My Sewing Machine Has Become My Nemesis

I confess, I can’t remember how to operate my sewing machine.  It’s just been sitting there on a shelf in my closet hardly used since the day my mother bought if for me in 2002.  My mom is from East Texas where every mom must be in possession of a sewing machine – it’s a rule.  So when I volunteered to help with my son’s auction project at school, I pulled it out along with the video tape instructions and prepared to familiarize myself with it – how hard could it be? I’m an engineer after all (by education anyway)?  Turns out I must have been sick the day they taught sewing machine operation in engineering school because it was pretty hard actually.