Saturday was our first 5 hour shift at the temple, and because we are a team of procrastinators (and because husband travels and works like crazy during the week) we decided to wait until the morning of to hem his brand new white pants.*
Oh, and did I mention that I’ve only used a sewing machine once before? To sew my wedding invitations (I was the crazy bride who chose to create 275 booklet style wedding invitations and sew the pages together to create a binding). My mom did all of the work setting things up back then, changing the settings, and I just ran the pages through. Now it’s 1.5 hours before we have to leave and I realized I barely know how to turn the dang thing on, much less thread the needle.
After 45 minutes of trial and error I had all of the prep work done and it was time to thread the needle. I slid the white fabric under and lowered the needle down to the crisp white fabric.
And this is what I ended up with.
Ah, the adventures of being a newlywed!
All the stress and the disappointment of my supreme failure at sewing was forgotten as soon as we walked inside and experienced the peaceful atmosphere of the temple. Plus they made us work really hard! We both came home exhausted, and now I’m thinking I’m going to have to start working out to get in shape just so I can serve in the temple each week.
It was all worth it though. Especially so for me, as I got to help 6 little boys, ranging in age from 2-11 years old dress all in white and head upstairs to meet their parents in the sealing room to be sealed together forever as a family.
It’s moments like that which remind me that poorly hemmed pants don’t really matter all that much.
*In the temple everyones wears all white from head to toe.
June 4th, 2009 on 5:18 am
Oh, they’re not that bad! I always find hemming is easier by hand to be honest – it is easier to to invisible stitch.
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June 4th, 2009 on 7:14 am
i totally agree with Hannah. hand stitching the hem on pants is much easier and looks a lot better than using a machine. i tried to find you a good you tube video but they all make it so complicated.
also having him put the pants on inside out and then pinning them is a lot easier.
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June 4th, 2009 on 8:34 am
I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas and got one….it’s still in the box. I too don’t know how to use one and am afraid to try. Guess I need to just do it!
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June 4th, 2009 on 9:01 am
Why can the 2-7 yr old boys be in the temple? I thought they needed to have an endowment first (as you didn’t get to go in the temple until you were engaged and thus got your recommend, etc.) Could the boys be there but not their little sisters?
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Katy Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Children can be in the temple when are they are being sealed to parents/family and they only go to the sealing rooms (they don’t partake in the other ordinance services). I’ve never helped with a family sealing before (except for being in my own family’s sealing when I was 2-I don’t remember anything!), but from what I understand the children are dressed and kept in a special children’s room/nursery until the sealing and then escorted directly there. It sounds like Jenna was in that children’s room helping those children get ready and take them to the sealing room to meet their parents.
*Oh, and yes, of course little girls can be in the temple for sealings to their parents just like little boys – perhaps there were no girls in this family and that’s why Jenna mentioned only the 6 boys.*
Adolescents 12 and up can get special-use recommends to perform proxy baptisms in the temple (recommend only used that time and to go again they have to get another recommend from their bishop). Again, they only go to the areas where the baptisms are performed – they just don’t roam around anywhere in the temple.
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Jenna Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
The parents are only 30 years old and they have 7 boys (one deceased). I don’t know how they could possibly fit in some little girls.
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Erin Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
7 children and they are only 30?! It is time for you to start the Morman culture posts (that I’ve been requesting, nag, nag). Are they done having kids. Do families get sealed once they are done having kids – or if you have more do you go get resealed? But seriously, 7 kids! You need to start the culture posts – marrying younger than the national average, having more children (several standard deviations more) than the national average, shorter engagements than the national average – these things are all part of your culture and I want to hear more about it. What happens if you are a faithful LDSer, but you don’t want to get married till after grad school and you only want two kids – do you feel a lot of pressure from the culture? Do you get in trouble?
7 kids!
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Jenna Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:29 am
I promise I have a list of topics going. I’m completely swamped with work though and those serious, intensive posts have to be put on the back burner until I get everyone their pictures.
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June 4th, 2009 on 9:11 am
Don’t worry, I’m worse at using a sewing machine and I even took a sewing class in junior high. me + sewing = bad day. Besides, your hem isn’t spewing string everywhere so I doubt that many people would notice.
It’s always nice when things happen that put mistakes into perspective.
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June 4th, 2009 on 9:29 am
I just found your blog! I followed you as Mrs. Avocado on Wedding Bee. You’re fabulous!
I posted about first sewing experience a while back. FAIL. But fun! I need to take a class or something. I really want to get good!
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June 4th, 2009 on 10:24 am
Yeah my fiance is a better sewer than I
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June 4th, 2009 on 10:50 am
When you are in a rush, tape (clear packing or duct tape) works in a pinch.
I hear you. I have no sewing skills.
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June 4th, 2009 on 10:59 am
I can use my sewing machine…for sewing straight lines. I can make simple valances, hem stuff – anything that’s just fold and sew. My mom taught me to sew a long time ago, but the thing I struggle with is not the machine or actually sewing, but following a pattern to make something cooler than just valances or pillowcases or hems!
I hemmed my temple dress myself and the slip underneath it because it seemed to be made for someone 6’5″ – it certainly doesn’t look perfect if you really look at either!:)
I’m so jealous of your time in the temple – what a learning and serving experience you are having with your husband!
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June 4th, 2009 on 10:05 pm
THAT IS AWESOME! That’s exactly what my first attempt at hemming my first temple dress looked like! Pam loaned me her sewing machine (I should have just asked her to do it!) and I prayed mightily for divine help because it was for a righteous cause. I think the help came in the form of keeping my composure and not bursting out in tears of frustration.
I still can’t sew.
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Gwendolyn Reply:
June 7th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
I’m jealous! I cry in frusteration over my sewing projects all the time and I’m aproaching 11 years of sewing my own clothes
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June 5th, 2009 on 2:19 am
That’s why there’s hemming tape!
In all reality though, I love sewing, but it does take practice. The first thing I sewed, a purse, was a disaster! Don’t fear, it only goes up from here!
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June 5th, 2009 on 1:30 pm
I am very curious about the culture as well… 7 kids and only 30 seems really incredible. I’d love to hear more about the culture.
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June 5th, 2009 on 4:53 pm
I wish I could have participated in the last challenge, but sadly life keeps me super busy between work, husband and buying a house.
As far as the sewing, if I may recommend: I took a sewing class in high school. A good way to learn is to use paper. Put lines on the paper, and curves and all and follow it with your sewing machine (just the needle, don’t use thread) until you get a good hand on it.
Then practice on scraps of fabric and then get to the real stuff.
I have to hem some of my husband’s pants and I keep on putting it off. You make me feel bad, at least you tried.
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June 5th, 2009 on 6:43 pm
I totally second the hemming tape. My mom and I were hemming my groom’s pants and those of all his groomsmen two hours before my wedding. If it weren’t for that tape and an iron, I would’ve completely lost my mind.
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June 7th, 2009 on 10:33 pm
Hooray I found you! I so enjoyed your posts as Miss Avocado!
I was hoping you could tell me some about writing your “non-vows” as I’m trying to do the same thing (temple then ring ceremony) and struggling to find the right way to do it. If you could email me some tips I’d be so grateful!
gwendolyn86 at hotmail dot com
Also way-to-go on your first sewing attempt! They really don’t look THAT bad for a first try, and pants are notoriously more difficult than a bigger hem like a skirt or curtains.
Some tips: have him put the pants on inside out and while wearing his shoes stand on a stool or chair, then you can pin a pretty straight hem. Same principle for a dress or skirt, have someone else do the pinning if it’s your clothes. Hem tape is an insanly wonderful invention, and you can sew right over it if you want more stability
My first sewing experiance was also a hem but it was a dress, looked so horrible that I’ve only worn it three times (also put the pockets in backwards -that was all handstitching oi) and now ten years of sewing experiance later I’m making my own temple dress for my wedding
Follow Cecy’s advice, practice with paper and scraps and just have fun! It really gets better with time and practice I promise!
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