Saturday, February 25, 2012

Sub File #5


Last week, I was a home-ec teacher. I always look forward to days as a home-ec teacher because I am comfortable around a kitchen and around a sewing machine. 

Well, this time I didn't have to do much. I watched some students put together a home-interior design board (for the house that the industrial-tech students are building), and I watched some "America's Test Kitchen" episodes. Nothing too tricky.

Until, that is, a student walked frantically in the room. She became even more frantic when she realized her teacher was gone for the day (she wasn't currently enrolled in home-ec classes, but she had the teacher in previous years). Then, she frantically asked me if I could sew. "Um, yeah, actually." is all I responded with. I was very curious in what was wrong in this high-schooler's life.

Turns out, her birthday wasn't long ago, and she received a very fragile Japanese over-sweater-thing (she never game me it's exact name). She tore some seams open on one of the garment's lower corners, and she was fearful of what her mother was going to say. (she had actually ripped a sleeve seam earlier and her mother had NOT been happy).

I told her that I would try to help re-sew the seam if she came in after school. I did get the bottom seam sewn with a invisible hem stitch, however the side seem was quite unusual. 

In my {limited} experience, I have never seen a seem like it. There were folds and pressing lines and one hidden seam. I tried doing a running stitch between all the layers, but it was too complicated. 

So, I told her to leave it in her locker - her mom would never have to know - and to bring it back to the home-ec teacher the next day. I probably could have faked it with two invisible hems - one in the front and one in the back, but I didn't want to make it worse either.

She was disappointed, but she was thankful I tried.

Moral of the story: bring a sewing kit... you never know when a student will come with a random story and a need to have clothing fixed. 

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