It's a Wrap!

Ta Da! Here it is...the bath wrap I made in a class I signed up for when I bought my sewing machine. You can read that post here. My sis and I both went to the class on Monday and it was so much fun! We were both a little cranky towards the end and it took us way too long (about 5 hours)to make this thing, but hey, we had worked all night before the class AND we're beginners! Well, I'm definitely a beginner anyway...my sis has sewn several different things over the years so she's a little more "with it."

This wrap was so much fun to make and I know it'll go together much quicker next time I make one. The first time is always the slowest, right? If you're not familiar with the fabric, it's that really soft minkee-dot stuff that's often used to make baby blankets. It's the kind of fabric you find yourself absentmindedly stroking until you notice the amused glances others are giving you. :) The ribbon is just your typical grosgrain and I sewed it along the front edge to give the wrap some flair. The bows at the top are made out of the same ribbon but I added a bottom layer of plain pink just to help them stand out a little more. The teacher of the class suggested that I sew the two pieces of ribbon together to keep them from shifting around and I'm so glad I did; I think it gives the wrap a more finished look. I don't know if you can see it in the picture but the polka dot is sewn on both edges to the plain pink. And no, I am not the most awesome bow maker ever, that's just a third piece of ribbon wrapped around the middle to complete the bow. Ha! I can just see me fighting with the ribbon to get that perfect middle knot! I would have been ready to rip it all out...my patience only goes so far, especially when I'm going on almost 24 hours of no sleep!

The teacher, Ms. Shirley, is the owner of Fabric Boutique, a fabric and sewing machine/accessory store here in our city. I was really excited to learn that she was going to be teaching the class because she's very knowledgeable about her craft and so, so sweet! Also, she was extremely patient with us and gave us some great tips. I think the most helpful thing I learned was to "pinch an inch" which is a way to lightly pull the fabric taut while guiding it under the needle in order to keep it from getting bunched up or puckering. The minkee-dot fabric is a knit so it's a little hard to work with and loses its shape easily. Ms. Shirley says you should handle it like a baby (got that part down) and to "pat it, love it, and let it rest" when you lay it out to pin the hems. What she means is, when you lay the fabric out to pin, you have to pat the wrinkles out of it and handle it gently so that it doesn't get too stretched out. I think pinning is what took the longest because you have to pin the hems as you go; you can't pin everything at one time because the wrap is "built" in stages.

I had the best time making this wrap and if any of you have even thought about taking up sewing, DO IT!! It's so much fun, plus it's a great way to make things for your friends, family, and home. I've been thinking about making a tablecloth for our kitchen table and now I can't wait to get started! Here's a pic of some fabric I've been thinking about using for the table...

I like the idea of using the middle toile for the main cloth and then adding a border of the red & white polka dot. The paisley on the left is just another one I liked but I've pretty much ruled it out now. What do you think? Would those fabrics be too busy? I already have a pattern for the tablecloth...I just need to get the fabric and get started! This sewing thing is great for getting my creative juices flowing, now if I could just get my motivational juices flowing, I'd really be in business!

Oh! I almost forgot! Here's a picture of my very first, very humble sewing project made with my new machine. It's a little thing I call "Crazy Car Pillow" because it's a wild print and just the right size for snoozing while on a road trip. The fabric is an old bandanna I found in the masses of stuff I brought with me from my parents' house when Hubby and I married. Nothing fancy, just fun!

Okay, that's all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed reading about the fun I had as much as I enjoyed having it! Does that even make sense? Oh well, have a great day!