Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sewing lessons



My neighbor Tina asked me to help her learn to sew. We decided to do a quilt/wall hanging for her first project in the disappearing nine patch design. We started this back in November. It got put on hold through the Holiday's and other things became a priority. Tonight we continued our lessons.


Now, I have probably known how to sew since I was born. It is just something I know how to do, maybe not well, but I am comfortable doing it and it seems second nature to me.


I never realized how difficult it could be for someone who has never attempted to do something before, especially when they wait till they are over 40 to try it. (The 'old dog, new trick' philosphy is making more and more sense to me since I got old.) I really have to give her a lot of credit for trying this, or even wanting to try it.


I know how she feels, I have been learning how to sing! Now don't laugh (those who have had the pleasure of hearing my singing) I was dragged into the choir at church by a mean old (just kidding) church lady! I have never been able to sing, I can't hear myself when I sing, and have no idea how to read music or anything. It is just awful!!! And to top it off, our choir is acapella, no musical instruments to drown me out. At first I was totally humiliated and wanted to just run out of the church. But I was too embarassed to let them know how upset it made me. So, I keep going back in hopes that they would tell me, "it's ok you don't have to sing anymore, we made a mistake". That would make me so happy, but no..... they tell me I am getting better. Ugh, if I could sing, I really wouldn't mind doing it. Sometimes I think I am doing a little better and I start to feel like it is going to be ok, but then I get the look and I know I am off key or need to sing higher or lower. I can't even get away with just moving my lips because she is right next to me...............


Anyway, back to sewing. Tina did pretty well. She is the only person I know of who can't cut with a rotary cutter, look she broke the blade trying......but she kept trying and she finally got the hang of it.


Tina may not ever be a great seamstress, but she can do other things that I can't do. She can play the flute, sing, wear a size 4, and is a math wiz. These are things I will never do or be good at. So, Tina you go girl!!!

1 comment:

Home ec new Haven said...

Ouch! Singing Deb? I only say this because I'm know that we received our singing talent from the same gene pool.
Well, if there is an impossible task to be done, YOU have always been (and contnue to be) the one to tackle it, master it and then re-invent it.
Go Deb and Jill!