So I knew this job would be dangerous .

I’ve mentioned before how I have a sewing machine that I couldn’t get to work.  My grandmother left it and a cabinet to me when she died 25 years ago (apparently she knew, even at my young age, that I would be a crafty girl!)  My other grandmother ended up using it for many years, when I moved into a place where I could set it up (as in, not my studio apartment), she wanted to make sure I had it back.  So that & the sewing machine cabinet sat, in my craft room here & in MA, sadly gathering dust.  Sewing had limited appeal at that time – I was interested, but not in quilting and not really wanting to learn to make clothes.

When I tried about a month ago, to get it to work, Ida (as I christened her after my late grandmother) just didn’t want to work.  And I decided she was too much for me to deal with at the time – I need to start simple, as I haven’t sewed anything since jr. high.  I decided a new machine was needed.

Meet Elinor, my newly arrived Brother CS6000i, purchased this week via Amazon.  I named her after another favourite Jane Austen character (to go along with Darcy & Fredrick, the iPods)  Hopefully she will live up to her sweet, steady namesake as I attempt to relearn how to sew (and not be all dramatic, a la Marianne).

Even though she showed up on the hottest day of the year (96 degrees today & no air conditioning), I had to try her out.

Excuse the sweaty hair - like I said it's hot here!

I went with something really simple – a very wide headband/wrap, to replace one I left at my moms last week.  Could not be simpler – I guessed how long it should be, cut, sewed up the long end, then sewed the short ends together.  It’s a bit too loose (my actual first one was too tight) but it works.  I’m not the best sewer as of yet – I can’t cut or sew a straight line to save my life – but I’m learning.

Next I decided to try the pattern that got me wanting to sew –  The Drawstring Bag Tutorial.  I did pretty well, once I figured out what I was doing.

Yah!  I made something!  It just took a couple of fat quarters from Joann’s.  I was so ridiculously proud of it, I immediately called my mom.  I’ll probably make more (I have a serious fat quarter collection already!)  It was very quick & while my seams are really wonky, it’s not that noticeable.  My mom is actually coming up to visit this weekend & is all excited about having a “sewing bee” with just the two of us. :)  Of course, she wants to see some fabric stores…I’ve got to control myself though (of course that never works when it comes to yarn, so I don’t know why it would with fabric.)

Oh did I mention I placed my first employee purchase at Knit Picks?  Yep, got paid & immediatly ordered some stuff I needed (another size 0 circ to replace my broken one) and some stuff I couldn’t resist (City Tweed HW!), although I completly forgot I wanted order some of the Harmony cable needles!  Dur!

And I have been knitting as well!  Progress has been made on the Cables & Os!

After 2 & half years, I’ve separated the front & back & started on the armholes.  Woo!  It’s still slow going, but at least the rows aren’t taking me a half hour each to do.

And I finished a sock

Socks that Rock Lunasea - from my stash even!  I didn’t even cast on with my new STR!  This is my on the go project – C&Os has been my home project – so it’s just a plain ol’ sock.  I do like the pooling actually on this, I think because most of it is one color, just the blues in there, so it doesn’t look so weird.  Anyway, I was good & cast on for the second immediately, even with all the new temptations around – I’m determine to actually finish a pair of socks this summer!

Well off to take a cooling shower (I so do not like the heat) and  play with Elinor some more!  I wonder how long I can use the “but it’s work related!” excuse when someone questions all my time spent doing crafty things? :)