Vacation Day One

Since I didn't have internet, when I wanted to blog about something, I typed it up on my computer and saved it, so I could post it later. Here are my thoughts from Friday :)

Sewing Machine - Up and Running!

Vacation is supposed to be relaxing, doing things you enjoy but don't have time to do normally, right?

It's officially vacation! I've sewn!

Well, as I'm writing this I've only sewn two long zig zag seams, but that's ok. I figured out how to wind a bobbin, load it, and thread the machine (it's different than my mom's… and I have an automatic threader!) Mom wanted me to sew zig zags on the cut edges of a bunch of fabric she got, so she could wash it without it unraveling completely. She would do it herself, but her machine has been living in Boston with my brother and his girlfriend for awhile. My brother's girlfriend needed it for something, but I think she just ended up hand sewing what she needed because she couldn't figure out my mom's machine… I was trying to help her from Maine, on AIM with a picture of my mom's type of machine from Google (webcam wasn't working). But it didn't work.

I've just finished strengthening the bottom insert for the first bag I'm going to make, so as soon as I finish edging the other four fabrics Mom has for me, I can cut out the fabric for the bag! Which will probably take longer than I want, because I have to make the pattern pieces too.

What a pain.

But I like designing stuff. Even though I hate cutting fabric out (but every fun thing to do has that boring part, doesn't it?). If I use the original pattern for anything, it'll just be the instructions to know what to sew first, but I have a feeling I'm just going to wing it anyway haha. With Mom's help, of course.

Alright, back to sewing!

I have a lead foot…

… Even with a presser foot.

This is what I was thinking earlier while I was sewing haha. My machine has different speed settings, and I had it on the fastest, hammered down, flying through those zig zag stitches. I was afraid I'd break my machine!

I was thinking it would be a cute bumper sticker, but then I realized not so much… Especially around cops.

This Is How We Do

When I was in high school, I took a sewing class a couple times, and the teacher was all about the commercial patterns, we only use commercial patterns.

I think I gave her conniption fits.

The first time, I finished my shirt early, and wanted to make a skirt. So my mom and I made a pattern for me to cut out. I brought it into class to show her…

"This looks like newspaper."

"… It is."

I think "managed" is the best word to describe how she helped me haha. But then, with the scraps of my shirt and my skirt, I was going to make another skirt (I never did finish that… this was 5 years ago…) and we used computer paper for pattern pieces. I don't remember what I did the second time around… The dress I made was a kimono style one, so I think it took me the whole semester.

So anyway, I'm working on making and cutting out the pattern pieces for the bag, and my materials are a stack of almost year old newspapers from the woodstove pile, and an orange Crayola marker :) I learned from the best ;-)