Sol--A Needle Pulling Thread!

Day 134

I completed 1/5 of one of my 29 various goals that I had set.

• use my sewing machine on at least 5 projects

Thus using the material left over from YW days when we made shorts (which I finally finished last year and now use for PJs)

And using left over material for our YW princess hats for Girls Camp one year

I created completely on my own....

A Purse!

Well, OK. I did have to call me Mum. Once. Because after getting the all but the straps done, the sewing machine started to act up and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. Yes. From the other side of the country Mom had to try and troubleshoot her old machine which she hadn't seen in quite some time. (And there you have Mother Memory #5!) Se gave me suggestions and tried a couple of other things.

I was able to finish it, as you can see. The intention is for a RS project we're doing of making purses and putting hygiene kits inside, then donating them all to a battered women's shelter. I thought I'd try out a pattern I found to see how simple it was. And considering this is officially my, um, 5th or 6th (?) project to complete on a sewing machine, I would definitely call that simple.

Of course, that also means it doesn't look all that great. I've never been good with all of those exact details. Probably why I'm not a good artist, and have some struggles with a few musical things when I expect more on the perfection part. I also don't know how sturdy this bag is. I suppose we can use it as the model, but I'm not sure it's worthy of giving away.

Is it bad to say that I'd be all right with that. Because I've been needing a purse for some time. For about 4 or 5 years, I've been using my old temple bag--which is actually a large scripture case--as my purse. I wouldn't mind having another option. And I feel connected to it, too. I also had so much fun doing it, and loved feeling so homemakery, that I began another purse and got all the way to the straps. The sewing machine decided to act up again and I had to leave for a graduation party. So it is almost done. The material is definitely not as sturdy--it's the leftovers from my Austen dress. But it's such a pretty pale yellow.

So, I guess I'm actually more like .38 done with one of my goals this year--and I feel so accomplished even if it isn't all that amazing by others' requirements and standards. It's amazing for me.