I have wanted to learn how to sew for ages. I don’t know why, but it scared me.  Specifically, the machine scared me.  Just making sure the bobbin is installed correctly and then the thread is loaded correctly, and then you have all the buttons and dials set up correctly…well, it gave me anxiety.  I still wanted to learn, though, and was looking at machines yesterday when a friend offered to bring her machine over and show me how to set it up.  Turns out, it is less scary than I thought it was.

I need to practice sewing straight lines and turning corners, so my first project was just some basic cloth napkins.  I followed this step by step guide by Chocolate and Zucchini. i picked up some fat quarter bundles from Walmart to practice on, and spent all of today making my first four napkins.

After trimming the fabric down to size (18″ x 18″), I pinned two pieces with their right sides facing one another.  I measured the 1/3″ seam allowance and marked several spots along the edges so that it was easier for me to try to stay straight with my sewing once I started.

I left the instructed three inch gap, trimmed the corner edges, and then turned the napkin right side out.  Once you have the napkin right side out. make sure to use the chopstick as suggested to really poke the corners out straight.  This is very, very important, so even if you think it sounds ridiculous to use a chopstick, go into your kitchen, grab one, and do it anyway.  Then I pressed the napkin to prepare it for the finishing step.  (Seriously, sewing and ironing?  Who am I?!)

Once pressed, I sewed the 1/8″ topstiitch around the entire square and voila!  I had napkins.  We’re going to be fancy in my house.  Well, four of us are.  🙂

For my next sewing project I am going to attempt to make unpaper towels.  I just need to wait for my snaps to be delivered and pick up some terry cloth.