Nesting

I borrowed my Mother's sewing machine about a month and a half ago.  I've been glaring at it for that long...  I haven't sewn anything in recent memory and am feeling a bit nervous about starting a project  I would like to cut down some of my favorite bed sheets to fit the v-berth and aft centerline queen beds on the boat.  So far, the project is just swirling around in my mind.

Jezabelle has to help with all projects...

A recent blog entry I read on Pacific Sailors blog lit a fire under my butt and got me going in another direction.  I've had some storage issues lately.  Too many extra clothes that I don't want to offload but can't fit into the drawers.  Another cruiser made throw pillow-sized covers and stuffed them with the extra clothes, towels and sheets.  I found some cheap material and finally... today, I got brave enough to bring out the sewing machine and set it up in the salon.

I found a manual for the machine online and downloaded it.  I used it to learn how to load a bobbin and thread the spool and bobbin correctly.  From there I had some trouble with it jamming up and had to call Jan from Merlin for some help.  She got me straightened out and I was ready! 

I just got out my Granny's scissors and started chopping up material.  I had an idea but no pattern.  Jan came back over for a bit and helped me pin it together so that it would work and I was down to the sewing.  

It really did a fine job of sewing and I had it zipped out in no time.  Once I was done, I stuffed it with swimsuits and coverups (I think I have about 20) and still had room for some t-shirts and a couple of pair of shorts.  I could still get some more stuff in it but I needed to figure out a way to close it.  I think it would look great with some big buttons but between Jan and I... we couldn't get the sewing machine to make a good button hole.  

So, I'll be buying some velcro to sew on to make a closure, then I'll probably put some decorative buttons on the outside.  I'm very pleased with the way it turned out and really hope I remember how to do it again... I bought a LOT of material.  Maybe I'll make some curtains instead...