Sewing with the "Albatros"

I decided many months ago that I wanted to teach myself how to sew. Despite my tendency towards absent mindedness, I figured that with enough determination, I could succeed.

But, it was daunting when I received my sewing machine. It's an old Singer from the '70s that belonged to my Grandmother Mary. My mom had it tucked away in the attic all these years, and after a tune-up at the sewing machine shop, it was here just waiting to be used.


Yet, I was nervous to use it, and I kept thinking about my past attempts and failures to sew. It didn't help that the machine didn't even come with a manual. So, I procrastinated, I looked at it, I dreaded it. It became The Albatross.

"Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung."

But, I couldn't harbor resentment and superstition against my contraption. Just remember what happened to The Ancient Mariner! This machine could signal good luck, clear skies, and beautiful handmade textiles ahead! Well, I had to try! And, unfortunately, due to low enrollments at school, I was laid off. For a month, I had nothing but time to struggle through a few sewing projects. It also gave me a nice way to distract myself from my disappointment with the current job market.

"The selfsame moment I could pray;
And from my neck so free
The Albatross fell off, and sank
Like lead into the sea"

The first thing to do is set a long-term goal. I want to make a beautiful, detailed dress. I drew a few sketches and tried to figure out how many pieces of fabric I would cut, and how it would all fit together. I plan to use some of the fabric I had bought while traveling in Mozambique. But, the dress that I want is an ambitious project. I decided before I could achieve that goal, I would have to do a few smaller projects to get the hang of my little Singer called Albatross.

I need to practice: straight stitching, curved/diagonal stitching, button holes, zippers, shaping textiles, linings, and how to take my ideas from a drawing and make them work. I prefer not working with a pattern, and instead trying to reason out a pattern and plan of action in my own mind. Furthermore, I constantly have to remind myself not to get too frustrated with my current lack of perfection. Mainly I've just been using fabric that I've found at Goodwill, so it's not too expensive or irreplaceable.

My first project was pillow shams for the couch. Two matching ones with button holes and two matching ones with zippers (and a few other touches that are TBD). It seemed like a good place to start -- I could practice some straight lines, a few diagonal lines, button holes, and eventually zippers. Since I only got the proper zipper foot today, the other two pillows will have to wait a few more days at least.

"Sometimes a-dropping from the sky
I heard the skylark sing;
Sometimes all little birds that are,
How they seemed to fill the sea and air
With their sweet jargoning!"

Despite the imperfections, it was a thrill to see my ideas literally take shape. I was ready to gradually tackle a more difficult project: the purse. I really wanted to work on sewing different fabrics together, creating something that keeps it's shape, and improving my attention to details.

.
I can look at these projects and note most of the mistakes, but I feel like I've learned and improved a lot in the process. Next on my to do list is to finish the other two throw pillows, a poofy slip, and a top. And that's not even considering the jewelry projects I have in the works as well! She's crafty and getting busy!

And most lucky? I don't have to suffer through death, being lost at sea with a zombie crew, and seeing all sorts of ghastly sights through an opium haze because I've learned a thing or two from Sammy Coleridge and my own redemptive imagination!

"He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all"