Can I Inherit That Please?

On my long to-do list for this year, learning how to sew is definitely up there.

• My biggest motivator;  the crazy amounts of money I spend on clothes for H.
• My inspiration; my mom.
• My biggest limitation; currently not owning a sewing machine (kind of a biggy).

I love shopping for both of my kids and their wardrobes are stocked rather well. I specify H clothes because little summer dresses and winter tunics are easier than the boy styles I like. I would make him some basics too though. Don't worry, K does not get the short end of the stick in the clothes department, not that either of them care.

I like to check through Zulily.com on a daily basis and love seeing all the cute summer dresses and outfits that are being sold. I buy some here or there but since they range anywhere from $12-$35 each (the ones I have bought), I have to set limits. Luckily at that point, in steps my mom. My mom is good at everything she tries it seems, and sewing is definitely a very good example of that. Growing up she made us kids everything from clothes, to swim suits, to gymnastics leotards, to Halloween costumes. She and I went on a little shopping trip to the fabric store a while back, and a few days later I have some adorable new dresses for my little girl. Truly a labor of love for my mother:

Yay grandma! Notice the cute matching bows for the last two.

I am a little clueless over what sewing machine I want to get. Budget obviously has a lot to do with it. I would love to spend $500 on one but that isn't really that big of a priority right now. I also don't want to get a $50 machine because I keep picturing frustration after frustration with cheaply made parts. Reading reviews on them online is just more confusing since everyone's standards are so different. I'm sure for the professional seamstress that has a $5K Viking machine, the $500 Brother is laughable. That doesn't mean that it isn't perfectly fine for the kind of use I want to put it to. It comes down to how much I want to spend I suppose, and I don't know the answer to that question yet. I want to go with something nicer but what if I hate sewing? Even worse, what if I suck at it? I am notoriously impatient.

I know I can't expect to be able to be able to make dresses like my mom does right off bat, but I hope I'm not a total clutz with a sewing machine either. I have a pretty good teacher if I need it too. Funny thing is that even though I can thank my mom for a lot of my creative abilities, she has taught very few of them to me directly. I think that is the best inheritance, the creative process and the ambition to learn and discover new things. Hopefully I am able to pass that down to my kids.

Speaking of creativity, I think I will end this post by showcasing K's latest artwork. He used a rather unconventional canvas, but it made me smile. . . right before I rushed into the kitchen for a washcloth that is.