Baby book has tasks for little hands

Dear Vicki: I am interested in finding a pattern to make a fabric book for my baby. I had one that my grandmother made when I was little, but it has disappeared. It had things that buttoned on and zipped up and a little shoe that laced. My little one is 14 months old, and I would love to have one of these books for her. Thanks so much. — Pam T.

Dear Pam: I will tell you about the book that I am making. It has a counting page to match shapes with numbers — 1, 2 and 3 — snapping wheels on a train, a mitten to put her hand in, a clock with hands that turn, a shoe that ties, a purse to put things in, flowers that button, a little dog house with a dog to put into it, and much more.

It is a lot of work, but I am enjoying so very much making something that will be so loved. The pattern I am using is called I Can Do It!, from Sew Baby, by Ruth Ann Nyce. Look for it at a local store, or purchase it online at www.sewbaby.com.

Dear Vicki: My new sewing machine needle threader keeps breaking! Why do they put these things on machines? I thought it would be so great, but it is nothing but trouble, and I have to change the bobbin case when I do the fancy embroidery. I am sort of missing my old machine; it never needed service or anything! I know you can’t help me, but thanks for letting me sound off. — Maggie K.

Dear Maggie: Don’t give up; get that needle threader fixed. Your vision is probably not going to get better. Adjust your thinking and realize that it is very delicate because it needs to draw a double strand of thread through the needle eye. So think “butterfly” as you use it.

Also think about when you learned to ride a twowheel bike — at first most of us wanted to go back to our tricycles, but after effort you wonder why you thought it was so hard.

The reason you need to change the bobbin case is because when you do machine embroidery you need an unbalanced tension. So instead of having to adjust the tensions, just change the bobbin case. And when embroidering, every time you change thread color, you will bless the needle threader.

Be sure you take advantage of all the lessons and education that your dealer offers, and soon you will love all the wondrous new abilities that your new machine has to offer.