The Sewing Diaries: DIY Napkins

Want to hear something ridiculous?

Anthropologie charges $12 for this ONE NAPKIN.  ONE!  Maybe some people can spend $100 on cloth napkins, but I know I can’t.  I took a look around the fabric store and picked up a few fabric squares for just over a dollar each a few weeks back when they were on sale.

Thus, my first sewing machine project was born!

The Sewing Diaries: The Beginning

Have I ever said how much I hate sewing machines?  I think I have.  In college, I used this same sewing machine (and box) as a stand for my Christmas Tree.  It was quite nice actually.  It served me well then, but now it will live up to its true purpose:

Making me cry, and sewing shit.

Here is the sewing machine I commandeered from my mother:

It’s a Singer. Circa 1995.

Now here is my beef with sewing machines, and I’m sorry if this offends anyone but I just have to say it.  Sewing machines have been around now for a few hundred years, but commercially only about 150 or so thanks to the likes of Mr. Singer.  In 150 years, you would think the process for stringing up a machine would be more streamlined?  Maybe the one I’m borrowing is just dreadfully cheap, but it took me a half hour just to figure out what goes where and how this twists around that.

I thought I finally had it threaded.  I may have improvised slightly on one step, but it looked right!  I started sewing and before too long, I realized it was all wrong.  Queue the frustrated groan! After staring at the instructions for a few more minutes saying “I DID THAT! And I did THAT…and that is right…” and maybe a little “I can’t do it” my husband came to my rescue.  Yes, MY HUSBAND.  In my defense, he is an engineer and is much better with mechanical things than I am.

After about two minutes he figured out what I did, fixed it, and sent me on my merry way.  That lasted about two minutes.

“Hoooneeey….”

Dutifully, he came back, once again diagnosed the issue, and chided me gently saying I needed patience.  Patience?  What is this?  I have project ADD.  If I don’t have instant gratification I either skip it and start something new, or make it so I get instant gratification.  Not so apparently with Mr Singer.  This baby requires patience, and patience I am learning.

I’m about half way through my project now, and once I’m finished I’ll show you guys my progress.  I can already see my stitches becoming neater, I’m getting smarter about working the machine, and I’m feeling much more confident.  Amazing what a little patience can do!

Stay tuned!

To sew or not to sew

That is actually NOT the question!  I am doing this.  I will learn how to string up a sewing machine and make something constructive!  I will conquer this fear of sewing and I will be more domesticated in the end.

Why a fear of sewing you ask?  Well….

It all started when I was in college.  I was taking an Anthropology course on Museum Studies.  The final project was putting together an exhibit.  I couldn’t for the life of me think of anything to do for an exhibit, so I ended up pairing up with a classmate who was doing hers on the “Quilt Code.”  It essentially involved sewing tiny doll quilts in very specific patterns.  I had never sewed before in my life, let alone a quilt.  At this point I was about 20 years old with no dental insurance.  My wisdom teeth were quite impacted, and were causing me almost constant headaches.  These headaches combined with bending over sewing these tiny quilts for months on end did not make me one happy camper.

In the end, I was pleased with how the exhibit came out, even if the project faced near constant setbacks because my sewing partner was a hypochondriac.  Here is a picture of the completed quilts (and me!) in the finished project.  Yes, we got an A.

Aside from my teensie weensie wedding sewing project I haven’t touched a needle and thread since that class.  The headaches and the nightmares that those quilts caused me has taken 5 years for me to get over.  And over it I am!

First things first, I have commandeered a sewing machine.  I have no idea how to set it up, but that will be my first line of attack.  I plan on furiously reading the instruction manual, and I came across this guide.  I looked it over briefly, and it gets into the ins and outs of a sewing machine, basic stitches, etc.

Stay tuned!  I sense another epic fail coming on.