Tuesday, January 26, 2010

turns out, the sewing machine works pretty well on FABRIC, too!

go figure.

over the weekend my friend trish and i took a sewing class at flirt brooklyn's "home ec" classroom. we made totebags, from start to finish, using a commercial pattern. it was one of the best craft classes i've ever taken: our instructor, patti, was both knowledgeable about sewing AND great at teaching, and has developed the class so that a complete novice can confidently finish the project, and yet someone with a bit of experience is not dying of boredom. i also liked that we learned the "WHY" in addition to the "HOW" of each step in the process, so that we can translate the same techniques to anything we might like to sew in the future!

so do you want to see my totebag??
(resistance is futile...you know that, right? might as well say yes...)

the outside is the sort of grey-on-grey pinstriped material from which business suits are made, reinforced with iron-on interfacing; the inside is a lightweight cotton; the flower pin--which came from a trimmings shop in manhattan i stopped at on the way home--is layers of velvet, sheer tulle, and silky fake organza.


i have to confess that my expectations were modest: i hoped to have a fun day out, learn some cool techniques, gain a TON of valuable experience, and leave the class with a rather wonky but entirely lovelable item that would inspire me to go home and practice sewing fearlessly on any medium which took my fancy. and i was totally FINE with that. but as it turns out, i REALLY DID IT!!! not only did i achieve all of my goals for the day, i actually walked out of the class with a bag i absolutely loooooooove and cannot wait to use!

{♥WOW!♥}

13 comments:

  1. Wow is right girl! This is beautiful!!! Love your bag - I see a whole new hobby here! How great to find the perfect class and create the perfect bag and find the perfect flower for an accent- makes for a perfect day! Sew glad you had it!

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  2. go YOU! it's beautiful! sounds like the class was fabulous - that's the kinda thing i need to try, but i wonder if they'd start with threading the bobbin.... ;)

    congrats, love! your bag is wonderful (love the lining, and that flower is POIFICT!)

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  3. ♥♥shut up♥♥ I love it!!!! I gotta find a class like that over here...I soooo want to learn to sew on fabric....excellent Lauren!!!

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  4. OH HOW COOOOL!!!!!!
    YAY for sewing machines! Looks like you've found a NEW TALENT! That bag is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

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  5. HOW COOL! New skill - update the ole resume! And to walk out of a class with a FINISHED PRODUCT?! ohmyword, so great!

    I sewed most of my own clothes thru High School, so I am on the other end of that - I've forgotten most of it. Welcome to the sewing world! What's next? :-)

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  6. WOWOWOW! That is stunning!! You are one multi-talented chick! So when are you going to start selling them and where can I buy one?!!!

    (-: Heidi

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  7. oooh I love that! What a great job you did. Go you!!! I need better sewing skills too. I love that flower. I just bought some organiza. Do you think I can make a flower like that? haha I kid I kid. Seriously there is no way. That thing is gorgeous! So perfect for your cute bag. Lovely Lauren :)

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  8. Oh! My! Stars!! How gorgeous and delightful and fabulously funky is that bag?!?! You very, very , very clever Lauren Bergold you are.

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  9. Well, DAMN girl! You ROCK! :)
    I tried, tried, tried to learn how to sew.... Um, yeah. Not so good.
    But you have unplumbed depths! :)

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  10. Sewing on fabric? What will you think of next? I love that you try new things...amigurumi, sewing on cards, now sewing on fabric. I would love to follow in your footsteps :) If I ever get The Closet free of the perilously towering piles of scrapbook page kits, maybe I could get a cheap sewing machine. I sometimes wish I never started scrapbooking (you are smart that way!) So much guilt over always being behind in it!!!

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  11. Gorgeous. Now you have me thinking about yet another project. You did such a great job.

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  12. This is so pretty and classy - I love it.

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  13. Lauren, you rock! You are one multi-talented girl! Really love the bag. ALways nice when you can bring home a nice usable and nice looking craftitem after a craft course. That is not always the story for me, LOL
    Hugs

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