I have a blog?!!!

I admit it.  I gave up on the blog last fall because I was overwhelmed with school and had no sewing to blog about.  Who wants to read about endless sewing ideas that never come to fruition?  I've been sewing vicariously through all my internet sewing friends.  Y'all have been quite productive and creative.  Kudos to you!!

2011 is all about new things for me.  New town, new job, new free time, new hobbies, new sewing knowledge, new sewing confidence...

I've struggled a lot over the last year with managing my time, maintaining my focus on my sewing tasks, and finding inspiration and confidence in my sewing abilities.  How will I address this?  I'm not going to make up a list of sewing resolutions.  I did that last year and I failed miserably.  I'm going back to the beginning.  I have several comprehensive sewing books designed to teach someone how to sew.  My favorites are the Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing and the Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing.  Each thoroughly explains the techniques and the Reader's Digest book lays out projects for you to practice the techniques.  I'm going back to Sewing 101 to get back into the swing of sewing, develop some confidence and focus on my sewing...and to finally start chipping away at the fabric mountain that has been growing in my closet.

Over the holidays I picked up an old hobby again.  (What?!  She can't even manage the one hobby this blog is about.  Now she has 2 hobbies!!--Yes, now I have 2 hobbies, soon to be 3.  Sometimes you just need to be crafty and don't want to be limited to one craft.)  I figured it would be easier to bring plastic crochet hooks and yarn on the plane than scissors, pins, needles, seam ripper, fabric and thread.  The TSA is funny about sharp metal objects. 

I crocheted a pair of long fingerless gloves during my holiday break (pictures coming soon).  They are chock full of mistakes but I still love them.  My sister has even asked for a pair for her birthday.  I'm also crocheting baby Converse sneakers for my nephew.  My third hobby will be knitting.  I knitted one scarf many years ago.  My stitches were so tight that the scarf rolled up and would never lie flat.  I referred to it as the "noodle" over the years.  I've since retired the "noodle" but still have a desire to learn how to knit beautiful sweaters to go with my sewn wardrobe.

Crocheting and knitting means joining the Ravelry crowd.  LOVE that site!  I wish sewers had a great site like that so we could easily catalog our books/patterns/fabrics.  Ravelry is also where I found the best, most authentic-looking pattern for baby Converse sneakers. (When I find the pattern link again, I'll post it with credit for the author.)

So that is the update from my little corner of the web.  Best wishes for a great year for all of you!!
--Julie