Sew Much Fun

So Jon got me a sewing machine for my birthday, and I've been having a lot of fun learning how to do simple things.  Having absolutely no previous experience with sewing, I got a good beginner book: Me and My Sewing Machine, and read it cover to cover before getting started.  I also found a great youtube channel, The Crafty Gemini, which has video tutorials for some simple beginner projects.  She also has a blog here on Blogger.

I've used two of her tutorial videos to make small projects and it has been so much fun.  They are far from perfect, but for first attempts, I think they are pretty good!

I have these pillows that I bought to take to college with me (the first time I went in 1995) because they were cute and went with my sun, moon, stars comforter that I had just purchased.  I still have the comforter and I still have the pillows.  They have recently become pillows for the dogs, so they are pretty hairy.  Even after washing, they had dog fur on them, so I thought I might make some covers for them - removable so they can be washed - and in a seasonal pattern to go with our Christmas decorations.  I found this video and watched it all the way through, then started following the instructions.  The photos shows the result - pretty pillow cover right beside old pillow.  Sadly, after washing, these pillows were in such bad shape that I've decided not to use them after all.  Must go buy a pillow form that fits my new cover!  A trip for the weekend!  Then I will do the other one and these pillows will sit on our couch all year round, with new covers for every season and/or occasion!  Yes, I intend to make a bunch of different ones!

Last night, I had to work late.  When I got home, I found a post-it on the door telling me to check my computer chair.  I went inside and found a cutting mat sitting on my chair with a post-it on it telling me to look in my yarn basket.  Inside my yarn basket was a square ruler and a post-it telling me to go to my stocking.  I found inside my stocking a rotary cutter and a note telling me "merry early Christmas."  My husband is so amazing!  Oh, and he was also in the kitchen cooking dinner!  So here are my early Christmas gifts, which I took advantage of last night.

Again, I consulted my new friend, The Crafty Gemini, and discovered this quick and simple project that actually incorporates some great techniques that I hadn't learned before.  There are actually three parts to this tutorial, but it's totally worth it to watch all three before starting, then go through it step-by-step while you do what she does.  Finished product: an eye pillow made from some pieces of fabric I purchased all bundled together when I first started playing with my machine, and an old head scarf that I have no current use for, but is a really nice material for the back of an eye pillow.
So those are my first two projects.  I really like sewing so far, and I think it will be a fun and useful hobby.  Now to learn how to hem pants...

Oh, and just for fun, here are some of my first attempts at some of the stitches on my machine.  I know they are not quite straight, but for a first attempt, I'm feeling pretty good about them!