Of Sewing, Laughter and God

Last year for Christmas, my husband gave me a new Brother sewing machine. I had put it on my Christmas list of things I wanted although, I have never sewn on a machine a day in my life. But, I am enthralled with the beauty of quilts and wanted to see if perhaps, just perhaps, I could learn how to quilt.

I don’t know if life was too busy for me this past year or if perhaps I, unconsciously, was afraid I wouldn’t be able to learn how to quilt — whatever the reason, I did not touch or look at the machine until this past summer when I took it out of its box, signed up for a beginner’s sewing class at JoAnn’s Craft and learned how to thread the machine.

I have to say that I was a little disappointed with JoAnn’s. It was a 3 hour or so class and my expectations (why are they so high?) were that I would learn a LOT of basics. With only two of us in the class, I felt cheated – there should have been more taught. But — that’s water under the bridge.

At a recently made “workstation,” I started practicing how to sew straight lines and different stitches. Not bad, I told myself. (Below is a “newbies” workstation. You’ll notice my laptop is close by as I have been reading tons of online tutorials.)

Sewing Workstation
Sewing Workstation

I decided to start my first project — sewing a hem on a pair of new pants. How hard can this be? I asked myself.

I measured the length of the hem I wanted, put it under the sewing needle and started to sew. A sense of accomplishment welled within me. (Yes, it doesn’t take much to make me feel that way.)

Measuring Hem Pants
Measuring Hem Pants

After sewing one hem, I removed the pants from under the machine and stepped back to admire my handiwork. Uh … let’s check it out.

Improper Hem Sewing
Improper Hem Sewing

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!   My loud and boisterous laught could be heard throughout the house.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  I found this quite comical and continued laughing out loud feeling God and the angels nearby. For, as you can see, I sewed the hem on the wrong side.

After 15 minutes of uncontrollable laughter (I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard), I found the “seam ripper” and removed the thread from the hem and re-sewed it.  Now — it was finished and, although not perfect, it was great for a beginner.

Large Seam Ripper
Large Seam Ripper

Because of the focused concentration I have when sewing, I had time time to reflect on this situation.  Hey! Why didn’t You (God) have an angel tap me on the shoulder and warn me of this mistake before I made it? I just had to ask Him that.

And God, being who He is, replied –  “You will never make this mistake again because of how you learned it. Plus, I had so much fun watching you laugh.”

Oh — that God!  He’s always making sure I learn the way that’s best for me.

I wonder what my next project — a lap quilt — has in store for me.

 

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