Sewing (and Spike)

A few weeks ago, my friends Craig and Laura opened Spool, a fabric store right next door to Craig's yarn store, Loop. The store is absolutely beautiful, even to someone like me who can barely thread a needle.

Jody and I went to the opening party and while I was there, I signed up for the Learn to Sew class.

The first week, I picked out fabric, learned how to use the measuring grids and rulers and the rotary cutter (Laura was very concerned that I was going to slice off a finger). We also pressed and cut the fabric. We spent the last 30 minutes of the class learning about the sewing machine- how to thread the bobbin, use the needle threader, change the tension, etc. 

Over the past five years that I've been a knitter, I have learned that putting colors together is not one of my strengths. I often walk into loop, tell them what I'm looking for in a yarn (gauge, fiber, washing instructions), the number of colors I need, and ask for suggestions. I just don't have an eye for color. I was VERY overwhelmed when it came time to select fabric so I picked the red one for the outside of the bag and Laura pointed out a few that would work on the inside. I settled on the stripes.

In the second week, we got down to sewing. Aimee (see blog here) was a great teacher throughout the class and I'm really looking forward to learning more about sewing from her. She was very helpful when I had a tension issue after refilling my bobbin with thread and had to rip out a whole seam. I was proud of the patience I had in those moments. Many a time in the past, I would have hated not being good at sewing (even though I was just learning) and really beaten myself up about it. I just looked at it as an opportunity to learn how to use the seam ripper. (Okay, yeah, I was frustrated but I'm trying to be more zen.)

I am happy with the way most of the stitches look.

Not bad for a first try.

Next I'm taking the skirt making class using one of Aimee's patterns. Hooray for sewing!

The Spike question:

A number of people mentioned the absence of Spike on my I love Buffy post. Here's the thing. I have a love/ hate relationship with Spike, much like Buffy does. I think he was a crack up in the Drucilla days and very amusing in the Harmony days. Unlike many people, I actually enjoy pining-for-Buffy Spike. I like Spike with a soul. (Most overused line on a show ever: Spike has a soul now!)

SPOILER WARNING (is it still a spoiler if the show ended four years ago? If you have watched the show though you might want to skip this part.)

I can't get over the fact that Spike tried to rape Buffy. I know. I know. The show is about killing. Spike killed tons of people, all over England and America for a hundred and forty years. He tried to kill Buffy multiple times. I can get past all of that. He's a vampire and vampires need blood. Whatever, I'm over it. But I can not get over the attempted rape. So, many times, Spike is the highlight of an episode (or even a season) for me, but only if I don't think about that one thing that he almost did in season 6, episode 19. The one thing that prompted him to get a soul. So there it is.

I actually didn't intentionally leave Spike off of my list. But when I thought about why he wasn't on there, this is why.

Comments

[Sharlene]

That has always bothered me too. For reasons I can't quite explain, it never seemed to be "in character" to me. All the vampire killing aside and all. :)

[heather]

what a great first-timer's sewing project! i love those fabrics together, but i don't know that i would have put them together without some help.

[Cathy]

I love the bag. If you still have the pattern for it, I'd love to borrow it. Have you ever looked at my friend Isabelle's website (Kitty Couture)? She sews her own clothes/bags/jackets all the time and everything she makes is fabulous. "Anna" (Stitch Bitch) had mentioned Spool on her blog the other week and I wondered if the owners of Loop owned that one, too. She said that it was right next to Loop. I'd love to go to Spool one day when I'm down.

[dhd]

I LOVE the bag. Since I'm not a sewer, stitcher, crocheter, etc., I am MUCHO impressed by your first attempt.

Also, I agree with Sharlene that the attempted rape wasn't really in character for Spike. I mean he loved her, so it just didn't seem realistic. As realistic as a show about vampires could possibly be anyway.

[kathleen]

I forgot about the rape...was that in her basement?

Angel--which I don't love as I loved Buffy--is on in the morning from 6am to 8am...right when I need to get the kids off to school. Very frustrating as I watch as long as I can...till I know I have to go make breakfast or lunches!!

Congrats on the sewing. I had a hard time when I took a quilt class--so much less forgiving than knitting.

[Chrystie]

Your bag is adorable. I think the fabrics look great together.