Learning a new skill: Sewing

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, I was not a sewer. Second, there was a part of me - and I didn't know how strong that part might be - that despised the thought of learning to sew. And third, I was most certainly and undeniably friends with the wrong people if I was going to continue to be a non-sewer.

I blame it on Jenn.

She is my most crafty friend. And super-talented. And determined to teach me to sew.

I did my best to resist.

In October we made stuffed pumpkins - they required a single line of stitching to attach the two ends. Her machine was all set up. Easy-peasy. Her machine even has a button to cut the thread when you're done. I sewed up my pumpkins - a little begrudgingly, though.

Then, in December, I went to wrap up a dish towel/oven mitt combo I got for me, my mom and Christine {last year, on mega-clearance} and decided to wait because surely my friend Jenn could help me spruce them up just a bit. I was right. Her machine does embroidery. She helped me set up the first towel and we added snowflakes and my sister's name. Surprisingly, I was ok with this part of "sewing" - the machine was doing all the work! I just had to supervise. I finished up the towels and got ready to go when Jenn threw out more ideas...

Ribbon? Buttons?? Bows???

Ah, crap. Decisions.

I went with ribbon and some buttons. This meant actually pinning the ribbon into place and {gasp!} sewing it. I went slooooooow, but got it done. Then I hand-stitched the buttons into place. This was the final product.
And then it hit me.
Ah, crap.
I was learning a new skill. Sewing. And I was actually kinda liking it.

It's been downhill from there.

The next time I was at Jenn's, {and really, let's be honest, it was probably the next day because she helped me with a lot of my Christmas presents this year - even if it was just use of her paper cutter or getting some vinyl} she had her flannel fabric stash out and was helping another friend pick fabric out for her kids' pajama bottoms. She pointed to a cute navy plaid she had pulled and let me know that there was enough, you know, should I want to make Ethan a pair of pajama bottoms.

I told her I'd think about it.

That evening I got a text. Sewing party at Vicki's. Jenn would wash and bring the navy plaid fabric if I wanted to make Ethan's pajama bottoms.

Ok, fine!

So that night, totally from scratch, I made my very first article of clothing. Jenn helped me with directions every step of the way. I pinned the pattern to the fabric, cut it out, {I'll skip the part about how I almost cut out two left legs - I swear I had flipped just the pattern. Apparently I flipped the fabric and the pattern. Jenn caught my mistake though!} pinned the pieces together and then it was GO time. I sewed. First one leg. Then the other. And then put one inside the other {who knew you had to do that to sew the two legs together - not this chica, that's for sure} and suddenly my creation was more than just some random pieces of fabric. I had pants! After some hemming and with the addition of an elastic waistband I was done! Yes, it took me two hours. But that was with chit-chatting with my friends, stalling and learning the whole process start to finish. I felt so accomplished!! Jenn had to take pictures to document such a momentous occasion.
And here's the finished product! I promise, it's just the pictures that make the length of the pants look uneven. In real life, I think there's only about an 1/8th of an inch difference.

I think it was about a week or so later that I got the email that the quilt idea for Sean's grandma was a GO and each family needed to make a quilt square. Back to Jenn's I went. I added the green border to the dark denim fabric and then let the machine add the embroidery - with a little set-up by me (and Jenn). After I got home I decided the square need just a little more color, so I added a button for each of us. A dark gray, suit-coat-looking button for Sean, aqua flower button for me and small red one for Ethan.

I haven't done any more sewing since then {a little too busy getting everything else ready for Christmas}, but I know it is just the beginning for me. Well, that and the fact that Jenn has a spare sewing machine that just needs a new part to be up and running...