Adventures in Domesticity

[jpegghost]

Ever since going deep into the USDA's "Homemaker's Chat" from the 40s, I've fallen into the need to become domestic. I've looked at everything, from "Canning Chicken" to "Drying Corn" to "Waste Fats For Explosives". Somewhere between the pages of baking corn kernels and glycerin warfare did I fall into the need to sew.

Really, really badly.

I was going to sew tablecloths! Towels! Half-curtains! Dog bandannas! My house was going to be a wasteland of fabrics and I would triumphantly produce decent things to make my house with Alex above the rest. Look out Williams and Sonoma, I'm making DECORATIVE TABLE RUNNERS.

At least, that's what I have told myself so far. I don't know how to sew. Both my mom and grandpa know how to sew (he even reupholsters furniture when he's bored), so I'm hoping that some sort of genetic ability to work a heavy pointy machine will come into play and I will be able to work a machine without maiming myself. I bought a cheap towel and some fabric to start with, but as for a sewing machine? ... They were out of stock. In fact, Texas is now taking this whole 'Covid-19' thing so severely, every store I've been to is out of stock of machines because everyone is making masks. I can't even find these machines online.

So for now my dreams of sewing like a madman are quelled. Here's the fabric I picked up; The towel is my victim, the grey autumn print will be the fabric put on it horizontally. The cat, pumpkin, and owl print was an impulse purchase I'll shove on some different project.



I also made basil salt! It's gourmet, in theory! I gave some to Alex's mom since she is in constant need of my aggressively-growing basil plant and I have more than I know what to do with. Behold, Nickelodeon-green salt (that becomes mint green after the drying process).

 

Comments

[azurelunatic]

I've been sewing since I can remember, and got my own machine at age 6. My worst sewing machine injury to date was squishing my thumb a bit under the screw that holds the foot on the machine. It was pure hubris.

That said, I think the hardest parts of sewing are threading the machine and sewing a straight line.

In my own opinion!

[8hyenas]

Okay, I have sewing machine opinions. The ones at the store are all crap. We have a load of them in the library for our (tears) make-it room. I am fixing them CONSTANTLY. They're midrange brandnames so... I shouldn't be.

The ones I NEVER have to fix? The all metal Singers from like 1920. GET YOU A VINTAGE MACHINE.
(I'm yelling a lot, but this is important!)
Old singers in even poor condition can still be repaired (easily! by you! or cheaply by someone else!), parts are still being made, manuals are uploaded online.

A Singer 15-91 is the best. Yes, it's the one I have that I bonded with. Cost $30 and a bit of a drive.

Recommend facebook yardsales, craigslist, and ebay (shipping tho!? whoa.)

[alee_grrl]

I am not great at fiber arts. I can do a basic scarf or washcloth in knitting, and sew a button back on if I need to, but anything more complex I tend to screw up badly. lol So I can offer no advice on that front. However, I love the fabrics you picked (that pumpkin, cat, and owl fabric to really awesome).

I'm also impressed by the basil salt. Very cool way to use up more of your basil.

[annofowlshire]

Pesto for an abundance of basil! XD

I have a strong desire to embroider all the things, but over the last couple of years have only done just enough it for it not to be entirely just a theory. A sampler here, a half-abandoned project there, a counted cross-stitch that I got many 5% into after countless hours and weeks and finally gave up on....

Mostly, I blame #toddlerlife since doing precise things with a pointy needle seems like a bad idea around him... but he’ll get older, and my desire to Embroider All the Things hasn’t diminished....

And I can still knit, sometimes.

I don’t much like sewing from nothing, but I do like radically altering charity shop finds and such into other things.

[amejisuto]

I have no idea about sewing. I even sewed my finger in the Home Ec class and the teacher freaked out. Two of my classmates had to go get pliers and help me out.

I will say that autumn print looks pretty and I really like the Halloween print. You have good taste. I hope you're able to sew soon.