Sunday Sewing Session Part 2

My plan is to make Sundays my sewing days.  I know I may not have time to sew every Sunday but if I have a designated day, I may just sew more.  During the week there's no time for leisure (which I consider sewing to be a leisurely activity)--just way too much going on.  

On Saturdays we usually have a lot planned and it's also our major house/car cleaning/maintaining day.  We also spend a lot of time on Saturdays socializing our dogs with other dogs and kids or just hanging with them at a park or in the woods (my husband is a nature freak and he's turning me into one too).  

Anyway, I have decided that if I really want to learn how to sew and get good at it I have to set aside some quality time for it.  We go to church on Sundays and I have to convince my husband to go to the early service so that I can get home at a reasonable time to sew and work on other projects.

Below is my sewing project for today.  I made a tote!  I actually sewed it last night because I was home alone (remember I mentioned in the previous post that hubby was gone for a few days so I used part of the alone time to sew).  I took the pictures of it today so I'm still calling it my Sunday Sewing Session. Ha!

This is one view.  Isn't it cute? Although I don't know what I'll use it for.

It's hard to believe that two pieces of fabric came in the package and I was able to make this

I spent a lot of time on Saturday looking for fabric to make my pillow cases (since I've got some special requests--lol).  At one of the fabric stores (which I cannot remember the name at this time) I stumbled across the pattern for the tote.  It was one of those easy to follow instructions type deal.  I'm bad at following directions so it took me a while to make it and it still has a few flaws.  Hey, but I'm learning.  I realize I'm a novice so it's a work in progress, right?

You can see where I messed up the handles because I have a tough time following directions.  It told me to do one thing but I thought I knew better and had to do it my way--so the straps are kind of funky.  At least I know for next time. :).  As you can see, there's a lot of room in there. Oh yeah, I even made the little cardboard thingy to go in the bottom with the left over fabric.

The best part about it all (besides seeing the finished project) was that the fabric was originally suppose to be $15.99 but when I went to check out it was only $1.07 (tax included). How awesome was that?  I wanted to get 10 so I could practice but I was on a mission and decided not to go back. 

This is a pic of me sporting it in the mirror.

Stay tuned for the next project.  I'm not sure what it will be yet but my goal is to sew something next Sunday.  We'll see.  Have you worked on any projects this lately?

Mrs. K

Sunday Sewing Session

Yippie!!! I made something else using my very very very old sewing machine.  So if you have been following this blog for some time you may remember me talking about wanting to learn how to sew a few months back in a previous post. 

You may also remember me talking about my husband's sister teaching me a thing or two about sewing and me making a tiny pillow and phone carrier.  Well these things were tiny and not very useful.  I also made them with the comfort of my sister-in-law close by so they really didn't count.
 

I am so excited to say that today I made an envelope pillow case.  I did it all by my lonesome (well, actually with the assistance of a you-tube video posted by someone named CraftyGemini).  I don't know who she is but I'm so appreciative of her very easy to follow instructions. 

I have spent quite some time gathering my sewing equipment before I started sewing.  It was nice to successfully sew something uneventfully.  I bought two pieces of $1 fabric from Walmart to make the pillow case.

Front

Back: if you zoom in you'll see some flaws but I'm hoping I'll improve with practice.

Side view

OK, so I may be getting carried away but I've started asking some of my favorite family members and friends what color scheme and size they would want  so I can make them one.  I figure that if I get really good at making those, I can move on to something else.  I may tackle making curtains some day but for now, I'll stick to pillow cases. :)

Have you made anything recently?  Do you have any simple sewing tips/ideas for me? Bring it on.  By the way, these can be easily taken off to be washed.

Mrs. K

Sew and sew...

That is how my new hobby is going.  If you remember, I bought a vintage sewing machine to practice sewing on.  I can hand sew but I have never used a sewing machine before and I did not realize how difficult it would be.  I bought a vintage one because 1) it was cheap and 2) I thought that if I learned how to sew on it, I could sew on anything.  Now I'm reconsidering my second thought because this thing is so complicated.

I have spent hours trying to figure out the technical details and workings of it.  I finally know most of the parts and what they do (except for the presser bar--I still can't figure out what it's for).  I've searched hundreds of sewing sites/blogs trying to piece information together. 

Remember this (labels and all)

So far I've set up the regular thread, the bobbin thread (which I actually did not know existed before my adventure), and the needle.  I think I know how to adjust the tension on both threads but I don't know: when to adjust tension? what tension is good and what isn't? or if the tension is the reason why I'm having such difficulty? 

Being very type A personality, one would not even fathom how much time I have spent on this but still have not sewn a stitch.  It's not like I didn't try.  I've just failed miserably.  And I am determined not to give up!  As the days go by I see my dream of sewing my (future) babies' clothes fading away. 

I said it was going so-so but it's actually been pretty bad.  After setting up everything I try to sew but the machine gets jammed, no stitch is shown despite pressing the foot pedal, or the bobbin thread (the underside) looks like a big ball of mess.  Grrrgh!

I have decided to ask for help--with a little nudge from my husband.  We plan to visit Florida in a few weeks so I will take that heavy thing with me so that my husband's sister (who is good at everything--really she is) can give me some direction.  I feel like I'm so close to getting it but then I don't actually get it.  I guess I just have to give in and get help.  I was trying to teach myself but if I want to alter that dress (see older post) by late spring, I will need some help soon.

So anyway, I will keep you posted.  Don't worry I've never been a quitter so I will learn how to sew using a sewing machine even if it's the last thing I do on this Earth.  I know, intense right?

Mrs. K

This weekend

This...

Dress that I got that was too big for me from a consignment store.  I liked it and I couldn't leave it (especially for the cost).  Hopefully it will be ready by my husband's early summer graduation.  Well, I know it will be ready by then.  I just hope that I'm the one doing the alterations.

Inspired me to get this...

Kingston Precision Vintage Sewing Machine--it was barely over $20 but I thought it would be a good one to practice with.  I know that it looks pretty raggedy but I think it has a lot of character.  And it works! I may spruce it up a little as a hobby in the future--we'll see.  Also, hopefully I can sew some cute baby accessories with it one day in the future.  Who knows!

So this is the reason I have not posted much this weekend...

Trying to teach myself to use this grandmother of a sewing machine.  Notice the sticky notes (labels) on it so I can learn the different parts.  I'm trying to learn the basics and build my way up to being an expert.  Yah, right!  I've been researching the entire weekend.  I've given it a few test runs without much success but I'm not giving up (yet).

If you have any pearls on how to use this thing I would greatly appreciate it.  Send all your sewing tips/ideas this way.  By the way, that awful green color thread came with the machine.  I didn't buy it.

Mrs. K