[I'm not going to get into the specifics of the differences between skills, abilities, and talents; that's the purpose of my Psychology Vocab blog.]
I know talents are gifts from God. I also know that they don't mean much unless they are 1) honed with practice and/or 2) shared with others. I don't really put much stock in my own abilities, skills, or talents. I have come to accept them, though, after 30+ years honing them. If someone were to ask me what I can do, I would probably list sewing, baking, using Microsoft Office products. Well, I do occasionally admit that I sing, but I'm not going to do it professionally or even in a leading capacity. Maybe I have other talents, but these are my go-to skills. These are the ones I associate with myself. Where am I going with this?
On Friday we had an impromptu potluck breakfast of sorts in my training class. There really wasn't a set occasion, though we initially used the birthday of one of the class (it was over two weeks ago) as an excuse. Our trainer said she really wanted a sour-cream pound cake. She asked me if I baked. She also asked others if they baked, but no one said they did. I said I did and told her I baked cakes, cookies, etc. and she got excited. So, naturally, I volunteered to bring in the sour cream pound cake, even though I've never made a pound cake before, and my usual recipe--chipless chocolate chip cookies. I messed up the pound cake a little--forgot to add the vanilla--but that didn't seem to matter. Those in the class who knew about pound cakes (I guess they have a lot of experience with them) said that mine was great. One classmate even asked if I could make one for her father's 60th birthday party next month and offered to pay me for it. When they praised me I guess I looked sort of nonchalant about it, like it was no big deal. Perhaps I came off like Bender, as if I knew I was great.
The truth of the matter is, I take my skills for granted. Some things work well for me. There are some things that seem intuitive and the directions are easy to follow. Baking and sewing are the main things that fall into this category. It's not that I feel I'm the greatest ever at these arenas, far from it! It's more that I feel that I can do them, so they must not be extremely special. I do recognize that not everyone has these abilities and I don't value my skills so low that I assume if I can do it then anyone can. Yet, I've finally come to a point in life in which I accept what I can do. I am humbled and feel good when someone praises me (especially when they thank me) for my work. At the same time, though, I don't need endless accolades. At the end of the day I am satisfied knowing that someone enjoyed my handiwork and I am more grateful that I was able to add some positivity to their lives.
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Wax Paper
Yes, this is another odd post. If you've read many of my other posts, besides those dedicated to actual people, then you know that I am quite odd. I claim my pride in that. It is my right as a mental nomad. But I digress.
Wax paper is very versatile. As a baker (amateur/hobbyist, not professional), I like it for freezing. Placing wax paper between layers of pancakes or waffles before placing them in a freezer bag keeps the food from sticking together when you freeze them. This allows you to remove them more easily to reheat. Wax paper around cookie dough makes it easier to remove from its protective plastic covering as well. I have also found that meat, especially pre-made hamburgers, does a little better when wrapped in wax paper and then plastic prior to freezing, though butcher paper or freezer paper (yes, it exists) is admittedly better for this purpose.
What I really like best about wax paper, though, is its use for sewing. Yes, I use wax paper for my sewing. I draft my commercial patterns onto wax paper before I do any cutting. Because the paper is translucent (semi see-through), it is easy to trace the correct size for the pattern piece on to the wax paper. This preserves my commercial pattern paper, which is pretty fragile. It also allows me to use the same pattern for multiple sizes without having to cut up the pattern paper or buy a new pattern for each size needed. As I have a tendency to modify patterns to fit sizes that are not available on some commercial patterns (some great costume patterns only go up to a size 20 or a size 12, but they could look good on a larger size), I can use the base pattern and some mathematical gymnastics to draft a larger size that will still have the desired look of the original. I'm actually doing this now for both myself and my daughter for our costumes for Dragon*Con 2012.
I can "Frankenstein" pattern pieces with the wax paper, too. I had to do that for my husband's Star Wars uniform. The idea for the uniform existed, but the pattern itself did not. I had to modify (i.e. draw out) both the coat and the pants from a pre-existing commercial pattern in order to create the desired effect. I even created a couple new pieces to fit onto the costume with my wax paper. Lo and behold, my wax paper helped me draft, adjust, and even pre-size everything before I even made the first fabric cut. Besides the drafting qualities (use a permanent marker, such as a Sharpie, for best results) of the translucent material, wax paper is tougher than the cheaper tissue paper of most commercial patterns. I can reuse my wax paper patterns, all marked up with notations and sizing information, at least twice as many times as my commercial tissue paper patterns before I get irreparable tears. Folding the wax paper is easier, too, and it does well when rolled up for storage. If the garment pieces are wider than the wax paper, then I simply tape another piece next to it. Standard Scotch tape will hold the wax paper pieces together. The tape can also be repositioned on the wax paper without damaging it.
One of the best things about wax paper: it's price. If I want to make a garment or costume from a pattern more than once, I would usually have to shell out the cash for another copy of the pattern (averaging at least $10 per pattern, sometimes much more, unless I find a sale) because the tissue paper does not last through the folding and handling necessary when I have to move a project or put it aside to clear space or work on something else. On the other hand, I can draft a number of garment patterns onto a single roll of wax paper for under $3 and the paper usually survives my rougher handling, so I sometimes don't have to re-draft anything any way; I can reuse my first drafts.
Wax paper. It's definitely worth my investment. I probably would not sew nearly as much as I do if I did not figure out how to adapt it to my purposes.
Wax paper is very versatile. As a baker (amateur/hobbyist, not professional), I like it for freezing. Placing wax paper between layers of pancakes or waffles before placing them in a freezer bag keeps the food from sticking together when you freeze them. This allows you to remove them more easily to reheat. Wax paper around cookie dough makes it easier to remove from its protective plastic covering as well. I have also found that meat, especially pre-made hamburgers, does a little better when wrapped in wax paper and then plastic prior to freezing, though butcher paper or freezer paper (yes, it exists) is admittedly better for this purpose.
What I really like best about wax paper, though, is its use for sewing. Yes, I use wax paper for my sewing. I draft my commercial patterns onto wax paper before I do any cutting. Because the paper is translucent (semi see-through), it is easy to trace the correct size for the pattern piece on to the wax paper. This preserves my commercial pattern paper, which is pretty fragile. It also allows me to use the same pattern for multiple sizes without having to cut up the pattern paper or buy a new pattern for each size needed. As I have a tendency to modify patterns to fit sizes that are not available on some commercial patterns (some great costume patterns only go up to a size 20 or a size 12, but they could look good on a larger size), I can use the base pattern and some mathematical gymnastics to draft a larger size that will still have the desired look of the original. I'm actually doing this now for both myself and my daughter for our costumes for Dragon*Con 2012.
I can "Frankenstein" pattern pieces with the wax paper, too. I had to do that for my husband's Star Wars uniform. The idea for the uniform existed, but the pattern itself did not. I had to modify (i.e. draw out) both the coat and the pants from a pre-existing commercial pattern in order to create the desired effect. I even created a couple new pieces to fit onto the costume with my wax paper. Lo and behold, my wax paper helped me draft, adjust, and even pre-size everything before I even made the first fabric cut. Besides the drafting qualities (use a permanent marker, such as a Sharpie, for best results) of the translucent material, wax paper is tougher than the cheaper tissue paper of most commercial patterns. I can reuse my wax paper patterns, all marked up with notations and sizing information, at least twice as many times as my commercial tissue paper patterns before I get irreparable tears. Folding the wax paper is easier, too, and it does well when rolled up for storage. If the garment pieces are wider than the wax paper, then I simply tape another piece next to it. Standard Scotch tape will hold the wax paper pieces together. The tape can also be repositioned on the wax paper without damaging it.
One of the best things about wax paper: it's price. If I want to make a garment or costume from a pattern more than once, I would usually have to shell out the cash for another copy of the pattern (averaging at least $10 per pattern, sometimes much more, unless I find a sale) because the tissue paper does not last through the folding and handling necessary when I have to move a project or put it aside to clear space or work on something else. On the other hand, I can draft a number of garment patterns onto a single roll of wax paper for under $3 and the paper usually survives my rougher handling, so I sometimes don't have to re-draft anything any way; I can reuse my first drafts.
Wax paper. It's definitely worth my investment. I probably would not sew nearly as much as I do if I did not figure out how to adapt it to my purposes.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Safety Pins
Oh, those tiny metal objects that are so much under-appreciated! Yes, I am writing a blog post about the common safety pin. Aside from paperclips, I find it hard to think of a small object that is so versatile and yet so glossed over by many.
As a sewing hobbyist (I don't make money from it, so I'm reluctant to call myself a "seamstress"), I use my safety pins to pre-sew items. This helps me figure out complex instructions without wasting thread or damaging the fabric too much and helps in making sure the clothes fit the wearer correctly before I get too far with stitching. I also use the safety pin as a stitch remover in a pinch. The pointed tip is often sharper than my usual stitch remover, so it's easier to fit it under tighter stitches. I have used safety pins as emergency buttons (I bet you know many a mom or costumer who has done the same!) and as an emergency seam until I could get to a needle & thread. Last year my daughter used many safety pins to make wearable pins as part of Michael's Passport to Fun summer program. Do you remember making a pin "brooch" in school, perhaps for St. Patrick's Day or Mother's Day? I tend to use a safety pin or two to hold patches in place before I can sew them down. I also use safety pins to hold down the parts of clothes where a closure--button, hook & eye, zipper, etc.--will go in order to line everything up before I secure all the pieces. I even recently used a safety pin to fix my umbrella. One of the grommets that formed a joint fell out, so I slipped a safety pin into the holes and voila! a fully functioning umbrella once more. The main advantage of a safety pin over a straight pin, and thus the word "safety" in the name, is the fact that the sharp end is covered in the enclosure. I don't worry as much about folding up an in-progress sewing project with safety pins because no one will get pricked while moving it. And, unless I forget to close them, I'm not as worried about the damage that might be caused by a safety pin lying around.
I'm sure many people have used safety pins for many other things. These are just the few I remembered from more recent experiences. I would love to hear what others have done!
As a sewing hobbyist (I don't make money from it, so I'm reluctant to call myself a "seamstress"), I use my safety pins to pre-sew items. This helps me figure out complex instructions without wasting thread or damaging the fabric too much and helps in making sure the clothes fit the wearer correctly before I get too far with stitching. I also use the safety pin as a stitch remover in a pinch. The pointed tip is often sharper than my usual stitch remover, so it's easier to fit it under tighter stitches. I have used safety pins as emergency buttons (I bet you know many a mom or costumer who has done the same!) and as an emergency seam until I could get to a needle & thread. Last year my daughter used many safety pins to make wearable pins as part of Michael's Passport to Fun summer program. Do you remember making a pin "brooch" in school, perhaps for St. Patrick's Day or Mother's Day? I tend to use a safety pin or two to hold patches in place before I can sew them down. I also use safety pins to hold down the parts of clothes where a closure--button, hook & eye, zipper, etc.--will go in order to line everything up before I secure all the pieces. I even recently used a safety pin to fix my umbrella. One of the grommets that formed a joint fell out, so I slipped a safety pin into the holes and voila! a fully functioning umbrella once more. The main advantage of a safety pin over a straight pin, and thus the word "safety" in the name, is the fact that the sharp end is covered in the enclosure. I don't worry as much about folding up an in-progress sewing project with safety pins because no one will get pricked while moving it. And, unless I forget to close them, I'm not as worried about the damage that might be caused by a safety pin lying around.
I'm sure many people have used safety pins for many other things. These are just the few I remembered from more recent experiences. I would love to hear what others have done!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
My Local Library
I am so happy the public library was conceived and I am glad that our local library is now moved into a larger space. This afternoon I can watch my daughter and her friend as they do their homework, while working on my daughter's Christmas dress at the same time. I love being able to spread out to cut the fabric. While I sometimes think it is sad that so few people frequent the library, I am also grateful that there is still room to spread out. Oh, I can also take a minute to post this blog from the computers available for public use. :-) Kudos to Ben Franklin and all the library advocates out there!
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