I’m sorry to have been mostly absent from my blog for the past few weeks.
I have a reason. Good or not, you can decide.
Long, long ago when I was in high school, I was taught how to sew. (Back then, Home Ec was a requirement for girls, at least in my high school.)
Now, 30+ years later, I forgot just about everything I learned.
I’ve been thinking about buying a sewing machine for months, but the mere thought of re-learning an old skill was . . . overwhelming. I don’t know if you’re like me, but when I’m overwhelmed I tend to put things off. “Maybe one day” was always my decision every time the subject came up.
However, a few weeks back, I started shopping for pillows for our living room. I found many that I loved, but I couldn’t force myself to spend the $45+ for each of the pillow covers, and of course, that price tag didn’t include the pillow forms.
I finally decided to take the plunge, and I bought a new machine.
In the past few weeks, I’ve been buying yummy fabrics, pillow forms, and sewing supplies. I also signed up for a beginner’s sewing class. I’ve been pinning sewing ideas like a mad woman. (You probably know this if you follow me on Pinterest, so I apologize if I’ve been driving you bonkers.)
Oh, and the French linen metis towels I won last May? They’ll soon be gorgeous pillows also.
I’m making good progress.
I’ve been practicing sewing a straight line. I wound my first bobbin after 3 attempts.
Baby steps.
I plan to take my first sewing class next week and actually make something.
Wish me luck!
Right there with you! We just remodeled our 1919 home here in Virginia and I need pillows and curtains, but am too cheap to buy them! Found wonderful fabrics to go with my paint colors that I never would’ve been able to find in pre-made curtains, but now I have to learn how to use the sewing machine my husband got me for my birthday to make them! 😛 ALSO, I passionately love your home and your style. I’m getting ready to work on styling my country/vintage craft room/office and your office was the closest to what I’m envisioning mine to be. 🙂
Awesome! Glad to know I’m not alone. So happy you love our home. I’d love to see photos of your home and finished projects sometime!
I’ve been kind of blogging about the transformation in my spare time, but haven’t shared the link with anyone. 😉 Once it is furnished and all, I’ll send it to you. My father was an antique collector, and I intend to bring a healthy percentage of those pieces into the house. I’m pretty excited about having a full functioning house for the first time in two years. 😉
Yes, please do. How exciting!
Like riding a bike, I think sewing will come back to you once you start. Have fun!
I hope so. Thanks, Alice!
You will LOVE sewing with a machine! And eventually by hand. Pretty soon, you’ll have some quilts hanging around your dog trot home!! 🙂
I told myself I wouldn’t do quilting when I first started thinking about buying a machine, but I’ve since decided that, ok, maybe small quilts. Ha!
It’ll all come back to you after you learn how to navigate your new machine. I love all the fabrics you’ve shown us today! If you’ve got an Ikea near you, their 20 inch feather pillows are about $7 if you can find them in stock. Great deal! Making a bunch of pillows all at once is much faster than making one here and there. Have fun at your sewing class and I can’t wait to see the pillows you make!
We may be making a trip to Austin in the next several days, so I’ll just have to go by the Ikea there. $7 is so much cheaper than the pillow forms at Joann’s, even when they’re on sale. Thanks for the tip!
Wow, we are on the same wave length! I haven’t done any sewing since high school home ec either. But I have been entertaining the thought as I need slipcovers made for the living room furniture. Just feeling a need lately to get creative.
Slipcovers and cushions are on my ‘to do’ list also. They don’t look terribly complicated. I’ve pinned a few tutorials to my Pinterest board mentioned in the post. Maybe those ideas will help you decide?
I am so glad to see that you are picking up sewing again, it seems to be an almost lost art. You went all the way and bought the Cadillac of sewing machines. I have been sewing for some 40 something years, but would love to take a class one day. Picked it up from my mother as a child. Go ahead and start planning to build on a sewing room, because buying fabric is addictive!
Good luck! Enjoy.
Yeah, I’m a penny pincher, but when I DO decide to buy, I always try to buy quality. Funny you mention a craft room! I’m already dreaming of one.
I have two Janomes, a regular sewing machine and then an embroidery machine. Have had other brands before, but I am sold on Janome!! Sewing is indeed becoming a lost art. My grandmother taught me to sew when I was 7 and I can now say I’ve been doing it for over 40 years! It is my passion. I hope you find a new way to not only create, but relax! Enjoy!!
I hope mine lasts a lifetime also! We shall see if I start wishing for a serger or an embroidery machine in the future.