People, I’ve just completed a sewing class. It was my fourth. (!) I have now sewed: five tote bags, a frillion little zipper pouches, a hobo bag, 8 pillows, 6 picnic placemats, several reversible headbands (anyone want one? I have extra!), 4 baby blankets, a Kleenex cozy (TOTALLY NORMAL), and, as of last night, a clutch purse.
You: Ooh, pretty!
I believe we’ve reached a point previously unrealized in the history of pseudostoops: the point where a new hobby actually sticks.
I have a bit of a checkered past on this point. I am, I’m afraid, something of a serial hobbyist. I’ve tried:
- Rock climbing
- Drawing (egad, I was HORRIBLE)
- Candymaking
- Knitting
- Crocheting
- Rollerblading
- Short story writing (and I thought the drawing was bad…)
- Wii playing
- Ice Cream making
- Photography (anyone in the market for moody, poorly-lit shots of my feet? Wait, don’t answer that.)
- Screen printing
I still do many of those things, occasionally. (Not rollerblading.) But with all of them, I went through an initial period of frenzied, almost manic adoration, followed by a total “this hobby is dead to me” period, before achieving that “it’s okay once in a while” equilibrium.
Maybe it’s too soon to tell, but sewing seems to be sticking. It’s been almost a year since I took my first class, and I still find myself sewing regularly. I think this is attributable to three things: (1) sewing is an excuse to buy pretty fabric, and I really really love pretty fabric; (2) it’s a great thing to do while watching bad television, so you can feel less guilty because you’re doing something “productive” while you contemplate the Bachelorette candidates; and (3) it’s pretty fast – you can take a small project from start to finish in the course of one showing Dirty Dancing on Lifetime.
Reason #2 is telling. I have a hard time being idle- I hear my mother’s voice in my head, nagging me to do something useful with my time. Whenever I just beach myself on the couch and watch television for several hours, there’s always a pesky undercurrent of guilt that accompanies my feelings of blissful relaxation. I like sewing, a lot, because I am doing something “productive” but not mentally taxing. I have watched a lot of trashy movies while sewing. I highly recommend it.
What’s that? You want to see more pictures of the clutch? SURE!
I have no explanation for the lining. I don't even like pink! But do you see that interior zipper? faaaaaaancy.
So even though turning the corners of that effing clutch purse brought me to the verge of tears last night, it was worth it. I finally have a little bag for evenings out to replace the ugly 80s-era black one I stole from my mom 5 years ago, and (good friends might want to look away here) I think I know what a bunch of people are getting for Christmas this year!
I have a month off starting in two weeks. That’s a lot of free time, and though I should be excited about it I’m already starting to hear that guilty voice in my head. I’m going to need something to fill that time, and it’s a LOT of time. Are there any other hobbies you think I should be taking up?
How you finish one project in a couple hours, I’ll never know. I think sewing is definitely your calling because, as you well know, it takes me hours, days, weeks to finish one darn project. Even with the lure of bad tv. Sigh. Your clutch is gorgeous – way to go!
You haven’t explored the wonderful world of soap making yet! I like fruity scents please.
I wondered what happened to your ice cream making prowess. SIngle use kitchen gadget HMMMM?
As you know, that purse is so CLUTCH! (No really, it’s awesome. Beyond awesome–I’m in awe)
Other hobbies? I’ve always wanted to take a dance class.
Awesome! Where have you been taking sewing classes? My aunt taught me to sew when I was little, but mostly the sewing I do is, well…whatever the sewing version of doodling is, I suppose. Aimless meandering resulting in an astounding number of 1) bags, 2) quilt squares not actually made into a quilt. I feel like I need some direction or something. Possibly someone who knows what they hell they are doing to teach me or something.
As for other hobbies, maybe bread making if it gets cool enough. I LOVE doing that in the fall, and it makes my apartment smell AMAZING.
I would like to encourage the sewing of tote bags.
And then the giving away of tote bags to gals who live in Michigan.
Have you attempted a garment yet? Try a skirt! SO EASY. I made a skirt and I actually wore in publice. TWICE. Very much an afternoon project.
I wish I sewed more often! I took a class and was really into it for a while, but then fell off the bandwagon. *sigh* I wish I had that underlying guilt that motivated me to do something else when watching TV for several hours as a time.
If you like the sewing thing, maybe you’d also like reupholstering furniture. Or caning chairs. Maybe blowing glass if you’re feeling really adventurous.
As you know, I want to start taking sewing classes too. PLEASE just MOVE TO DENVER ALREADY so we can be sewing buddies! (Among other things.)
I LOVE it! So cute! I am impressed with your sewing prowess!
I think you should take up pole dancing as your next hobby!
you mean, aside from pole…?
LOVE LOVE LOVE that clutch.
i’m the same way with hobbies. scrapbooking! knitting! 100-push-up-challenge! making coasters out of wine corks! i do wish i had a sewing machine though, because i do actually know the basics of sewing (thanks, weirdo hippie farm school of my youth!) and i’d love to be able to hem / mend / make things without doing it all by hand.
I am impressed that you can pull off an inside pocket with zipper!!
Maybe you could do a giveaway of one of your projects? I for one could use a nice hobo in a fun fall shade? You know, because you do it all for me?!
Oh, this is AWESOME!! I am really proud of you. That clutch kicks ass. WITH AN INSIDE ZIPPER. Holy cow.
I’ve wanted to start sewing but don’t’ have any of the materials. What do you recommend for a first-time sewing machine? Is there anything that is good quality that won’t break the bank?
Now I want to really settle in and learn to crochet so I can make little crocheted animals (amigurumi) for the nieces and nephews. Fun!
Oh, man. I am ready to start the weekend NOW. And do something fun!
Hmmm… Do you have any interest in gardening? You could get the soil for next spring’s vegetable garden ready now. Also. you could plan out and plant a much of fall bulbs for spring flowers. That would be something to do outside and could be fun.
Please tell me you have an etsy store where you’re selling all your extras! I *need* a clutch in those fantastic colors! Add a little wrist thingie and I’d faint!
I want a headband!
Along with everyone else, I want details. Where did you take a sewing class? What’s a good total novice machine? We just wanna be like you.
I can barely sew on a button but even though I’m scared, I’d like to learn. My main goal is to make curtains for my kid’s room. That’s just rectangles, so hard could it be? Right? Sigh. I’m sure I’d totally screw it up.
there are many kitchen gadgets that you can buy online and offline but when you buy, make sure that they are energy star certi “
i like to search the internet for new kitchen gadgets to add to my kitchen :’`
nizoral shipping cod saturday nizoral pet rx nizoral shampoo 7oz nizoral infections nizoral medicine prescriptions nizoral order nizoral cod fedex where to get nizoral in internet fast nizoral generique pas cher edinburgh, no rx nizoral no rx great britain – low cost nizoral free fedex colorado… ontario nizoral overnight delivery canada where to buy nizoral without a prescription estrie nizoral prescription from doctors online nottingham order nizoral order mail canadian no script alaska! northern ireland how can i order nizoral no prescription no doctor u.s. pharmacies for nizoral without rx stoke-on-trent cheapest order prescription nizoral reading nizoral vente libre sur internet ordering nizoral overnight delivery. nizoral cream|ketoconazole vasotec drug class where can nizoral be purchased dosage nizoral how to treat paracoccidioidomycosis nizoral in togo uses of ketoconazole nizoral in laos nizoral no prescription drug nizoral japan
purchase claritin at reliable online pharmacy claritin in internet fast generic claritin lorfast online pills international claritin in china reviews low cost claritin without prescription claritin in internet tennessee the lowest claritin online offers find claritin to order mail in uk claritin drug warnings cheap claritin free consultant where to get claritin asthma online pill priority mail cheap brand & generic claritin where to buy claritin online- us & uk purchase claritin without prescription to ship overnight purchase claritin purchase claritin in canada free get claritin chemical ingredients of claritin claritin no doctors prescription were to get claritin online buying claritin in huntsville very easy to get claritin online claritin erictile dysfunction
cash on delivery online prescriptions nizoral.
I definitely enjoyed every little bit of this,I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
I’ve read a number of the posts on your site now, and I like your style of blogging. I added it to my favorites web-site list and will also be checking back again soon.