Have bag, will travel

Class # 2-Sewing bootcamp

Today's the day we started sewing our tote bags together. We're sewing everything inside out and will flip it over when its all done which is really kind of neat because it creates an exciting sort of mystery.

We learned how to make the straps and used a cool tool called a loop turner to turn them inside out after we sewed them. That was so much fun for me because its kind of hard to make a tube turn inside out, but with a little practice, I became pretty good at it!
Its an important skill because you'll be using it when you make straps for anything. This is good because basically it means that I now know how to make straps! I also know how to hem because when you cut out your fabric you sew in the edges so that it's smooth and straight (which is good because most of us noticed that using scissors was not something we would call a "skill.") Making the totebag made me look at clothing in a completely different way. Now when I go shopping, I look at a piece and see all the different sections of the pattern that were sewn together to make the garment. Its really kind of amazing that patterns are basically puzzle pieces that you sew together and wear.

We were all really comfortable together in the class and laughed and joked around with eachother as we made our totes. We had a couple of really hilarious snaffoos. One of us (I won't mention names) happened to sew the bag shut by mistake. Another one of us (okay, this one was all me) wasn't paying attention and sewed one strap on with the seams facing out (it should face in so you can't see it when you're carrying it around, like with all bags.) But that's why you take the bootcamp, so that you get thrown into making something and learn by making mistakes and doing it again.

By the end of the class, we were all so thrilled with our new bags. Check out the pictures and you'll see why! We turned them inside out and were so impressed with how great they looked. Oh the pride!
After class, a couple of us stuck around to discuss how we could use our introductory skills to start sewing at home. Our plan is to go to thrift stores, buy dresses, chop off the tops, hem the skirt, and add straps to make easy day dresses. We can do all this just from taking this one class and making one tote bag. I'm super excited about it because who doesn't need more day dresses in their closet? While I'm out I'm going to pick up a few belts so I can belt my dresses and wear them with a great pair of wedges or slingbacks. Or a great pair of tights and boots for fall.
I'm soooo thrilled I cannot even begin to tell you! But I'll post up pictures in future entries of things we make, and by we I mean the sewing circle the girls in my bootcamp and I have started! Stay tuned!

Mean green machine threading machine?

I just had my first sewing class ever-Day 1 in First Samples' sewing boot camp. I arrived with my never before used 8 month old sewing machine in tow. It was still taped up and covered with this awful smelling plastic thing. I was a bit nervous because I really had no idea how to do anything sewing related except sewing buttons.

Guess what? Three hours later, I've learned about all the parts of my sewing machine, (we are now friends) and I can successfully and repeatedly thread it! It's actually kind of hypnotic to thread the bobbin, especially on my machine because once I press the foot pedal, it just starts twirling and stops automatically so I don't have to worry about anything and can just sit there and watch it. I did this about 3 times because I really couldn't believe how cool it was.

Tina Sparkles, our class teacher, is really sweet and funny, and has this sing songy sort of voice that makes it easier to pay attention to what she's telling you to do. She demonstrates on her machine, then walks around the class to each of our machines and makes sure we know how to work the parts of our specific one. We got scrap fabric and used a contrasting color of thread to practice actually sewing on our machine. We got to experiment with different stitches, learn about tension, and once we had mastered all that, we started making tote bags inspired by Lotta Jansdotter.

I brought an old indian table cloth and purchased some black fabric for the bottom panel of the tote bag from the studio. We traced and cut out our pattern pieces using a pattern by First Samples. We'll get to make the bag next week, but for now, we completed the preparation process and then went back to practicing how to sew in a straight line. Its much harder than it looks! I'm sure with practice I'll be better but right now I'm not that great. But I don't care because I can take two pieces of fabric and make them one! To me, that's pretty awesome. So is knowing about my machine and about all the cool little tools that exist to make your life easier.

For now, that's it! Check out next week's entry for pictures of the bags!