In my defense, I did do a little research before I bought the sewing machine, to see if it was actually something I would be interested in. I did a reconnaissance trip to Mood Fabrics - the fabric store that they shop at on Project Runway. Wow. The second I stepped in that door, I was done for. Three floors of amazing, beautiful fabric in every color, texture, print you could ever in a million years imagine. Every fabric I touched, I could imagine a piece of clothing. I'm pretty sure my eyes were actually gleaming. I immediately rushed right home and purchased a sewing machine. Without a second thought. And a few minutes after I bought the sewing machine, I checked my email and there it was - a Groupon to Mood Fabrics. $15 for $30 worth of fabric. It was a sign - it was MEANT to BE!
While waiting VERY impatiently for my sewing machine to ship, I browsed patterns online and picked out two. I figured that I would start out with a simple tote bag. Mainly because the one that I'm carrying my stuff around in right now is SO dirty it's embarrassing, but also because it's always advisable to start with something simple, right? Then I also found a pattern for a simple boatneck shirt. My sewing machine was supposed to arrive on Friday, but I wasn't home to receive it, so I had to send it to a Fedex location to hold, to pick up on Sunday morning. So on Saturday, I made the trek back to Mood to pick out my fabrics for the tote bag and the shirt.
I stood in the canvas aisle for an hour, at least. SO many fabrics, only one tote bag to make. I just couldn't decide. The people must have thought I was crazy. When I finally got my canvas picked out, I headed up to the jersey knit aisle, where I proceeded to stand for another hour. I was SO drawn to the stripes, and almost picked one out and then talked myself down from that ledge - it's going to be hard enough to create a shirt, much less try to do it while matching up stripes. So I just got a very nice grey jersey.
I picked up my sewing machine on Sunday, rolled out my fabric to start to make the tote and realized, hmm, I haven't used a sewing machine in 20 years, and the experience I do have is limited to trying to make one shirt with my mom helping me. A lot. So, I thought it wise to maybe do some practicing before jumping right into a finished project. I had a little bit extra of one of my canvas pieces, because they had swatched the end of it, so I cut out pieces to make a little mini-tote. I read through the entire sewing machine manual, got the bobbin wound and the sewing machine threaded, played around a little bit with different stitches, and then got to work.
Let me just say that the seam ripper is my best friend. I think that is going to be the hardest part, is getting the feel for the foot pedal. My seams were just kind of all over the place. Loose in some places, perfect in others. But in the end, I turned out a little mini-tote, which I'm using to hold my sewing tools.
It looks good enough to me, and I had a BLAST! I LOVE sewing! How did I not discover this hobby earlier? So next up, I'll get started on the actual tote, now that I've had a little practice.
I've also been working on some jewelry, not finishing as much as I would like, but I have two pieces completed.
In other news, it snowed this morning. Crazy. The weather channel predicted it, but I scoffed - snow in March, hah! Well, touche, weather channel. You win. Luckily it's a completely different kind of snow that the frigid, non-melting variety that we had on the ground for the entire month of January. There was about 1/4 of an inch of it, and it will be melted soon. That kind of snow, I can handle in March. It still feels like Spring.
My parents will be visiting the first week in April, so hopefully I will have some NYC sights to share with you. We'll finally get out there and be tourists on your behalf! Happy Wednesday to everyone!
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