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.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
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.
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