Please join our sewing group !

[Teresa]

I know this a regular occurence for me now but today I had some jobs to do around town, so I slipped on my wrap skirt , Tshirt, wedges , did my makeup and set off . My first job was to drop into a taxi office to book a taxi for our ball on Friday night , the office was shared with a tattoo artist so we had some fun for a few minutes on what he thought would look good on me ( No way Jose !). I went onto looking for bits of jewellery in the charity shops but didn't find much instead I bought some heeled sandals. I really needed to get to the sewing shop because I had broken all my threading aids and I also needed a curved needle to repair the trim on an upholstered chair . At the time the shop owner had a sewing class in progress at one end of the shop , as I bought the items I needed more of the ladies were taking an interest in me , so I said I'de love to learn how to use a sewing machine really well , at that they chimed in one after the other that I really must join their sewing class , one even offered me a sewing machine . It was one of those moments yet again when you feel you've arrived . It brought to mind Ashley's thread in the TS section where she is trying to integrate into the women's golf circle with mixed feelings , a sewing group really is a women's domain and I was being asked openly to join them, how lovely and accepting is that ?

[Shelly Preston]

That's great Teresa

I hope you accepted there offer.

On one of my shopping trips, I was once given a short lesson on sewing when purchasing a machine. I found out her job was to teach the staff how to use the machines.

How could a refuse expert help

[Beverley Sims]

I can sew and and my wife is even more artistic, I was cleaning out her sewing room the other day and we decided all the quilting pieces had to go.

Well it did not quite happen as I decided a patterned skirt was in the making here.

Teresa, take up the offer and become really integrated.

Scrap booking went, but ceramics and the oven stays.

[RADER]

I was a Carpenter for over 50 years, I built round and radius stair's
I built million dollar houses, with the highest trim you could imagine.
But I can not sew on a button
Rader

[Lana Mae]

I can sew a button on and do very minor repairs by hand! I have never used a sewing machine though! Maybe you should give it a try, Teresa! As in my thread about church and the women's groups! I just might take them up on some of them-after my appointment with the pastor! Give it some thought! New skill and new friends! Best wishes! Hugs Lana Mae

[Rayleen]

We have a singer sewing machine for years, and my wife taught me how to sew. I also fixed adjustments when needed.

Love to sew

Rayleen

[Judy-Somthing]

In high school back in the mid 70s girls demanded that they were allowed to take the so called guy shop classes, like sheet metal, woodworking, etc.
So the school made the guys take cooking or sewing so I took sewing.

I ended up being the best in the class. Little did they know is was due to having a love to wear dresses.
I made a few for myself and also a few for my girlfriend.

The advantage of sewing now is half the dresses I get at the thrift are usually to small and I can add a few inches to them.

[GracieRose]

Teresa,
You amaze me.
It seems like not long ago, you were so concerned about going out and about as Teresa; thinking of all the unfortunate things that might happen.
Look at yourself now.
You've come a long way, baby (to quote an old advertisement).
Keep it up. Your excitement is infectious.
-Gracie

[t-girlxsophie]

That's great,I Hope your going to go for it

Sophie

[Jaylyn]

Teresa I think you need to definitely join them, sewing is a very good thing to know and since they asked I'd say give me a needle and thread let's start now. I do my own sewing on my jeans that rip on the farm. My wife doesn't sew so I have to.

[Rachelakld]

I booked a class for Rachel, 15 years ago, but with only 5 takers, the class was cancelled.
I sold my machine last year as all my young ones no longer needed my sewing skills

[Kiwi Primrose]

Go for it Teresa. There is nothing more pleasant than the company of women in a group like this. They will help you learn quickly.

[Helen_Highwater]

Teresa,

This does seem too good an opportunity to pass over. Aside from learning to sew, and lets face it, who hasn't had a zip that needs replacing or a hem repairing, trousers turned up, this is an ideal situation to hone your femme mannerisms.

Sat engaging with the ladies you'll soak up like a sponge those subtle traits, the voice inflections, head and eye movements.

Plus who knows what else may follow. Invites to nights out, it's a huge opportunity to create a new set of friendships born purely of your new femme identity. A chance to further establish Teresa as a person in her own right, her own space.

You have little or nothing to loose, potentially much to gain. Seize the day!

[Bobbi46]

teresa,
Another notch to your bow! this is fantastic who would have thought that things could have panned so well as this just a few months ago, ther's no holding you now. i hope you take up the invite to the sewing group it would be another step in integration. Something like this is what makes our community acceptzble.

[Rhonda Darling]

Teresa:

I take it from your story that you would rate the experirnce as "sew sew".

[Tracii G]

Give it a try and learn something new.

[Teresa]

Many thanks to everyone , I may seriously think about taking up their kind offer , I've just sent five lovely dresses back to Oxfam Online because they are just a touch too small .The one I really was gutted over was a full length gown in navy with a gold bodice and gold banding on the skirt with a hem line that matched the bodice , how I could have danced the night away in that !

I can sew fairly well by hand, taking a few waist bands in or shortening hems , buttons aren't a problem and I normally put a hook and eye on my skirts and dresses to take some of the pressure off the zips . I don't know if others have found this but some blouses don't hang right because the top button is too low so the neck line looks untidy , so I have manged to make fresh button holes by hand . Now I have my own home it would be great to make my own curtains , cushions and soft furnishings if I could use a machine well .

[IleneD]

Oh Teresa. I am so jealous and then happy for you too! This is great.
First, I have always had an interest in the back of my mind to make my own clothes. When I was a lad in school, our first industrial arts shop class was lessons on how to use an industrial sewing machine (our's were treadle machines). Our first task, before we went on to metal shop, wood shop, electrical shop, etc., was to make our own shop aprons.
My next big exposure to sewing machines came oddly enough in the military. One of my technical specialty areas in aviation became "man-mounted equipment" and flight clothing/gear. The people in the Navy (and Air Force) are known as Parachute Riggers. They literally can sew an entire parachute and harness together. In the days of wood & sail these guys would have been the sailmakers. But they can use a sewing machine like nobody's business, and they gave me a few pointers and lessons.
What I haven't developed is a FINE TOUCH for the machine and getting stitched rows precise. I tried to make a tunic dress for myself about a year ago (base on a pattern I made from an existing garment). Let's just say the results were less than spectacular. But I learned a lot from that first effort..... mostly that the only way to get good and produce a proudly wearable garment is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

I say go for it. What an amazing social circle you have stumbled across. Enjoy it to the max.

[Teresa]

Ilene ,
Interesting comment about military training and unusual skills. My father joined the Royal Navy as a boy entrant possibly in the 1950s , he was taught to use a sewing machine because of the sail making trade , so a pair of cutains to him couild be knocked out blind folded . Obviously his rope and knot tying was amazing , he tried to show me . On a histoirical note he was based at Chatham Barracks in Kent ( UK ) which now houses a Naval museum, it was one the famous rope making centres for the Royal Navy , it can still be seen in action today .

I had an amusing incident when I tried to raise the hemline on a silk/rayon skirt my wife gave me , it was calf length , (which I find unflattering ) and carefully worked out that it needed 8" taking off . The old saying is measure three times and hopefully cut once , well I manged to cut off 10" ! So what to do ? Then I thought of making a contrast border to drop the hemline , the skirt was navy so I bought some wide cream bridal , doubled it over and tediously hand stitched back along the hem , it looked really great in fact I added a matching cream sash to the wasitband . I thought then if I could only master a machine it would be dome in minutes not hours but with my skills I know it would have meant at least one unpicking . Somehow I manged to splash bleach or nail varnish remover on it and stange pink blotches appeared so all my work eventually ended up in the bin , which was a shame because it was a lovely skirt to wear .

[Bobbi46]

Teresa, Don't dilly dally! take the bull by the horns or the sewing machine by the handle! and go and join the sewing group, new friends to meet and just maybe you might meet another x dresser and so expand your group.
Go for it girl!!

[CONSUELO]

Teresa,

Do it! Not only will you learn to sew but you will have a great time with the group of females. I'm sure they will welcome you and include you.
It wasn't a sewing group but an all women drawing class that showed me how great a group of women could be. I was only underdressed and perhaps some could see that but we had a good time and were very supportive of each other's efforts. At the conclusion, the leader of the group decided that I should become an honorary woman. It was not only fun but being included in that conspicuous way made me feel very very good. I have remained very good friends with the lady who taught the class and every time we meet we have a good friendly hug and share all of the news. I cannot do that with a male.

[Teresa]

Consuelo,
Th shoe could be on the other foot in my case because my intention is to get an art group up and running in my home as Teresa ,

[Bobbi46]

Teresa, Are you going to be the life model!!!