At our monthly Writing is Fun meetings we decide a prompt for writing for the next meeting. Length is set at 2 pages so we can read them at the meeting. There is quite a diversity of writing. Some are real life recollections, some fictional vignettes, and sometimes there's a poem. This is a real life recollection.
The prompt for May 2025 was Simplicity.
The Seam Ripper’s Lesson –
Carol Kagan
Once upon a time a Simplicity pattern
# 6190 for an A-line skirt pattern made me cry.
Yes, we made the requisite apron in Home Ec class and
learned how to sew using the sewing machines. Mostly hems and seams. But the
pieces to tie the apron on had be sewn inside out and then turned right side
before stitching them onto the apron. I mastered that inside-out thing.
Then there was a little cloth purse with a button flap. A
lot more inside out sewing and now a buttonhole that the button would actually
go through. I was particularly good at sewing the button.
And as a final project, an A-line skirt. With a zipper. The
fabric was my favorite blue color, and I did such a good job at sewing the
darts, seams, and hem I could hardly wait to wear it.
Putting in a zipper was quite complicated even with the
little drawings on the instruction sheet. Don’t make me try to explain it to
you. I may start to cry even now.
At the top of the side, the seam was left open to put in the
zipper. Holding the zipper in my left hand and the sewing pins in my right
hand, I couldn’t make the zipper be where it was supposed to be inside the side
hem. I pinned in it but only one side of the zipper was inside the side seam. A
couple more tries and it was exactly right. I carefully, slowly, sewed each
side. Almost finished, I could hardly wait to try it on. I held it up. One side
was inside the seam, but the seam wasn’t folded over. I did not use a basting
stitch.
It is important for you to know about a piece of sewing
equipment. It is called a SEAM RIPPER. The small pencil-like handle is fitted
with a piece of metal shaped like a two-tined fork. The outside of the metal is
smooth, but the inside edges are very, very sharp.
It was then I reached for the seam ripper. I spent the rest
of the class period slowly inserting the point in each tight stitch and cutting the
thread. Sometimes the point got stuck on
the skirt fabric, but it was finally out. I could try again at the next class.
There is some pride in completing a difficult task.
Carefully reading the instructions and looking at the drawing I was still
confused. Mrs. Bass, our teacher, came over and talked me through how the
zipper was to be positioned inside the seam and suggested I turn the skirt
inside out to pin it in.
After carefully pinning the zipper in, and setting the
stitch to baste, I sewed it in. Finally done. I held it up and the zipper pull
was on the inside of the skirt.
The seam ripper made another appearance as I cut the loose
threads from the fabric. Since they were loose the point nicked the skirt
fabric even more.
Next class, immediately following English Lit, I was
determined. “Once more into the breach.”
I don’t even remember how I got it wrong the third time but
after I wielded the seam ripper weapon there was hardly any fabric left in the
seam.
A Simplicity pattern for an A-line skirt pattern made me
cry.
Mrs. Bass sewed more fabric along the seam and put the
zipper in the skirt.
Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog
