Seeing all these knit-bloggers show off their sewing projects (you know, like her, and her, and her, and her, and her, and... ok I'll stop) has lately given me new naughty urges. Not that I don't already have enough going on. Ahem.
Anyway, sewing is not a new-to-me craft. Although I don't think I've mentioned it previously, sewing was actually my first love. I learned to sew at around, oh, probably 7 years old, on my mom's Bernina 830. I received one just like it as a high school graduation present. Living in a tiny apartment in the city, however, is not terribly conducive to creating luxurious and laborious sewn garments. I would have to tell the man, "Eat your dinner on the couch! The dinner table is covered in fabric, and I can't have you getting crumbs on my masterpiece!" which is ok every once in a while, but not good for an obsession. He puts up with yarn in every available nook and cranny, but would definitely object to a sewing machine taking up permanent residence on the dining table.
So, last weekend, while he was out of town, I gathered my supplies and did this.
While far from complete, this is Amy Butler's Weekender Travel Bag pattern in her fabrics from the Forest collection.
It was such a joy to drag my machine out of the closet, fire up my iron and get this much done. I hadn't realized just how different these crafts are, and how much I enjoy both for different reasons.
Sewing, for example, seems so definite, so final. You cut out your pattern (!!!) and there's no going back. Cut it too small? Tough - go buy more fabric. With knitting you can usually just give a swift tug on the working end of your yarn and undo all kinds of mistakes. Or just throw your piece off a tall building and watch it unravel itself. You know you've wanted to at least once. Try doing that with a sewing machine and see what happens. (No, don't. I was kidding).
Besides that, sewing is dangerous! You use a heavy machine that can easily poke holes in your fingers, a hot iron, and sharp pins. Even the pointiest metal dpns have nothing on the dangers of sewing.
Anyway, the point of all this is that you'll be seeing more sewing around here. Hope you don't mind. After I finish the Weekender, this is next. (Also seen here.)
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