My first REAL sewing project-- DONE!

Okay, so yesterday I bit the bullet and cut out the material. I started sewing. Tonight, I have a finished project.

Voila!


My first real project, a tote bag made using the S.E.W. book's pattern (or should I say, directions).

I'll say it's not too bad for a first project of this caliber (not that this is a high caliber, but you know), but as much as it looks okay, there are plenty of mistakes as well.

Let's first talk about the stitchwork. I'll admit it-- I'm really, really bad at both doing a basic straight line as well as doing decorative stitches. Not that my machine can do that much in the way of decorative stitches, but work with me here. You can see in the following photo that I might have used that bumpy stitch, but not consistently, on the pocket, and then again on the "ribbon" border.


I know that the "best" way to do it is at 0-1 stitches for length, but the problem is that the feed dogs don't feed at 0 stitches, so you have to move it yourself, so I think that explains the inconsistency. Oh well. That will take some practice, much like just doing straight stitching. Like, look here, at the back-- proof that it is a valiant attempt, but still inconsistent.


At the same time, you may be asking, "Windsornot, why'd you attempt something like that on your very first project?" Well, I'll tell you. Like I said before, my straight stitches aren't very straight. Thus, when I put in the lining for my bag-- YES, I put in a lining!-- the stitches showing on the outside showed how crooked they were. I needed to cover them up somehow, so I made the makeshift "ribbon" out of the same material as the pocket, and attached it with the decorative stitch. Here, take a look-- here's the evidence:


Even so, unless you really look close at it, you can't tell, or it's not THAT bad.

Let's see, what else can I tell you about the project? The material used was all scraps of sorts. The striped material is leftover from pillows and curtains I did in my old house (I have a TON of it left). The red material is actually from other curtains used in my old house, which were transferred to my new house. The lining was from remnant material I got at JoAnn Fabrics recently. I think it's shirt/broadcloth material, and least that's how it feels.

So, what lessons were learned from this?

I can do a sewing project!

I need to learn to iron and cut my fabric much better.

I need to learn to sew straighter seams! The investment of a magnetic seam guide, much to JC's objections of me getting anymore do-hickeys for sewing, might be needed. Also, the cutting the fabric straighter will hopefully help in this endeavor as well.

Just like in knitting, sometimes my inner instincts are good in trying to make corrections.

In the end, while it's not perfect in any shape or form, I still feel that my first true sewing project came out pretty well, so I'm pleased with it, and more importantly with myself.

Even JC thought I did a good job. And even Drew helped with the project here and there. JC was also impressed with the little set-up I had going in the guest room. He said it's looking like a real sewing room, with my little table and everything set up as it is. Now, if I could only get legitimate space for a craft room! But that's for another posting someday.

Now, the question is, do I make my next tote bag for my friend as I had planned, or work on something else first? And if I should work on something else, what should it be? Hmmmm....decisions, decisions.