Such Potential!

So this morning I had my second of two classes on how to use my sewing machine - offered for free by the store where Trev bought my machine.

Last week was your basic info course (no sewing, just stuff like threading the needle, winding a bobbin, different presser foot options, and so on and so forth). THIS week we got to sew!

First topic: sewing lightweight knits

So tiny and cute! Both my sister-in-law and my best friend happen to be pregnant. How THRILLED they'll be when I present them with tiny sleeve after tiny sleeve at their baby showers! No whole garments though. Only sleeves. I'm only one woman.

Next up: heavier weight knits (in this case, polar fleece)

Happy puppy is happy because his seam can stretch and lay flat when opened.

Then it was on to the blind hem:

I realize that you can't see it, but I guess that's a sign that it worked. (And, also, I hid the part that didn't work.) Now I can, in theory, hem my work pants!

Then it was on to how to sew over thick denim seams without breaking or bending a needle:

There's such a thing as a Jean A Ma Jig that helps keep your presser foot flat. (Google also tells me that these things can be called Humper Jumpers...)

Worked like a charm. And all this practice in the sewing class also gave me more confidence just in operating my machine even with just a straight stitch. I'm getting better at it all.

And finally, we learned about buttons and button holes. Tadaaaa!

I hadn't realized that I could sew on buttons using my machine. This will come in VERY handy!

What a great class. I'm glad I sacrificed two Saturday sleep-ins to go. I learned so much and am not scared of my sewing machine any more. Plus I've learned what a great resource that quilting shop will be for me should I ever run into any trouble or have any questions.

After my sewing class I went to spend the rest of my Michael's gift card that I got from my dear husband for my birthday.

I've been eying this book for a year now. I never bought it though because it's always seemed so pricey, and my interest in crocheted block motifs varies from month to month.

 

 However, with a gift card, I felt much less guilty about buying it. It will be a nice, fun little resource book for my "library"...

 

While at Michael's I also fell in love with their Fishermen's Wool. I love the colours! So I decided I'm going to use this yarn to knit (yes, knit) an afghan. I have the idea in my mind. I'll see how it goes. If you see this yarn, in blog entries to come, used in some sort of crochet project, that means that I gave up on the knitted idea - though in my head it looks lovely.

I bought some cute new knitting needles too:

 So all this thought of giving knitting a try again made me decide to go through my old stash of knitting needles, books, and the like. I have this old tote bag where my knitting things are kept, including little stitch samples that I've made and, much to my surprise, a few skeins of yarn that I'd forgotten I'd owned.

Back when I was interested in trying knitting about five years ago, my mom purchased all sorts of needles as a Christmas gift to get me started. I'd forgotten that she'd also bought me a few different types of yarn. Some were just your basic acrylic. But then I stumbled upon something sinister. Something that should never have seen the light of day...

Hideous, hideous novelty yarn. I'd better go burn this stuff... If it's not evilly indestructable that is...