So, I recently, the last few months, started another new hobby, sewing. It sure seems like I am striving to be one of those jack of all trades and master of none types, without consciously trying. I was working toward my mastering of judo, but the minor set back with the leg has currently taken that out of contention. Just a quick clarification of my personal definition of master, is one who actively studies and practices an art or science or I guess nearly anything for a very long time. Long enough that one begins to work with the subtleties within that art. Of course if I do stick with anything long term maybe my definition will change.
So, sewing. Well it all started with some new curtains for our new old trailer. I've been able to sew straight lines for quite some time. After that I did some matching pillows for the trailer and stepped up my sewing game when I added some zippers. Oh yeah! During this process my sister loaned me her 1966 Sears Kenmore machine. She doesn't know yet, but I'm going to use it for quite a while. That's not true I told her I'd keep it in exchange for sewing whatever she needs. Of course now that she has seen all the stuff I have done she has gotten re-excited about sewing. So I may have to find my own machine again, if she ever takes me up on my offer to over and do some sewing together. I think I will recommend she go buy an outfit for my niece to get her properly motivated. So, what else have I sewed since I started sewing so, so. After the pillows I did some new curtains for my sisters kitchen. She picked out some really great fabric and got to work on my top stitching skills. After that I feel like I dove in whole heartedly when I bought a pattern for a Hawaiian style shirt. It took me a good month of trying to figure it out, cutting out the pattern and then material. I didn't finish the cutting for about two weeks just because I knew if I finished I'd have to move onto the sewing phase and I was totally lost about most of what the pattern directions said. Finally, with the support and help of mom, my sewing teacher, I got started. Once the sewing began a lot of those cryptic directions started making sense. I finished off the shirt in a couple of days after I started. After that the flood gates opened. I sewed a purse for Tisha, then did another shirt, this time in a couple of days, then another purse. The second purse pushed my skills to another level with the material thickness and design complexity.
All the while I have been seeking and finding fabric shops all around my local area. Kelly at this one shop, my favorite shop, Superbuzzy.com, started talking to me about "modern quilting". Other shop owners and employees and even neighbors had already mentioned quilting to me, several times. My first reaction was more questioning than anything. For one, I'm a dood who is already sewing. Now you are talking to me about "quilting", as in something you can probably catch my grandma doing? So eventually I looked into this modern quilting stuff. Guess what? It got me fired up about trying some quilting. So now I'm into the holiday season and have more projects than I have time.
