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Local Sewing Classes

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After driving by a sewing store every single time I go into town, I finally stopped this afternoon. I grabbed their newsletters which has the class schedule and ignored the prices for the time being. It stinks that I can’t bring kids to the classes with me, I let Alice ‘help’ when I have my machine out and she loves it. She even has her own kid sewing machine plus just a mini sewing machine, both of which are still in their box!

I’m debating trying to find someone to take a class with me. It would have to be someone who already sews because I think they expect that if you sign up for other then the beginning classes – but I don’t know anyone who does! I’d love to find someone to go with so I could have them to visit with during the class. And yes, seeing all of the older women in the shop does lean that debate to the ‘yes find someone’ side. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to a class or store with my own Mom, but being the youngest in that shop yesterday was a big odd. I know that while sewing is cool, hip and fun in other areas – now if I could just move to one of those areas!

The shop did have a lot of cute projects hung up – lap quilts and a LOT of baby clothes. I’ve told Chris I want to use cloth diapers with this baby and they had cute diaper covers. I have a lot of patterns of kids clothes that I always meant to make – but I never did any of them. I should, Alice could definitely use cute dresses.

Have you ever taken a sewing class? Have you done it alone? I’m not afraid to go by myself, but it would be nice to have a friend with me!

Sew Excited!

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Pun Completely Intended!!

Look at my fun, super cool, awesome, so shiny and pretty new sewing machine!!!

Euro Pro Shark Intelli Sew machine

Way back in October my sewing machine died. I only found one repair shop in the area though I admit I only looked in the yellow pages. And it was farther into town then I typically go, so I’ve never made it there.

But Chris needed his uniforms fixed and I always sew the patches on. This saves a little bit of money but more importantly, I am MUCH faster then the tailor. Like I can get a uniform done in maybe a half hour, but the tailor always quotes at 10 days to 2 weeks. So we bought the Euro Pro Shark Intelli Sew (from Target! $50 off the regular price!) because it’s been so long, because he needed the uniforms, because I just needed a new one! The other night I got the machine out, read a few pages about the basics and within probably 10-15 minutes I was sewing.

I. Love. This. Machine. Sure I have some of that “this is my new toy and wow it’s so pretty and shiny” going on. And at first I was just floored at how cool it looked LOL and then all the hidden stuff. Case in point, the top:

Euro Pro Shark Intelli Sew machine

Everything is hidden away! So the top of the machine is nice and smooth. The bobbin winder works well and the display has a picture of a bobbin being wound when it is working. LOL There is also a list of every stitch available and a graphic to show how to thread the machine.

Euro Pro Shark Intelli Sew machine

There are like a million fee that this came with. Okay, not a million, maybe 12? 17? I don’t remember. I don’t even know what more then half of them are for! I only ever used the regular all-purpose foot (or maybe the walking one?) on my old machine. This compartment also has the tools that come with the machine – screwdriver, little brush, a few extra bobbins, etc.

Euro Pro Shark Intelli Sew machine

Now this is cool. See that red? That’s a package of needles that I bought and they are in the secret compartment! Or at least I think it is a secret. LOL And over to the left, see that box? That is … I think it’s another foot of some kind. Anyway, it came stashed in that other compartment! How cool is that! And last but not least, see that indent that looks like a thumb? You can lift up the top compartment and there is another stash of stuff under that! It had another bobbin (three or four came with it) plus the thing that holds the thread (wow, don’t you love my technical wording?) in place on the top of the machine.

The led display is very cool. The light near the needle is very bright and florscent and reflective. Also the foot that it came with (all purpose? walking? Sheesh, I really should learn the terms!) isn’t exactly like the foot on my old machine so it took me a bit to get used to. I just mean – you know when you are sewing, and you can see down the foot to the needle, and that helps you keep everything lined up? This one has a that – but also has a small what looks like a ball of metal – it’s attached and supposed to be there, but I don’t know what else to compare it to – and that ball is what the needle is lined up with.

But the sewing – wow. Fast and easy. Maybe my old machine was just slowly breaking but this one was so great. And it has the fun feature of having a start/stop button! I used that for half of it and then the foot pedal for the other half of the sewing. You can set the speed so that was nice.

Ah, so cool! I really like this machine and can’t wait to figure out when I will start my block a day so I can use it more often. 🙂

The Blanket Is Done!

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I am SO excited!

I finished the baby blanket I was making. The last time I talked about it, I needed to do all of the edging. Well my friend emailed over the weekend and said she was going to pack her hospital bag because she’s been having braxton hicks contractions. She isn’t due for I think six more weeks, but the body is obviously gearing up!

And there is it! I am so happy with how it turned out. 😀 I did one edge on Tuesday night and the other three on Wednesday night. After I washed and dried it, there it is!

Close up of one of the corners – I always have such a hard time with mitering the corners. Three of them were easy this time around but one gave me heck. I had to put it down, walk away, and then go back and finish. I have to say I am glad that I put the blanket away for a little while – I don’t think I could have finished the edging in a day and a night if I were working on it right after putting it all together.

I’m mailing it off either tomorrow or Monday – I’ll let you know what she says! 🙂

Stuck on the binding

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I whipped that baby blanket up in no time flat right – only to be stuck on the binding! The binding is always the hardest for me. I think it’s partly because I make it hard. Once I get started I know it will be easy to finish.

So far here is what I have done:


See those three pins? I think I have a total of seven pins in there. I know! It’s barely inches on that thing. *sigh* I know I need to just sit and get it done, but I just feel stuck. I almost feel like putting it away and coming back to it after I do a few other things. But my girlfriends baby is due in two months (from today!) so I know I can’t put it away for too long.

Maybe I’ll just put it away until the end of August. Then I can finish it in a couple of days and still get it in the mail to her in time. Hhmmm, there’s an idea….

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