7th September 2012 - First Sewing Experiments

Our clear-out in work went very well. It went that well that we were finished by lunch time and I decided to take the rest of day off. Again, the weather is lovely, so I am sitting in the garden at moment to enjoy the sunshine while working on this post.

Earlier on, I got the my new sewing machine out of the box and set it up on the dinner table in the livingin room.

My sewing machine, all unwrapped, set up and ready to go.

I attended a few sewing classes a good while back but I can proudly say, I haven't forgot all I've learnt. I was able to wind a bobbin without any problems. Getting it into the sewing machine the correct way, prooved itself a bit difficult. Luckely enough though, the machine came with a manual. After a few trial runs, I was able to get the bottom thread from the bobbin below thread through the machine, and the top thread from the big spool thread through the upper part of the machine .... that's a lot of "thread" in just one sentence. Sorry about that.

The results looked like that:

I tried myself on a few different stitch settings

My first button hole. Okay, I need to cut the little piece of fabric between the longer stitching to make it a real button hole - but the main thing is I was able to put the machine onto the right settings. Not the prettiest one but I am just happy that I was able to figure it out how to do it.

I tried myself on a bit of seaming ... that didn't go too bad either. I am able to do pretty straight lines on fabric. Just delighted about it.

This is how you actually cut the thread when you are done. There is a little cutter hidden behind the little cook on the machine. You wrap the two threads around it and pull.

The machine came with so many little parts and piece which means I don't have to buy anthing. On the left you can see a bobbin which has black sewing thread wound on it. The white plastic thing is a button making foot which you put underneath the sewing needle and clip it in. It has a gage to help you with the size of the button hole (red markings in my case, can't see them here). There are different sized screw drivers to exchange pieces on the machine if required. I also found a little bottle of clear sewing machine oil.

I wound another bobbin with white thread. You can see the big spool of the thread in the rear of the picture.

And sew on a name tag on a piece of fabric. How about that?!?

I decided to donate my small mini sewing machine which I had purchased in Hickey's also years ago to one of the charities in the village, as well as a dress I didn't find myself wearing a lot. So off it went.

Received a call from my housemate. Will leave soon for Balrothery to pick her up. And there is a dog constantly barking next door which makes me uneasy and my laptop almost slipped of my lap because of it. I am just simply a cat person and that's that.

Hope to start on my cushion cover soon. Still need the zips