My mom gave me her old sewing machine last Fall, and I've been itching to learn how to use it ever since. When she came for a visit last week, we both figured it was a great time for her to teach me. Steve had to work Friday and I didn't, so it was perfect timing.
This wasn't the first time Mom tried to teach me to sew. The first time was when I was in Elementary school - 4th or 5th grade. It was our second year of doing 4H; the first year was cooking and now we were attempting sewing. It didn't go well. I didn't really learn hand-eye coordination until I was in my late 20's, so at that age, I couldn't get down the whole sew-in-a-straight-line concept. It was frustrating to both me and my mom. The lessons didn't last long.
Surprising to both of us, some of the things she taught me decades ago stayed with me. As she taught me how to thread the sewing machine and other things, it all started to come back to me. My practice lines were so straight that we went quickly into sewing the real project.
I'm getting ahead of myself, though. First, we had to pick a project. I wanted to make curtains for the baby's room but Mom said buying enough fabric to cover the big sliding glass doors would be quite costly and we could buy some for less. So, after some discussion, I decided on a pillowcase. Just a bunch of straight lines, nothing too fancy. Mom had pinned instructions for making a pillowcase on one of her Pinterest boards, so we turned to it to tell us how much fabric we'd need.
Fabric shopping was miserable and cool at the same time. I needed three coordinating fabrics for the pillowcase. I'd find a fabric I liked that I thought Steve would like but then couldn't find anything to go with it. I kept thinking how much easier it would be if I were making it for myself because there were so many cute girly patterns! I really wanted my first project to be for him, though, so we persevered. We finally found three fabrics we liked, thank heavens! Mom bought me a pair of really nice fabric scissors and I also bought some pins and a magnetic pin cushion - just like the one she had when I was growing up except mine is red and hers was yellow.
We went home and Mom showed me how to cut the fabric. She had bought a few things at Walmart a couple days before to cut out quilt squares, so we had what we needed. She has better stuff at home, so she generously gave me the ones she had just purchased. I was glad she was there because I kept getting confused about widths and lengths, which is pretty normal for me. We then pinned the fabric pieces together according to the instructions, then headed to the sewing machine.
Once I got started on the actual sewing, the project progressed fairly quickly. My lines weren't perfect, but they were certainly pretty good. We had a couple hiccups but Mom helped me through them and the finished product looks great! The only thing we hadn't thought of until it was too late was the fact that our pillows are the king-sized pillows, not the standard size. Oh well. Next time, I'll look for a larger pattern.
Here's the finished pillowcase:
This wasn't the first time Mom tried to teach me to sew. The first time was when I was in Elementary school - 4th or 5th grade. It was our second year of doing 4H; the first year was cooking and now we were attempting sewing. It didn't go well. I didn't really learn hand-eye coordination until I was in my late 20's, so at that age, I couldn't get down the whole sew-in-a-straight-line concept. It was frustrating to both me and my mom. The lessons didn't last long.
Surprising to both of us, some of the things she taught me decades ago stayed with me. As she taught me how to thread the sewing machine and other things, it all started to come back to me. My practice lines were so straight that we went quickly into sewing the real project.
I'm getting ahead of myself, though. First, we had to pick a project. I wanted to make curtains for the baby's room but Mom said buying enough fabric to cover the big sliding glass doors would be quite costly and we could buy some for less. So, after some discussion, I decided on a pillowcase. Just a bunch of straight lines, nothing too fancy. Mom had pinned instructions for making a pillowcase on one of her Pinterest boards, so we turned to it to tell us how much fabric we'd need.
Fabric shopping was miserable and cool at the same time. I needed three coordinating fabrics for the pillowcase. I'd find a fabric I liked that I thought Steve would like but then couldn't find anything to go with it. I kept thinking how much easier it would be if I were making it for myself because there were so many cute girly patterns! I really wanted my first project to be for him, though, so we persevered. We finally found three fabrics we liked, thank heavens! Mom bought me a pair of really nice fabric scissors and I also bought some pins and a magnetic pin cushion - just like the one she had when I was growing up except mine is red and hers was yellow.
We went home and Mom showed me how to cut the fabric. She had bought a few things at Walmart a couple days before to cut out quilt squares, so we had what we needed. She has better stuff at home, so she generously gave me the ones she had just purchased. I was glad she was there because I kept getting confused about widths and lengths, which is pretty normal for me. We then pinned the fabric pieces together according to the instructions, then headed to the sewing machine.
Once I got started on the actual sewing, the project progressed fairly quickly. My lines weren't perfect, but they were certainly pretty good. We had a couple hiccups but Mom helped me through them and the finished product looks great! The only thing we hadn't thought of until it was too late was the fact that our pillows are the king-sized pillows, not the standard size. Oh well. Next time, I'll look for a larger pattern.
Here's the finished pillowcase:
Steve really liked it and was suitably impressed with my amazing sewing skills. It will look great with the quilt Mom made us when we got married - same colors. Steve put the pillow on the standard-sized pillow I use to prop me higher when reading in bed, so I'm using it more than Steve at this point. At least it's being used instead of sitting in the closet.
It was a lot of fun and I'm already looking forward to my next projects - pillowcases for both of us! I can't wait to pick out fun, girly fabric for me! And, I think I'll drag Steve along to pick out his own fabric. :)
Thanks, Mom, for the sewing lesson! I love you!
It was a lot of fun and I'm already looking forward to my next projects - pillowcases for both of us! I can't wait to pick out fun, girly fabric for me! And, I think I'll drag Steve along to pick out his own fabric. :)
Thanks, Mom, for the sewing lesson! I love you!