Gonna Make It Myself

Isn’t she a beauty?  Clean, white, and ready to work!

This year I got a sewing machine for my birthday.  Learning to sew is about #4 on my “bucket list.”  So, yes, I’m gonna mark that one off this next year!

The first night I got it Anton helped me pull it out of the box.  We set it on the table, looked at it, we were speechless from ignorance.  

“Looks good.”  he said.

“Yeah, I like the colors.”  I answered.

The next night we gathered as a family to learn about the new machine. 

Anton was at the helm (he was seated behind the machine, ready to move things), I was the navigator (at the computer, reading the step-by-step instructions from the web manual), and Sophi was 1st Officer (gopher.)

We got the basics done:

• hooked it up
• threaded a bobbin (Wow!  was that cool and FAST!)
• threaded the machine
• threaded the needle (has an automatic needle threader that is a little confusing)

We were ready to ROLL!  

Anton graciously turned over the helm to yours truly . . . 

Started it on the lowest speed - the basic stitch - WHOO HOO!  Look at me go!

Getting brave now - 
“Look Mom!  I’m one-handing the “wheel!”  

“Free-stitch’n, BA - BY!” 

We decided to practice the different stitches and actually try to make something.  

Here it is - a little purse for Sophia!  (Did you notice?  We put a handle on it!  What can I say? We’re just that good!  : )  

Later, we learned that for some of the decorative stitches we used you are supposed to change the FOOT!  Whew!  Sure am glad we didn’t break a needle!  I’m pretty sure that would be considered a really bad omen in the 

sewing-for-the-first-time world.

A little review of the machine:
              Janome DC 50 

•    Japanese!  Enough said.
•     Ran great - smooth - fast
•     Easy to figure out - except for that auto threading    needle thing . . . 
•     Looks great!  : )  

My Sewing Plans:

• make a skirt for Sophia for summer - maybe several, since they are all she wants to wear now
• make several pillows
• make Christmas ornaments from some of my cross-stitch work
• make a skirt for myself - for summer
• make all the curtains for the new house 
• make Sophia’s wedding dress  (cue in hysterical, crazy laughter!)

Problems Sewing in the Russian World:

• hard to find simple nice pretty cotton fabric
• hard to find good thread
• really crazy Russian patterns with ALL new vocabulary for me

Blessings Sewing in the Russian World:

• a really good friend who is an excellent seamstress (my pastor’s wife)
• Anton’s grandmother was a professional seamstress and has offered to help me if/when things get tough.

What advice can you give me?  Any ideas about what I should do first?  Any exercises/skills training?  Any other equipment that I simply must have?

Any websites I should check out?

I’m ready to roll!