Sewing Machine Basics

I know there are a lot of really excellent tutorials on youtube and the like regarding sewing machine mechanics.  However, a couple of friends asked me to make one so here it is.  :-)  Quite technically challenged since I was doing everything with one hand but rather fun anyway. 

Yellow Party Skirt and Violin Endeavors

Hey 'yall!

I've tried to make clothing in the past and it always turned up less than ideal.  AKA far too heinous to consider wearing outside where other eyes could see the monstrosity of a piece of cloth that I conjured up together.  I found this tutorial though from Creative spaces.

It looked easy enough and it didn't make you cut those awful circle skirt weird shapes which I have not yet managed to make work out.  A while back I had gone to Jo-Ann's Fabric on one of their 50% off the clearance section days and found this lovely linen type fabric that I thought might work for this.  I ended up being just a little short of what they asked for which is why I think that my skirt looks more "tubular" and less "wavy" but I'm still happy with the result.  I'm learning!  Yay!  Being short, I don't think I can pull off the high waisted shirts very well but we shall see.

2012, Farewell

This has been such an exciting year.  Eventful at the very least. 

I finished 3rd year of medical school and decided that my hair was FINALLY back to being long enough to justify shelling out the money for highlights. 

And good thing too, since I was doing this all summer preparing for USMLE Step 2CK and CS exams.  

I ended up doing a lot better than I thought I would so we went out to celebrate like the little kiddies that we are.  

Pumpkin Coconut Curry with Chicken

Interview season is winding down.  I am incredibly thankful for that because I have gone on 9 already and have 2 or 3 to go.  I already rejected 3 interviews and am debating a 4th.  It is incredibly fatiguing...and don't even get me started on the debacle that was my #3 choice interview that took place at 8am after I had worked all night in the ED and just barely got off of work at 7.  Honestly, I nearly had horrific car crashes about 3 times as I was driving home.  I would wake up swerving and driving at 40 mph.  So bad.  But it was the only time that I had available to squeeze it in!

Lace Pillowcase

 (I apologize for the poor quality photos!)

I'm on my vaca so I've been trying to get in as many craft projects as I can.  We decided not to go anywhere so we can save up for a gigantic vaca to Europe next spring/summer!  Ahhh!  So excited!

Poppy Seed Dinner Rolls

Otherwise known as Absolutely Amazing Flaky Buttery Overnight Dinner Rolls. ^_^

 So Yummy!  I have made these several times now and I think these are the absolute best!  They do require a sit overnight (6-8 hrs) in the fridge (I have heard of people skipping that entirely and just letting it rise in a warm place until doubled to shorten the time) so it does take some time.  I have actually found this to be a good thing on big holidays where you are too busy in the kitchen as it is to make a dough.  These definitely have a light fluffy texture, so if you are looking for heavy substance turn away.

Cherry Dump Crumble

Not too much of a post today.  Just wanted to share something I recently discovered.  This is so incredibly easy to make.  a.k.a perfect for wee little me with wee little time available.

Vintage Style Apron

 

I have a knack for starting up a project, getting all the materials together, getting maybe 5-10% of it completed, and then promptly putting it in a plastic bag to be forgotten about for months.  There was a point when I had about 7 of those.  Well, I've been doing a much better job getting through them lately.  One I just entirely gave up on (a dress for my niece.  It was far to complicated in retrospect for a newbie like myself.)  Anyway...the point is that this apron was started back at the beginning of the year.  I finally sat myself down and it took probably.... hmmm 2 hrs?  If you add on planning and cutting from the initial start I would estimate 3 hrs total.  

Car Caddy!

 

Awesome.  So this only took me 6 months.  o_O  Well to tell the truth I finished it in about a couple weeks but then decided it needed buttons.  The buttons took me 5 months to do. :-P (Don't judge me!  This was my first time making a sewing machine button hole and using a button hole foot [pretty tricky]!)

Quilted Hot Pads! Oh, and Happy Fathers Day!

So there is one more week left of 3rd year, and what am I doing?

Finishing off a project in an attempt to procrastinate.  I really should be writing up my MSPE since it happens to be due tomorrow...but anywhos...