Friday, February 11, 2011

Shall we do lunch?

A long, long time ago, I bought some fabric, and helpless perennial optimist that I am, I became enamoured with the idea of (re)learning to sew.

I don't know what came over me, really. Ever since early childhood, I've nurtured a vague dislike of everything related to sewing, much to my maternal grandmother's dismay. I can't say what turned me against it, exactly. It could be the many times I had to stand patiently still for fittings, or the endless mind-numbingly boring hours spent accompanying her while she shopped for fabric...

This was only compounded by my home economics class in junior high school. I hated the project (a drawstring pouch), hated the fabric ("crap" fabric boosted from my grandmother's stash), hated how it seemed both incredibly slow (all that measuring and cutting and pinning - ugh!) and way to frickin' fast (my machine only had 2 speeds: crazy-fast, outta control stitching and off.)

Whatever the reason, I've always associated sewing with tediousness, with an aftertaste of ennui thrown in for good measure. So it was quite a surprise to me that, out of the blue, I wanted to learn how to sew*. And lucky for me, turns out I've got a seasoned seamstress/quilter living right across the street from me :)


Now, it took a while for us to get out ducks in a row (what can I say? Sometimes even the best impulses need time to mature into glorious fruition, heh), but over the past few weeks, we've swapped our weekly wine-drinking cheese-plate-consuming Knit Nights in favour of sewing sessions, and it's payed off.

It is with great pleasure (and no small amount of pride) that I give you my first finished sewn project:




Pattern: Quilted Lunch Bag, from One Yard Wonders
Fabric: Oh crap I should know that, shouldn't I? Sorry, I'll remember next time :)
Modifications: None. Except our mitered corners blow theirs outta the frickin' water.

It's not perfect. My seams aren't necessarily always straight, the bias tape sometimes puckers, and despite having measured quite carefully, one side is a wee bit taller than the other. But for all that, it's still the most stylinest lunch bag in the office fridge, and that's good enough for me.

Happy Sewing, Everyone!

* I wasn't the only one who was surprised. When I told my mother what I'd been up to these past few weeks, she just blinked at me a minute and asked me if she'd heard me right "You? Sewing??"

10 comments:

Celia said...

That project looks great. What do you plan to make next?

Sinéad said...

Wow! Wow! That's a fantastic first project! No way I could do sewing on the bias; and the hemming? You're putting yourself down. That's proper sewing!
You've got a good teacher there :)

Alrischa said...

lol. You'll have a fabric stash in no time, I think, and two other kids are going to suffer Mum's tedious fabric shopping ... hehehe. I'm a crappy sewer (that looks wrong) I have a sewing machine, but can't sew straight for nuts :) One day, though, people will see my lunch in the fridge at work and say, "Oooh.. whose is this!?"

Jennifer said...

I'd say I'm jealous, but I have my own machine expert across the street from me too. (Amy and Robyn's knitting teacher is my neighbor). That said, I am jealous of that bag! Though...for me it would be a knitting project bag...'cus my dad and Yannick just wouldn't appreciate it in the work mini fridge.

kate-the-enabler said...

I am soooo delighted that you're happy - I'm proud of the project, and proud of you (and you know how I feel about those miters.....thanks for featuring them, it gave me happy chills...)
Looking very much forward to seeing where you go next with this (or anything else, for that matter.)
Thanks for trusting me to talk you through your first project.

Dawn said...

That fabric is gorgeous, and I would have never noticed the flaws until you pointed them out ;)

Knit and Purl Mama said...

What a great lunch bag! You did a fabulous job!

Cynthia F said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cynthia F said...

It looks just great- you did an excellent job! And love the fabric you chose!

Laurie said...

Wow!!! I am so impressed! Ok...maybe I'll have to break down and...eek...learn...to...sssss...se...sew... There I've said it - can you hear my mother spinning in her grave? LOL!