Learn to use my sewing machine

...complete! The community centre running the workshop also runs a creche where Stinky Pinkleton had a lovely play whilst I had a lesson in sewing (incidently it was through booking the sewing workshop that I signed up for the timebanking volunteer project).

I has two hours and in that time I learnt how to put into practice all the techniques and terminology that I have read about. I chose a beautiful blue flower print fabric and made myself a bag!

I fully lined it in a co-ordinated fabric and added a drawstring. Not the most adventurous project in the world but a good starting point and very satisfying to complete.

I’m not quite ready to tick off this goal yet though because although I learnt to use a sewing machine it wasn’t my sewing machine.

I’m going to tidy up my sewing area later (in connection with my decluttering goal) and hopefully over the next few days I can have a practice on my own sewing machine.

bunting is going to be my first project. It looks easy enough, and uses scraps of material, so if I really mess up it doesn’t matter.

may I borrow a manual, I cannot find one on the internet

...I’m making progress.

I’ve bought two books about sewing, both are quite fun and have lots of ideas for simple things to make. I’ve had a practice at hemming and seams and I think I’m ready to move onto my first project.

To start I’m goin to attempt to make Stinky Pinkleton a very simple dress. I scoured the charity shops for some suitable fabrics (cheap incase I mess it all up) and I have patterns in my books.

Tomorrow I need to pop out and get some decent scissors (mine are annoyingly blunt) and some tailors chalk and then I think I’m ready to start!

I also finished sorting out the storage box built into the table that the sewing machine is built into. There were lots of lovely bits and bobs including lots of ribbon I can use. I felt a bit sad when I found a photograph of the lady who owned the sewing machine originally – Doris. The freecycle lady told me the sewing machine had belonged to her grandmother – Doris I assume.

I’ve put the photo near the sewing machine to inspire me to use it. Thank-you Doris!

...is now clean, working and set up in my kitchen! I am very happy that it is in working condition, especially as it was a freebie! I haven’t figured out how old it is yet but I’m guessing 60s/70s?

I managed to thread it and ‘wind the bobbin up’ (with a little help from several websites)! It has some (ancient) instructions but I struggled to make sense of them. I had a few problems getting the needle to ‘pick up’ the bobbin thread but eventually (and after breaking then fixing the foot) I did it!!

I had a couple of practices on some squares of fabric to check it was all working but I have a LOT of learning to do.

By coincidence a local community centre is going to running some sewing machine classes that I’d love to go to – only problem is having someone to look after Stinky Pinkleton. I’ll ring them and see if I can bring her with me!

...but I haven’t used one for about 20 years. I have some vague recollection from school of getting a ‘sewing maching driving licence’ but I remember little other than the thread went through seven points.

I have been given a sewing maching by a lovely freecycler and I want to use it rather than store it for ages before putting it back on freecycle because I havem’t used it!

It came with instructions (I haven’t read these yet) and lots of other bits and bobs. It’s one of the ones which is built into a table so I think I can set it up somewhere with a chair and have a ‘sewing corner’! I’m not sure I’ll be any good at it but I definitely want to use it!!!

I have one and I used to know how to use it…I would like to figure it out again!

I am getting an older model sewing machine and I am so happy now. I can’t wait to learn how to use it.

I want to use it soooooo bad, but everytime I sit in front of it, it tangles up my threads…Grrrrrr….I’m looking for a sewing class to go to.

It may sound silly, but I am really excited that I figured this one out, and the dvd was so helpful for someone as visual as myself. I highly recommend buying one with an instructional dvd, if you’re a newbie like I am. I am thrilled to be able to sew things quickly now (with the exception of sentimental heirloom type things that I want to be hand-sewn).