Let's start making something?

Hello PPPAers. A few weeks ago, in my house bound, post pregnancy, still breastfeeding, can't I get a few hours to myself or I may go crazy state of mind, I decided to take a sewing class.

Who am I? Some crazy woman who thinks she can sew or worse, some crazy woman who thinks sewing is her version of getting green and saving money same as the people who have their own garden and use their old coffee grounds and last Tuesday's Sockarooni to fertilize it?

Apparently, the answer is yes. (blank stare)

I had a great time making a tote. Watch out world, Mama made a tote...to hold...um...things that need toting.

The class lasted 3 hours a night for 2 nights. I sat in the basement of a little Brooklyn shop with 4 other women, snipping and measuring and sewing away. It was quiet and relaxing and only missing a good glass of wine. So when the next class was offered, I threw my sewing supplies into my tote (hello tote) and went back to make an apron. And I did...make and apron that wasn't too shabby. Hot damn, I was sewing. So I figured I had been a pretty good girl this year, so I asked Santa for a sewing machine. Santa agreed I had been all right and now I HAD to sew, because that sewing machine was not going to go the way of my banjo and sit in a corner reminding me of failed exercises in personal growth and artistic exploration. (Don't think this is over banjo. It's not over by a long shot!)

So, what to sew? I had gotten interested in sewing so that I could make pillows. I am a fan of a good throw pillow and after going out to buy throw pillows last year and being SHOCKED by how much people were asking for a freaking pillow that my cat would eventually puke on, I decided I could probably sew two squares together. Seriously, $90 for a pillow? A PILLOW?

Two days ago, after putzing around on some test fabric, I...made...(pause for effect) a PILLOW.

yep...that is a pillow. It's not saving me $90 or anything, but its my first pillow and goes to support the thought that no pillow is probably worth $90. (but Biz, what if people fall in love with your pillow and want you to make one for them? I would love to! That will be $90 please.)

I do love this fabric and I am pretty darn proud of my slightly lumpy pillow.

In all the excitement of the pillow, I started reading "crafty mom blogs" for inspiration. Holy crap, there are some seriously crafty women out there who can make some really cool things. Well this got me even more excited. "I too need to make an adorable owl pillow! Make my own swaddle for Katy Belle? I MUST! It's only my 3rd day sewing but I can't imagine why it would be hard for me to make a couch!"

So what did I do next?

I pulled out one of Katy Belle's old baby outfits that I had bought her and that she grew out of in 2 weeks (PONYS!) and chopped off the legs thinking it would be a cute dress and I would be the most amazing mother for doing so. Forest animals would come to my window and thank me and ALLLLLL the moms of Park Slope would stop me for mothering advice and tell me what an superb job I was doing as a mom. SUPER MOM!

ummmmmm...I wanted the hem that way?

Check out that craftsmanship.

Smooooooooooooth.

And here she is...in her shirt, not dress...most definitely shirt. And there I am in my supermom shirt looking very satisfied.

I predict many more projects in imperfection to come that will make my heart swell with pride and that Katy Belle will adore...until she is old enough to know better.