Oct 16, 2017

Learning new skills

I have wanted to learn how to sew ever since I was a kid. I spent a lot of time sitting on the couch with my mother painstakingly hand sewing sequins onto dance costumes and being endlessly fascinated by the creations our dance schools came up with.

For some reason, I never made time for it. Life got busy, I studied, threw myself into my career, changed careers, moved countries and all the while this personal goal languished in the depths of the "one day I'll do it" basket.
Current project fabrics

Until now! I'm currently taking a "sewing fundamentals" class where they teach us the basics of using a machine, selecting fabric and making some fun and simple projects.

We're making:
  • A headband (perfect for keeping those pesky layers out of my face while I'm taking my makeup off)
  • A cosmetics case (which will be the blue fabric below on the outside, and coral on the inside)
  • And a cushion cover (hedgehogs FTW!!)



I've got grand plans of getting my own machine and dabbling with dressmaking. My goal is to make an item of clothing that I would be proud to leave the house in. Baby steps! For now I'm just trying to remember how to thread the machine on my own.

What's something on your "one day I'll do it" list? Or have you conquered something from that list already?

15 comments:

  1. On my to do list is to learn to be completely au fait with the internet so I can self publish, put up my own web page, do all the darned things everyone else seems to do with ease. I have got some amazing friends trying to help me, if I'd only get stuck in and just DO it. Louisa George is very patient with me, so hopefully I'll reward her with getting this done soon.

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    1. That sounds like a great (and very useful) goal, Sue! It's always good to have a friend help out :D

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  2. That's so great, Stef.I learned to sew when I was a teenager. My Mum was hopeless at all things domestic and think she was trying to ensure her daughters didn't end up the same way. I used to make a lot of my clothes back then, sadly not any more. Don't think I could even sew a cushion cover now.

    I always wanted to learn more about coaching so have just completed a graduate diploma in Leadership through Coaching & Mentoring through QUT which I loved!!

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    1. Oh that's fabulous, congratulations! Sounds like it would be a very interesting course. I think some of us will be eternal students. I love learning new things :)

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  3. I'm not really crafty at all, Stef, so I take my hat off to you and those of your ilk. I'd love to be able to paint but I seriously have problems drawing stick figures so that's not going to work either....

    On my one day I'll do list, is to join a speaking agency. I feel like I can talk with some authority about writing and I've always enjoyed public speaking so I'd love to combine both. But yeah....time and a certain imposter syndrome keep stymying me!

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    1. Damn that imposter syndrome monster, he gets around! You can absolutely talk with authority on that topic. I love speaking/teaching too, it's great to be able to pass on the support and encouragement :)

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  4. One day i'd love to learn Italian, and go live in a small village in Italy for a few months. I'm a terrible student though so think this might be on the 'to do' list for a while...

    That's great that you're learning to sew! Its a very satisfying feeling to be able to create your own outfits. I made my wedding dress with my mum's help, the time we spent together and the dress itself, I will treasure for the rest of my life :)

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    1. Oh that would be a wonderful thing to do! You could live like a local and immerse yourself in the culture. How fabulous. But yes, learning a language is not easy task. I take my hat off to bi-lingual people!

      And that's such a lovely thing to have to remember that special time with your mum.

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    2. Okay, I change my mind, I want to live in an Italian village too and learn to speak the lingo!

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  5. Stef, this is on my bucket list of skills to learn too! Several years ago I bought a sewing machine and managed to make a few basic things (including the sweetest little bag!). The internet is a great tool, but there's nothing like a face to face class. As soon as the PhD is done, I'm signing up for a course. Can't wait to see how your creations turn out!

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    1. Good luck with that (both the finishing of the PhD and the sewing!) I'll be sure to share what I make as I go along :)

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  6. Hi Stefanie

    I used to sew and knit when I was young and we used to do sewing at school so I made a lot of things through school even dresses and over the years I did a sewing course and made more clothes but I have done any for 20 years I still have my Singer sewing machine I don't think it work anymore but who knows not sure if there is something I would still like to learn I seem content with what I am doing but something may pop up for me :)

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  7. Stefanie, I loved this post. Good on you for tackling something new! It reminds me of several things I used to do that dropped off my schedule as life got busier, including handcrafts.

    I always wanted to be fluent in another language. I've learned a bit of two other languages but never achieved fluency. I told myself this year I'd enrol in a class. When it came to the crunch, it was either a class miles away at an inconvenient time in a language I'd started, or a class nearby in a very convivial atmosphere in Italian, which wasn't one of my two. Guess which I chose? Small group, lovely atmosphere and slow but fun progress in basic Italian!

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  8. I learned how to sew as a kid on my grandmother's old treadle Singer sewing machine. My mom would cut down all her old clothes for us and make my sister and I dresses with the fabric. In the early 70's in 7th and 8th grade girls had to take Home Arts, so I learned to properly sew there. I made a lot of my clothes and even nurses's uniforms before I had my kids. My children are both boys, and they really wouldn't wear anything Mom made then, except Halloween costumes and those ugly M C Hammer harem pants in the early 90's, the wilder the pattern, the better their 6 and 8 year old selves liked it. Now days My sewing is limited to repairs, curtains and alterating hem lines. I am quite the craft queen, so I combine my sewing and crafting skills to make cat/dog beds out of old sweatshirts.

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