Adventures in Sewing

So my MIL bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. And it's been hiding in it's fancy carrying case ever since. I was so terrified of it, I couldn't bring myself to unpack it. Fortunately, I have some friends who are less afraid, and prodded me into actually learning how to use it.

A few weeks ago Steph and I trekked out to Joann Fabrics and picked up some fun fabrics. We ended up finding some vintage Winnie the Pooh, and she made me curtains!

I had found an easy Kimono Pattern and picked up some fabric to try it out.

But first, I had to learn to turn the damn thing on . . .

And thread it . . . 

And sew in a straight line . . . 

This past weekend, the goal was to create a real something. Rectangular, preferably. 

Cue the Rice Sock! Mildly useful, a Rice Sock can act as a heating pad when put in the microwave for a few minutes. One can also add a few drops of essential oils for a nice relaxing fragrance. Plus, it's just a tube.

Takeaway -- learn what to do when you have to sew right to the edge, and learn how to start the thread so it doesn't look like a big blob.

I may need one more easy project before tackling the Kimono (though, thankfully, I believe the pattern simply involves sewing rectangles and triangles together).

(also, please note the the use of recycling. Both my test material and the resulting Rice Sock are made from an old running shirt that no longer fit and was destined for the trash).