The Zizzler

Living THE life on a shoestring budget. Traveling, DIY projects, general fabulousness.......

Wednesday, May 31, 2006


I'm Afraid of My Sewing Machine

It is still in the box. My room used to be my closet, so part of my fear is lack of space. But mainly I'm just not sure how to use it, and I don't have the time to figure it out. So, some projects that could be finished quickly and easily on a machine instead are done painstakingly by hand. Like this change purse.

This is another half- assed project that actually works. First, I got a remnant of red velour ($1), a yard (just to be on the safe side) of black piping (50 cents), a yard of black sequins on a string ($1) and a white 6 inch zipper (79 cents). I already had a box of straight pins and a piece of chalk. I used a Cool Whip bowl (they are so useful!) as a pattern and traced two circles on the underside of the fabric. Draw a pattern on the "right" side of the fabric with the chalk (I chose a bird). Now sew the sequins along the outline, and then rub the chalk off. Okay, now comes the annoying part- pinning everything together. The easiest way for me is to pin it completely, then turn inside out. So I pinned the zipper to both sides (open), then the piping joining the two sides. Now, sew like a maniac, until your hand cramps up and you need a shot of whiskey to feel it again. Sew it AGAIN to make sure its sturdy. Then take another shot of whiskey. If you need a girlie shot, like red death or anything involving "Pucker", then consider yourself a wuss and stop reading this blog and go get your hair did or something.

Turn the purse "right" side out, and there you go. All it cost you (besides arthritis) is $3.79 , and there should be enough left over to make another one or two.

3 Comments:

Blogger haveboard said...

You said:
"..go get your hair did or something."

Hahahaha, that was too funny! It's that South Philly in ya!

3:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought I was the only one with my sewing machine still wrapped tidily in the original box a year later! I recently tried to read my manual, but I am still freaking out over all the knobs and doo-dads and it wasn't very novice friendly. The worst part is that my life would be a million times more action packed if I could actually put it to use.

2:57 PM  
Blogger Lori Zimmer said...

the thing that frightens me most are the TENSION KNOBS. eeeee

3:53 PM  

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