Belt Test for February 2010 (David Pre-Black)

Saturday was the first Belt Test of 2010 and it was surreal! First off, David was testing for his Pre-Black and he will be celebrating 2 years of MA next month. Man, he moved up quickly! I managed to get his Bo-Staff patch on, but then things went downhill.....

I was striping the uniforms and putting on patches. Other than David's patch, I only had three uniforms (A&A were going to be my last ones to do since theirs weren't necessary since they were not testing) and I managed to break FOUR needles on Ariana's Singer Sewing Machine. FOUR!!! Sunny's uniform was done, but Lizzy's has one hemmed pant-leg and one held in place with fusible webbing. Chris's patches were held in place by the same fusible webbing. I tried changing the tension and changing the bobbins (they threaded funny), but it wasn't until noon that the solution dawned on me: it was the needles. I needed stronger needles, probably ones made for denim. Since the belt test was at 1pm, and I hadn't showered, those needles were just going to have to wait.

Sheryl and Chris took the news well - thank goodness! I took lots of photos and videotaped most of the test (it's hard to do both at once) and there were no major melt-downs and no major injuries. There were also no Lifetime Idiots interrupting the test (who me, hold a grudge? NEVER!) Ariana & Alex were there to help and that's what they did. Of course, Quinlin was more interested in sitting the Board, but Sheryl says the Jr. BlackBelts aren't ready yet. Geoff and Keith are obviously a totally different matter.....

Afterwards, several of us went to Genghis Grill. Love that place! In Target it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe the bobbins could be part of the problem since I have been using the ones from my Husquavarna that probably also needs bigger needles. Then it was onto Jo-Ann's where I purchased the biggest denim needles they had. Went home, switched out the stuff and it worked!!!!!! No broken needles, no nasty words. Chris got her ghee today and the patches are on but good!

So today I put the kids' Bo-Staff patches on their uniform pants. I put both of them on the wrong leg......