Threading a Bobbin Right

Ok so have you ever sewn something then when you finished you see a big heaping mess of thread on the underside where you started? Well this is because the bobbin hadn't been threaded all the way correctly. In order to do so first you're going to need to put it in the machine the correct way leaving it with a couple of inches of extra. This is important. Not all machines are alike so I don't really know how yours needs to be threaded!

Next with the needle threaded, turn the knobby thing until the needle goes all the way down into the machine.

Now pull it back up . You should see that the top thread has gone down into the bottom part of the feeder. Now pull the top thread's thread until the bobbin thread comes up.

 Using a seam ripper or whatever's small enough to fit under the foot, pull one side of the bobbin thread.

And pull that thread to the side. Now you won't start a sewing project with a ball of  thread around your bobbin!

Father's Day Coupon Books!

Mom's fun flip book/Mother's day card kids can make is one of our most popular crafts--but I have to admit, I still haven't made one with my kids! Since we obviously missed Mother's Day (and I'm not quite desperate enough to direct my children in my own Mother's Day gifts), I decided to use this craft to make our Father's Day gifts--but with a twist. Instead of just a flip book, we'd make a coupon book:

I followed Mom's directions on folding the paper to make the stacker card:

Then I had my kids draw pictures and/or write out some things we thought of that would make Daddy happy:

Daddy can turn the coupons in to the child and they'll agree to do these things. Some Father's day coupon book suggestions for little kids (mine are 6, 3, and 2 tomorrow!)

• Hugs
• Back rub
• Obey quickly
• No whining
• Play blocks
• Go to the movies
• Go to lunch
• Kisses
• Pretend to be a dog
• Tickles
• Clean up toys
• Ice cream date
• Blanket fort
• Nature walk
• Play outside
• Play Dad's favorite game
• Run through the sprinklers
• Fly (paper) airplanes

I had them draw and write before I stapled the booklets together (much to my exacting children's dismay as the pages fell out of alignment! How will we ever fix it????? LET'S CRY!!!)

Once they finished filling in the coupons, I decided to make it a "real" coupon book--complete with perforations. And I had a great idea to get the perforations: use my sewing machine! 

With no thread and the stitch length set at about 1 (out of 5), it went right through multiple layers of construction paper to give a "real" perforated look to the coupons. I tried it one sheet at a time, and then I tried the whole book at the same time (with the cover open so it stay whole). This is a great time to use Jaime's tip for sewing in a straight line: use a hair elastic as a guide!

After the perforations were done, I closed the cover and stapled the book together, careful to make sure the staples were between the spine and the perforations. Then, since the pages were no longer perfectly aligned (gasp!), I trimmed the sides.

Voila! An easy Father's Day craft for kids!

What Father's day crafts will your kids make? What would you put in a Father's day coupon book?

Sewing Machine Update

This afternoon Jasmine and I spent a few happy hours sewing machine shopping. We started at a Pfaff dealer, then Bernina, and finally one that carried Viking, Janome, and Brother.
We tried a lot of machines, but our hearts are set on the first one we tried: the Pfaff Ambition 1.5.

We really loved it! Nothing in the price range compared to it in any of the stores.
Do any of you have one? How do you like it?