Five sewing things

Here are five sewing things about me.

1.  I'm always surprised when clothing or quilting comes out.  I'm confident ahead of time that I can do it, but I'm still surprised that the finished product is so nice.  Q thinks it's funny because when I finish anything and I'm examining I always exclaim with wonder that it came out so well.

2.  I'm still afraid of making button holes and using the sewing machine to install buttons.  I hate that I can't do it at the beginning and then make the shirt because I'm always afraid that I'm going to ruin all the hard work that I've put into the project.  I don't remember ever having had an issue with either the button holes or the buttons, but I still cringe when I get to that step - every time.

3. Whenever anyone posts a picture of sewing through their finger with the sewing machine, I'm a little jealous because I didn't have the presence of mind to take a picture when I did it or even before it healed.  I know it's weird and sad of me.

4.  I have a cape that I made more than two decades ago to go to the Renaissance festival  that I wear whenever it is remotely cold.  It is lined, and really warm, and still unhemmed.  For a few years I was planning on finishing it at some point, but I don't think I ever will.  Am I the only one that wears unfinished clothing?

5.  I don't like the term 'self-taught'.  I don't consider myself self-taught. I learned in 1989 from the manual that came with the sewing machine and reading patterns thoroughly.  I did some trial and error, but mostly I read.  I read books that I came across.  I discovered sewing magazines a little less than a decade ago and started reading them fervently.  I started reading sewing blogs after the bear cub was born and started reading and researching all kinds of tips and techniques and even watching some youtube videos.  I have even taken one sewing class and that was about two years ago and it was the one that showed me how to use the sewing machine we had just purchased to replace the previous version of the same machine.  All the people that contribute to writing and publishing about sewing have taught me and I appreciate all of you.