Today's lesson....

... I don't like sewing. I'm not good at sewing, I don't have the patience for sewing, I don't enjoy sewing. Furthermore, I've reached the age when threading the eye of the sewing machine needle - even with my reading glasses - is a difficult challenge.

I wanted to do some sewing today. I had big plans.

First, I wanted to sew my last failed weaving project into a small purse. I managed to do that. Then I purchased a small piece of fabric to line the purse with. Sewing the lining was a disaster. It pulled, and caught and was ruined. So, alas, this little purse has no lining. I don't know what to do with it now. I'm thinking that it might be ok for a child - though I wouldn't have made it in black for a little girl - so I may donate it to Marine Corps Kids for one of the older girls.

Then, I wanted to sew some nursing shawls for Marine Corps Kids. A few months ago some fabric was donated, and none of our sewers has claimed it yet. I thought I could make some nursing covers with it. I found a few patterns on line that looked simple and figured I could do it. It is simple - and I could do it, but I took shortcuts. I didn't properly iron the fabric first, and that would have made hemming so much easier.

Anyway, I finished the shawl. It came out ok. One of the patterns I found uses overall clips for the neck strap. Figuring that with clips I would only have to sew one strap instead of two, I decided to use the overall clips. I had a lot of trouble attaching the button. I had to call in my husband and his tools. He finally got the button to snap over the fabric, but it was too heavy for the cotton and ripped a hole in the cover. :( Refusing to waste donated fabric, I sewed the hole up, found a traditional button that would fit in the hook, and attached that.

In the end, I have a useable nursing cover. I love the design - it uses a small piece of boning in the top hem so that mom has a small window to look down at baby without sacrificing privacy.

This flowered shawl will be going to Marine Corps Kids.

I want to make at least one more to give to my niece who just had a baby girl. This time I will use this pattern which uses D rings instead of the hook. It will mean I have to sew one more strap, but I think will be easier in the end. If I take my time and iron the hems before sewing, I think it will be an easy pattern.

I'm going to post this on the Marine Corps Kids site. For any sewers out there - this is a great item to donate to Marine Corps Kids. I think any nursing mom would love to have one of these covers.