Thursday, January 13, 2011

Just when I thought I was sewing ....


Hello everybody. Hope ya'll are doing well. Having a great day so far?!

All is well here. I did some sewing yesterday and hope to do some more today.

Now, keep in mind that I am not a sewer! I go through spurts of ambitious sewing energy which normally peters out after about half way into any given sewing project. The reason being, I'm not good at it. Part of my problem (most of the time) is that I tend to pick projects that are out of my ability level. And I must say that that is the (direct) result of having friends who are very talented in that department. (Ya'll know who you are!) I see their work, I get excited and I want to emulate them and sew fabulous things! And so I go out and get all the necessary items and proceed to mutilate the thing I'm trying to create. This time, I found a pattern that I thought I might be able to follow. It's a one piece pattern (how difficult is that? I tell myself.) So, I made a bib. I made a bib that has a piece of coated fabric that will keep drool from soaking through the bib. The pattern is all of one piece. All I have to do is cut three pieces of fabric. One front, one lining and one back. It has no zippers or button holes. Seriously, a small child could do it, right? Well, I had issues. Naturally. I made the first one. I will show it to you but please, don't laugh too hard.

As you can see... It looks pretty good. But then...


You can see the poor stitching on both sides. I did not like that.



Yikes! It's even worse on this side!


So then, I decided I could do better. So I tried again! But first, I made a simple blanket. It's just two flannel fabrics sewn together. But, I tried something new. I tried to overstitch with a fancy stitch design. (For me that was huge! HUGE!)

Blanket (background)


Blanket edge.
(don't look too closely at the corner on the green side. I forgot I don't really need to backstitch and automatically did that.)


Okay, so the stitching is a little wonky. But, I used a different stitch design, which I've NEVER done before! So, yay me!

Then I felt appropriately proud of myself so I went and tried again to make a bib. And this time I decided that I needed to figure out a way to show as little of the stitching on the velcro as possible. And in the process, I managed to make two mistakes!


First, notice how you can't see stitching on the front of the bib? I actually, thought ahead!

See? No stitching on this side either!


Alas, I forgot to change the thread to white which would have been less noticeable AND...

The fabric on the front of the bib was upside down! BLAH!


The really funny thing (to me!) was that I didn't even notice it until I finished top stitching. Because I was SO excited about the top stitching design on the bib! (And okay, because I may have been patting myself, prematurely, on the back.)


To me, the design of the top stitching makes it look "finished".


As you can see from this post. I worked nearly 5 hours on these items and I don't have a single thing that is right. BUT, I did learn something! Evidenced by the no stitching showing on the outside of the fabric that has the attached velcro! AND, the fancy design top stitching! Again "yay me"! ;-)

Now, I will go upstairs in my cramped little sewing/laundry room and I will make a perfect bib.

Wish me luck! ;-)

9 comments:

Corinnea said...

Why do you insist on being so hard on yourself??? They are perfect. If you can use them for what you desire them to be used for...... they are perfect! Plenty of my sewing is crooked or wonky. I make a mistake in everything I sew. Hopefully, soon, if I can make it to the post office, you will see this up close and personal.

Your bibs and blankets are great. The upside down one? Didn't you do that so the baby can have fun looking at it?? Finally for him, he can see the cuteness easily.

I think they're great. Make more!

pam said...

This is exactly how I sew.

Joan's Good Life said...

Corinnea, this is exactly why I stay friends with you. You are such a good cheer leader to me! I'm ever so glad you're on my team! ;-)

And Pam, you make clothes! I've seen your clothes! But, because you lie to make me happy... I'll call you friend! ;-)

Norma's Nonsense said...

Joan you and I sew the same way. I say, just enjoy it and only show things you sew to people that don't know what a sewing even looks like!!!! They don't look at what I consider a mistake, they just think it is cool that I can cut out material and then be able to wear it.......like my wise daughter said, don't be so hard on yourself!

chellebelle said...

Joan... really this is no lie.. I sew the same way.. they look perfect. There is no such thing as perfection. As a matter of fact, The Amish make a mistake on all of their quilts on purpose to remind themselves that the only perfection comes from God. I make sure that at least one cable is turned backwards (and usually find at least another) on any sweater. By the bye I'm with Corinnea.. I thought that the baby finally gets to see the pattern of the fabric correctly!

Unknown said...

Joan,
The pieces you made are wonderful! The only way to feel more comfortable in your "sewing skin" is to just do it--the process my dear--the end product is not so important--I have been sewing since age 11--good heavens I still to this day have pieces that I wonder--"Do you really know how to sew on this machine??" I agree with the others--practice, practice, practice--the more you do the better it gets--Read Yarn Harlots post from a couple of days ago about learning to knit--that applies to everything--even if it is not your first time at the machine--you have to get warmed up somewhere!! Someone told me that if you can't see it from a galloping horse then it is just fine!!

You go girl!!

Joan's Good Life said...

I thank you all for being so nice to me.

I really need to just work on getting better. And not giving myself such a hard time over silly little things like total and complete perfection! ;-)

This is the year I get better and not perfect! With all ya'lls help of course.

luv ya

Shari said...

Kudos on the bib, Joan! You rock as a grandma! I was thinking, as your grandson is wearing it, he can look down at the mess he's making with mashed potatoes and whatnot, and it will be right side up to him!

Jessica said...

you crack me up! It's funny the minute I saw the picture of the bib I was like oh no! she's going to hate this! I made the same bibs 3 years ago for a friend and I had sooo many issues I HATE bibs! They look like they should be so easy and they aren't! I hope you next try went better for you... I personally just gave up and decided I would never do it again! (thats why I am making mom make micah some hahaha)oh and just be glad you didn't try adding binding... nightmare!