterns are called "steam," as in steam rising, and the squares were the layered stitching. We were told to arrange our patterns, stick them on and NOT to copy our neighbor!  That made me laugh.  So I positioned my steam to be coming out of the cups even though the bottom pattern was intended to mimic old Japanese money.  You know, the coins with the square cut out in the middle.

I thought the embroidery floss was too thick, we used all six strands, and the needle gummed up immediately from the sticky backing stuff and it confirmed forever in my mind why I don't use glue or fusibles in my quilt/sewing.  This is the part that made my fingers rebel. Pushing that needle through the gum and pulling it back out.  

But I did learn what I wanted to learn and it was a fun evening.

This was Library Friend Jessica's.  She was making such nice stitches! 

It was a full house, take this photo and double it for the second half of the room. Everyone's looked different because of their placement of the patterns and the color choices of embroidery thread.  There was even one young man there.  He might have been a son, brother or date but he was working diligently and learning something new.

Thank you to the library for sponsoring this event!