Penguin129's AMA

[penguin129]

Good morning ladies! I wasn't sure if I should start this or if someone else should. Anyway, Ask Me Anything you want about crafting/sewing, teaching, TV, and anything else you might want to know. I'll try to get to all your q's

[ladytiffany24]

All-time favorite TV show?!

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:12:21 GMT -5 ladytiffany24 said:

All-time favorite TV show?!

Grey's Anatomy. I've watched it from the start and am fully invested in all the craziness they pull. I can't quit it no matter how much I want to at times. I love it so much that when I was taken into emergency surgery after 24 hrs after DD was born I said in the elevator to the people pushing me around "at least I'm getting my full Grey's Anatomy Experience". The 2nd through 4th or 5th seasons are the best.

[peaseblossom55]

Favorite meal?

[ladytiffany24]

Favorite character on Grey's?

[mill23]

What kind of sewing do you do? What's the most complicated project you've completed?

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:22:43 GMT -5 peaseblossom55 said:

Favorite meal?

That depends if I'm cooking it or if I'm eating out somewhere. If I'm cooking it I would say the Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders I make. They are so delicious. If I'm eating out it would be the Parmesan Steak and French Fries from Applebee's. Now my mouth is watering...

[mikaela20]

What is your latest craft creation?

What are you working on now?

Any Valentines day craft ideas?

Sorry am I only allowed one question? I don't know how this works.

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:24:34 GMT -5 ladytiffany24 said:

Favorite character on Grey's?

If I have to pick out of the remaining cast I would say the original Chief (Richard) or Alex. Alex has had such a transformation over the years and I really want to see him happy. From the early years I would say George and Izzy (before her hallucinating Denny and her brain stuff, she wasn't the same after that).

[britta]

Inspired by a segment on the news last night...

What are your thoughts on the Common Core Curriculum?

(Hopefully this isn't too deep)

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:28:54 GMT -5 mill23 said:

What kind of sewing do you do? What's the most complicated project you've completed?

Recently it is a combination of sewing by hand and machine to make the quiet books I did around Christmas. I still have to finish DD's. The quiet books are the hardest most time consuming project I've done to date. I've made 3 of them now.

[kleigh]

If you could live anywhere (present location excluded) where would it be and why ?

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:29:48 GMT -5 mikaela20 said:

What is your latest craft creation?

What are you working on now?

Any Valentines day craft ideas?

Sorry am I only allowed one question? I don't know how this works.

The latest thing I've made was the Quiet Books (big craft wise). Small crafts, I made a ton of handprint Valentine's for relatives this week.

I should be working on finishing the button holes and ladybug page for DD's quiet book.

I have ideas for kids, not really anything else.

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:31:21 GMT -5 britta said:

Inspired by a segment on the news last night...

What are your thoughts on the Common Core Curriculum?

(Hopefully this isn't too deep)

Hmmm... good old Common Core. I've been out of the classroom for 3 school years now so my answer will be based on the 2012-2013 School Year. We were starting to implement using the Common Core Standards for Reading and Math that year. The wording and all was pretty much the same and I didn't really think there was a big difference standards wise. I think having a Common Curriculum nationwide is a good thing because they were definitely gaps when students would move from the south to the north and vice versa.

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:32:59 GMT -5 kleigh said:

If you could live anywhere (present location excluded) where would it be and why ?

I guess I would say Georgia. I loved the area around Stone Mountain. It reminded me of PA, but you still had the southern charm.

[ellabee]

How did you learn how to sew? I can only do a basic straight stitch I learned in my home-ec class in 8th grade. I'd like to see if I could sew some clothes and other things, but I feel like I need to have a better understanding of all the other stitches my machine can do.

[PirateCat]

What do/did you teach? Will you be going back to the classroom?

[ladytiffany24]

Any horror stories from teaching? Bad behavior? Good homework excuses?

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:42:33 GMT -5 ellabee said:

How did you learn how to sew? I can only do a basic straight stitch I learned in my home-ec class in 8th grade. I'd like to see if I could sew some clothes and other things, but I feel like I need to have a better understanding of all the other stitches my machine can do.

I learned to sew in middle school home-ec (or was it high school?), same as you . We had kits the teacher bought and I remember making a few stuffed animals from them. Then I moved onto sewing PJ pants. I loved the ones I made so much I wore them to school in high school. I was a sewing nerd. I remember I had a pair that were the Monopoly guy holding money. I have only mastered the straight stitch, but that is all I need.

[pivot]

What is the best advice you have for someone who has owned a sewing machine for 3 years, but has never used it/doesn't know how to sew? Help me get started!

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:44:01 GMT -5 PirateCat said:

What do/did you teach? Will you be going back to the classroom?

I taught Kindergarten and 2nd Grade. I'm certified to teach K-6 and also Special Ed (just this past year). I will be going back to the classroom once our 2nd kiddo (when we have them) goes into K.

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:44:54 GMT -5 ladytiffany24 said:

Any horror stories from teaching? Bad behavior? Good homework excuses?

I had a student in Kindergarten who was fully toilet trained, she would pee herself on purpose during the time we were on the rug just so she could get out of the classroom and wander the halls to go change. They were going to kick her out of the school for other reasons, but when I started there in October of that year they gave her to me. She would steal things off other teacher's desk etc.

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 8:47:33 GMT -5 pivot said:

What is the best advice you have for someone who has owned a sewing machine for 3 years, but has never used it/doesn't know how to sew? Help me get started!

I would say start small. I sewed my first pillow case a few month ago. It was very basic and only used straight stitches. It is something you'll be able to use. I would love to make a special one for each season/holiday eventually. This is the link I used to learn. There is a video that explains everything.

www.thediydish.com/2011/12/how-to-make-a-pillowcase-join-the-1-million-pillowcase-challenge/

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 9:14:18 GMT -5 ugaqueencity said:

How did you get into crafting? Have you always been crafty or did you pick it up as an adult?

My mom did a lot of crafts when I was little and she still does. I think that combined with Home Ec got me going. I've always been crafty. I have big dreams of DIY Design on a Dime Makeovers

[penguin129]

Feb 12, 2016 9:27:17 GMT -5 ugaqueencity said:

Do you do any crafting other than sewing?

I made a Scrapbook once before. I'd like to make another one eventually. I would love to learn to make an afghan.

[kawaiikitsune]

Best knitting tutorials for a beginner?

[thelittleredm]

Well, I know which thread I'll be stalking today

[PirateCat]

Do you make clothes and do you use patterns? Any good sites for getting patterns for a beginner?

(I am getting a new sewing machine for my birthday and I'm super excited!)

[mill23]

Can you teach me to free motion quilt?? Maybe we need a sewing AMA, I think we have a bunch of other crafters here. I could use the help!

[lilsneezy]

Feb 12, 2016 8:39:50 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

Feb 12, 2016 8:32:59 GMT -5 kleigh said:

If you could live anywhere (present location excluded) where would it be and why ?

I guess I would say Georgia. I loved the area around Stone Mountain. It reminded me of PA, but you still had the southern charm.

Are you from PA? (I am!)

What was your biggest fear as a teacher?