Josie The Awkward Learns to Sew, Pt 2.

Erin from Dress A Day was right-- you never know what your machine can do until you sit down in front of it and work your way through the manual. And while I haven't had time to work through everything, I did have time to work with the machine and learn a few new things:

1. Make sure the presser foot (that silver thing that keeps the needle and fabric in place) is down. Otherwise, the fabric is going to be all over the place, and you won't get a straight stitch.

2. Try all the stitches; a few favorites will emerge. I like the 1.0mm stitch, and the satin stitch (which is a tight zigzag stitch). The 1.0mm stitch is useful for constructing clothes, but the satin stitch is really supposed to be for edging blankets. Maybe I'll play around with it and edge a skirt or something. You never know what something looks like until you try it! Besides, Wal-Mart fabric is cheap, so you don't feel so bad when you mess something up. Unless it's the Elvis fabric I bought for Cathryn. I'm afraid to touch it until I've worked my way through the manual and Sew U.

3. I'm too new to sewing to attempt monogramming. It was a hideous, hideous mess.

4. I learned how to corner! That will come in handy when I want to sew pockets onto this cute dress I want to make for Cathryn. The fabric is yellow-and-white check, and I bought buttons that look like daisies to go on the pockets. It's too cute for words--I can't wait to post of picture when I finish it. Or you know, start it.

Toodles!