I COMPLETED A SEWING PROJECT!

I know it's supposed to be Etsy Finds Friday, but I haven't spent anytime looking at Etsy this week. Instead, today, I will show you the project I made with my sewing machine. No, it's not the dress. I know, I know, but I got a little intimidated when I unfolded the tissue with the pattern and thought I should start with something a little simpler. Ready to see?

I MADE A SKIRT! You're probably thinking "big deal, it's a skirt" but for me it's very exciting. This project was full of firsts for me:  I drafted and cut out my own pattern, made pockets and was careful the patterns of the fabric for the pockets and front of the skirt lined up with each other, made my own bias binding and machine-sewed said binding, and inserted a zipper using my sewing machine. I feel so triumphant! It turns out I know a little more about sewing than I thought I did. I spent two days making this skirt (well, along with other projects) and spent a lot of time taking careful measurements and seriously contemplating each cut before I made it. Still, there was lots of sewing and unsewing, but in the end it all came together. Even if the inside of the skirt isn't great looking - but who's gonna see that anyway? Here's a couple close-ups:

They're awful pictures but I have no time for photoshopping - I wanted to get it posted! I wish I had taken pictures of the skirt in progress, but I just wasn't that diligent. I was so determined to finish this skirt today that I haven't even eaten! Just an apple in the morning and a pear an hour ago. Now I'm starving! But so happy. I even did my happy dance (yes, I have a happy dance). The best part is I made a skirt that fits me perfectly using my scary ol' sewing machine. And my pin cushion got a lot of use, too.

No Knitting Week is almost over and it's been awesome. I haven't made all the things I wanted to for lack of time and materials, but I have no complaints. And even though I'll be picking the knitting needles back up on Monday, I'm gonna keep making time for other projects. It's silly to think I have to knit all the time just 'cause I have deadlines. So next up, tackling that dress!

No Knitting Week Progress

I have been having such a great time working on other crafts this week. Yesterday I altered two tops, pulled out three t-shirts that need fitting, started one, and finished the graphics for two mittens. The altered clothing is boring to look at since they were simple alterations and I didn't take any before pictures anyway but the fingerless mittens I am LOVING. Wanna see?

Stars

Skulls

And how about some action shots?

Modeled here by The Doomed.

POW!

I started with the guys' mittens since it was easier to decide what graphics to embroider. I placed the graphic so that it's off-center and curved on the hand - half on the palm, half on the back of the hand. I am so happy with the way they turned out! And deciding which graphics to put on the others, including the ladies' mittens, has been super easy now. I've even already finished another mitten. Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to complete the graphics for all the mittens this week, but I should be able to make some good headway and maybe even start listing some soon! Well, if I'm able to do a photoshoot this weekend, that is.

I have been having so many ideas since this week began, even the perfecting of ideas I had had but wasn't completely sure how to accomplish. I actually stayed up 'til 2am last night thinking about them and reseaching material I would need for them! One thing I want to accomplish, though, is making an outfit with my sewing machine. I have a small collection of vintage patterns and I really want to try to tackle making one before my No Knitting week is over. I don't even know if I have enough material and certainly know I don't have the skill, but I wanna give it a go anyway. This is the pattern I decided on for my first attempt:

Do you think this is too ambitious for someone with very little sewing experience and who's always afraid to cut fabric for fear of ruining it? Sewing's not like knitting, people! If I screw up knitting, I just have to undo everything and wind the yarn back into a ball. If I screw up cutting fabric to sew, I'm shit out of luck.

Sewing Project Monday!

Alright, so it's a small project but one I've been meaning to do for a long time, so it counts! I had seen all these adorable pin cushions on Etsy and thought "I bet I could do that" so today was my day to tackle it. I had some fabric that I didn't really know what to do with - it's only a small amount and the graphic doesn't really allow for me to use it as lining for one of my bags - but while digging through my fabrics today it occurred to me that it'd be perfect for my pin cushion. Here's a brief picture tutorial of what I did:

It was still missing something so I added a button to the center of the front and back to create a little extra tension.

NOW it's complete!

So quick and easy to make, I wanna make twenty more! I don't need that many, unfortunately, but totally intend to tackle making a pin cushion for my wrist next. Eventually. My new pin cushion will replace the ugly chicken? duck? that my mother gave me many years ago and that I love but that is in a sorry state after being handled by the neck one too many times.

Besides the pin cushion, I altered a skirt and started altering a top. I also started the graphics on one of the mens' mittens and am pretty confident I'll complete the pair before day's end. I got so much more done than I usually do in one day! Normally, it's just a monotonous "I made a mitten today" but look how much more I have to report! Also, I technically finished the slouchy beanie this weekend but have decided that I need to undo just a bit and make it a little longer. So I can't show that one off yet. I also started another slouchy beanie, with a different design, but wasn't able to finish it before my No Knitting Week began, so that one's gotta wait, too.

Projects, projects, projects  and not a knitting needle in sight - I love it!