Working Woman

Sorry for the lack of posts everyone, but this time I really do have a good excuse. I am a working woman!

I have a good friend here named Cindy who started her own alterations business on the base. She works out of her home, and people bring her clothes that need to be altered, hemmed, etc. And of course, she stays very busy with the military uniforms. The uniforms often need new patches put on, and if a soldier gets a promotion, he/she will need new "stripes" put on each sleeve.

I have always wanted to learn to sew. I received a sewing machine as a gift (from the Fitzpatricks) for my wedding, and after a few lessons from a friend (yes, you, Krista!), I tried to teach myself to quilt with it. I even bought myself Quilting for Dummies a few years ago to get started. But, I've always wanted to take a class or learn from a pro. There's only so much I can teach myself from reading books, you know?

Well, sometime before Christmas, my friend Cindy was telling me how busy she was with her business, and how she would love to have someone help work for her. I jumped at the chance to offer my services, grateful for the chance to learn from a pro, and hoping that I could actually be helpful to her.

I started working for her in January, and the arrangement is just wonderful. I go to her house 2-4 afternoons a week after lunch. I lay Collin down for a nap there, and get to work. When he wakes up, or when it's time to go get the kids from school, I stop. I know... it's perfect.

I have learned so much in just the few months that I've been working for her. I can now change the stripes on a uniform all by myself. It's taken a lot of practice, and I still get nervous when I have to change out the stripes on the formal "blues" uniform. But, I've learned that pinning is everything. If I take my time to pin the patch on well, it will stay straight during the sewing process. I'm also learning how to put the other patches on the uniforms like their name tags, occupation patches, etc. And, I've had a lot of practice sewing on girl scout patches for our scouts on base. (The key is to use clear thread, so you don't have to change the thread for every different color patch!) Cindy is also starting to teach me some of the alterations that she typically does like hemming and changing out a zipper.

I am so grateful for this job. It's like I'm getting paid to take that sewing class that I always hoped for. Cindy is the best boss I could ever hope for, too. The two of us enjoy chatting as we work, and I'm so grateful for adult conversation in the middle of my day! I've learned a lot from working with her, but mostly I've gained a new confidence over my sewing machine. I feel more equipped to try new things and take risks. Who knows how I will use these skills later on in life, but I'm just so glad to have the opportunity to put my energies towards something I enjoy learning.