Sewing fail

I'm not generally a fan of Cath Kidson, I don't like the twee-ness of the look and I'm not a yummy mummy so I feel I'm not her target market.  But when I saw a book called 'Sew!' which said it contained over 40 simple sewing projects and everything needed to make the bag on the cover I impulse bought it.

I shouldn't have bothered.  I know that I can be impossibly dense when it comes to following any kinds of patterns or instructions (all my flat-packed furniture made me cry and I've frogged many a knitted item) but I found all of these patterns awkward to follow and the white writing on coloured backgrounds is really difficult to read in places.

The really annoying thing though was the 'shoulder bag' which says is 'just the right size to carry your essential items during the day or for an evening out'.  What it doesn't mention is that only if your essential items are teeny tiny and very light.  It certainly won't fit my modest sized purse, keys, phone, umbrella and hairbrush.  I don't even think I'll bother finishing it as quite frankly it looks silly!

I haven't bothered to add the pointless facings or straps with buttons

Pint of milk only standardised item I could find for size comparison!

Introducing Jacinta!

No, my niece hasn't been born (and could still turn out to be a nephew - I'm the only one that thinks it's a girl) but I got Makery vouchers for my birthday and bought my very first sewing machine!  Isn't she beautiful?!

Jacinta means deep purple or hyacinth so it's my favourite colour and my friend Maggie's favourite flower.  It's a Janome machine so I called her Jacinta Janome - has a nice ring doesn't it?!  Do you think I put too much time into naming her...  

Anyway, once I'd finished admiring her I got started with setting her up.  Unfortunately I'd forgotten most of what I learnt at my sewing course last October and it took me an age to wind the bobbins (cue for a song) and thread the machine, the tension might still not be right but it'll do for now while I'm still fiddling around.  

I then set off to my local craft shop Sew Craft where the very helpful man helped me choose some material to make my very first entirely independent piece!

Some of the stitching is a bit wobbly and it took me about 5 hours but I finished a bag for my Mum and I'm happy to note that several weeks later it's still in one piece, the stitching is holding and she loves it!