We got home a few hours ago, but I realized I am more tired than I thought I would be. The visit with his very sick brother, and all the emotions that go with that, the drive home, dishes left in my sink from when we dashed off on Tuesday, and the realization that I need sleep more than anything… in MY bed, instead of on an air mattress, is telling me I need to play hooky tomorrow…
I wanted to do a post, but I have nothing to show, so I pulled a post from the past… This was actually my 2nd post… on August 2, 2014. I remember when I started my blog, I told myself, “Make it all about sewing and dolls and stuff like that!” So on day 2 what did I do? I wrote a post about sewing in the most magnificent way possible…a huge water slide “thingy.” It’s an alterations story I’ll never forget…
I called this post, “My Biggest Alterations Job Yet!” and I hope you don’t mind reading it again…
Yesterday I was on the computer when I heard my hubby come in the front door and it sounded like he was dragging something inside. I kept on with my computer work and forgot about the noise I’d heard. It was quite a while before I went into my sewing room, but when I did, it looked like he had deposited a huge parachute on the floor…
“What’s this????” I asked.
“Oh, it’s one of those blow up slides with a pool…” he said with a grin.
“And what’s it doing in my sewing room?” I asked with not so big of a grin.
This time with a smile…“Oh, I told them at church you could probably fix it. It’s something for the kids to play in for VBS (Vacation Bible School) next week. There are a few tears at the seams where it’s leaking, and I know how you love a good project!!!”
Not to be beaten by a blow up slide and pool thingy…and knowing that it was unusable the way it was, I rummaged through my threads and found the Sun Guard thread I had used when I replaced all the screens in our
(bargain $300) pop-up camper. (…another story…)
We decided it was too big of a job to do inside, so my darling hubby set up a card table outside in the backyard, carried out my sewing machine, and set up a sewing area for me. He turned on the air pump to blow up this monster, so we could determine what was the best way to tackle this huge undertaking.
Well, to cut to the chase, there were S-E-V-E-N areas that needed fixing… and they were major leaks. Someone before me had tried to GLUE the thing back together, but that didn’t work. I had 2 small scraps of the blue material that were about 8” x 3” which were pretty ratty looking. I threaded up the machine with a denim/jeans needle and my hubby was deemed the “holder” as it was very heavy. It was pretty tricky to get it under the feed dogs of my machine and stitch up the areas that were leaking. I sewed an area and then we’d have to blow it up to see if it fixed the area that was leaking… we must have done that 5 or 6 times… sew it up, then blow it up, sew it up, then blow it up. It’s not my finest work to say the least, but after about 2 hours we got it all patched.
Most of the patching had to be done on the outside… like taking the two edges, holding them together, stitching them together and then folding and stitching a piece of the patch fabric around the rough edges. It worked… and we were so proud… we huffed and puffed getting all the air out of it and rolled it up and put it in a large plastic tub. Hallelujah!!
This should be the end of my story, but NO…
My hubby carried the tub to the garage and plopped it in front of his workbench… You’ll never believe this, but as he dropped the tub down, it happened to catch a crowbar, which ripped a new 4” tear in the backside. UGH!
He almost cried as he came back out to tell me what had happened. Actually after we both had a moment of groans, we laughed…I sat up my sewing machine again on the card table, this time, just outside the garage and proceeded to fix that one final rip! I told him maybe we should wrap it all in bubble wrap to protect it until Monday when it will be set up!
Okay, do I win the prize for the largest alteration? If not, tell me your story…
Blessings, Jeanne
If you wanted to read the comments on the original post, you can see them HERE.
Definitely the biggest alteration!!! I can’t imagine what it would have cost to have someone do this who charges for alterations. I got really determined to relearn how to use the buttonhole attachment on my sewing machine again when I was in a hurry to finish as shirt for Krish and found it would be $8 apiece to have them done by a seamstress whose shop is in a mini mall. You two are something else! I loved this post when I saw it and am glad you posted it again for those who are new to the blog. Congrats again on a great post. Rest up, rest up and rest up and then resume your schedule.
HI Susette,
Whoa… $8.00 for a buttonhole… I must be living in the dark ages! I hope you have your buttonhole attachment learned by now… saving all those $8 for dolls and fabric! :o)
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
You DEFINITELY win!!! What an undertaking! The kids were thrilled though, i know:)
Great job, Jeanne:)
Prayers for your brother in law?
HI Shara,
Yes, the kids were thrilled to have such a huge toy to play on… There were other blow up “thingies” that my we heard about from a church getting rid of them…but they were pretty much in the same shape as this one… I didn’t really relish the idea of more “huge” alterations, so we just decided on the one! Good choice, I think!
Thank you Shara,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful fix you accomplished!! I’m sure the kids had lots of fun because you two worked so hard. I don’t think I have ever done anything bigger than hemming living room drapes.
Hope you have a good day and get some rest.
Take care.
HI Charlotte,
The kids splished and splashed half the day on this slide! It was truly worth every minute we spent on it…
Did you set up your sewing machine in front of your drapes and hem them? I did that one time… it was so much easier just to mark them where they needed to be hemmed and do it as they were still on the curtain rods…
I’m taking it easy today because hubby says tomorrow is grass mowing day! I think it’s supposed to be cooler tomorrow, so maybe it won’t be so bad…
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, certainly hope you got some sleep last night. So glad you had the opportunity to visit with George’s brother and help out a bit. I’m sure all you did was well appreciated. Love that waterslide post. A pretty amazing feat.
Really going to be hot here the next few days. Must get out and water early. Help, we’re melting…
Thank you Joy,
I did sleep pretty well in my own bed last night… and even slept in till 8:30…
I wish we could have accomplished more for his wife, but we did what we could.
I’m glad you enjoyed the waterslide post… it’s pretty big, isn’t it?
I’ts hot today but supposed to be cooler tomorrow… just in time for grass mowing…. UGH!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Rest up, Jeanne. Life and it’s journey takes energy.
Prayers and blessings.
Thank you Becky,
Yes, life does take energy, and it’s sometimes a journey we don’t want to go on, but we do…
I do plan on resting up today… dishes and looking in my sewing room for something simple to post about tomorrow.
Thank you for your prayers and your blessings,
~ Jeanne
Oh yes, Jeanne, I remember that post, and could not believe my eyes!! Your sewing machine out on the lawn is the prettiest thing, along with the wonderful nature all around you. You take the cake as far as I’m concerned with having the biggest project! Do they still have it and use it for Bible School?
So, we just got the grass cut, well, Michael got the grass cut and I did a bit of this and that, and watered. It’s hot enough here, but if you do it early it’s much better. I do hope you two rest today, and just get your wits about you. We’re in for some hot stuff!!!
Hi Linda,
Yes, they do still have this slide and I’m sure they will use it for Vacation Bible School.
Yes, it’s pretty hot out there today…we’re doing yard work tomorrow…it’s supposed to be slightly cooler…yay.
Actually it looks like it’s getting sort of cloudy right now.
Thank you, Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Welcome home, Jeanne! I’m glad to hear you “played hooky” today. You and George needed a day to focus on yourselves.
What a “monster” of an alteration job! I love this post! The images it creates of you and George wrestling with the water slide “thingy” make me laugh out loud! I didn’t realize I have followed your blog from the beginning, since I have seen this post before, but it is one of those stories that is just as funny with subsequent tellings. Too bad you didn’t capture it on film. I think you may have won “America’s Funniest Home Videos” with your “Sew it Up, Blow it Up” footage!
You and George will want to start early, stay hydrated, and take it easy in the heat and humidity tomorrow with the yard work. I know you will feel good about getting caught up, but maybe the day will allow for a little sewing, too! Think of it as replenishing your “Jeanne Joy!” Blessings to you both!
Hi Anne,
I haven’t played hooky since I was in college and skipped class to see Gone with the Wind at the theater.
Yes, monster is most definitely the correct word for this alterations job. It was massive to say the least. Oh, my goodness, if this had been on film, it would have been something like the Three Stooges…
We had rain today so I’m hoping it’s over and done and we can get the grass mowed tomorrow without any hitches… we have more white clover flowers than I’ve ever seen.
I’m hoping for some sewing too! We think alike!
Blessings to you too,
~ Jeanne