Teaching me on her Spring Break.

Mom & Dad stopped in for a visit this past weekend since she's on Spring Break. Even though it was an incredibly short visit (not normal for us) we were undoubtedly able to cram a list full of things to accomplish (quite normal for us).

Maybe since we knew we only had a limited amount of time, or perhaps because I didn't feel like cleaning up from the prior week and instead left the sewing machine and all my fabric scraps on the dining room table (which is visible from every room, sigh) we put our efforts into a quick show-and-sew from our Christmastime gift efforts. I taught – I use this term lightly – Mom how to make those great Martha quilted coasters and the bird ornaments from the book we both bought at Purl during our visit together. And in turn, she taught me how to make gathers. Or actually, a trick on how to gather material using kite string.

Now, I'm a big fan of learning all the rules first to in turn break the rules... but c'mon, this was a great shortcut: just use your zig-zag stitch on top of a piece of kite string, which is laid overtop of the fabric, then pull on the thread and either ends. Viola! You have gathers. And, you can even leave the string in, since usually you'll hide it by turning over the fabric and top stitching.

I'm finding myself dreaming up ways in which to use gathers to their fullest extent. Aprons. Pillows. Curtains. And I'm not even a girly-girl... but teach me something new and you better watch out. Gathers galore.

I just wish we had more time together. I can only imagine what we'd be able to teach each other.