I woke up way too early this morning, but I really don't mind when that happens - I feel like I have had a nice long relaxing Saturday, though I will probably collapse early tonight. At first I was somewhat lost - no furniture to assemble! But by noon I had a plan - I pulled out my long-neglected sewing machine and I mastered it - I did not master sewing, that will take time and practice, but I mastered the working parts of the machine and can now thread the needle, wind a bobbin, change stitches, etc., without having to pull out the instruction manual. I understand the machine, and that's half the battle for me. The concepts of sewing are no problem. I used the various bits of fabric I'd accumulated and just played - nothing worth preserving but a good learning exercise. It was a lovely rainy afternoon - a Katherine Hepburn movie festival on TCM, my sewing machine on my kitchen table in my lovely kitchen, I must spend many more afternoons/evenings like that.

Now that I have figured out how to use the machine without long pauses to read the manual, tomorrow I will pick up real fabric - pillowcase makings - at Joann's sale and actually make useful things that involve sewing straight seams. After I have mastered the basics I will move on to clothing, but right now I think pillowcases and throw pillows and maybe a tote bag or two are more my speed.

I stitched the zipper into the first felted Accessories Bag, but it needs another round of reinforcement before it will be usable, and hand-sewing in felted fabric gets tiring. It looks great, though - it took me two tries to get the zipper in right without distorting the shape of the bag. My advice based on screwing it up - baste it in ever-so-lightly, starting at the center and working toward each end of the zipper, it's easier to fit that way.

I believe this evening will be spent working on the blue felted bag, until I fall asleep way too early again. I'm a wild woman.