Flannel, it's the new...umm... flannel

So, for Christmas, not too many years ago, Cricket decided to buy me a sewing machine...  I didn't sew at the time, but it was something I had always wanted to learn to do.  (Remind me to tell the story of making Halloween costumes with Linus.)

I opened the box, looked at the instructions and put it all away.  The whole thing was just too intimidating and well, I didn't have any fabric - for some reason a sewing machine comes with string, but not with fabric.  I have since learned that you can certainly sew without fabric, but there is no reason to...

Not to have the Present of the Year go to waste, Cricket decided that we should go to a community Adult School and take a sewing class.  I was up for the challenge.  The first night we showed up with nothing in our hands, but were given a list things to buy for the second class.  Class number one was dedicated to sewing our first disaster.  Everyone sewed a pot holder from scraps that the teacher had in a big bag...  my pot holder is the first thing I ever sewed on a sewing machine and, well, let's just say that you can tell.  I've never used it, not for any sentimental reason, but because I'm not convinced that two pieces of thin cotton will actually protect my hand from a 350 degree pot coming out of the oven.

So our list of items to bring to the next class was everything you'd have expected (scissors - dull scissors will not cut fabric...who knew?, a seem ripper - every seemster needs one, thread...).  We were to find/buy a pattern for something we wanted to make and enough fabric to make it.

I love flannel pants; who doesn't.

I thought, ooo, something cozy and fun.  They should be easy and with a pattern from "Simplicity" I was sure I couldn't go wrong.  

...and enough fabric to make it... 

So I started looking for fabric.  Soft flannel...  and I found the funnest (it's all about the fun) flannel with choo-choos...  yes, trains.  too cute...  too fun...  too soft...  How pleased was I with my bolt of choo-choo fabric tucked under my arm as I walked to the cutting table (they cut it for you - with sharp scissors).  

"Oh..."  

...she said as she looked at the choo-choo flannel.  I recognized that empty "Oh", so my compulsion to explain myself kicked in automatically....

"I'm taking a sewing class..."

(SHE DOES NOT REPLY)

"For our first class we have to find a pattern and fabric to make something..."

(STILL NO REPLY)

"I'm going to make flannel pants, I thought they'd be fun..."

Finally a reply, "Over there we have some flannel that has deer and hunters..." 

(I DO NOT REPLY)

"...there is even some camo..."

Shocked that the other male hunters in my sewing class hadn't snatched up all the camo and deer-hunter fabric...

...wondering whether I was wearing my day-glo orange Dale Earnhardt hunter's cap...

...wishing I had taken the gun rack off the back of my pick-up...

...I simply replied,

"no thanks, I think I'll stick with the choo-choo fabric."

"Choo-Choo?"

"Yes, it means 'train' because of the sound they make...  ...two yards please..."

-silly