New Toys!

I am a think-er. Blake is a do-er. Hence, after years of contemplation, indecision, and general hemming and hawing I finally got a sewing machine. Blake got fed up with paying the tailor shop. Luckily, I had the machine and accoutrements all picked out.

Basic. Cheap. Effective

It was here in a week. The fastest Amazon has ever shipped anything here. It's fate. Being the nerd that I am, I bought two books and read them thoroughly before I'd even taken out the machine (refer to above: think-er vs. do-er).

My books of choice are the Sew Everything Workshop and Me and My Sewing Machine (don't judge me... or my sewing machine). They are awesome. Seriously great for someone like me who knows nothin' about nothin'. Also, the instruction manual. I think that manuals are basically shite, but sewing machine manuals are IQ-raisers.

My first projects were sewing velcro on patches. The spouses club and the squadron are forever making special patches. I suppose when it's mandatory for everyone to wear the same thing every day, it helps if you can accessorize. Blake had a go too. Happiness ensued.

Work it, Musashi! You so fierce!

This is the first big thing I sewed, and I ended up going halvsies with Blake. The last 20% or so kept puckering. I was tired of contorting the bag through the machine. So, Blake muscled out the last part and it looks great. Its the bag he uses when he rides his bike to work, which is basically every day. This patch is not only gigantic, but also reflective. Double win!

My next project, with directions from the Sew Everything Workshop, was a pincushion.

It turned out okay. It definitely has a few unnatural angles in the sides, but I was able to hide them using the embroidery thread.

I have my eye on the fabric swatches people sell at the shrine sales. They're kimono-y and in some very pretty colors. They'd make a super fabulous quilt. A little out of my skill level for now, but not out of my scope of imagination.