learning to be crafty

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A couple of Christmases ago, my family gave me a sewing machine. I had discovered the world of crafty sewing blogs and was getting mildly obsessed with having my own machine to try out some of the tutorials I was finding.

Now that I am married and not punching a time clock 40 hours a week, I finally have time to pursue my crafty dreams. Some people could have handled the craftiness and a full time job, but not me. Not in my apartment with no clear surface areas! I now have an entire room to dedicate to all my creative making urges. The bummer is that I just happen to live in a town with not even one fabric or craft store.

There are tons of tutorials out there for making baby gifts. Quick to make, and using a minimum of fabric, baby gifts are a good way to learn some basic sewing skills…and it just so happens that babies are being born all over the place. It's not hard to find one who could use a few burp cloths & bibs. So that's where I started.


There's not all that much baby fabric out there that is non gender specific, so I just went looking for something pretty and not pink. I love green anyway…especially these springy limey brights. I have a few shirts in these colors. Too bad there wasn't much left over from the gift :)


The bibs were made with a pattern from the book bend-the-rules sewing by Amy Karol…one that I bought around the same time I got the sewing machine, as it seemed like it would be my kind of book…not too crazy technical, nicely designed and easy to read. I think I'm going to go back through it now that I'm actually doing more sewing and see what other projects she's got that I want to make.


I had fun with some decorative stitches on my machine and managed to come out with something I wasn't embarrassed to give away. And the mom says those burp cloths sure do come in handy. I'm just wondering about those bibs…the neck hole seems awfully small…

8 comments:

Jenny @ Words on Wendhurst said...

Hey! Yes, the neck hole looks small, but so is the baby's neck! I just did pictures for a little newborn and I am always amazed by how teeny tiny they are. :-)

Victoria said...

Baby necks ARE amazingly small. You are doing a fantastic job. Now, if you'd only post pics of the aforementioned craft room...

Victoria said...

OH - love your new profile pic and description!!!

Dave said...

I would like to clarify one apparently over exaggerated statement...

"I now have an entire room to dedicate to all my creative making urges."

With all the boxes, suitcases beds, chairs, christmas ornaments etc...there is no "craft room". It's a attic with attic stuff and sometimes Jen goes in there and makes stuff among all the attic stuff.

That's why you don't see any pictures! HAHA

jen said...

actually, the room is just at the "during" stage of the "before and after" process. Yeah, not sure it will ever be photo worthy!

Dave said...

I think you misspelled "enduring". You left off the "en".

That's also why it won't be photo worthy, because it will never be finished by the time we sell the house and move next year.

Victoria said...

Ok, now I HAVE to see this room!!!!:) I'd settle for a recent pic of the newlyweds, though (and, no, not some other newlyweds...I could already see that one coming):)

Unknown said...

Your Grandma would be proud! As am I. Isn't it nice to have some time to indulge in things that make us happy. Love, Mom