How a sewing machine works

This was found by someone at the sewing forum I frequent — it’s a super-sized demonstration of how a sewing machine works. The best part is from about 4:30 through 6:30 in the video.
(Link)

When thrift isn’t really that thrifty (but I can’t help myself)

After several weeks away (except for using my cutting table to wrap Christmas presents,) I managed to get back into my sewing room today, and started to dig out from under the ironing and mending projects that had piled up. I ironed 16 items of the kids’ and my clothing (yes, I counted — [...]

Santa has come *and* a tree skirt got sewn!

I am certifiably insane, and also still very sick (physically,) but I’m on the high that comes from realizing plans for things my kids will love. I’ll have to take some pictures in the morning before the kids demolish the pretty set-up under the tree, because between Dean and me, we did some very [...]

Evidence of creativity

Here are a couple shots of my sewing room after I finished Mabel’s dress. If I’m amazed at how many sewing notions I can own, I’m even more amazed by how many of them I do actually use when I’m actually working on a project.

Mabel’s Christmas dress

This dress took forever to make (2.5 weeks, in between time spent on Sudoku or blogging or, just occasionally, childcare or housework,) but I knew it was worth it when Mabel came into my sewing room yesterday. She looked up at the nearly-finished dress hanging on a hanger and her jaw dropped and an [...]

More pics of Mabel posing

Another finger-related sewing project of Mabel’s

Besides the finger warmer, I’d forgotten about this other thing Mabel made the day I taught her to use the machine. (It’s a Band-Aid.)

A gown for a giraffe — Mabel’s first machine sewing project

I’ll start with the pictures and then you can read the fine print below if you’re interested in my experience teaching Mabel to sew.

Mabel picked out this fabric a couple of months ago and I told her I’d help her make it into a dress for one of her stuffed animals. It took [...]