learn to sew

1. Get my sewing machine back from FFB.
2. Find the fabric I want.

The project: Make throw pillows for the couch (standard ones aren’t quite big enough) and floor pillows that match the couch as closely as possible.

I can do this. Straight lines are no problem…it’s the curves I have trouble with.

I abandoned the round bag halfway through…it was really and truly fubared. So I whipped up a pattern for a square bag (I can do squares) that sort of works. It’d work better if I’d allowed room for the cord to run, instead of thinking it’d be ok running along the top. It looks like a shiny satin lump when closed, but as far as I can tell, it’s functional.

I think I’ll give it to Mom with the promise that once I get a little more comfortable with the machine, I’ll make her a better one. Until then, I am sticking to throw pillows!

I’m pretty good at sewing straight lines…shame I picked a round bag to start out with! Oh, well. Mom will understand. :)

Circles aside, it’s going pretty well. I have the inside and outside done, and am in the process of stitching in the pockets (a smaller circle I’m sewing in to the lining). The biggest snags I’ve hit were pulling up the bobbin thread during the initial threading (the manual was missing a step…grr), and my lone injury thus far—I accidentally stuck myself with my hand sewing needle. As soon as I stop bleeding, I’ll get back to it!

Have the pieces cut and pinned…I don’t know if all satin is hard to cut or if I just bought the wrong kind, but man! I’m wishing I’d started out with something simpler. Oh, well…it’s started now. I just have to put it away because Mom’s on her way over—wouldn’t do to have her see the pieces of her present laying around!

And I am not even going to touch how geeky it makes me that Gollum’s voice jumped into my head while I was cutting the pieces. I wasn’t even that big a fan of LOTR.

to make Mom’s jewelry pouch. I studied the pattern today, modified it to fit her needs, and mapped out my own pattern. Then I picked up the fabric, cord, and thread—plus a new pair of scissors that I will dedicate to cutting fabric only. Of course, I got rather distracted in the hobby store (as I always do), so I got home much later than expected. Tomorrow if I have time, I’ll drag out the manual and figure out how to thread my machine.

But I have a few more ideas. I’d like to make a cover for my floor pillow—pleather, if my machine can handle it. The pillow’s too big to wash, and it’s horribly dusty…pleather would help contain the dust, and also can be wiped clean. :)

The other idea is a Christmas gift for my mom. She’s been looking for a jewelry pouch for a few years now—the round kind with little pockets inside. She and I (and Dad) have searched high and low for one of these, but can’t find one anywhere. Well, I was cleaning out my craft book trunk today and found a pattern for a purse like that, sans little pockets. And I’m sure I could figure out how to make the pockets.

So now I have projects; all I need is fabric and thread!

I was just clearing out stuff from the computer room so I could start working on the closet, and realized there is something I need that would be a (fairly) easy first project: closeable pillow cases. When my knee started acting up, I started putting a couple of bed pillows in my computer chair-one behind me, and one beneath me-to try to break myself of the habit of sitting on my bad leg while playing on the computer. I think I do it because my chair’s losing padding in the seat, and I have a bony butt. At any rate, it works, and makes the chair so much more comfortable. But the pillows would look much less tacky if they had covers that matched the room.
I’m thinking something machine washable that zips shut. I may even be able to cheat and just add a zipper to a pre-made pillowcase; I’ll need to look into that.

I’ve had this sewing machine 4 years and have yet to so much as look at the manual. Part of my problem was finding a replacement bulb, as the one that came with the machine was broken and it took forever to find a new one that fit. But I did that…a year or so ago. Which leaves the rest of my problem: I have no idea what to sew.

Eventually I want to be able to make my own clothes, as I have a hard time finding clothes that fit around the waist. It just seems awfully ambitious for a first project. I was going to start with curtains, but ended up breaking down and buying them. I suppose I could do some new throw pillows for the couch. That sounds simple enough.