My First Challenge

Back in my early teens, I distinctively remember taking a 4-H sewing club, using my mom's old sewing machine (I wasn't allowed to touch the "good" one) and making a "big" shirt (so hip back in the 80's). It was a distinctively bright pink colour. I also DISTINCTIVELY remember sewing the sleeves shut on said shirt, and not on purpose either. Needless to say, that somewhat ended my lucrative sewing career.

Fast forward 20 years or so, to the present. Last weekend I ended up with my first sewing machine of my own (I'm still not allowed to use my mom's good machine). It is all a part of my quest to become more green, as I wrote about in My Exciting Eco-Adventure.

It turns out that just owning the machine doesn't make me any more planet-friendly at all - it seems I actually have to use the darn thing to achieve that goal!

So, with much trepidation, I am gearing up for my first sewing project (Quit snickering, all of you in the peanut gallery!).

I found a sewing class to sew the "easy" shopping bag, as pictured above. I have a feeling that the term "easy" may be relative. The instructor has no idea what she is in for when I arrive! I hope she can show me how to turn the machine on, to start. If anyone out there is looking for a good laugh, or a great class, be sure and sign up and join me on January 29th at 10:00 AM at Wool-n-Things.

Our local quilting store, Wool-n-Things, is located in Mindemoya, here on The Rock (Manitoulin). The owner, Sharon, is finding ways to make our world a bit greener, and she is offering the course to sew an "easy" shopping bag. Here is the info from her website:

Make this simple but fashionable bag in a variety of sizes and fabrics. Handles
create 6 outside pockets. Great gift idea. Cost for this half day class is $16.00
plus supplies. Register here.

Note: At Wool 'n' Things, we are trying to eliminate the use of
plastic bags and therefore decrease the pollution of our landfills. This is a
project that will help you help us achieve that goal. If you take this class
with us, we will give you $1.00 each time you make a purchase and bring in your
shopping bag, until the entire class fee is reimbursed.

She is offering a special price of $10 to readers of my blog if you buy the fabric from her. Be sure and sign up if you are available on January 29th, and sew your own neat shopping bag. For those wishing to bring their own fabric, here are the requirements:

The small version is about 8" x 10" x 4" and needs the following fabric quantities:
.20m for straps (or 1m of ready made strapping)
.60m of a 'focus' print for the outside pocket section
.60m of inner bag and lining fabric
.40m of firm fusible interfacing or batting (22" wide)

The larger version is about 11" x 20" x 4" and will need:
.20m for straps (or 1m of ready made strapping)
.60m of a 'focus' print for the outside pocket section
.80m for inner bag and lining fabric
.60m of firm fusible interfacing or batting (22" wide)

Equipment needed:
Sewing machine in good working order
Scissors, pins
marking pencil, thread to match fabrics
Rotary cutting supplies (mat, cutter and ruler) are suggested, but not absolutely necessary.

For those of you who do not live on the Manitoulin, I have found the Tipnut website which has a variety patterns for different shopping bags, 35 to be exact, that you can sew at home. I really like the idea on there for produce bags....that may be my Challenge #2!

Be sure and check back after the 29th of January to see how my challenge went. Hey, if I get really good at this maybe I can whip up some awesome, "easy" shopping bags as Green Giveaways.

Or have some really crooked-looking presents to give to people who aren't allowed to say anything negative (my mother) or who don't know any better (my toddler-aged nieces and nephews).

Wish me luck!