Learning to Sew

It was last Christmas that I decided I wanted to learn how to sew. I was standing at the cut counter at Jo-Ann holding the red and white sparkly felt I needed to make a Christmas garland. I look around and realize I'm surrounded by women whose carts are overflowing with bolts of cotton, fleece, and satin. Visions of baby blankets pop into my head. You know, the ones with a cutesy microfiber on one side and satin on the other? They're on every baby registry known to mankind. They must ALL be making blankets, I thought to myself, and they're giving them as gifts.

It's probably my age talking here, but blankets make awesome gifts. There's nothing like pulling out an old quilt or throw and snuggling into it on a cold day or feeling the coolness of a silky fabric against your skin on a warm afternoon. And blankets carry such special memories. Sometimes the mere act of holding a hand-me-down blanket can make you feel comfortable and at ease. I recently brought home an old quilt that I had stored away at my parents' house. I think it was on my bed during my late teens and early twenties. I'm so glad it's at our house now. It's things like this that make our house, one we've lived in for four years now, feel more and more like a home.

OMG, how lame am I for writing a whole paragraph on the awesomeness of blankets? Doug sure loves blankets too, so I don't feel that bad.

Anyways, there I was waiting to get my felt cut thinking that one day I'd like to learn how to sew. I'd like to make blankets and give them as gifts because I'm fun like that. In the short term, I want to craft my own throw pillow covers for our couch. Perhaps you noticed that they're on my list?

In May, I asked my mom if she could teach me how to sew. She happily agreed and busted out her 35-year old Kenmore sewing machine. She showed me how to set up everything including threading the machine and loading the bobbin. I'm praying that newer machines are less involved since a 35-year old Kenmore calls for a 100-step set up ritual.

I practiced basic stitches going back and forth against the length of a fabric. I learned how to lock in the stitch and experimented with different stitches. I think I got the hang of it, and before I knew it we made a practice throw pillow cover using an old fabric remnant.

It's an envelope style cover. I want my throw pillows to have removable covers so that I can take them off and wash them. I have two dogs and a husband, you know, so being able to wash anything and everything is muy importante. An envelope cover is removable, it suits my elementary sewing abilities, and I like the style, so I think I'll continue with this pattern for some of my real covers down the road.