A little bag

I have hunted around the web for cool easy projects to try on my sewing machine. The pillowcase cat pillow was one. The placemat was a variation on something I happened to see on some crafts page. And this bag is a third project.

I have several pairs of jeans that were due for the thrift shop. Some of them will still get there. But I figured I could use one or two for various projects, thereby saving a bit of money, considering how much I have spent on the machine, equipment, fabric, and thread. This little bag appeared to be just the ticket.

The bag is made from the leg of a pair of jeans. You cut the length you want, plus a couple of inches to allow for seams. Sew a seam at the top to be used as a casing for the cord, then cut out a round of denim from somewhere on the pair of jeans and sew that to the bottom. Thread the cord through the casing and that's it.

Only thing is, I forgot about making a hole for the cord. After I had sewn the casing I then used a seam ripper (generously supplied as part of the accessories that came with my machine) to tear out the stitches on one of the original seams, within the casing on the outside of the bag. I tried to thread the cord through that. Thing is, I didn't have decent equipment for this maneuver and couldn't get more than a couple of inches. I finally tore out a bit of the casing seam (that I had just sewn), tucked the cord in that, then sewed it back up partway. Then I tore out more and continued pulling the cord through this way, sewing it back as I went, until I got around the perimeter. Not a good way but it worked.

Now I know what I need: a bodkin. I had no idea what this thing was, frankly, although I have seen them from time to time. Now I do know. It's on my list for when I have any money.

One thing I have discovered from the web instructables is that many of them assume quite a bit of sewing knowledge. The project may be easy but the details are left to the reader, and if you are a novice that can be a problem.

Equipment

When I decided at last to buy a sewing machine I did not think, not very hard anyway, about what else would be necessary. Was I thinking I could sit down with some thread and fabric and that would be it? I knew better.

Yes, it is possible to sew with a minimum amount of equipment:

- sewing machine with needles & bobbins
- scissors
- a table to cut on
- thread and fabric

But even these things cry out for a place to keep them. And it is hard to do any serious sewing without an iron. Preferably with an ironing board.

After the sewing machine, then, I bought the iron and ironing board. I looked up the ratings online (consumersearch) and went out to buy the one I had chosen. Of course, as usual, that particular model was not available. I found a substitute. It's fine. When I found an ironing board I realized I should have one of those ironing board hook things. Got that.

Scissors were not all that easy to find, oddly enough. People are now using the rotary cutters more often. I found scissors but later came back to one of the sewing stores and bought a rotary cutter and "self-healing" mat, along with a measuring straight-edge, clear plastic with various rulers printed on it.

Back home, I ordered a sewing materials case, in which I could keep thread and all the little bits of equipment and things like bias tape, which I also bought when I realized I'd need it. I ordered several sewing books, realizing how much I do not know.

At the fabric stores and elsewhere I bought different plastic containers for fabric and other stuff, pins, pin cushion, fabric marker, hand-sewing needles. I bought two kinds of fusible interfacing and a couple of yards of velcro.

I'm horrified by how much I have spent on this stuff this month. Of course, this is what keeps those places in business.

For the cats

Following instructions I found online (if I find the page again I'll link), I created a rice-catnip pillow for my cats. I started with an old pillowcase, cut off twice the size I wanted, folded the excess inside, sewed around, leaving one long side open. Then I stiched dividers (curved) and filled each one with a combination of white rice and catnip - not too much, enough to flatten out nicely - and sewed each portion closed before moving on to the next.


The pillow.

I heated it in the microwave (that's why the rice) and set it on the floor.

The kitties were interested.

Stretch was particularly interested. He played with it, rolled around it, dug into it, until he fell asleep.

My first personal project

After my little lesson last Monday I wanted to make something real. I had bought a magazine at the store (Threads) because there was an article about making an easy top on the bias and it sounded like something I could do. So this was my first clothing project.

The top requires only one measurement: my hip measurement. From this I determined the size of two squares that I cut out of fabric. Two squares is all it takes; one small, one bigger. The article says you can do it in under an hour but of course the newbie took longer. The article also said to finish whatever way you like, even leave the edges unfinished if I like, because fabric cut on the bias doesn't fray as much.

All that flexibility almost gave me a heart attack. I finally decided to make it a jacket top that I can wear on top of a tank top. I learned in the making that the fabric I chose - a black and white plaid - was not ideal in terms of how it looks when the two pieces are sewn together. I think a one-direction design would be more interesting.

I am pleased with how it came out.

My first lesson

This last Monday, June 22, I drove back down to Santa Barbara for my first freebie lesson on using my new machine. Susan set me up on the table inside the shop and showed me several different seams, which I made one at a time on small pieces of fabric she had cut. She also told me about thread (the higher the number the thinner the thread; cotton threads have sizes on the spools but polyester does not; get better-quality thread so it holds up and does not break; different threads are suitable for different types of sewing and fabrics) and a bit about needles (sharps and "universal" - rounded tips - and something else - leather needles, which stab the fabric).

I used different presser feet for the different seams and got pretty good at changing them (it is very easy). She then showed me how to make a buttonhole (one step!!) and sew on a button.



An overcast seam


French seam


Flat felled seam


Two different stitches that are good on knits


Button and buttonhole

My first project

After I bought my machine and had it sitting on my dining room table I was hot to trot. I wanted to make something. Trouble was, I didn't know where to begin.

At the fabric stores I had picked up several remnants. I still remembered what those were, fortunately, and figured using remnants was one way to get into this world again relatively cheaply and to try different types of fabrics. Thus I had several different types of fabric that I hoped I could learn to use.

I settled on a couple of table mats. I wanted to make mats that had pockets for fork, knife, and spoon, that I could roll up and bring with me on the road. I am creating an "emergency travel kit" that will allow me to make meals in motel rooms with easily-obtained ingredients, a microwave, and a refrigerator. I could visualize these place mats on a round table in a motel.

I had two fabrics that looked complementary. One was a vinyl oil-cloth-like fabric, white with red dots. Cute. The other was a red print. I had bias tape in a wide red that looked good with the two. I used a straw place mat as a pattern, cut out rectangles from both fabrics using this pattern. I then cut out additional small rectangles of the vinyl fabric that looked a good size for the pockets.

I started with the pockets. I used a red thread and standard universal kind of needle and presser foot. I hemmed a pocket rectangle all around and then sewed it to one of the larger vinyl rectangles. I just eyeballed all of this, did not do any lining up. Then I sewed two large rectangles, one vinyl, the other cotton, together, wrong sides together, using the bias tape. I figured out a way to turn the corners, didn't do too badly. Here is the result:



Well, yeah, it's rough but it's pretty cute and it does the job. I then started on placemat number two. This time I ran into trouble. The sewing started jamming up and I broke the needle.

I looked into my manual, which is a decent piece of work, and learned that the problem was likely the presser foot, that I should be using the "no-stick" foot. The vinyl was sticking to the standard foot. Fortunately, this machine comes with a bunch of presser feet so I did not have to run out and buy one. I learned how to change feet (easy) and got it done. And that was, indeed, the problem. No problems sewing place mat no. 2 after that.

I also, of course, learned how to change the needle and I got additional experience threading the machine, so the entire project was a good learning experience.

The sewing machine: a first step

For months I had dipped in and out of my search for a new sewing machine. After reading several reviews on consumersearch.com, consumer reports, and Amazon, I decided the Project Runway models looked about right for me. The reviewers said they were sturdy machines with versatility that were easy to use and did not get out of adjustment often. Sounded about right. On the other hand, there were some complaints about the automatic raising of the needle at the end of sewing, which concerned me a little. I figured I could ask.

Next, where to buy from? I considered ordering one online. I discussed machines with a friend who is always sewing, and she recommended a store in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is almost 100 miles from where I live but there are no sewing machines in my area any more. My friend Maryann has gone to this store for years and values their expertise and assistance. For a newbie getting back to sewing I realized it would be a good idea for me to find a knowledgeable person in a good store who could help me choose a machine and who could answer questions.

When I talked about getting a machine with my older daughter Elaine, she said she is interested in getting a new one herself, and she wants to get one that comes with classes so she can learn to use it right. That too sounded like a good plan. I decided to ask about classes when I went to the store in Santa Barbara.

About two weeks ago I drove down to Santa Barbara to Grant House. I met Susan there, and explained what I was looking for. I said I was new to sewing, needed something easy to use with some flexibility for different types of projects. I said I had looked at the Project Runway models and found them interesting. She showed me another Brother model that was similar to the Project Runway models but better. I tried things on the machine, asked questions, heard what she had to say about it, asked how it compared to the others, and finally decided it was a good choice. I bought it. I asked about lessons. Susan said she would be happy to schedule a time for me to get acquainted with the machine. She'd show me some seams, stitches, give me some information on sewing on that machine. So I signed up.

my new sewing machine

While I was waiting for the day to arrive, I stopped in at several fabric stores. I ran into things called "fat quarters" and I had trouble finding scissors. When I asked about fusible web I found there were many kinds and I had no idea what I wanted. I felt like I was in a foreign land without a guidebook. Fortunately, one of the clerks told me about fat quarters (and chubby eighths!) and reassured me that I would pick it all up quickly enough. I hope so.