Sew Happy!

When I was a little girl, I stayed with my Grammy once and she taught me to sew. We started the cutest pink and white quilt for my doll. It was almost finished when I had to leave, but Grammy instructed me on how to finish it, and I fully planned to do so.

Then, it got shoved in a pile somewhere, and that was it.

I didn't sew for about twenty years. My sister-in-law, Jenica started her own business sewing the most adorable baby creations. Her creativity made me wish I could sew, but I didn't have time for the hobbies I already had, so I didn't lose too much sleep over it.

When my Grammy invited Jen and I to raid her fabric closet (yes, an entire walk-in closet of cuteness!), I accompanied her out of creative curiosity. Grammy, who has retired from making beautiful quilts (including my wedding quilt which serves as the background for this blog) told me to take anything I might want, too. I started reluctantly taking a few scraps from my wedding quilt, then ended up doing some full-on pilfering, feeling a little ridiculous when I came back with a small trash bag full of fabric that I would realistically probably never use.

Two years passed. Then, several months ago, to scratch my creative itch (and, if I'm honest, to get outta the house once a week) I signed up for a sewing class. It was for beginners, and I was the biggest newbie of all. But I figured it out, and made this bag from my Grammy fabric!

Some of those strips are scraps from my wedding quilt!  I was so excited that I asked for a sewing machine for my birthday. But my birthday was over a month ago and I've only recently gotten my gift out of the box.

But, oh, oh those summer nights! I've been in the habit of staying up until the wee hours of the morning working on projects or finding new blogs to stalk. Well one of these nights, I decided to test my unopened present out. And test, I did! In one night, I made:

a burlap bag to hold onions in my pantry

a bag to hold T-balls

Max's curtains

Added a "hem" to the bottom of a giant burlap coffee bag that I then used to make a skirt for our utility sink. 

I was up until 3 a.m. sewing hunched over on the floor with my leg stretched out to the side to press the foot peddle. And after each thing I finished, I'd give a little woop. They're nothing fancy, but what excites me is that something that started years ago finally happened! I've been feeling frustrated the past few years that I've been blessed with a creative mind, but my other little blessings keep me from ever being able to use it! Practicing on these simple projects has given me a new skill that I can have fun experimenting with. In fact, I recently bought a dresser that has missing drawers. I just finished sewing a tiny curtain to cover one of the empty spots. And Max's closet door broke a while back and I decided to sew a curtain instead of replacing the doors!

This summer is giving me some hope! I may still have a bajillion projects swirling in my brain, but at least I can cross off a few. Even if I have to stay up until the crack of dawn to find the time!