Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Pattern Review Contest
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Sewing and tutoring
It's July 4th! Am I sewing? stamping? NO. We had a big family reunion on Sunday. I tutored yesterday. I may not join the family on the other side of town to watch fireworks as I need to get up very early to take care of my grandson. His day care is not open on the 5th.
What mischief have I gotten into? I had an awful lot of fun buying fabrics in the last few months. I'm still prewashing and ironing them. I went to S R Harris with a new sewing friend, Susan. I got batiks, flannels and other items like sequined collars.
This morning I , ahem, purchased 47 patterns at the Club BMV! Each was the price of a king size candy bar. They were out of print or clearance patterns from Kwik Sew, Vogue, McCalls and Butterick. I will need to spend some time organizing them, along with others bought in the last few months. They were $1.69 each with my Club BMV membership.
I finished 19 of the 21 pairs of pants or shorts I was making. I have two pairs that need another hour to finish up. I went over to where a number of refugee kids live near me, and began bringing out tote boxes with used clothing, the newly sewn pants, school supplies and toys. Well silly me. What was I thinking? They started grabbing inside the bins. I said NO, wait. I wanted an orderly give away , with kids in lines and letting each kid get a chance to get something they wanted. Well this didn't happen. Believe me I tried. However I needed a helper, and I should have brought out one type of item at a time to give away. I stopped some children from taking almost all of one item. My hope is that the items were shared and most got something. Mothers came over and they looked over the sleep pants and pants and took them. I'm sure they will be used. It would have been fun to have had a video of all this. Sorry, I don't own a video camera. I will tell you, the kids were very excited.
I have felt a little guilty not offering to help my church when I heard they were wanting to help the refugee adults by offering sewing and knitting classes at the local community center, where they take their English classes. I was very involved with the one family we sponsored Sept to Dec 2010. The reason I felt bad not helping them is because for 3 years in the mid 90's I had a sewing program for low income people. We would organize a series of 6 classes that were 3 hours each in various community centers or schools. It was a whole lot of work. It's the reason I had so many sewing machines when I lived in my old house.
I don't have the energy I did then and the tutoring is a full day a week. However I did agree to teach just 3 hour long classes this month at the community center. I found out that the women wanting to help teach sewing, did not sew themselves and didn't have teaching experience. They realized the way they were holding the classes was chaotic and frustrating.
I've also made phone calls, done research online, purchased books and watched a video on teaching to dyslexic people. I wanted to find out if there are tried and true methods for helping adults who don't read fluently. I think I'm basically doing well but I think I could refine and tweak my teaching methods.
What mischief have I gotten into? I had an awful lot of fun buying fabrics in the last few months. I'm still prewashing and ironing them. I went to S R Harris with a new sewing friend, Susan. I got batiks, flannels and other items like sequined collars.
This morning I , ahem, purchased 47 patterns at the Club BMV! Each was the price of a king size candy bar. They were out of print or clearance patterns from Kwik Sew, Vogue, McCalls and Butterick. I will need to spend some time organizing them, along with others bought in the last few months. They were $1.69 each with my Club BMV membership.
I finished 19 of the 21 pairs of pants or shorts I was making. I have two pairs that need another hour to finish up. I went over to where a number of refugee kids live near me, and began bringing out tote boxes with used clothing, the newly sewn pants, school supplies and toys. Well silly me. What was I thinking? They started grabbing inside the bins. I said NO, wait. I wanted an orderly give away , with kids in lines and letting each kid get a chance to get something they wanted. Well this didn't happen. Believe me I tried. However I needed a helper, and I should have brought out one type of item at a time to give away. I stopped some children from taking almost all of one item. My hope is that the items were shared and most got something. Mothers came over and they looked over the sleep pants and pants and took them. I'm sure they will be used. It would have been fun to have had a video of all this. Sorry, I don't own a video camera. I will tell you, the kids were very excited.
I have felt a little guilty not offering to help my church when I heard they were wanting to help the refugee adults by offering sewing and knitting classes at the local community center, where they take their English classes. I was very involved with the one family we sponsored Sept to Dec 2010. The reason I felt bad not helping them is because for 3 years in the mid 90's I had a sewing program for low income people. We would organize a series of 6 classes that were 3 hours each in various community centers or schools. It was a whole lot of work. It's the reason I had so many sewing machines when I lived in my old house.
I don't have the energy I did then and the tutoring is a full day a week. However I did agree to teach just 3 hour long classes this month at the community center. I found out that the women wanting to help teach sewing, did not sew themselves and didn't have teaching experience. They realized the way they were holding the classes was chaotic and frustrating.
I've also made phone calls, done research online, purchased books and watched a video on teaching to dyslexic people. I wanted to find out if there are tried and true methods for helping adults who don't read fluently. I think I'm basically doing well but I think I could refine and tweak my teaching methods.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Sewing Machine Attachments or Feet
I am fascinated by them! I once spent $10 on a little pamphlet on how to use the ruffler and it was very helpful! I was able to do tucks and then ruffles using it as a guide. There really was a connection between this, and sewing dresses for refugee kids. The dresses all have a lot of ruffles. My viking machine has snap on feet. Yes maybe I have the weird little thing somewhere to convert them. I remember it way back as being difficult. So I wanted a machine again I could use the ruffler with!
I bought a box of attachments about 6 months ago but couldn't use them until I got another machine.
The machines I just bought each have a jumble of attachments with them. Some are not for the Elna. I'm sure sellers just figure they'll put sewing attachments all together. I know just enough to see I have 3 different types of some attachments.
I searched through my Threads DVD and found several articles on sewing machine attachments and printed them out. It is just not convenient to have to have your laptop taking up space as you try to walk yourself through the instructions.
I got an email today from the BMV club about a sale and at the bottom was a photo of a sewing machine attachment book for $16 something with $7 shipping. I went to amazon and found one for under $8 with the standard $4 shipping. I resisted the urge to get the other book on attachements. I like to compare. So often when you get your hands on a "how to" book one is much more clear or closer to what you want! But property taxes are due so I was frugal.
More later as I try to use these machines.
I bought a box of attachments about 6 months ago but couldn't use them until I got another machine.
The machines I just bought each have a jumble of attachments with them. Some are not for the Elna. I'm sure sellers just figure they'll put sewing attachments all together. I know just enough to see I have 3 different types of some attachments.
I searched through my Threads DVD and found several articles on sewing machine attachments and printed them out. It is just not convenient to have to have your laptop taking up space as you try to walk yourself through the instructions.
I got an email today from the BMV club about a sale and at the bottom was a photo of a sewing machine attachment book for $16 something with $7 shipping. I went to amazon and found one for under $8 with the standard $4 shipping. I resisted the urge to get the other book on attachements. I like to compare. So often when you get your hands on a "how to" book one is much more clear or closer to what you want! But property taxes are due so I was frugal.
More later as I try to use these machines.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Tutoring at the Men's Jail and Special Education
I love to teach. I should have gotten a Master's degree in teaching instead of Social Work! Certainly there are more and better jobs available in teaching.
The tutoring is interesting because the students I have are each so different. Since it's a jail they are there 2 to 8 months max and the turnover is fast so my students change. I have students learning English, who dropped out of school and need a little help in a few areas, and students who have severe learning disabilities.
I have no background in teaching people with dyslexia. It's interesting to try to figure out what would help each student. I've combed the library and my own books for help. I have worked on phonics with one man for four months. We made up cards with beginning sounds of works and ending sounds of words. It needs to be fine tuned. It was to be my last day with him, but he came in and said his laundry job asked him to work then in his tutoring time. Maybe he didn't want to say goodbye.
Another man I've worked with for 4 months is Mexican and struggling to learn English. He's done a lot of building and landscaping work. I've brought in landscaping books so he could learn some of that vocabulary in English. He's fun to work with. He told me today he wants me to make up a certicate for him before he leaves, that looks official. He pointed to a certificate framed on the wall. He went on with the details he wanted included! I guess even though he doesn't have a chance of getting his GED before he leaves in June, he wants something to show his efforts! So I will do that.
I have another group of mostly very young men, mostly black, who were in special education until they dropped out. I ask them about their background in reading, for example, if that is what they want to work on first. They say how they went from grade to grade but didn't really progress. I hear pain in their voice, shame and frustration. School becomes very negative for them as they can't keep up with most students and are shamed for being in special ed. One I had for the first time today said "well I was a bad boy". He said he'd act out and then he'd be suspended. I told him I've heard those stories many times before. I hope they I've instilled some hope that we can start where they left off years ago and make some progress! It certainly makes ME feel good when they come in and smile at me and seem eager to get to work learning.
As I've mentioned before, my younger daughter is mentally disabled. She was born that way. She had "infant stimulation" specialists visit once a week. I did family day care for 4 years. I used flash cards with her. I taped her speech. I read to her. The highest her IQ ever tested was 60 yet she reads at a 4th grade level and loves to read. She will start reading ingredients on the sides of food labels! However she couldn't give you change for a dollar.
As I hear these stories from these young men, I have to wonder, what was special about the education they got? For all the costs, the extra special ed assistants in the classroom, where are the results? If a peron's IQ is normal range shouldn't they be able to catch up with extra help and go back to regular classes? Not get to 10th grade and read at a 3rd grade level?
I would never have decided to teach in special education. I thought it would be "too close to home" with MY pain with my daughter's disability. However as I work with these men, I draw on my experiences teaching and working with her, and also the many students with learning and cognitive disabilities I taught as a substitute teacher in the Minneapolis schools for over three years. There is a waiting list for my tutoring services. Reading seems to be the primary problem area for most of these men. I hope that I can increase my skills and learn how to teach them more effectively.
These young men need to be able to work and support themselves and a family. Many do have children.
The tutoring is interesting because the students I have are each so different. Since it's a jail they are there 2 to 8 months max and the turnover is fast so my students change. I have students learning English, who dropped out of school and need a little help in a few areas, and students who have severe learning disabilities.
I have no background in teaching people with dyslexia. It's interesting to try to figure out what would help each student. I've combed the library and my own books for help. I have worked on phonics with one man for four months. We made up cards with beginning sounds of works and ending sounds of words. It needs to be fine tuned. It was to be my last day with him, but he came in and said his laundry job asked him to work then in his tutoring time. Maybe he didn't want to say goodbye.
Another man I've worked with for 4 months is Mexican and struggling to learn English. He's done a lot of building and landscaping work. I've brought in landscaping books so he could learn some of that vocabulary in English. He's fun to work with. He told me today he wants me to make up a certicate for him before he leaves, that looks official. He pointed to a certificate framed on the wall. He went on with the details he wanted included! I guess even though he doesn't have a chance of getting his GED before he leaves in June, he wants something to show his efforts! So I will do that.
I have another group of mostly very young men, mostly black, who were in special education until they dropped out. I ask them about their background in reading, for example, if that is what they want to work on first. They say how they went from grade to grade but didn't really progress. I hear pain in their voice, shame and frustration. School becomes very negative for them as they can't keep up with most students and are shamed for being in special ed. One I had for the first time today said "well I was a bad boy". He said he'd act out and then he'd be suspended. I told him I've heard those stories many times before. I hope they I've instilled some hope that we can start where they left off years ago and make some progress! It certainly makes ME feel good when they come in and smile at me and seem eager to get to work learning.
As I've mentioned before, my younger daughter is mentally disabled. She was born that way. She had "infant stimulation" specialists visit once a week. I did family day care for 4 years. I used flash cards with her. I taped her speech. I read to her. The highest her IQ ever tested was 60 yet she reads at a 4th grade level and loves to read. She will start reading ingredients on the sides of food labels! However she couldn't give you change for a dollar.
As I hear these stories from these young men, I have to wonder, what was special about the education they got? For all the costs, the extra special ed assistants in the classroom, where are the results? If a peron's IQ is normal range shouldn't they be able to catch up with extra help and go back to regular classes? Not get to 10th grade and read at a 3rd grade level?
I would never have decided to teach in special education. I thought it would be "too close to home" with MY pain with my daughter's disability. However as I work with these men, I draw on my experiences teaching and working with her, and also the many students with learning and cognitive disabilities I taught as a substitute teacher in the Minneapolis schools for over three years. There is a waiting list for my tutoring services. Reading seems to be the primary problem area for most of these men. I hope that I can increase my skills and learn how to teach them more effectively.
These young men need to be able to work and support themselves and a family. Many do have children.
Using up the Stash... OH MY!
My sister Clare talks about going to the fabric store to get thread and coming home with more fabric. I am so much worse! I seem to have an instinct to hoard and I manage to give myself plausible reasons for doing it.
I started out going through my church's stash to make simple clothing for nearby refugee children. I pulled out a lot of my own fabrics I thought would work for kid's pants, pajama bottoms or summer dresses. I washed and washed load after load and ironed for hours.
With the help of elderly Donna at my church I cut out approximately 16 pairs of shorts or pants and about 8 tiered dresses. Then I sprained my foot badly. After 6 weeks it is still sore when I'm standing for more than an hour. At the same time my mind was in some kind of happy dance mode and I discovered lisette fabrics and tutti fruiti fabrics. I'd go in to use a half off coupon on one cut of fabric not already on sale. Then I'd think,, Oh I better get more prints of the tutti for the tiered dresses. I washed and ironed those fabrics. Then one day Joann had flannels on sale for $2 a yard! wow. I probably got $50 worth. Then I had to hit those $1 and $2 pattern sales. It's easier to get a separate pattern for a dress than try to size up or down and already cut out pattern. hmm
I went to the Textile Center sale at the University of MN reuse center, for the frst time. What fun! Truth is, I spent $25 to go to the presale Friday evening and then came back late Saturday afternoon to check out what was still available before the bag sale. I had hoped to find an old sewing machine that I could use standard attachments with.
I had an Elna Super 62C that was in mint condition with tons of cams and attachments and also a mint Featherweight Singer 221. However my house wasn't selling and I was trying to hang onto it and avoid foreclosure. I sold those sewing machines and the house foreclosed anyhow. I wanted a similar one again!
There weren't any sewing machines I was interested in at the Textile center garage sale. It was definitely a good idea to go to the preview night. They had about 200 people there! i grabbed some fabrics. Then I found out that patterns were 10 fo $1 and Threads magazines were also 10 for $1. I bought quite a few. I wish I had searched for vintage patterns right away when I got there. The next day I got a few things but wasn't as lucky with fabrics.
I now had an itch to get either a Featherweight or Elna. I searched ebay and craigslist. I bought three Elna's! Let me explain. I saw one on ebay that went for $90 including shipping and it said it ran but needed a knob. I thought "No big deal". When it came I began calling around to local dealers and they said they couldn't repair it as the needle position knob was not available! I saw one on Craigslist for $225 that was local and had quite a few accessories. I didn't have any money then! I emailed her a question. Turned out the machine was at the estate sale for her mother and she asked if I had any collateral. I went right over there and went for the machine. It was pretty dirty and oily. I asked to try it out and it did run well. I found some bobbins for it someplace else and she included them free along with a very old doll pattern. I handed over my 14 KT gold wedding band as collateral!
Then I saw another Elna Super on ebay for $150 and bought it. Why? I see them listed for $350 often and selling quickly, when they are clean, it's stated it's been serviced and runs well and all the parts and accessories are there. I took everything out of the two accessory cases I have now and scrubbed them down with a toothbrush, along with the cams. They just felt grimy. I sorted things out so I had one of everything I wanted in my "keep" set. I was surprised to see some of the plastic feet chipped from a sewing needle evidently breaking off pieces. How does that keep happening? There were a lot that aren't for an Elna. I hope to figure out what machines they will fit on and sell them on ebay.
I think I'd like to learn how to repair them! If nothing else, I will sell off the parts of the one that needed a knob replaced.
I did get my serger threaded and began serging about 8 pairs of the pants.
I started looking through the Threads magazines and listed them on ebay. My beautiful photos were too large and I couldn't upload. I have the DVD Archive of Threads magazines up to number 159. I do like being able to look at the actual magazine rather than moving my laptop screen back and forth to try to read. I printed off all the articles on sewing feet attachments.
So I guess I have made progress! The actual sewing of these children's clothes should go quickly.
I started out going through my church's stash to make simple clothing for nearby refugee children. I pulled out a lot of my own fabrics I thought would work for kid's pants, pajama bottoms or summer dresses. I washed and washed load after load and ironed for hours.
With the help of elderly Donna at my church I cut out approximately 16 pairs of shorts or pants and about 8 tiered dresses. Then I sprained my foot badly. After 6 weeks it is still sore when I'm standing for more than an hour. At the same time my mind was in some kind of happy dance mode and I discovered lisette fabrics and tutti fruiti fabrics. I'd go in to use a half off coupon on one cut of fabric not already on sale. Then I'd think,, Oh I better get more prints of the tutti for the tiered dresses. I washed and ironed those fabrics. Then one day Joann had flannels on sale for $2 a yard! wow. I probably got $50 worth. Then I had to hit those $1 and $2 pattern sales. It's easier to get a separate pattern for a dress than try to size up or down and already cut out pattern. hmm
I went to the Textile Center sale at the University of MN reuse center, for the frst time. What fun! Truth is, I spent $25 to go to the presale Friday evening and then came back late Saturday afternoon to check out what was still available before the bag sale. I had hoped to find an old sewing machine that I could use standard attachments with.
I had an Elna Super 62C that was in mint condition with tons of cams and attachments and also a mint Featherweight Singer 221. However my house wasn't selling and I was trying to hang onto it and avoid foreclosure. I sold those sewing machines and the house foreclosed anyhow. I wanted a similar one again!
There weren't any sewing machines I was interested in at the Textile center garage sale. It was definitely a good idea to go to the preview night. They had about 200 people there! i grabbed some fabrics. Then I found out that patterns were 10 fo $1 and Threads magazines were also 10 for $1. I bought quite a few. I wish I had searched for vintage patterns right away when I got there. The next day I got a few things but wasn't as lucky with fabrics.
I now had an itch to get either a Featherweight or Elna. I searched ebay and craigslist. I bought three Elna's! Let me explain. I saw one on ebay that went for $90 including shipping and it said it ran but needed a knob. I thought "No big deal". When it came I began calling around to local dealers and they said they couldn't repair it as the needle position knob was not available! I saw one on Craigslist for $225 that was local and had quite a few accessories. I didn't have any money then! I emailed her a question. Turned out the machine was at the estate sale for her mother and she asked if I had any collateral. I went right over there and went for the machine. It was pretty dirty and oily. I asked to try it out and it did run well. I found some bobbins for it someplace else and she included them free along with a very old doll pattern. I handed over my 14 KT gold wedding band as collateral!
Then I saw another Elna Super on ebay for $150 and bought it. Why? I see them listed for $350 often and selling quickly, when they are clean, it's stated it's been serviced and runs well and all the parts and accessories are there. I took everything out of the two accessory cases I have now and scrubbed them down with a toothbrush, along with the cams. They just felt grimy. I sorted things out so I had one of everything I wanted in my "keep" set. I was surprised to see some of the plastic feet chipped from a sewing needle evidently breaking off pieces. How does that keep happening? There were a lot that aren't for an Elna. I hope to figure out what machines they will fit on and sell them on ebay.
I think I'd like to learn how to repair them! If nothing else, I will sell off the parts of the one that needed a knob replaced.
I did get my serger threaded and began serging about 8 pairs of the pants.
I started looking through the Threads magazines and listed them on ebay. My beautiful photos were too large and I couldn't upload. I have the DVD Archive of Threads magazines up to number 159. I do like being able to look at the actual magazine rather than moving my laptop screen back and forth to try to read. I printed off all the articles on sewing feet attachments.
So I guess I have made progress! The actual sewing of these children's clothes should go quickly.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Longing for the 70's!
I think each adult considers the years when they were in their 20's and 30's "the best". After all, we were in body and mind "the best" at that point and for most of us, were raising children. I have not forgotten that it is exhausting to be up with a sick child, or juggling chores, work and spending time with your children. I look back nostalgically on those years when my own daughters were young. A time when my home bustled with activity instead of me muttering to my 3 pets and thinking I'd make a meal once a week.
In the 70's I sewed a lot. I sewed for myself, my husband and for my oldest daughter. I sewed gifts for family members. I felt I actually could save money. Now clothing can be bought so cheaply at Target etc that I don't think that is the case. When I look at various photos of my oldest daughter, I remember getting that dress at a sample sale, or that I made those denim overalls with fabric purchased at an outlet in the warehouse area of downtown Minneapolis and that I embroidered on the patch pockets. I wish I had those overalls!
I remember fighting with my ex husband about household chores. I envied stay at home moms. So often we continued to do all the chores of running a home, besides the outside job. Things have improved in this area for most working moms, I think.
Many things are better today. Medical care is much better. What else? I'm trying to think.
I don't think we worried about investment fraud. If you replied to an ad in the mail you didn't think your information would be sold to 10 other companies! The phone company was the only company, and you had ONE phone book and almost everyone was in it! Now I keep them for awhile and throw them out, unused. There were more jobs back then. Because of inflation, your home quickly appreciated in value. As a young single buyer, before I was engaged, I was able to buy a small home through a local program.
I have at least 4 large boxes of patterns. I have this one Betsey Johnson designed T shirt pattern for Butterick. It is so cute! There is nothing like it available now. I just had to look up Betsey Johnson patterns on ebay. I saw several beautiful patterns and felt the designs were better than the ones currently in the catalogs. I bought the dress pattern. I will take a photo of the pattern envelope and share it after I get it.
By the 80's I didn't sew nearly as much. My second daughter was mentally disabled and chronically sick the first 2 years. I was single when she was born. I had been a real estate agent and the market tanked and I couldn't make a living at it. So I did family day care for a living, for 4 years. I had 50 hour work weeks. I started dating and put energy into that. Before I put that house on the market, I sewed curtains for the 1st floor and bedrooms.
Then in 1989 I moved to this former sorority house. It had 6 huge bedrooms, plus extra rooms. I could store all the patterns and fabric that I wanted! At this point I was an insurance agent full time.
I learned to use sergers. I made rolled hem napkins and tableclothes. I sewed tons of stretch pants in vibrant prints for my daughters and foster daughters. I taught the wife of an African friend to sew when she came here for 3 months. In about 1994 I started a sewing program for low income people.
Because as a foster parent I often saw parents sabotage their children, I designed this program so that a child or adult could come empty handed and still participate. ( You may wonder, how I think parents sabotage their children? By not signing permission slips, by not giving them even tiny amounts for class fees, for not bothering to get materials needed, by suddenly saying the child had to do something else at that point. I saw this too often as a mentor and later, foster parent. )
It was a huge project. I recruited about 6 women from the sewing guild to help me teach classes. We taught 6 series of classes, with 6 classes each at various community centers. I paid for most of the fabric and supplies. Sometimes I set classes up and brought in supplies and then a team of 2 women would teach some of the classes. Sometimes they let attendees take almost a bolt of fabric home instead of enough for ONE OUTFIT! They also let teens sit down and sew without the required attending instruction of how to use the machines. This caused a huge increase in expenses for me, and made the program unworkable to continue. When I left that house 4 years ago, I gave away a ton of fabrics, patterns and sewing machines!
I haven't pared down all that well. I need to get things under control and actually sew up the fabrics I have.
In the 70's I sewed a lot. I sewed for myself, my husband and for my oldest daughter. I sewed gifts for family members. I felt I actually could save money. Now clothing can be bought so cheaply at Target etc that I don't think that is the case. When I look at various photos of my oldest daughter, I remember getting that dress at a sample sale, or that I made those denim overalls with fabric purchased at an outlet in the warehouse area of downtown Minneapolis and that I embroidered on the patch pockets. I wish I had those overalls!
I remember fighting with my ex husband about household chores. I envied stay at home moms. So often we continued to do all the chores of running a home, besides the outside job. Things have improved in this area for most working moms, I think.
Many things are better today. Medical care is much better. What else? I'm trying to think.
I don't think we worried about investment fraud. If you replied to an ad in the mail you didn't think your information would be sold to 10 other companies! The phone company was the only company, and you had ONE phone book and almost everyone was in it! Now I keep them for awhile and throw them out, unused. There were more jobs back then. Because of inflation, your home quickly appreciated in value. As a young single buyer, before I was engaged, I was able to buy a small home through a local program.
I have at least 4 large boxes of patterns. I have this one Betsey Johnson designed T shirt pattern for Butterick. It is so cute! There is nothing like it available now. I just had to look up Betsey Johnson patterns on ebay. I saw several beautiful patterns and felt the designs were better than the ones currently in the catalogs. I bought the dress pattern. I will take a photo of the pattern envelope and share it after I get it.
By the 80's I didn't sew nearly as much. My second daughter was mentally disabled and chronically sick the first 2 years. I was single when she was born. I had been a real estate agent and the market tanked and I couldn't make a living at it. So I did family day care for a living, for 4 years. I had 50 hour work weeks. I started dating and put energy into that. Before I put that house on the market, I sewed curtains for the 1st floor and bedrooms.
Then in 1989 I moved to this former sorority house. It had 6 huge bedrooms, plus extra rooms. I could store all the patterns and fabric that I wanted! At this point I was an insurance agent full time.
I learned to use sergers. I made rolled hem napkins and tableclothes. I sewed tons of stretch pants in vibrant prints for my daughters and foster daughters. I taught the wife of an African friend to sew when she came here for 3 months. In about 1994 I started a sewing program for low income people.
Because as a foster parent I often saw parents sabotage their children, I designed this program so that a child or adult could come empty handed and still participate. ( You may wonder, how I think parents sabotage their children? By not signing permission slips, by not giving them even tiny amounts for class fees, for not bothering to get materials needed, by suddenly saying the child had to do something else at that point. I saw this too often as a mentor and later, foster parent. )
It was a huge project. I recruited about 6 women from the sewing guild to help me teach classes. We taught 6 series of classes, with 6 classes each at various community centers. I paid for most of the fabric and supplies. Sometimes I set classes up and brought in supplies and then a team of 2 women would teach some of the classes. Sometimes they let attendees take almost a bolt of fabric home instead of enough for ONE OUTFIT! They also let teens sit down and sew without the required attending instruction of how to use the machines. This caused a huge increase in expenses for me, and made the program unworkable to continue. When I left that house 4 years ago, I gave away a ton of fabrics, patterns and sewing machines!
I haven't pared down all that well. I need to get things under control and actually sew up the fabrics I have.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sewing for Charities
My church has a Piecemaker's group Wednesday mornings. They occassionally cut out uniforms for girls in Sierra Leone. Sometimes they work on a special project for the church like making items to sell at an annual craft sale. But usually they knit and chat and enjoy coffee and each other's company. I was told by the leader of Piecemakers a few weeks ago that I could help myself to some donated fabric there if I had a use for it. I took a large bagful and spent a lot of time prewashing it. I spent several hours ironing and am not done with it. A lady at Piecemakers helped me iron fabric.
I have gone to help twice when they were cutting out the uniforms. The cut pieces are packed and go off to another church to be sewn up. I don't knit so I only went a few other times.
I really would like to make some super simple clothing for needy children. I bought some patterns on sale such as a "knot dress" Simplicity 2171. It does use contrasting fabrics but I don't think it will add that much time to sew. Today I got two Kwik Sew patters for pullover woven tops ( 3235) and shorts or pants with fake fly for boys and cut sleeveless T shirt pattern for knits.
I am thinking, sleep pants, simple shorts or elastic waist pants, pullover woven tops and the print dresses. I started to think in terms of doing it on my own and then thought, how crazy! Surely there will be someone at Piecemakers willing to help me cut out and later sew!
I was inspired by a woman on patternreview.com who made over 50 a line pullover dresses to go to Haiti. She won 1st place in a 2010 "use up the stash" contest. I don't know how they were shipped. Years ago I distributed some sewn donated clothing to kids in respite foster care. Ladies made items from left over fabric and brought it to a local fabric store for me to give away. Children of the poor love new clothes, even if it's a T shirt! They don't take it for granted to have nice clothing.
A year ago I got several huge leaf bags full of children's clothing. We have a huge number of refugees in St. Paul that have recently arrived from Nepali refugee camps and Myanmer. I originally was trying to find shoes for the little girl of the refugee familiy our church sponsored. All of this clothing was for young children as it came from one family. I saw these children running around barefoot outside each week when I came to visit the refugee family we sponsored. There is a large cluster of apartment buildings that are mostly inhabited by refugees. I started to pull out some clothing I thought would fit some children I saw. Soon I was surrounded by children. I tried to fairly distribute what I had. Soon some of the grandmas came, who didn't speak English, who would point to a child, wondering if I had something for this older boy? I felt bad. I did try to get clothing donated from clothing not sold at garage sales, but only once did someone call me to pick up things.
Some women at my church have been bringing some donated items of all kinds to put on a free table where English classes are held. So some of my ideas on how to distribute these simple clothing items would be at the free table, out of the back of my truck again, through food shelves or finding needy children through the local schools.
So far I've bought patterns, fabric , and have prewashed fabric, ironed it and cut out about 6 items.
I have gone to help twice when they were cutting out the uniforms. The cut pieces are packed and go off to another church to be sewn up. I don't knit so I only went a few other times.
I really would like to make some super simple clothing for needy children. I bought some patterns on sale such as a "knot dress" Simplicity 2171. It does use contrasting fabrics but I don't think it will add that much time to sew. Today I got two Kwik Sew patters for pullover woven tops ( 3235) and shorts or pants with fake fly for boys and cut sleeveless T shirt pattern for knits.
I am thinking, sleep pants, simple shorts or elastic waist pants, pullover woven tops and the print dresses. I started to think in terms of doing it on my own and then thought, how crazy! Surely there will be someone at Piecemakers willing to help me cut out and later sew!
I was inspired by a woman on patternreview.com who made over 50 a line pullover dresses to go to Haiti. She won 1st place in a 2010 "use up the stash" contest. I don't know how they were shipped. Years ago I distributed some sewn donated clothing to kids in respite foster care. Ladies made items from left over fabric and brought it to a local fabric store for me to give away. Children of the poor love new clothes, even if it's a T shirt! They don't take it for granted to have nice clothing.
A year ago I got several huge leaf bags full of children's clothing. We have a huge number of refugees in St. Paul that have recently arrived from Nepali refugee camps and Myanmer. I originally was trying to find shoes for the little girl of the refugee familiy our church sponsored. All of this clothing was for young children as it came from one family. I saw these children running around barefoot outside each week when I came to visit the refugee family we sponsored. There is a large cluster of apartment buildings that are mostly inhabited by refugees. I started to pull out some clothing I thought would fit some children I saw. Soon I was surrounded by children. I tried to fairly distribute what I had. Soon some of the grandmas came, who didn't speak English, who would point to a child, wondering if I had something for this older boy? I felt bad. I did try to get clothing donated from clothing not sold at garage sales, but only once did someone call me to pick up things.
Some women at my church have been bringing some donated items of all kinds to put on a free table where English classes are held. So some of my ideas on how to distribute these simple clothing items would be at the free table, out of the back of my truck again, through food shelves or finding needy children through the local schools.
So far I've bought patterns, fabric , and have prewashed fabric, ironed it and cut out about 6 items.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Feels Like Spring in February!
This is the mildest least snowy winter I can remember in my life time. It is such a treat after last winter, but I do feel bad for the Winter Carnival events that had to be cancelled.
Yesterday the hoar frost was breathtaking. The sun reflected off the top of the trees at 3 PM yesterday. The St. Paul Pioneer Press published a photo of a woman taking a photo of it! It is striking for her all blue clothing against the white and gray.
It says more photos can be found at photos.twincities.com
I've been broke. My dog has chewed up many pairs of shoes. My old glasses broke and the pair I 've been wearing was from 6 years ago and are scratched. Maybe it's the mild weather. Maybe it's the sun we've enjoyed for several days. Maybe it's because that crud I've had is almost completely gone..... but I want to spend money and spruce up both me and the house!
I listed a ton of stuff on ebay for two days and was rewarded with immediate sales of some of those items. So I bought two for one pairs of new glasses. I needed them desperately. I could have gotten the very cheapest frames, but went up $50 for each pair. I'm tantalized by the photos of Liz Claiborne purses in the new jcp circular with the newspaper. Tuesday Morning has gorgeous vintage print fabric closet organizers and beautiful bedding. I want them!
Time to clean out the closet, sew for myself , and buy a few key pieces for my wardrobe such as shoes and purse. I'm sick of out of style purses. poof! out of here! I have too many pieces in my wardrobe that don't really fit and don't go with anything else. I need to go through everything! I have nylons in a drawer that probably haven't been worn in over 5 years and have no elasticity again.
Yesterday the hoar frost was breathtaking. The sun reflected off the top of the trees at 3 PM yesterday. The St. Paul Pioneer Press published a photo of a woman taking a photo of it! It is striking for her all blue clothing against the white and gray.
It says more photos can be found at photos.twincities.com
I've been broke. My dog has chewed up many pairs of shoes. My old glasses broke and the pair I 've been wearing was from 6 years ago and are scratched. Maybe it's the mild weather. Maybe it's the sun we've enjoyed for several days. Maybe it's because that crud I've had is almost completely gone..... but I want to spend money and spruce up both me and the house!
I listed a ton of stuff on ebay for two days and was rewarded with immediate sales of some of those items. So I bought two for one pairs of new glasses. I needed them desperately. I could have gotten the very cheapest frames, but went up $50 for each pair. I'm tantalized by the photos of Liz Claiborne purses in the new jcp circular with the newspaper. Tuesday Morning has gorgeous vintage print fabric closet organizers and beautiful bedding. I want them!
Time to clean out the closet, sew for myself , and buy a few key pieces for my wardrobe such as shoes and purse. I'm sick of out of style purses. poof! out of here! I have too many pieces in my wardrobe that don't really fit and don't go with anything else. I need to go through everything! I have nylons in a drawer that probably haven't been worn in over 5 years and have no elasticity again.
J. D. Lewis & sons featured in Parade Magazine
I had to read more! This man adopted two boys. They wanted to make a difference in the world. The Dad homeschooled the boys, and took out loans so they could travel around the world for one year.
Their web site is twelveintwelve.org
Both Dad JD and son Jackson have blogs.
This is the link to Jackson's blog.
http://www.globalteenblogger.com/
Their web site is twelveintwelve.org
Both Dad JD and son Jackson have blogs.
This is the link to Jackson's blog.
http://www.globalteenblogger.com/
Monday, January 30, 2012
Somalia
Usually I am against war. However I realize generally we don't have a clue about what is really going on. I grudgingly accept the reasons that we invaded Iraq and then Afganistan.
People get angry at President Obama for what he's done or not done. I don't think unless they are in his position they know what they'd do if they were in his shoes, because he has expert policy advisers.
I'm glad Saddam Hussein is gone and Osama bin Laden. I just don't want to see troops killed or civilians.
If I WERE to think we should interfere in another country or just plain take it over, it would be Somalia! I'm tired of reading of Somalians chasing their own people off their land, stealing food that was meant for the starving there, to make a profit by selling it, kidnapping and pirating ships from all over the world. The Al Shabbab group seems to be a band of heartless thugs. I don't want to even chance donating money to an organization that can't be reasonably certain they can distribute it safely. I'd like to see armed 24/7 guards with guns. People are starving to death! Others are tryiing to help! I've read some terrible statistics about how much food is actually getting to the starving.
We have a huge Somali population here. I can see why they had to flee their homeland. It truly is a lawless, godless country.
People get angry at President Obama for what he's done or not done. I don't think unless they are in his position they know what they'd do if they were in his shoes, because he has expert policy advisers.
I'm glad Saddam Hussein is gone and Osama bin Laden. I just don't want to see troops killed or civilians.
If I WERE to think we should interfere in another country or just plain take it over, it would be Somalia! I'm tired of reading of Somalians chasing their own people off their land, stealing food that was meant for the starving there, to make a profit by selling it, kidnapping and pirating ships from all over the world. The Al Shabbab group seems to be a band of heartless thugs. I don't want to even chance donating money to an organization that can't be reasonably certain they can distribute it safely. I'd like to see armed 24/7 guards with guns. People are starving to death! Others are tryiing to help! I've read some terrible statistics about how much food is actually getting to the starving.
We have a huge Somali population here. I can see why they had to flee their homeland. It truly is a lawless, godless country.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Successful Charity Fundraising for Haiti on Ebay!
I saw a story today in Ebay Giving Works that was inspiring. A small Baptist church in the south, decided to auction off items donated to them, to earn money for building materials so they could build another house in Haiti. The church is Mulberry Baptist.
What is interesting is how they did their public relations work.
http://www.ebaygivingworks.com/community-stories-mulberrychurch.html
What is interesting is how they did their public relations work.
http://www.ebaygivingworks.com/community-stories-mulberrychurch.html
Project Runway All Stars
I love love love Project Runway, at least most of the time. I am in awe of their creativity. I think, what is wrong with me that I don't loosen up and free my mind and get more creative, more daring? I guess it's because I am not a designer! However they do inspire me.
I'm really enjoying Project Runway All Stars. However I was a little aghast that they sent April Johnson home and kept Kara Janx! April is so talented! Also I want to see Mondo win some challenges. I think there were a few times that his design was a tie with someone elses, but they won. He truly should have won the season he competed, and not Gretchen. I think most of the world agrees with this! Anyhow I feel bad for Mondo. As great as Michael is doing, I want Mondo to win some challenges!
I'm really enjoying Project Runway All Stars. However I was a little aghast that they sent April Johnson home and kept Kara Janx! April is so talented! Also I want to see Mondo win some challenges. I think there were a few times that his design was a tie with someone elses, but they won. He truly should have won the season he competed, and not Gretchen. I think most of the world agrees with this! Anyhow I feel bad for Mondo. As great as Michael is doing, I want Mondo to win some challenges!
The GOP Presidential Candidates
I will divulge right now that I am a fairly liberal Democrat. This candidate selection has been quite entertaining so far. I find some much more likeable than others, for example Santorum over Gingrich. I think it's sad that it takes a rich man to run. It looks like Romney will be the candidate, but it isn't over yet.
I see the candidates are all against abortion. They have their alternatives such as adoption, all figured out. Where are all the adopting parents for the kids now in foster care? It seems adopting parents usually want a "perfect" child. When you have a birth child, generally you don't leave them at the hospital if there is something wrong! I 've heard of surrogate parents backing out when they found out the child had a disability. I think adoption is a wonderful thing. I just don't think it is the only answer. People forget that before Roe vs Wade that women died while having an illegal abortion. People panic and get scared when they have an unplanned pregnancy. I think we need to let people follow their own consciences.
I agree with the Pope. Respect life means to respect all life and that includes murderers in prison. Yes, I'd like to see horrible things done to men or women who have caused great horror. But then I think it out. Men have been sent to death row on the witness of one person! Also on the testimony of someone else who was given immunity for their testimony. There is an awful long list of men and women who were in death row and exonerated. Death sentences do not deter crime. Death sentences cost about 4 times what a life without parole sentence does, because the death sentence is entitled to a length appeals process with attorneys.
About 8 years ago I was on the steering committee of Minnesotans Against the Death Penalty.
I look forward to the presidential debates with Obama!
I see the candidates are all against abortion. They have their alternatives such as adoption, all figured out. Where are all the adopting parents for the kids now in foster care? It seems adopting parents usually want a "perfect" child. When you have a birth child, generally you don't leave them at the hospital if there is something wrong! I 've heard of surrogate parents backing out when they found out the child had a disability. I think adoption is a wonderful thing. I just don't think it is the only answer. People forget that before Roe vs Wade that women died while having an illegal abortion. People panic and get scared when they have an unplanned pregnancy. I think we need to let people follow their own consciences.
I agree with the Pope. Respect life means to respect all life and that includes murderers in prison. Yes, I'd like to see horrible things done to men or women who have caused great horror. But then I think it out. Men have been sent to death row on the witness of one person! Also on the testimony of someone else who was given immunity for their testimony. There is an awful long list of men and women who were in death row and exonerated. Death sentences do not deter crime. Death sentences cost about 4 times what a life without parole sentence does, because the death sentence is entitled to a length appeals process with attorneys.
About 8 years ago I was on the steering committee of Minnesotans Against the Death Penalty.
I look forward to the presidential debates with Obama!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
God's Interventions in Our Lives
I find this topic endlessly fascinating. If you do not believe in God, then it is "serendipity" or chance. Believers know differently! It's not so simple though, as sometimes prayers are answered and some are not.
One of my little frustrations in life is when I sell something on ebay and cannot locate it! It makes me look bad. I don't want to disappoint people. I try to keep like things together but sometimes pull out the used stamp sets for example, for a project. It might still be in a box next to my bed. I may put that designer paper that I got slightly curved, under a stack to straight it out. The stamp rollers and ribbons have fallen out of the baskets or bins without my seeing them , until later. I think my cat also jumps up on the table to grab small items to play with. A few times after searching an hour, I have said a little prayer to St. Andrew or is it St. Anthony... the saint of missing things? Evidently he hasn't cared that I got his name right.
Once I prayed when I couldn't find some designer paper. I then thought, maybe you mixed it up with your own personal ones when you sorted and listed some? Sure enough it was under those. Recently I KNEW I had this set. I only kept them in one place. I moved them around on the shelf to try to find out where it was hiding. I prayed... a voice in my head said, go look under the shelves in that bin below. I did and under two other sets that had fallen off the shelf, there was the set I was looking for. another time I was looking for a "print pack". I kept them all together ... I thought. After I prayed that time, it was like a voice said, look down... and there it was under some sets of ink spots that are the same size. When I first looked I thought it was all ink spots there.
Then there are the more major things. You miss a flight and the plane crashes. How many people should have been in the Twin Towers 9/11 at 9 AM on a Tuesday? And three planes went down as well as the Pentagon hit? The loss of life was very sad and upsetting, but surely God intervened that so many were spared. I remember at the time reading stories about people who missed their train, didn't feel well and all kinds of things that kept them from being there. The total loss of life for both towers, the pentagon and 3 planes was about 3300..
I looked on craigslist for a free TV after a second one quit working. It had just been listed. It was near my daughter's house. I went over there and it was HUGE. The young college guys said it worked well but they were going their own ways and it was too big. I hesitated but they loaded it into my SUV, along with the stand. I saw the remote and grabbed it. It was SOOO heavy I couldn't move it at all. They said the TV weighed over 240 pounds. I don't have 4 strong men at my house to move things around so it's been in the SUV for two weeks.
I was on my way to a friends house who has a dog. I brought my dog along so they could play. The back seats were down for the TV and stand but he had about 18 inches of room in front of it. Well a light ahead was turning yellow and I would have been entering the intersection when it had turned red. I decided to break. I heard a crash in back as the TV hurtled forward and a yelp from my dog. My heart was pounding and images of a crushed dog were in my head with me unable to free him. he crawled through the space between the front seats, shaking, into my arms, without a scratch on him. The TV had tipped forward and the top was leaning against the front seats. He was in the space in the bottom.
I was very grateful to God for sparing my dog! He was still shaking when we got to my friend's house. Then he met her dog and went off to play!
I have prayed for healing for people with very serious illness and had them completely healed. Many others were also praying for them. Part of you thinks, was this God or maybe the surgery took care of it? Somehow the little things like immediately having an idea of where something that was missing is prove to me clearly that God is willing to help us even in small ways when we ask. Do I think this God of the universe has nothing to do but hear each of our little concerns? Maybe it's guardian angels who take care of the little stuff!
One of my little frustrations in life is when I sell something on ebay and cannot locate it! It makes me look bad. I don't want to disappoint people. I try to keep like things together but sometimes pull out the used stamp sets for example, for a project. It might still be in a box next to my bed. I may put that designer paper that I got slightly curved, under a stack to straight it out. The stamp rollers and ribbons have fallen out of the baskets or bins without my seeing them , until later. I think my cat also jumps up on the table to grab small items to play with. A few times after searching an hour, I have said a little prayer to St. Andrew or is it St. Anthony... the saint of missing things? Evidently he hasn't cared that I got his name right.
Once I prayed when I couldn't find some designer paper. I then thought, maybe you mixed it up with your own personal ones when you sorted and listed some? Sure enough it was under those. Recently I KNEW I had this set. I only kept them in one place. I moved them around on the shelf to try to find out where it was hiding. I prayed... a voice in my head said, go look under the shelves in that bin below. I did and under two other sets that had fallen off the shelf, there was the set I was looking for. another time I was looking for a "print pack". I kept them all together ... I thought. After I prayed that time, it was like a voice said, look down... and there it was under some sets of ink spots that are the same size. When I first looked I thought it was all ink spots there.
Then there are the more major things. You miss a flight and the plane crashes. How many people should have been in the Twin Towers 9/11 at 9 AM on a Tuesday? And three planes went down as well as the Pentagon hit? The loss of life was very sad and upsetting, but surely God intervened that so many were spared. I remember at the time reading stories about people who missed their train, didn't feel well and all kinds of things that kept them from being there. The total loss of life for both towers, the pentagon and 3 planes was about 3300..
I looked on craigslist for a free TV after a second one quit working. It had just been listed. It was near my daughter's house. I went over there and it was HUGE. The young college guys said it worked well but they were going their own ways and it was too big. I hesitated but they loaded it into my SUV, along with the stand. I saw the remote and grabbed it. It was SOOO heavy I couldn't move it at all. They said the TV weighed over 240 pounds. I don't have 4 strong men at my house to move things around so it's been in the SUV for two weeks.
I was on my way to a friends house who has a dog. I brought my dog along so they could play. The back seats were down for the TV and stand but he had about 18 inches of room in front of it. Well a light ahead was turning yellow and I would have been entering the intersection when it had turned red. I decided to break. I heard a crash in back as the TV hurtled forward and a yelp from my dog. My heart was pounding and images of a crushed dog were in my head with me unable to free him. he crawled through the space between the front seats, shaking, into my arms, without a scratch on him. The TV had tipped forward and the top was leaning against the front seats. He was in the space in the bottom.
I was very grateful to God for sparing my dog! He was still shaking when we got to my friend's house. Then he met her dog and went off to play!
I have prayed for healing for people with very serious illness and had them completely healed. Many others were also praying for them. Part of you thinks, was this God or maybe the surgery took care of it? Somehow the little things like immediately having an idea of where something that was missing is prove to me clearly that God is willing to help us even in small ways when we ask. Do I think this God of the universe has nothing to do but hear each of our little concerns? Maybe it's guardian angels who take care of the little stuff!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Volunteering at the Jail
I like to teach. I wish I had gotten a master's degree in teaching rather than in social work. I enjoyed substitute teaching at least 95% of the time for a local school system. However I got tired of taking a job and then having it get cancelled at the last minute, with no pay. The first year I subbed I went to a high school once and was told they had scheduled in mistake, but not to worry, I would get paid. I stayed and helped the staff with new student paperwork. Things changed and with the tough economy they had hundreds of people applying monthly to sub so we were dispensible!
However last year, 4 times I took a job and didn't get paid for it. We had two snow days. I had shovelled and shovelled to be able to get out of my driveway and was up and dressed at 6:30. The full time and part time staff got paid, but not the subsitutes until someone looked up a rule in the teacher's contract. Then a month later we got paid for one of those days if we were scheduled. Another day I was a few minutes away and got a call on my cell phone saying it was a mistake. Gas costs me almost $10 a day over and back and it was too late to get another job. Then another time I got there and they told me they didn't need me after 2 hours. Again it was too late for another job. Furthermore they had been disorganized and it was a program for high school students with severe behavior problems. I had had it with that!
I looked online for volunteer opportunities and decided to volunteer in a county corrections program. Evidently they used volunteers for juveniles as well as adult males and females at the jails. They told me the big need was at the men's jail. I knew that the inmates couldn't be disrespectful to me or call me names like middle school or high school students in the schools sometimes did. I wanted to just be able to go and do my thing and not get involved with any other of their problems ( like working with families).
I also knew that many people wouldn't feel comfortable volunteering in a jail. Previously I had tried to help mostly Illinois inmates get books and helped post their penpal ads at a free penpal web site called lostvault.com . Later a group started called Books to Prisoners in Urbana IL was started and they grew and have sent books to many thousands of prisoners in IL. It's very impressive.
I knew that jail and prison conditions in Minnesota were much better than in IL and that I'd probably feel comfortable volunteering in one. I've gone 4 days now for about 6 1/2 hours a day. It's very well organized. They have many CD's with learning programs on them. The inmates who don't have a high school degree or GED are tested to see what level they are at when they first arrive. They mostly use the computers ( they are not online) and workbooks to work at their own pace.
Some have trouble doing that and that is when they schedule a volunteer tutor to work with them. I get a schedule each day I come in with their names, the time I have them, and what subjects they want help with. Some are learning English now. Some were hopelessly lost in school and didn't get the help they needed. Having been a foster parent I know how that can happen.
I've enjoyed working with them. Most will mention that they have to pass this or that part of the GED, and are leaving at a certain date, so want to pass the test before they leave. Some talk about why they got so far behind. They are dyslexic, moved all the time, and/ or parents didn't care of pay attention to them. I got stumped a little with the science questions.
I have a lot to learn about what materials they have available to help them, and about GED testing and materials. I'm enjoying it and I hope that the men are happy with the help they received.
However last year, 4 times I took a job and didn't get paid for it. We had two snow days. I had shovelled and shovelled to be able to get out of my driveway and was up and dressed at 6:30. The full time and part time staff got paid, but not the subsitutes until someone looked up a rule in the teacher's contract. Then a month later we got paid for one of those days if we were scheduled. Another day I was a few minutes away and got a call on my cell phone saying it was a mistake. Gas costs me almost $10 a day over and back and it was too late to get another job. Then another time I got there and they told me they didn't need me after 2 hours. Again it was too late for another job. Furthermore they had been disorganized and it was a program for high school students with severe behavior problems. I had had it with that!
I looked online for volunteer opportunities and decided to volunteer in a county corrections program. Evidently they used volunteers for juveniles as well as adult males and females at the jails. They told me the big need was at the men's jail. I knew that the inmates couldn't be disrespectful to me or call me names like middle school or high school students in the schools sometimes did. I wanted to just be able to go and do my thing and not get involved with any other of their problems ( like working with families).
I also knew that many people wouldn't feel comfortable volunteering in a jail. Previously I had tried to help mostly Illinois inmates get books and helped post their penpal ads at a free penpal web site called lostvault.com . Later a group started called Books to Prisoners in Urbana IL was started and they grew and have sent books to many thousands of prisoners in IL. It's very impressive.
I knew that jail and prison conditions in Minnesota were much better than in IL and that I'd probably feel comfortable volunteering in one. I've gone 4 days now for about 6 1/2 hours a day. It's very well organized. They have many CD's with learning programs on them. The inmates who don't have a high school degree or GED are tested to see what level they are at when they first arrive. They mostly use the computers ( they are not online) and workbooks to work at their own pace.
Some have trouble doing that and that is when they schedule a volunteer tutor to work with them. I get a schedule each day I come in with their names, the time I have them, and what subjects they want help with. Some are learning English now. Some were hopelessly lost in school and didn't get the help they needed. Having been a foster parent I know how that can happen.
I've enjoyed working with them. Most will mention that they have to pass this or that part of the GED, and are leaving at a certain date, so want to pass the test before they leave. Some talk about why they got so far behind. They are dyslexic, moved all the time, and/ or parents didn't care of pay attention to them. I got stumped a little with the science questions.
I have a lot to learn about what materials they have available to help them, and about GED testing and materials. I'm enjoying it and I hope that the men are happy with the help they received.
Volunteering with Homeless and Refugees
I decided in the middle of the summer to choose a new volunteer "job". Last year I volunteered to work with a refugee family that came from a camp in Nepal. They had been there 18 years. I helped them learn English, but also get winter clothing , get library cards, and other odds and ends. I hear that two of them have jobs now. The committment was for 3 months.
I told the other members of the volunteer group I wouldn't do it again. I was shocked that when so many Americans are out of work and losing their homes, we are footing the bill for refugees to settle here. It's extensive. They get welfare benefits with medicaid, and food stamps. Here I was with probable cancer, working about 75% of the available days as a substitute teacher and on ebay and I had NO health insurance! There is no way I could afford to pay it , either. Then they had everything in the apartment including food, donated by our church. We also took up a Christmas offering to help them pay back their debt to the US government for their air fare.
The group working with them continued to pay for this and that, such as boots and antenna so a donated TV would work. Refugee staff took them to clothes closets kinds of places where they got donated winter clothing. Payless Shoes gave each child a new pair of shoes or boots. They got free bus cards to get to English classes, with free babysitting. And of course in our country school and the school busses are free. Then they had various paid staff at the Council of Churches and refugee services helping them. These are all paid people. We have thousands of refugees arriving all the time in the Twin Cities. I guess we have the largest Somali population of any where else in the US. I am sympathetic to the refugees but I disagree with settling them here at our expense. I really feel Americans should come first.
For all the uproar about illegal immigrants, one thing is sure. They don't receive welfare benefits! They would get free medical attention in emergency rooms and hospitals and could get food at food shelves. They attend schools free and get free bussing and meals. However they are working and do work that most Americans will not do! I have no idea what the solution is to the problem.
For 11 years I volunteered with Project Home. It is homeless shelter for families. It is a St. Paul Minnesota program under the St. Paul Council of Churches. Two or sometimes three churches ( occassionally a school or synagoge) host up to 20 people per night. That church has a volunteer who organizes volunteer help from their church as well as surrounding churches to staff it. I was that person for 2 of the years. Generally we needed about 4 people in the evenings and then 2 overnight.
I met a lot of great people who were "guests" but also some awful people. People who would steal the supplies we bought with our own money that were meant for everyone, people who horribly neglected their children, people who sat and watched TV and let their children run loose unsupervised, emptying out boxes of puzzles all on top of each other and then walking over them, and then dumping all in a toy box. I made a huge Sunday meal once for the group and the volunteers. For just 20 people including children and about 5 volunteers, I bought 2 huge cat fish and 5 huge roasts. I was stunned that all the fish and most of the meat was gone before the volunteers could eat. Evidently this one woman who had 5 children had grabbed a bunch and then went out of sight to her area to eat. I made a big mistake by not serving the food myself!
I have a Master's degree in Social Work. However, I'm real tired of excuses. The volunteers just want to put in their time they promised and go home. The hired staff of Project Home are just paid to be there 1 or 2 hours and make sure new families get a short orientation and that beds are set up, etc. So parents are out of sight and don't supervise babies and toddlers eating. It is beyond me how they think it ok to have a church take them in when they are homeless and then let their children run around the social area of the church with peanut butter sandwiches in hand, or handfuls of cheetos. Last December, I was aleady knowing I probably had cancer, and probably since it was uterine cancer, my hormones were all over the place, but I had had it one night. I left early and cancelled the other night I was supposed to volunteer. I just cannot do it any more. I won't be donating either. With my low income I had donated just $20 when they said they badly needed toys. When I saw all those puzzles trashed in about an hours time I thought... what a waste of money!
I've volunteered with five different families that were either under child protective services or that they decided needed extra support help. I've done two internships while in graduate school. I was a foster parent for a total of 9 years and a foster care social worker for 2 years. I know that many of these people are in the shelter because their family and friends have had it with them! My ex husband was from a poor rough area of Chicago. One of his sisters, who had 5 babies a year apart ( !!) and no man in sight to help take care of them or support them, was homeless. I asked him, why doesn't your family help them? Later he said he heard her step dad had taken her in with all 5 little kids. He said the step Dad was sick and tired of her sitting on her butt watching TV and the kids making a total mess of the house. She did not clean up after them! She went out of state to get section 8 benefits for a year. Then she was eligible to get Section 8 benefits in Chicago. She came back and got a 5 bedroom very nice apartment!
I guess I am an officially older grumpy person now, but honestly if I were in charge, they would have to be with and supervising their children at all times when in homeless shelter. They are responsible for washing their kids up, brushing their teeth, picking up their toys and putting them away, and serving their food and cleaning up after them... just like the rest of us do!
I got two gallons of milk for the price of one and stopped at the host church from last December 2010 to give it to them. The church people said they didn't host it this year. I know I am not the only person who gets real tired of how it's run!
I do want to help the community and many are in need. So I decided to tutor. I called a local school and didn't get a call back. I decided to volunteer at one of the jails or juvenile facilities. New post on that subject.
I decided about 6 months ago that I would like to volunteer some of my time tutoring. There was a web site with information as to which organizations needed what kind of help. I decided to email and get more information. I first applied online to volunteer at a county jail/ correctional facility. I had to get 3 references and have them sent in and then go in for an interview. Then there was a training. Most present were interns. The volunteer trainer told me that the men's learning center was in the greatest need of volunteers and was at the same location. The very next day I heard from the head of the learning center. I did go down there before Christmas to get a tour and find out a little more about it.
I was really impressed with how organized it was. There are lots of math software CD's on the walls, labelled in pockets as to the exact topic covered. There must be nearly a 100 of them. There lots of GED books as well, by topic, level, pretests, skills study and more. There were maybe 15 computers for the men to use the software on.
The head of the department explained to me that most of the work done there was towards completing GED's but that some were pre GED, ( not ready to start GED study yet) and others were preparing to apply to colleges. It is a very busy place! I was a little self conscious the first day I was being shown around. Today as I had a few minutes I went behind the men to see what programs they were using. The majority were working on math software. Everyone was working on something different! She explained that they are all in different places so it would be near impossible to have a class on a particular area of learning.
Today was my second day of tutoring. I was given a schedule with the name of the inmate, topic he wanted help with, and the time slot. Each day I had 6 one hour slots. The staff told me I was the only volunteer to say I would be willing to teach all subjects other than high level math. I substitute taught in Minneapolis schools for over 3 years and learned to jump in to teach a lesson plan at over 40 schools and literally from special education 4 year olds to adults learning English. . I certainly didn't have personal knowledge of all those topics, but gained confidence in how many I was comfortable with. I told them I would not be embarassed at all to tell someone I didn't understand the math, for example. I learned a great deal when I was teaching in Minneapolis. I also found out how much I didn't know!
So what was it like, you ask? Was I nervous? The staff were all very friendly and so were the inmates. I was nervous I'd do something wrong. I asked in advance if the center could use some pencils, for example, before bringing them in. Today the inmates weren't coming in after lunch and the staff found out there was a lockdown. I hoped someone wasn't hurt. It turned out it was a medical emergency and once the ambulance had left, things returned to normal. There wasn't any tension between the inmates that I detected and none of them were acting crazy. I mention this because I have known of attacks on staff by inmates in prisons. The staff told me that if the inmates were every disrespectful, the staff would remove them and they wouldn't be able to return for a week or so. If it happened a second time, they would not be able to come to the learning center.
Today I thought I'd try to find my way in without asking someone to come get me. I signed the log and showed my volunteer badge. There was a lady behind a screen. I looked around to see if there was something I was missing. She asked what was the problem? I said I don't know how to get in! There was a screen and doorbell kind of thing. Then I got to those huge gates and only saw a man behind a "command center". I heard a click and thought I'd try to slide the gate, and sure enough that worked. It seemed strange to be moving it myself.
I got settled and got my schedule. Two students I had last week. About half of them mentioned when they were leaving and that they hoped to finish the GED testing before then. They'd mention when they were having a test. Then they talked about wanting to get a job to support their children, and a little about their lives. One said to me, you are the first person to ever help me with school work. I thought that was odd. I said he's probably forgotten all the times a teacher tried to help him. Three were Mexican and English was their second language. `
This n That sewing, ebay, punches , dresses
I've had the "crud" for over a month. When I get out of the house I see and hear that others have the same thing. I didn't feel "sick" so much as tired all the time. This is my excuse for not getting nearly as much as I wanted done on my various projects.
I'm waiting for a photo of the finished teal and silver satin dress to post. I gave it to my granddaughter December 31st. I have the other one to finish this week! She picked out fabrics at S R Harris warehouse with me this summer. We got lots of sparkly fun fabrics and trims. Then I made a number of trips to fabric stores to get solid fabrics and patterns to go with them. This time I am determined to do it faster! No hand putting in zippers and lining. I must have spent 3 days solid on the last dress.
Maybe half of my sisters do some sewing. I have seven sisters, and no brothers. Sister Clare is the one with "nanaclare'skitchen" blog. I can't think of one of our daughters or sons who has wanted to learn to sew at all. However, my granddaughter may have an interest. She sure loves pattern and design! She made a paper pattern for a dress for her stuffed tiger. She spent about 3 hours taping copy paper together and cutting it this way and that! She was 4 at the time. She does drawings of people , that have patterned fabric in great detail. She was VERY enthusiastic in the fabric warehouse and lasted several hours. Don't we all watch our children and grandchildren closely and wonder what their talents and interests will be in life?
I ended up having the sparkly fabric as a separate overskirt with elastic that could be worn with or without the dress. This next one is using the purple fabrics in that photo with the pile of fabrics.
I have not done work on the dolls.
I did get some new merchandise and Valentine making supplies posted on ebay.
Speaking of ebay..... the new postal increase goes into effect on Monday. The increase for an international flat rate envelope is $4... substantial! I need to revise everything in my store for the new rates.
I love papercrafting tools. I know I am not alone. Seriously I think my heart pounds a little faster when I see great new designs in punches, embossing folders and framelits and dies. The stampin up mini catalog that just came out is GREAT! Lots of "vintage" type designs which I love. I dislike stamp sets that look like a 3 year old drew them. I want to see ones done by an artist. They have new stamp sets and coordinating punches, as well as dies and the brand new framelits from Sizzix to go with many of them. I have a number of customers in Australia that sent me messages that they are drooling over the new mini catalog. They are likely to have most of those products themselves later on. However none of the international markets have the full product catalog like the US does. The company is based here and the stamp sets are made in the US.
Martha Stewart and EK Success also have wonderful new punches ( and they are on sale tomorrow) There is a 24 hour sale with 24% off at Martha Stewart. I am sure you can google to see, but I think the Code is Shopnow. It's for 1/21/12. Martha has wonderful new "all around the page" punches that can punch in the middle of a page, not just on an edge or slightly in. Then there are the coordinating punches for an edge and then the corner.
I'm waiting for a photo of the finished teal and silver satin dress to post. I gave it to my granddaughter December 31st. I have the other one to finish this week! She picked out fabrics at S R Harris warehouse with me this summer. We got lots of sparkly fun fabrics and trims. Then I made a number of trips to fabric stores to get solid fabrics and patterns to go with them. This time I am determined to do it faster! No hand putting in zippers and lining. I must have spent 3 days solid on the last dress.
Maybe half of my sisters do some sewing. I have seven sisters, and no brothers. Sister Clare is the one with "nanaclare'skitchen" blog. I can't think of one of our daughters or sons who has wanted to learn to sew at all. However, my granddaughter may have an interest. She sure loves pattern and design! She made a paper pattern for a dress for her stuffed tiger. She spent about 3 hours taping copy paper together and cutting it this way and that! She was 4 at the time. She does drawings of people , that have patterned fabric in great detail. She was VERY enthusiastic in the fabric warehouse and lasted several hours. Don't we all watch our children and grandchildren closely and wonder what their talents and interests will be in life?
I ended up having the sparkly fabric as a separate overskirt with elastic that could be worn with or without the dress. This next one is using the purple fabrics in that photo with the pile of fabrics.
I have not done work on the dolls.
I did get some new merchandise and Valentine making supplies posted on ebay.
Speaking of ebay..... the new postal increase goes into effect on Monday. The increase for an international flat rate envelope is $4... substantial! I need to revise everything in my store for the new rates.
I love papercrafting tools. I know I am not alone. Seriously I think my heart pounds a little faster when I see great new designs in punches, embossing folders and framelits and dies. The stampin up mini catalog that just came out is GREAT! Lots of "vintage" type designs which I love. I dislike stamp sets that look like a 3 year old drew them. I want to see ones done by an artist. They have new stamp sets and coordinating punches, as well as dies and the brand new framelits from Sizzix to go with many of them. I have a number of customers in Australia that sent me messages that they are drooling over the new mini catalog. They are likely to have most of those products themselves later on. However none of the international markets have the full product catalog like the US does. The company is based here and the stamp sets are made in the US.
Martha Stewart and EK Success also have wonderful new punches ( and they are on sale tomorrow) There is a 24 hour sale with 24% off at Martha Stewart. I am sure you can google to see, but I think the Code is Shopnow. It's for 1/21/12. Martha has wonderful new "all around the page" punches that can punch in the middle of a page, not just on an edge or slightly in. Then there are the coordinating punches for an edge and then the corner.
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