Is it the machine or is it me?

How does backstitching work? How do you do it properly without effing up your machine? When I tried it a while back, I thought that when you pressed the reverse lever, the needle would move back.  No, it didn’t. At least it didn’t look like it was moving backwards. 

Watching Leigh Ann's video (from HomeEcOnline) a few times, I thought you just have to forcibly push the fabric backwards. Nope, that didn't work. Plus, I think that it have might fucked up my machine, the needle, and/or the needle holder thingy. Because when I tried again, the seams bunched up and were too loose. 

Then, on my third try, I thought that you had to manually move the fabric back to the area where you want the backstitching to go.  I thought the lever was just to move the needle up or something, but that it didn't really move backwards on it's own. I don’t know.  Still, the seams were too loose and a complete mess!

Maybe I have to continue adjusting the tension and length? I set the tension at 3 because I read that that was average.  Or, maybe forcibly pushing the fabric backwards messed up something? I noticed that after I did the seams were loose, no matter how I adjusted the length and tension. 

Luckily, I found a very helpful video from Sewmarm that quelled my frustrations (a bit) and serve as a supplement to HomeEcOnline’s instructions.  HomeEcOnline should link them on their site! They clearly and succinctly explain/show backstitching, seam allowance, and that you can keep your pins on your fabric while sewing.

Thank you Sewmarm!  

Finally!!!! (kind of)

It's been almost a year since I last wrote. I attempted an entry in the fall, but soon became discouraged when this site was taking FOR-EV-ER to load. You know what I’m talking about. You type something and it auto-saves so there’s this lag.  I love auto-save. I am fortunate for auto-save.  But when it kicks in every 15 seconds and causes a 30 second lag in between writing, I curse auto-save, Google, scream, “Fuck it!” and end up browsing etsy.com for 45 minutes.”

You didn’t miss much anyway. My last entry was just pictures of some beautiful shoes with my weak ass captions.

After my failed blog entry, I dabbled a little in winding my bobbin and that other thing where you loop the two strings together. I even practiced making a straight line on pieces of cut-off hems (when you hem pants and the extra piece is cut off—my mom saves those). I don’t know how many days dabbling would translate to, but I think it probably means more than just two days, which is how many days I spent “sewing.” 

Finally, after much library/internet research, book borrowing, and more blowing off, I signed up for an online sewing course. 

 http://homeeconline.blogspot.com/

To which I actually just started sewing today (more than two weeks after I signed up).

The sewing course is okay… It was really frustrating. I think I need someone there to walk me through the steps. I will provide a detailed review of the course later.  I don’t want to just start bitching, especially if it may be unjustified.  

Anyway, on to the good stuff like SHOPPING! I found some really cute fabric at Wal-mart.  This (cupcakes and gingham) will be for a little drawstring bag from the the Home Ec course’s first project 

This one will be for later when I get really, really good. Love the vintage sewing machines. Yes, I bought the whole bolt. That shit was more than $40 bucks. 

Here is me almost done undoing my “handiwork” because I was trying to figure out backstitching.  The stitching was also too loose and somehow the string ended up bunching together. It was a huge mess so I decided to turn in early.  

I think I ended up sewing (for real) for only 30 minutes, max.  However, leaving on a positive note, I’m one step closer to becoming a fashion designer!

Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you.

My idea for this fashion blog started in the summer of last year. My cousin suggested or, I asked her if I could contribute to her Clout magazine blog. So, I started writing. I also thought it was perfect timing because I was starting fashion design at West Valley in the next few months. I was excited that I could provide much more insight into fashion than just my own ideas. Because I would be reading books, talking to teachers that were/are involved in the industry, and collaborating with fellow students with similar aspirations and interests.  

It ended up not happening. I forget why. But it’s always like this with me and everything I’m supposedly interested in. I start it with so much enthusiasm, hope, and determination, but eventually I either half-ass my way through it because it becomes too difficult or I just don’t follow through at all. This is especially so with fashion design. I think I’ve signed up for classes twice now and never attended the orientation or the first day of class.

Then, this year, I vowed to learn how to use my sewing machine. My boyfriend bought me one a few years ago for Christmas. I finally got around to it in March. I set up my desk, read the manual, loaded the string, and was ready to get to work. But, soon became discouraged when the string wouldn’t loop properly. I tried a few more times, but eventually the machine was moved to the ground and pushed to the wall, my chair covering it. Our of sight. Out of mind.  

There were so many chances for me to get into this thing, but I always quit because there was always something “better” to do or some so-called roadblock in my way.

I think last year I ended up dropping the classes at West Valley because Los Altos High School hired me in August. I figured this was a great opportunity to gain some valuable teaching experience, make some good money, and land a permanent position (they’re the highest paid district in the state).

That ended up not working out, obviously. I’ll probably touch in my other blog. It’s a pretty juicy story.

So, I decided to start up again. My thinking is that instead of jumping in with both feet again and then getting overwhelmed, I’m going to just dip my toes first by starting this blog in hopes that having me talk enough about fashion and having you dear fellow anti-fashionistas (cringe! we have to think of a better word) discuss it with me that I’ll stick with it. Eventually, this can become a real career, a fulfilling hobby, or whatever it is I decide to do with it.  

I began writing a few journal entries last month. I have about three or four, but haven’t posted any until now because I wanted to edit them before they go “live.” Maybe it’s the English teacher in me? But in this case, I think that’s just another excuse.

So, I'm going to revise them as much as I can and then just post them. I think this is a great way for me to practice my writing, as well. Something, I as an English teacher, should be doing more often. But, don’t. Also, I’ll get to see my progression as a writer: from horrible in the beginning to, maybe, not too terrible later.