Great Accomplishments on Day 26!!

I want to start off by saying OH MY GOSH!!!  I was going through my blog feed last night and noticed that Tatertots & Jello had posted some last minute Valentine ideas.  I almost didn't click on it - (it was late, time for bed) but I love that blog and couldn't ignore it.  Little did I know, they were features from the Weekend Wrap Up party.  I started scrolling down, admiring all of the creativity, when I saw my Lollipop Flowerpots!!!  It took a second to register - but holy cow - my project was featured on TT&J!!!  This is so cool!  Thank you so much to Jen at TT&J for featuring my project - I am so flattered and honored!

While I don't have an actual project to share today, I do have another HUGE accomplishment.  This was a major reason why I started this 30-Day Challenge - I learned how to use my sewing machine!!  I took my class at Jo-Ann's yesterday, and actually learned the basics of sewing.

I was so nervous driving to the class - I have no clue why, but I had butterflies in my stomach.  I kept telling myself - if you could do this in 7th Grade Home Ec - you can certainly do this now!  When I arrived to the class, they gave me a supply list.  I had some of the things with me, but needed to locate the basting fabric - what the heck is basting fabric, and how can I find said item??  Thankfully I noticed one of my classmates and she helped me get what I needed.

The line was incredibly long but I needed to purchase my items, so I ended up walking in about 6 minutes late to the class.  The other students were already threading their machine, and I hadn't even located my outlet yet!!  OK - deep breath - I was starting to sweat already.

I am telling you - I am a total beginner, and seriously had no clue what to do.  Threading that sewing machine was like a maze - and why didn't my machine come with a bobbin?  Do I need to go buy some???    I asked my fellow tablemates, Evelyn and Myat.  They let me in on a little secret - my machine had a secret compartment!!  Who knew???

There were needles, bobbins and a whole bunch of little prizes in there!  Wow - I thought that stuff would have come in the box - I didn't know there was a secret stash!

OK - so now I have located my bobbin - but how in the heck to I thread this thing?  I called over my wonderful instructor Othella (ok I yelled "HELP"!).  Thankfully, she came over and showed me what to do - my brain was on overload!  This process took me about 10 minutes, thank you Othella for being so patient with me!

Now it was time to try a straight stitch.  I inserted my fabric in the machine and pressed the pedal - here goes nothing.... "HELP"!!  My needle is stuck!!!

Here came Othella - back to help me...she fixed my mess and I started over.  Dang it!  I did it again...Help!  My tablemates were cracking up at me - I was not cut out for this.  Othella was busy, and I was left to figure it out for myself.  It was at this point in the class that I decided that I was not meant to sew, and needed to pack up my stuff and admit defeat.  Instead I decided to take a crack at it.  Let me tell you - I was so proud when I actually found the problem and fixed it all by myself!!

It was at this point that I realized that the machine was not out to get me - I controlled IT!  The rest of the class didn't go completely smoothly, but I got better and better the more I practiced.  AND, I learned from my mistakes.

So, I learned how to use my machine, do a straight stitch, back stitch, and fancy stitch (I am still not up with all of the terminology).  I met some really nice ladies, and ended up having a blast!!  Thank you to Othella and to my tablemates, Evelyn and Myat for your help, for not letting me give up - and for the laughs!

From left to right:  Othella, Evelyn, Me, Myat

Now I need to practice and start making stuff!!  A lot of the other ladies were picking out patterns at the end of the class - I think I'll just try something easy - like a square pillowcase to start!!

Till tomorrow!