For the first half of term Betty's class have been developing their own superheroes. Betty had created 'Monkey Girl' who is 'stronger than a hippo'. The other day Bety came home and told me that she had volunteered my sewing services to help make superhero capes for her class.
So I set my sewing machine up in the corner of the class, while Dolly had Betty's classmates and teacher running around for her, fetching her books, crayons, paper and dressing up clothes.
Fairly confident that I had threaded the machine correctly, I gathered the expectant children round with their chosen cape material. 'My mummy is such a brilliant sewer,' Betty told them proudly. 'Stand back children,' I said, as I pushed my foot down on the pedal. The machine spectacularly clonked and clanked and jammed up. 'You're not very good at knitting,' offered one little boy. 'My mummy is REALLY good at sewing,' said another boy.
And this is basically how I spent the next hour and a half, trying to work my frickin machine with children politely telling me I wasn't very good. Even Betty backtracked and told me I needed to 'go a bit faster.' From the back of the class, Dolly poked her head up and told me I was a 'slowcoach'.
If anything can be redeemed from the afternoon, it was that I learnt what a gorgeous class Betty is in. There are only seven of them (two girls and five boys) and when they weren't helpfully offering me their critique, they all sat around getting on incredibly well with each other and gossiping like little old ladies. It was very touching indeed.
11 comments:
you know, I probably shouldn't be laughing at this, but I really am. I can just picture it. sewing machines can be right cows.
I love any excuse to get myself in the classroom, for that reason. To see what goes on. It's very reassuring to mums to know that little kids are, on the whole, lovely people. I even went on a school trip at the end of last year and had a superb time. My mum used to do that, and I loved her tagging along, and now I do the same! Precious times.
have a lovely Saturday p.m x
You are a braver lady than me, I would never take my sewing machine anywhere near the school!
Maxi is in a lovely class, so perfectly balanced and they all get on so well
Better take your machine in for a check up. They need it every so often. That will guarantee no more jamming up. Besides, you don't want to embarrass the little ones, do you?
Ah the joys of sewing machines. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't! But as least you had the experience of seeing Betty interact with her class mates, and that must have been well worth the frustration of a sewing machine which was trying to throw a sicky!
seeing Betty's class definitely made it worth the humiliation! when i got home i put the machine through its paces and it didn't jam up once...
You're a very brave woman! Children can be so critical, they can really keep you on your toes.....what a sweet class they sound though, and how wonderful to have so few children - they must get a lot of teacher attention.
I took mine in a few weeks ago to help sew Pioneer pinnies. Just as I remembered that I hadn't even threaded it, never mind given it a dry run, the little kids decided that hand-sewing was fun and they probably wouldn't need my services! Phew!
Awww, I can just picture it! Sounds like a lovely class, I wish my 4 year old was in a class of 7.
xx
it does indeed sound like a lovely class of children. I am not going to be taking my sewing machine into school when she starts in a couple or so years, I am dreading being asked already!! I will bake that should put them off the scent, shouldn't it??
We always used to make up superheros when we were children. My brother had Captain Strong and Captain Darkstar as his superhero and supervillian :)
That's exactly why I would never interfere with a sewing machine! (that's my excuse for being very unskilled in the domestic arts dept.) Thanks for visiting my blog the other day and for your nice comment.
I got a good laugh at the image of the little ones making you feel inadequate in the sewing dept. Little blighters.
:-)
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