LOOK WHAT I MADE

Sewing skills are not in my genes. The only women in my family who sew are the ones who married into it. All my life, I've never had the slightest interest in sewing a button or repairing a ripped seam or hemming pants, let alone creating something of my very own. But guess what? Having a baby girl to dress up changed all that.

Over the past few months I have found myself drawn more and more to handmade items on ETSY and Hyena Cart. I have enlisted Jay's mom again and again to make things (in addition to our usual plea for button sewing, seam mending, and new pant hems). And then it hit me - I want to do it myself. What?! Really? Yes, really. And after casually mentioning so (in an email to the ladies that married into my family about making felt playhouses for the kiddos for Christmas), my Aunt Margie decided to take me under her wing and get me started. She very graciously sent me one of her sewing machines, complete with a sewing kit that she filled with everything I needed to get started, a how-to book, and a pattern and fabric to make my first project. And luckily, everything arrived while Jay's mom was visitng, so she was able to show me hands-on how to thread the needle and load the bobbin (check me out, using sewing terms and whatnot), and basically, just make the machine work. I was so excited!

Of course, rather than start out with the intended project, I opted for something even simpler. Converting women's knee-high socks to "Babylegs" (leg warmers for babies).

For attempt #1, I simply cut off the feet, folded the ends over to create a "cuff", and sewed them shut. This lesson was to teach me how to sew in a straight line (oops). And to not use black thread with white fabric (oops).

For attempt #2, I was going to rip the seams and start over, but then I chickened out (and I couldn't figure out how to get the thread out without having to rip every single stitch). So I cut off the bottoms (the "cuffs"), cut the middle section of the foot out, folded it in half, and sewed it onto the leg warmers to create a real cuff. I did so well on the first one (though my line was still a bit crooked), but somehow I sewed the second one inside out. Oops.

I was determined to figure out the whole "Babylegs" thing before Halloween. Attempt #3 started with a fresh pair of knee highs and the same black thread. This time I measured before I cut, pinned the cuffs in place before I sewed them, and went slowly. They're not perfect (one still ended up slightly shorter), but they're cute. And they work.

And they look good on Cora.

And I gained enough confidence to fix the seam on Jay's pajama bottoms. Yay me!

The next installment of "Look What I Made" will be the project that Margie sent me... just as soon as I find time to do it! But now I'm going to bed.