...and it is sew fun!
I started sewing again and I'm having way too much fun with it. I began sewing when I was quite young. I learned on an old treadle sewing machine which only had a straight stitch. If we wanted to finish off the seams it was either French seams or fold them over and sew them down again.
I sewed most of my clothes in high school and had a blast in Fabric and Dressmaking, cutting out patterns and getting advice on sewing projects from my friends. We would have sewing bee's and laugh a lot, but boy did we look stylish rocking our smock tops and bell bottom pants. The Betsey Johnson patterns were well-used and leant outer of.
When I got married I sewed my wedding dress and then, my kids clothes. I took a few more courses and added blue jeans to my repertoire. I also got a sewing machine that had a zig-zag setting. That poor Singer finally gave up the ghost on a corduroy fleece lined jacket for my daughter. It literally fell apart.
Then I bought a Pfaff. It was a LOT of money at the time. (more than we spent on our second-hand car). I struggled with the expense but I sewed so many clothes on that machine.
Not only clothes for my kids, but doll clothes and dolls. I made soft books and snugglies. Diapers and quilts.
Then, as the kids got older and didn't want to wear my home-made clothes anymore, I slowly sewed less. I would pull out my machine to patch pants, fix shirts and, occasionally, a baby outfit for a baby shower.
I slowly got rid of my much-beloved fabric stash and stored my machine.
A year and a half ago a friend called and asked if I wanted to join a Christmas sewing Day. I was game. Said friend introduced me to bag making and I got hooked. Other projects came my way. I made overnight bags, backpacks, purses and totes. I discovered making pots out of rope.
And I discovered the joys of quilting and sewing with knits.
My biggest problem is I am a craft hoarder. Not only do I hate running out, I love buying new stuff. Quilting and bag making has brought out the worst in me. And, like I said, I learned a new language. Charm packs. Jelly rolls and fat quarters. I've bought new supplies. Cutting mats, long plastic rulers, rotary cutters, quilting thread. And oh yeah, after using my Pfaff for over 37 years, I bought a new one. With a quilting table. And I bought a serger. And then made my husband renovate my office so I would have room for my new machines.
Now I go on websites and I look at all the pretties. And I want them all. I love visiting our local quilting store and just looking at all the stuff. The fabric all sorted by colour and the stacks of jelly rolls, charm packs, quilting kits and sewing supplies.
I love going to a store that specializes in bag making supplies and just looking around. Of course I love to buy stuff as well.
And I think it would be so fun to have a store with all this 'stuff'. But I'm busy enough with my writing and that's the best part of doing this.
I can't be a caterer (another thing I would love), I can't own a fabric store, but my characters can.
In my upcoming books my heroine owns a fabric store and does custom sewing on the side. So I can fulfill my fantasies that way.
How about you?
Do you sew? What is your favourite thing to make?
Comments