I love Simplicity

So, a few weeks ago, I decided to really sit down and learn how to sew. I have made several attempts in the past, but they never panned out. Mostly because I've had a long standing feud with my mother's sewing machine. I would try to sew with it and it would suck up my material and jam or wouldn't sew the stitches right. I would get frustrated. Then, my mother, who was trying to teach me would get frustrated, and finally we would both give up and set the machine and the project in a corner in digust.

Well, about a year or two ago now, I thought I would try it again. I would make pajama pants. I brought the machine home with me so I could work in the relative piece of my own home. I carefully read the manual and started again. It was an epic failure. I was so frustrated and thought it was just me. Actually, I blamed the sewing machine and convinced my husband that we needed a new one. He was game to buy one and we started looking.

My mom though, was actually a little hurt that we were rejecting her grandmother's machine and convinced me to just get it cleaned and tuned up instead. It cost about as much as a new machine to get the old one tuned up, but we did it. And it has worked wonderfully ever since. I am so delighted!! My husband has made a couple costume pieces with it now and I've used it for some random things that I just made up. Nothing big though.

That all changed during one of my many trips through Jo-Ann Fabrics. They got in a stock of Star Wars fabrics. What was I to do except make pajamas for my daughter for her birthday. So I picked some fabric and a pattern and went at it. I am delighted with the results!

I had a VERY rudimentary knowledge of reading patterns when I started this. My grandmother taught me to make a Halloween costume when I was 12 and I had made a couple skirts a few years ago. The Simplicity pattern instructions are SO easy to follow though. They walk you through everything nice and slowly with plenty of illustrations. There were still some things I didn't quite get, even after reading how to do it a few times, like collars, but the Youtube was a great resource when I would get completely lost.

I'm so excited now! I have a new sense of accomplishment and I'm feeling brave enough to try to make some clothes for me now. This should get interesting.

Finally some finished objects

Christmas was interesting. In spite of having several projects already to work on, I decided to start a few more. Some were Christmas presents, some were just things that I thought would be fun and suddenly, I felt absolutely overwhelmed with projects, which is not good for an already busy and stressful holiday. Well, slowly, I've been getting things done.

My advent calender never quite worked out. I got the main design finished, but the idea that I had for the pockets just didn't work. So, I think I'm going to have to tear out the pockets and I'm just going to finish it to be a wall hanging. I'm pretty pleased with it though and I can't wait to hang it up next Christmas. 

I also finished a microwaveable rice bag for a Christmas present, which sadly enough, I forgot to take a picture of. I'm going to make more though because they are lovely. I added a few drops of lavender to it and it smells great and stays warm for at least 45 min.

And then, there's my neverending project. Civil War mittens. A woman I know has a shop that she sets up at reenactments and she gives us the yarn and supplies the pattern and we make mittens for her. Here's her website. She's really cool! And, I have learned so much making these mittens, and not just about kntting.

At first when I started working on these, they frustrated me so much because I felt like I never had time to do anything else. All I did was work on mittens and I felt like I wasn't getting much done. Then, I realized, the mittens didn't have to be the center of my universe. Instead, they could just be something to keep my hands busy when I was doing other things. I started taking them to work meetings in the mornings and they kept me awake after working the night shift. I would take them outside with me when my daughter just wanted to run. She loved it because she got to stay outside for so much longer since I wasn't getting bored as quickly. I worked on them when I just wanted something mindless and relaxing to do. Then, when I was ready for a challenge I could put them aside knowing that I wasn't neglecting them, I just had other things to do. Now, I love these mittens. They are an ongoing project that I am so grateful for.

I think what I love about projects is that they add spice to life. They are fun and interesting. When I think of them as seasoning they make my life brighter. They make a terrible main dish though when allowed to overwhelm every aspect of my life. Everything in moderation, right?!

Surprisingly Good!

My idea to make one recipe a week out of the "Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook" has never actually developed into more than just an idea, but I still love the cookbook. About a month ago, I used it to make Shepherd's Pie. Yum!

At the time, I was just trying to throw something together quickly before work. My plan was to make Shepherd's Pie as quickly as possible and use instant mashed potatoes for the top and just throw some ingredients in for the filling. I thought I should probably use a recipe though, so I pulled out the cookbook. It called for mashing your own potatoes and choping more vegetables than I had planned to.

I was worried about the time though. I only had about an hour. So, I made the filling according to the recipe and planned on still making the instant mashed potatoes for the top, until I found out we were out of the instant potatoes. So, I peeled and chopped and threw some potatoes in water and turned up the heat and crossed my fingers.

The potatoes were done before I knew it. The pie went together easily and, in the end, it was totally worth it to make my own potatoes for the top. I need to remember that my sense of how long it usually takes to do things can be adversely influenced by how much stress I am feeling (ie getting ready for work). If I just take a deep breath and do things right, most of the time I will find that great things can be accomplished in less time than I think and I will be much happier with the results.