My First Big Sewing Project

For Christmas I was given two different beginner sewing kits and a handheld sewing machine. I've been wanting to start sewing. To both mend things that I owned as well as create a few things if I ever wanted to (and I do want). I was so excited to start using the different tools and items in my kits. I had so many different colors of thread and a cute little pin cushion to use.

So far I've played with my handheld machine and practiced just using it on some scrap pieces of fabric that my mother had in the house. After that, I mended the pocket on one of my pairs of work pants. It was in NO MEANS a clean stitch. The thread had gotten knotted multiple times and I wasn't paying attention to both sides of the stitch while doing it. But I've run those pants through the wash twice and the stitching has stayed so I'd say that's a win!

Then a whole month passed and I didn't do anything with my sewing stuff but think about it. Then I had an idea. I had many enamel pins that I wanted to display. Pins that I thought were cute, pins from when I was in the Girl Scouts, and pins that I had been given from my Yiayia's collection. I was going to make a pin hoop to display them all instead of keeping them in a bag.

I went to Walmart, found an orange fabric quarter (I didn't want a patterned fabric for the hoop) and some thicker felt to help support it underneath. Then I looked for a good hoop to use for it. Before I picked on, my sister told me she had a hoop at her house I could use, so I didn't have to buy one (unless I wanted a different size than she had).

Once I had all the materials, I went to work. I laid everything out, cut the fabric and felt to size to match the hoop and only have a little bit out along the edges. Once I made it nice and tight on the hoop, I used a grey thread from my bigger kit and started to weave the thread around the edges of the felt and fabric. To do the technique I wanted, I had to redo the entire threading twice because I didn't do it right, or it just didn't look right to me.

The third time I tried the threading, I would weave it through a few times, and then pull on the thread to attempt to cinch the back a little over the back of the hoop. It worked, but not 100% how I had hoped it would. But I worked so I was happy. After I was happy with the cinching in the hoop, I started to add my pins. I organized them on top first, and then pierced them through.

For my first attempt at a bigger project, I'm happy with how it came out. All I have to do now is hang it on my wall, and get more pins! they're all so cute and I love the ones that I have so far.

I have a few items in need of mending stored where I also keep my sewing supplies so hopefully this week I can find time to finish those as well. I had made a Tik Tok while putting together my hoop and I think I'll make more for the other things I fix and create in the future to further document my progress. If anyone wants to follow that progress (while it may be a bit slow) my account is @/monicalaurette526.

Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear any suggestions or tips for sewing if anyone has any they'd like to share!

À bientôt!

*photos are mine